University Ramblings Pt. 2

Meeeeeeeeeeeep. 

I swear every post starts with me apologising about how I haven't written in ages but things have been busy!! Since I last wrote, I quit my job and moved to London for University, BIG TIMES!!

Its been almost a month now and I've wanted to write for a while but didn't want to add any pressure to myself or summarise anything as Freshers is an extremely important time to settle in and literally start a whole new life. It's weird.. I can pretty honestly say that I feel very settled in my life up here now but am absolutely sure that this is just the tip of the iceberg. 

I know a few people who have already gone home a few times (from home and from London) but I almost felt kinda guilty that I have absolutely no desire to do so. I mean, it does sound kinda harsh but my mentality for myself at least is that if you go home before you fully settle yourself in the place you're now living, you'll only end up unsettling yourself and leave feeling even more homesick. I dunno. I always got extremely homesick as a child and I can't pretend that I don't miss my Mum, Dad, friends and my especially my Cat(!!) but there has to be a time where you move on and there has to be a definite end. I'm not saying an end as in I'm never going home, but an end of the old and the beginning of your new life.

Its almost 2am and I have suddenly become very nocturnal, even though I have a lecture in under 8 hours :(((( but I did realise I felt ever so slightly homesick. Granted it literally was the teeniest tiniest bit but I remembered a memory stick I have. For Christmas two years ago my brother made me & my mum a half an hour film of our last Christmas as a family all together before everyone buggered off to different parts of the world and I just sat in my kitchen and watched it. It honestly made me so happy and I think I realised why I'm so okay with this whole move.

Sometimes you subconsciously say goodbye to something before you physically say it, like I now believe that I'm not so homesick, because home for me is with all my absolutely mad as hatters family and when we are all together.. no matter where that be.. it feels like home. So to not be with them is just the start of your own very exciting and amazing story with them as your constant support and happy place.

Either way, life stays still for no one and it would be an extremely boring thing if it did, so onwards and upwards! I'm trying to do one thing every day that scares me, getting a tube at rush hour is a bloody good place to start *insert panic attack!* but what I guess I'm really trying to say is now is the time to start living (alright lydia, sounding like an absolute gandhi wannabe) and making the most of every opportunity given to you.

Well, its lucky I warned everyone how much I ramble in the title. But if you've just started uni or even if you're just starting to live outside of your comfort zone, let me know! 

ELLE X

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July Update, France & University Ramblings.

I haven't written a post in such a long time but trust me.. There's method to my madness!

In the time I haven't been on blogger I have been super duper busy with a brand spankin new job.. And Being the perfectionist that I am a half arsed rushed or tired post would just not do! Oh and when I say new.. It's been around 5 months but nevertheless, I am now a receptionist for a local (and a bit bloody lovely) little hotel I live near called The Berry Head Hotel. Working full time has been so mad coming from full time education, like adulthood has slapped me in the face to say hello! Luckily, I am a massive fan of the job so I don't mind the occasional slap.. (I'm not sure if my analogies are getting better or worse..) 

In this time I have been massively umm'ing and ahhh'ing on the whole University situation as I have become extremely comfortable earning money regularly and being able to get myself in a nice little routine. I love who I work with, love talking to the residents and even have to wear a suit to work but recently I've decided, you should absolutely never get comfortable! Not at 19 anyway. This is the kind of job I could see myself doing for a long time as I love it, but what do I do in 10 years time? I've had this comfortable life and maybe now I get bored.. And I'm 29 with two kids and haven't even had my bloody uni freshers!! So last week I did something that was extremely UNcomfortable and made the decision I would 100% be going to university and moving to London this September. This would mean leaving my lovely job and I'm gonna be honest, living with something like anxiety makes it extremely hard to make these kind of decisions off the cuff and doing things out of your comfort zone.. University is always a big decision anyway for most people but the prospect of completely changing my life in just a couple of months really put me on edge but some things you have to do in order to progress. And at the moment, in myself and in my situation I really felt like I wasn't progressing in anything other than my job and that's kinda scary at my age.

I was also given a week off work on a Friday due to start on the Monday so I decided to book myself a little holiday to France to see my family. YAY SPONTANEITY. I had the most amazing week just chilling with my family and really getting to know everyone and spending quality time which was lovely as it's not very often I get to see my aunty, uncle and cousins. It felt like a bit of a celebration for me aswell because unfortunately, my uncle was diagnosed with Cancer last year but has been given the all clear some months back so to see everyone happy and healthy was an absolute blessing in itself. This trip was actually another push to go to university as my cousin, Liam got his BAC results back from his studies and he's a bit like me.. Not very academic but is a much more practical based learner and to be honest we weren't sure he was going to get it as he missed a YEAR and had like 30 points to catch up on (don't ask me about the French education system!) but he bloody got it! And my other cousin Amy, the maths whizz of the family also got in so they will be studying in Toulouse in September.

 

Unfortunately though, spontaneity doesn't alllllllways work for anxiety sufferers as I did end up having a very public panic attack at my departure gates to come home thanks to the very unhelpful and unsympathetic French man checking my passport who completely did not seem to grasp the illness which is something I'm not really a fan talking about and a negative I don't want to go into in this post. Saying that, I would really like to thank the lady who helped me so much and defended me during this when I though I wasn't going to be able to board as I probably wouldn't have got on without you! I never got her name but if somehow this post gets to her PLEASE let me thank you, you were such an amazing help!!

I think that's about everything for the moment, I feel like it's been forever since I've done a style/beauty post but now I'm back in the swing of things they are coming very soon! There is also some exciting news on it's way so keep your eyes peeled! 

Lydia 

x

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Spring Products Review.

Spring is here! 

So, apologies in advance for the quality of the pictures used in today's post.. Apparently losing your camera charger is just as annoying as losing your actual camera (but a bit less expensive of course.)

And, with my stubbornness making it impossible for me to go out and buy a new one as I know I have it somewhere.. All my of today's pictures are taken using my IPhone 5s.

Recently, I've found myself running out of the basics so not too long ago I had a bit of a mini Superdrug cosmetics haul so I thought I'd show you my findings! 

LIPSTICK: 

L'oreal Colour Riche // Blake Red £6.99 

This lipstick. Wow. I've said it before and I'll say it again, a good matte lipstick is all a girl needs in life! I am literally always on the hunt for more and more matte and when I first saw this collection come out, I was instantly drawn to it because of the pigmentation of it and, well, Eva Longoria on the adverts. 

It applies super easily and is extremely moisturising which is always a godsend for fellow matte lipstick wearers.

LIP BALM:

EOS Lip Balm // £13.99

Although this technically from Superdrug.. Following on nicely from my last item, lipbalm is something that has become increasingly necessary in my life after alllll the matte lipstick I wear sucks up all of the hydration in my poor lips! My mum actually brought this little lovely back from her trip to LA as a gift from my lovely brother (thanks Adam!) This actually came in a pack of 3 which I've linked the nearest I could find. 

I absolutely love this EOS lipbalm saw they smell, literally incredible, look awesome and do the job nicely! Bit of an all rounder really! 

CONCEALER: 

Miss Sporty Liquid Concealer // Dark Shade 3 £2.99 

So I will admit, I'm a bit of a concealer virgin.. I don't usually use it but you, will, NOT believe how long it took me to find a concealer that was my skin tone. I was honestly in Superdrug for about half an hour looking for something - I even had the also tanned lady behind the till helping me search up and down. I don't know if this was just because it was a small branch but surely it can't be that much of a task?! Either way, I eventually had to settle with.. Yep. Miss Sporty! 

I haven't used this brand since I first started wearing make up I don't think but, fair play to them! They had a good little concealer in a colour other than ivory with some damn good coverage! I bloody applaud you guys, thank you! Does any other tanned beauties have this issue? Or is it just my poor location? Do let me know!

NAILS:

Barry M Gelly // Coconut £3.99

This is a pretty simple one really, I needed me some white nails so my go to nail varnish is always 

Barry M. I know you see all of these bloggers with their collections of about a million Barry M's but they're just so damn cheap and amazing quality. I tend to stick with the Gelly Nail Paint as I find it's durability and finish is one of the best! (Please note: I can't paint nails for S%!t, sorry!) 

SKIN: 

Simple Micellar Water // £2.99 (sale)

Lastly, it's my Simple cleansing water. This caught my eye as it was on offer for £1.99 so I thought I'd try it out. I remember using their make up wipes a couple of years ago and loving them, but I'm not the greatest fan of wipes now so thought I'd give this a go and wasn't disappointed. It's odd because I feel make up removers/ clensears are really hard to get right but this seems like a very ordinary and affordable purchase. It removed all my make up, making my skin feel clean.. But it's nothing I'd rave about. It's just a nice little cheap cleanser.. "Simple" does what it says on the tin. I liked it, but it's nothing I'd swap my Estée Lauder remover for! 

So that's pretty much it on my mini Superdrug haul.. I have been extremely naughy recently clothes wise.. So keep your eyes peeled for a Primark haul soon! 

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My Weekend In London.

**WARNING: Do not read if you're hungry, this post contains extreme food porn.**

Recently, I have been getting stupidly excited at the prospect of Uni in September. Up until, maybe, February I was extremely nervous to pack up and go to London.. Which was a little scary as for so long it's been something I've wanted to do. BUT something must have clicked in me and suddenly I cannot wait to get out there! 

Living in such a small town like I do, the thought of going to a big city can be so so overwhelming. I knew my mum had a meeting up here so I decided to go to London with her this weekend, stay with my sister and look at possible accommodation. Here are some pictures of my time and to give a glimpse on why I am so in love with London. 

Firstly, ever since my trip to LA I have been craving tacos and apparently Paddigton station has a taco place called Barburrito. I died of excitement and bought 3. 

(Attempting to eat the Tacos didn't go to well in all the excitement.) 

The next day I saw one of my old friends, Harry and we went for a walk around London and he showed me Greenwich and where he goes to uni. We then went to Pizza Express and had a wine fuelled lunch. (Could really get used to London living!)

Later on in the evening, my sister, mum and I went to Frankie and Benny's on Greenwich waterfront which was beaut and ate yet again MORE food. Below is the picture of the literally, nicest apple pie I have ever consumed. (Obviously after I pick out all the apple cause I don't like fruit, weeeeeird I know. Don't ask) 

The next day, we went to look at my future uni accommodation, and I might have taken pictures.. But I guess you'll all have to just wait until I've moved I'm for that! 

Hope you all enjoyed a bit of a different post today as I'm getting back into the swing of the things on here. 

Can you suggest anywhere in London? Taco places?! Questions? Thoughts? Let me know! 

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