Starting University - All you need to know

"Have I chosen the right course"?, "Will I make new friends"?, "What do I need to bring with me"?, "What if I miss home and decide it's not for me"?...

Starting university is one of the most exciting, yet most frightening times of your life. Trust me, we have all been there!
I remember the upcoming weeks before enrolling onto my course and I had about a million questions whizzing through my mind. It was a really exciting time for me because this was going to be the first time I'd be living away from home. I also particularly remember feeling nervous and scared. Nobody would be there to do my washing, nobody would be there to make sure that I was up in the mornings and above all, nobody would be there to cook my all time favourite lasagna!

I remember researching everything I could and reading many student forums to make sure that I had everything that I needed. I was so worried that I'd arrive to my halls and realise that I'd forgotten something important behind, or even worse, that I wouldn't like anyone that I was living with and that I'd be lonely for the rest of my years at uni.
Yep, it's crazy the kind of thoughts that go through your mind when you're stressing out!

Let me tell you though, none of this was important or even necessary for me to have had. What I didn't realise at the time, was that this was going to be a fresh start to my life, a new chapter. It didn't matter if I had forgotten something behind, or if I now had to learn how to cook. None of this was important because I was finally going to grow up and flourish into a better me. To this day, I wish I hadn't worried so much about these minor things because before I knew it it was all over so fast :(

So anyway, I figured that there are probably a lot of young people who are currently in the same position that I was in a few years ago. So I thought I would write a quick guide, or at least tell you about my experience and the ways to go about things in order to make these next few years the best you've ever had!

                                              -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, you've chosen your course, you've got your accommodation sorted, now all that's left is making sure you pack the important things you'll need and get yourself ready for this new chapter.
By now, you should have received a guide to your freshers week, giving you all the information you need to know as well as a guide with some sort of schedule with your moving in day. Although, let;s not forget that some uni's aren't as organised as others, so if you haven't received anything, fear not! I will try to list out the things that you need to know below:

Before arrival:

1. Make a list of all the things that you need to bring with you. Some accommodations supply a lot of the trinklets and bits and bobs that you need in your social space and bedrooms. However, make sure you find out exactly what is being provided for you. Then make a list of all the ESSENTIAL things that you will need (I have done a separate post with a University Checklist). 
2. Make sure that you have printed any arrival documentation that you will need when you move in and for enrolment. This may be things such as passport, letters of acceptance, exam certificates and anything which you may have been told to bring with you. Make sure you read your emails carefully because they will often tell you about these things. 
3. Make sure you know your moving in date and the times, visit your university website, Facebook and Twitter pages, to find out whether they are posting any freshers information. I particularly remember that my university halls had a separate Facebook page where people could post their flat numbers so that others living in the same flats could comment. This was a great way to meet people before arriving! 

Moving in day: 

1. I don't know about you, but I'm one of those people who likes to make sure everything is packed from the day before so that on the day I don't have to think about anything other than getting myself to where I need to be. If you are also like this, or struggle to get to places on time, I advice you ensure that you have everything packed from the night before so that all you have to do is get yourself moved in. 
2. Once you arrive, make sure you follow the instructions that you were given before moving in (by this point you would have certainly received something telling you where to go)
3. Once you've moved your stuff into your room, what I advise you to do next is to leave your bedroom door open so that if you haven't already met the others living in your flat, this would be an opportunity to meet them when they arrive!

Meeting people: 

I must say that at the time, I was not the best person when it came to socialising. I was always quite shy to approach new people but this is where you really have to make the effort to conquer your fears and get talking! 

Honestly, I cannot stress this enough but the more people you will meet in freshers week, the better it will be. People will be as friendly as they're going to get during this stage, so it's best to get to know as many of them as you can. I'm not saying to over do it, but just make the effort to be yourself and show the best side of you. 

You'll soon realise that you'll naturally "click" with some people over others and before you know it, you'll have made so many new acquaintances and new friends :)

First day of lectures:

Eeeek, the "scary" day. I remember this day so clearly, I struggled to sleep the night before because I was so worried to go to class actually having to learn things that at the time, I imagined would be so hard for me to understand. But honestly, I was fine... 

All I can suggest, is firstly to make sure that you have your timetable printed. I printed mine as soon as it was available online. I even made my own version so it looked pretty and colourful up on my pin board. Then make sure that you have read all of your modules guidelines and have any books and literature printed so that you can be prepared before your lectures. If you can get into the habit of doing this early on, believe me, you'll ACE uni! 

Then make sure that you have any equipment that you may need, depending on your course/module this would vary. 

Finally...

Enjoy yourself. These next few years are going to change you so much. You are going to learn not only a lot about the course that you will be studying but also about yourself. You'll grow up as a person and you'll finally be able to see what you are capable of. Make sure you take lots of pictures, keep a diary and just make it a time to remember!

I wish all of those starting uni in September all the best and don't hesitate to get into contact or comment down below if I've not answered any questions!

Thanks for reading and I hope that you've found this post helpful! 

❤️

   Love, ML x

My perfect summer foundation mix

Should I wear foundation or should I let my skin breathe? I swear, I find myself contemplating this question every single morning before doing my make up. But I'm guessing that I'm not the only one to do this though, right?
Back a few years ago, I used to be one who would steer clear from foundation particularly during the summer and I'd just allow my skin to breathe and tan. However, I don't know why, but this year I've gotten so much more into make up that I can't seem to be able to go out not wearing anything at all!

I have a hard time because I'm somebody who loves to tan, so when I do, it then means I need to find something to perfect my complexion whilst allowing me to show off the tan! When this happened, I would usually opt for a tinted moisturiser and a bit of bronzer on my cheeks as I felt this allowed me to look more tanned. However, one thing I have really disliked about this throughout the years, was the shine on my face at the end of the day. As well as, the way in which the tinted moisturiser would oxidise on my skin leaving me with a slight tangoed complexion (Obvs not the look I'd be going for!).

As summer came around the corner, I found myself wondering whether I should go out and purchase a new tinted moisturiser which would not do this...
So, I decided to give the NARS Moisturiser a go but I was soon disappointed to find that if I wore this on its own, by the end of the day it would have gone patchy and of course...Orange. This is so annoying because whilst I'd want to have that extra glow on my skin and look a bit more bronzed, Orange is far from the colour I want to be rocking on my complexion. At the same time though, I don't really want to wear my foundation on it's own because not only is it too heavy for summer, but it's also a bit on the pale side, masking away the bit of tan that I've managed to get on those two hot British days!

So instead, what I have been doing is mixing my foundation in with the tinted moisturiser and I've been achieving the perfect colour that matches my skin! :) I know it's pretty basic, but honestly, I never thought to do this before in all of those years! It's great because as well as achieving the perfect shade, it has also allowed my skin to look glowy. I have managed to find the right balance between the mattifying Charlotte Tilbury foundation and the super dewy NARS moisturiser- perfect for summer!

Below is a swatch of the shades as well as the finish I would achieve with and without mixing in the colours:

(Top: Charlotte Tilbury #shade: 3. Middle: Nars Tinted Moisturiser #shade: St. Moritz. Bottom: Mixture of both)

As you can see from the pictures, the foundation on it's own is just a tad bit pale for the time being and it's also a bit too "cakey". On the other hand. the moisturiser on it's own is so greasy looking and well, Orange. So the combination of the two make a perfect finish which I have been LOVING all summer long. It's also great because, if I tan some more, all I have to do is just add a bit more of the moisturiser to the mix. Whilst as the tan will begin to fade, I will slowly reduce the amount of moisturiser that I add, ensuring that I will always have the perfect shade! :)

Have you guys tried this before? Let me know what your favourite summer foundation routines are!

❤️

   Love, ML x

What to bring to University

Hello lovelies,

I figured that during the next upcoming month there will be lots of you getting ready to embark on the next chapter of your lives...University. 

Having been through it all before and I realise how stressful this time may be for you. Getting everything together and ensuring that you are well prepared before the big "Moving in day" is something that we've all dreaded doing before. I still remember buying a whole pack of notepads and filling them up with things that I felt I needed to bring with me to university. I remember spending hours on websites and student forums reading up on lists telling you what you need to bring to uni. However, I thought I'd try to save you all some time and give you a list of items that you will most probably need. 

Be aware though, that some of these things may vary depending on the accommodation that you will be staying in. So be sure to check what your accommodation will be providing you with before you go off and buy everything you see below! 

I have split it all up into sections to make it a little bit easier for you to read. But I hope that you'll find it helpful! 

Bedroom

🔸Duvets

🔸Duvet sheets

🔸Pillows and pillow cases 

🔸Under blanket /mattress protector (some uni's may already provide this)

🔸Laundry basket 

🔸Room decorations- picture frames, fairy lights, posters, candles, cushions

🔸Alarm clock (although you can probably use your phones now a days)

🔸Rubbish bin

🔸Door wedge 

🔸Warm blanket to throw on your bed

🔸Hot water bottle 

Kitchen

🔸Saucepans/ frying pan/wok 

🔸Crockery (forks/spoons/knifes) x4 of each

🔸 Washing up liquid 

🔸 Sponge for the dishes

🔸 Glasses min x2 

🔸 Mugs x2 

🔸 Drying cloth

🔸 Surface cloth

Toiletries

🔸 Hand, body wash shampoos, conditioner, moisturiser etc 

🔸 Shower puff

🔸 Toothbrush and toothpaste

🔸 Your skin care items 

🔸 Make-up remover

🔸 Bath towels/ hand towels/ face towels (x2)

🔸 Hair dryer 

🔸 Hair brushes / straighteners/ curling tongs 

🔸 Girly bits (tampons/sanitary towels) etc

🔸 Retainers/contact lenses etc 

🔸 Plasters

🔸 Tweezers

🔸 Nail clippers

🔸 Pain killers and antiseptic creams

University essentials

Bare minimum to begin with -wait for the sales to come on!!

🔸 Folders and filing envelopes 

🔸 A4 pads and notebooks to take notes 

🔸 Diary/ planner

🔸 Pencil case

🔸 Pens and pencils

🔸 Ruler

🔸 Highlighters

🔸 sellotape 

🔸 Post-it notes

🔸 Calculator

🔸 Reading list (most universities will provide you with one in advance)

🔸 Tippex

🔸 Blue Tack

🔸 Stapler and staples

🔸 Language dictionaries (if you're studying languages)

Other

🔸 Cleaning products for kitchen and bathrooms (bleach/ Mr muscle/ wet wipes etc)

This is a list of the products that I had brought with my to university and I found that I had everything I needed to get through living alone at uni! 

I hope that if you haven't already completed a list, you will be able to go by this post and be ready for the next chapter of your life. 

Thanks for reading!

❤️

   Love, ML x