2016 in pictures: One of the best years of my life

Can you believe another year has passed?!

2016 went by so fast, and I can't believe that 2017 is here already! Last year, I wrote a blog post which summed up 2015 in pictures instead of words. I love looking back at the memories made, so I thought I would do the same for 2016 using pictures I have taken on my phone.

It's a long one, but without further ado, here is my 2016 in pictures...

Raising £250 for Breast Cancer Now by hosting my own charity coffee morning!

Geeky I know but who knew how much self-satisfaction you can get from growing the correct bacteria needed for your dissertation?!

Feeling like a scientist by creating and presenting my project at university

Making it through the cold winter to see sunnier, spring days like this

And witnessing an evening sky like this

Finally handing in my 8000 word research project, yet still having 3 exams to go before the end. So close, yet so far...

Having a cute revision buddy to keep me going... almost there!

Moving back home after 3 years at university

Spending my 21st birthday eating Hummingbird Bakery cupcakes in Portobello Road

And partying in Soho!

More baking!

Cycling through the Kent countryside in preparation for my charity cycle ride

Waking up on Friday 24th June to this news headline

Stopping in a random French village for the best tasting coffee whilst cycling to Paris

Arriving in a drizzly Paris with the view of this statue's bum after cycling over 400 km!

Graduating from university with a BSc in Biomedical Science!

Watching Glastonbury on the big screen and in the sun (and secretly wishing I was there)

Spending many summer evenings with walks along the beach

Returning to a country I love despite the horrific events Turkey has suffered in 2016

Taking a mud bath in Turkey

Seeing a natural wonder of the world at Pamukkale

Taking this photo (my favourite photo and memory in the world)

Dancing the night away to live country music in Nashville

Watching the sun set over the Memphis skyline

Wandering through the city that was one of the homes of Rock n Roll

Staying in this hostel (yes it really is a hostel!)

Waking up somewhere in Utah/Arizona to this view!

Coming close to a tarantula (my biggest fear)

Walking through our Vegas hotel hungover and in our robes

Wandering around the Las Vegas hotels in awe

Fulfilling a lifelong dream of going to LA

Taking a spontaneous trip to San Fran

Escaping reality at the happiest place on earth

Flying (literally) over the Grand Canyon

Getting festive!

Drinking copious amounts of mulled wine

Seeing this view of Oxford Street from a rooftop bar

Couldn't resist adding a picture of a London skyline

Seeing in person the famous stairs in the Spice Girls 'Wannabe' music video

2016 was actually a really good year for me, despite what everyone thinks of the year! I think life is what you make it (Hannah Montana quote right there), and you can choose to look back on 2016 as the worst year of your life, but what are you taking away from that outlook?

Take the negatives, embrace them and learn for the future. Even though terrible things may have happened, to the world or personally, remember you are never alone in this world which can make such a huge difference when coping with difficult periods of your life.
If you have an optimistic view on life, you will always see the good things which in my opinion, is what makes life so god damn special. If you can appreciate what you've got then life becomes amazing and worth living! So to end, stop comparing yourself to others, recognise the important people in your life and most importantly, make sure you enjoy the life you are living!

I wish you a happy and healthy new year!

Love, Charlotte x

What I Learned From Final Year at University

So this week I officially came to the end of my degree!

It's been tough and a real learning experience for me. There have been many ups and equally many downs, but I guess that's the whole point of life.
I think it's nice to sum up final year with lessons that I have learnt myself. Of course, everyones university experience is different, but seeing as mine has come to an end, here are a few things I've picked up on:

1. A lot of people actually start to do work

When I first started third year, I missed freshers due to being in America. As soon as I moved back in, I wanted to go out and see everyone that I hadn't seen all summer, but even after the first week, most people had kickstarted their coursework, lecture notes etc. This completely shocked me as I felt like I had to start putting effort in, but I suddenly realised that I do the work and could have fun at the same time. Some people find the balance tough, so just because everyone else seems to spend all day everyday in the library, doesn't mean you have to. There will be a point (around disso hand in time) when you have no other choice but to practically sleep in the library, but my advice would be to enjoy freshers one last time and let loose before starting the work.

2. You have to grow up a lot

The was a point at the start of third year when I realised that graduating uni isn't all that bad, and the thought of starting full time work in the real world started to feel like the next adventure. I didn't seem to dread finishing, rather I was kind of looking forward to it. I started searching for graduate schemes or travelling programmes I could do after university. Also, although I enjoyed going out, it started to get a bit tedious and repetitive after going to the same club nights for the past 2 years. Nights in suddenly seemed more preferable and I started opting for staying in and completing uni work rather than a night out.

3. Make the most of third year

Your final year is easy when it comes to having a solid foundation of friends and knowing the university lifestyle inside out. One thing I will advise is to enjoy and savour being a student for one last year. I did this by joining a new society, where I made so many new friends. I also joined up to the universities RAG adventure cycling from London to Paris. These opportunities aren't easily available after uni, and it provides another way of meeting new people. It also helped keep me motivated with the last year of uni, and meant that I really felt like I had made the most of final year.

4. Enjoy the small things

You don't have to go all out for your third year, but simple things like going to the union for a snakebite or using our student discount at restaurants and shops means you are taking advantage of the last time you can enjoy these pleasures.

5. Don't pay attention to anyone else around you

Some people had already finished their disso before I had even started mine, which slightly scared me! But then I realised, each course is completely different. For starters, I was not doing a dissertation but rather a research project. Also, some of the people posting it on facebook went to a completely different university which means they operate in a whole different way. So relax, and focus only on you.

6. There will be a point where you will need to do some work

This happens at different points for everyone, where you get a sudden wave of realisation that you need to stop your partying antics and procrastinating, and buckle down to some work. Your finally year is not for partying, get that out the way in the first two. This is the year that people go to university for, to get that degree. So the sooner you start motivating yourself to work hard, the better and easier it will be. Don't listen to that person that calls you boring for choosing the library over the nightclub, at the end of the day, you are accumulating a lot of student debt to get a good degree, so it would be stupid to throw it away for a few nights out. The summer is for chilling, relaxing and partying. Right now, get those books out and start organising your education. It's only temporary, in a few months it will all be over and it will all be worth it when you're celebrating with a good degree classification at the end.

Final year doesn't have to be stressful. If you remain organised and on top of your work, it can be quite easy.
I warn you now, you cannot breeze through final year without stressing, panicking and maybe crying the odd time. I certainly did not, and there were times when all I wanted to do was give up, but knowing that it was only temporary got me through.
They say you get out what you put in, and I truly believe in this saying. I was one of the last person I knew to finish my exams, but I remained focused and tried to not let that hinder me from trying my best.

On a final note, if you are contemplating going to university, I would say go for it. It truly is a learning experience and builds you as a person.

I wish you the best of luck wherever you are in your education ladder!

Lazy Girls Guide to Lazy Days

Lazy days... we all need them once in a while.

And whilst I probably give myself too many, nothing beats waking up and deciding to stay in bed or at home for the entire day.

There is nothing to feel guilty about, I actually think it's beneficial for the mind to take some time away from the stress of daily life.

Whether it be to catch up on emails, study, work on assignments or even online shopping, you can still be productive without moving from your bed.

And when the weather outside looks like a scene from a disaster movie, there is all the more reason to stay inside.

Here is my guide to lazy day essentials:

1. Dressing Gown

It's got to be worn. Mine is from primary and is the fluffiest thing I've ever bought. Not only is it cosy, it's also cute with little bear ears. The hood goes up every time. Good for saving those pennies on the heating bill as it will keep you warm at the sam time.

2. Cup of Tea

So this does require effort to go to the kitchen and make one, but it's worth it after you've got back into bed and settle down to whatever you were doing whilst taking sips of any warming drink you prefer.

3. Laptop

In the old days, this wasn't an option, but now you can practically work from bed with your laptop and still get everything done. I sometimes find that I
m most productive when I'm most comfortable, and sitting in bed is way more comfortable than at a desk. Its great for catching up on TV, listening to music or picking out your next outfit online.

4. Chocolate

This is the one time you can indulge in chocolate by yourself (unless you are having a joint lazy day) and not have anyone judge you for eating the entire bar (yes this is acceptable). Go on, be a slob for once, no one's watching!

5. Notebook

For some reason, all my creative and wonderful ideas pop into my head whilst I'm in the most comfortable position in the world. By having a notebook by your side, you can jot them down for later instead of having to move from the bed.

6. Charger

Make sure you have this because when the time comes where your phone or laptop is about to die, the last thing you want to do is move.

If you are reading this thinking you cannot remember the last time you had a lazy day, treat yourself to one! Even a lazy hour is beneficial and some me time is good for the mind. Shut out the world outside and give yourself time to be lazy once in a while.

Right, I'm going back to the bed now (I never left)

Why You Shouldn't Care What Anybody Else Thinks

It came to my attention this week that I started to worry about what people were thinking of me everytime I did something.

I always thought I was the type of person who didn't care what people thought about me, but it wasn't until I actually realised that I was trying to justify doing something that made me realise I am caring what people think of me.

And then I thought why?

Why am I so concerned about the opinion's of others when it doesn't actually matter. To put it into some contexts, I worry about the slightest things such as whether I should go to the gym, or not wanting to go on a night out but stay in instead.

The gym situation has only started happening recently, when I lost a lot of weight (unintentionally) and suddenly I felt conscious exercising in public.

At the time, I was going to the gym at least once a week, and suddenly I started worrying that every time someone would see me in the gym they might think I was overexercising because of an eating disorder. The main reason for going is a) get my money's worth and b) it makes me feel good.

Another situation was choosing to stay in whilst everyone else was going out, which I then thought would make me look boring. So I forced myself to go out and pretend I wanted to be there. Don't get me wrong, there are times when I do want to go out and I have a really good time, and these are the best nights out. But sometimes, especially in final year of university, I just want to stay in
and have some me-time, that's just how I am.

So when I tried to justify why I was so concerned about what others were thinking, I couldn't think of a reason why.

Everyone on this planet is an individual, whose into different things, looks differently, reacts differently, it's just natural.
So by worrying that others might not think the same way as you is silly and I am so fustrated with myself for even letting it get to me.

And that's when I knew I had to stop caring.

Suddenly, I started doing the things I wanted and not having to explain why I am doing them. If people wonder why, then that's their problem. Besides, curiosity is a human trait so I don't blame them for wondering why. It was hard at first but it's just one of those things we have to overcome.

But the thing that really stopped me from caring is the fact that they probably aren't thinking about what I'm doing or how I look. It's me overreacting and being paranoid.

And therefore, worrying about something thats unknown is not worth it.

So I guess my advice is the next time you worry what others think, ask yourself, do I care? Do they care? Probably not.
And do I want to do this or am I scared that if I don't, others may judge (but probably won't)?

 Just a little thought.

Review: Nutrition Mixer

I have to say, I'm quite hard to please. And when it comes to spending money, I don't like to be ripped off.

So I've had my eye on the Nutribullet for a long time, ever since it came out.

I've also been consumed with jealousy when coming across people's instagram pictures of delicious, colourful looking smoothies that people create using these blending machines.

I realised it was time to invest in one when I really fancied a bowl of warm, homemade soup that wasn't straight from a tin. This was impossible to make without some sort of blender, so when I heard that Lidl were creating the Nutrition Mixer for only £29.99, I took the chance and purchased my own.

At around £80, the NutriBullet is £50 more expensive than the Nutrition Mixer, which both do the same job.

So, armed with my blender and an collection of recipes I had been saving up, I got straight to work making that bowl of soup.

I chose to make a simple, yet satisfying butternut squash soup.
When it got to the blender step, I filled up the beaker, flipped it over and began pureeing it.

The Verdict:

I was amazed! 

Not only is it super fast, it whizzes everything into a smooth puree within seconds! Yes it's loud, which I expected, but the results blew me away and I could finally enjoy that fresh bowl of homemade soup I had been craving for ages.

Now I cannot compare this to the NutriBullet because I've never used the NutriBullet. But I can review Lidl's Nutrition Mixer and I have to say, I'm impressed! I certainly do not feel like I'm being ripped off.

 I cannot wait till summer to try fresh smoothies, and I've already planned a Mexican night where I will use the machine to make homemade guacamole.

So if you are looking for something cheap, good value for money and does a fine job of blending, then definitely consider this model! I guess what they say is true, good things come to those who wait! I'm certainly glad I waited until a cheaper model came out than jumping straight on the bandwagon and buying the NutriBullet.

Review: A Day at the Spa

As a middle of exams treat, today I visited the Imagine Spa at the Hilton Heathrow hotel (T5). It was part of a groupon deal which included 4 hours use of the spa and a mud bath treatment. Now four hours in a spa is a lot so we didn't actually end up spending that long in there, but we spent a good four hours overall (including about an hours worth of the mud bath treatment). The spa was small and only included a hydrotherapy pool, sauna and a steam room as well as a salt mineral room (my favourite).

Altogether with the deal, it cost around £30. I wouldn't recommend paying full price for the spa as it's not that big and there was no proper swimming pool. 

However, with the treatment included in the deal, it was ok and the mud treatment is great for your skin, as well as smelling amazing! Seriously, it smelt like chocolate so it was hard not to eat it! Plus you do it yourself which gave you time to relax by yourself and go at your own pace. Other treatments available include massages and beauty treatments. Take a look at the range of treatments from the link below!

As a treat this is a good place to go, however I know there are plenty of spa's set in nicer locations and with bigger facilities. The hotel was a heathrow one so there was issues with accessing it. We ended up driving but it is hard to get to via tube. Also, we got there early to eat before but the hotel cafe and restaurant was majorly overpriced and although there were a few local pubs around, it is not near any town or central London meaning there was a lack of choice.

These sorts of deals come up on Groupon on a daily basis, however I would recommend you choose a location that is either pretty and has bigger facilities, or is in a central area. Head over to Groupon to see the latest deals, but one this you have to be is quick as they don't last long!

http://imaginespa.co.uk/thamesvalley/beauty-treatments/

A Few of My Favourite Things (Spring Edition)

Another week has gone and it feels as if March is almost over! It's scary how quickly time flies.

So this week has been one of those stressful, hard and exhausting weeks and I am so glad that it's nearly over. I have had copious amounts of coursework due in, with 3 pieces still left to go. As I have been in the library most of the week, I haven't really given much thought to what I would blog about today (do I ever?) 

Flowers are blooming outside my house already!

But the weather was so warm this week that it got me really excited for spring. It's not long now till the clocks for forward and the mornings and evenings will be lighter, yay!

So here are my favourite things about spring:

1. Warmer temperatures and Sunnier days

There is nothing better than being able to sit outside with a cup of tea and not be freezing your arse off! As already mentioned, the weather has improved a few days and it's been warm enough to sit outside. It's still not warm enough to venture out without a coat, but its sunny and bright enough to wear sunglasses and to feel warmth radiating from the sun. All this vitamin D seems to put everyone is a better mood and I cannot wait for the days to be like this most of the time.

2. Easter treats everywhere!

If theres one thing I love more than sleeping, it's eating! Especially chocolate. Which makes Easter one of my favourite times of the year. And I love the fact that supermarkets have got walls full of any easter egg you could possible think of. For those who give up chocolate for lent, I do not know how you do it! Creme eggs, mini eggs, Lindt bunnies, hot cross buns, easter sweets uhmm it's making me hungry even typing about it! 

3. Brighter Colours

The shops are bringing in their spring/summer collections and I love seeing brighter colours everywhere. It is such a change from seeing the classic winter monochrome look that is so boring. Spring makes me want to dig out all my dresses, skirts, white clothing, wear bright coloured lipsticks everyday and to add something extra to my outfits. I instantly feel more stylish and summery and this improves my mood.

4. Flowers!

Similar to the warmer weather, but I love seeing the pretty flowers bloom whilst walking to uni every morning. Next to my house we have lots of daffodils growing and seeing them instantly makes me happy. It's depressing when you think how most plants die over winter so its a breath of fresh air to begin to see flowers and sprouting leaves on trees. When the sun's out, it can make where I live look so pretty compared to looking at it on a grey and dismal day.

5. Longer Days

My final point relates to when the clocks go forward, and the days are lighter! This makes it seem like there are more hours in the day even though there isn't, but keeps you awake for longer as when it gets dark, I instantly switch to bed mode. This means I can now go for a run in the evening and not have to worry about having to do it in the dark, or make more evening plans that can go on for longer. Also early mornings are now easier to get up for as it will be lighter. I also feel peoples mood's improve when they feel more productive from longer daylight hours. It helps with communication on early mornings if the sun is shining and generally makes a long day that tiny bit better.


So as we head into spring, one thing I will make sure I am doing is enjoying the English country. As I'm away all summer, I don't have the opportunity to experience British summer, although I will be experiencing US summer so I'm not complaining. But it's the little aspects of spring that makes living in England seem so lovely and nice. We may not have the hottest temperatures or be the country with the most iconic locations, but we do have a unique way of living that makes it so quintessentially British!

FOMO, the new YOLO? Not quite...

This week's blog post comes from me watching a video about FOMO. No it's not the new YOLO, but it stands for the 'Fear of Missing Out'.

The video I watched was Ingrid Nilsen's youtube video which I will link below for you. I watched it and thought, I totally relate to this feeling. Coming from a family where I am the youngest, I have two older sisters. We are all completely different which is a really good thing. However, it does mean there has always been a thought in the back of my mind of having to be like them, have done the things they did and there is some expectations to be like them. Of course, these expectations have only come from myself, not from other people, but it still makes this FOMO feeling relevant.

I am a quiet, yet outgoing person. Basically I'm both, I enjoy going to parties, going out clubbing, visiting friends and meeting new people. However, I also enjoy my own company and nights in where I put on a cheesy movie or have a cup of tea with only my own thoughts. I don't think this is at all a bad thing, but I always think it is when I choose me time over social time.

This didn't become apparent until I came to university. During sixth form, I focused on A levels and getting good grades so it didn't bother me that I wasn't very sociable, as I felt I had an excuse for it. 

In first year I went out 2-3 times a week and loved it. I partied hard! I met so many new people and felt like I was really making the most of the university lifestyle. Second year, things changed. I suddenly started to prefer nights in over nights out. Now most people in second year do wind down a bit and crack on with work, but recently I chose to have a night in my house all by myself whilst all my housemates went out, and I felt so guilty about it. And I shouldn't have felt guilty about it at all. I feel like I had to justify to myself and others about wanting to stay in by myself, and I made up excuses to people when they asked why I wasn't coming out.

Then after watching this video, I realised that its completely fine to want to do what you want to do. Just because everyone else is doing something, doesn't make it fun for you and doesn't make it the right thing to do. Everyone is different, people who constantly go to parties and are surrounded by friends enjoy the feeling of constantly being surrounded by friends and prefer this, whereas others enjoy times where they can reflect on life and connect to themselves. It sounds deep and like some sort of meditation ritual, but I believe being alone is important for a healthy mindset and wellbeing for me personally. There will come a time when there is no one around to socialise with because they are busy or preoccupied, and people who constantly have company may struggle. But then they are usually the type of person that seek comfort from others, whereas some people prefer to be left alone. It's all about individuality and it is not helped that some people are judgemental over they way other people are (only a small minority).

My advice is to ignore it. Do what you want to do. Like the phrase YOLO, I would rather have spent my life being happy doing something I wanted to do, rather than forcing myself to try and like doing something else.

After staying in by myself, I felt content watching TV and having a cup of tea to myself. The guilt went away and the next time I want to stay in, I will. There will always be people who have so many friends and are constantly surrounded by people, and doing things with a different person each day. But I like the fact I have a small amount of friends that are true friends and I have a balance between seeing them and spending time by myself. 

Next time you have a decision and you prefer the 'staying in scenario', then do it! Your friends won't mind one bit and you get to be happy with your decision.

Thoughts of the Week

Blogging is hard!

This is what I've noticed so far. Deciding what to write about and then finding the time to write about it is difficult when you have uni and general day duties to attend to. I've also found that it's fun to think about what to write about, then actually do it when you have a brilliant idea.

This week's post is a weekly round up as I have not had any inspiration about a certain topic, so apologies if this post is very general.

So this week was the first week of February, and here's a few things I've discovered:

1. February does not automatically mean spring will arrive

I am sick of this cold weather and throwing on a jumper everyday. I want warmer weather where I can venture out without freezing my butt off and not having a thick coat/hat/scarf/gloves. I don't handle the cold well, I am much more suited to warmer climates. With the arrival of February, I kind of assumed the weather would warm up straight away seeing as next month is March and therefore it will be Spring. But I quickly realised that we are very much still in deep winter and it's still cold enough to snow. Cool for school children, not cool for summer lovers.

2. February 1st equals Valentines Day bombardments!

Us singletons loathe this time of year, and it makes it worse that the first two weeks of February means getting soppy cards and chocolates shoved in our face every time you enter a shop. It is hyped up a lot and lucky for me, I get to celebrate my friends birthday every valentines day. But every other email I receive is Valentines related. And, if you're like me and lead a complicated love life (a.k.a not entirely single but not at the relationship stage), it means I have no clue what to do. Do I get him something, a card? Or do I face leaving it and giving the wrong impression? So many dilemmas...

3. 2015 is going way too quickly already

Its already the second month of 2015 and I feel like it was only Christmas last week. It has made me realise that this year will not slow down for anyone, and that before we know it, Christmas will be here again and we'll be welcoming 2016! Scary! Also, the fact that I graduate next year is terrifying. But I do find it difficult to appreciate time at the moment as I'm so busy with various errands, and nothing particularly exciting has happened yet which means time passes by so fast without me even realising. One thing I will try to do is slow down and reflect on the year. Whether this be taking time out for a walk or having a cup of tea without checking my phone, but just thinking about life. Sounds deep but it's those moments in life that you wish you had appreciated more when looking back.

4. I have managed to achieve quite a few of my New Years Resolutions already

Looking back at my new year post, I have managed to become healthier and this has improved my mindset drastically! I have noticed that I have a whole new outlook on life! Also, I have spent my money wisely but in exciting ways (also covers the 'grabbing more opportunities'). I am off to Barcelona at the end of March (and I cannot wait!!!). I got accepted to work in USA for a whole 3 months which covers my travelling more resolution, and I even regularly update this blog! Pretty good going. The only thing I haven't been able to achieve yet is learning a new language, but I still have plenty of time for that to happen.
If you want to look back at my new year post, here is the link:
http://thelottiediaries.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/happy-new-year.html

Comment on this post if you have achieved any of your resolutions, or what you are looking forward to for 2015 still!