I think everyone is in agreement that January was a trial month, February was the shortest month ever (thank goodness, I really couldn't take another 300 day month) and March is already flying by. I've had a great start to the year with my first promotion, making new friends and just fun times all round, but I want it to continue this way.
I no longer think it's necessary to make New Year resolutions in January, it's been much more useful settling in to the year a bit, but now we are a few months in, here are four things I want to do more in 2017.
SAY YES
When you move away from your home town and work full time, it's hard to meet new people and even harder to find people similar to yourself. I've learnt that just saying YES to going for a meal, or a drink will open new doors up to new people. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet, what's the worst that could happen?
SAY NO
I've got quite a few things I want to do this year and guess what - none of them are free! But that's life. Sometimes you just have to say no to that night out, or that trip because you want to put yourself first, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's important to make time for friends and family, but it's never too soon to invest in your own happiness!
STAY POSITIVE
It's easy to get caught up in everyone else's drama and the negative things that might be happening around you. Take a step back and think, do I need to comment on this? Does this affect me? You might just realise that no, it doesn't. Have a pamper evening to yourself and think about all the good things you've got going for you. Sounds a bit self indulgent, but guess what? IT IS.
STAY TRUE TO YOU
This sounds a little more complicated than it is. By this I mean I want to go back to church and reconnect with people, I want to take more time out for my hobbies such as blogging and reading. I want to make the most out of my skills and turn those into much more. But not everyone needs to know your ambitions, I'm just getting on with it!
What do you want to do more in 2017?
I think everyone is in agreement that January was a trial month, February was the shortest month ever (thank goodness, I really couldn't take another 300 day month) and March is already flying by. I've had a great start to the year with my first promotion, making new friends and just fun times all round, but I want it to continue this way.
I no longer think it's necessary to make New Year resolutions in January, it's been much more useful settling in to the year a bit, but now we are a few months in, here are four things I want to do more in 2017.
SAY YES
When you move away from your home town and work full time, it's hard to meet new people and even harder to find people similar to yourself. I've learnt that just saying YES to going for a meal, or a drink will open new doors up to new people. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet, what's the worst that could happen?
SAY NO
I've got quite a few things I want to do this year and guess what - none of them are free! But that's life. Sometimes you just have to say no to that night out, or that trip because you want to put yourself first, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's important to make time for friends and family, but it's never too soon to invest in your own happiness!
STAY POSITIVE
It's easy to get caught up in everyone else's drama and the negative things that might be happening around you. Take a step back and think, do I need to comment on this? Does this affect me? You might just realise that no, it doesn't. Have a pamper evening to yourself and think about all the good things you've got going for you. Sounds a bit self indulgent, but guess what? IT IS.
STAY TRUE TO YOU
This sounds a little more complicated than it is. By this I mean I want to go back to church and reconnect with people, I want to take more time out for my hobbies such as blogging and reading. I want to make the most out of my skills and turn those into much more. But not everyone needs to know your ambitions, I'm just getting on with it!
What do you want to do more in 2017?
 |
| Left = Summer 2016, Right = January 2017 |
Happy New Year!
I'm back to blogging and hope I can keep it up this year. I'm not going to do a huge post about keeping up with my blog and what I hope to write about, better to just get on with it eh?
So what have I learnt about Wash & Go's? First of all you really can't just wash and go! It takes me so much longer to get ready in the morning when I wear my hair in a Wash & Go style, rather than when it is straight, you'd assume it to be the other way round wouldn't you? So now I have learnt to accept that if I want my hair to look good, I need to leave extra time in the morning.
I've also tried to stop looking at what natural hair bloggers on Instagram do with their Wash & Go styles and started to work out what works on my hair best. I'm feel like I'm getting through the trial and error stage, (I'm probably still in it) but I'm sure I'll do another post just like this in another years time!
My current routine is as follows:
Wash Hair
I use the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo for maximum hydration.
I've cut down the amount of times I wash my hair, as it is drying no matter how hydrating the shampoo is, but I do have to wet my hair at least every other day to achieve a 'fresh' look. That's just how I prefer it.
Apply a Leave In Conditioner
I use the Cantu Shea Butter Leave in Conditioner
Again, I don't do this every day, but certainly after a big hair wash or if it starts to get dry and lack lustre.
Dab dry with a t-shirt, I avoid using a towel or rubbing my hair to reduce frizz.
Add 100% pure Coconut Oil, occasionally. I have a real pet hate for product build up, so I try to avoid adding to much oil.
Apply a curling agent whilst the hair is damp. At the moment I use either the Shea Moisture Curling Gel Soufflé (my personal favourite) but I've recently started using the Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie which does improve curl definition without leaving the hair crispy.
I then use my all time favourite thing in the world. MY DIFFUSER! I use a cheap one from Argos, it was around £10.99 and it's great, now I just cringe as I think of all the hairstyles I tried to pull off without it!
I then use a soft brush and Eco Styler Gel to neaten the front, and then tighten it with my good old makeshift hair band made from an old leg from a pair of tights.
I then pick my fro with the afro comb so that the curls have body and my head doesn't look so much of a pea.
What's your Wash & Go routine? Comment below!
|
| Left = Summer 2016, Right = January 2017 |
Happy New Year!
I'm back to blogging and hope I can keep it up this year. I'm not going to do a huge post about keeping up with my blog and what I hope to write about, better to just get on with it eh?
So what have I learnt about Wash & Go's? First of all you really can't just wash and go! It takes me so much longer to get ready in the morning when I wear my hair in a Wash & Go style, rather than when it is straight, you'd assume it to be the other way round wouldn't you? So now I have learnt to accept that if I want my hair to look good, I need to leave extra time in the morning.
I've also tried to stop looking at what natural hair bloggers on Instagram do with their Wash & Go styles and started to work out what works on my hair best. I'm feel like I'm getting through the trial and error stage, (I'm probably still in it) but I'm sure I'll do another post just like this in another years time!
My current routine is as follows:
Wash Hair
I use the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo for maximum hydration.
I've cut down the amount of times I wash my hair, as it is drying no matter how hydrating the shampoo is, but I do have to wet my hair at least every other day to achieve a 'fresh' look. That's just how I prefer it.
Apply a Leave In Conditioner
I use the Cantu Shea Butter Leave in Conditioner
Again, I don't do this every day, but certainly after a big hair wash or if it starts to get dry and lack lustre.
Dab dry with a t-shirt, I avoid using a towel or rubbing my hair to reduce frizz.
Add 100% pure Coconut Oil, occasionally. I have a real pet hate for product build up, so I try to avoid adding to much oil.
Apply a curling agent whilst the hair is damp. At the moment I use either the Shea Moisture Curling Gel Soufflé (my personal favourite) but I've recently started using the Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie which does improve curl definition without leaving the hair crispy.
I then use my all time favourite thing in the world. MY DIFFUSER! I use a cheap one from Argos, it was around £10.99 and it's great, now I just cringe as I think of all the hairstyles I tried to pull off without it!
I then use a soft brush and Eco Styler Gel to neaten the front, and then tighten it with my good old makeshift hair band made from an old leg from a pair of tights.
I then pick my fro with the afro comb so that the curls have body and my head doesn't look so much of a pea.
What's your Wash & Go routine? Comment below!
For my 23rd birthday in September, I was whisked away to London for the weekend for a few days of delicious food, theatre and relaxation.
On my actual birthday, I was determined to find the perfect brunch spot and the breakfast club sprang to mind! We were staying at the Tower Hotel, so took a short walk through the vibrant Borough market to stumble upon the entrance of the foodie haven.
I was surprised to find that there wasn't much of a queue, but that changed after five minutes as we ended up heading a long line of couples all eagerly hopping around waiting to tuck in. You know that hop you do when you just can't wait? Yes that. As a marketing geek, I think they personally keep the restaurants small to provide that buzz of being able to get a table, but I totally fell for it and it didn't bother me one bit.
The cosy eatery was packed, with half of those being the waiters themselves. Personally, I love visiting busy restaurants where you can't hear yourself speak and this was just that. Everything was nostalgic and they even pinned their tips to the walls!
Now not to forget the food, I had the chicken and waffles with a coffee. MMM. I think I would have preferred a sweet waffle rather than the savoury lemon that I was served, but thats just because I love a sweet and salty combination.
I'd definitely recommend a visit to the Breakfast Club as it's the perfect place to kickstart a weekend in London. Although there's more than one, it doesn't feel like one of many and thats what is so great. For a breakfast for 2 we paid around £25, so its not the cheapest, but definitely worth it for the experience!
For my 23rd birthday in September, I was whisked away to London for the weekend for a few days of delicious food, theatre and relaxation.
On my actual birthday, I was determined to find the perfect brunch spot and the breakfast club sprang to mind! We were staying at the Tower Hotel, so took a short walk through the vibrant Borough market to stumble upon the entrance of the foodie haven.
I was surprised to find that there wasn't much of a queue, but that changed after five minutes as we ended up heading a long line of couples all eagerly hopping around waiting to tuck in. You know that hop you do when you just can't wait? Yes that. As a marketing geek, I think they personally keep the restaurants small to provide that buzz of being able to get a table, but I totally fell for it and it didn't bother me one bit.
The cosy eatery was packed, with half of those being the waiters themselves. Personally, I love visiting busy restaurants where you can't hear yourself speak and this was just that. Everything was nostalgic and they even pinned their tips to the walls!
Now not to forget the food, I had the chicken and waffles with a coffee. MMM. I think I would have preferred a sweet waffle rather than the savoury lemon that I was served, but thats just because I love a sweet and salty combination.
I'd definitely recommend a visit to the Breakfast Club as it's the perfect place to kickstart a weekend in London. Although there's more than one, it doesn't feel like one of many and thats what is so great. For a breakfast for 2 we paid around £25, so its not the cheapest, but definitely worth it for the experience!
Where do I even start? These last 2 months have been an absolute whirlwind of extremely high points and some quite low points, I think that's what you get when you are going through a transition point in your life and even though everything can be going great, sometimes there are can be a random moment when you realise how big the step you have taken is, and it can be a hell of a reality check.
After speaking to a couple of my friends who have been and are still going through the same experience, I thought I would share my experience of finishing university, graduating and entering the big bad world.
Finishing University
After this, I was floating about in a limbo period where I didn't know where I was going to be living, although I had my heart set on moving to Manchester to work in the field I had studied, Marketing and Public Relations. but even when I got a job, with a couple of months to wait before I started and my savings rapidly depleting, I felt like I couldn't enjoy the moment and wanted to just get started with the rest of my life.
I was so shocked and proud of myself when I received my results and found out that I had achieved a first class degree classification. I still feel like every all nighter, every time I refused to be sociable because I had deadlines and every time I turned down a shift at work to do my dissertation was worth it now, because at the end of the day money and nights out come and go all the time - and an achievement like this can stay with me forever.
Working full time
At the end of May, I had secured my dream job located in the trendy Northern Quarter in the heart of Manchester, at an award winning PR Agency. The location and the office are perfect, and I get to work with great clients including a huge beauty brand. I work with a small group of experienced and ambitious women and that's a great way to kickstart any career. On a side note, the office walls are pink and that totally sold me!
Fast forward to nearly two months at work and I still love it, every weekend I think how lucky I am to have a job in the field that I studied in. However I've realised that it's important to remember that you don't get jobs through luck, I did work hard to get the right work experience for a job like this. I spent money I didn't have to travel from Birmingham to Manchester for interviews for roles that I didn't get, and took more than the recommended time out of studying to go to assessment centres and prepare my answers for interviews and researching companies. This meant I was stressed and tired and didn't have much time for myself, my relationship or to work.
There is a huge jump from the relaxed schedule at university to working full time. Luckily I had already worked full time for a year in a placement role as part of my degree, so some habits I picked up quite easily. One thing I would recommend is focusing on one thing at a time. I focused on settling in first. I turned down invites to go back home because I knew I needed to make this feel like home sooner rather than later.
If your job is 9-5 don't turn up on your first day at 9am, thats just not how it works in a professional environment and expect to stay after 5pm to get what you need to do done, if thats how your office operates. At the end of the day, you're no longer in your part time job where you can literally clock out and run (sprint in my case) out as soon as your shift ends, you're forging a name for yourself in your industry.
Just because you might be starting a job at entry level doesn't mean that you aren't important. for all you know you might have beaten hundreds to get that role, and being in a skilled profession is a great accomplishment, so don't doubt yourself!
Moving to a new city
Even though I haven't moved particularly far, it's about 80 miles and a 1.5 hr drive between Derby and Manchester, it is still a big adjustment as it's not like you can just pop round to your grandma's for a cup of tea and cake anymore, everything takes planning and giving people notice, which is one of the hardest adjustments I've had to make. Although I didn't live at home for university, Birmingham never felt like home as I was just there to study, but now I'm in Manchester for the foreseeable future and have to start making roots.
It's very expensive to move, no matter whether you are staying in the same city or moving. You need a deposit which is often the same amount as your first month's rent, plus first month's rent upfront.
You may also need to pay an application fee if you are moving through an estate agent which for me was around £60, but it can be much more if you are moving somewhere like London.
If you are coming straight out of education its very difficult to make this type of money fast, so consider whether you want to delay applying for jobs elsewhere until you can afford to move!
I lived with my boyfriend for a month, basically the first month until I got paid, as there was just no way I could afford to move before I had my first pay.
I will probably do another blog post on moving and finding a place to live as it is quite a lengthy subject!
Another thing I wanted to talk about was making friends in a new city. This isn't student days where you can be friends for life with someone just because you sat next to each other on the first day.
It is really hard to meet people in your twenties and this is what I am currently trying to do. I am 23 in two weeks and it feels like I am starting all over again! People already have their friendship groups and routines and working full time, you generally don't want to go out EVERY night. I have bills to pay now babes!
At the moment I'm looking for sport groups to join, social groups and just the old fashioned connecting with old friends that also live in Manchester. You will be surprised to know that a lot of people are in the same boat as you and I have just come to face up to the fact that it's not something to be embarrassed about! If you don't ask you don't get so from now on I am just going to put myself out there. Try apps like Meetup and Citysocialiser to find people with similar interests to yours and pay attention to free taster sessions for events and groups.
Overall, finishing university and starting a new chapter is something not to take lightly, even though thousands of people do it every year. Everyone takes a different path.
Where do I even start? These last 2 months have been an absolute whirlwind of extremely high points and some quite low points, I think that's what you get when you are going through a transition point in your life and even though everything can be going great, sometimes there are can be a random moment when you realise how big the step you have taken is, and it can be a hell of a reality check.
After speaking to a couple of my friends who have been and are still going through the same experience, I thought I would share my experience of finishing university, graduating and entering the big bad world.
Finishing University
After this, I was floating about in a limbo period where I didn't know where I was going to be living, although I had my heart set on moving to Manchester to work in the field I had studied, Marketing and Public Relations. but even when I got a job, with a couple of months to wait before I started and my savings rapidly depleting, I felt like I couldn't enjoy the moment and wanted to just get started with the rest of my life.
I was so shocked and proud of myself when I received my results and found out that I had achieved a first class degree classification. I still feel like every all nighter, every time I refused to be sociable because I had deadlines and every time I turned down a shift at work to do my dissertation was worth it now, because at the end of the day money and nights out come and go all the time - and an achievement like this can stay with me forever.
Working full time
At the end of May, I had secured my dream job located in the trendy Northern Quarter in the heart of Manchester, at an award winning PR Agency. The location and the office are perfect, and I get to work with great clients including a huge beauty brand. I work with a small group of experienced and ambitious women and that's a great way to kickstart any career. On a side note, the office walls are pink and that totally sold me!
Fast forward to nearly two months at work and I still love it, every weekend I think how lucky I am to have a job in the field that I studied in. However I've realised that it's important to remember that you don't get jobs through luck, I did work hard to get the right work experience for a job like this. I spent money I didn't have to travel from Birmingham to Manchester for interviews for roles that I didn't get, and took more than the recommended time out of studying to go to assessment centres and prepare my answers for interviews and researching companies. This meant I was stressed and tired and didn't have much time for myself, my relationship or to work.
There is a huge jump from the relaxed schedule at university to working full time. Luckily I had already worked full time for a year in a placement role as part of my degree, so some habits I picked up quite easily. One thing I would recommend is focusing on one thing at a time. I focused on settling in first. I turned down invites to go back home because I knew I needed to make this feel like home sooner rather than later.
If your job is 9-5 don't turn up on your first day at 9am, thats just not how it works in a professional environment and expect to stay after 5pm to get what you need to do done, if thats how your office operates. At the end of the day, you're no longer in your part time job where you can literally clock out and run (sprint in my case) out as soon as your shift ends, you're forging a name for yourself in your industry.
Just because you might be starting a job at entry level doesn't mean that you aren't important. for all you know you might have beaten hundreds to get that role, and being in a skilled profession is a great accomplishment, so don't doubt yourself!
Moving to a new city
Even though I haven't moved particularly far, it's about 80 miles and a 1.5 hr drive between Derby and Manchester, it is still a big adjustment as it's not like you can just pop round to your grandma's for a cup of tea and cake anymore, everything takes planning and giving people notice, which is one of the hardest adjustments I've had to make. Although I didn't live at home for university, Birmingham never felt like home as I was just there to study, but now I'm in Manchester for the foreseeable future and have to start making roots.
It's very expensive to move, no matter whether you are staying in the same city or moving. You need a deposit which is often the same amount as your first month's rent, plus first month's rent upfront.
You may also need to pay an application fee if you are moving through an estate agent which for me was around £60, but it can be much more if you are moving somewhere like London.
If you are coming straight out of education its very difficult to make this type of money fast, so consider whether you want to delay applying for jobs elsewhere until you can afford to move!
I lived with my boyfriend for a month, basically the first month until I got paid, as there was just no way I could afford to move before I had my first pay.
I will probably do another blog post on moving and finding a place to live as it is quite a lengthy subject!
Another thing I wanted to talk about was making friends in a new city. This isn't student days where you can be friends for life with someone just because you sat next to each other on the first day.
It is really hard to meet people in your twenties and this is what I am currently trying to do. I am 23 in two weeks and it feels like I am starting all over again! People already have their friendship groups and routines and working full time, you generally don't want to go out EVERY night. I have bills to pay now babes!
At the moment I'm looking for sport groups to join, social groups and just the old fashioned connecting with old friends that also live in Manchester. You will be surprised to know that a lot of people are in the same boat as you and I have just come to face up to the fact that it's not something to be embarrassed about! If you don't ask you don't get so from now on I am just going to put myself out there. Try apps like Meetup and Citysocialiser to find people with similar interests to yours and pay attention to free taster sessions for events and groups.
Overall, finishing university and starting a new chapter is something not to take lightly, even though thousands of people do it every year. Everyone takes a different path.
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons of Golden Syrup
Mini Marshmallows
125g of Unsalted Butter
300g of Milk Chocolate/White Chocolate
4 Digestive Biscuits
I am no baker, I love eating cakes but quite frankly I can never get it quite right myself. For a quick sweet treat that is easy and fun to make without even needing to turn the oven on , I would definitely recommend whipping up a homemade Rocky Road!
All of these ingredients I got from Tesco and altogether I spent around £9 (face palm). Next time I make this I will probably get cooking chocolate and you could even get a cheap non branded chocolate, however this rocky road tasted really creamy and went down a treat! Most people add nuts or raisins to their Rocky Road but I left those out.
First of all I preheated the pan on a low heat as I was scared to burn it! You will be surprised how easily it melts. I put all of the butter in and melted that down, then added all of the chocolate. When all of that was melted I took out half of the chocolate and put it in a mug and put that aside.
I then added 3 Tablespoons of Golden Syrup. Next up, I put the biscuits into a bag, a clean plastic bag will do just fine if you don't have any freezer bags, then I just bashed that around until there was a mixture of crumbs and bigger chunks of biscuits.
I then added the biscuits to the mix. Next I added a large handful of mini marshmallows. If you can't find mini ones, Im pretty sure you could cut up some bigger ones and sprinkle them in, as they all get melted anyway!
I then mixed it all, but don't let it go to mushy as you still want some biscuit pieces. I then turned off the heat and put it all into a medium size pyrex dish.
I then poured the rest of the chocolate that was in the mug on top.
To finish, I put it in the fridge for 2 hours.
The best thing about this recipe is that you can choose whichever chocolate you like and add as many or as few marshmallows and biscuits as you like.
PS. Be careful when cutting it up as it is very tough after setting.
If you have any suggestions of desserts that don't require baking please do let me know!
Enjoy :)
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons of Golden Syrup
Mini Marshmallows
125g of Unsalted Butter
300g of Milk Chocolate/White Chocolate
4 Digestive Biscuits
I am no baker, I love eating cakes but quite frankly I can never get it quite right myself. For a quick sweet treat that is easy and fun to make without even needing to turn the oven on , I would definitely recommend whipping up a homemade Rocky Road!
All of these ingredients I got from Tesco and altogether I spent around £9 (face palm). Next time I make this I will probably get cooking chocolate and you could even get a cheap non branded chocolate, however this rocky road tasted really creamy and went down a treat! Most people add nuts or raisins to their Rocky Road but I left those out.
First of all I preheated the pan on a low heat as I was scared to burn it! You will be surprised how easily it melts. I put all of the butter in and melted that down, then added all of the chocolate. When all of that was melted I took out half of the chocolate and put it in a mug and put that aside.
I then added 3 Tablespoons of Golden Syrup. Next up, I put the biscuits into a bag, a clean plastic bag will do just fine if you don't have any freezer bags, then I just bashed that around until there was a mixture of crumbs and bigger chunks of biscuits.
I then added the biscuits to the mix. Next I added a large handful of mini marshmallows. If you can't find mini ones, Im pretty sure you could cut up some bigger ones and sprinkle them in, as they all get melted anyway!
I then mixed it all, but don't let it go to mushy as you still want some biscuit pieces. I then turned off the heat and put it all into a medium size pyrex dish.
I then poured the rest of the chocolate that was in the mug on top.
To finish, I put it in the fridge for 2 hours.
The best thing about this recipe is that you can choose whichever chocolate you like and add as many or as few marshmallows and biscuits as you like.
PS. Be careful when cutting it up as it is very tough after setting.
If you have any suggestions of desserts that don't require baking please do let me know!
Enjoy :)
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