Showing posts with label lifestyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lifestyle. Show all posts
Monday, 8 January 2018
Monday, 12 June 2017
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT YOUNG VOTERS
When I woke up on Friday 9th June to early reports that the voting turnout in 18-24 year-olds had risen to around 72%, up from 43% in the last General Election, I could not have felt more proud. To have so many young people interested in politics and looking for change made me happy to be a part of this demographic, no matter who these people voted for.
However, I feel that since then, this pride and happiness has been overshadowed by something else. The nasty, sour comments from some individuals (and I say *some* because I don't want to tar everyone with the same brush - I know most of you are decent people!) in the older generation who think it's okay to berate and belittle young voters for their choices.
I'm 19 years old and Thursday was my first opportunity to vote in a UK General Election. Much like in the EU referendum, I placed my vote with pride and I felt truly honoured to be in a position where I was able to vote for the future of my country, unlike the millions of people across the world who can't.
Ever since the election results began to trickle in, I have seen so many people saying on social media that young voters were 'bribed' by the supposedly false and impossible promise of the abolition of tuition fees. I urge these individuals to consider the fact that not every young person goes to university and that a large amount of voters in the 18-24 year-old category will have already been and left, meaning that this change wouldn't affect them. I might go to university in the future, I might not; no tuition fees sounds amazing, but at this moment in time, it does not personally affect me. If I choose to go to university, I will go whether I end up with £27,750 of debt or not - and yes, to all those out there who were privileged enough to go to university before fees were introduced, that is how much 3 years of tuition fees will cost, not to mention maintenance loans.
We were not bribed. We were not naive. We were not 'blinded by lies'. Quite frankly, I think anyone over a certain age who claims these things should be downright ashamed of themselves. To think that you can take the moral high ground because of your age is insulting and, rather ironically, very immature. You may have more 'worldly experience', of course, but that does not take away from the fact that the vast majority of young people are much more intelligent than you may believe. I think anyone making these statements wildly underestimates the autonomy of young people and their ability to make decisions for themselves.
No, I was not bribed. I knew who I was going to vote for without influence from anyone or anything, whether that was my parents, my friends or the media; nothing was going to swing my vote as far as I was concerned. I looked at the policies, I watched the debates, I witnessed the campaigns, I read the manifestos. I made my decision and I voted based on what I thought was right for our country.
I voted for hope in this world of doom and gloom. I voted for change. I voted for the NHS, for public services. I voted for the young, the old and everyone in between. I voted for excellent education for all, no matter their income. I voted for those in poverty. I voted for the disabled and those with mental health issues. And let's not forget the awful, shocking stories you hear of people dying either directly or indirectly as a result of welfare reforms. The list goes on, and on, and on. If you read this and think that it's nothing to do with you, that it's not your problem, then that's on your conscience and speaks volumes about you as a person. But my hope is that most decent people would read this and agree wholeheartedly.
I am not bashing anyone who voted differently to me; that was not the point of this post. The point of this post is that we must get rid of the hateful rhetoric that young people are less worthy and less capable. We are, after all, the future of this country. We do, after all, live in a democracy. I don't know whether it's down to pure bitterness or trying to hide the realisation that young people - who are LEGALLY eligible to vote, may I add - can really make a difference, but either way, it's simply unacceptable. In the past, young people have been ridiculed for not voting and now, we're being ridiculed for voting "wrongly". It's a classic case of damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Why alienate young people? Why patronise them and disrespect their personal views? It is not okay for anyone to say that older people don't deserve the right to vote because it 'isn't their future', so why has it suddenly become okay for people to do the same directed at young people, despite it actually being their future at stake? All I can say is that it truly baffles me; hypocrisy at it's absolute finest.
I want to end this on a positive note, because despite all of this, I am still so proud of my generation for turning up in their masses and voting for what they felt was right. I truly hope that this momentum and interest in politics continues; who knows, maybe the turnout will be even higher in the next election... whenever that may be!
However, I feel that since then, this pride and happiness has been overshadowed by something else. The nasty, sour comments from some individuals (and I say *some* because I don't want to tar everyone with the same brush - I know most of you are decent people!) in the older generation who think it's okay to berate and belittle young voters for their choices.
I'm 19 years old and Thursday was my first opportunity to vote in a UK General Election. Much like in the EU referendum, I placed my vote with pride and I felt truly honoured to be in a position where I was able to vote for the future of my country, unlike the millions of people across the world who can't.
Ever since the election results began to trickle in, I have seen so many people saying on social media that young voters were 'bribed' by the supposedly false and impossible promise of the abolition of tuition fees. I urge these individuals to consider the fact that not every young person goes to university and that a large amount of voters in the 18-24 year-old category will have already been and left, meaning that this change wouldn't affect them. I might go to university in the future, I might not; no tuition fees sounds amazing, but at this moment in time, it does not personally affect me. If I choose to go to university, I will go whether I end up with £27,750 of debt or not - and yes, to all those out there who were privileged enough to go to university before fees were introduced, that is how much 3 years of tuition fees will cost, not to mention maintenance loans.
We were not bribed. We were not naive. We were not 'blinded by lies'. Quite frankly, I think anyone over a certain age who claims these things should be downright ashamed of themselves. To think that you can take the moral high ground because of your age is insulting and, rather ironically, very immature. You may have more 'worldly experience', of course, but that does not take away from the fact that the vast majority of young people are much more intelligent than you may believe. I think anyone making these statements wildly underestimates the autonomy of young people and their ability to make decisions for themselves.
No, I was not bribed. I knew who I was going to vote for without influence from anyone or anything, whether that was my parents, my friends or the media; nothing was going to swing my vote as far as I was concerned. I looked at the policies, I watched the debates, I witnessed the campaigns, I read the manifestos. I made my decision and I voted based on what I thought was right for our country.
I voted for hope in this world of doom and gloom. I voted for change. I voted for the NHS, for public services. I voted for the young, the old and everyone in between. I voted for excellent education for all, no matter their income. I voted for those in poverty. I voted for the disabled and those with mental health issues. And let's not forget the awful, shocking stories you hear of people dying either directly or indirectly as a result of welfare reforms. The list goes on, and on, and on. If you read this and think that it's nothing to do with you, that it's not your problem, then that's on your conscience and speaks volumes about you as a person. But my hope is that most decent people would read this and agree wholeheartedly.
I am not bashing anyone who voted differently to me; that was not the point of this post. The point of this post is that we must get rid of the hateful rhetoric that young people are less worthy and less capable. We are, after all, the future of this country. We do, after all, live in a democracy. I don't know whether it's down to pure bitterness or trying to hide the realisation that young people - who are LEGALLY eligible to vote, may I add - can really make a difference, but either way, it's simply unacceptable. In the past, young people have been ridiculed for not voting and now, we're being ridiculed for voting "wrongly". It's a classic case of damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Why alienate young people? Why patronise them and disrespect their personal views? It is not okay for anyone to say that older people don't deserve the right to vote because it 'isn't their future', so why has it suddenly become okay for people to do the same directed at young people, despite it actually being their future at stake? All I can say is that it truly baffles me; hypocrisy at it's absolute finest.
I want to end this on a positive note, because despite all of this, I am still so proud of my generation for turning up in their masses and voting for what they felt was right. I truly hope that this momentum and interest in politics continues; who knows, maybe the turnout will be even higher in the next election... whenever that may be!
Friday, 2 June 2017
MAY FAVOURITES
May was a bit of a busy one for me, but enjoyable all the same! It was my birthday month and it was lovely to celebrate with my friends and family. The UK was also blessed with a spot of beautiful weather (over now obviously!) which was well needed; there's nothing quite like spending a day relaxing outside with a cold drink in one hand and a good book in the other!
My first few favourites from the month of May are beauty related. The Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation is something I've been using for probably a few months now, but in May I really discovered how much I love it! It feels lightweight on your face, which means it's perfect for the summer months, and it provides light to medium coverage. The only downside is that the shade range is quite limited, but if you can get your hands on a shade that matches your skin then I would definitely recommend it!
I've also been loving the Bondi Sands Everyday Gradual Tanning Milk. I've always been a bit scared (read: terrified) by the thought of fake tan all thanks to an incident when I was at high school and applied it only to wake up resembling an oompa loompa the next day. When I think of fake tan, I think of a horrible, orange, streaky mess. However, this gradual tan from Bondi Sands has changed my mind completely. It's incredibly easy to use as you use it exactly how you would use a moisturiser - I apply it all over my body after I have exfoliated in the shower and the job's done. It looks very natural and develops quickly for a gradual tan; I can apply it to clean skin at night and then wake up the next morning looking all bronzed up!
I don't always use bronzer, but because I've been applying fake tan more regularly, I've definitely needed it to make sure my face and the rest of my body match. I've used the NARS Laguna Bronzer religiously for years, but I recently stumbled upon the Look Good Feel Better Angled Contour Brush to apply it with and I love it. Look Good Feel Better is a charity that supports women and teenagers with cancer and for every brush/set you buy, an 8-12% donation will be made. All of the brushes are allergy free, cruelty free and incredibly soft! This brush is perfect for contouring and applying bronzer and it definitely rivals some of my more expensive brushes in terms of quality.
Again, the Too Faced Hangover Primer is something that I've been using for a few months now, but since I've not written about it on my blog yet, I thought that it deserved an honourable mention. My skin is classed as combination, as I have an oily t-zone but incredibly dry and dehydrated patches around my eyebrows, nose and cheeks. I find that this primer is perfect for my skin, as it doesn't add to the oiliness yet it still hydrates the dry patches, providing a smooth, even base for my make-up. It smells amazing and soaks into your skin very quickly. It's on the pricier end of the scale, however I've had mine for nearly 4 months now and it's still going strong despite using it each time I do my make-up.
Moving onto my non-beauty favourites from May, the first is the Netflix series 'Girlboss', which tells the story of Sophia Amoruso's struggle and success in setting up Nasty Gal. Nowadays, I find it difficult to sit down and watch a series, however this one had me addicted from beginning to end. It was really interesting to watch something where the protagonist is actually represented as being quite selfish and unlikeable, yet I still found myself rooting for her throughout! Another season, please, Netflix!
A few posts ago, I talked about my 123 Goals (read here). I have to admit that I don't know how well this system has worked as I don't think there has been a single week since where I have achieved all 3 goals! I have, however, been whipping things up in the kitchen more often. I've really enjoyed cooking and trying out new recipes and I've come across a few really delicious ones that I wanted to mention. The first is an incredibly sinful yet divine Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake; this recipe makes A LOT of cake, yet all of it was gone within a few days! I've also been loving this Pico de Gallo recipe; it's amazing to have with a Mexican meal such as fajitas or burritos, but just as good as a dip with some salted crisps. When I made it, I added slightly less garlic (I am a fan of garlic usually but 5 cloves seemed excessive), less lime juice and swapped the cilantro out for coriander and it tasted great.
My final two favourites from the month of May are both book related. You might not know this, but I am a complete bookworm; if I'm not busy, you'll probably find me curled up somewhere with a book in hand. I've been known to read books in entire sittings, from beginning to end with no breaks. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is a book that I didn't read in a single sitting, only because it was so intense and so beautifully written that I almost didn't want it to end. It tells the story of two different women, Mariam and Laila, living in Kabul, Afghanistan in the late 20th century. I didn't know much about Afghanistan before reading this book, but I was truly fascinated by the way that Hosseini painted the country with his words; he did this so well that it was incredibly easy to conjure up the images in my head and it was almost as if I was there enduring the terror with Mariam and Laila. It was a very moving novel and I'm sure it will stay with me for a long time.
Last but not least is a website that I've been using a lot during the past few weeks. World of Books is home to over 2 million second-hand books, most of which are around £2.59 and with free delivery to the UK. Because I get through books so quickly, it seems silly to buy books at full price, so I was so happy to discover this website! I bought 7 books and with a 10% discount (using the code WORLDOFBOOKS10) they totalled just under £18. They all arrived within a week and most were in excellent condition despite being second-hand. I'd really recommend it to anyone looking for some new books to read - A Thousand Splendid Suns is currently on there for £2.59! You can thank me later...
So, there we have it, my May favourites. I'm sorry that my posting has been a bit here and there; to be quite honest with you, it's almost like I forget that I have a blog sometimes and then all of a sudden I remember and have the urge to write a whole post in one sitting!
My first few favourites from the month of May are beauty related. The Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation is something I've been using for probably a few months now, but in May I really discovered how much I love it! It feels lightweight on your face, which means it's perfect for the summer months, and it provides light to medium coverage. The only downside is that the shade range is quite limited, but if you can get your hands on a shade that matches your skin then I would definitely recommend it!
I don't always use bronzer, but because I've been applying fake tan more regularly, I've definitely needed it to make sure my face and the rest of my body match. I've used the NARS Laguna Bronzer religiously for years, but I recently stumbled upon the Look Good Feel Better Angled Contour Brush to apply it with and I love it. Look Good Feel Better is a charity that supports women and teenagers with cancer and for every brush/set you buy, an 8-12% donation will be made. All of the brushes are allergy free, cruelty free and incredibly soft! This brush is perfect for contouring and applying bronzer and it definitely rivals some of my more expensive brushes in terms of quality.
Again, the Too Faced Hangover Primer is something that I've been using for a few months now, but since I've not written about it on my blog yet, I thought that it deserved an honourable mention. My skin is classed as combination, as I have an oily t-zone but incredibly dry and dehydrated patches around my eyebrows, nose and cheeks. I find that this primer is perfect for my skin, as it doesn't add to the oiliness yet it still hydrates the dry patches, providing a smooth, even base for my make-up. It smells amazing and soaks into your skin very quickly. It's on the pricier end of the scale, however I've had mine for nearly 4 months now and it's still going strong despite using it each time I do my make-up.
Moving onto my non-beauty favourites from May, the first is the Netflix series 'Girlboss', which tells the story of Sophia Amoruso's struggle and success in setting up Nasty Gal. Nowadays, I find it difficult to sit down and watch a series, however this one had me addicted from beginning to end. It was really interesting to watch something where the protagonist is actually represented as being quite selfish and unlikeable, yet I still found myself rooting for her throughout! Another season, please, Netflix! |
| Image from Luci's Morsels |
 |
| Image from Pinch of Yum |
My final two favourites from the month of May are both book related. You might not know this, but I am a complete bookworm; if I'm not busy, you'll probably find me curled up somewhere with a book in hand. I've been known to read books in entire sittings, from beginning to end with no breaks. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is a book that I didn't read in a single sitting, only because it was so intense and so beautifully written that I almost didn't want it to end. It tells the story of two different women, Mariam and Laila, living in Kabul, Afghanistan in the late 20th century. I didn't know much about Afghanistan before reading this book, but I was truly fascinated by the way that Hosseini painted the country with his words; he did this so well that it was incredibly easy to conjure up the images in my head and it was almost as if I was there enduring the terror with Mariam and Laila. It was a very moving novel and I'm sure it will stay with me for a long time.
Last but not least is a website that I've been using a lot during the past few weeks. World of Books is home to over 2 million second-hand books, most of which are around £2.59 and with free delivery to the UK. Because I get through books so quickly, it seems silly to buy books at full price, so I was so happy to discover this website! I bought 7 books and with a 10% discount (using the code WORLDOFBOOKS10) they totalled just under £18. They all arrived within a week and most were in excellent condition despite being second-hand. I'd really recommend it to anyone looking for some new books to read - A Thousand Splendid Suns is currently on there for £2.59! You can thank me later...
So, there we have it, my May favourites. I'm sorry that my posting has been a bit here and there; to be quite honest with you, it's almost like I forget that I have a blog sometimes and then all of a sudden I remember and have the urge to write a whole post in one sitting!
Do you have any favourites from the month of May? I'd love to know what they are - leave me a comment below! X
Sunday, 23 April 2017
MY WEEKLY 123 GOALS
On Thursday, the day finally came around to leave France after spending a lovely 3 weeks with my boyfriend. It was so difficult, especially considering that I won't be able to see him again until July.
As you can probably imagine, it's always a really emotional time for me, but I always try to put a positive spin on things by giving myself new goals to work towards in the time that we're apart. For me, having something to work towards is a massive motivator and I find that without this, I feel very lost and almost as if I have no purpose.
On my flight home I was thinking of simple goals that I could set myself each week that would improve both my physical and mental health. Enter 123 Goals: I have no idea if this is already an existing thing, but if it is I haven't ever heard of anything like it before. It basically means that I'm going to set myself three different activities that I will do once, twice or three times a week. I'm hoping that this will be a manageable way for me to try new things without getting too overwhelmed.
Here are the three goals that I've set myself for each week...
As you can probably imagine, it's always a really emotional time for me, but I always try to put a positive spin on things by giving myself new goals to work towards in the time that we're apart. For me, having something to work towards is a massive motivator and I find that without this, I feel very lost and almost as if I have no purpose.
On my flight home I was thinking of simple goals that I could set myself each week that would improve both my physical and mental health. Enter 123 Goals: I have no idea if this is already an existing thing, but if it is I haven't ever heard of anything like it before. It basically means that I'm going to set myself three different activities that I will do once, twice or three times a week. I'm hoping that this will be a manageable way for me to try new things without getting too overwhelmed.
Here are the three goals that I've set myself for each week...
Sunday, 26 March 2017
LOSING MOMENTUM AND GAINING INSPIRATION
Dear Reader, I have a terrible confession to make. I forgot I had a blog.
Saturday, 31 December 2016
GOODBYE 2016, HELLO 2017
I've seen a lot of these types of posts and I love reading them myself, so I decided it was about time I did a bit of my own reflecting on 2016.
It’s odd to look back on this year, as whilst it was probably one of the worst years of my life, it was also without a doubt the best. I struggled a lot with my health during the first 6 months of the year and I really was at my lowest point. However, things really started to pick up later in the year and it’s been an amazing year for me for so many reasons. I wanted to write a short (read: probably quite long) post about the things I’m really proud about and also touch on what I hope 2017 will be like for me!
Saturday, 25 June 2016
MY TOP TIPS FOR STAYING ON TOP OF THINGS
After having endured two rather gruelling years of Sixth Form, the main thing I have lifted from my experience is that staying organised is so, so important. I'm not claiming to be the perfect role model when it comes to this, as throughout my years of education I was notorious for leaving work until the very last minute or sometimes, not doing it at all (very rebellious, I know). However, now that I have finished my studies, I feel that I can sit back and look at all the good things I did to stay on top of my work as opposed to all the things I didn't do and give you some tips that could perhaps help you too, whether this is in your studies, your work or your daily life.
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