✺ Easy ways to be eco-friendly ✺

TODAY I’M ROUNDING UP THE EASIEST WAYS TO BE ECO-FRIENDLY. WITH MINIMAL EFFORT AND LITTLE INVESTMENT REQUIRED THESE ARE ALL NO-BRAINERS, SO BE SURE TO JOT THEM DOWN FOR WHEN LOCKDOWN IS OVER!

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REUSABLE BOTTLES

Bring a reusable water bottle with you everywhere you go. You can refill bottles at most university campus water fountains for free, and now some coffee chains will refill them at no charge too! (My local Costa does – so check with yours). Why waste money buying hundreds of disposable plastic ones when you can simply make a one time purchase. The same goes for coffee cups, whether you prefer hot or iced beverages you can pick up a cute reusable and often enjoy a discount or bonus stamp when you order at many coffee shops too.

GROW YOUR OWN

Give growing your own fruits / vegetables / herbs a try! Obviously it depends on the space you have available, but even the smallest of rooms can house a windowsill herb garden. There’s not much investment to get started and you can find loads of free tutorials online if you are unsure how to begin. If you can’t grow your own opt for packaging or plastic free options in store, it often works out cheaper because you only have to buy the quantity you need. Some things you only need to purchase once and can then grow again and again from the stalk or ends – currently I have celery growing on my kitchen windowsill and some mini herb planters on my patio.

DITCH THE CAR

Try to walk or cycle as much as possible. You’ll feel so much better for the fresh air and even when the weather isn’t great it can be liberating to get out. Why pay for the gym when exercising is free? Bonus points if you try out a new route and take time to explore and enjoy the beauty of nature hidden around you.

SWITCH IT OFF

Turn off your appliances at the wall when you’re not using them. Not only is it wasteful to leave things turned on when they’re not needed, it’s also adding to your electric bill. The only thing I keep on at all times is my WiFi router, everything else only gets turned on if I want to use it. You’ll be amazed at the savings. If you get to choose your own bill providers it is also worth seeing if there’s a supplier in your area who only uses renewable sources of energy, then you can sleep knowing that you’re not using fossil fuels to power your home. The plans are often just as cheap as the main providers.

GO THRIFTING

Stop ordering outfits off those cheap clothing sites that you only wear once!! It’s expensive, wasteful and often the clothing production methods are unethical. Instead scope out your local charity shops for some beautiful and cheap pieces. Not only will you save money on the regular retail price, you will also find yourself being more mindful about the purchases you make and you might just find that you don’t actually need that third pair of jeans you were going to impulse buy in Primark. (Bonus points if you use public transport to get to the charity shops!)

CHOOSE SECONDHAND

Similarly to the previous point stop buying books brand new. This goes for textbooks and those you buy for pleasure. Get yourself a local library card so you can borrow books for free, you can usually request titles they don’t stock if you want! Your campus library should carry copies of textbooks for your academic needs and if they don’t you can always ask if it would be possible for them to buy copies in. If there’s not a public library you can get to locally consider buying your books secondhand in charity shops. Once you’ve read them you can simply donate them again to continue the cycle of reusing.

BATCH COOK

There’s absolutely no need to be throwing food away, you’re literally throwing your money in the bin. Make meals that you can portion out and freeze, then reheat later. If you’re stuck for ideas google is your best friend, there are hundreds of recipe sites and batch meal ideas to suit any budget. Charity shops also always have a shelf full of cheap cookbooks you can buy for every cuisine. If you have peel or vegetables that you do need to get rid of try and compost what you can. I’ll be sharing a post soon about the compost bin I made for my patio that cost less than £10!

SAY NO TO PLASTIC BAGS

Bring your own bags to the supermarket. In this day and age there is no reason for you to be paying 5p for a plastic bag. Tote bags are a cheap one time purchase and you can get them in designs to match any taste, so it’s a win-win! If you already have a mountain of plastic bags stuffed under the sink have a look on pinterest for ideas of what you can use them for. I’ve used mine to stuff coffee sacks (to create easy outdoor sofa cushions) and to line plant pots.

NO MORE NOTEBOOKS

This may hit home but… you do not need twelve half finished notebooks. Stop purchasing new ones! I’m guilty of it too but start finishing the ones you already have first, then when you do need a new one make sure it’s made from recycled paper. If you have loads of notebooks with just a couple of pages left in them you can use them for scrap or to jot down lists such as food shopping and meal plans.

PERIOD POWER

The bathroom often gets left out when people are considering how they can lessen their impact on the environment but it can be a room where hundreds of pounds of waste is generated every year. If you have periods consider trying a menstrual cup or period pants instead of spending hundreds purchasing disposable pads and tampons that end up in landfill. They are products that will require some investment in the beginning but the savings soon start to become clear when you can deduct period products from your expenditure every month. If you’re not ready to take the completely reusable plunge you can still do your bit by making an effort to purchase non-applicator tampons.

MOPPING IT UP

Similarly to above there are loads of products elsewhere in the house that you can switch from disposable. How many things do we use once and then simply throw away? What a waste of resources and money, you might as well start throwing your hard earned cash straight in the trash. So far my number one swap has been to reusable kitchen paper, the original roll was a little steep, but now I never have to buy kitchen paper again. Whenever I need to wipe the kitchen hob or side I simply reach for one of my cloths and then when I’m done with one I add it to a little bag that gets emptied into the weekly wash. The little cloths have cute designs on them like avocados, so they are much less of an eyesore than the disposable rolls.

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Many of these were pretty obvious swaps but sometimes we just need a gentle reminder! See if you whilst we are in lockdown you can make one switch to reusable in each room in your home. Feel free to leave your eco-friendly swap ideas in the comments below so we can all learn from each other.

☮ Zero Waste Swaps For Students ☮

Being a student can be tough, especially if you’re on a low budget, but it’s still possible to be kind to the environment even when you don’t have much cash. Below are a few of my favourite zero waste & eco-friendly swaps for everyday student life.

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Keep cups

Most people already have one but if you don’t I highly recommend investing in one. You can get them cheap in most cafes and shops and lots of places will give you either a discount on your drink or extra reward stamps when you use bring one with you. I have an entire cupboard full of different designs, colours and styles.

If you want to be able to throw one in your bag for your campus commute, with your drink in it, I suggest investing in one with a lockable lid. I have a tall black one that I pour my coffee in to each morning then lock and put in the bottle holder on the side of my rucksack, which I can then drink from during my early lectures. It means I save money and time by not buying a beverage at university and it’s insulated so my drinks stay hot!

Net bags

Net bags are inexpensive and can be utilised in lots of different ways, in and out of the home. I picked up a couple in the zero waste shop near my parents house and now when I go shopping at university I take them with me as vegetable bags. Not only do places like Lidl and Aldi sell loose fruit and vegetables, without plastic packaging, it also means you only have to buy the quantity you need and you can choose the freshest produce. So next time you go consider investing in a couple of good quality net bags and skip the pre-packaged produce and plastic vegetable bags the supermarkets provide. For inside the home consider hanging a large net bag in your bathroom to hold your extra toilet paper!

Re-usable kitchen roll

These cute square cloths are available from most zero waste shops and online. They come in a variety of designs and can be tossed into the washing machine once they’ve been used so you can then simply let them dry before using them over and over again. Although they are a little bit of an investment up-front you never have to buy disposable kitchen paper again, so it works out cheaper in the long run. For a more budget friendly alternative you could try using rags that you place in a home-made disinfectant each time they’ve been used, there are lots of tutorials for how to do this online if you do a quick search.

Sandwich wraps

Sandwich wraps and pouches can either be purchased in cloth form, with a button or velcro to seal them, or you can find some made from a shiny wax coated material. The waxy wraps are easier to wipe clean but can be more of a pain to fold  over your sandwich, whereas the cloth ones are sometimes slightly harder to wipe but can be easier to close. They are a great alternative to cling film and can be used for more than just sandwiches; sliced pieces of cake, leftover cheese and crackers can all be stored and transported in them. Try thinking outside of the box!

Tote bags

Tried and tested, tote bags are the most widely recognised symbol when it comes to saving the planet. They’re inexpensive and some universities even hand them out for free with their logo on. I find they work best when I keep them with me and leave them in places I won’t forget them such as in the car, your rucksack or your bike basket – you never know when you’re going to need to carry something.

Travel Cutlery

If you find yourself picking up meal deals or packing to-go food in your lunch bag you might occasionally end up having to use plastic cutlery and straws. To avoid this carry re-usable cutlery with you wherever you go, I pack it even when I don’t think I’m going to need it and nine times out of ten it ends up being useful. My set includes a straw and cleaner, two chopsticks, a knife, a fork and a spoon, all made from bamboo. They each slot into a piece of elastic sewn onto some cloth that then rolls up and clips shut with a popper. Once I’ve used my cutlery I usually try to give them a quick rinse before I pack them away. Although you can buy reasonably cheap sets online and in zero waste shops, there’s no reason you can’t utilise what you already have and simply wrap some metal cutlery in a piece of cloth and tie it closed with string. A ready-to-go environmentally friendly cutlery set in less than five minutes.

Plastic straws are slowly being phased out by numerous large companies but why not help the effort by investing in a set of bamboo, metal or glass straws. Check out wholesale and discount sites to make sure you get the best deals or head to your local zero waste store.

Bread baking

At the start of the year I decided to take the plunge and stop buying bread that comes wrapped in plastic, instead opting to make my own. I purchased the base ingredients in bulk and then looked up some recipes for basic bread on Pinterest, it turns out baking bread is surprisingly easy! It’s definitely saved me money in the long run and I find that it is so much nicer to know exactly what is going in to the food I’m consuming. If you have free time on a Sunday afternoon there’s no reason you can’t give it a go, as you start to get better you can try more complex recipes with added ingredients such as fresh herbs.

Solid toiletries

Have you ever considered the plastic bottles your soaps and shampoo come in? It’s time to ditch them! Instead opt for bar versions wrapped in paper (not shrink-wrapped in plastic!). If you look around you can find cheap versions, there are often a tonne in my T K Maxx’s beauty section and there’s usually a nice variety of scents and textures. Not only do I find that they tend to end up lasting longer than their liquid counterparts, they are also much more aesthetically pleasing in my bathroom!

Make-up remover cloths

One of the most expensive and wasteful habits I decided to kick when making a conscious decision to be eco-friendly was the copious amounts of face wipes I was going through each week. I wear make-up almost everyday and if I don’t take it off properly my skin really suffers so I needed an alternative removal method that was both thorough and cheap, whilst being kind to mother nature. I ended up purchasing a make-up remover cloth that you simply run under hot water and then wipe with, it works wonders and even manages to remove my waterproof mascara. It cost me less than ten pounds and I’ve used it almost every single day for an entire year now, when I’m done with it I simply add it to the laundry basket to be washed. I then follow up my make-up removal with toner which I apply with my re-usable cotton rounds – these were another item that I was constantly buying only to throw them away after each use. It sounds ridiculous when you stop the think about it! Now I have a set of re-usable ones, one for each morning and one for each night, when I’ve used one I pop it into a net bag I keep in the bathroom and then at the end of the week they all get washed ready for the week ahead.

If you don’t want to go out and purchase a set of re-usable cotton pads there are plenty of tutorials out there on how to make your own using scraps of material you already have!

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They were a few of my favourite swaps but one of the most important things to remember when going zero waste is that it is possible to use what you already have. If you take a bit of time to think outside the box you can easily make re-usable versions of things you use everyday and places like Pinterest are a great resource for tutorials, you can follow my Saving The Planet board here for inspiration.

Also don’t feel like you have to go to your local zero waste store for everything, shops like T K Maxx have a surprising amount of products that are great when trying to be more environmentally friendly, at a fraction of the cost. Eco-friendly living is definitely an area where it’s best to shop around for the best deal. A lot of re-usable swaps are available in normal home-ware shops, they just probably aren’t advertised as zero waste options so you need to keep your eyes open.

It’s the little things that make a big difference.

PINTEREST ~ BLOGLOVIN 

👓 Note-Taking Tips 👓

Sometimes learning can feel like an up-hill struggle, especially in college. Everyday is a vigorous routine and at the end of it you want to be secure in the knowledge that the information you gathered and the notes you took were of a high enough standard, enabling you to revise with ease later on.

Here’s how to take notes effectively for peace of mind!

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Try a range of techniques

You’ve been taking notes since primary school, but how well have you actually been doing it? Everybody is receptive to information in different ways so I suggest going back to basics and exploring all the different ways of note-taking there are.

Start with mind-maps, bullet points and doodles and try to take notice of which is the most effective for you. Good things to consider when working this out are – how enjoyable it was (there’s no point doing bullet points if you hate reading and writing lists), how much time it took (no matter what some Studyblrs want you to believe, it is impossible to draw a Monet masterpiece to represent each piece of information) and how much information you retained at the end (i.e can you remember what you just wrote on that mind-map or were you distracted by the pretty colours and artsy arrows).

Keep in mind that you might end up with several note-taking techniques which work well for you, in which case you are lucky and can combine them, or mix and match throughout the year!

If nothing is working try thinking outside the box, for example if you’re an English Literature student you could:

• Create an infographic for each character in the novel
• Write a blog post analysing a chapter or event
• Make yourself a quotation quiz, either online or on cue cards
• Record a song detailing key events and play it back

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Make Them Aesthetically Pleasing

Whichever method works best for you, make sure you set it out neatly. If you find mind-maps are helpful but you often make them in a rush and the words are smudging into each other, or the points that are related are miles apart, they are soon going to start becoming more problematic than useful. So try and keep your page clean and tidy, you’ll thank yourself for it later down the line when you don’t have to waste time deciphering your own rushed writing. Add colour to things as long as it’s not distracting – colour coding important information is a good idea, whereas highlighting everything in dark purple is not.

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Invest In Good Quality Materials

If all you have is a biro running out of ink and some scrunched up paper, taking notes immediately becomes much more difficult. Being prepared is imperative in all aspects of life but especially for note-taking, usually you only have a small amount of time to get down all the information you need so avoid wasting any of it whispering the person next to you to see if they have a spare pencil.

It’s also helpful to find out the type of pens you like the most. Although it sounds strange some pens really are just more comfortable to grip and, thus, easier to write with than others, and it’s really noticeable – once you’ve found a brand of pens you like note-taking will begin to seem like less of a chore. The same logic applies if you type your notes – find the app that is easiest and quickest to use with all the features you need, you’ll never have to spend time figuring out how to move the text on the page, without disrupting the images, again.

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Filter Key Information

Not everything your teacher says is something you need to remember – which seems like an obvious statement. In reality it is a skill to be able to filter through information and pick out the key parts for your notes, it will take practice and attentiveness. If there’s one thing you need to take away from this, it’s that, as tempting as leaving one headphone in and listening with the other out, is. Don’t do it. Any and all music is distracting when listening to someone else talk, even if it doesn’t feel like it is.

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Keep Your Notes Organised

Start your notes with the date, title and class name so that when looking back over them you know exactly which material it is. If writing on loose bits of paper, also invest in a ring binder for storage and some hole punch reinforcements; because there is nothing worse than losing a vital piece of paper that tore and slipped out somewhere.

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Do you have any other good note-taking tips? Leave them in the comments!

Read the rest of the posts in this series:

Beating the back to school blues

How to achieve highly in college

Stylish study spaces

How to meet a last minute deadline

PINTEREST ~ BLOGLOVIN 

👩‍🏫 How To Meet A Last Minute Deadline 🏫👨

We’ve all been there – you’re just getting on with your everyday tasks and then suddenly it dawns on you. The deadline for that really important piece of work is only two days away and you completely forgot to start it. I’ve certainly been gripped with that fear a number of times, but I’ve come up with a plan of action so that next time I inevitably have to cram for a deadline I can get it all done!

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First things, first – stop whatever it is you’re currently doing, because the chances are it is less important and can wait till after the deadline. Find whatever materials you need to complete your task and gather them together – this might be pens, paper, the laptop or art supplies. Once you’ve collected everything you need, it’s time for step two.

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Write down exactly what you need to do. Step by step. It’s really important you do this so that you don’t miss anything out in the rush to get everything done.There’s no need to make it a fancy list so skip any doodles or cute washi tape you would usually add – this is just about having a basic outline of what needs to be done. If you have already started the project make sure you flip through and cross off any completed sections so that you’re not stressing about work you’ve already done.

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Step three. Clear your schedule. How much of your schedule you need to clear depends on how long you have till the deadline but if it’s less than a week, and you’ve got a lot to do, I would suggest clearing as much time as possible – it’s better to have too much than not enough. You might have to sit down and work out what you can logically cancel, as some things will be easier to get out of than others – like the meeting with your boss. Don’t attempt to cancel that, but that day you were going to grab a coffee with your best friend – apologise and re-schedule for another week. Re-arranging or cancelling social activities is the easiest way to free up time, it’s not ideal to miss them but as long as you aren’t leaving deadlines till the last minute regularly you should be fine to miss them for one week.

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Let people know you are busy. I don’t mean you have to ring your Auntie or let your coffee barista know, but anybody that might accidentally disturb you is a must. This includes your housemates and anyone you live with or anybody that might ring you in the middle of the day for a chat. Usually the easiest way to let people know without getting caught up in a long conversation is via social media, try posting a Facebook status that says something like ‘I’m going to be really busy for the next couple of days as I’ve got some important work due, please only contact me if it’s an emergency!‘. If Facebook isn’t your thing you could send an email round, or a mass text message. Just make sure you let people know to minimise disturbances!

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Five – clear your work space. Time is obviously tight, so don’t bother with a full spring clean, but make enough room so that you can comfortably complete your work. If that means simply picking up the folders lying on your desk and discarding them in the bottom of the wardrobe for a few days, so be it. You can always organise your space properly when you don’t have a deadline getting ever closer.

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Finally, turn off any devices you don’t need and get started. If the task as a whole doesn’t seem manageable, refer to the list you made earlier, and choose smaller, more achievable chunks. Before you know it the smaller chunks of work will turn into one big piece. Perseverance is the most important thing, right now you might feel like all you want to do is give up and take a nap but in the long run the work can only be beneficial to your education.

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Most importantly get it done.

Share your best tips for getting last minute work done in the comments below!

If you want to see the previous posts in this college series go here, here and here.

PINTEREST ~ BLOGLOVIN 

🎓 How To Achieve Highly In College 🎓

Sometimes achieving the grades you want can seem like an impossible task, but here are some tips to help keep you on track!

Learn to push through the stages when you lack motivation.

Everything is easier when you have motivation on your side but there will be some days when you wake up and can’t stand the thought of rolling out of bed and going to class. Do it anyway. Get up, wash your face, have a glass of water and get out the house because even though it’s difficult you’ll only regret staying in bed later down the line when you realise you’ve missed something really important. If you’re really stuck try reading some motivational quotes or this post about renewing motivation. If you’ve ever ventured into the world of study blogs you’ll know that it seems like the bloggers are motivated 24/7 to be the best they can be, but I promise they have periods where they lack motivation too. It’s just about learning to work anyway.

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Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

I’m awful at doing this but asking your tutors and peers questions is an easy and effective way of upping your grade ten percent. Searching the internet is great but sometimes it takes somebody else physically explaining something for it to make sense. Nine times out of ten it’s a good time to ask a question – whether it’s putting your hand up in class, finding your tutor during breaks or organising time to get together with your classmates and ask each other. If you still don’t understand let somebody know, don’t feel like because you’ve asked once you’ve run out of chances to go back over the same thing. Even if your tutor or peers can’t answer your query they might be able to point you in the direction of some useful resources.

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Start off with rough drafts of work.

We have to make mistakes in order to improve so although it takes more time, try and always do several drafts of your work. This doesn’t apply so much to subjects such as Maths but any class where you are writing extend pieces of text are where this starts to become useful. If your class tutor is free to mark your rough drafts and hand them back to you – even better! Don’t worry if they’re busy though you can always ask a friend or family member to read through for you, the needn’t necessarily know about the subject as just asking them to check for spelling mistakes and clarity of phrasing can help boost your grade. Stop settling for the ‘rushed in ten minutes on the bus’ version and start allowing yourself the time to read and re-read, then amend your work so that it’s always of the highest standard.

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Revise all year round.

I’m not suggesting you dedicate your whole life to revision, just that you do small bits of recapping here and there until it becomes natural habit, you’ll avoid the last minute cram the night before the exam and you’ll be the most prepared student there! At the end of each day, or week, take a look over the work you have completed – if anything is unfinished get it done, take the time to file things away correctly, make a quick mind-map or some cue cards and then read them on the bus or before you go to bed. Stick up posters in your room or on the fridge, just five minutes a day of looking at your work can help keep your memory fresh. It’s okay to give yourself a break from recapping, if you don’t have time for it then you don’t have time for it but if you can spare a few minutes it will save you some of the revision hassle later!

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Surround yourself with hard-working people.

You’ll find it difficult to achieve highly if your friends are constantly pressuring you to skip class or leave the homework to head to the pub. Finding the right balance between studying and relaxing is key, but part of that balance is having the right group of friends. Being around motivated people rubs off on you, just like how being around unmotivated people does. Let your friends know when you’re going to be unavailable because there’s a big assignment due, and then when it’s over that you’re free to spend time with them. If your friends refuse to accept that you want to work hard and achieve, maybe you need to reconsider whether their influence on your life is a positive one. It’s awesome to have friends you can hang out with and be lazy with as long as they can also help motivate you when necessary.

If you have anymore tips for achieving highly let me know in the comments below!

Looking to beat the back to school blues? Try this post

 Or if you’ve got a heavy work load and you’re unsure how to handle it this post might be helpful.

Pinterest ~ Bloglovin

⛪️ My Faith Journey ⛪️

I am a Christian. Just writing it down brings a smile to my face, but it hasn’t been easy getting here. Finding God took me a while, but it happened, and now I want to share my journey with you. I have lots of stories to tell about the particular path that led me to where I am in my faith today, so each Wednesday I’m going to share one with you. Today lets start with an overview.

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When I was younger my Nan would take my siblings and I to church each Sunday and whilst she sat through the services we would attend Sunday school, for me this is where my journey into faith began for the first time. I was so young that I didn’t really have a solid understanding of what being a Christian meant, but I attended a Christian school during the week, and I knew that it was a term that was often used when we said Grace before lunch, and when we sang the Lords prayer in assembly. Although I was unaware of it at the time, these seemingly unimportant, everyday activities, would have a huge impact on my life as I grew up and I’m incredibly grateful for them now.

Neither of my parents are particularly religious so gradually as we got older my siblings and I stopped attending church, instead we would go to sports practice on a Sunday morning. We all also moved to different schools as things in our lives changed and they were no longer Christian establishments. Then as I got even older I stopped going to the sports practices too, and my Sundays became spare time. I did enjoy those Sunday morning lie-ins but then about a year ago Daisy approached me, saying she would like to go to church to see what it was like.

In case you aren’t a regular reader of this blog I’ll fill you in on some details about Daisy – she’s my oldest friend, having known each other practically our whole lives. Our houses are across the street from each other and before we were even born out parents were friends. We’ve been through and done everything together at some point; we’ve laughed, cried and fought (a lot), we’ve been on holiday together, built forts, filmed youtube videos, climbed trees, had many, many birthday parties and eaten plenty of pizza.

But before that day I’m not sure we’d ever really discussed faith or religion together.

It didn’t matter that we hadn’t discussed it before though because that day we started the conversation, and since then, it’s never really ended. I agreed to go to church with her, so one Sunday we attended the service at my old church – there’s a feeling of safety and peace during services that I’ve never been able to replicate anywhere else. I suppose it’s because it’s when you’re closest with God and closest with others who are close to him too.

Although I can’t speak for her, I assume Daisy must have felt something, or discovered something, whilst we were there too, because we’ve been attending weekly ever since. The day Daisy spoke to me was the day my journey into faith began for a second time, I’d say it continued on from where I’d left off – but it didn’t, because this time I was older, more receptive and truly ready to find God.

There are lots of people I have to thank for introducing me to all that my faith has to offer, the most obvious are; Daisy, my Nan and the teachers from Sunday school and my original school. Also though as people began to recognise that Daisy and I were showing up every week we began to become part of the churches congregational community, it was actually pretty easy for us to talk to people because my Nan goes with us and has been attending the same church for a long time, so she already knows everyone and could introduce us. One of Daisy’s other friends and her mother also sometimes appear at services so before we even began we had people we could direct any questions towards. But, even if we hadn’t had those connections when we started, I don’t think it would have mattered, because there’s such a welcoming atmosphere at our church and I hope that’s the same everywhere, I’ve heard it is. God brings us together and that’s very powerful – it bonds us and creates a tether of love between us.

Faith now has a huge impact on both of our daily lives, we don’t just go to church on Sunday mornings anymore, we also became involved in a youth group called ‘Highlight’ on a Friday night – where we spend two hours reading Bible passages, playing games and praying. It’s run to by two lovely youth workers and it’s really interesting to explore our faith in this way because it’s so different to the weekly services, in fact – it’s one of the things that helped show me that those Sunday mornings aren’t the only time to learn about faith, every second of everyday is an opportunity to learn more. Sometimes those learning curves are steep and at other times they are tiny steps forward but each one has an impact whether it comes from listening to someone else’s views, watching a program, reading or just realising that you want to start living your life differently so that others can see your faith in your words, in your actions and in your heart.

Last year we were both Baptised and Confirmed, cementing our ever-growing love for our faith. I’m realising each day how blessed I am and how much I have to be grateful for, now I want to share those blessings and my gratitude with all of you.

If you would like to see some photographs of our Baptism it’s this post!

Daisy and I made fortune cookies with Bible verses in them, I wrote about it here!

Pinterest ~ Bloglovin

📖 Beating The Back To School Blues 📖

Winter break is over and the daily routine of student life is back in full swing, but I’m still finding myself struggling to get out of bed in the mornings. Here’s how I help myself adjust to going back to college after a few weeks off.

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After time off it can be really difficult trying to force yourself out of bed in the mornings – you get used to being able to set your own schedule and being able to take breaks when you feel like it. But now outside factors are dictating what time you need to get up and leave and when you can take breaks, it’s hard. Unfortunately there’s no trial period where you can show up later for the first few weeks or take a break in the middle of class, instead you get thrown straight in at the deep end and have to re-adjust in the blink of an eye. Here are a few things you can do to help ease the transition from holiday season to term time.

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First of all make sure you begin preparing to get back into routine a few days before the start of term, this includes doing things such as stocking up on school supplies and gradually returning to a normal sleep schedule. The last thing you want is to be going to sleep at two am and then realising you have to get up at eight am the next day – it just isn’t practical and falling asleep in your first class of the term really isn’t a great start. If you usually have a morning alarm begin setting it again two-three days early so that it’s not a horrible shock on the first day back. Check in advance what lessons you’ve got on the first day and pack your bag as early as possible, it will help relieve some of that back to school stress, and is vital if you’re starting back in the middle of a week – as you’ll likely be disorientated from the get go! Investing in a watch is also a great idea to make sure you are in the right place at the right time.

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Next, either physically or mentally, make a note of your goals and aspirations, it will help get you in the right mindset for the upcoming term and will serve as a remember for why you have to get up at eight am and what you are working towards achieving by doing it. If you often need a pick me-up in the early weeks of term, try pinning the list on the fridge or to the home screen of your phone so you can check it regularly and get a boost. To make it stand out even more add some images/doodles. Also remind yourself that, although in first world countries we often forget, an education is a privilege that many around the world dream of being afforded.

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Contact your friends and arrange to meet up at some point during the first day, if it’s been a long holiday the chances are you haven’t seem them in a while and a good catch up can help beat the blues away. Take the time to listen to what they have to say, rather than doing all the talking yourself, it can be very relaxing to hear someone you care about talk enthusiastically about what they’ve been up to. Plus it will help you take your mind off the challenge of going back to school.

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Eat healthily, you will look and feel better for it – if you indulge in too many sugary foods your mood will be low and the chances are you’ll break out in spots; which isn’t going to help you feel refreshed and confident for the term ahead. Swap out those sugary treats with the treat of trying a new fruit, such as starfruit or dragon fruit, you may end up finding your new favourite and you’ll be helping your taste buds to expand their repertoire – which is never a bad thing.

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The most important thing is to enjoy it whilst it lasts – we won’t be at school forever so we may as well make the most of it before we are spat out into the real world. This term I’m going to try and jot down the good things that happen each week in a notebook so I can keep looking back and remind myself of the fun and good fortune I’ve had, why don’t you join me?

Do you have any tips on how to beat the back to school blues?

Pinterest ~ Bloglovin

❁ The Best University Tips & Tricks ❁

I sat down with my sister, a soon to be graduate, to get the low down on the best university tips and tricks to help you maximise your education and life experience!

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What is one thing you forgot to take to University with you that you recommend having? Are there any unusual essentials you think are a good idea to take?

There wasn’t anything massively important that I forgot, however when I was living in halls my bathroom was a wet room and I had to buy a mop after about two weeks of being there to soak up the excess water!

I also think fairy lights can make a room feel homely and I love to have a pin board with photos and memories. I think this is an essential when trying to make a room your own.

Do you have a morning routine? And, if so, what is it and how does it help you get ready for the day?

Usually I get up at 7am before nipping to the loo so I can assess how tired I look in the bathroom mirror! Then I make sure my bag is packed and I get dressed. I actually make my lunch whilst I eat my breakfast (always a bowl of cereal and a glass of squash). Next I re-check my bag, put my shoes on and do my hair. Finally I clean my teeth and spray a little perfume before putting my headphones in and heading to the bus stop.

This all gets me ready for the day and in the right frame of mind!

What are your top studying tips?

Personally, my studying always begins with selecting the music I will be studying to! Without the right CD or playlist I can’t get into the right mood for studying. Additionally, snacks and drinks are essential, without them it gives you an excuse to have a break to go and get the food – then your break turns into an hour and a half of doing other things rather than work. My favourites go-to snacks and drinks are; a bottle of squash and some form of banana chips or biscuits (whether that’s savoury Tuc biscuits or digestives). I find plain snacks means less faffing with different elements of food.

When it comes to stationery, I am a massive fan! I recommend that, at the least, you have black, blue, red and green pens (or a four colour pen like me!). This way important information/equations/quotes will stand out from the rest of the work. Moreover, highlighters are a great way to break up large chunks of text, especially any readings you have been set – as they can be extremely daunting. They are also helpful for summarising an article or topic when writing essays.

Where you choose to study can be a make or break decision. If you pick somewhere where you know you will get distracted (e.g. the communal lounge), in order to avoid seeming antisocial, your studying will suffer. Sometimes its best to let your friends/housemates know that you need a bit of alone time to bash out some essay paragraphs. They will understand, they are going through the same process too!

If you like the library that can be a great place to study as the resources are all at your finger-tips. However, this can be dangerous if you go with other people who are less focused. Also, although you are at university, there will always be those people who still don’t understand why you are supposed to be quiet in a library. They will talk loudly, play music at a ridiculous volume or decide to rustle a bag of popcorn.

I find that sometimes when the library is full the local coffee shop can be a good place, it’s where I did a lot of group studying when we had projects. We were able to have a hot drink, a chat and get work done.

Timing wise, I try to base it around how much I need to complete during the studying session rather than giving myself a set amount of time. Smaller targets can help you see what you’re achieving and you will accomplish more. I aim to at least write 200-250 words before I can have a break. Obviously, this time includes research so this can sometimes last a while. If I find I am losing concentration (and this will happen to everyone at some point) I like to leave the room to go to the toilet or replenish my snacks. Sometimes I will even go and do the laundry or washing up to take a break from my screen.

At University your lecturers will probably give you a set reading list which can include some online books. Websites can be a port of call, you just have to be very careful with the source. I’m training to be a teacher so government websites and recommended teaching websites are the best thing for me, your university will undoubtedly have an online library that allows you access to some of the books they have in an online capacity. In addition, it allows you to reserve key texts so you don’t miss out on that one book the lecturer was constantly mentioning.

The best thing to do when you miss a lecture and how to catch up on missed work?

If you know there is a reason, such as a doctors appointment, booked well in advance or a sports fixture you have to be at, you should always email your lecturer at least a minimum of twenty-four hours in advance. This way any work that they set can be emailed to you and they may even be willing to email the PowerPoint to you as well.

If you fall ill, you can always message someone else in the classes you’ll miss to voice record the lecturer so you can listen and make notes later on. Personally, I only missed two or three lectures in first year and a further two in my second year. I feel that if you regularly don’t attend lectures you miss out on practical applications that may be useful in the future.

Of course, there will always be a reading that the lecturer has used as an information source, and therefore they may decide to give you the whole lectures content in one easy to read document.

What are some of the best moments you have had during University life so far?

For me all the memories I make are ones that I will carry with me forever. Especially when they are silly or just ones where my friends and I all get together. When I lived in halls in first year I shared a Christmas takeaway with my flatmates, it wasn’t traditional but we all sat round and ate pizza, I loved it! The girls from my hockey team organised a full roast dinner with all the trimmings and we even pulled the table from my flat across the courtyard to my friends, so we could fit everyone in. Security gave us the funniest looks!

Movie nights and pre-drinks are always fun. Obviously, you don’t have to drink if you don’t want to because the best part is actually the games we play! We used to play ones where people would be running around halls, causing all sorts of mayhem. And of course we played beer pong (which often brings out people’s competitive sides). This is where you discover who has the same music taste as you and who secretly loves One Direction!

Some of my lectures were memorable too, especially ones where people were so tired from nights out or late night essay writing that practical lectures turned into a massive joke.

For food we love our local Wetherspoons; it’s cheap and a great place to chat with friends and take in what the locals did on the weekends. We used to go shopping  and then head there for a drink and a bite to eat.

My favourite memory from second year has to be when my friends and I made a spontaneous decision to all go to the hairdressers, I ended up just getting a cut but two of my housemates got their hair dip dyed, and one even got a tattoo!

Takeaways are a massive part of Saturday night T.V. for our student household. We used to watch Take me out or X-factor and then Casualty, as a house, as well as staples such as The Great British Bake Off and Made in Chelsea. In addition to that I would cook for the house, making soups or bread on the weekends and risotto during the week.

On people’s birthday’s we would all pitch in to get presents and we would make cake or flapjacks to celebrate!

I hope this gives you an insight into my university life, however – you need to remember that your experiences are what you make of them and everyone will experience different things in different places and in different ways. What happens at one university could be very different at another! My campus is very small so most people know pretty much everyone. At larger/multiple campus universities this can differ.

My last key point is this: ‘Enjoy every minute of your experiences, especially in first year as you can never get time back you can only make up for it!’.

Emily x

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If you’ve got any great tips for College students or have a question about student life feel free to leave a comment below!

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📑 What To Do When You’ve Got A Lot To Do 📑

It’s just been one of those days where I’ve had too much to do and too little time – in fact it’s been one of those weekends. I’ve barely moved from my desk, apart from to do the absolutely necessary chores like washing up and bathroom breaks. I’ve worked at my desk, eaten at my desk and worked some more at my desk.

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All of this is because I start back at college on Tuesday and it’s now Sunday and I’m still swamped in work that needs handing in on the first day. Now I know what you’re all thinking – it must be because you have poor time management skills or you would have got it done ages ago! I suppose yes it is partly because my time management has not been great the past couple of weeks but the situation is not helped by a few things, namely:

A) I was away for the first six weeks of the Summer holiday (Technically the first two weeks I was away were still term time but it was a school led trip.) This left me with two weeks of Summer to do all my work

C) The school website and resources have been down all Summer

D) My teachers emailed me piles of work during the holidays to be completed

If I don’t stop listing there this post is going to turn into one big moan, but hopefully you get my point. The work I’ve had to try and get through this weekend includes: nine essays and about ten pages of A3 sketchbook work. Fun! Not.

So how have I been managing to get it all done?

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First of all – discipline, without it you aren’t going to get anything done or if you do it will probably be 90% procrastination, 10% work. I didn’t want to do the work, in fact I was extremely tempted to just put Gilmore Girls on and forget about it – but in the long run I would only have been hindering myself. Turning up to the first day back without my work will not be a good start to the academic year, it will give the wrong impression to my teachers and classmates and make it seem as though I don’t care. Which I really do! I just have been really tight on time this Summer. So:

1. Write down why you need to complete the tasks, make it brief so you don’t spend too much time thinking about it! Maybe you need to complete them to meet a work deadline, or so you can go out later on in the week, or maybe just so you can feel like you’ve achieved something. It doesn’t matter what the reason is or where you write it, just get it down.

Set up a designated area, whether it be at your desk, on the dining room table or in the garden shed find somewhere peaceful and cosy to get started. If your tasks are things you have to physically complete, such as house chores, make sure you are wearing something comfortable that’s not restrictive. This applies to things such as writing essays where you’re sat down too but it’s especially important if you’re going to be moving around. Clear your area, making sure anything that isn’t completely necessary for the task(s) being undertaken is out of the way. You’re probably going to be here for a while so make sure it is well ventilated and has a good amount of natural lighting where possible. I chose the living room this weekend and sat in the chair by the door as it means anyone walking past to get to any of the downstairs room can see my laptop screen and remind me to get back on task if they see me getting distracted by social media.

2. Choose your working area carefully. If you’re stuck somewhere dim, un-comfy and isolated the chances are you’ll be much less productive than you could be.

Next find some paper and write down exactly what you need to do, if you don’t know exactly look it up or message someone. Make sure you are completely clear on what each task entails and if tasks need breaking down into smaller sections make yourself a spider diagram with branches coming off and forming smaller task groups. Not only will this give you a reference sheet for what you need to do, it will also be a good motivator to continue working later on when you can look back and see how much you’ve already ticked off.

3. Clearly display tasks to complete. Bright colours might help distinguish one task from another but don’t bother spending time on making it look too fancy.  As soon as you’ve completed all your tasks you’re probably going to want to throw it straight in the bin anyway!

Make sure you have the correct equipment, if you need certain folders, lined paper, highlighters or your laptop go and get them now. The last thing you need is to be constantly getting up and down to fetch things – it will interrupt your work flow and you may end up getting pulled away to do something less important on your way. We’ve all gone to fetch something and then stopped to do something on the way and realise an hour later what you actually left to do.

4. Gather your supplies. Put it out so that everything is easy to reach, don’t just dump it in a massive pile on the table – or even worse, on the floor next to you so you have to rummage through millions of pieces of paper to get to the one you need. If necessary separate the supplies so that the papers that are needed for one task are all together; do the same with pens etc.

It’s time to say goodbye to social connections. Turn off everything you don’t need. Don’t turn your phone to silent unless you need it for what you’re doing right now, turn it off. I know, for me at least, turning my phone onto silent mode just makes me even more tempted to check it to see if I’ve got any surprise notifications. Unless you need facebook for work related matters close it or log out of it or if you really don’t trust yourself you can even download an extension for chrome that lets you choose to temporarily block any websites on your laptop. I did it! As soon as I’ve finished my work I can unblock it again, you can even put it on a timer if you prefer.

5. Social Media Blackout. Your friends and followers will still be there when you get back, notifications will only slow you down on your quest to completing your tasks – so be ruthless. If it’s not helpful to your work delete the app for the day, log out, deliberately let your phones battery down. It doesn’t matter what you do just make sure there is no way you can be tempted to have even a ‘quick’ browse because lets face it, it never ends up being quick.

Make sure you have plenty of supplies at the ready, a bottle of water is a good start. Bottles are less likely to spill onto important paperwork/electricals if they get knocked over in a frustrated attempt at finding that one piece of paper you were sure was just on the desk a minute ago, than cups. They are also easier to drink from if you get one with the lids that push down to close and pull up to drink. Snacks might also be useful to have handy but go for something healthy that will boost your brain power rather than a bar of chocolate. You could try filling mason jars with dry fruit, seeds and nuts in advance so that you can peck whilst you work.

6.  Stock up like the shops are all closing down.  Being dehydrated will decrease your productivity by a huge amount so it’s really important that no matter what you’re doing you keep sipping water throughout the day. The same is true with food, it’s really difficult to concentrate on an empty stomach, just make sure you’re eating the right type of foods when you do eat and factor in times for eating regular meals. Don’t skip breakfast, lunch or dinner in an attempt to get more done because it will only end up having the opposite affect in the long run!

Once you’ve done all of the following it’s time to sit down and really start working. Don’t get put off by large tasks because they seem daunting, break them down into smaller, manageable tasks if you need to and if you get stuck either ask someone for help, search the internet or switch to a different task and come back to it with a clearer mind later. With some tasks the best thing to do is just start. I’ve written six, twelve page essays today and the worst part was actually the anticipation of having to do them – you know the feeling, the blank page staring at you. But I found the best way of getting through them was to start by writing down the simple things that I did know like my name and the title, just so there was something on the page. Then try to get started by coming up with a first sentence, use any and all resources available to make sure you are using all the information you can to help make it easier. You never know, once you’ve started writing you might just start yourself getting lost in the flow of things and before you know it you’re nearly done! Once you’ve completed something make sure you remember to tick it off, not only is it satisfying it also helps keep your list clear.

7. Just get stuck in. There really is no time like the present, if you need more motivation than that try visualising yourself in a couple of hours when you’ve completed that task you’ve been dreading all week. It’ll be an extremely satisfying feeling and the quicker you get started the quicker it will be yours.

I better get going because this post took far too much of my time to write and I’ve still got more essays to do!

What are your tips for getting things done? Leave them in the comments below!

Bloglovin ~ Pinterest

👣 My Daily Routine As A Student 👣

I thought I’d do something a little bit different today and share with you all my daily routine. I’m in college at the moment so these are the tasks I undertake and the places I go each day!

7:30AM

As soon as I’ve woken up I start by checking my phone. It’s cliché, I know, but only because it’s necessary – a lot of what I do is online. Often I’m working or communicating with people on the other side of the globe, so whilst I was sleeping they may have sent me important info or documents that I need to check. It’s also great just to be able to keep up to date with everything that’s happening on social media!

7:40AM

It takes me about ten minutes to drag myself out of bed and once I have I grab a smoothie for breakfast, smoothies are great because they are quick and healthy. If you want to know exactly what I put in mine you can read the recipe here.

My next task is to pick out an outfit for the day, because I take mostly practical subjects at college I like to opt for something simple and easy to move in. Usually this consists of a pair of leggings and a plaid shirt (or a sweater if it’s cold).

Before I can even think about leaving the house I need to check my bag to make sure I have everything I need for the day ahead. If I was feeling really organised the night before this may have already been done, but normally it gets left till the morning. My planner goes in my bag, but I will have a quick skim read of my day first to make sure I have a vague idea of things I need to do and people I need to see.

Once I have completed all of the tasks above I throw my smoothie bottle into the dishwasher. Then I wash my face, clean my teeth and maybe put on a little bit of make up if I feel like it.

8:00AM

Theoretically at 8am I should hear a knock on the door signalling that Daisy has arrived so we can leave to walk to college, but usually one of us (if not both) are running late, so I guess I should really say anytime up to 8:10am. Once she has arrived I put on my shoes, grab my coat, bag and phone and we leave.

8:20AM

We arrive at college and proceed to make our way to the refectory where Daisy buys her morning cup of coffee – I’ve never known anyone who drinks quite so much caffeine! Whilst she drinks it we will sit and discuss the day ahead, sometimes we have work to finish off for upcoming lessons too.

8:35AM

I say bye to Daisy and head to tutor time, apart from the brief minute where the register is taken, this seems like a pretty pointless exercise to me but it’s compulsory and the college evidently think it serves a purpose. *Insert eye roll here* Form time lasts about fifteen minutes; during which I pass the time by replying to comments on my blog and thinking up ideas for new blog posts. My form tutor doesn’t usually bother showing the mandatory power points, which I’m certainly not complaining about because they basically make us watch the same ones every year!

8:50AM

Form time finishes and I head back to the refectory where I meet up with however many of my friends also have the same morning frees, on a Monday there are three of us. We set up on one of the corner tables, where we are secluded from the dizzying, rapid movement of people rushing to class and each start on any assignments we need to complete. Often we manage to get our work done with time to spare so we either play a game called Gale, which involves three coins and was invented by a friend of mine, or head down to the local shops for a spot of time wasting and food shopping. If we go to the shops we usually come back with lots of delicious food we don’t really need – last week my friend, Jennifer, bought an entire loaf of olive bread and proceeded to eat it in the refectory whilst we were chatting. The walk is about ten minutes each way and our conversations always consist of funny anecdotes from the week before; I am grateful for these sorts of little moments in my day.

10:30AM

My double free is now over but it’s actually break time anyway – lucky me! I pack up my things and wander down to the science block where my friends and I have sat during break and lunch for as long as I can remember. There’s actually a small set of stairs we sit on so people are used to having to either step over us or walk round to the ramp. We basically just relax and have a chat, or run quick errands like handing in pieces of work to teachers.

If before break I’ve had two lessons I will grab a snack and drink to keep me going. Usually an apple or breakfast bar and a bottle of water.

10:50AM

Break is over and I have a lesson to go to. On a Monday this is double English literature and currently we are studying The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd, an Agatha Christie novel. English is quite relaxing as we usually just have to sit and take notes or write essays. Having two frees before this lesson is perfect because it means I can have complete and read over my essay plan/notes just before I go in.

Sometimes my teacher may let us head out to study in the open area which is a nice, relaxed environment to work in. Especially when I am trying to create detailed but aesthetically pleasing notes, if I need motivation or ideas for effective note taking I will scroll through my studyblr.

12:30PM

My double English Literature lesson has now finished so I head down to the refectory to buy lunch and then make my way back to the science open area; where my friends and I once again congregate. This is the forty-five minutes of my day where I tick off things that I have completed in my planner and add any new assignments/tasks that may have cropped up.

For lunch I have a vegetable wrap and a cookie. This may be followed by a bottle of orange juice, or more frequently, water. I’m trying to stick to being as healthy as possible but my one weakness is the school cookies, they are chocolate chip and are gooey and warm when you buy them – I just can’t resist.

1:15PM

Double drama is next on my schedule so I say bye to my friends and get going. The drama block is right next to the science open area which is helpful.

Drama lessons are always fun and interesting because you never really know what you are going to be asked to do, even if you’re not so good at a certain technique all you need is confidence. Also a lot of the time we get to analyse and then interpret characters in the plays in our own way, so you can’t go wrong.

As it’s getting towards the end of the day I sometimes start to lose motivation – especially if I didn’t get a good nights sleep the night before. So I tend to try and stay as active as possible during my lesson and drink lots of water, if I’m busy and hydrated I’m not thinking about how tired I am.

2:50PM

I have no more lessons to attend and if I have no rehearsals to go to I meet Daisy at the front of the building. We then indulge in some gossip before we walk back to our houses, when I get in I find a snack; recently frozen blueberries with a teaspoon of melted chocolate have been my choice.

Instead of getting distracted I try to go straight to my desk and complete any assignments, this doesn’t always go to plan and often I end up on social media but I’m trying my best to stick to getting work done first. Once I have done this I am free to do things that I actually enjoy!

4:00PM

Lighting is key when filming so I sit down to record a youtube video whilst it’s still not too dark. This may take a while as I have to decide where I’m going to film, tidy that area and then set up all my  equipment.

Once I’m done filming I upload the footage to my laptop and leave the editing till the next day. Whilst I still have my camera out I take any photos I know I am going to need for blog posts.

This is then when the actual blog posts themselves get written and either posted or scheduled. Any social media announcements that need to go out in conjunction with these will also happen now, such as on Instagram or Tumblr.

6:00PM

Monday nights is film night for my family so once everyone is home we head to the local cinema where we pick a movie. This is a great way to end the first day of the week and is a key motivator when it comes to making sure I get tasks completed on time so I can go!

8:00PM

Once back at home we have dinner, usually this is some kind of chicken dish or a pasta bake. They are quick, easy and delicious so it’s a no-brainer on a week night!

If I have any small, outstanding tasks I will complete them now and then settle down with either a good book, an episode of House MD or my card making supplies. DIY projects are reserved to the weekend so that I have time to give my full attention to them.

9:30PM

I take a shower and clean my teeth. If I’m feeling on top of things I will pack my bag for the day ahead and ensure all assignments are printed, ready to be handed in.

Due to having been running around all day I am usually pretty tired so I might listen to music for a bit and text my friends before I fall asleep.

Then I wake up and start all over again!

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