Figure 8

Hello...anyone out there?

Do you still remember my pretty face?

I'm still alive, promise.

Taken an extended hiatus from my blog for a few months because I needed to get used to a big change in my life. That big change was moving house, back to the lovely land of Liverpool, with a bunch of new housemates. Who are amazing, by the way:

Also I've been getting back to grips with Uni (30 hours a week is not kind to my energy levels). It's hard, very hard, but I'm enjoying being back around my coursemates.

Unfortunately depression has reared it's ugly head again - it was getting much better over the summer months, so perhaps it's exaggerated S.A.D but I don't know for sure. Hopefully not, because that's such a lousy illness, is it not?

Anyway, I'll try to get back into blogging soon. I've bought lots of nice nail varnish, make up bits and bobs to show you.

<3

University Survival Guide: Part 1 - Moving In/Freshers Week!

I've seen tonnes of these posts floating round, and I thought it was a good idea to show prospective students what uni is really like! This time last year I was wading through hundreds of these posts, very useful!

There's not much point rambling on about the application process/results day as that's just passed for everyone! However at this point last year I was still going through Clearing, I didn't get anything clear-cut until around 6pm!

I got AABB in my A-Levels, when I'd hoped to get AAAB. So I ended up at the University of Liverpool come September, which I'm still happy was a good decision to make. The Clearing team at the uni were so, so helpful and really calmed me down and worked me through the entire process. I originally applied to study BSc Geography at Leeds and Nottingham, but it worked out that I studied BSc Oceans, Climate and Physical Geography at Liverpool. I thought I'd just compile a few tips for all you freshers! This will be a long post, so I apologise in advance!

1. Moving in/Freshers Week

- Write lists! 
This is a massively important one. You will need to write lists of things to take to uni, otherwise you will definitely forget a lot of things! Split them up, for example into study materials, kitchen things, bedroom things, toiletries, clothes, electrical items etc.

- Keep your door open
Everyone says this, but it's a very good idea. Considering in my halls I was tucked away in a corner, I didn't really need to do this. Just get out into the corridors, help people unpack, make cups of tea, natter about how the journey was. Key phrase for this whole post: everyone is in the same boat. Never forget that! Unless someone's dropped out and come back again, most will be in that same confused state as you.

- Don't feel obliged to make friends with absolutely everyone
I tried my best to make lifelong friends with all the girls on my floor, and in reality we split off into groups. It was bound to happen, you can't have a group of 12 girls following each other around! I'm still in touch in with my little group of halls girls, and plan on carrying on nattering away with them for the rest of my time at uni.

- Don't run before you can walk
It's important to get involved during Freshers, but be warned: if you're not a drinker/go-er out-er, don't chuck yourself into every single stupid club night where you have to dress up like a slutty schoolgirl/nurse etc. It's not fun if you don't normally enjoy that sort of thing!

- Get a diary before you leave!
And then go on to your university website, and write all the important dates you'll need to remember for your first few weeks of term. This helped me so much, because believe me, after a week of partying, you'll not want to think about checking and double-checking dates!

I can tell you want some photos from freshers, don't you? Go on  then....

xxx

"Turner Monet Twombly - The Later Paintings" at the Tate (Liverpool)

A few weeks ago, me and my family wandered down to Liverpool for the day to take a look round the new exhibition at the Tate. I love going to this art gallery, it's amazing how differently each of the exhibitions are set out, along with the free galleries on the ground floors. After going to the amazing Rene Magritte exhibition (twice!), I was really looking forward to it.

I don't claim to be an art nerd, but I don't think you have to be to appreciate a good work of art. I've loved Monet since I was little, I remember an old art teacher trying to get us to make a Monet-inspired piece by painting with matchsticks! I'd heard of Turner but not seen his work, and had no idea who Cy Twombly was (I was also worrying about how to pronounce his name - turns out it's as it's spelt!).

Monet's paintings absolutely blew me away - the attention to detail in each of his pieces was mind blowing. I have no patience in stuff like this! I really wish it was just a Monet exhibition, because I really didn't see how it was all supposed to be linked together. Turner's work was just a bit blah, which of course is very ignorant of me to say - but it didn't wow me at all, I found myself missing out a lot of his paintings. Twombly's pieces were very eye catching and had interesting stories behind them, but again they weren't really my style. They included lots of garish colours (think fluorescent green with deep red), so it wasn't my cup of tea. I did like one, however, and got it in postcard form to stick up in my new room at uni.

As usual I scuttled away to the gift shop (I'm a sucker for them), and picked up some postcard sized prints to keep. Unfortunately one of these has already been given away to a boy (tsh). However these are the ones I'm left with, I love them!

Most of them are Monet, aside from the top left (Twombly), and I've forgotten who the top right one is from! That's the one that I don't have anyway.

I seem to be most attracted to the works of painters who belong to the Surrealism movement (aside from Monet), so if anymore exhibitions come up I'll be sure to check them out.

Are you a fan of art? Any surrealism artists I should have a look at? :)

xxx

Night-time ramblings: Growing Old?

Me, 19, going on 20.

    Just look at that baby face. I'm not ashamed of having the chubbiest cheeks in the North of England, and whilst I do get ID'd at every opportunity, I wouldn't change my face (puppy fat and all) for anything. What's startling me most is the fact that I turn twenty years old in just under a month. I'd never considered such an age until I met a boy from London, who was 4 years my senior. We're no longer in contact, but that made me wake up and realise, well, I'm hitting my twenties soon. No longer a teenager. That means no more excuses for being pointlessly stroppy, where a grunt is no longer acceptable as an answer, and boyfriends must now appear respectful to my parents, not the usual 'types'. My my.

    I didn't think leaving my teens would bother me this much, they've been a very turbulent time for me. Being diagnosed with depression, losing two members of my family, these two (or three, I guess) periods in my life just made everything that bit more difficult. I may be carrying my good friend D into my twenties, but my teens were by no means perfect. But no-one's are, are they? I've been referred to as an 'old-soul', or 'mother hen' too many times, but it's stuck, I am a bit old for my age. So why am I not embracing the transformation from girl to woman?

    Maybe it's the pace. Within a month I'll have hit the big 2-0, will be living away from home again but this time in a self-catered environment, in the suburbs of Liverpool, with 7 people I have never lived with before. Buying all my kitchen utensils today was both slightly entertaining (sad, I know) and also very daunting. I bought a grater, sieve, chopping board, salt and pepper grinders... all the while, I was longing to go and get my new bedsheets, which I will snuggle up to every night. See, as much as I can be independent when it's expected of me, I love being looked after. Just ask my ex. I loved nothing more than lying on his lap, with him brushing my hair. Sound like a 5 year old don't I? I just like being looked after like that. It's not a case of me stomping if I don't get to act like I'm still a child, it's just I like that little protective barrier around me, so if anything goes wrong, I have a safety net, know what I mean? As I write this, I can hear the odd rumble of thunder in the distance, and want nothing more than to snuggle up with my mum in bed. So for someone like me, turning 20, cooking fully for myself, paying bills myself, will come as a huge shock. 

    I guess I'm just trying to prepare myself for it.

    Does anyone else vaguely understand where I'm coming from here? Isn't growing older that little bit scary, or is it just me?

    xxx

Reading Material

Hello everyone, hope you're having a nice relaxing Sunday. I've been applying for jobs and reading - what's new eh?! I thought I'd inform you of my favourite blogs to read. A little smile always pops up on my face when I see a new post from one of these lovely ladies...

Note, not in numerical order! These are just a handful of my best blogs :)

I had to start with one of the blogs I've been following for as long as I can remember! Gem's blog is the perfect mix of lifestyle, DIY, style and general nattering! I am so envious of her hair, one day I'll have the courage to chop my locks off but for now...! One of her tuesday tips brought about my love for leopard nails! Find her blog here.

If you haven't heard of Little Blog of Horrors...where have you been hiding?! I adore Ayden's blog, it's full of pretty photos of her lovely little life (which I am enviable of!), reviews of bits and bobs and also adorable pictures of her kitten Dexter! Seen in the photo above. I want him! I also absolutely love her tattoos, forever hoping I can get enough money together to get some as amazing as hers :) and to top it all off, she's absolutely lovely!

I'm gobsmacked it took me so long to find Jade's wonderful blog, I only stumbled upon it at the start of summer! Based in Liverpool like myself, I love seeing what Jade gets up to. I never seem to go exploring in Liverpool, and she's inspired me too.  Jade is such a wonderful writer and a really friendly person. I love exchanging words with her on Twitter, and would love to meet up with her for a good natter in a pretty café Liverpool sometime!

Ellie is just one of the loveliest people I've met in the 'blogosphere'. Her blog is a relatively "small" blog, like mine, but deserves so many more followers because I love her blog! She attends univeristy in Scotland, so expect lots of pretty pictures of what she's getting up to :) Find her lovely blog here!

I don't follow many foodie blogs, but I certainly should do if they're all similar to this! I love Lauren's blog, it's a perfect mix of lifestyle, food, travel and style. A lot of her recommendations are based around Manchester, which makes me want to hop on the train and visit more! I certainly should do, it's only an hour away after all.

There you have it, my 'top 5', so to speak. Hope you enjoy, and please visit/follow them if you don't already!

xxx