OUTFIT | #230

dress: Topshop; shoes: H&M; bag: Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C.

Guess who's a graduate? That would be me. I crossed the stage ('strutted' according to those watching) and collected my certificate on Wednesday. It's been a strange week since. Too many goodbyes, a lot of sunshine, and not much sleep. While I would have loved to have wandered about campus drinking champagne all day in my cap and gown, it was far too hot and I cast them off as soon as the group photo was taken. I still don't 100% know how I feel about it all but I'm mostly looking forward to some grad life adventures - whatever the heck they will be.

I wore a white dress from Topshop for the ceremony. White isn't a colour I ever thought I could pull off but with a tan and some encouragement from friends, I felt pretty great. My robes were salmon and navy. Not the world's easiest colours to pair things with. So white was perfect, although difficult to photograph. I paired it with my beloved turquoise H&M heels. I get so many compliments every time I wear these shoes. Mothers were coming up to me saying how lovely they were all day.

RECENT PURCHASES | Christmas Bonus Style

cardigans: H&M; Topshop Leigh jeans; MAC 'Rebel' lipstick

Now, I tend to abide by that old blogger pro-tip of never doing the annoying 'Sorry I've been away so long, guys! Shit got real and I had no time to blog, soz' thing that people do after an absence. I won't bang on about it too much but I did take a little hiatus this month because shit did get kind of real in my non-internet based life. Now it's winter break though and I have 2 weeks to chill out, sleep all the time, and enjoy doing sweet nothing all day. It's going to be beautiful.

As soon as all my assignments for the end of semester were submitted, I went shopping. I literally sent off all my essays, pulled on something that wasn't my pajamas, and went into the city with my Christmas bonus burning a hole in my pocket. I had a list, so I wouldn't go too wild, but the H&M sale did get me and I ended up buying two cardigans in there. I've had my eye on that leopard print one for months but kept telling myself I couldn't possibly justify owning any more leopard print since I had already surpassed the quota for any normal person. But it was reduced to £7 in the sale and I have no self-control. It's so wonderfully tacky; I couldn't help myself.

The Topshop Leigh jeans and MAC 'Rebel' lipstick have been on my wishlist for a long time. I've been needing new jeans for a few months now and I had to restrain myself from buying a million colours of these. They're such a good fit. None of that annoying low-rise, hip-grazing style here; these sit at your natural waist which is so much more comfortable. I am a convert. Why didn't I buy these sooner? (Probably because I didn't have a job and was really poor, but anyway, moving on) 

MAC 'Rebel' lipstick joins my growing family of awesome vampy lipsticks. It really deserves a post all of its own since it isn't as dark as it appears in the tube (which I know some people will prefer, but I don't really mind - I'll wear any colour. Gimme all of those dark shades) but it's still gorgeous. Look out for this in an upcoming outfit post or something like that. Who knows. I'm feeling a little rusty with this whole blogging business. The majority of the pictures I took for this post were just a blurry mess, it wasn't pretty.

OUTFIT | #80

playsuit: Primark; heels: Topshop

So, new location. I won't bore you with details but to make a long story short, I moved rooms. Bye bye box room, hello giant room. Seriously, I could do cartwheels in here (if I was capable of doing cartwheels without injuring myself). With moving in here (my stuff's still in bags and a total mess) and working a 7 day week at work, I've been worn a tad thin lately. Roll on the start of semester on Monday so I can go back to being a lazy student.

I wore this for a night out on campus for the first time since before the summer. It was odd being back and not being the fresher this time. Predrinking logistics are much more difficult when you don't live in halls too, it seems. I ended up drinking alone in my new room before heading out to meet my friends there. It was an odd experience. 

This playsuit is among the few Primark items I own. Hopefully it survives better than my granddad slippers of blog posts past, may they rest in peace. I bought it sometime in the summer and never had the opportunity to wear it. The pointy collar is my favourite part. Quite a nice change from the peter pan collar I have so many variations of.

OUTFIT | #66

dress: GAP; necklace: Topshop; watch: Sekonda; flats: Tory Burch

No, I didn't wear this to my own graduation lunch. I am still very much a university student, with just a few months to go until I begin my second year (a.k.a the year when grades start to count towards my degree, terrifying) of study. One of my closest friends graduated this week and I went to lunch with her and her family.

I have to admit, I had no idea how fancy I should dress for such an occasion. My favourite blazer was too warm for this odd, muggy July weather and all of my other options made me look like I was going for a job interview. Not exactly the look I was after. So I went for the old 'throw on a statement necklace' trick instead. I would have worn heels with this (preferably my newest pair) but, as I mentioned in my last post, my ankle's still sore from a fall a few weeks ago so I opted for flats so I didn't cripple myself. 

OUTFIT | #56

dress: Forever 21; jacket, necklace: H&M; boots: River Island

The title is inspired by the guy who shouted 'Hey, where's Waldo?' at me (pretty loudly) when I was in town today. I didn't really stick around to discuss that question any more with him, but it seemed fitting for this post. I guess the dress is a little reminiscent of Waldo, or Wally as he's known here in the UK (random trivia, anyone?) I just liked the stripes when I bought it and never made the connection.

It's becoming a little difficult to dress myself these days as I have less than a week 'til I move back home for the summer and all of my clothes are steadily getting packed away. I'm feeling a little sad and weird about leaving, to be honest. Especially since finding a summer job in my hometown is proving easier said than done. Leaving behind this room and the life I have here at uni is going to feel very strange.

OUTFIT | #50

cardigan: Motel Rocks; body (worn as top), belt: New Look; skirt: H&M; boots: River Island

It is t-minus 3 days until my first university exam and I feel nowhere near prepared. I'm freaking out a little. As you read this, I'm probably somewhere in a coffee shop revising frantically or lying in my bed surrounded by lecture notes looking perplexed. Although the thought of throwing on my jogging bottoms and staying in them until the end of May is really tempting, I'm trying to resist. Dressing normally, I'm telling myself, makes me feel more normal and therefore less stressed. Well, in theory. And if that fails, I'm going to eat lots of chocolate and listen to the The Postal Service on repeat. 

UNIVERSITY | First Year Bedroom

There are only a few weeks left of my first year at university. At the start of June I'll move out of my room in halls and go home for the summer. It is, like when anything changes, a little bittersweet. I'll miss some aspects of this room (mostly having my own bathroom, I won't lie) but then there's the noise, the lack of storage space and the fact that I feel like I'm living in a shoebox sometimes; all things I won't miss. I'm a sappy soul though and will miss this little space. I took some pictures of my favourite parts for posterity's sake. 

Next year I get to experience the joy of student housing, paying for my own heating and electricity and dealing with landlords. What fun. Most of the time, it feels like I just got here but in reality, there's only six more weeks and I'm officially a second year. Now that is truly terrifying thought.

OUTFIT | #43

jacket, necklace: H&M; blouse, skirt: Topshop; boots: River Island; nails: 'Lemon Tree' - H&M

Everyone and their gran knows a denim jacket is a pretty good accompaniment to a spring wardrobe. I've had a light-wash one for a while but I found myself fancying a more indigo version lately. I got this one in H&M (a.k.a the love of my life) and it was everything I wanted. Plus it's basically identical to the ones Topshop are selling for £50 but, of course, much cheaper!

The laddered tights were not intentional, I feel I must add. They're just the only pair I've got at the moment and it was too chilly to go without. I've had it on my to-do list to pop into town and buy some more all week but it's the last week of spring semester so I've been stressing about coursework and module enrolment for next year instead. 

I go home for nearly a month this weekend, minus a week or so to visit family in the US. I'm looking forward to my own bed and seeing everyone I miss from home but it's always sad to leave my little life here at uni, especially after the amazing semester I've had. The most frightening part is I've only got a few weeks of exam period left when I come back and then I'm basically a second year university student, which is more than a little terrifying..

OUTFIT | #39

jumper: H&M; dress (worn as skirt): American Apparel; tights; Primark; shoes: Converse; necklace: River Island; lipstick: Topshop 'All About Me'

dress: American Apparel; tights: Primark; shoes: Topshop; watch: ASOS; lipstick: Topshop 'All About Me'

Being a student, especially one in a town with pretty good night life, means I go out a fair amount. Sometimes I'll go all out and get changed, redo my make up, even put together an entire costume for theme nights. Then there are the days when I've been stuck in the library working for hours and really can't be bothered. 

Which is why I love the American Apparel Double U-Neck dresses. They are the easiest way to transition your outfit from day to night (here I go again, giving you cheesy magazine style advice, my apologies). Throw a jumper or a cardigan over them during the day and when it's time to go out, just change your shoes. Presto, the lazy-girl solution for when you really cannot be arsed to spend ages getting ready to going out. 

I'd recommend getting a code from a site like Groupon (this was how I bought mine) or buying them when AA have their flash sales though. Much as I love the dress, I'd never pay full price for AA. Failing that, loads of places on the high street (Topshop, New Look, H&M, Forever 21, etc) do really similar versions.

UNIVERSITY | Things I Learnt From My First Semester

I'm now in my second semester at university and while I'm not claiming to be The World's Greatest Student™, I do feel like I've picked up a few bits of knowledge along the way based on my experience. I feel like I should share what (little as it may be) I've learnt so far because, as shown by my choice of Hello Kitty stationery, I take this university stuff very seriously...

Fresher's flu - it happens

Twice, actually. I basically spent the month of October bedridden and surrounded by used tissues (grim). My advice to you: always keep a supply of cold medicine on hand. University is full of germs, guys.

Snacking is expensive - learn to cook

Presumably, you'll be paying for all your own food now so when you finish that packet of chocolate digestives, the only person who's going to go out and buy another is you. After a while, all those biscuits add up and you don't feel quite so flush anymore. Instead, try and eat 3 decent meals a day so you don't end up blowing all your loan on junk food (spend your biscuit money on a student cookbook if you're totally hopeless - they do help!) and put your leftovers in the fridge for tomorrow's dinner.

Say yes to new things, and don't be afraid to go alone

You'll have heard it all before, but it's true - there really are so many new things to try at uni. Definitely sign up for a few societies or clubs, go along to their meetings and keep an eye out for interesting lectures. Yes, it can feel absolutely terrifying to go alone sometimes (trust me, I've been there) but once you're there, you'll meet other people and feel really stupid for being so worried. Take yourself out of your comfort zone a bit. There's nothing wrong with doing things for yourself and/or by yourself.

University can be a lonely experience

Television and films may lead you to believe it's all getting drunk and going out, which isn't totally false, but you also spend a lot of time alone working. Whether it's in the library or in your room, uni can sometimes feel quite isolating, especially when you're away from home. Just don't go into it expecting to have fun constantly. You will have a lot of fun, but there's also a lot of downtime too.

Make friends with everyone, not just your flatmates

Yes, it is easy to settle into a little group with your flatmates and they may be lovely people. But there are other people out there too. Bear in mind: you are not with your flatmates out of any mutual interest, most of the time you'll be put together through sheer random selection. Talk to people in your classes, lectures, societies, the pub, wherever. There is a world outside your flat; explore it.

No seriously, don't leave it 'til the last minute

Your first year may not necessarily count towards your degree but it never hurts to get into good habits. Yes, I sound like a total swot saying that but it is a really good idea to make sure you don't slack off too much (you're still allowed to have fun). When you get an assignment, start it sooner rather than later and definitely not a few hours before it's due in. 

UNIVERSITY | Home Comforts

As much as I enjoy being at university, sometimes it's nice to be able to hop on a train and come home for a few days. Being able to sleep in my own bed, have my dinner cooked for me and watch telly are quite a luxury these days.

shirt, shorts: H&M; necklace: Forever 21; ring: Dorothy Perkins; bracelets: I have no idea
(This is actually my sister. I slobbed around in jogging bottoms all weekend)

UNIVERSITY | Getting Organised

I'm not the most organised person there ever was but I do take a strange pleasure in sitting down and filing things for hours on end, so I like to think I'm not too bad at it. I've been at university for nearly 2 months now and slowly, but surely, I've figured out ways to keep on top of not only my workload but also all the mundane little chores I never had to do before. For instance, that pile of washing in your laundry hamper? Doesn't just magically disappear and come back clean and neatly folded like when you lived at home, surprisingly!

I thought I'd share a few tips on how I keep myself organised. After spending the first few weeks here running out of vital food staples, putting off writing essays until midnight on the night before it was due in and generally being a bit all over the place, I decided to get myself sorted out. It's made schoolwork and living on my own quite a bit easier, plus it's a great excuse to buy lots of new stationery.

1. Highlighters (and pens in general)

Basically, have loads of them. You're going to need them. Have them in every colour you can possibly get your hands on and, although I know it's tempting, don't buy the cheap crap. It will only run out after a handful of uses and end up costing you more in the long run. Personally, I like to use Stabilo Boss highlighters and Bic Cristal biros, which you buy in bulk on Amazon.

2. Post-It Notes

The same rules apply as above. Have an endless supply of them that you put everywhere. I am a massive fan of writing lists: shopping lists, to-do lists, etc. I write them out and stick them all over my room and in my diary and anywhere else I will frequently see them. Having constant reminders of stuff that needs buying, tidying, writing or researching keeps me on track. They're also good for sticking on things in the fridge that you don't want anyone else to eat...

3. Notebooks and planners

Use them and use them wisely. I have a separate notebook for every class I take, just so I don't get confused, plus one for any notes and quotes I may need to write down from a book I'm reading (I'm doing English Lit so this is essential), one for anything extra-curricular - if you write for the school newspaper, like I do, for example, and various others for any notebook emergencies that may arise. 

A good planner is also essential. I plumped for the Moleskine this year but as long as it's sturdy and has enough room for you to write stuff down in, any will do. Write down anywhere and everywhere you have to be and you'll, hopefully, never be late for a lecture again.

UNIVERSITY | Moving Out

I moved to university this week and, in typical 'me' style, left all the packing until the last minute. Since arriving, we've had a head wave so nearly all the clothes I brought were wholly impractical but they seemed like a good idea at the time. I'm sure I'll be going home soon and picking up more shoes, clothes and make up. Living without all my stuff is proving difficult.