Weekly Feel Good Quote #3

Oh hey!

Look at me on time with my Weekly feature, three cheers for me!

I love this quote and it links into one of my resolutions for this year, to take more opportunities and say 'yes' to them!

If you are on the edge of saying 'yes' to something then my advice would be to take it with both hands and take the chance. As this, if I say so myself, rather lovely presented picture says. I do certainly think that by saying 'yes' you are going to be gaining a lot more; and hey, you never know where that 'yes' may take you. Opening doors leads to opening more doors and that could lead to anything.

So go one, take the chance, the leap, the risk if you will and prove to everybody and more importantly yourself that you can do it!

Hope you all have a lovely week ahead of you and don't forget, you can always check out my other Weekly Feel Good Quotes if you're feeling a little down!

Weekly Feel Good Quote #2

Hi everyone!

Firstly again I would like to apologise for my lack of posts and lack of sticking to my schedule I posted on twitter, revision for A Levels has been so intense recently and I don't want to be writing blog posts when I'm in the middle of all of that and just rushing them; instead I prefer to take my time over these posts and make sure they're the best they can be, hopefully you'll all understand!

So, my essay of an apology aside, I would like to welcome you back to Weekly Feel Good Quote!

http://sayingimages.com/motivational-fitness-quotes-pictures/

I'm going to guess that around this time of year everybody is looking back at the resolutions they made on the 31st December 2013 and realising that they may not be fully accomplishing them, I know I am! One of mine was that I wanted to eat healthier and I know that I've let that slip a few times. Here's my advice, first off, don't worry if you are not on the ball 100%, everybody is allowed a few slips here and there and one of my favorite sayings is that 'everything is good in moderation'. If you wanted to stop eating junk food altogether then maybe alter it to eating more healthier food. If you wanted to keep on top of all of your work then maybe write a plan for each week?

I think my main point is that if you want to achieve something then you need to work for it, that doesn't mean however that you have to forget everything else and focus all your efforts onto one particular thing. 

Many little steps make giant leaps and each little step you take you should feel proud of!

Don't forget as always to give me a follow on Bloglovin and leave any comments below. Feel free to advertise your blog below in the comments too as I would love a good read!

Weekly Feel Good Quote #1

Hi there!

Right, I have tried and failed at something like this before and this time I am determined to keep it up. Welcome to my Weekly Feel Good Quote!

http://mypinkvisions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/everything-happens-for-reason.jpg?84cd58

Don't worry yourself over anything that has happened recently because chances are in the long run you will look back and find the good in it. Just sit back and take a minute, find the good in the situation now rather than later to help yourself along!

See you soon!

Char x

It's a New Year!

Well hi there and welcome to the first blog post of 2014, exciting stuff!

Now, first off I want to apologise for the lack of blogging towards the end of 2013, as some of you know I'm in Sixth Form and I've been so, so busy with everything I just never seemed to have the time. This year I want to make sure I do make the time, primarily this blog was based on beauty reviews and I certainly want to carry that on however I also want to bring in some new ideas, maybe some fashion and a lot more lifestyle?

So, to begin the year what better way than with some New Year's resolutions! Here are mine...

* Try to cut back on the amount of sugary foods - I am a BIG sweet tooth and this year I'm going to try to cut back a little bit, emphasis on the 'little bit', on sugary treats. I'm going to try to switch them with fruit or something a bit healthier. If you have any healthy tips/recipes that might help then please share!

*  Say 'yes' to every opportunity that comes my way - I love trying new things and saying 'yes' to every opportunity will definitely allow me to try a lot more different things to normal. Why don't you all try the same?

* Try to adventure out on more days out - Having a good day out is something I LOVE and this year I'm going to try to plan some day trips with friends and family, any good ideas on places to visit?

What are all your New Years resolutions, any similar to mine?

Now I have a question, I know my blog at the moment is quite a small part of the internet and I would love for it to become bigger this year. Does anyone have any tips or ideas for my blog which you think may improve it (I will welcome any constructive criticism!). Also does anyone have anything in particular they would like me to blog about?

Don't forget as always to give me a follow on Bloglovin and leave any comments below. Feel free to advertise your blog below in the comments too as I would love a good read!

Stationary Haul and Revision Tips

Hi there!

So it's been absolutely ages since I last posted and I've really missed blogging regularly, I'm going to have to make sure I keep it up more lately! Anyway, I thought I would blog about something today I haven't done before and I know for a lot of people this will not be their type of read but I love reading posts like this so thought I'd give it a go.

Some of you might not know but I am currently in Sixth Form and I'm studying Biology, Chemistry and Maths. I've also recently applied to study Medicine at University so you can probably already guess a lot of my time is spent revising. For some people I know revision is a bit of a bore but there are plenty of ways to make it a bit more bearable.

One way to make revision a bit more enjoyable is to have a good supply of stationary and if I am really honest, I love to go out and buy loads of the stuff! I recently went on a bit of a stationary haul and thought I'd share with you what I bought, some of the below I already had from last year but I thought I would include them anyway as I still use them.

Coloured felt tips, fine line pens and pencils are a great way to make revision posters and flash cards. Using colours makes facts a lot easier to remember! 

These few bits are great unessential additions to your stationary collection. Having new equipment definitely in my opinion makes revision funner and I love all the different revision techniques you can use with these few bits. Sticking sticky notes all over your bedroom wall, making revision flash cards to read just before exams and highlighting any important information.

And finally in my opinion the essential few bits that you need for pretty much all revision. Again though you can make it your own by buying patterned folders and notebooks.

And there you have it, my stationary haul that completed my stationary collection. Now onto some revision tips. I'm sure a lot of you are in school or college or maybe University and revision is something which is important. I personally don't mind revising and the satisfaction of knowing you have done as much as you could have when it comes to the exams is something I enjoy.

Here are some of my top revision tips:

* Pace yourself - make sure you don't spend hours on revision with no breaks, sometimes having a break is just as important as the revision

* Plan your revision - making a revision planner sounds dull but it certainly helps organise what you need to be doing and when

* Vary your revision techniques - unless there is only one technique that works for you then make sure you mix it up a bit. Read and write notes out, do exam questions and make posters and revision cards

* Use the stationary you buy - make use of the little things you buy, like the post it notes, use them in different ways and find the best way that works for you

* Find a good environment to work in - do you prefer music or no music? Silence or background noise? It's important to work in an environment that is best suited for you

* Reward yourself - whether this is regular breaks or having something nice to eat like chocolate and sweets ready for you when you finish. Make sure you have something to look forward to when you have finished

And there you have it, my stationary haul and revision tips. Sorry if this isn't for you! If you have found this useful then please let me know in the comments and if you have any extra revision tips that work for you then I would love to know them!

Thanks for reading!

Cambridge University Summer School Day 4 and 5 | Lifestyle

Hi there!

So I thought it would be better for me and for you reading if the last 2 days were squished into one post. I did take lots of photos and have a lot of other peoples photos saved onto my laptop of us all on the last few days however didn't want to post them onto my blog without asking permission, so therefore thought it would be easier to just miss the photos out with any other people in them.

On Thursday which was the 4th day we again had some lectures, I think these were the most interesting, they covered nerves and how they work, medical ethics and whether being old and fat is evolution fault. To finish the day, the nights activity was a formal dinner, we were put into a seating plan which again allowed us to mix with even more people we hadn't spoken to during the week and it finished with a disco back at our college we were staying at. The dinner on this night was so, so, soooo nice! At first look of the menu made me go a bit 'argh, I'm not going to eat anything!', we had duck for our main which was my first time trying it, I'm glad I did give it a go because I absolutely loved it!

At the formal dinner table

On our last day it was planned that we would present our presentation, I was a little nervous at the thought of this but once I got up there I was 100% fine. We then had an administration talk and lunch.

After the walk to the train station with all our luggage it was time to say goodbye to all the friends I had made whilst there. I really didn't expect to make such good friends in just a week, everyone there I can truly say I will miss and I'm glad that we have things like Facebook and other social networking sites to keep in contact.  The train journey home went well and I couldn't wait to get to the station to see my family.

And there you have it, my week at Cambridge University summed up. I still feel so grateful I got the chance to experience this amazing opportunity. If anyone reading this ever gets the chance to apply to one of these summer schools and is debating whether or not to, my advice would simply be just apply and give it a go. I was super excited about this as soon as I knew I got in and I know that anybody else who does will feel exactly the same way.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to follow me via Bloglovin and also check out my other posts.

I've blogged from Day 1 to Day 3 individually so have a look at those too!

There's going to be a new beauty post within the next week so keep a look out!

Cambridge University Summer School Day 3 | Lifestyle

Hi there!

I didn't take many photos on Wednesday and really wish I had done, oh well... can't do anything about that now so I'll just have to post what I took!

The Fudge Kitchen which has some of the nicest fudge I have ever tasted!

This cat apparently most likely belonged to someone in the college, it spent a lot of its time roaming the grounds!

And I'm afraid that's it for pictures! I'll just have to write about what went on instead. After having some breakfast (basically a buffet of whatever you want!) we took a taxi down to Addenbrooke's Hospital where we had a talk about Cambridge University Medical School and the differences between the courses at different Universities, this was really interesting for me as it allowed me to clearly see how each University went about teaching us the same course. We then got some time to have a chat with some medical students in their final years of training, asking them questions gave us some really useful information. Our next session was also in Addenbrooke's Hospital where we were split into two groups, my group was first shown to a room where Addenbrooke's Hospital teachers medical students some basic but crucial skills, we got the chance to have a go at some of these such as blood pressure, urine testing and registering peak flow. In this room was also where medical students are taught how to dress injuries and take blood samples. We then swapped around with the other group who were in a room where medical students were taught the best way to communicate with patients. I was blown away by the realism of the role plays. A professional actor was there to play the part of a patient and medical students could then demonstrate how they would communicate with them. This session was 'Breaking Bad News'. After lunch we took a taxi down to another part of the University where we had a lecture about Medical Ethics. We then had another Supervision session where we got the time to talk to a lecturer.

During our free time we took a trip to the Fudge Kitchen which had been pointed out to us during our first day on the tour of Cambridge. They gave out free samples which you just can't say no to!

Our evening activity was a Quiz Night, again it was another opportunity to speak to people you hadn't had the chance to yet, we didn't win but hey, its the taking part that counts right!?

If you haven't seen Day 2 then click here!

Cambridge University Summer School Day 2 | Lifestyle

Hi there!

On to Day 2 of my adventure at Cambridge University!

My view when I woke up from the first nights sleep

Trust me to go and find a massive sweet shop, I couldn't leave empty handed of course!

Walking around Cambridge Town in our free time we came across this restaurant/pub, thought it looked pretty cool! 

I so badly wanted to try some food from here but I knew we had dinner ready for us when we got back to St John's College so I resisted the temptation!

These two pictures were from inside the college we stayed at for the week, it was such a lovely place to be. I also didn't realise you can actually go into the college as a tourist, would definitely recommend it!

To finish off the day we went for a punting trip on the river, it was such a fantastic experience. Again it was something I'd never done before but I will certainly be going again if I get the chance!

Now of course, I haven't mentioned any of the lectures or academic sessions throughout the day. I didn't take photos in these sessions however will tell you a bit about them.

Our first lecture was Anatomy in Magdalene College. It was really interesting and took us through some of the basic terms needed, such as the planes of the body and how to describe whereabouts in the body a mass is for example. We then had a lecture about Pain and why we need it, this in my opinion was the best of the day. We learnt about the situation when an individual has had a body part amputated and they still feel the pain in that part of the body, despite it being removed. The next academic session was in a lab where we had kidney cells and learnt to stain them and then had a look at them under the microscope. Our final academic session of the day was a Supervision, before the session I really had no idea what it involved exactly, we were told roughly that it'd be something in a group and we get the chance to talk with a lecturer on a smaller group scale. We were put into these groups and I hadn't spoken or met any of the people in my group before the session; it was a really good way to spend time with people you haven't yet had the chance to speak to.

After the academic sessions had finished we had some free time, we took a trip into the sweet shop and then into town as well before heading back for dinner and then punting.

If you haven't already then make sure to check out Day 1 as well which can be found here.

Cambridge University Summer School Day 1 | Lifestyle

Hi there!

I feel really excited about writing this blog post as its my first lifestyle blog post I've done, hopefully everyone will enjoy it!

So a while back in the year I registered and signed up for the opportunity to go on a Sutton Trust Summer School, you may or may not know that I'm going into my final year of sixth form and next year I plan to study medicine at University. Sutton Trust do a variety of Summer Schools and I chose to apply for one at Cambridge University.

When I got the letter through the post saying I had been accepted I was so excited and literally couldn't wait to go! As well as it being the first time away from home for longer than a night it would also be my first time travelling on trains by myself, I really couldn't wait for it all to begin!

As more letters came through the post and more emails were sent regarding the Summer School I was getting more and more excited, I was really looking forward to experiencing something which I know many people don't get the chance to.

Anyway, I feel like I've written loads and not actually told you anything about what I got up to when I was there. I'm going to be blogging each day separately so here's the first!

This lanyard was sent through the post before the Summer School started, I must admit, I did like wearing this around Cambridge!

We took a few snaps before I got onto the first train, I only had one change of trains and had arranged to meet a fellow Summer School student for the second train. By this time of course I was feeling nervous but I genuinely could not wait to get there and get stuck in!

Walking into my room felt like walking into a little flat, I was so surprised by the size of it! I certainly didn't expect to have my own kitchen!

Part of the first days activities was a tour of Cambridge and wow, I've been before but I really do love the buildings and sights to be seen there. Every time you look a different way you see something that is 100% picture worthy, I was constantly clicking away and some of them seemed to turn out half decent! 

When I first arrived at Cambridge train station we ended up meeting up with so many others that were also on the same train as us and would be at the Summer School. We walked to St John's College (the host college for the week) and got our keys to settle in to our rooms. After having a look around the college we went for the tour of Cambridge and went for dinner (which might I add was some really nice food!). Then of course, because no event would be the same without them, we went and took part in some ice breakers. I really enjoyed these and having time to talk and get to know the people we'd be spending the week with was a really great start to the week ahead!

So that's the first day down and 4 more to go. I'm still looking back at the pictures and remembering how much fun I had, if I had the chance to do it all over again then I wouldn't even have to think about saying 'yes'!