NEAR THE END

Near the End!

For those who have me on social media, you will know I am currently studying an English Language and Literature degree with The Open University. I adore studying with this organisation, and I feel its opened some fantastic doors for me over the past 7 months. However, I have recently reached a rather stressful patch in my studies as I am nearing the end of my first module.

I began my journey with The Open University by enrolling myself on my first year, first module "The Arts Past and Present" course in October 2015. This course finishes on May 19th, WOOP WOOP! Yet, me being unsatisfied with keeping my work load fairly straightforward, picked up my second first year module "Voices, Texts and Material Culture" in February 2016, which doesn't reach completion until September 2016. Not only does this mean I do not get any summer break (Year 2 modules begin in October), but it means I have reached the tricky period where I am struggling through my EMA writing process whilst juggling this second module.

Currently, all my spare time is revolving around taking notes, highlighting and planning for my final assignment which comprises of an 'EMA'. I have little over 3 weeks to complete this and hand it in, and I feel I am massively running out of time. There just isn't enough hours in the day! So I felt I would share with you some key tips and tricks I have learnt over the past 7 months to stay on track and relax myself during stressful periods. I hope this helps!

1. KEEP YOUR NOTES ORGANISED - There is nothing worse when preparing for a large assignment than battling with hundreds of pieces of paper. It makes life much more difficult. Although it can be time consuming to organise everything as you are going along, but if you keep your notes in check throughout the module, it will save so much time and stress in the long run.
   
   
2. PAGE NUMBERS, PAGE NUMBERS, PAGE NUMBERS - When taking notes, the easiest thing to forget is writing down page numbers of where you get your information from. I have forgotten so many times and have spent the majority of my essay-planning time searching through textbooks to see where the information is to reference. Don't make things harder for yourself than it needs to be. Remember!
   
   
3. TIME LIMIT - Always put in place a time limit every day, of when you will stop studying. Usually, my time limit is around 8pm. This is so important to ensure you don't overwork yourself which will result in little to none information being understood. Turn your laptop off, shut your text books and opened a novel or watch the TV instead for the evening.
   
   
4. DE-CLUTTER - Going back to organisation, I feel its important to have a tidy work desk to have a tidy mind. Who can work with paper, pens and post-its covering their desk? I certainly can't. Being organised and tidy makes essay writing so much more simple.
   
   
5. BREAK IT DOWN - How many times have you stared at a question and not understood a word of what its asking you? I bet hundreds. Nobody can understand large passages of texts or complicated questions on first glance. I will take my best friend, the trusty highlighter, and highlight the key points in the question. Once I have done this, I will clarify any points I am unsure about with my tutor. Spending your time doing this, will help break down the question and what its asking you to do making it more simple to understand and therefore, answer.
   
   
6. FUN - The worst thing when trying to write an essay, is when you focus on it for so long you can see lines in front of your eyes. Every once in awhile, I feel its important to go out and have some fun! Whether this be meeting friends, going out for lunch or even going for a walk around your local park. The benefits of stepping away from your study desk for half an hour, completely outweigh the feeling of "Oh my gosh, I'm not doing work". You will come back with far more concentration than you left with, ready to tackle the essay again.

Love,

Hannah x

SPRING DAYS

SPRING DAYS!

Firstly, I wanted to apologise for the lack of activity on my blog over the past month. From starting a new job, to struggling with the up-coming end of my University module, I have had little to no time to blog! I've hated being so busy when the weather has been gorgeous! There is nothing I would rather do than read a good novel in the sun, with the view of our blossom tree blooming in the garden. Yet, as I have an end-of-module assignment due in little over 3 weeks, any moment where I can catch the sun is welcomed. I just hope this beautiful weather is giving us a snapshot of what we should expect from summer this year.

With the start of spring well and truly here, I felt it was important to take onboard the motto "Out with the old. In with the new" in all aspects of my life. Firstly, I did this by succeeding in getting a new job!

Having applied for an interview at the beginning of the year, I never thought my anxiety would have allowed me to complete a 4 hour training session and actually go through with beginning a new job - a scary experience for anybody, even without the added stress of anxiety. But once again, with the support from family and friends, I proved to myself that I can conquer anything I put my mind to. It hasn't been easy and I have spent several mornings physically being sick before heading out the house for work, but I finally feel comfortable in my amazing work place with my brilliant colleagues who are all so supportive. I still have moments in my new job where my anxiety takes over and I wonder why I pushed myself, causing so much extra stress. However, I know the benefits of going to work and pushing myself far outweigh the stressful moments. As each day I push myself, I know I am beating my anxiety and getting stronger overall in my mental state. I have managed to achieve something I never thought possible, even 6 months ago - working and feeling like an "ordinary" 19-year old. I feel with the start of spring, I am finally on my road to becoming more settled in my mental health, with more good days than bad days, after 6 years of struggling with crippling anxiety and panic attacks. Who wouldn't feel more settled when your work place looks like this?!!?!?

 With Spring and "new beginnings" came the chance to start afresh and begin spending more time with my family, something that I didn't feel well enough to do before. I love my weekly lunch dates and coffee mornings with my Mum, a chance when the two of us can sit down and enjoy each others company without the stresses of every-day life ruining communication between us. Over the past 6 years, she has been my absolute rock, and continues to take everything I throw at her on my worst days. I wouldn't have got to the position I am in at the moment, being able to enjoy lunch dates and quality time, without her continuing support. Now, I look forward every week to our coffee sessions!

After watching a poignant video by Carli Bybel on clothes recycling and the importance of helping our planet, I felt inspired and influenced by the meaning of spring, to de-clutter my bedroom cupboards, wardrobes and dresser...to make space for the new of course!! Anybody who hasn't watched the video I'm commenting on, please find the link here. It really put me into the spirit of rummaging through my wardrobe and removing the clothes that perhaps don't fit, that I haven't worn in forever, or I just didn't really like in the first place when I purchased. I also felt having a de-cluttering session really helped clear my mind and not just wardrobe space. I used it as the chance to re-organised my room and make my space more me-friendly in order to create a perfect study-come-relaxing room which I love being in, whilst doing some good for the planet and recycling my unwanted items.

My overall message in this post is to think about what things in your life you wish to change and instead of whinging about it, MAKE the changes and improve your lives.

Love,

Hannah x

Pond Photography

Pond Photography

It's been a gorgeous day today, so I decided to take my Nikon out with me and record my day. Enjoy!

Love, Hannah

NEW AVON Perfectly Matte Lipstick review!

NEW AVON Perfectly Matte Lipstick review!

Having seen the new Avon campaign on the television, promoted by several YouTuber's and Bloggers, I thought I would test out the new "more matte than Mac" lipstick. I've seen brilliant things about this lipstick as it's supposed to be highly pigmented and long-lasting. I ordered this lipstick in two shades, "Peach Flatters" and "Red Supreme". I have two similar colour lipsticks by Mac, which I thought I would compare with.

My first comparison is between Mac Red and Avon Red Supreme. As you can see, Avon definitely lives up to their promise as being "more matte than Mac". Without a doubt, I prefer the Avon red lipstick compared to the Mac due to the feel and look on the lips. Although a matte shade, Red Supreme by Avon is far creamier when applying. I tend to find red shades rather difficult to apply due to the bold colour, but Avon's red was perfect. It was easy to apply, I find it stays on for the majority of the day (yet residue is left on cups, etc) and the matte consistency is better compared to Mac's matte shade. I also find it darker than Mac Red, which is my preferal in a red lipstick.

Peach Flatters is a rather more pink shade compared to the neutral Velvet Teddy by Mac. Compared to Velvet Teddy, I found Peach Flatters was definitely more buildable, with the

colour becoming more vibrant with the more layers put on - this makes it very versatile. However, I do prefer the shade of "Velvet Teddy" in this comparison, purely because it is more of a brown shade in comparison to the pink of the Avon lipstick. Again, Avon's Peach Flatters lipstick is very matte, I was not expecting it to be AS matte as it was. It clings nicely to the lips and brightens up any make up look! I find Velvet Teddy by Mac a little too drying for my liking, so I 100% prefer the Avon matte alternative which like Red Supreme, is silky and smooth when applying. I find Mac lipsticks sometimes fairly rough on the lips during application, so in terms of formula, I again, prefer the Avon "more matte than Mac" lipstick!

The Avon lipsticks are a fantastic, affordable comparison to Mac lipsticks and I would recommend them to everyone looking for a more budget product which is equally high in quality!

Love, Hannah

Coffee Morning!

Coffee Morning!

I've been so busy recently with studying, training sessions and work, that I felt a much needed coffee morning was in order to de-stress. It was a lovely morning today, so without much deliberation, my study books went down and I went out! My mother and myself, walked to a local pub, The King's Arms. This doubles as a restaurant and hotel, whilst also serving breakfast and morning coffee's. The atmosphere in there was lovely for 11am, with many other locals drinking coffee and chatting, with low music in the background. We were served instantly by a friendly waitress who was smiley and couldn't have done enough to make the morning pleasurable. There was a little fire going in the corner and the whole atmosphere was cosy and traditional, whilst having a modern vibe to it.

After this, I visited one of my favourite shabby-chic shops, which I was devastated to hear is going to close down shortly and may not re-open. Ever since this shop opened in my town, I have loved going in and browsing all the gorgeous furniture, nick-knacks, jewellery and art work that cover the shop and garden area. It is perfect if you are looking for a vintage gift for someone special, that you want to be unique and beautiful. This shop will not disappoint!

Love, Hannah

RECOMMENDATION

Recommendation

I have suffered with anxiety for over six-years and I have bought countless fads which claim to work in "reducing stress and anxiety induced symptoms". None of them have worked, much to my disappointment. Anxiety is a psychological illness, meaning its unlikely anything but psychological treatment such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, will reduce symptoms. However, I came across a spray called "Rescue Remedy: Comfort and Reassure". I had tried everything else on the market so I thought I may as well try something new that I'd never come across before.

This particular spray claims to be effective in reducing high levels of situational anxiety and improve mood in every-day stressful situations. At the point when I started using this, I had some stressful events coming up such as driving lessons, driving tests and a job interview. What a perfect time to try out the product!!

Rescue Remedy is made by flower essences (rock rose, impatiens, clematic, star of Bethlehem, cherry plum) which involves placing flowers in water and leaving them to infuse in the sun. So this is a purely natural substance for anybody who doesn't like the idea of putting unknown medicine into their body. It can be bought over-the-counter and is perfectly safe. It is used by spraying 2 drops onto the tongue during stressful intervals throughout the day. I used this for two weeks and WOW. I am 100% adamant that the only reason I managed to get through my driving test and my job interview, was due to this tiny bottle of spray. It's been life-changing. Once you spray it onto the tongue, you cannot feel it working. Yet once you go out into stressful situation you begin to notice that you are coping and dealing with things much differently than you normally would. I love this effect as it feels very natural, rather than anxiety meds which put you under a foggy spell (I've tried these also). I will continue using this for as long as I feel it works, as I truly believe it has been helping me with my anxiety. I believe everyone suffering with anxiety or stress should try this to see if it helps reduce some symptoms and make life a little easier for you.

Love, Hannah

(Of course, please do not rely on this to change your life or entire mind-set. Anxiety needs proper medical attention in the form of GP's and Psychologists. Please do not take this without consultation on your disorder, so this can be properly treated combined with this spray)

COLLECTION HAUL PART 01

Collection Haul Part 01

I am a complete shopaholic, meaning that these haul blog posts will be very frequent on my blog. Pay day is the perfect excuse to go mad and do some shopping! There will be two parts to this haul as I've bought too much to be able to show it all on one blog! I will leave the links to the items in the item descriptions, where available. Enjoy!

This is the Maybelline EyeStudio Colour Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Eyeshadow, in the shade On and On Bronze. I love my neutral eyeshadow shades, and when I saw this I fell in love. Its highly pigmented, so a little goes a long way! It applies nicely and doesn't dry instantly like some cream eyeshadows - it gives you enough time to blend and cover your eyelid as you wish. It has a hint of sparkle which is nice to lift the neutral shade into something a little more special.

Anybody that knows me, knows my favourite colours are pastel shades, in baby blue and pale greens. So when I came across this handbag on Matalan's website, it was a must buy! Its a very large tote and the baby blue colour is just perfect for summer. As its very large, during the summer when I go on holiday, I can fit all my much-needed bits and bobs such as suncream, sunglasses, make up, cash, camera. I love the idea of having a long strap also, so it can easily be placed on the shoulder rather than have to hold it in the crease of your arm. Its very versatile and due to the pastel colour, it can go with many of my clothing items!

Having a new, massive Primark built relatively close to where I live, I'm forever going in there on the weekends and picking up pieces. I adore their homeware and usually spend the majority of my time looking through this rather than the clothes or shoes sections. In particular, I love their candles! These are the only candles I ever buy anymore as they smell incredible and for £2 you definitely cannot go wrong. I have tried every colour, aside from the green and pink, so I picked up these scents "Pink Grapefruit" and "Lotus Flower". I also picked up one of their diffusers in "Sweet Berry & Patchouli" for £3.

This little device is something I've been desperate for, for a long time, and not realised they existed. This strange looking comb is a wool comb, which removes any bobbly bits off leggings and jumpers. Having thrown many jumpers away because of bobbles, I'm glad I found this easy solution!

Another Primark purchase I recently got, was this little baby blue change purse. I have a gorgeous purse from Kate Hill but I have so much change that makes it bulky and I'm afraid of breaking it. So when I saw this, in the exact same colour as my bag, I couldn't resist buying it!

Many other bloggers and YouTubers have been commenting on Collagen eye masks and their brilliance in reducing puffy eyes, redness and under-eye bags. Although I don't have any of these, they are supposed to combat fatigue in the eye area. I found these on Amazon in a pack of 10 so bought them to test the recommendations. These are Crystal Collagen Gold Powder Eye Masks and I will review them as soon as I've tried them to describe any benefits!

As an English Language and Literature student, I read A LOT of books. I run a successful book club on Facebook for my Open University course and picked these out of the recommendations. I ordered the following; A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, Animal Farm by George Orwell, 1984 by George Orwell, Coming Up for Air by George Orwell, The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick, Talk Before Sleep by Elizabeth Berg &The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I look forward to reading them!

Love, Hannah

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING

The Most Important Thing

Having seen many posts from other bloggers on "January favourites", I thought for February I would write a post on not only my favourite thing for January, but the thing that has been my favourite for the past six-years. This isn't a piece of clothing from a brand's "NEW IN" collection. This isn't the latest make-up product or Netflix series sweeping the country. This is a living, breathing, feisty, stubborn little girl who has taken up the biggest place in my heart since day one, over six-years ago.

Anybody who owns a dog will understand the complete joy they bring; greeting you with wagging tails and smiley faces when you walk in, having only left them an hour ago. Seeing their little faces first thing in the morning waking you up. Playing fetch after a long day, and seeing the joyon your dog's face, making you realise it really is the simple things that can bring you the most happiness. Having your dog cuddle into your lap because they trust you to keep them safe. Watching your dog dream and seeing them twitch, shake and shiver in their sleep. The way the fur behind their ears stay puppy silky soft. When they bring you all their toys, one at a time, thinking they are making you happy. Watching them pick through all their toys for the one they specifically want. When they look behind during a walk, just to check you are still there. When they smell of sleep just after waking up, and they become so delicate, rather than the rough-and-tumble puppy you had only an hour previously when playing. When they stroke your leg with their paw, when they want attention.

It is the most rewarding experience of my

life, looking after my puppy, watching her grow and learn new things. She is way more important to me than a piece of make up.

Love, Hannah