Update: I’m off to New York! | Blogmas Day #13


So I have some very exciting news to bring to you today! Exactly a month ago, I turned 21, and being extraordinarily lucky, my parents’ gift to me was a trip to New York! So today is finally the day that I set off on my trip, and even though I may not be very active on social media, I have actually scheduled enough posts to carry me throughout my trip. So over the next couple of days, I have quite a few travel-themed posts coming your way, so if you’re interested in having a nose through my makeup and other travel bags, then stay tuned. And of course, I will be writing a plethora of New York themed posts when I return!

RachelElizabeth

A Day in Paris

It isn’t often I get personal on here, but something rather special happened at the weekend which is definitely worth writing about. My 21st birthday is this week, and as I’m at university, I went home last weekend to have some good old family celebrations. A couple of weeks ago, my mum texted me telling me that she had something planned, but I wasn’t allowed to know what we were going to be doing. This was all very exciting, but I honestly wasn’t expecting a lot and thought we may be spending a day in London. Boy I was in for a big surprise…


On friday night, my mum broke the news that we had to leave home at 5.45am for something that she had booked. I presumed that we were going out to breakfast, and when we got on the train at 6.15am, heading towards London, this seemed pretty likely. We arrived in London and got on the tube, headed to Kings Cross and I still had no clue. I even joked when we walked past the departure boards in St. Pancras that we were going to Paris, but it wasn’t until we actually got to the Eurostar entrance and my dad whipped out our four passports (I was convinced mine was still at uni) that I knew what was in store for the day. I have to say, I have never been quite so shocked in my life, and it was probably the best surprise I could ever have gotten.

We only had 6 hours in Paris, so it was a question of cramming in as much as we possibly can. Instead of listing our day, I thought I would compile a photo diary (I luckily bought my SLR with me). Of course I managed to hit up a pharmacy and Sephora – expect many posts on all that good stuff in the near future… 






















RachelElizabeth

How to be Organised | University Tips and Tricks

If you would have told me a year ago that I would be writing a post entirely dedicated to organisation, I would have fallen about laughing (no doubt many people who know me are also doubting my ability to advise on this topic). I don’t know whether its the fact that I’m now in my third year of University (help) or that I’ve just got that bit better at managing my time. Nevertheless, if you’re at university or not, hopefully some of these tips can help you out.


Plan Your Time
Having a diary, for me, is the first step to becoming an organisational maven. Its become somewhat of a ritual for me, on a Sunday, to write in all of my lectures and seminars for the week and plan when I’m going to do my work etc. I don’t set a strict time schedule, and I don’t think that’s the key here. You want to allow yourself some flexibility so you don’t end up getting annoyed if you don’t stick to it exactly. I also like to plan my blog posts for the week, and this just helps me to keep on top of things.

Make Lists
The act of making lists always makes me feel super organised. These can either be big long-term lists or short day-to-day ones. I tend to also do this on a sunday and write down all the uni work that needs to get done that week, and then I can tick off assignments as I go. If you find yourself in a rut, it’s sometimes really handy just to write small everyday tasks on a to do list, such as putting on a load of washing or making your bed, and this really motivates me for the rest of the day. 

Separate Your Work
So when you’re making these lists it is really important to not make these tasks seem too overwhelmingly. I’m currently working on my dissertation, and on first glance this is a rather daunting experience. If you have a big project coming up, break it down into manageable chunks that you know you can achieve. For example I will set my goal as reading a certain book or articles, and these smaller tasks makes everything that little bit more manageable.. 

Get Stuck In
I know it sounds obvious, but truly once you get your head down and seriously get stuck in with organising and actually implementing your plans, everything just does seem to stick into place. It may take a while to become disciplined, but soon the motivation does kick in, and completing goals is one of the most satisfying feelings ever.

These tips may seem hopelessly obvious to some of you, but this is what has really made me become organised. Have you got any good tips? 

RachelElizabeth

Update | Where I’ve Been

I’ve finally finished my second year university exams *hooray!*, and that means I can finally get back into blogging. These exams were the first that actually counted towards my degree, so I thought it was important to give them my full attention. I have never worked so hard for exams in my life, so *fingers crossed* all of that has paid off! I also didn’t want to publish any posts with minimal effort, I preferred to wait until now when I can really perfect my posts and not send them out in a rush. The break has been great as it has made me realised how much I love writing this blog, and I have tons of inspiration for the upcoming months.

So, what happens next? In several moments of procrastination during my revision, I became very ambitious and decided I wanted to post every weekday in the summer. I have four months off uni and this is the perfect time to really get my teeth stuck into this blog and make it the best it can be. While I’m not promising anything, hopefully I will achieve this weekday schedule! Also stay tuned for some more fashion and lifestyle related posts…

I want to wish you good luck if you have/had any exams this year, and hope you’re all looking forward to the summer! Although the UK may not have the most fantastic weather in the summer, it will be nice to feel a little more carefree and less bogged down with work – I do get my reading lists for next year tomorrow though… Anyway I hope you’re all having a great weekend, and hope you’re ready for a lot more posts coming your way!

– Rachel Elizabeth x