Clothing Haul

+ dungarees

I have been wanting dungarees for ages now and I finally found some that fitted me! I am obsessed with these and I am so happy that you can wear them all year round.

+ disneyland paris top

I started volunteering in one of my local charity shops and spied this gorgeous over-sized Disneyland Paris top.

+ ymc shirt

This is another charity shop find. I love finding absolute bargains! One of the buttons was missing, so we decided to add a blue anchor button which adds a personal touch.

+ uniqlo striped t-shirt

I saw this style of t-shirts in Uniqlo ages ago but my Mum said I should wait until they went on sale. Last time I went to Uniqlo, they were on sale so I had to get one!

+ yellow striped t-shirt

As I’ve said so many times before, yellow is one of my favourite colours. This is perfect for the holidays.

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Recent Reads

Far From the Madding Crowd is about Bathsheba Everdene and her relationships with three men: Farmer Oak, William Boldwood and Sergeant Troy.

In English, we had to read a 19th-century text and my Mum recommended this book. I surprisingly really enjoyed it and after watching the film adaption could really appreciate the craftmanship Hardy writes with.

Locked up in a mill, Mosca has no one but her goose Sacrean for company. The only thing she has is the ability to read. However, in a world where words are books are dangerous this skill will change her life.

I anticipated that I won’t like this book but I had such a great time reading it. The turns and changes kept me gripped until the very end.

After waking up from an accident, Triss realises something is wrong, very wrong. As the story unfolds it seems that this accident is worse than it seems.

I normally do not like fantasy or unrealistic novels but this book took me on an emotional rollercoaster, sympathising with Triss all the way.

Eugene and Tatiana could have fallen in love. But that was years ago. Until they meet once again in Paris.

I adore novels that are written as poems and In Paris with You was no exception. I loved the storyline and despite the fact it was a romance novel, it was not cheesy or cringe in any way whatsoever.

 

Lil’ Life Update

March was such a busy month: from school to days out to seeing friends, I’ve had such an amazing month. I feel so much happier being actively around friends and family and spending time with them makes my heart fill with joy.

+ upcoming trips

I’m so excited for the latter part of this year because in July I’m going to Paris, in August I’m going to New York and in October I’m going to China. I am so incredibly grateful to be in a situation where I can travel to different countries and cannot wait to document my experiences.

+ visits to london

I went to London three times, one for my twin brother’s audition for a theatre company, one to see Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre and one to see Shipwreck at the Almedia. London is one of my favourite cities to visit and there’s always something new to do!

+ birthdays and mother’s day

I celebrated two of my friends’ birthday at the start and the end of this month. The first I decided to surprise her with a cake and the other we went out for deserts which was so much fun! It was Mother’s Day as well so me and my twin brother decided to gift our mum to flowers and chocolate.

+ only the poets concert

I went to my first ever concert! I had such an amazing time and it was so cool seeing bands perform live.

+ school concert

My school had a spring concert which I always take part in. I’m in the school wind band but I also led a clarinet duet, took part in the jazz band and a clarinet quartet. I love playing the clarinet and have so many wonderful musical friends!

+ school work and exams

I was super busy with school work and exams this month. The pressure is definitely building even though I don’t have my GCSEs this year. I got a little overwhelmed with the number of exams but I’m really pleased with all my results.

+ skincare

My skin’s been worse than usual recently and I have no clue why. It’s starting to clear up but it does not help I have a really bad habit of picking my skin!

+ art journal

I’ve got back into using my art journal and I’m super excited about sharing some of the stuff I’ve been creating.

Concert Advice

A few days ago, I went to my first ever concert. I was a little apprehensive of what it would be like so I’ve compiled the best tips I could think of for first-time goers!

+ support the support acts

Although you are there to see the main act, watch and appreciate the support acts! The concert I went to had three support acts and they were all amazing.

+ aim for the front, sides or back

If it’s general admission, do not aim for the middle. The middle is were all the mosh pits tend to happen which can be quite scary.

+ stand your ground

You are there to have a good time, you are not there to be pushed around. When someone pushed me, I just pushed them back. Try to give yourself as much room as possible by spreading your body out.

+ be wary of yourself and others

Take time before it starts for exit routes and security just in case you need it. During the concert, be wary of your belongings and keep an eye on the people around you.

+ enjoy yourself

I had so much fun and that’s because I did not care what anyone thought of me. Want to dance? Dance. Want to sing? Sing. Want to film or take photos? Film or take photos.

Learning to Love Yourself

“i was told this is where i would start loving myself…”

dodie clark :))

Learning to love yourself. A difficult topic to talk about when so many of us hide behind fake personalities. Is it necessarily our fault? Does society place stereotypes on us that we can’t help but obey? Are we still living in a world that makes us question our own identity?

Throughout my life, I’ve never fitted into the typical male stereotypes. I don’t like football, I don’t play video games, I’m not muscular. The list goes on. What I’m trying to demonstrate is I don’t fit into those labels. And I’ve learnt that’s not a bad thing.

When I was younger, I used to question my identity. I wondered when I would find people who actually understood me and loved me for who I am. Primary school was not very easy for me and I found myself just spending lunchtime in the library alone with my thoughts and books for company. In the last year of primary school, I realised I had to start making an effort with people. From the moment I started doing that, I began to make new friends and form bonds with my classmates.

I’m currently in my second-year of GCSEs and I can safely say I am so much happier. I’m comfortable in my friendship groups and have discovered so many like-minded people. I’m not meaning to brag, but I can say that most people in my year group know who I am. But perhaps that’s because I’m a twin.

Secondary school hasn’t been completely perfect. There have been a few incidents but from past experience, I’ve learnt to toss it aside because life’s too short to care about the people who don’t like you.

In the past two years, I’ve grown a deepening love for music, fuelled by the people who also share my love. Being a musician, one of the most important skills is being able to work in an ensemble. Since joining a new wind band, I’ve met an incredible group of people and I can’t wait to go to Paris with them in July.

The one thing I want you to take away from this post is: it’s okay to be yourself. As cheesy and overused it may sound, it is completely okay and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. It’s not going to be easy on your journey of self-love but you will get there and find comfort in your true self.

Seeing Hamilton

Two hundred and eighty-six days ago, my Mum booked tickets for Hamilton and yesterday was the day I finally went to see it!

We got up a little earlier to leave than usual and it took us around one hour and a quarter to reach the Southbank which is where we normally park.

Taking the tube from Embankment we took the Circle line to Victoria.

Deciding to get some food, my Dad recommended the Victoria Market Hall. It was perfect because there is something for everyone! I chose to get lunch from Fanny’s Kebabs. I got the lunch deal with a Vegan Fafalel Kebab and Sweet Potato Fries.

After we finished, we headed to the theatre. I would highly recommend, no matter what production of Hamilton you are going to see to arrive early. We arrived about fourty-five minutes early which left plenty of time.

Now for the actual show. There are no words to describe how incredible it was. I did not know what to expect entirely because I had not done much research on the actual performance aspect but the staging, actors, lighting, sound and music were amazing; it was perfect.

It was so overwhelming at first to actually be there in the theatre and watching the actual musical after the long wait. .There was so much going on though I desperately want to see it again soon. I was so disappointed how quickly it seemed to go by!

I would highly recommend Hamilton to anyone and hopefully one day I will see this work of art again.

Taking Time off Social Media

This week, I decided to take a mini break from social media. Uninstalling and signing out of all my social media, I’ve learnt so much from so little.

+ establishes the reason why

Why do you use social media? It is to keep in touch with friends, see what others are doing or even just because everyone else has it? This week, I discovered I use social media to keep in touch with my friends. After signing back in, I realised I did not miss anything important but what did I miss was the people.

+ reclaims your time

I have an app called Moment that tracks my phone usage and this week I went on my phone so much less. I realised that I could be using that time for something more productive. I now know what I could be doing and plan to reduce my social media usage dramatically.

+ opens your eyes

Having no social media really opens your eyes to the world. Instead of worrying about sharing what you’re doing, you can really live in the moment. Being a naturally creative person, I still took photos and videos but for my own benefit instead of others.

+ focuses you on your goals

I would say social media is one of my major distractions. Removing this distraction completely, I was able to do whatever I wanted without it in the back of my mind.

Going forward, I plan to turn off all notifications that are not messages and use social media less. Social media is not a bad thing, it is the complete opposite. It is such a powerful tool and when used in moderation is okay.

Guide to Going Vegan/Vegetarian

For the past few years, I’ve been a flexitarian, eating fish as well. However, one of my new year’s resolutions was to go fully vegetarian and here are my tips if you wanted to go either vegetarian or vegan!

+ meat-free meals

Now, this is such an obvious one, but what I’m saying is have designated times of the week where your meals can’t have meat in. I know a popular idea is to do “meat-free Mondays” but remember it does not have to be Monday!

+ discover alternatives

The world of alternatives! I personally don’t eat quorn, but it’s a great incentive to get started. Lentils, tofu, mushrooms and jackfruit are great swaps instead of meat.

+ make easy swaps

There are such easy swaps you can do without going out of your way to do so! For example, instead of having cow’s milk on my cereal, I have soya milk. Making these easy swaps means you do not have to necessarily change products or brands.

+ don’t stop eating certain foods

Just because you’re vegan or vegetarian, it doesn’t mean you have to stop eating certain foods or stop going to certain restaurants or cafes. The world of eating out is developing to include more vegetarian and vegan options. And if there isn’t one, just ask!

+ be open minded

If you’ve been eating meat all your life, it is not going to be a walk in the park going fully vegetarian or vegan. Remember to take little steps and develop your diet slowly.

My Fashion

So, one of my new year’s resolutions was to be more adventurous with my fashion. In this post, I’m going to be sharing my go-to looks and typical types of clothes I wear!

+ tucked in t-shirts

I’m not sure why I like to style t-shirts this way, but I just do! When shopping for clothes, I really enjoy looking for cool graphic tees that could help spice up a look.

+ oversized jackets/shirts

With the addition of a jacket or shirt, I feel that they really complete an outfit. For my birthday, I was fortunate enough to receive a Levi’s Corduroy Jacket which I have been obsessed with.

+ warm jumpers

I think it has got to a stage when I have too many jumpers. They are such an essential in these times of the year and are so easy to just slip on.

+ funky socks

I absolutely love socks! Once I’ve finished getting ready, I always pick my socks depending on the colour scheme of my outfit. Most of my socks are from Primark or H&M, but the pairs I’m wearing in the photo are from a brand called Happy Socks.

Book Haul

For Christmas, I am very grateful to have received a lot of books, so I’m going to share them with you!

After listening to the soundtrack on repeat for a couple of months and watching a bootleg, I am completely obsessed with this musical.

This book has been on my to-be-read list for such a long time, so I was overjoyed to receive it!

I’ve read one or two of Frances Hardinge’s books so I’m really excited to see what she’s got in store.

Technically I did not receive this for Christmas but it was heavily discounted in a bookshop in the sales. I have kept seeing this book pop up on Goodreads all the time so, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about!

Over the past year, I’ve managed to create a good balance between reading modern and past texts. With this collection, I hope to expand my knowledge of classic literature.

I saw this book somewhere and was intrigued by the blurb and storyline. As I’m currently studying French at GCSE, I hope to one day read this book in its original language.