Lifestyle: New Years Resolutions 2016

First things first - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! And with the new year comes a new start and therefore resolutions. For me, this is the perfect opportunity to start new with certain aspects of my life. I thought I'd share those resolutions with you as a way of subconsciously making myself stick to them if everyone knows about them!

    

1. Money Saving
With University for me only being 8 months away I need to keep up my money saving! This includes making sure to get a full time summer job and saving my work wages ready for when I hopefully go to university in September 2016 so I can follow in my mum's and sister's footsteps - hence why it is my NY resolution. 

        

2. Organisation at College
I have a terrible habit of doing college work a 2 or 3 days before it is due at the least. So this year, my aim is to instead get all my college work done within 2 or 3 days of it being set so I am not permanently rushing to get work in on time!

        

3. Friendships
I have such a strong group of friends I met at summer school that I want to make sure to see them more in 2016. Even if it is over Skype or a phone conversation most of the time, I want to speak to to them more and enjoy their company. Also, this means organising to meet them more (which means we WILL be going on that Thorpe Park trip we all talked about!!!). Alongside this, I also want to see my friends at home more - whether it be a coffee at college or a shopping day; I want to strengthen the friendships I have in my home town. 

4. Grasp every Opportunity
I want to aim this year to take every single opportunity I am given and not avoid doing things because other people will judge me or don't think it is something I could do. The summer school was the best time ever and while I was there, I was completely out of my comfort zone and would love to do more things like that. I want to take on more challenges and go out of my comfort zone more over the next year.

        

5. Be Myself
My final resolution for me is one of the most important in my mind. I have always been someone who has been scared to be myself and has been afraid to be different even though that is who I am. This is why this year I am going to dress the way I want, do the things I want and be myself and try not to care what others think. I am going to block out the negative influences and be confident in who I am in order to make me happier as a person.

        

Well, those are my New Years resolutions for 2016 and I hope it inspired you to make a couple NY resolutions for yourself too. If you have any ideas for how I can meet these resolutions or want to share your own then please feel free to leave a comment! Also, if you want to know when I post then follow this blog on Blogger and on my social media profiles (see sidebar on PC) so you know!!!

As a final quick message, I would like to say a huge congratulations to Rhiannon (pictured in the photos above) and her now fiancé Andy on their engagement over Christmas! Rhiannon is someone who has been their for me through the good and bad since we became friends 4 years ago (but especially since we became close last year). You were there to take unflattering photos of me asleep on the coach home from London, to moan about college with and keep me from going insane in tutor. Yet on a serious note, you have done so much for so many other people and always put your friends before yourself no matter what. You deserve all the happiness in the world and I can't be more happy as I know Andy is good for you and you're good for him. I am so proud of you both and excited for you. You are my best friend and I love you for it! Congratulations and good luck XXX

"Cheers to a new year 

and another 

chance to get it right for us".

- Oprah Winfrey.

Lifestyle: I'M BACK!!! and my year in review

First things first, i'm sorry for the 2 month break since my last post! Due to technical difficulties with my blog I was unable to post to it at all - however now they have been resolved I can finally get back to blogging again!!! I also want to create a new schedule so that  you all know when I'm uploading and I can have something to work for. I will be uploading posts on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday every week starting in the new year! Now, I thought the best way to start the new year would be to have a look back over the last 12 months and all the amazing things I've had the chance to do!

January
In January 2015 I began the Pathways to Law programme - a course ran by the Sutton Trust that runs workshops over a two year period for students wanting to go to university to study law or a similar field. Starting this programme is a special memory for me as I got to meet so many like minded and amazing people that I have became good friends with over the last year! 

February
In February I was given the opportunity to go to a village a few hours from Marrakesh in Morocco for 10 days and help in the village; hike in the mountains; and explore the city of Marrakesh! It was incredible and humbling to see how the locals lived such a simple yet happy life. It was also fantastic to experience such a contrasting culture and explore the villages in near the Atlas Mountains - somewhere I would have never had the pleasure of going without this trip!

March
In March two college friends and I made it to the regional semi-finals of Youth Speaks, a public speaking competition ran by the Rotary Club. We got to not only experience a fantastic event by not only speaking ourselves but listening to others speak on a variety of topics. It was a pleasure to speak on a topic I am passionate about and try to make an impression on a fantastic group of people. 

April
In April I took part in my penultimate charity show with my dance group - the Julia McDonald Dance Company. I had such a fantastic time with a group of people who I have became very close to over the last 15 years and we put on such a fantastic show that not only entertained many but raise a lot of money for charity!

May
In may half term I not only got the chance to visit museums and universities on a fantastic college trip to London, but I had the chance to go to Harry Potter studios in Watford with my family and it was so much fun!!! We got to see all the props and walk through the great hall, have photos with the replica of the castle and best of all - see the Hogwart's express!!!

    

June
In June I got to celebrate a couple of things - first was my birthday and I got to have a lovely meal out with my family and had a great day (despite also having 2 exams!). Second was finishing my first year at college and my AS level exams. I got to have a night out with my friends at a great party where Chris Stark was DJ and everyone had a fantastic time!!!

July
July I think was the biggest month of the year for me as I got to go to summer school at Warwick Uni for pathways to law which was brilliant as we got to spend time in fascinating workshops, yet still have fun socialising and bonding with our cohort (which for myself involved late nights eating snacks and playing cards against humanity!).

However, what made it really special was summer school at Bristol Uni which was the best time of my life. I got to experience life at uni and meet lots of new people who I would never otherwise had got to meet. I was able to explore areas of Bristol I had never been to and had a fantastic time! However, above all else I met my group of best friends who mean everything to me - and despite living all over the country we are always speaking everyday and giving each other advice - so thank you Joe, Will, Hugo, Mia, Abbie, Lizzy, Tamzin, Emily, EJ, Amber, Emily, Kaisha, Molly, Shannon and Shibby for making July the Best! 

August
In August I got to reunite in person with some of my summer school friends on a great day out in London seeing the dinosaurs at the natural history museum, shopping on Oxford Street, exploring Selfridge's and eating McDonalds on the floor of bond street station! It was so nice to spend time with some of my favourite people and despite it taking 3 hours on a cramped coach to get there - it was well worth it!!!

September
In September one of the most significant things for me was starting this Blog! For me it is an outlet where I can be myself through something I enjoy (fashion, music, films and beauty) and hopefully help others to do the same!

   

October

In October I took part in my last ever Carnival Concerts with my dance group. I have been in the 2 week show every year since 2001 and have enjoyed every single one of the 195 Carnival Concert shows I have done over that time! I will miss it next year but will have so many good memories and am glad we went out on such a high with a win.

    

November
In November I got to go and see my mum graduate from university. I was so proud as I have seen how hard she has worked over the last 4 or 5 years to get to where she is now and I couldn't be more happy for her! Also in regards to uni, I got all 5 offers from the universities I applied to and have chosen studying Criminology at Sussex University as my firm choice and studying Criminology and Police Investigation at De Montfort University as my insurance! Which is very exciting as I now have something to aim for!

    

December
Finally in December, I got to spend some time relaxing with my family and celebrating over Christmas. I had a fantastic day opening presents, eating dinner and playing board games with the people closest to me. I absolutley loved spending a few days with no worries and just enjoying such awesome company. 

        

I hope you enjoyed this little insight into my year and that it has inspired you to reflect on what you have loved about 2015!!! I would love to hear from you what you got up to this year so please leave a comment! If you want to know when I post then follow me here on blogspot and my social media (see side bar) - but for now, I'll see you later!

"Take care of all your memories,

for you cannot relive them".

- Bob Dylan.