Here we are! My obligatory 2018 goals post! I cannot believe how fast 2017 flew by, it's pretty terrifying! This New Years Day is a Monday, it's the start of a week, month and year so what better time to set some goals and make some changes??


Mental Health

Yep, I'm starting with a big one! Over the past year, I have had a bit of a journey with my mental health! I attended counselling for the first time about a year ago, attended therapy groups, started medication and figured a lot out about my mental state. It's been a rollercoaster of a year but I have been slowly improving my mental health and in 2018 I want to make even more of an effort in trying to improve my wellbeing! I want to work a lot on my self-esteem issues and on forming some really good healthy habits! Plus, my mental health has had a massive impact on my productivity so i'm aiming to get back into a productive mindset this year!

Money

I am the worst with money! Well, not the worst, but I could be way better! The thing is, I spend it all on coffee and food which I totally count as essentials but I should still probably reign it in a bit! I'm going to start jotting down my weekly spends and start setting some budget and saving plans in place! I should really get some savings together instead of freaking out about money at every surprise expense! I am hoping that by the end of 2018 I will have a really good amount of savings together to act as a buffer if some sort of financial blow comes up.

Productivity

I keep on saying that I will not leave my assignments and studying until the last minute, but if some of my diary posts tell you anything, it's that I am a master procrastinator and I need to STOP! Not only do I want to be more productive in terms of my degree, I want to use my time meaningfully. I want to make big steps towards my future career and actually figure out what the hell I want to do for the rest of my life! I want to read more, make more time for mindfulness, write more, blog more and work more!

Adulting

In my first year of university, I became very good at meal planning, home-cooking meals, exercising and taking care of my skin. So far in second year, I have become the worst at all of these things! I live off of meal deals, don't drink any water, and the only exercise I get is my walks to and from university! I want to get my shit together and, as I said in the productivity section, I want to spend my time more meaningfully!

Blogging Schedule

Yes, I'm finally setting up a schedule for my blog! From now onwards I will be posting three times a week. On Mondays, I will be putting up my 'Pull Yourself Together' posts for the previous week. On Wednesday and Friday, I will be posting various content, which will include more fashion, beauty and lifestyle. I will be posting way more about mental health in the new year as this is something very close to my heart and something I feel I have a lot to say about! I feel so much more empowered than I used to and I intend to help others feel the same way, as it's been such a positive change in my life!

I'm super curious to hear what your goals are for the new year! You can find me on social media or just comment below and i'll be sure to reply as quick as possible!

Otegha Uwagba is my new hero! Little Black Book: A Toolkit for Working Women is a lovely little guide to the creative working world and has brought me so much motivation and joy! First, I want to chat a tiny bit about the author of this fantastic little book because she is such a great woman! Uwagba is the founder of Women Who, a community of working women who support each other and raise each other up. She runs a podcast, In Good Company, in which she talks to different women who have worked super hard to get to where they are and it is full of such great advice and intelligent interviews!

• I think my biggest achievement this year was either all the volunteering I took part in or all the work I've done to better my mental health. I have been so busy this semester but it has been so worth it since I have been able to help the freshers to settle, mentor first years, and help to facilitate group therapies with the counselling service. I also have a few things that I am working on with a mental health charity which are really exciting! My mental health has been tumultuous this year but I am making so much progress with my recovery and I'm really proud of myself for seeking help.

Are you a tea, coffee, hot chocolate drinker? Or do you not like hot drinks at all?

• Coffee, coffee, coffee! As much as I love hot chocolate, I am an absolute caffeine fiend! Whilst writing this I am sipping on the most wonderful cappuccino! 

If you could go back to being a certain age, what would it be and why?

My obsession with TED talks has been a long-term thing and I wanted to finally share my top 7 TED talks and discuss why I love them so much! This is in no particular order and this list changes constantly so I may do an updated list in the future. I would love to know what your favourites are as I am always looking for more to watch!


The Art of Asking - Amanda Lepore

This talk is so beautiful. Amanda Lepore talks about her experiences in asking for help, staying with strangers on the road, and the relationships between artists and their fans. It emphasises the importance of connecting with others and creating a community of giving and receiving. Her experiences are interesting and amusing and heartwarming. A lovely uplifting talk to watch when you want to feel warm and cheerful.

Strange Answers to the Psychopath Test - Jon Ronson

Ronson is a very charming, funny man and an excellent writer. I was so excited when I found this talk and I was not disappointed. His interesting stories coupled with the great use of sound and visuals make this talk so entertaining and one that can be enjoyed time and time again. He talks about 'psychopath spotting' and the grey area between sanity and psychopathy. It is a very amusing and thought-provoking talk and one of my long-standing favourites!

What Hallucination Reveals About Our Minds - Oliver Sacks

There is a theme of psychology in this list, purely because I am a psychology student and this is my biggest passion. Oliver Sacks wrote many books and I admired him greatly. This talk about hallucinations and Charles Bonnett syndrome is interesting and beautifully delivered!

What I Learned From Going Blind In Space - Chris Hadfield

Chris Hadfield is awesome! I have enjoyed his videos from the International Space Station many times and this talk is just as enjoyable. He talks about bravery and shows beautiful images that he has taken looking down at the world. He is a very funny and charismatic man and his personality alone makes this talk so fun and interesting to watch!

The Psychology of Evil - Philip Zimbardo

As a psychology student, Zimbardo's work fascinates me. In this talk, he discusses the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment, its implications, and his theories on the psychology of evil. This talk does include some disturbing imagery which may be found distressing, just a warning. The Stanford Prison Experiment has since been recreated in a film starring Ezra Miller. It's really interesting to hear it stripped back and explained by the man behind it all in this talk.

If I Should Have a Daughter - Sarah Kay

Sarah Kay is one of my favourite spoken word poets and this TED talk is absolutely beautiful! Her recital of 'B' paired with her general talk is wonderful. She is very gentle and warm and it is a lovely and lighthearted talk. It makes me want to go out there, be creative, and engage with poetry the way I used to in my teens.

The Price of Shame - Monika Lewinsky

Monika Lewinsky's honest and insightful talk speaks volumes about public humiliation and shame. She remained silent amongst the controversy that notoriously surrounded her so it is interesting and refreshing to hear what she has to say.

Please feel free to recommend your favourite TED talks as I am always looking for more inspiration and interesting topics! Hope you enjoyed this post and enjoy these talks as much as I do!

Monday

12:00 // My first full day at home in ages! I got up early with the rest of my family this morning as my mum had to head out to work and my brother went to school. My dad and I dropped my brother off at school and then headed into Chester so that my dad could go to the garage. While his car was being looked at, we walked into the city centre and grabbed coffee together (for the first time ever)! It was so nice getting to chat with him and have a proper day out together for the first time in ages! We ducked into a few shops before heading back home. I'm now sat on the sofa writing up a few blog posts and scheduling them for the coming weeks and he's sat at his desk in the next room doing some emails for work.

After umming and ahhing for months, I finally bought the 'The Rusts' palette from Lottie London! I have been lusting after this for so long and I am so excited that I finally caved and bought it!

I can't believe another week is over and it's time to post another one of these! Here's my diary post for this week, I hope you enjoy it!

Monday

8:00 // I have a lot to do this week and I hope that it is a productive one! I have a study to attend at 10am, then I will hopefully be writing posts or my lab report for a few hours before my afternoon lecture and evening at home writing even more!


18:00 // I had a really pleasant day actually! After my study, I met with a friend and we spent the afternoon sat together doing work. The lecture was a revision lecture and it was actually really helpful! After the lecture, I went to a university computer cluster and worked out all of the statistics for my lab report. After all the work I got done today, I am so ready to get home, finish series 1 of the Crown and have an early night!

Tuesday

7:00 // Early start today! I have a study to go to at 9 and then I intend to sit in the cafe and get some blog posts drafted, before doing some lab report work and going to my afternoon lecture. Later on, I have an introduction session to attend for a mindfulness course that I am taking in the new year.

13:00 // I got into uni with enough time to spare to grab a coffee and croissant before my study, which was such a relief after the cold walk! The study went well and I have been sat in the cafe since it ended. I also tried an orange hot chocolate and I am now obsessed! It was so good! I have managed to draft a couple of blog posts for the new year so far and now I'm ready to volunteer for an exam support event for first-year students! I need another coffee too first, I am so drowsy and out of it today and I need some caffeine for a little pick-me-up!

19:00 // This afternoon was pretty good! I had a good lecture and then the introductory session for the mindfulness course went really well and I'm excited to start the course itself in the new year! Now I'm going to head to the shops for some food and head home to hang out with my housemates and get some more of my lab report done!

23:00 // Super exhausted! I barely got any work done this evening but it was nice to chill with the girls and watch Chicago! I have just done some post planning and now I'm just laying in bed catching up on YouTube videos.


Wednesday

8:00 // It turns out that I was more tired than I thought last night! I fell asleep with my light on while watching a video! Time to get ready and head to uni for some essay work before my forensic history lecture!

10:50 // In uni and all warmed up. Did a bit of work, but mostly sipped my hot chocolate and chatted with my friend! Heading over to my lecture now, the last forensic history lecture of the semester! I can't believe how fast this semester has gone!

12:00 // The lecture was okay but I didn't really learn anything new from it. We left early so I'm back at a desk doing some work, which is pretty good!


19:00 // Counselling was good and I'm just home doing some laundry and chilling out. Going to spend my evening trying to get a bit more of my lab report done. This is such a boring week to blog about because I'm literally just working constantly.

Thursday

15:00 // Late start on the blogging today! I had a lie in until 10am, rushed into uni, did a study and now I'm sat in uni doing my lab report. It's due in tomorrow so I'm super stressed!

18:00 // I was naughty and went to Superdrug on the way home to pick up a few bits and pieces for myself because it's been a long and stressful few weeks! I picked up the most gorgeous Rusts pallette from Lottie London, treated myself to a few Max Factor goodies, and also decided to try out another Elf lipstick! Back home to work on the report now!

Friday

9:00 // Up again after very little sleep, ready to finish and submit this work and to forget all about it! I did a quick mindfulness meditation on Headspace and I'm just going to get up, get this lab report done and not focus on anything else!

13:00 // IT'S OVER! I DID IT! I finally submitted that pesky lab report and I did this week's statistics quiz so now I am officially done for semester 1! I am giving myself the afternoon off and having a long bath, putting on a full face of makeup and watching Christmas films! Just said goodbye to my housemate as she has left to go home for Christmas which sucks because she lives all the way over in Norway and I always miss her loads when she goes home! Going to have a long bath and chill out for the rest of the afternoon!

15:00 // Bath time! I'm finally using the Christmas Sweater bath bomb from Lush and oh goodness it smells so good! It looks lovely in the water and I'm definitely going to have to pick up another before the festive season is over!


22:00 // The boy is over and we're just eating lots of chocolates and watching Love Actually, such a lovely evening and the perfect end to a stressful week!

Saturday

8:00 // Having the most lovely morning. Getting ready to head out for a breakfast date to celebrate us both getting lots of work done this week! Working this evening but then I'm going home for a few days tomorrow so I've also got that to look forward to!

14:30 // This morning was so great! We went for bagels and coffee at my favourite coffee house. We stayed there for ages and chatted before heading out to an art gallery. We had a wander around the gallery for a while before heading to the park next to it. The weather was kind so we walked around the park before he dropped me off at my bus stop to head into town. I'm now in town and I've treated myself to cauliflower and kale macaroni cheese from Pret! What a lovely day! Would rather not go to work for the afternoon but I have to head over now!

22:00 // Just got in from work! What a stressful evening! Having a girly night in with my friend Jess. I bought us both a tub of Ben and Jerrys each and we're going to watch Titanic! It's a bit of an early celebration for her birthday and a much needed chilled out night for us both!

Sunday

7:30 // About to head out for the bus to work. So so tired! After work, i'm heading back here to grab my bags and head home to Wales for a few days! My dad has offered to drive across to pick me up which is super lovely of him! I can't wait to see my dog!

15:00 // Just got home from work and waiting to be picked up! I can't wait to get home and relax! I've missed my mum, dad and brother so much so I'm super happy and excited!

20:00 // I'm home! Dad's cooked a roast dinner (including a veggie roast for moi) and I'm so glad to be eating some actual decent home-cooked food for once! I've been very lazy with my cooking lately! We're just going to spend the evening chilling out and watching a film as a family!

So that's it for this week! I hope that you have had a lovely week and I hope that you enjoyed this week's diary post!

I have been going a bit mad recently and I have picked up a number of Christmas presents for myself. Just a few bits and pieces that I have been meaning to try for a while. Here is what I have picked up and what my opinions are. This is mostly books and beauty, as this seems to be what I treat myself to most!


Lush Sleepy Lotion

I finally did it! I got Sleepy from Lush and oh my goodness I am in love! Twilight Bath Bomb has been a firm favourite of mine for years and I wish I could just keep the scent with me in one form or another all the time! Lavender is my favourite scent and sends me straight to sleep at night! Every night I put this lotion on my arms and jump into bed. I cannot stress how incredible this stuff smells!

Another week, another 'Pull Yourself Together' post! I am sorry that this one is a little late! I have been so snowed under with deadlines that I haven't had a chance to log in and hit publish! It has been a productive week and I hope you enjoy reading about it!

Monday

8:00 // Good morning! My deposit has been accepted!! I officially have a flat for next year!! It was such a good piece of news to wake up to, I'm so happy!

12:00 // Got a late start at uni today so I'm just sitting in my room doing a bit of online Christmas shopping! I am so excited about gift giving this year!

17:00 // So I just got back from my statistics lecture, it was pretty good! I popped into Poundland and Superdrug on the way home and grabbed a few wrapping essentials, as well as some Elf goodies as they have just arrived in Superdrug!

23:00 // This evening was lovely! The guy I'm seeing brought biscuits over and we carried on watching Gilmore Girls and did some uni work together. I should go to bed now as I have a lot to do when I get up in the morning! Gotta get those blog posts drafted and my lab report done!

Tuesday

12:00 // It has been a productive day so far! I have a post ready to go up for this evening, another blogmas post completely done, and another in the works. Now it's off to uni to get some work done in the cafe and then head to a lecture! Hopefully, the rest of my day is as productive as this morning!


20:00 // The lecture was great and I managed to make a start on my essay! All in all, not much happened today but it was pretty productive!

Wednesday

9:00 // For once I am starting my day with a book instead of work! At the moment, I am reading Quiet Power by Susan Cain and loving it so far! It's giving me so much appreciation for my introversion and it's really empowering! Got a busy day ahead and I'm heading to uni for a lecture, two experiments, essay writing, and counselling group!


23:00 // Today was so long and busy! I managed to get quite a bit of work done and I attended my counselling group which was lovely. I spent a bit more time on my work this evening before settling down and watching the first episode of The Crown. I like it way more than I thought I would!

Thursday

7:00 // Up nice and early for a doctors appointment this morning! I have got to start walking there at 8:15 so I'm up early to shower and get a bit of reading done before heading out!

12:45 // I had some time between the doctors and my lab (11am) so I grabbed breakfast at Costa today as a little treat to myself! It was wonderful! My lab was good and productive and now I'm sat in the psychology building cafe trying to get some more work done before I head to the letting agents to sign the tenancy agreement for my lovely third-year flat! Busy day again!

19:00 // I did it!! I signed the tenancy agreement and paid the deposit so I have officially sorted out my flat for next year! After we signed our paperwork, my future flatmate and I headed back to mine to watch this week's Riverdale episode, which we absolutely loved! Waiting for my guy to come over (with food hopefully) and spending my free time watching Miracle on 34th Street with my housemate! Getting all festive and warm-hearted! Will probably eat my food and be asleep very early today after this busy day!

Friday


7:00 // Up early yet again for an academic advisor meeting, before heading to another building to help a few first-year students with an advice session about lab report writing. Straight after the advice session, I have a statistics class and then I'm heading to the cafe again to work on my essay. What a busy day!

19:00// Thank goodness that's over! It was such a long day but I'm finally home and ready to do more work in the comfort of my own bed! Work tomorrow is going to be so busy so I'm going to have to get a good night's sleep!

Saturday

12:00 // Finally a late start to the day! No uni work is being done today, just a late shift at work and then straight to bed! This time next week I will be packing to go home for a few days and I cannot wait! Also, tomorrow after work I will be finishing off my Christmas shopping and I am so excited to wrap everything up and get ready for Christmas!

23:00 // Home from work and straight to bed! What a hectic shift! I will be quite glad when I'm done with work for Christmas!

Sunday

7:00 // Look! An early morning! Heading out early to catch the bus to work. Hoping it's a little less stressful than yesterday! I can't wait to go shopping after work!

18:00 // All shopped out! Managed to get everything I need for my family which is a big relief! I am so ready to wrap all these presents up and set them aside for my trip home! My friend and I also went to the Christmas markets again, possibly for the last time this year! It has been lightly snowing all day so it was very picturesque, but my hands were too cold to get a good shot of the markets! Managed to find some money to treat myself to a new cosy hat and some new gloves too which is lovely!

I hope that you all had a good week and that your next week is even better! Thank you for reading!

I feel like the point of making these posts is to encourage myself to be productive and I feel that it is working, looking back and seeing how much work I got done this week! Hopefully, next week will be just as productive!

Every year, I look forward to finally wrapping my Christmas presents for my loved ones. Last year, my wrapping was incredible. I had a lot of time in my hands and I managed to find some wonderful and cheap wrapping materials. This year, however, I am super busy and I have barely any time to search around for the perfect wrapping materials. This has led me back to basics!

This year, I have gone for some plain brown boring parcel paper and decided to dress it up and decorate the gifts to create a wonderful and pretty pile of presents. I have finally wrapped my first bunch of presents and I like the look, so once the rest of my presents are bought and delivered, I will be wrapping all of my presents the same way!

Dorm rooms can be pretty un-christmassy places. It's the same with rooms in student homes or even your bedroom at home! Christmas decorations can be very expensive but they don't have to be! For example, I get most of my Christmas decorations from Poundland! They have some lovely picks and just having a few decorations dotted around my room makes me feel so much more jolly!