Home for Christmas

It's not until this year being my first year away from home that I've realised how there really is no place like home especially at Christmas.
I used to love when my brother would come home from college at Christmas with his presents for the family and we'd catch up, now I'm the one doing it.
Packing to leave college knowing I would stay at home finally for more then two days got me even more exciting and also bringing my boyfriend home for a few days was like alright too Ya know (*playing it cool).
My mum had suprised me making my bed with my Christmas duvet and stringing lights around it which really made me feel at home and of course the endless supply of good food was all a college kid needs to say welcome home.
Its not till you dont have something anymore that you realize how special it is and time with your family at home is one of them.

Nothing says homely like your pooch, a good Christmas movie and a big ole bowl of popcorn

20 things to do before I'm 20...Get a tattoo

So tomorrow I turn twenty, my last day as a teenager and getting away with things a respectable adult wouldn't... so I finally got my tattoo.
This wasn't just a crazy spur of the moment thing, I've been debating this for the past THREE YEARS.
Ever since my Nan died I wanted this tattoo, I've been doing sketches and knew exactly how I wanted it.. a butterfly with an N on the wing.
I've never been comfortable with pain (come on who is) so I've always said "one day" but something triggered, I don't no what it was, maybe the fact that I said I'd do it before I was 20 and only had a short Time left to do it, but it pushed me to do it and I felt ready.

Okay yeah before the can of red bull and gripping my friends hand so hard she lost circulation, I might of been a bit freaked out but I still went through with it, no matter how much I still can't believe I did. Ive been thinking about this for three years and it's so hard to believe I've finally done it but I am more than happy and so proud.

College so far..

Just over a month in, first midterm and what can I say it's been a mental time for sure.
I've met some amazing friends, found a course I love and honestly grew up so much in six weeks.
It's been far from easy, there's been more drama than a years worth of Corrie but it has thought me alot.
It's hard to even remember most of the things that have happend, living in student accommodation it's like it's own mad little world where housepartys every night, going down the hill in a shopping trolley and randomly turning up at your neighbours house for tea at 5am are all perfectly acceptable.
To give you an example of why I've been M.I.A for so long (I've even forgotten to ring my mum) here are just some of the things that have happend in college so far..

Freshers week (explains itself)

Ended up in hospital first weekend (asthma, dam damp in student accommodation)

Found my best friend who basically lives by my side (spends more time on my couch than her own house)

Come home for naps between classes and ended up sleeping through the rest of classes that day (ok yes this has happened more than once)

Having flat issues such as no curtains for 2 weeks (I might add my room is the front bottom floor)

Lost all abilitly to cook (even noodles, my flatmates constantly are reminding me to stir the food I leave on the hob)

Which leads me to..
Leaving a can of spaghetti in a saucepan on the hob to 'cook later' but infact leaving the hob on and it starting to cook then

Waiting for food to cook over 40 minutes and finding I only had the light on not the oven

Been locked out of the flat more than once, including the morning after dreasing as a schoolgirl for a party

Found that I always have to have a nap before going out, including in the middle of a house party when there was about 40 people in our house

Decided to go out and pull an all nighter before going on a school trip because the bus was at 5am so 'there was no point sleeping' (fair to say I was an hour on the bus before having to call my mum to pick me up)

Came home for the weekend and literally slept from Friday through to Sunday

College has been one mental ride so far, it's had its ups and downs but I'm on this journey for the long run and I cant wait to see where it goes..

Mamas surprise 😊

On the day my mum brought me down to my student accommodation to stay for college it was emotional to say the lease but we kept it simple and we knew we'd see each other the following week anyway.
I happen to have my friend over and we were planning on going out and I presumed it was her bag under my desk until I moved it and she said I wasn't hers then I knew my mum left it there. My friend told me not to open it until the next day when I was by myself and could enjoy it, she also knew id be a wreck going out if I looked at it.
So the next day when I was by myself relaxing (recovering) I had a great time going through the little surprises  that she put together for me and being a mum she put in all the necessities that I needed but forgot such as toothbrushes and even plasters because hey we all know I wasn't getting through a week without ending up in hospital.

 Good auld mammy putting in the treats

Making my dorm room Homely

I've been moving bits a bobs (mostly clothes) into my college  flat room for awhile now and its slowly starting to look a bit more homely. I've brought with me candles and tokens such as quotes that mean alot to me to remember home and brighten up the room.

It took some getting used to but now three months it's defiantly.. eh lived in 

My Gap Year comes to a close

It's official my Gap Year is over, I've had my last days of volunteering and have started moving out for college. It's hard for me to explain just how much this year has made a difference for me. A year ago I was having trouble going anywhere, wasn't interested in doing anything and even the thought of going to college terrified me. Now.. its just incredible. I have so much confidence that for a girl who was always quiet, didn't have a lot of friends and used to spend a lot of time by myself, has changed me completely, I put myself out there without a second thought now from the little things to going shopping by myself to travelling to a friends birthday ( a friend I met at a festival and didn't know anyone else there).
This year not only gave me amazing experiences and thought me so much that will benefit me in the work I want to do, it (as my mum says) gave back the real me, it put the smile back on my face and gave me a purpose in life.
I can not describe the excitement that is inside me for all the endless possibilities I have yet to come, meeting my flatmates, starting my college course and living away from home. Then who knows where I will go from there. One things for sure I'm going to grab every opportunity I can, thats one thing I learn't for sure in this year. To quote all the teenagers out there.. You Only Live Once, Live While Your Young.

Letters Of Love

Even though my best friend has moved back to our hometown, I am moving away for college and it'll be hard to keep in touch so were going to keep up with writing and sending little parcels to each other mainly because we love it so much and it really it is a great way to keep in touch and hear everything that's going on in each others lives.

One of the best things about sending parcels to each other is the random little things we make that are so special and meaningful.

I made these little quote cards and a dreamcatcher for this parcel.

I had an old disposable camera that had only a few pictures taken so I passed it on to her to take random and wild pictures so I'll have a surprise when I'm developing it.

My Best Friend in the whole wide world is getting married and no one other that her could be as excited as I am, I made this little card and sent it with a necklace that was handed down to me from a relative who had it for over 60 years.

 Lastly I added one of my favorite pictures of us which was taken on my trip to England to visit her... one of the best trips of my life. 

The Excitement is real

I've just been accepted to College and this week I've been moving my bits into my new room in student accommodation sharing with two others. I am soooo unbelievably excited from hanging pictures in my room to getting my own cleaning products and making my bed.
The little things like having my own key and locking up as I leave, walking into town to get bits and having my family over are probably the same feelings all first years have... It's official I'm an adult.
I'm turning 20 next month and with moving out, getting my Learner's permit, paying bills and sorting out all the paperwork needed for college I can safely say I'm enjoying the first real taste of adult life.. we'll see how long that lasts though.

Movie Reviews: What If and The Five Year Engagement

After a hectic weekend I wanted a chill day and what better way to do it then a movie in bed pajama day. I got What If the other day and thought it would be a perfect chill out movie. It is literally what it says on the box 'a perfect date night movie'... if only I had a date. It's your typical boy meets girl, girl has boyfriend movie, who doesn't love a good rom-com. It was a nice movie, I hate to say just nice but it didn't blow me away, didn't have the wow factor or give me the feeling of 'man that was the best movie I've ever seen'. It really is a movie to watch with the girls, date night or just to chill by yourself. Maybe I'm just more of an action kind of girl, forget the chick flicks but if unlikely love story's are your thing this is definitely one for you.

I'll be honest with this one it wasn't my favorite, and the ending kind of was just like 'oh we're running out of time quick come up with an ending'. I guess if you're in the mood for  a rom com chick flick kinda movie this definitely matches that criteria and hey Jason Segal.. whats not to love.

Harry Potter necklace collection

What could one girl love more than Harry Potter and jewelry....

I love the fact that if (you're from mars or something) you don't spot Harry Potter themed things it just looks like unique jewelry and it feels like it has a secret meaning. 

My amazing brother randomly comes across HP things and surprises me with them and this absolutely class Gryffindor crest necklace is one of them.

This time turner has got to be one of my favorites because who wouldn't love putting this on and channeling your inner Hermione. 

 This little broom necklace is just what I mean about being subtly about HP it looks like an ordinary broom necklace but if you look closely it has a little bolting light on the broom.. and we all know what that stands for.

 

I think the Deathly Hallows necklace speaks for itself to be honest.