18 (The Things I have Learnt)

So tomorrow it is my 18th birthday and I will no longer be classed as a teenager but instead I will be an 'adult' which is both exciting and terrifying. I am going to go through all the things I have learnt whilst being a teenager and hopefully they will help those of you that are younger than me:

1. It Is Okay To Stay At Home and Not Go To That 'Party'

Parties are great but it doesn't matter if you decide to stay at home and relax. It is always important to make sure you have time for yourself and reading at home or having a hot bath with bath salts is an amazing way to relax and have some 'me' time.

2. Falling In Love is Overrated

I learnt the hard way that you shouldn't spend your time chasing after people that aren't worth your time, sometimes things aren't meant to be but that is okay.
If it is meant to happen, it will happen.

3. School is not the most important thing in the world.

There is alot more to life than academics and it is important to not let yourself become overwhelmed by the workload. Take one thing at a time and never leave essays or assignments until the last minute. Work to the best of your ability and it is okay to receive criticism to your work because next time you can improve it and make it better. 

4. Books are Underrated

Whenever I am having a bad day, I always pick up my favourite book The Day of The Triffids and I drink alot a green tea. Somehow it always makes me feel calmer so don't forget about the books. You can explore new worlds with your mind, escape reality for a couple of hours or you can just learn new facts. Don't forget about the books.

5. Know Your Limits 

Make sure you know when to stop drinking.

6. It is okay to spend time alone.
Read a book, watch a movie, go on a walk, think. I find I work best when I am alone and I learn alot about myself when alone, it is not always a bad thing.

7. Forgive Yourself 

8. As bad as it might seem, there are people out there that do care.

9. Go to gigs.
Spending the entire night dancing, moshing and singing along to your favourite bands lyrics with thousands of other people will be one of the best things you will ever experience. I have had so much fun and met so many amazing people from going to gigs, including one of my really good friends.

10. Travel.
Some of my favourite memories are from when I went travelling or exploring. I remember really well how me and friend went on a spontaneous trip to Glasgow, we just caught a train and explored.

11. Love Yourself
This is something I am still struggling with but I am making small steps every day to embrace myself more and more.

12. Try New Things
Even if it doesn't work out, you will have funny stories to tell.

13. Never Feel Pressured To Do Something You Don't Want To Do
If you don't feel comfortable, don't do it. It doesnt matter whether or not it seems cool or fun or it is just what everyone else is doing, you shouldn't feel pressured to join in and that's okay.

14. Talk to People
I have met so many amazing people just from talking. Only the other day, I shared a table with a guy in a coffee shop and we just sat and talked for a couple of hours and he told me about his life. As terrifying as it might seem it is definitely worth trying.

15. Your Most Embarrassing Moments Will Be The Best Stories
I can't even begin to tell you about all the embarrassing things I have done in my lifetime but they are honestly the best stories I have to tell. They make me me. I am that clumsy girl that falls down stairs but I honestly feel like they have made me who I am today.

16. Be Honest
There is nothing worst than lying.

17. Chocolate Makes Everything Better
Chocolate is just great, enough said.

18. Write Down Everything
I have kept journals throughout my life and as mortifying and embarrassing they are, I love them. They reflect on who I used to be and who I am now and it's pretty cool to see how much I have changed since I was 12. Writing is underrated but it will be worth it when you look back in a couple of years.

I Love November

November is by far my favourite month of the year but I guess thats due to many reasons:

1. November is my birthday month (17th November) so I am usually doing alot of celebrating, bad dancing and eating lots of cake. I will be 18 in 8 days which is crazy.

2. I have been at school for 2 months so I have a lot of work to do before Christmas break, its also pretty hectic especially with my subjects since they are all essay based so that means coursework!.

3. November has now become my 'The Hunger Games' month and anyone that is a fan would agree with me. I am currently spending alot of my time trying to keep up with all the cast interviews/TV Spots and Premieres. (Tomorrow - 10th November, is the one year anniversary since I met THG cast at the London Premiere, which is crazy and I still don't really believe it has happened or that it has been a year already). I had the most incredible time and I tend to spend most of November reminiscing on one of the best nights.

 4. It is cold and rainy but it is hot chocolate weather which makes it the best time of the year.

5. I am going to gigs: I am going to see Walk the Moon on the 25th November for my birthday (S/O to Ritchie for being wonderful and getting me tickets). So I spend alot of my time listening to their music and getting overly excited because my favourite band are actually playing in the UK and I will be seeing them live!!

6. Mockingjay Part 2 is being released"!!! which means I need to reread the books and rewatch the films before going to the midnight screening on November 18th. I am not prepared for it all to end.

So I guess what I am trying to say is, despite the fact I am not posting I am doing other interesting things so please let me know if you would interested me in giving you weekly updates on my life since I am currently doing alot of exciting stuff which is kinda unusual aha

I Disappeared Again? (Updates)

Again I am sorry for being inactive, I really wish I was far more consistent but hey I have been extremely busy and a lot has happened since I last posted. 

So first thing, I got an offer from Cardiff University to study English Literature within 24 hours of me sending off my applications which was incredible and so unbelievable since I thought I had no chance of getting an offer. Mainly since my sixth form had told me repeatedly that it was unlikely I would get a place on such a competitive course so I have been very happy over the past few days since Cardiff Uni is my first choice uni. 

I have also been to 2 gigs since I last posted. On thursday 22nd Oct I went to see Nothing But Thieves in Manchester for the second time and they were incredible. The only downside was that since im 5'4 and I had two giants stood in front of me the entire gig, I did struggle to see but these kind guys stood next to me moved up so I could see which helped aha.

I would definitely recommend seeing Nothing but Thieves live since they give such an intense and incredible performance and you will be dancing all night. Me and my friends also got to meet Conor and Dom who were so lovely after the gig. Conor even remembered us from when we met him at the Young Guns gig which was very cool.

I also went to see Amber Run on friday night which I am still recovering from aha! We had to walk 6 miles to get to venue (long story short we were dropped off at the wrong end of Manchester and suprisingly we managed to navigate ourselves without getting lost). It was such an incredible night and we managed to get right to the barrier. I started talking to the two girls stood next to me (Ellie and Charlotte) and they were so lovely. 

After the gig, I somehow managed to grab Joes plectrum (the lead singer). We then got a picture with Ellie and Charlotte who were the nicest girls. 

*I'm the girl on the right*

*Again I'm the girl in the middle and my two bestfriends Milli and Mol are on the right of me*

We then got to meet the entire band (Amber Run) after the gig which was amazing and the band were so lovely and cool. They signed my gig ticket and if I am honest, the Amber Run was probably one of the best gigs I've been to since the atmosphere and the performances were just incredible. 

I am going to try my best to upload as much as possible but since November is going to be an extremely busy month for me (I will explain this in another blog post) I am unsure if I will be posting as much as often but I am determined to keep you informed on my life and all the stuff I am doing.

Update: Gigs and Birthdays

Hello

I am sorry for being so inactive recently and not posting for the last week but I have been pretty busy. My best friend, Ritchie, turned 18 yesterday so I spent most of this weekend hanging out with him and relaxing. 

 I have been a fan of Rhodes music since I first picked up the Raise Your Love EP in 2013 (i think?) and I fell in love with his beautiful music and lyrics. I introduced Ritchie to his music since we both have very similar music tastes and he also really liked Rhodes music so when I found out he was doing a UK tour a couple of months ago, I asked if he was interested and he said 'Yes, Obviously.' so we booked tickets.

So on Saturday night, I headed down to Manchester with Ritchie where we went to see Rhodes perform live. It was one of the most incredible gigs I have been to and I have been to alot of gigs. We managed to get right to the front at the barrier and it was amazing watching Rhodes perform live. We were both dancing and singing (terribly) but the atmosphere of the venue was so intimate and breathtaking since nearly everyone was singing along.

It was incredible to see Rhodes perform live as he put so much heart and soul into his music. Me and Ritchie were luckily enough to meet the support act (JP Cooper) and  Rhodes after the gig. they were both such kind and genuine guys. I wish them both the best in the future and if you haven't yet listened to their music you need to since they are such incredible musicians.

So over the next few months I am going to 4 more gigs (in Manchester), which is insanely exciting:

Oct 22nd - Nothing But Thieves

Oct 30th - Amber Run

Nov 25th - Walk The Moon

Dec 5th - Kodaline

I will keep you updated on the future gigs I will be going to and if you would like me to?

So following the gig on Saturday, I spent my Sunday working all day and then on Monday (Ritchies actual birthday) I headed to his for dinner with his family and it was one of the nicest things I have done, it was so lovely to hang out with his family and a few close friends just relaxing and reminiscing, his grandparents made amazing birthday cake aswell which was great aha

I will be posting updates weekly for you and hopefully I will be able to post book reviews every 2 weeks from now on x

Untitled Poem

I thought I would finally share some of my writing with you since it is something I love doing and it's a huge part of my life, it is the one thing I can do which helps to calm me down when life gets a bit too much. I actually wrote this poem in the space of ten minutes (?) and I am impressed it actually makes sense but here is my untitled poem:

The passing of time is truly terrifying

Knowing that I have no control over the future

Knowing that the past will remain

And the present is constant

Wandering forwards I try to distract myself

Reading sleeping eating living

But never loving.

Loving is not something that comes easily

I forget where I am sometimes

Losing track of time and place

I feel lost all the time

Wandering the empty road of time

I like to forget

Because that is the only moment when time doesn’t matter

I have true freedom

Tranquility and it is peaceful

No need to worry about the lost words

Forgotten conversations

Future lives

And mistaken fortunes

I am scared of time

The continuous ticking of a clock

The innate thought that I must continue

But what if I want to stop.

CR: Verity A Shaw

Not an Angry Rant But a Comment on Society.

(I am going to try my hardest to make this not sound like a rant but I have had enough.)

As a young woman, I have grown up feeling anxious  of what other people might think of me and pressured to look a certain way. I know for a fact, I am not alone in this matter and alot of my friends feel this way and it breaks my heart. It is not right nor fair that as women (and people) we should feel so heavily judged by society.

I always knew that the double standards for men and women were not equal but recently after an incident one of my closest friends when through, I now understand the full extent of these unjust views and I have never been angrier about the way society is.

My friend (I won't state her name for obvious reasons) went to party, she got drunk and she ended up kissing a younger guy. Following the party, she has been called a 'slut' and indirectly she has recieved masses of insults. I know that if it was a male in her position they would be treated entirely differently to her and glamorized for their actions which is so wrong and ridiculous. The guy who she kissed is recieving a lot of congratulations about what he has done yet she is being ridiculed and mistreated?? The double standards for men and women are ridiculous and this needs to change.

I knew it was a problem, but I was being passive in assuming that it didnt matter (not until the issue was faced by a close friend)  since I was not involved in this problem. I know other people are thinking in a similar way to me but we can't do this to ourselves. Men and Women are equal. We should not be shaming one for what the other is glamorized for, it is unfair and stupid.

I know this single blog post won't make much of a difference but we need to realize as a society that this mindset is minimizing all the chances we have in our lives. We need to change these dumb double standards and change this by speaking out against these comments.

(Really Late) August Wrap Up

August Wrap Up ?

I know it's technically the 20th September but hey its never too late to do a Wrap Up!
So I have read alot last month! 17 books in fact, I dont think I have read this much during one month in a long time and it's a pretty good feeling knowing I have finished alot of my TBR books.

These are the paperback books I have read...

1.  Storm by Amanda Sun (the final book in the Paper God's series) 4 / 5
I loved reading this series and it was amazing but I just felt like the ending was rushed and as bad as it sounds I expected someone to die, yet no one did and the ending felt a bit too happy for me ??? I mean they have powers from the gods yet after a huge fight they were all okay ? Pfft

2. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 3.5 / 5
Okay so I finally got around to reading this book and after all the hype I had heard about it, I had pretty high expectations but I just felt like I was reading an entirely different book to everyone else ? I loved and hated reading this book. The plot twists left me reeling but I loved Emily Bronte's writing style. Heathcliff wasn't amazing and wonderful like everyone always talks about, I mean he is an intriguing and mysterious character but he is also kind of an asshole . The writing was amazing and I do love the way in which Emily Bronte writes but I felt let down by all the hype.

3. One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kesey 3 / 5
Since I am studying this book in my English Lit class I needed to pick it up and it was a good book but I didnt find myself loving it, and parts were difficult to read but I mean thats what the book was trying to portray.

4. The Crysallids by John Wyndham 4 / 5
I love this book, incredible read written by one of my favourite authors.

5. The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham 4 / 5
Okay I struggled to get into this book but jeez once the actions started I loved it. Such unique ideas come from Wyndham and they always work so well.

6. The Seeds of Time by John Wyndham 3 / 5
Not one of my favourite Wyndham books but a good read nonetheless.

7. The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham 5 / 5
I loved this book so much, I am just disappointed I didnt pick this book up earlier. The concept behind this book is so eerie and sinister but I can't really note any flaws. I read this book within a few hours since I just couldnt stop reading it.

8. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris 5/5
 It has been a long time since I have picked up a psychological thriller and I was somewhat hesistant since it isnt something I would typically read but this book was incredible.
I really enjoyed this book, I was on the edge of my seat when reading this and I was just mesmorised by this sinister world. Hannibal Lector himself is so creepy and everything he said just made my skin crawl but Harris does such an amazing job portraying him.

and on my kindle:

9. Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx 3 /5
Since I am studying this book in English Literature, I decided to pick it up and read it on the plane (to Austria) it didnt take long to read and it was an okay book. I didnt feel particularly engaged with the characters but hey

10. Solitaire by Alice Oseman 2.5 / 5
So I had heard alot of positive stuff about this book so I had hopes that I would actually enjoy this book but I struggled to since I just found the main character (Tori) so irritating, the only characters I liked and actually found remotely interesting was Nick and Charlie. I would prefer to say I liked this book but I just felt disappointed and I always find it difficult to read a book when I dont like the protagonist.

11. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han 4 / 5
I don't usually like reading 'teen romance' books but I was somewhat intrigued by this book, I really enjoyed it and I honestly thought I would hate it. Lara Jean was such a sweet and genuine character and I loved reading about her.

12. PS I Still Love You by Jenny Han 4/5
A sweet sequel, enjoyable and I loved reading more about Lara Jean's family.

13. Miss Periguines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 5/5
I am gutted I didnt read this book series earlier, I loved it. Such a unique and intriguing storyline and I couldnt stop reading once I started. Jacob Portman was such an amazing character and the concept behind this book and the 'peculiars' was incredible. I loved the picture elements since they added so much character the book.

14. Hollow City by Ranson Riggs 5/5
Great Sequel which I read in a couple of hours and the plot twists!!!  I am so excited for the final book to be released this month!

15. 99 Days by Katie Cotuguo 3/5
Good book with a pretty stupid female protagonist, however I loved the character growth throughout the book. Important message about gender inequality featured at the end of the novel which was the main reason I liked this book to be honest.

16. Asylum by Madeliene Roux 4/5
This book was amazing, it has been a long time since I have read a book that has given me chills (from being scared). I loved the concept behind the book (a summer school based where a mental asylum used to be), such a creepy and intriguing storyline.

17. Sanctum by Madeliene Roux 4/5
A great sequel to the first book although I did struggle occassionally to understand how the 'clues' linked and whether or not the antagonist was possessed or just psychotic, but I guess that's the point.

Hopefully, I will continue with this reading streak but since I go back to Sixthform for my final year, I am unsure as to whether my reading will continue at this pace...