The second year lessons...

It's definitely been a while since I found myself on this blog, so much has changed within the past year and university continues to be something I am more than glad I did. Around a year ago I wrote a blog post about the things I had learned in first year. It's safe to say last year was a big learning curve, cliche as it is, I was a fish out water. There were many moments where I questioned my sanity, but there were so many moments I'll treasure forever.

So many people will tell you that university will be the best years of your life and to be honest, they're not far off it. I don't think I've ever woken up thinking the day was going to be the same as the one before. Second year certainly has made me realise how you can grow up in such a short amount of time and it was crazy to be packing away my stuff from halls and shipping it back home to then move back to university in September and think "oh my god, I have bills to pay". I suppose in a follow up to last years blog post I should continue with telling you what I feel second year has taught me! (so thank you if you do stick with this post!)

1) Eye opener
It's crazy how things can change within the matter of the year, how you can grow closer to people and how people will drift away from you. Friendships are something that I've always found easy to make, sometimes though its not the same when it comes to keeping them. In my secondary school years I blamed myself, but I've came to the realization that it all happens because it's just not meant to be. Saying this though, I am more than happy with the way things worked out.
For those people that may feel like friendships aren't worth it, know that they are. As tough as they can be, they are life lessons, they are the moments that will make you realise who you want to be and more than likely the kind of person you don't wish to be. You are always going to have friends who will always have your back and it is definitely better to remember that quality is far more important to quantity, so I would like to say a little thank you to the friends who have kept me sane (well encourage me to be a little bit insane, but the good kind!)

2) Finding your feet
There are many things that I didn't do as a "typical" teenager and I won't divulge into details in such a post but from my experiences I know that everyone has their moments, when these moments will be no one can decide but yourself. All I know is that I took my time to feel confident and knowing there is no rush in life was one of the most important things when finding your feet.

3) You will feel like you're going insane
I think when people told me "second year is going to be your toughest year" I was kind of hoping they were joking, but boy they weren't! I'll happily admit I can be an emotional wreck at times and I have definitely had more than my fair share of moments this year. It's saying something when you find yourself crying at a mother and son audition on Britain's Got Talent because "it's cute", safe to say I was in dire need of 12 hours sleep that night. It's also safe to say on nights like those I'd probably cry at a puppy learning to swim, but those nights never last. The stress of university should be temporary, its not gonna be there to make you life difficult all the time and it is okay to be stressed! Just don't forget that you do have a life outside of assignments and assessments, taking a breather is important (just try not to make it a 12 hour breather).

4) Organised? Nope, no chance!
I always thought I wasn't too badly organised when it came to my academic life, ask me to be ready to pre-drink at half 8 and the odds are I'll still be contouring my cheeks and putting on enough highlighter to look like a Krispy Kreme glazed donut. I'll hold my hands up to knowing I've been so unprepared, this year I have been the most unorganised person. Don't get me wrong I did know what lectures I had, but when it came to January I was so buried underneath work that I chose not to look at it, the same way a dog won't look you in the eye when they've just peed on your leg.
There was one point in our term where we had an assignment due every other week, to say that was a bit overwhelming was an understatement. However, I'm very lucky that my friends are so strict and refuse to let anyone fall behind. I pulled up my socks and thankfully all my work was completed to the deadlines and I have passed this year! 

5) Work, work, work, work, work 

I'm fully convinced that in first year I had cabin fever, I rarely had anything to do outside of lectures and finally in second year I got another job. A job is a job at the end of the day and whilst at uni, I have found it miles better to have a job and let my mind focus on something that wasn't university or personal worries. There's a lot of finding a balance between work for both uni and a part time job and relaxing, but there's nothing better than seeing a healthy bank balance (well as healthy as it can be as a student).

6) Home time
During my first year I rarely went home, a big reason for that was I knew I had to adjust to taking on this life away from everything I knew. The good thing is at home nothing ever changes, so many times I'd find myself saying "I wish I was at home" but I know that at home I'd probably still be lounging around and everyone stays the same and works the same old grind. I must say though this year I did come home a lot more, for the first couple of months I still struggled with the adjustment of coming home and not having everything at my front door like I did back at university. Independence at home was something I always had a battle with, it's not that my parents didn't give it me because they definitely did but going somewhere like town was a 40 minute bus journey there and another 40 minutes back, it just seemed like an even longer day. However, due to changes in circumstances I acquired a car, my first ever car! I feel like my car is my child, I'm honestly so grateful for it and how I can now take myself here, there and everywhere and the responsibility of it is something I love!

7) Set goals and dreams
I can't say that before this year I set myself many goals, I've always had dreams and of course going to university to become a primary school teacher was top of the list. Now I've gotten my head around taking on new responsibilities and I've been able to organize my goals and aspirations, those that are personal to my professional career and those that I would like to reach just in life in general. I don't think writing a bucket list is something I'll ever get round to doing, but somewhere in my mind I'll create a collection of things I want to achieve in my life. One of my goals since I was little and would sleep with 5 different novels under my pillow was to write my own story! My life is full of moments where I find myself saying "it could only happen to me" so I thought in a comical way it would be fun to write about my little average life, I can't guarantee I'll ever finish this "book" but maybe one day it'll find its way to an unlucky audience!

8) All you need is love
Love - a thing I am pretty unlucky in, sometimes we get lost in our ideas and the things we find ourselves daydreaming about that we forget we've got a whole lifetime ahead of us for such adventures and mistakes! I do truly forget that I am only 20 years old and that some of the things I find myself crying and whining about aren't going to matter in 10 years time. 2015/16 has taught me a lot about understanding when someone is a temporary part of your life, they're there for you in that moment and everything can be clear skies and rosy cheeks, but then something shifts and your gut usually notices this first. I'm a firm believer in everything happening for a reason and to believe your heart over your head, your heart tells the truth and sometimes our head tells us things in order to protect our hearts from being broken because after all as humans we are programmed to feel every emotion going. We are designed to feel pain and suffering and it's healthy to have a cry about something but it will never do you any good to continue this suffering by holding on to something that isn't there, we all have to find a way of letting go. Letting go is a gradual process but one day you'll look back and realise you were in love with a memory, with the happiness it made you feel and you shouldn't feel at a loss but know it is an opportunity for bigger and better things to happen.

9) Find your peace
Sometimes being so busy means that when you do have some peace you almost feel guilty for it, I know the past couple of weeks without university and work I've felt like I'm abusing my time off when I decide to have a day of doing absolutely nothing. When I title this one as "finding peace" I'm not suggesting you have to go shave your hair off and train as a monk, I mean taking time to just be alone and watch a film, read a book, organise your clothes, just do something that is completely mindless! It's only when I do such things that I realise how quickly my life is going, before I can blink third year will be on its way and it will almost be time to find a job doing something I absolutely love. It's during these times where I realise how much I do love my life and everything that makes a day/week/month a new memory. For anyone who likes little keepsakes I highly recommend a "Line a Day diary", the entire year is mapped out in a small book which allows you to write a small diary entry for the next 5 years. It's such a good idea and often enough I like to read back and think about how much things have changed or stayed the same. Being at university and in an experience where there is so much going on, it's easy to forget little memories, but this diary allows you to look back and smile at the past!

I've decided now that if anyone did keep with this post then their unfortunate eyes must have had enough now! (That's my excuse for having ran out of things to say anyway!) Thank you if you have kept with this post, it's certainly taken me a long time to writing a blog post. Memory isn't one of my strongest points if I'm honest, but I can always remember enough to write a long as a piece of string post. I hope that anyone currently at university can maybe find some relation to this post and that anyone thinking about going to university thinks my experience doesn't sound that bad and they would maybe like to venture out into the big world too!

Thank you for reading! Have a lovely summer xxx

p.s. Keep with me, maybe my book will be updated on here!

The dreaded assignments...

I'm trying to get myself back into the habit of writing blog posts and this blog post focuses on a list which I have condensed from my own experience. This edition is about assignment writing and talking about those stresses which everyone goes through, as the test of whether you actually paid attention in lectures begins.

The list kicks off at a stage where everyone is pretty relaxed, but that is soon to be short lived...

1) Receiving the assignment title months before it's due

2) But that time runs out and it's time to finally open up a word document and sign your life away to another assignment

3) Wider reading is part of your marking criteria but that new episode of your favourite show is on Netflix

4) You finally get writing and the world outside is a distant memory

5) When your friend tries to understand your assignment title and offers the "it'll be worth it in the end" advice

6) Taking half hour breaks to every 5 minutes of work you do 

7) When you think of a really good point and you're typing so fast to not forget what you were going to say 

8) But then there's the dreaded referencing and heaven forbid you lose a page/book/article

9) You stretch your vocabulary to meet the dreaded word limit, either by adding in pointless words (or paragraphs) or by cutting out a tonne of what you thought were relevant points

 

10) When the end is near, referencing is done and you're all double checked and it's finally time to say goodbye to the assignment you never thought would end

11) All that writing makes you forget the comfort of your bed, even if the mattress is pretty awful getting into bed never felt so good

Thank you for reading, anyone who's written an assignment will understand at least one of these struggles. Good luck to anyone in the midst of an assignment and are currently doing number 6 of the list.

Also follow me on:

Instagram - @gemmaprice_

Twitter - @Gemm96

The past year...

Well it's definitely been a while since I wrote my last blog post and a lot has changed. Since my last post I took a big step in my journey to becoming a primary school teacher by moving to a university, which meant I left home and tested being independent. It's been a rollarcoaster of journey, which was inevitable, I won't lie and say it's easy, because it most definitely isn't that but every moment has been worth it.

I learnt a lot this past year, not just in uni but living away from home. So in this welcome back blog post I'm going to write about what I learnt during my first year of uni. I'm not quite sure how long (or possibly short) the list will be so please bear with and I hope you enjoy this post :-)

What I learnt during my first year of university: 

1) Independence is a big thing - my parents have always let me be pretty independent, they never pryed in my life and tried to control me but only influence me. Living away meant I had to learn things they don't teach you in school. Taking responsibility for cooking your meals all day everyday, making sure your clothes are clean, making sure there are plates to eat off and toilet roll for your business. All these things which you don't even consider in the excitement of it all are some of the responsibilities you will possibly start freaking out about. 

2) Money will be the bane of your life - whoever said money doesn't make the world go round clearly hasn't been a student. Money is the problem/the solution/the knight in shining armour and the devil, money is 100% one of the reasons I have grey hair at the age of 19. NINETEEN!!! I SHOULDN'T BE TURNING INTO LIL GRANDMA DORIS AT MY AGE. Moving on from that, it's wise to think about financial costs, budgets and how you can help your situation by taking on part time work.  

3) There's going to be many up and downs and "what am I doing here?!?" moments - during many moments of my first year I sat in a lecture and thought 'why am I here?' Thinking to myself I could easily go back to bed, watch Netflix and spend £10 in the nearest shop on a diet that would put Willy Wonka out of business. However, the next day I would wake up, surrounded by woodland animals and singing "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" thinking to myself 'I can't believe I'm here'. I had most of my down moments during the first couple of weeks when I was so homesick I think my flat mates were scared to ask me if I was okay because I might (and probably would have) turned into a blubbering mess. Many times my poor flat mates knocked my door to be greeted by a snivelling, puffy eyed wreck. God I was embarrassing. But things got easier the more I became confident and now I wish I'd realised that in the beginning. 

4) Relationships aren't easy - things change and people change, your perspective changes, people's opinion changes, things will change. Making new friends isn't easy, but then it may be an instant connection (so cliche). Find your feet and all will follow, it generally makes the whole experience easier. 

5) You're not going to get along with everyone - if you're living in such close proximity with people then you're bound to tread on each other's toes, I'm not just talking about those people that you live with. Living on campus everyone knows everyone, meaning everyone knows everyone's business, with that information about one person you should choose to make your own judgment of their character and it's okay to not get along with everyone, it's one of those things in life because everywhere you go there will be someone that you do not get along with and that's fine, just make sure it does not ruin your fun. 

6) You'll find new simple things in life that'll please you - so you think buying a new pair of shoes is satisfying? Going back to living away from home and taking responsibility for your necessities in life you will start to appreciate the weirdest things, such as 16 toilet rolls for £3.50 that don't scratch your backside like sandpaper. Trust me, the things you'll start to get excited about will shock you and you'll have to spend a minute wondering 'what am I?'

7) Don't panic, there's time (that is unless you've left your assignment till the night before) - looking at your module outline you realise there's a lot of work you gotta do, first of all don't panic because these modules aren't there to trick you and make you fail, they're there to help your understanding and secure your knowledge. So just follow the outline, do the wider reading and for gods sake don't do what many of us have done and leave your assignment till the night before. 

8) Be comfortable - think about what comfort means to you, for me this meant easing myself into living away from home. I took things I knew would be of comfort to me like my DVD collection (which considering I'm a student has doubled in the last year, just don't ask me how because God knows how). Finding your feet can happen right away for some people (and even they have their bad moments as much as you may not realise it) and for others it can take a while, for some it doesn't even happen, but that's okay because only you can make the judgment call of when you're happy. 

9) Treat yo' self - I'm very guilty of treating myself, probably way more than I should, but it's something everyone should do. You're working hard so why shouldn't you treat yourself to something nice, whether it be some snacks, clothes or a night out. Take care of yourself. 

10) Don't forget home - where you grew up and how you were brought up is important, celebrate it and don't be shy to open up to people, be wary of the people you do open up to because someone can be there at the right time and place but they're not the right person. But remember to phone your loved ones, it's nice to have a little catch up. 

11) Arguments can start over the smallest things - many arguments started over the washing up, it's just such a chore but it cannot be avoided. From passive agressive notes to boycotts, it all happens, it's best to make sure everyone is pulling their weight, try not to be petty and count the amount of times someone has avoided their responsibility but make sure not to be walked over. 

12) And lastly, stop and enjoy it - university is usually an experience people only go through once, so it's best to make the most of it. Having independence isn't a terrible thing, making a bad decision probably is going to be forgotten within a months time (unless you made a terrible mistake, then good luck) but take it as a life lesson, if you wanna go out till 3am and you have a lecture at 9am just do it, you'll probably still be a little bit drunk but those drinks which you don't even remember paying for must have been worth it. You'll probably find some of the best people you'll ever meet there too, because everyone needs good friends who are there for you to laugh and cry with. Celebrate the good you do, getting your first A or 2:1 or however they grade it is an achievement, as is making it to university. So do take time to think of how proud of yourself you are. 

I hope for those who stuck it out to the end of this looooong blog post enjoyed it, I'm enjoying my little/big adventure and I hope for those that are at uni or are going enjoy yours too. Thank you for reading :-)

Follow me on: 

Instagram - @gemmaprice_

Twitter - @Gemm96

Beauty Review: Fudge Urban Colour Chalk

Hello, so it's been a while since I've made a blog post, in today's post I'm going to do a quick review on the new product I bought today - Fudge Urban Colour Chalk. I bought this product from Boots, for £5.99, which I thought for a new product isn't too bad.
I purchased this in the colour - Pumped-up Purple because I was in between colours and asked my best friend to pick and she chose the purple, so that's what I went with because I couldn't bear to be indecisive and be there for half an hour.

It's easy to apply, coming in a compact hand held, I want to say container but I can't think of the word. All it takes is for you to rub the colour onto dry hair, it is completely up to you in the style you choose to have it. For my first try I opted for a streak just to see what sort of coverage it gives on my hair, which is a light brown colour (dyed). Despite looking quite a bold colour when in the box, when applied it is very much lighter and although it's obviously not a natural hair colour, it has a pastel tone to it and therefore does not look too overpowering.

It is a fun product, something which has easy application and can switch up a look, fitting right in with the festival trend.
It's semi-permanent meaning it is wash in, wash out, so there's no worrying about trying to scrub it out of your hair. The only thing which is recommended is that you are aware of colour transfer, so I would recommend that if you are to use this product, avoid light coloured tops, however, it is chalk so it will wash out. It is also recommended on the box that you lock in the colour with some hairspray, which seems the natural thing to do anyway.

This is definitely a product I'm looking forward to trying out in different ways, for example, using it when plaiting my hair, creating a dip dye look. This product is also available in a pink, blue and icy white, so there is plenty of choice and I will be looking to buy more!

I hope this post was helpful, any questions please feel free to leave in the comments. Hope everyone is having a lovely summer! Thank you for reading :-)

Follow me on
- Instagram - @perksofgemma_
- Twitter - @Gemm96
I promise to follow back :-)

What's on my iPod?

Hello everyone, I thought in today's blog post I thought I'd do something different and give you an insight to the music which I listen to and sing along to in the shower, while pretending I'm singing at Wembley (everyone has to do this at least once in their life). I'm a massive believer that everyone should listen to music because there is literally a song for every mood.

The break up band
Okay, so I haven't actually been through a break up but girl band HAIM's album, Days Are Gone, makes me feel some sort of power, I'm not gonna say "girl power" but they literally make me feel like a sassy independent woman. 

 
My favourite song - Let Me Go


The album you can't help but scream along to
My album for this particular mood is most definitely The 1975's self titled album. Matt Healy's vocals make me feel some sort of way, so when I'm in the shower I cannot help but scream along to this album.


My favourite song - Robbers



The "makes me feel nostalgic, even though it hasn't happened to me"
Long title, I know. The album that has this sort of nostalgic vibe even though it most likely hasn't happened to you personally, is Lana Del Rey's, Born To Die: The Paradise Edition. Lana's music is a bit like marmite, you either love it or hate it, but I adore her.


My favourite song - American


The classic
Elvis is King, he is in every way classic, whether it's his albums or his films. His voice just soothes me and there is not one song I can say isn't good and if you don't think he's good then you really are just kidding yourself.


My favourite song - An American Trilogy


The "my best friend has got me addicted to"
So my best friend got me listening to 5 Seconds of Summer and now I'm feeling addicted to them and not just their album. Another band who I like to sing along to and pretend I'm preforming at Wembley and dream about dating *sigh at my life*


My favourite song - Beside You


The soundtrack
As a soundtrack to a film, I absolutely adore the music choices made for The Perks of being a Wallflower, which is probably a shock because of my love for The Fault In Our Stars, but I absolutely adore 80's music and makes me feel like I was born in the wrong era.

My favourite song - Crowded House // Don't Dream It's Over



The "soothe your soul" album
My favourite album for this one is always going to be London Grammar's album, If You Wait. Lead singer, Hannah Reid has the most perfectly soothing vocals, they are definitely one of the most underrated bands at the moment.


My favourite song - Nightcall



Well I could go on all day about music, but I don't wanna be a bore with a post that would be like 15 pages long. But I hope you liked this post, as it's something a bit different to what I usually blog about and thank you for reading. If anyone has any music suggestions which I may like please feel free to comment below. Also I'm looking for more ideas of what to blog about so if anyone has any suggestions there, please leave below, will be much appreciated :-)

You can also follow me on:
- Instagram - @perksofgemma_
- Twitter - @Gemm96

The 7 Deadly Sins Tag

1. GREED: What is your most inexpensive beauty item? What is your most expensive?

My most inexpensive item has to be my MUA Undress Me Too eyeshadow palette, a swatch of several colours cost only £4. My most expensive item is definitely my Benefit They're Real mascara, it cost £19.50 but is most definitely my favourite beauty product. 

2. WRATH: What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? What product has been the hardest to get?
I have a love/hate relationship with eyeshadow sometimes it turns of how I want and other times I end up looking like I've been punched. The product which has always been hardest to get is foundation, I went through a stage where every foundation I brought got discontinued, which was bloody annoying. 

3. GLUTTONY: What are your most delicious beauty products?

I'm between two, these being Lush Lip Scrub in Bubblegum and Maybelliene Baby Lips in Pink Punch, these products smell amazing and taste pretty good too. 

 

4. SLOTH: What beauty product do you neglect, due to laziness?
I'm so lazy when it comes to my lips, I'll start off by applying the lipstick or balm but then through the rest of the day I forget to reapply, oops. 

5. PRIDE: What beauty product gives you the most self confidence?

I don't know about self confidence, but the beauty product which makes me feel my best and I feel lost without is my Benefit Hoola bronzer, fabulous for contouring, it is my pride and joy. 

 

6. LUST: What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?

Probably a good sense of humour, whether it's me making them laugh or them making me laugh and LEGS!!! Good legs are my weakness. 

7. ENVY: What items would you most like to receive as a gift?
I would love to receive more Benefit products, if anyone handed me a massive basket of Benefit makeup there is no way I'd reject the offer.

If there are anymore tags which you think I should do, feel free to leave them in the comments below. If anyone else has done/or going to do this tag I'd love to take a look so feel free to leave your link in the comments. Thanks for reading :-)

Also follow me on:

- Instagram - @perksofgemma_

- Twitter - @Gemm96

I promise to follow back :-)

Beauty Products: My Daily Face

Hi everyone! I've noticed that my beauty product favourites post from ages ago had a good audience, so in today's post I'm going to go through my daily face, i.e, the foundation I use and how I finish my look. So please stay with me as I go through my routine.

Tools:

I am completely and 100% a lover of Real Techniques brushes, these brushes can be brought pretty much anywhere and although more expensive than some brands, they are worth every penny. For my daily face routine I use:
- Stippling brush (pictured in the middle) - this brush is particularly suited to liquid foundation, it's flat surface allows for an even coverage and easy blending. I find using this brush blending outwards and in a circular motion gives me a more flawless finish.






- Powder brush (pictured on the left) - this large brush works well with both loose and pressed powder. I use this for a pressed powder and find that there is not too much residue left on your face, avoiding looking "cakey" and unnatural.
- Small pointed foundation brush (pictured on the right) - as a foundation brush it is too small for me personally, so I use this brush to apply my concealer as it is pointed and allows you to cover awkward blemishes.

Foundation:
I have gone through many foundations and have never been able to find one which I am completely happy with. So recently I read up on Rimmel Perfect Match Foundation and purchased it in the colour Ivory and so far, so good. It is a light liquid foundation and easy to apply and blends well, it is enhanced with Sapphire Radiance, which means it gives a dewy glow to your skin, something which I am pleased with. When choosing in the shop I was in between this foundation and Rimmel Wake Me Up, however I felt that the glittery tint in the Wake Me Up foundation was something I personally wasn't sure would work well with me, as I didn't want to sparkle like something out of Twilight. I have normal skin, which tends to become oily as the day goes on, however this foundation lasts all day for me and I have no complaints.

The add-ons:

These may be add-ons but they are most certainly essential to completing the daily face, my personal favourites are:
- Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - this concealer is easily applied and when covering my blemishes and dark circles under my eyes it does wonders for me. It is important to choose a colour which works well with your foundation as you want to avoid uneven skin tones.
- Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder - this powder has been a miracle worker for me. It is perfect for all skin types, as it is fragrance and oil free, meaning it does not leave pores clogged and gives a natural finish to the daily routine of makeup. A product that proves it lives up to it's hype.

Thank you for reading and I hope this was helpful as a guidance to my daily face. For my other favourite beauty products, which I also use in my daily routine, check out my Beauty Favourites post. If you have any questions please feel free to leave them in the comment section and I will happily reply.

Follow me on:
- Instagram - @perksofgemma_
- Twitter - @Gemm96
I promise to follow back :-)