Will I Ever Graduate?

It's strange to think that, in just two weeks, I will have completed my first year of university, and even stranger to think that, had I not taken time out to travel, I would currently be picking out my graduation dress (...and getting ready to graduate). Despite not having anything too big after I finish my first year, I'm well aware that a lot of you have prom or graduation, so thought I'd give you a helping hand with a little help from babyonlinedress.

January and February in Photos.

I discovered today that I only have another three weeks of classes in some of my university modules and if that isn't a sign that this year is flying by, then I don't know what is. I started the year at home in Spain, happy and enjoying the sunny weather. Once back in the U.K., I got stuck in the typical January rut that I just couldn't seem to get out of. It was cold and constantly grey, everyone at uni had their own personal stuff going on and everyone just seemed to be a bit... down? Fast forward a few weeks; we've had a few sunny days, it's getting a bit warmer and I'm feeling much happier. I've met up with old friends, made new ones, gone on many adventures and made some fun memories. Here are some photos from the last few months:

SO PROUD.

I'm all about empowerment and lifting others up, especially when it comes to those closest to me. Take my friend, Diana, for example: She has worked her arse off for the past three years, working seven days a week for months straight, all to achieve one of her biggest dreams: landing a job at Vogue. I could not be more proud of MY ultimate girl boss. Oh, and she also happens to be one of my favourite people in the world, the absolute boss babe that she is. Despite not living as close as we used to, we still make an effort to spend time together, which is why we recently put her new Vogue skills to the test and had a photoshoot and day out in one of our favourite areas of London; Notting Hill. Here are some photos from the day...

Flashing a Lifeguard in a Triangl Bikini*

I am a big fan of the swimwear brand, TRIANGL*. I don't think I know a girl who isn't, so my friends were most upset/jealous when I managed to get my hands on one. When it came to ordering one, I honestly didn't know which to choose - there is just so much choice; different shapes, colours and styles. I eventually settled for the Ruby - Paris Playground, a black bandeau top with zip detailing and hot pink bikini bottoms. The bikini itself is made from Neoprene, making it very comfortable, but you do have to be wary with sun cream as it can stain easily. Despite how pretty and comfortable it is, I would say to get yourself properly measured when ordering. Though my bottoms fitted perfectly, I had to exchange my top and, even now, it's a bit too small. I just have to make sure I'm sat still when wearing it and not kayaking or paddleboarding (been there, done that, flashed the lifeguards) I'd suggest perhaps going up a size or two when ordering the top, especially if, like me, you have a large chest, and maybe avoid the bandeau tops. I've been wearing this a lot over the Summer, and I'm so happy it hasn't faded in the sun. I've also been mix and matching the bottoms with other bikini tops that I own. The floral one pictured below is from H&M.

A Very Hungover Day at Bondi Beach.

A throwback... I'd like to say mine and Meg's day out to Bondi Beach went without a hitch. The plan was to leave early, get two buses down, do the Bondi to Coogee walk, visit the baths and to go paddleboarding but I think it's safe to say things didn't exactly go to plan. We were hungover. Very hungover. The two buses were (understandably and sensibly) substituted for an Uber, meaning our trip took 15 minutes instead of an hour and, instead of dropping us off at the beach front, we were dropped off in front of McDonalds. A strawberry milkshake, fries and one of the best Burgers I've ever had in my life (no, seriously. Mcdonalds in Australia is amazing) consisting of a beef burger, different types of cheese, guacamole, tomatoes, bacon, caramalised onions, mushrooms and lettuce (I am actually drooling) later, we were ready to hit the beach... And do absolutely nothing. We just lay there in our hoodies, taking in a bit of vitamin D and feeling a bit sorry for ourselves, but we were still fit and able enough to truly appreciate the views, reflect on how lucky we are and to dip our toes in the sea. 

University Life in Photos.

University can be a daunting process for many - it certainly was for me. I was SO anxious for about a week before my arrival. After all, I was about to enter the next stage of my life, live with and get to know complete strangers, as well as heading back into education after having been travelling for so long. But I needn't have worried. I completely lucked out my flatmates, love my course and have made some incredible friends who I know I will be friends with for life. Yeah, there will be drama and stress, but that's understandable in a new environment and when there are so many strong personalities around. It's important to put the hard work in but there will still be plenty of time for lots of fun (and lots and lots of drinking. Don't forget to take paracetamol - it'll be needed for the hangovers and potential bruises that you have no idea how you got!). Here are some photos from my time at university...

Places I Want To Visit This Year.

Travelling is not only a hobby of mine, but also a passion. There's just something about visiting a new city or country and experiencing new cultures, food and lifestyles that is so fascinating to me. Whether it be a city that is 3 or 30,000 miles away, I'll probably find something that I love about it - hot or cold, a beach break or adventure holiday... I'm in! I was lucky enough to visit some incredible countries last year, and I'm hoping to see even more of what the world has to offer. I'll hopefully be visiting these places...

February Wishlist: Books.

Up until last month, I'm ashamed to admit at just how little I've read over the past few years, something I'm slightly horrified by considering just how much I read up until I was about sixteen. I was that child that didn't want to watch TV, I just wanted to read. When going on holiday, half of my suitcase and hand luggage would be filled with books. Some may say taking the entire Harry Potter away with you is a bit excessive, but I disagree. I don't know why I stopped but I'm determined to get back into it - my only problem is that I can't see to find any books that I think I'll like, other than coffee table books, which I'm obsessed with, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which I still haven't read (shocking!!!!). Until I find some books that I want to read, and suggestions are more than welcome, here's what I'll be adding to my Amazon basket...

January Favourites & Pets in Clothing.

How is it January 2017? How am I now 20? How am I three months in to university? SO MANY QUESTIONS. Admittedly I should be graduating this year but, you know, someone decided she was going to go travelling for a few years and I honestly wouldn't have had it any other way. Despite now being at university and being on a very strict student budget, I've somehow managed to accumulate a whole bunch of new products. I suppose I do like to do things my own way, even if it does mean having an emptier bank account than usual...

I Was An Extra in Game Of Thrones?

Ronda; a historic town situated in the south of Málaga and one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited. It's also where they film part of Game of Thrones. If I were to visit now, I know that I'd be taking photos of the famous bridges, mountains and dainty streets that it is known for. When I last visited, some four years ago, my friend, Meg, and I spend the day antagonizing Jed and Julia, photobombing and pretending to be bulls... as you do. I'd say this is one of my favourite holidays and best days ever.

From Me to You: Tips for Long-Haul Flights.

It's safe to say that I've done a few long haul flights in my life. Two personal highlights include a fifteen hour flight followed by a nine hour flight - they were GREAT (major sarcasm) and oh so long. They involved me becoming so ill and the plane staff being no help whatsoever that I burst into tears and told them they were going to have to give me drugs or do an emergency landing... So they gave me Calpol. NO HELP WHATSOEVER. Those two flights aside, the rest have been great and I've strangely enjoyed them, so I thought I'd share a few tips with you. Oh, and once you're back flying short haul, it will be like you've blinked and you've landed. It's so weird. 

A Once in a Lifetime Experience.

As an animal lover/human with a brain, I know zoos can be a touchy subject. So, when a trip to Perth Zoo was suggested, I was understandably a little bit skeptical, but, after much research into all the work Perth Zoo do and just how much they give back, I was determined to give it a go, and I'm so glad I did. The habitats were large and designed to be exactly like the animals' regular home, and the Zoo itself works with charities across the globe and is determined to fight the extinction of many animals the zoo is home too. While there, I was actually allowed to have a one on one experience with some of the animals. You can book to do this either online or on the day, and can meet/feed/help bathe so many different animals: giraffes, elephants, different breeds of monkeys, etc. (prices vary). With the giraffes, you would normally be in a group of 10 and each person is allowed to give a giraffe one branch. I was lucky enough to be allowed to do it on my own and spend a good twenty minutes up there. Giraffes are easily one of my favourite animals, so this was a dream come true. Myself and Armani (!!) got on very well. All in all, I don't have a problem with certain zoos, as long as they are actually trying to better the lives of animals in the long run, with breeding and research that they do with the animals in their captivity. AND NO SHOWS.

My Happy Place (Excluding the Bankruptcy).

Is there anything better than a complete stranger coming up to you whilst you're wearing a £6000 Dolce and Gabbana crown and telling you how much it suits you? Just in case that hasn't happened to any of you, I can tell you that there's not. It almost made me jump for joy (the crown was being carefully watched by a shop assistant, who was ready to dive for it at a moment's notice). this happened in Bicester Village, a shopping outlet in Oxford, which is basically heaven on earth. Oxford is about 40 minutes out of London and clearly Geography isn't our strong point because it was much more in the countryside than we expected. Ariadna's first words once we'd stepped off the train, other than "take a photo of me", were "it smells of horse shit". Charming. Asides from that, there are designer stores with items just a fraction of their usual place, pop-up stalls, places to eat and, if you go in December, the most amazing Christmas decorations you will ever see and an incredible playlist of Christmas songs. Make sure to wear an amazing outfit and to take your purse and a lot of self-control. I ended up buying a Mulberry card holder and a Fossil watch. 

2016 Memories: What I Ticked off my Bucket List and 2017 Wishes.

I know 2016 was, on a whole, such a sad year for many but for me personally, I'd say it was on off the best yet. I got to travel and explore new cities, countries and continents, strengthen friendships and make new ones, as well as achieving some personal goals. I also got the chance to tick a fair few things off of my bucket list. I hope 2017 is just as good, if not better. I hope to continue conquering my anxiety, travel even more (I've got some big plans for this year) and continue to spend more time with the people I love. For now though, here's some of my 2016 highlights...

I Want To Get Away.

It's wet and cold in England and I am ready for some sunshine. I'd put up with it all - the not buying any clothes so I could save for a ticket, an annoying kid behind me kicking my chair, the inflatable pillows and air-conditioning that's set to freezing and the awful plane food - if it meant being able to jet off another adventure, preferably somewhere tropical with sandy beaches, palm trees and crystal clear water. I feel a warm winter holiday coming on... Until I (hopefully) get around to going on one, I'm going to spend my time on Tumblr and Pinterest, searching for all things Summer and the perfect holiday destination for some sun in Winter...

Back to Blogging & a Happy New Year!

A lot has changed since the last time I blogged. Posts may have been going up, but they were written back in July, way before I was too busy getting drunk at university to really string a coherent sentence together about anything other than tequila. But "New Year, New Me" and all that. Now that it's 2017, I'm looking to crack on with work more and really knuckle down, as well as getting back in to the swing of blogging. After all, it'll be good to have a hobby that doesn't involve damaging my liver.

DressFashion* - Christmas and Party Dress Shopping.

Ah, the festive period - it's time to spend time with family, indulge a little too much, give gifts to the ones you love and, uh, stress about what you're going to wear? Don't worry, I've got you covered, thanks to a little help from DressFashion. DressFashion is a UK based online store who offer a wide range of prom dresses, special occasion dresses and wedding dresses, all of which come in a great variety of shapes, sizes and colours: long or short, sleeveless or full sleeves, backless or not... The list is endless. I've put together a list of some of my favourite dresses from their site to get you ready for any Christmas party...

Tyler Oakley & His Warby Parker Collection.

For those of you who perhaps live under a rock, Tyler Oakley is a YouTuber, internet personality, podcast-owning, author and presenter who has recently added something else to his repertoire: a glasses collection with Warby Parker. It started back in May 2013 with a simple tweet in which Tyler stated his love for brand. Flashforward three years to this video, and we have an incredible collection of both sunglasses and normal glasses. 

Nail Care.

I wear a lot of nail varnish. In fact, there isn't a time when I don't have both my toe and my finger nails painted. When I don't have my nails painted, I feel the same way others feel when they aren't wearing their favourite piece of jewellery, like I'm missing something. Because of this, it's important that I take care of my nails, which is actually something I've only recently started doing...

It Just Wouldn't Be Right...

Ardales Lakes is one of my favourite places to visit but, no matter how hard I try, photos just don't do it justice. The water is the bluest water I've ever seen and there are so many different things to do: kayaking, paddleboarding, pedalos with slides, cliff jumping, etc. It's so much better than the beach, and not just for the amount of activities you can do, it's fresh water so you don't have to worry about salt water getting in your eyes (am I a wuss?) and there's also no sand! Seriously though, what's worse than sand? I've been determined to make the most of my time in Spain, which is why my first day back was spent at the lakes. After all, what's a family holiday without a road trip to the lakes and me getting told off for wearing a bikini that's too "revealing"? It just wouldn't be right...