Sunday 29 June 2014

Moving House

Today the tenancy ran out on my student house which meant after three years of living in student accommodation (halls for my first year then student houses for my second and third years) it was time to take the next step. 
In this case, the next step was moving into a flat with my boyfriend. As we both moved away from home for uni we decided to rent a flat where we both currently live instead of moving to one of our home towns. 






After about a month of searching various estate agent's websites we finally found a small two bed flat on a six month lease - which gives us the option to either stay longer or find somewhere else if we can afford to. We signed the contract last week and finally moved in today with the help of my family. 

Currently the living room and bedrooms are full of suitcases and bags so I can't wait to unpack everything and really make the flat feel like a home. Once we get this done I'll write another post with more photos to hopefully give anyone moving into a new home or student accommodation some ideas for decorating.



(Stood in-front of our new flat - feeling
hungry and tired after 5 hours of moving/cleaning)

xxx

Tuesday 24 June 2014

OOTD - Job Interview

So today I was invited to a job interview. 

If you're living in the UK you'll know that we're currently having some lovely hot weather - which I am loving! But finding an outfit that's both smart and suitable for warm weather can be a little tricky (there's no way I'm going out in a jacket and trousers in this weather!). Especially as the majority of my "smarter" clothes would be better suited to cooler weather. But after digging around I stumbled across what I thought was a great outfit. 



(Please excuse my awkward smile - it was early & I was very tired haha!)

I decided to wear this black sleeveless skater dress - which I got from H&M last year. My accessories were simple (which you can't really see here but I'll post some close up photos below) with a plain black leather bracelet from Pandora (which is actually my boyfriends - hence no charms - but it's something I wear everyday), silver lotus flower bracelet from Joma Jewellery, the Paisley Pattern watch by Olivia Burton and my sunglasses which came free with my recent purchase of Cosmopolitan magazine (bargain!).  





In addition to this I kept my bag and shoes simple with some black patent dolly shoes and my trusty black handbag from Primark. 



(I decided against uploading the photo of my shoes there's marks inside the shoes from where they've been worn and it looks like I have dirty feet haha!)


I found this look to be the perfect blend of something suitable for work and the summer weather. 

I'll leave links to everything in my outfit below (with the exception of Primark as you can't buy online from their store). Although I purchased the dress about a year ago now they may be something similar in stock this season. 


DressH&M
Silver lotus flower braceletJoma Jewellery 

Black Leather BraceletPandora 
WatchOlivia Burton 
(Also available on Asos/Top Shop & other shops - (where if you have an NUS card or any other type of student card you can get discount - bonus!)
Bag and ShoesPrimark 
Sunglasses - Cosmopolitan magazine (link to their website but I purchased it from Tesco yesterday)


This is my first Outfit Of The Day post - hope you like it!

As a little side-note to this post... I'm very happy to say that about half an hour after the interview I was called and offered the job! Yaaaay! 

xxx

Sunday 22 June 2014

Drinking More Water - Personal Challenge

"Your body needs water or other fluids to work properly and to avoid dehydration." - NHS




We all know how important it is to stay hydrated. According to the NHS - which is the UK's health service if you didn't know - we need to replace the fluid that we lose through day to day activities such as sweating and breathing (It may sound silly but I had no idea we lost water when we breath). 

In addition to this it is recommended for women to drink 1.6 litres of fluid a day and men should drink 2 litres. Now this can obviously vary depending on what activities you're doing or the weather - so we should drink more when it's warm or when exercising. 


My boyfriend always drinks loads throughout the day (always either has a bottle of water or a glass with him) and would always tell me that I needed to drink more - which I always knew but for some silly reason never really did. 

Usually I'm the type of person who would have a drink when I'm thirsty or with a meal etc.. but never anywhere near enough to keep me fully hydrated throughout the day, which - with hindsight - was so silly of me. 

There are so many benefits to drinking plenty of water which include: 



  • Healthier looking/clearer complexion
  • Boosts energy levels
  • Healthy body
  • Helps with weight loss
  • Brighter looking eyes (apparently
  • Boost concentration levels 
Plus many many more!



(Little blurry but any excuse to get something cat related in here haha!)


If you don't like the taste of plain water, or find drinking the same thing a little boring, you can add things such as fresh fruit (a slice of lemon is a personal favourite) to make the taste more appealing to you. There are plenty of simple recipes all over the internet. 

So I have challenged myself to try and drink the recommended amounts of fluid a day - mostly water as obviously it's the healthiest. For the past week or so my 1.5L water bottle has not left my side and I must say I'm starting to feel the benefits already with my skin looking clearer and feeling a lot better in general (which is always good!). The only slight annoyance I've found is needed to wee a lot more - but that's to be expected when more liquid is entering your body - and to be honest, it's only slightly annoying when it's at 5am. But I'd happily take getting out of bed for 5 minuets if it leads to all these benefits! 


(Spending some quality time with my new BFF!)


So if you think you don't drink enough water - give it a go! 


(Couldn't resist this little blast from the past and my childhood!)


xxx






Thursday 19 June 2014

Review - Real Techniques Stippling Brush

Earlier this week I decided to treat myself to a new foundation brush. After browsing around the internet and reading a few reviews I decided on the Real Techniques Stippling Brush which retails on feel unique for £10.99. 

The brush is described as:

"This dual-fibre brush is the trade secret for creating airbrushed, high-definition results with all types of make-up:

- look pixel-perfect even in harsh light
- ultra-plush, synthetic taklon bristles are hand-cut and 100% cruelty-free
- self-standing for easy storage
- extended aluminium handle is light and easy to use"





As soon as this arrived this morning I was so excited and, as I hadn't done my make-up yet, decided to try it out straight away. 

I found there were many advantages of using this brush. These include the white tips to the bristles, which makes it easier to know when they're clean; the super soft feeling of the brush, which felt lovely against my skin; the flat base which makes it possible to stand up (no more messy foundation on your dressing table - yay) and the lovely pink colour of the handle. 

According to the Real Techniques website when using the brush instead of sweeping on foundation like you would normally, you buff it on in circular motions. This eliminates any streaks and ensures the make-up is properly blended. I usually use a  Beauty Blender to apply foundation but definitely think this provides much better results. 

Overall I would definitely recommend this make-up brush. I was so happy with the results and I've been looking to purchase the Retractable Kabuki Brush for bronzer and contouring. 

If you're interested in purchasing the Real Techniques you can get it from the Feel unique website or by clicking here

xxx


Wednesday 18 June 2014

Home accessories wish list - Asda.

Coming to the end of university also means coming to the end of my time living in a student house. Therefore I have been looking for (and I think finally found - yay) a nice little flat to move into when the tenancy is up on the house. 

Due to this, over the last few weeks I have been having a little search around the internet for some nice new things to buy that I need/want. There have been a few different shops I've found that have some lovely things, but the one that caught me most by surprise was Asda (I didn't realise they sold such lovely and affordable home accessories). 

I've decided to write some posts around the items that are currently on my "new flat wish list" and I'm going to start with the items from Asda (there are quite a few!). Hopefully this may give someone a little idea some new things for their bedroom/flat/house etc. 

I'll start with the few little bits for the kitchen. 


Now I know these may not be a necessity... but I think they're adorable and would be lovely for brightening up the kitchen area! Plus they're a bargain at only £5. 


I also love this simple clock. At the moment we have no clock in our kitchen and it drives me insane not knowing the time when I'm in there, that may seem a little odd but I'm so used to having one in my family kitchen and it just doesn't seem right not too. 




Again - at the bargain price of £5 these storage tins are perfect for keeping biscuits/coffee/sugar in. The multi coloured polka-dot pattern is also super cute. 

Now if I had my way, these mugs would definitely a lot prettier with flowers etc. all over. But I thought that would probably slightly unfair on my boyfriend so I chose these neutral striped mugs. Even though they're not floral or pink I still think they're sweet and perfect for a first proper home. 

The final kitchen piece from Asda on my wishlist is this "Don't forget" chalk board! I think this would be lovely in the kitchen, along with being so handy for popping things down that you need - such as ice-cream or cake haha!

Following this is a few little bedroom bits. I only have two bits from Asda here - as everything else is from other shops. 

 To start is this lovely pillow with the phrase "Enjoy the little things in life, for someday you may realise they were the big things". I think this is such a true quote and can picture this propped up on the middle of the bed (also it's not to girlie - bonus!)



The final Asda bedroom item is this checked duvet & pillow cover. Me and my boyfriend are hoping to have a little spare room for when people come to stay, so I think this would really brighten up that room and make it feel more homely. 

The final few pieces on the wishlist are all accessories (which are all incredibly feminine... oops) 









I'm on a pretty tight budget right now (being in the awkward place between being a student and working full time) but I think they're all such good value for money. 

If you wanted to check out any of these items or have a browse you can visit the home section of the Asda website by clicking here

xxx



Tuesday 17 June 2014

Body Shop Hair Chalk Review

Recently I was browsing the internet and I discovered that The Body Shop had a 40% off offer on. As a student I jumped at the chance of saving a few pennies and decided to treat myself to a few things. Among them was the brands Hair Chalk.




When I found this for only £5 I couldn't resist giving it a try (and it would be almost rude when there's a 40% offer on!) Body Shop's website describes the product as:

"Transform your look with bold hair chalk for instantly on-trend style.


  • Bold Colour
  • Washes Out With Shampoo
  • Colour Can  Be Sealed With Hair-spray"
The chalk comes in both bright pink and bright blue - with the blue being aimed more towards brunettes and pink towards blondes. However the blue would obviously show up well against blonde hair and according to some reviews the pink can be used on brunette hair but the colour just isn't as vibrant. 

A few years back I helped a friend (who was a hair dressing apprentice at the time) with a competition for the hairdressing company Tony and Guy. During this time I had sections of my hair dyed a candy floss pink and I absolutely LOVED it! So needless to say, I went for the pink. Anything pretty and/or pink and I'm sold!

When the product arrived I was ridiculously excited and decided to try it out straight away. It's safe to say I was not disappointed and spent the day smiling away/pretending to be a "My Little Pony" with hair my tied up. 

The product is easy to use - you simply hold the little pot with a piece of hair (probably about an inch or so section) against the chalk side and drag it down (more detailed instructions are on the box). This product will stain your thumb/hand so be careful what you touch after - I learnt the hard way not to itch my face - and either wear old clothes or wrap a towel round you shoulders to stop it from getting anywhere you don't want it. 

Now my hair is usually quite a light blonde colour with slightly darker blonde sections underneath, but I found this coloured my hair a lovely light pink (brighter on the light blonde sections and a less bright on the darker blonde bits). 

Here's a photo of my hair normally looking all blonde (sorry to my boyfriend who I've cropped out there haha) and then one after using the chalk (super happy and excited!)





















The colour lasts well and until you decide to wash your hair although it does start to fade slightly eventually. It also washes straight out and doesn't stain your hair at all after. So this is perfect if you only want a temporary pop of colour! The only thing I would say is a slight colour can transfer onto lighter coloured clothing but don't worry it washed straight off. 



I've used this twice now and (as you can see) it has started to run out. However I do have a lot of/thick hair so it would probably last longer on someone with shorter or thinner hair. 

Overall I was very impressed with this product. It's reasonably priced and does exactly what it's supposed too. In fact I've been so impressed/loved having pink hair I've gone out and purchased a semi-permanent light pink hair dye from Boots to try a more a look that will last longer - well when I pluck up the courage haha. 

If you want to purchase The Body Shop's Hair Chalk you can either pop into your local store or click here

This was my first beauty related and review post so hopefully it's okay haha! I've really enjoyed writing it but I'm sure there's plenty of room for improvement - which I'll *hopefully* learn as time goes on! 

xxx


  






Monday 16 June 2014

Small and Blonde (take two)


If you follow me/my blog you may know that I had to (unfortunately) stop using my original blog due to some issues with the site not working etc. So I had a little look around the world of Bloglovin' to see which sites people seem to use the most... (Why I didn't just do that in the first place I don't know). 

So this led me to creating this new blog! Yay! It's a completely different layout to my original blog (except the title, tag line and photo) but the content is exactly the same! 

I'm hoping now I can blog more regularly and not have to worry about crashes on the website etc. Which makes me very excited! I even have a few little notes for potential future blog posts.. (including my first "beauty" related post.. eeek!) 

This is just a little "welcome to my new blog" post.. and I'm very grateful if you're of the few people who followed the original Small and Blonde and have come over or if you're new and just fancy seeing what I write about! Getting a little notification saying that someone is following my blog makes me very happy! 

So thank-you very much!
xxx

Kellogg's Anti-Fat Shaming Campaign

Recently I watched a video from the company Kellogg’s which is advertising “anti-fat talk”. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s basically a video in which the brand aims to put an end to how people shame themselves by using “fat-talk” such as “My thighs are looking huge today” or “My face is so chubby”.

The video begins with a look at posts on social media sights where women have insulted themselves and the way they look with harsh comments. The next shot shows a clothing store, which has been set up by the brand, and a selection of women who have been invited in. Within the store (on clothing labels and signs etc.) are “actual fat talk” quotes. As the women look around the store they become confused and offended by the words before coming to the realisation that each is something (or something similar) to a phrase they’ve used to describe their own body.

Following this the women talk about how it makes them feel “sad”, “nauseous”  and decide it’s basically like “bullying yourself”. The ad focuses on how you (well nice/normal people) wouldn’t talk to or about someone else in that way – so why is it okay to say these things about yourself? Obviously it’s not.
The advert finishes with each woman deciding not to “fat-talk” anymore and to be more positive about their bodies.

Now (as the website that features this video says) this is a slightly hypocritical of Kellogg’s - who generally advertise about weight loss etc. – but I personally think, overall, it’s a very powerful message to both women and men (although featuring some men in the video would have been better – as men get self-conscious too!)

However – I feel Kellogg’s could definitely take this one step further.  What about an “anti-skinny talk” campaign? Harsh words about being too slim or skinny (such as “I wish I was curvier” or “I’m so skinny it’s disgusting”) are JUST as hurtful as those “fat” issues. In society today it seems that pointing out that someone is overweight is rude/hurtful (which of course it is) yet pointing out that someone is underweight or “skinny” is perfectly okay – which it is not.

This is a topic very close to my heart. As I mentioned in my first blog post (and as you can guess from my blog title haha) I am pretty small - only 5ft 2” to be exact. Now I wouldn’t say I’m really slim or “skinny” yet I do have a petite build and I am on slimmer side. However, this is not due to diets or skipping meals, I am just naturally small (My mum, nan and sister are the same). It seems a lot of people have no problem making comments such as - “oh you need to get a good meal in you” or simply just jumping to the assumption that I just MUST deprive myself of so much food - anyone who knows me will be laughing now as I LOVE food. I’m sure most naturally small people (both men and women) have experienced this at some point, and it definitely hurts your feelings.

Due to this, I feel the campaign shouldn’t be about just “anti-fat talk” or even just “anti-skinny talk”… it should simply be “anti-body shaming talk”. In today’s society it’s like you can’t win (judged if you’re “too small”, judged if you’re “too big). We should learn to love our bodies and focus on being healthy… Not on having thin legs, bigger boobs or a flatter tummy… And NO-ONE should feel they have the right to make comments or pass judgement on someone else’s body (who knows what reasons or insecurities that person may have – illness? Fast/slow metabolism? Low self-esteem? – Harsh words/thoughts can easily add to any of this and the consequences could be awful for both mental and physical health.
Clearly it’s something that I have A LOT to say about haha!
If you haven’t yet seen the video I’ll link it below… See what you think.



Eight days later.

I feel like I haven’t written a post in ages - going from writing most days to not at all for 8! I keep saying to myself “I’ll write a blog post tomorrow”… and then tomorrow comes and goes and I haven’t written a thing... awful!

To be fair though, this past week has been pretty busy. On Friday my day was taken up by going for a  meal at a local buffet with my boyfriend, his mum, sister and a friend, which was followed by a night in with snacks and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2” (FYI I thought this film was HILARIOUS!) Following this one of my housemates moved out Sunday evening (ooh *sad face*) so we spent Saturday and Sunday just relaxing and making the most of her last night in our house which was spent playing “Game of Life” (I’ve never played it before and have definitely been missing out!)… now she’s gone I’m left out-numbered by boys! *Dunn Dunn Dunnnn*. I’ve also been running various errands in town and pretty much full time hunting for jobs, which I wouldn’t really describe as fun… Most things seem to require multiple years of experience, which is not something I’ve been able to get whilst studying full time. Never-mind though, I’m sure a job will come along soon!

Although “Small and Blonde” has only been up and running for a short amount of time, I’ve loved writing each post. I find it lets all the little thoughts that are bouncing around my head escape, which is very therapeutic. So I’ve been having a little think about what else to write about (besides my general rambles which are probably pretty boring haha!). I’ve tried a few new hair products recently (Thank-you Boots for your 3 for 2 offer) so there may be an attempt at a product review coming along shortly… apologies in advance if it’s awful – I have no idea what I’m doing – Haha.

Besides this I’m not really sure, so may have a little nose around at other people’s blogs for some inspiration!
Sorry that this has been pretty rubbish but I really wanted to write something as it feels like it’s been forever! Hopefully my next post will be a little more entertaining!

xxxx

The Disney Tag

Although I wasn't technically tagged to do this by anyone in particular, I absolutely love Disney so couldn’t resist doing this tag after reading other posts on it. However my love for all things Disney, along with the fact that I’m awful at decision making, made it very hard to pick my favourites! I decided that I had to just think about Disney Films and not Pixar as I’d probably be up all night trying to narrow everything down!

Question 1: Favourite Disney film?
My favourite Disney film changes from time to time, and as much as I love Frozen and Tangled, I don’t want to be too obvious and chose one of them as my favourite films (even though they’re definitely both up there). So for my favourite film, I’m going to choose Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. The film’s so wonderfully weird and I love Alice’s character along with how she reasons with herself and characters whilst on her adventure. One of my favourite quotes from the film is “I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it” and I feel everyone can relate to this. As well as this, I love the songs, strange characters and (although only featuring briefly) Alice’s pet cat Dinah.

Question 2: Favourite Disney Character?
I really don’t think I can narrow this down… There are so many amazing characters to choose from. I tend to love the funny secondary character/sidekick, such as Pasqual, Olaf, Mushu, Pumba and Sabastian… But I’m also a massive girly-girl in the sense that I love the princesses and girly characters – Belle, Aurora, Merida and Jasmine - the list is endless! If I HAD to narrow it down - (again not taking Pixar into account as my poor brain would go into overload) – I’ve always had a massive soft spot for Figaro from Pinocchio (Crazy cat lady out in full swing haha). As it says at the top of my blog, I love anything cat related… So to those who know me, this probably isn’t much of a surprise haha.

Question 3: Which Disney character would be your best friend?
I know it’s probably cheating but I feel these two would probably come together so therefore count as one… (That’s my logic anyway). So my Disney best friend(s) would be Anna and Olaf from Frozen. Anna is so funny, independent and knows what’s most important to her (she don’t need no man – he’s just a nice bonus that comes along at the end). I also imagine Olaf to be the best friend ever. He was willing to melt for Anna (could he be any more loyal?) plus he’s loves summer and hugs… Perfect!

Question 4: Would you rather be Aurora or Cinderella?
Hmm… as much as I love both of these princesses I think I’d chose to be Aurora. Aurora has lots of little animal friends, three magical fairies to look after her, gets a nice long sleep (and her friends/family sleep too so there’s no missing out on anything) and then gets her Prince Charming. I know Cinderella has little mice/bird friends and gets a fairy godmother, but it’s the whole evil stepmother thing that’s putting me off… Plus I’m awful at cleaning so I’m sure my life would have been even worse!

Question 5: Would you rather be Hercules or Tarzan?
Although Tarzan does have lots of animal friends (which means he can speak the languages of animals and humans) and gets to swing around on vines in the jungle all day (which is pretty cool) I think I’d go with Hercules. Hercules has a flying horse as a pet/best friend, which was ridiculously cute as a pony, is super strong and is also the son of Greek Gods. What more could you want?! Oh I know, to live in a lovely warm country – check… Hello Greece.

Question 7: Favourite Disney Song?
Disney has so so many amazing songs, and I must admit I love to sit and sing along to them whilst doing bits and bobs. My favourite song would probably be “Just around the river-bend” from Pocahontas. I love singing along to this (admittedly awfully but oh well) and the lyrics are great for every Disney lover to listen to, young and old alike.

Question 8: Favourite Disney Princess & why?
I love so many of the Disney princesses; Ariel, Belle, Pocahontas, Jasmine, Tiana, and Merida just to name a few. I think at the moment I’m torn between Elsa and Rapunzel. I’ve already chosen Anna/Olaf as my best-friend(s) so I think I’m going to go with Rapunzel as my favourite princess. I know I share this choice with my youngest sister too, so that makes it a little more special. Rapunzel is so different to the other princesses. I guess this is down to the modern twist Disney has taken. She’s smart, funny and if I’m honest, I’m a little jealous of her amazing hair!
*Side-note: I still love Elsa – she’s independent, has cool powers and cares a lot about her family/friends.*

Question 9: Which Disney character would be your pet?
I love so many of the Disney animals, Marie for the Aristocrats, Pegasus from Hercules and Sven from Frozen but I think I would have Meeko from Pocahontas as my pet. He’s funny, inquisitive and adorable. Plus (added bonus) he can braid hair like a pro! Perfect for those lazy days when doing your hair is far too much effort.

Question 10: Ever been to Disneyland? 
I’ve been lucky enough to visit both Disney Land in Paris and Disney World in Florida. I visited the Paris park a few times when I was younger and once again when I was in my second year of Sixth form as part of our Media A-level course (Disney + friends = lots of fun!). I also went to Florida when I was about 11 with my family for a couple of weeks which was amazing!



Hello June

So we’ve left May behind and now June is here. I know everyone says this at the start of a new month – and I’m sure I’ll say it again too – but I cannot believe its June already! This year seems to be going ridiculously fast. It doesn’t seem like five minutes since everyone counting down to Christmas and now we’re half way through the year already… Complete madness!

I must say, as much as I love winter (snuggly clothing, Christmas, Halloween, Hot chocolates etc.) the spring/summer months are most definitely my favourite. Everything just seems so much happier in the summer. Lighter nights, brighter clothing and everyone showing a little more skin (cheeky)… During the winter, where I live seems to be permanently grey… yet it seems to almost transform in the summer. It’s still a big city, so I wouldn’t go as far as to describe it as pretty… but it’s definitely a big improvement on grey!

When these warmer months arrive, it seems like people come out of a type of hibernation. The sun starts to make an appearance and people do too! But if I’m honest I don’t blame anyone. It’s much more fun to be outside, having a BBQ or enjoying a drink when the suns out then trudging around in the rain and wind (when we’d all much rather be cozied up with a film and hot chocolate).

It’s a well-known funny stereotype that when the sun appears, so do us British people and as much as this makes me laugh - it’s true! But so what?! The suns out, so let’s go and have some fun, especially as this is the UK and it’ll probably rain again next week haha.

Before we know it the days will be shorter, the temperature will be cooling off again and we’ll all be planning our Halloween costumes or where to go and watch fireworks. Like I said, this year is going so quickly so I know I want to enjoy each part of it whilst it’s still around.

So, Hello June! Although a part of me desperately wants this year to slow down a little, I’m so happy to welcome you and cannot wait to dig out the rest of my summer wardrobe and enjoy making some summer memories!


Job Searching

As I wrote in my last post, my time as a student is coming to an end (well as long as I pass everything *crosses fingers*). So now comes the decisions of what to do next – which isn’t easy. Once you finish university, it’s usually assumed that you know what career to choose. Of course some people either study a specific course which leads onto a career and others are lucky enough to know what they want to do… but for me, I don’t have a clue!

If I’m honest, I think I know more about what I don’t want to do. As I’ve spent the last three years studying about the events industry, I’ve definitely learnt that certain areas (such as finance) are not for me. Many events also require working late shifts, (usually starting early evening and working through until the early hours of the morning), and I honestly don’t think I could handle that either! Sleeping is one of my favourite things!

I think too much pressure is put on students/young adults to walk straight into a career after graduating or by a certain age. We have until retirement to find a career, which could be a job that at this point, we might not even know about yet. Being young is about having fun and making memories. Obviously it’s important to have a job to support yourself financially – but a life-long job is not necessarily something that needs to be found the moment after walking out of university. Don’t get me wrong, I fully support anyone who knows exactly what they want to do and is successful in walking into that job… but personally, I’m just looking for something that can pay my bills, lets me I enjoy weekends with my friends and hopefully book a holiday to somewhere hot!

Obviously my job search will continue over the next few weeks/months… But I’ve decided not to stress too much about what the job I (hopefully) finally get is. As cheesy as it sounds, people usually say you find a boyfriend/girlfriend when you’re not really looking… maybe it’s the same for a career?

Finishing University

So, after three years my life as a student is coming to an end. Even though I technically finished all my assignments last week, it still hasn’t fully sunk in and I sometimes find myself wondering briefly if there’s an essay or presentation I should be working on. So whilst I’m waiting for the rest of my friends to finish their exams and essays, I find myself thinking back to all the fun we’ve had and even though I’m happy to be leaving lectures/assignments behind, it’s all very bitter-sweet.

As cliché as this might sound, coming to university was the best decision I ever made. I only moved an hour away from home, but going from a small countryside city to the second biggest city in the UK was a massive change. However I adapted to uni life quickly, which was definitely helped by three weeks of fresher’s events and being around some lovely people. Luckily for me the fun didn’t stop during our fresher’s week(s) and the last three years have gone by in a blur of silly drunken nights out, laughing and fun.

Of course there’s been some low points throughout uni (the odd argument, the stress of assignments and some homesickness at times) but you have to take the good with the bad, and It’s safe to say there have been many more good times than bad.
It’s crazy thinking back to nearly three years ago, how we were all nervously hovering around our flats in halls, not knowing anyone and all (well this may have just been me) in slight shock that our families had actually left us. Then comparing that to now, and how everyone’s grown and changed. Of course, I’m in no way the most mature or grown-up person (let’s be realistic I’m only 22) but I’ve changed a lot compared to the girl who I was when I started uni and it’s safe to say I’m happy with who I’ve become.

I may be being biased, but I know 100% if anyone asked whether they should go to uni I would tell them – or maybe excitedly shout at them – YES! It’s an incredible experience. Okay you may learn some things about yourself that are slightly unexpected (who knew such anger could come from dirty plates or your fridge space being used by someone else?!) but you’ll grow so much as a person, so it’s definitely worth it!
As it’s all coming to an end, with the final nights out being organised, talk of summer plans and (dare I say it) getting a full time job *shudders* I’m excited to see what the next chapter brings. Hopefully a lot more silly laughs and amazing memories!


Small and Blonde

Well, as the title suggests I’m small (only 5’2”) and I’m blonde. It’s not the most imaginative title but after about an hour of sitting and staring at the screen with a total mind block on what to call this (and seeing that most other blog names seemed so creative) I just decided to go with it. Although I’ve been thinking about starting a blog for a while, the final push to create one is due to my house-mates still having assignments/exams to study for whilst I finished university last week. Now the stress of assignments is out the way I don’t have anything else to pre-occupy my mind (yay!) so a blog seemed like the perfect little break between job and flat hunting.

I don’t really have a theme for the blog – I know most people seem to be beauty/travel/food related – but I don’t really specialise in any particular area. Don’t get me wrong I love clothes/make-up/holidays etc. but definitely don’t have enough knowledge to write about just one topic, especially whilst living on my student budget *sigh*. So I’ll probably just write about anything that comes to mind and hopefully it’ll be at least a little interesting!

Obviously this is just a little introductory post-type-thing so I may come back later on today and write something a bit better… not that there’s anyone there to see it yet haha… but it’ll be a nice way to keep me entertained whilst everyone else is studying!


Moving House

Today the tenancy ran out on my student house which meant after three years of living in student accommodation (halls for my first year then student houses for my second and third years) it was time to take the next step. 
In this case, the next step was moving into a flat with my boyfriend. As we both moved away from home for uni we decided to rent a flat where we both currently live instead of moving to one of our home towns. 






After about a month of searching various estate agent's websites we finally found a small two bed flat on a six month lease - which gives us the option to either stay longer or find somewhere else if we can afford to. We signed the contract last week and finally moved in today with the help of my family. 

Currently the living room and bedrooms are full of suitcases and bags so I can't wait to unpack everything and really make the flat feel like a home. Once we get this done I'll write another post with more photos to hopefully give anyone moving into a new home or student accommodation some ideas for decorating.



(Stood in-front of our new flat - feeling
hungry and tired after 5 hours of moving/cleaning)

xxx

OOTD - Job Interview

So today I was invited to a job interview. 

If you're living in the UK you'll know that we're currently having some lovely hot weather - which I am loving! But finding an outfit that's both smart and suitable for warm weather can be a little tricky (there's no way I'm going out in a jacket and trousers in this weather!). Especially as the majority of my "smarter" clothes would be better suited to cooler weather. But after digging around I stumbled across what I thought was a great outfit. 



(Please excuse my awkward smile - it was early & I was very tired haha!)

I decided to wear this black sleeveless skater dress - which I got from H&M last year. My accessories were simple (which you can't really see here but I'll post some close up photos below) with a plain black leather bracelet from Pandora (which is actually my boyfriends - hence no charms - but it's something I wear everyday), silver lotus flower bracelet from Joma Jewellery, the Paisley Pattern watch by Olivia Burton and my sunglasses which came free with my recent purchase of Cosmopolitan magazine (bargain!).  





In addition to this I kept my bag and shoes simple with some black patent dolly shoes and my trusty black handbag from Primark. 



(I decided against uploading the photo of my shoes there's marks inside the shoes from where they've been worn and it looks like I have dirty feet haha!)


I found this look to be the perfect blend of something suitable for work and the summer weather. 

I'll leave links to everything in my outfit below (with the exception of Primark as you can't buy online from their store). Although I purchased the dress about a year ago now they may be something similar in stock this season. 


DressH&M
Silver lotus flower braceletJoma Jewellery 

Black Leather BraceletPandora 
WatchOlivia Burton 
(Also available on Asos/Top Shop & other shops - (where if you have an NUS card or any other type of student card you can get discount - bonus!)
Bag and ShoesPrimark 
Sunglasses - Cosmopolitan magazine (link to their website but I purchased it from Tesco yesterday)


This is my first Outfit Of The Day post - hope you like it!

As a little side-note to this post... I'm very happy to say that about half an hour after the interview I was called and offered the job! Yaaaay! 

xxx

Drinking More Water - Personal Challenge

"Your body needs water or other fluids to work properly and to avoid dehydration." - NHS




We all know how important it is to stay hydrated. According to the NHS - which is the UK's health service if you didn't know - we need to replace the fluid that we lose through day to day activities such as sweating and breathing (It may sound silly but I had no idea we lost water when we breath). 

In addition to this it is recommended for women to drink 1.6 litres of fluid a day and men should drink 2 litres. Now this can obviously vary depending on what activities you're doing or the weather - so we should drink more when it's warm or when exercising. 


My boyfriend always drinks loads throughout the day (always either has a bottle of water or a glass with him) and would always tell me that I needed to drink more - which I always knew but for some silly reason never really did. 

Usually I'm the type of person who would have a drink when I'm thirsty or with a meal etc.. but never anywhere near enough to keep me fully hydrated throughout the day, which - with hindsight - was so silly of me. 

There are so many benefits to drinking plenty of water which include: 



  • Healthier looking/clearer complexion
  • Boosts energy levels
  • Healthy body
  • Helps with weight loss
  • Brighter looking eyes (apparently
  • Boost concentration levels 
Plus many many more!



(Little blurry but any excuse to get something cat related in here haha!)


If you don't like the taste of plain water, or find drinking the same thing a little boring, you can add things such as fresh fruit (a slice of lemon is a personal favourite) to make the taste more appealing to you. There are plenty of simple recipes all over the internet. 

So I have challenged myself to try and drink the recommended amounts of fluid a day - mostly water as obviously it's the healthiest. For the past week or so my 1.5L water bottle has not left my side and I must say I'm starting to feel the benefits already with my skin looking clearer and feeling a lot better in general (which is always good!). The only slight annoyance I've found is needed to wee a lot more - but that's to be expected when more liquid is entering your body - and to be honest, it's only slightly annoying when it's at 5am. But I'd happily take getting out of bed for 5 minuets if it leads to all these benefits! 


(Spending some quality time with my new BFF!)


So if you think you don't drink enough water - give it a go! 


(Couldn't resist this little blast from the past and my childhood!)


xxx






Review - Real Techniques Stippling Brush

Earlier this week I decided to treat myself to a new foundation brush. After browsing around the internet and reading a few reviews I decided on the Real Techniques Stippling Brush which retails on feel unique for £10.99. 

The brush is described as:

"This dual-fibre brush is the trade secret for creating airbrushed, high-definition results with all types of make-up:

- look pixel-perfect even in harsh light
- ultra-plush, synthetic taklon bristles are hand-cut and 100% cruelty-free
- self-standing for easy storage
- extended aluminium handle is light and easy to use"





As soon as this arrived this morning I was so excited and, as I hadn't done my make-up yet, decided to try it out straight away. 

I found there were many advantages of using this brush. These include the white tips to the bristles, which makes it easier to know when they're clean; the super soft feeling of the brush, which felt lovely against my skin; the flat base which makes it possible to stand up (no more messy foundation on your dressing table - yay) and the lovely pink colour of the handle. 

According to the Real Techniques website when using the brush instead of sweeping on foundation like you would normally, you buff it on in circular motions. This eliminates any streaks and ensures the make-up is properly blended. I usually use a  Beauty Blender to apply foundation but definitely think this provides much better results. 

Overall I would definitely recommend this make-up brush. I was so happy with the results and I've been looking to purchase the Retractable Kabuki Brush for bronzer and contouring. 

If you're interested in purchasing the Real Techniques you can get it from the Feel unique website or by clicking here

xxx


Home accessories wish list - Asda.

Coming to the end of university also means coming to the end of my time living in a student house. Therefore I have been looking for (and I think finally found - yay) a nice little flat to move into when the tenancy is up on the house. 

Due to this, over the last few weeks I have been having a little search around the internet for some nice new things to buy that I need/want. There have been a few different shops I've found that have some lovely things, but the one that caught me most by surprise was Asda (I didn't realise they sold such lovely and affordable home accessories). 

I've decided to write some posts around the items that are currently on my "new flat wish list" and I'm going to start with the items from Asda (there are quite a few!). Hopefully this may give someone a little idea some new things for their bedroom/flat/house etc. 

I'll start with the few little bits for the kitchen. 


Now I know these may not be a necessity... but I think they're adorable and would be lovely for brightening up the kitchen area! Plus they're a bargain at only £5. 


I also love this simple clock. At the moment we have no clock in our kitchen and it drives me insane not knowing the time when I'm in there, that may seem a little odd but I'm so used to having one in my family kitchen and it just doesn't seem right not too. 




Again - at the bargain price of £5 these storage tins are perfect for keeping biscuits/coffee/sugar in. The multi coloured polka-dot pattern is also super cute. 

Now if I had my way, these mugs would definitely a lot prettier with flowers etc. all over. But I thought that would probably slightly unfair on my boyfriend so I chose these neutral striped mugs. Even though they're not floral or pink I still think they're sweet and perfect for a first proper home. 

The final kitchen piece from Asda on my wishlist is this "Don't forget" chalk board! I think this would be lovely in the kitchen, along with being so handy for popping things down that you need - such as ice-cream or cake haha!

Following this is a few little bedroom bits. I only have two bits from Asda here - as everything else is from other shops. 

 To start is this lovely pillow with the phrase "Enjoy the little things in life, for someday you may realise they were the big things". I think this is such a true quote and can picture this propped up on the middle of the bed (also it's not to girlie - bonus!)



The final Asda bedroom item is this checked duvet & pillow cover. Me and my boyfriend are hoping to have a little spare room for when people come to stay, so I think this would really brighten up that room and make it feel more homely. 

The final few pieces on the wishlist are all accessories (which are all incredibly feminine... oops) 









I'm on a pretty tight budget right now (being in the awkward place between being a student and working full time) but I think they're all such good value for money. 

If you wanted to check out any of these items or have a browse you can visit the home section of the Asda website by clicking here

xxx



Body Shop Hair Chalk Review

Recently I was browsing the internet and I discovered that The Body Shop had a 40% off offer on. As a student I jumped at the chance of saving a few pennies and decided to treat myself to a few things. Among them was the brands Hair Chalk.




When I found this for only £5 I couldn't resist giving it a try (and it would be almost rude when there's a 40% offer on!) Body Shop's website describes the product as:

"Transform your look with bold hair chalk for instantly on-trend style.


  • Bold Colour
  • Washes Out With Shampoo
  • Colour Can  Be Sealed With Hair-spray"
The chalk comes in both bright pink and bright blue - with the blue being aimed more towards brunettes and pink towards blondes. However the blue would obviously show up well against blonde hair and according to some reviews the pink can be used on brunette hair but the colour just isn't as vibrant. 

A few years back I helped a friend (who was a hair dressing apprentice at the time) with a competition for the hairdressing company Tony and Guy. During this time I had sections of my hair dyed a candy floss pink and I absolutely LOVED it! So needless to say, I went for the pink. Anything pretty and/or pink and I'm sold!

When the product arrived I was ridiculously excited and decided to try it out straight away. It's safe to say I was not disappointed and spent the day smiling away/pretending to be a "My Little Pony" with hair my tied up. 

The product is easy to use - you simply hold the little pot with a piece of hair (probably about an inch or so section) against the chalk side and drag it down (more detailed instructions are on the box). This product will stain your thumb/hand so be careful what you touch after - I learnt the hard way not to itch my face - and either wear old clothes or wrap a towel round you shoulders to stop it from getting anywhere you don't want it. 

Now my hair is usually quite a light blonde colour with slightly darker blonde sections underneath, but I found this coloured my hair a lovely light pink (brighter on the light blonde sections and a less bright on the darker blonde bits). 

Here's a photo of my hair normally looking all blonde (sorry to my boyfriend who I've cropped out there haha) and then one after using the chalk (super happy and excited!)





















The colour lasts well and until you decide to wash your hair although it does start to fade slightly eventually. It also washes straight out and doesn't stain your hair at all after. So this is perfect if you only want a temporary pop of colour! The only thing I would say is a slight colour can transfer onto lighter coloured clothing but don't worry it washed straight off. 



I've used this twice now and (as you can see) it has started to run out. However I do have a lot of/thick hair so it would probably last longer on someone with shorter or thinner hair. 

Overall I was very impressed with this product. It's reasonably priced and does exactly what it's supposed too. In fact I've been so impressed/loved having pink hair I've gone out and purchased a semi-permanent light pink hair dye from Boots to try a more a look that will last longer - well when I pluck up the courage haha. 

If you want to purchase The Body Shop's Hair Chalk you can either pop into your local store or click here

This was my first beauty related and review post so hopefully it's okay haha! I've really enjoyed writing it but I'm sure there's plenty of room for improvement - which I'll *hopefully* learn as time goes on! 

xxx


  






Small and Blonde (take two)


If you follow me/my blog you may know that I had to (unfortunately) stop using my original blog due to some issues with the site not working etc. So I had a little look around the world of Bloglovin' to see which sites people seem to use the most... (Why I didn't just do that in the first place I don't know). 

So this led me to creating this new blog! Yay! It's a completely different layout to my original blog (except the title, tag line and photo) but the content is exactly the same! 

I'm hoping now I can blog more regularly and not have to worry about crashes on the website etc. Which makes me very excited! I even have a few little notes for potential future blog posts.. (including my first "beauty" related post.. eeek!) 

This is just a little "welcome to my new blog" post.. and I'm very grateful if you're of the few people who followed the original Small and Blonde and have come over or if you're new and just fancy seeing what I write about! Getting a little notification saying that someone is following my blog makes me very happy! 

So thank-you very much!
xxx

Kellogg's Anti-Fat Shaming Campaign

Recently I watched a video from the company Kellogg’s which is advertising “anti-fat talk”. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s basically a video in which the brand aims to put an end to how people shame themselves by using “fat-talk” such as “My thighs are looking huge today” or “My face is so chubby”.

The video begins with a look at posts on social media sights where women have insulted themselves and the way they look with harsh comments. The next shot shows a clothing store, which has been set up by the brand, and a selection of women who have been invited in. Within the store (on clothing labels and signs etc.) are “actual fat talk” quotes. As the women look around the store they become confused and offended by the words before coming to the realisation that each is something (or something similar) to a phrase they’ve used to describe their own body.

Following this the women talk about how it makes them feel “sad”, “nauseous”  and decide it’s basically like “bullying yourself”. The ad focuses on how you (well nice/normal people) wouldn’t talk to or about someone else in that way – so why is it okay to say these things about yourself? Obviously it’s not.
The advert finishes with each woman deciding not to “fat-talk” anymore and to be more positive about their bodies.

Now (as the website that features this video says) this is a slightly hypocritical of Kellogg’s - who generally advertise about weight loss etc. – but I personally think, overall, it’s a very powerful message to both women and men (although featuring some men in the video would have been better – as men get self-conscious too!)

However – I feel Kellogg’s could definitely take this one step further.  What about an “anti-skinny talk” campaign? Harsh words about being too slim or skinny (such as “I wish I was curvier” or “I’m so skinny it’s disgusting”) are JUST as hurtful as those “fat” issues. In society today it seems that pointing out that someone is overweight is rude/hurtful (which of course it is) yet pointing out that someone is underweight or “skinny” is perfectly okay – which it is not.

This is a topic very close to my heart. As I mentioned in my first blog post (and as you can guess from my blog title haha) I am pretty small - only 5ft 2” to be exact. Now I wouldn’t say I’m really slim or “skinny” yet I do have a petite build and I am on slimmer side. However, this is not due to diets or skipping meals, I am just naturally small (My mum, nan and sister are the same). It seems a lot of people have no problem making comments such as - “oh you need to get a good meal in you” or simply just jumping to the assumption that I just MUST deprive myself of so much food - anyone who knows me will be laughing now as I LOVE food. I’m sure most naturally small people (both men and women) have experienced this at some point, and it definitely hurts your feelings.

Due to this, I feel the campaign shouldn’t be about just “anti-fat talk” or even just “anti-skinny talk”… it should simply be “anti-body shaming talk”. In today’s society it’s like you can’t win (judged if you’re “too small”, judged if you’re “too big). We should learn to love our bodies and focus on being healthy… Not on having thin legs, bigger boobs or a flatter tummy… And NO-ONE should feel they have the right to make comments or pass judgement on someone else’s body (who knows what reasons or insecurities that person may have – illness? Fast/slow metabolism? Low self-esteem? – Harsh words/thoughts can easily add to any of this and the consequences could be awful for both mental and physical health.
Clearly it’s something that I have A LOT to say about haha!
If you haven’t yet seen the video I’ll link it below… See what you think.



Eight days later.

I feel like I haven’t written a post in ages - going from writing most days to not at all for 8! I keep saying to myself “I’ll write a blog post tomorrow”… and then tomorrow comes and goes and I haven’t written a thing... awful!

To be fair though, this past week has been pretty busy. On Friday my day was taken up by going for a  meal at a local buffet with my boyfriend, his mum, sister and a friend, which was followed by a night in with snacks and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2” (FYI I thought this film was HILARIOUS!) Following this one of my housemates moved out Sunday evening (ooh *sad face*) so we spent Saturday and Sunday just relaxing and making the most of her last night in our house which was spent playing “Game of Life” (I’ve never played it before and have definitely been missing out!)… now she’s gone I’m left out-numbered by boys! *Dunn Dunn Dunnnn*. I’ve also been running various errands in town and pretty much full time hunting for jobs, which I wouldn’t really describe as fun… Most things seem to require multiple years of experience, which is not something I’ve been able to get whilst studying full time. Never-mind though, I’m sure a job will come along soon!

Although “Small and Blonde” has only been up and running for a short amount of time, I’ve loved writing each post. I find it lets all the little thoughts that are bouncing around my head escape, which is very therapeutic. So I’ve been having a little think about what else to write about (besides my general rambles which are probably pretty boring haha!). I’ve tried a few new hair products recently (Thank-you Boots for your 3 for 2 offer) so there may be an attempt at a product review coming along shortly… apologies in advance if it’s awful – I have no idea what I’m doing – Haha.

Besides this I’m not really sure, so may have a little nose around at other people’s blogs for some inspiration!
Sorry that this has been pretty rubbish but I really wanted to write something as it feels like it’s been forever! Hopefully my next post will be a little more entertaining!

xxxx

The Disney Tag

Although I wasn't technically tagged to do this by anyone in particular, I absolutely love Disney so couldn’t resist doing this tag after reading other posts on it. However my love for all things Disney, along with the fact that I’m awful at decision making, made it very hard to pick my favourites! I decided that I had to just think about Disney Films and not Pixar as I’d probably be up all night trying to narrow everything down!

Question 1: Favourite Disney film?
My favourite Disney film changes from time to time, and as much as I love Frozen and Tangled, I don’t want to be too obvious and chose one of them as my favourite films (even though they’re definitely both up there). So for my favourite film, I’m going to choose Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. The film’s so wonderfully weird and I love Alice’s character along with how she reasons with herself and characters whilst on her adventure. One of my favourite quotes from the film is “I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it” and I feel everyone can relate to this. As well as this, I love the songs, strange characters and (although only featuring briefly) Alice’s pet cat Dinah.

Question 2: Favourite Disney Character?
I really don’t think I can narrow this down… There are so many amazing characters to choose from. I tend to love the funny secondary character/sidekick, such as Pasqual, Olaf, Mushu, Pumba and Sabastian… But I’m also a massive girly-girl in the sense that I love the princesses and girly characters – Belle, Aurora, Merida and Jasmine - the list is endless! If I HAD to narrow it down - (again not taking Pixar into account as my poor brain would go into overload) – I’ve always had a massive soft spot for Figaro from Pinocchio (Crazy cat lady out in full swing haha). As it says at the top of my blog, I love anything cat related… So to those who know me, this probably isn’t much of a surprise haha.

Question 3: Which Disney character would be your best friend?
I know it’s probably cheating but I feel these two would probably come together so therefore count as one… (That’s my logic anyway). So my Disney best friend(s) would be Anna and Olaf from Frozen. Anna is so funny, independent and knows what’s most important to her (she don’t need no man – he’s just a nice bonus that comes along at the end). I also imagine Olaf to be the best friend ever. He was willing to melt for Anna (could he be any more loyal?) plus he’s loves summer and hugs… Perfect!

Question 4: Would you rather be Aurora or Cinderella?
Hmm… as much as I love both of these princesses I think I’d chose to be Aurora. Aurora has lots of little animal friends, three magical fairies to look after her, gets a nice long sleep (and her friends/family sleep too so there’s no missing out on anything) and then gets her Prince Charming. I know Cinderella has little mice/bird friends and gets a fairy godmother, but it’s the whole evil stepmother thing that’s putting me off… Plus I’m awful at cleaning so I’m sure my life would have been even worse!

Question 5: Would you rather be Hercules or Tarzan?
Although Tarzan does have lots of animal friends (which means he can speak the languages of animals and humans) and gets to swing around on vines in the jungle all day (which is pretty cool) I think I’d go with Hercules. Hercules has a flying horse as a pet/best friend, which was ridiculously cute as a pony, is super strong and is also the son of Greek Gods. What more could you want?! Oh I know, to live in a lovely warm country – check… Hello Greece.

Question 7: Favourite Disney Song?
Disney has so so many amazing songs, and I must admit I love to sit and sing along to them whilst doing bits and bobs. My favourite song would probably be “Just around the river-bend” from Pocahontas. I love singing along to this (admittedly awfully but oh well) and the lyrics are great for every Disney lover to listen to, young and old alike.

Question 8: Favourite Disney Princess & why?
I love so many of the Disney princesses; Ariel, Belle, Pocahontas, Jasmine, Tiana, and Merida just to name a few. I think at the moment I’m torn between Elsa and Rapunzel. I’ve already chosen Anna/Olaf as my best-friend(s) so I think I’m going to go with Rapunzel as my favourite princess. I know I share this choice with my youngest sister too, so that makes it a little more special. Rapunzel is so different to the other princesses. I guess this is down to the modern twist Disney has taken. She’s smart, funny and if I’m honest, I’m a little jealous of her amazing hair!
*Side-note: I still love Elsa – she’s independent, has cool powers and cares a lot about her family/friends.*

Question 9: Which Disney character would be your pet?
I love so many of the Disney animals, Marie for the Aristocrats, Pegasus from Hercules and Sven from Frozen but I think I would have Meeko from Pocahontas as my pet. He’s funny, inquisitive and adorable. Plus (added bonus) he can braid hair like a pro! Perfect for those lazy days when doing your hair is far too much effort.

Question 10: Ever been to Disneyland? 
I’ve been lucky enough to visit both Disney Land in Paris and Disney World in Florida. I visited the Paris park a few times when I was younger and once again when I was in my second year of Sixth form as part of our Media A-level course (Disney + friends = lots of fun!). I also went to Florida when I was about 11 with my family for a couple of weeks which was amazing!



Hello June

So we’ve left May behind and now June is here. I know everyone says this at the start of a new month – and I’m sure I’ll say it again too – but I cannot believe its June already! This year seems to be going ridiculously fast. It doesn’t seem like five minutes since everyone counting down to Christmas and now we’re half way through the year already… Complete madness!

I must say, as much as I love winter (snuggly clothing, Christmas, Halloween, Hot chocolates etc.) the spring/summer months are most definitely my favourite. Everything just seems so much happier in the summer. Lighter nights, brighter clothing and everyone showing a little more skin (cheeky)… During the winter, where I live seems to be permanently grey… yet it seems to almost transform in the summer. It’s still a big city, so I wouldn’t go as far as to describe it as pretty… but it’s definitely a big improvement on grey!

When these warmer months arrive, it seems like people come out of a type of hibernation. The sun starts to make an appearance and people do too! But if I’m honest I don’t blame anyone. It’s much more fun to be outside, having a BBQ or enjoying a drink when the suns out then trudging around in the rain and wind (when we’d all much rather be cozied up with a film and hot chocolate).

It’s a well-known funny stereotype that when the sun appears, so do us British people and as much as this makes me laugh - it’s true! But so what?! The suns out, so let’s go and have some fun, especially as this is the UK and it’ll probably rain again next week haha.

Before we know it the days will be shorter, the temperature will be cooling off again and we’ll all be planning our Halloween costumes or where to go and watch fireworks. Like I said, this year is going so quickly so I know I want to enjoy each part of it whilst it’s still around.

So, Hello June! Although a part of me desperately wants this year to slow down a little, I’m so happy to welcome you and cannot wait to dig out the rest of my summer wardrobe and enjoy making some summer memories!


Job Searching

As I wrote in my last post, my time as a student is coming to an end (well as long as I pass everything *crosses fingers*). So now comes the decisions of what to do next – which isn’t easy. Once you finish university, it’s usually assumed that you know what career to choose. Of course some people either study a specific course which leads onto a career and others are lucky enough to know what they want to do… but for me, I don’t have a clue!

If I’m honest, I think I know more about what I don’t want to do. As I’ve spent the last three years studying about the events industry, I’ve definitely learnt that certain areas (such as finance) are not for me. Many events also require working late shifts, (usually starting early evening and working through until the early hours of the morning), and I honestly don’t think I could handle that either! Sleeping is one of my favourite things!

I think too much pressure is put on students/young adults to walk straight into a career after graduating or by a certain age. We have until retirement to find a career, which could be a job that at this point, we might not even know about yet. Being young is about having fun and making memories. Obviously it’s important to have a job to support yourself financially – but a life-long job is not necessarily something that needs to be found the moment after walking out of university. Don’t get me wrong, I fully support anyone who knows exactly what they want to do and is successful in walking into that job… but personally, I’m just looking for something that can pay my bills, lets me I enjoy weekends with my friends and hopefully book a holiday to somewhere hot!

Obviously my job search will continue over the next few weeks/months… But I’ve decided not to stress too much about what the job I (hopefully) finally get is. As cheesy as it sounds, people usually say you find a boyfriend/girlfriend when you’re not really looking… maybe it’s the same for a career?

Finishing University

So, after three years my life as a student is coming to an end. Even though I technically finished all my assignments last week, it still hasn’t fully sunk in and I sometimes find myself wondering briefly if there’s an essay or presentation I should be working on. So whilst I’m waiting for the rest of my friends to finish their exams and essays, I find myself thinking back to all the fun we’ve had and even though I’m happy to be leaving lectures/assignments behind, it’s all very bitter-sweet.

As cliché as this might sound, coming to university was the best decision I ever made. I only moved an hour away from home, but going from a small countryside city to the second biggest city in the UK was a massive change. However I adapted to uni life quickly, which was definitely helped by three weeks of fresher’s events and being around some lovely people. Luckily for me the fun didn’t stop during our fresher’s week(s) and the last three years have gone by in a blur of silly drunken nights out, laughing and fun.

Of course there’s been some low points throughout uni (the odd argument, the stress of assignments and some homesickness at times) but you have to take the good with the bad, and It’s safe to say there have been many more good times than bad.
It’s crazy thinking back to nearly three years ago, how we were all nervously hovering around our flats in halls, not knowing anyone and all (well this may have just been me) in slight shock that our families had actually left us. Then comparing that to now, and how everyone’s grown and changed. Of course, I’m in no way the most mature or grown-up person (let’s be realistic I’m only 22) but I’ve changed a lot compared to the girl who I was when I started uni and it’s safe to say I’m happy with who I’ve become.

I may be being biased, but I know 100% if anyone asked whether they should go to uni I would tell them – or maybe excitedly shout at them – YES! It’s an incredible experience. Okay you may learn some things about yourself that are slightly unexpected (who knew such anger could come from dirty plates or your fridge space being used by someone else?!) but you’ll grow so much as a person, so it’s definitely worth it!
As it’s all coming to an end, with the final nights out being organised, talk of summer plans and (dare I say it) getting a full time job *shudders* I’m excited to see what the next chapter brings. Hopefully a lot more silly laughs and amazing memories!


Small and Blonde

Well, as the title suggests I’m small (only 5’2”) and I’m blonde. It’s not the most imaginative title but after about an hour of sitting and staring at the screen with a total mind block on what to call this (and seeing that most other blog names seemed so creative) I just decided to go with it. Although I’ve been thinking about starting a blog for a while, the final push to create one is due to my house-mates still having assignments/exams to study for whilst I finished university last week. Now the stress of assignments is out the way I don’t have anything else to pre-occupy my mind (yay!) so a blog seemed like the perfect little break between job and flat hunting.

I don’t really have a theme for the blog – I know most people seem to be beauty/travel/food related – but I don’t really specialise in any particular area. Don’t get me wrong I love clothes/make-up/holidays etc. but definitely don’t have enough knowledge to write about just one topic, especially whilst living on my student budget *sigh*. So I’ll probably just write about anything that comes to mind and hopefully it’ll be at least a little interesting!

Obviously this is just a little introductory post-type-thing so I may come back later on today and write something a bit better… not that there’s anyone there to see it yet haha… but it’ll be a nice way to keep me entertained whilst everyone else is studying!