I'm Going to America - Trek America 2017!

Long time no speak!

It's been a while since i've posted, and I feel terribly guilty about it. I've felt quite uninspired recently, and had quite a few things going on in my personal life that have prevented me from putting my whole heart into my posts. I know I could have thrown things together if I really wanted to, but they wouldn't have been something I was proud of. I'd like to say in 2016 i'll get this blog up and running again, but it's a work in progress and i'll work on it when the time is right.

I do, however, want to write a post as I finally did something that i've wanted to do for six years. I booked a tour across America! Los Angeles to New York, to be exact. I cannot tell you how excited I am for this to happen - anyone who knows me will tell you that i've been playing with the idea since I was 18 and had a gap year in-between college. It started with Camp America, then I planned to do it alone, then with one of my sisters, and i've finally taken the plunge and booked the Trek America Southern BLT with my younger sister for July 2017. We'll be visiting Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Sante Fe, New Mexico, San Angelo, Austin, Louisiana, New Orleans, Nashville, Memphis, Virginia, Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York. Dream!

Why now? To be honest, if I waited any longer I wouldn't have ever gone. You may or may not know that i'm engaged, and i'll be looking to move into a bigger flat in the summer, so there's just expense after expense after expense. Ever since i've started working full-time I haven't really treated myself to anything, so I think now is the right time before I get bulked down with too many adult responsibilities :P

Yes, 2017 does seem a long way away, and I completely agree. But waiting for 18 months is the sensible option as my sister will turn 21 a few days before we leave, and it will give me plenty of time to save the £5k needed. It's going to involve me budgeting and saving like crazy, but I was willing to pay the extra money to sleep comfortably in accommodation instead of camping like many of the treks involve. We'll be going in the height of summer, which isn't very sensible, but it'll be amazing to see America in the sunniest season (the only time i've been to America was in winter and it was difficult to see anything through the snow). Note to self: Bring 100000000 bottles of Factor 50!

So yeah, this is happening. The next step is to book our flights in July/August (as we're mega keen it's too early to book anything!) and then from there we're able to book our accommodation for before and after (we're planning on staying in New York for a couple of days afterwards) and then get the transport sorted. As i'm a bit of a spreadsheet geek i've already made a two page breakdown of predicted costs and a savings plan :P Can you tell i'm excited?! I think in preparation i'll be doing a series of posts to document the run-up, from budgeting to checklists, as when I was doing my research all of the blog posts and YouTube videos I found were extremely helpful. Is anyone else doing a trek in the near future and have some advice? I'd love to hear from you!

SEE YOU IN 2016.

Post-uni Life Lessons

In honour of Father's Day, here's me and my dad (looking all smart!) at my graduation :) 

So it's been about a year since I left Bournemouth, and to say my life has dramatically changed has been an understatement. While i've seen plenty of my peers enjoy their post-uni freedom by going travelling and taking trips, i've settled into a full-time job and my own place with my other half. Although not envious at all, it's definitely made me reflect on this past year and the thing's i've learned, and some i'm still struggling to wrap my head around:

I've learnt...

That living in a student house isn't the same as living in your own place
Living in student accommodation has the advantage of having someone else taking care of your bills. Yes, you need to pay them, but no one has to deal with meter readings and all that rubbish. Now it's all down to you - from setting up the internet to making sure the direct debits come out on time. It's stressful at first, but when you get the hang of it, there's a sense of responsibility and confidence that's totally new. Is that sad? Quite possibly!

That being broke is just a way of life
When I was practically living in my overdraft I thought of having no money was part and parcel of being a student. It wasn't until I moved away I realised I wasn't exactly going to be swimming in cash after my first 'proper' paycheque. Accumulating savings is hard, and although my parents have been a great help, there comes a point when you can't simply run to mum and dad whenever you need a bit of extra cash. You're an adult now, jeez.

How to cook without using a packet mix
I never used to really bother about eating well during uni as I lived so close to home I would just head to my mums for a good meal when I fancied it. But since they now live 100 miles away, i've learned to make my own comfort food. I now know what foods to make when i'm feeling sad or sick, and i've started actually getting excited when Rob brings home a new kitchen appliance for me to play around with (fresh pasta maker? Yes please!).

How to appreciate the weekends
I actually get two days off in a row now! I never had the luxury of being able to go without a job during uni, so I didn't get to have hangover fry-up's on sunday's at Wetherspoons or go shopping with my friends on a Saturday. So now, I make every weekend count. Sometimes I need the two days to recharge my batteries, but I try to make use of my time by not sleeping in, going on day trips and visiting friends and family whenever I can.

How to make a Netflix series stretch for more than a week.
During the summer between second and third year of uni, I watched nine seasons of Grey's Anatomy. Nine. Oh, those were the days! I've now learned to ration my programmes to give myself something to look forward to when i've had a particularly stressful day at work. Deadlines are a lot less daunting when there's new Pretty Little Liars to look forward to when you get home!

That living with a boy is hard!
During the last two terms of uni, Rob and I were basically living at each other's houses, making me think that living with another person would be a breeze. But be warned: You will argue about the washing, paying the bills and not cleaning up after each other. You don't want to become a nag, but sadly, it's inevitable. But the good definitely outweighs the bad and I couldn't imagine it any differently now :)

How much you need family your family and friends
You lean on your family and friends more than you ever thought you would. When I was at uni, I was still close to my family but I could go a fair few days without making contact. Now, I try to speak to at least one of them every day, and i'm constantly making plans to visit. Living on your own is hard, but living 100 miles away from everyone is even harder. It's important to stay in contact with everybody and ensure that the effort is equal from both parties.

I still need to figure out...

How to separate washing properly
Colour catchers are my new best friends, but yet the thought of turning something pink still terrifies me. I have a red and blue top that's been sat at the bottom of my washing basket for the past 4 months - what do I wash it with?!?!

How to make a bed
There's nothing quite like having your mum make your bed for you. Why are my sheets so creased? Why do they keep pinging off of the mattress? Are my children destined to sleep in crappy, half-made beds as i'm not blessed with the bed-making gene? These are the questions that keep me up at night.

What I even want to do
I thought i'd have it all figured out by the time I graduated. However, I see so many people straying from the traditional path of 'uni, work, house, marriage children' and completely making up their own rules. At 23, i'm incredibly lucky to have the life that I have and for the opportunities that have arisen for me - but it scares me to think where my life could be another year on from now! I suppose it's okay not to have all of the answers, but it makes me nervous all the same.

How I Clean My Make-up Brushes

Cleaning make-up brushes is boring as hell. No one wants to spend their evenings scrubbing countless fluffy eyeshadow brushes, but unfortunately it's something that must be done if you love wearing a full face of make-up every day - so I thought i'd share how I clean mine!

There are two different combinations of products I use to clean my make-up brushes, each being really simple and using products that are cheap to buy. Instead of forking out the cash for a branded 'brush cleanser', I pay no more than a couple of pounds and the products really do last for ages! To be honest, I do have lots of make-up brushes with different bristles and i'm not entirely sure what sort of cleaner is recommended, but these seem to work just fine with my brushes :)

Option One: Johnson's Baby Shampoo

If it's good enough for a baby, it's good enough for me! I love this stuff because it's really inexpensive, comes in a squeezy tube and leaves my brushes feeling super soft and smelling amazing.

1. Wet brush with warm water and squeeze on a small amount of baby shampoo.

2. Massage the shampoo into the bristles - don't be scared of losing the shape or getting a bit rough with it!

3. Rinse with warm water until the water runs clear (You may have to repeat the second step for foundation brushes or any dense brush that picks up a lot of product.)

4. Dry off the excess on a clean towel, reshape if needed and place on another towel on a flat surface. I like to have my brushes hanging off the edge of something or facing slightly downward so that the water runs off and doesn't loosen the glue that secures the bristles.

Option Two: Washing Up Liquid and Olive Oil

I love this combination as it contains everyday things you'd find in the kitchen. The olive oil helps break down the make-up and softens the bristles whilst the washing up liquid gives them a good old clean!

1. Combine two parts washing up liquid and one part olive oil into a small bowl.

2. Swirl each brush into the mixture until it's completely covered.

3. Massage into the bristles and rinse with warm water until clear.

4. Exactly the same as option one - dry off the excess on a clean towel, reshape and place on a another towel.

Leave to dry for 24 hours and there you have it! Lovely, clean brushes. If you can, (as I know we're all busy!) try to do this once a week to keep your brushes bacteria-free and in the best possible condition.

What do you guys use to clean your make-up brushes? :)