University: A Reflection

This month marked the end of an era. 

For those of you who don't know, I've just completed a three-year degree studying creative writing at Liverpool John Moores University. I know it's cliché but I can't believe how fast it's gone, the past three years have absolutely flown by. On the whole, the university bubble has been a crazy little thing. I've experienced a lot and changed a lot. I've grown up. 

With all of this in mind, I thought it would be nice to summarise my university experience in a blog post. It's not only for me to reflect but also for you to maybe learn something about university life.  I know I would have loved to read something like this when I was about to embark on this incredible journey. 

First Year 

The first year of university is commonly referred to as an 'adjustment period' because 'the first year doesn't count'. That's not a lie, it doesn't count for anything. It's the year that students tend to go out every night, spend all their money and socialise as much as they can (it's the only year they'll be able to do such things without feeling guilty). 

I moved into student halls and lived in a flat with three other girls. The flat itself was lovely, we were on the seventh floor, overlooking the docks, and we always had a perfect view of the sunset. However, I didn't fit in and we didn't create a huge group like I'd expected. I thought I'd create a strong bond with my flatmates and that we'd still be friends in 10 years time. Sadly this didn't happen, I had one close flatmate and that was it. I'm not a naturally shy person and I love meeting new people so I was surprised that I didn't click with anyone. The hardest part was seeing my friends from home make such tight-knit friendship groups with their flatmates. I felt jealous, let down and left out. I couldn't understand why I wasn't having the same experience. 

In terms of studying, I struggled. I hated it. 

I felt like I was expected to know a lot more than I'd been taught and I realise that no amount of a-level revision will prepare you for university. After having four months away from anything academic, it was all about getting back into studying again. And believe me, it's harder than it seems.

Originally, I started out studying drama and creative writing as a combined degree. I was this confident young girl, adamant that I wanted to be a drama teacher. However, this didn't go to plan. Studying drama was the worst decision I ever made and looking back, I wonder if I would have had a different experience at another university. I wish I could turn back time. 

Your first day at university is like your first day at school. You want to make friends, you want to impress and you want everyone to like you. It's nerve-wracking and I went through all the same feelings. But I had an added pressure. A demon of a drama lecturer. 

He was disgusting. That's the only word I can use to describe him. He made me feel worthless. He made everyone laugh at me countless times, and all at my expense. He made frequent comments about my weight and appearance (something I've struggled with from a young age). I was always told that I wasn't good enough. I remember him calling me gormless and doing an impression of me to everyone. They all laughed. 

I'd leave his sessions every week in tears. He'd always ask me  'why the f*** are you on this course?' and I never knew what to say. One day, I'd had enough. I turned around and said, 'I don't know' and I never went back. I was very lucky that this happened before the deadline to switch courses. I sent a few emails, changed a few documents and just like that, I became a single honours creative writing student.

The hardest thing to realise at university is that you're not at school anymore. Gone are the days of calling your teacher 'Miss' or 'Sir', a university is a place for everyone. You'll be in lectures with people twice your age and you all have the right to be treated like adults. I noticed that this lecturer treated the older students with respect, yet I got nothing. You're not a child anymore and you deserve to be treated like the young adult that you are. I wish I would have realised this sooner.

In terms of friendships, it was a strange year. I was trying to find out where I belonged, who I belonged with and just where I slotted into the university puzzle. Freshers was cool but there wasn't a social side to it and some of the societies I joined were simply boring.

I made a few friends on the drama side and mainly stuck with the combined honours clique. However, when I changed courses I was thrown back into the deep end and forced to start the friendship thing all over again. Luckily, I met these lovely ladies on my first day as a single honours student and I'm very lucky that they've stayed with me throughout.

Due to other events, I fell out with my college girl gang (which, now I look back, was a complete blessing) and I lost a lot of the drama friends who had listened to me cry countless times over that stupid lecturer. It's okay to be losing friends at university and again, I wish I would have realised this sooner. Every time you lose friends, you gain friends. Everyone is in the same boat and most people are very friendly.

I'd recommend joining facebook groups for your course and for your student halls. I found all of my flatmates on these groups and it means that you'll see some familiar faces on your first day, making things that little bit less daunting.

Second Year

The second year was my least favourite year. I can't tell you how many times I considered packing the whole thing in and dropping out. I was downed with a huge bout of anxiety which, in turn, meant that my social life went downhill. I realise this anxiety had something to do with my terrible start at university and looking back, I wish I could tell my lecturer just how much his comments both hurt me and changed me.

A creative writing course is very different because unlike most degrees, we don't sit exams. It's understandable because how can you sit an exam on writing? It's something that needs to be worked on over a long period of time (or in my case a few weeks!). The workload was so much more than I ever expected and because of my anxiety, most of my assignments were completed and submitted an hour before deadline. If I can give you any advice, please don't do this. It's a miracle I completed it.

In terms of living arrangements, I moved back home with my parents. As much as I loved living in my little flat, we had a lot of problems with student housing so I made the decision to make the move back home. I'll be honest, I loved it. I only live half an hour away from the city and as I was only in uni two days a week, it made more sense to commute.

I also got a job working in my local market as a Saturday girl on a hair and beauty stall. It was the perfect job to balance with my studies. I'm still working for them two years later and loving my job more than ever.

As I previously said, my social life went downhill. I felt like I didn't fit in and didn't belong anywhere. I was trying and struggling to get back to my old self. I'll admit, it took me longer than I thought. It was also the year that I fell out with my best friend of fifteen years. It was hard, I'm not going to lie. However, I realise that outgrowing friendships is part of growing up and is in no way a bad thing, as long as you are happy.

Looking back, I was in Disneyland Paris more than I was in lectures but I don't know how I would've got through the second year without it. It was escapism and introduced me to a gorgeous group of friends who I hold so close to my heart. I'm very thankful.

In a nutshell, it's a year that I do like to block out of my head because it's a year that I don't like to remember. However, I'm glad I made it through. I could have dropped out but I didn't and that is one of the things I am most proud of.

Third Year

The final year.

My favourite year.

The third year saw the biggest change for me, not only in my personality but in my happiness. I can say that my third year is the happiest I have ever been at university and although it's been stressful, I'm sad that it's coming to an end.

Socially, it's the best it has ever been. The group of friends I had on my course expanded and we have grown so close in this past seven months. It was the university friendship I always wanted and it's sad that it's happened in our final year. I lived at home again, my job was going well (working three days a week) and I had a great group of friends at home. It was brilliant.

The workload increased again and although everything was submitted on time, I struggle to think about how I would have completed the year without my circle of friends constantly picking me up when I felt like I wasn't good enough. We're a group of personal cheerleaders.

My confidence was at an all-time high, in both myself and my writing. My anxiety was reduced and it makes me wonder if I would have had more self-belief if I didn't have such an awful start at university. I need to learn to stop dwelling on that but his comments have been tattooed on my brain. It's sad to say, but I'll never forget it.

The whole last half of the year (January to April) was a whirlwind. As we don't sit exams or write dissertations, my creative energy was focused on a forty page script, a short story, a full writing project, a report and two essays. I stayed up until 5am, had two hours of sleep, went to work and spent every waking moment in the library. At one point, I felt guilty for sleeping because I knew there was work that needed to be done. I drained myself out and by the end of it, I was exhausted.

But, I did it.

I went to collect my results last week and I'm delighted to say that all of my hard work has paid off. I was graded with a high 2.1 in all of my assignments (0.4% from a first) which is pretty damn good if you ask me.

 If you follow me on Instagram you'll know that I've just had my graduation ball which was a beautiful night full of love, laughter and gin. We've also got the launch night of In The Red coming up, which I just so happen to be getting published in (a massive achievement for me).

It's incredibly exciting and I'm very thankful for all the opportunities I've had.

And just like that, three years at Liverpool John Moores are over. 

I'm hugely grateful to have had the opportunity to go to university because although it hasn't been my favourite period of my life, it's taught me a lot about myself and my values. Liverpool is a gorgeous city and I couldn't have picked a better place to study; it's inspiring and vibrant and the people are so welcoming. I'm very proud to call it my home. 

Looking back, I don't think my course was the right choice but I don't know what else I would have done. I needed to do something creative as an English degree wouldn't have been beneficial. I needed to be busy and doing things. I needed to create something. 

It just goes to show how vital those first few weeks of university are. If you're not happy with something, don't hesitate to change it. I nearly left it too late and I wish I would have spoken up sooner. I spent so many weeks facing abuse when a simple email solved everything. Well, not everything but you know what I mean. 

University will not be what you think it's going to be. Ignore the movies and the books because it's all lies. Guaranteed, you're going to have a good time, an interesting time BUT only if University is for you and you want to spend three years of your life studying and working hard (because it's the hardest you'll ever work in your life). Remember, you don't have to be doing what everyone else is doing. If you have the slightest doubt about going to uni, then wait a few years. It's not going anywhere. 

My final year was the toughest but by far my favourite. I've made friends I'll keep for the rest of my life and I'm thankful to them for simply being them. They've kept me sane throughout and believed in me when I didn't believe in myself - from looking over work to giving me hugs when I had various breakdowns in the library, I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to spend three years with. 

My tutors are some of the most inspirational people I have ever met and to have the pleasure of working with them has been brilliant. I would never have got through this degree without their continued support, coffee breaks and Horatio's spontaneous trip to Manchester Airport (yep, that's right, I had a lecture on a train headed for Manchester Airport). 

Overall, the experience has made me stronger and taught me a lot about myself. In some ways, I'm glad the whole drama thing happened because I learned that I don't have to take abuse from someone. I have a voice and I can use it, being myself is the best person I can be and there are always going to be people who will tell me that I'm not good enough - it's my choice to believe them. 

I can write, I am a writer and I'm incredibly excited to see what the future holds. 

'I never aimed for correctness, I just wrote fiction.' 

Lots of Love,

Meg

xxx

What I've Been Reading: July 2017

The first book I read in July was actually a Christmas book called 'The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily' by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. It's the sequel to 'Dash and Lily's Book of Dares' which was one of my favourite books as a teen. Why did you choose to read a Christmas book in July? I hear you ask. Well, it's been sat on my shelf for a few months and I couldn't wait until Christmas to see what happened to Dash and Lily (the anticipation was killing me). Before I start the review, I'd recommend re-reading the original story before starting this one; it's been years since I read the original and I found myself getting confused with some of the characters. The story follows Dash and Lily in the twelve days before Christmas. Dash can see that Lily is losing her love for Christmas; what with her family moving away, her brother moving out and her Grandpa being in the hospital, there's no festive twinkle in her eyes. But Dash is determined to make this a Christmas to remember and remind Lily why she loves the festive season so much. 

Overall, it was a really good book. It was nice to just dip into from time to time and I found it to be quite a slow read. Although the story was adorable, I didn't find myself hooked on it where I couldn't put it down. Instead, I just read it as and when I pleased, which was nice as sometimes books can be a little bit too intense. Dash and Lily are as cute as ever; Dash is hilarious but Lily annoyed me more than I remember her doing in the first book. I think her character over-reacted a lot and I remember thinking 'Calm down, Lily' a lot. 

The plot was brilliant; there were constant twists and I found myself not knowing what was going to happen next which was something that I really liked about the book. There's nothing I hate more than reading a story that is so predictable and you just know what's going to happen next. However, this story was one of those where I thought I knew what was going to happen but then things took a completely different turn. I found myself experiencing a mixture of different emotions; it made me cringe, laugh, cry and fall in love all over again. I now remember why I loved the first book so much. It was extremely well written and the perfect story to get you into the Christmas spirit (I think I'm going to re-read it when we get closer to the festive season!) 

The next book I read was 'A Night in with Audrey Hepburn' by Lucy Holliday. I found this book in a small bookshop in Southport, saw the word Audrey Hepburn and already knew that it was right up my street. If you didn't already know, Audrey Hepburn is one of my idols and I do everything I can to be like her. It's the first in the 'A Night in with...' series and if this is anything to go by, then I can't wait to read the rest. The story follows Libby, a young girl who's forced into the acting lifestyle by her mother. However, when she suffers an embarrassing incident on the set of her latest show, her day just goes from bad to worse. That is until Audrey Hepburn turns up on her sofa, a Fairy Godmother to help turn her wrongs into rights. 

If you're an Audrey Hepburn fan, then this is the story for you. It is absolutely brilliant. Libby is such a relatable character and the banter between her and Audrey is hilarious. I spent many nights laughing out loud at how funny they were together. It had a Bridget Jones vibe about it, I found myself laughing at Libby's expense with all the hilariously cringy things that happened to her but at the same time, I was rooting for her, it somehow felt like she was a friend. The imagery was so vivid and I could picture every character and every scenario they found themselves in; it was like a movie playing in my head. Dillon O'Hara was such a dreamboat. 

It's clear that a lot of research has gone into the story as the character of Audrey was so believable, from the way she spoke to the way dressed. I could see her sitting on the sofa, cutting Libby's hair and giving her a make over. The small reference to her at the end of the story almost brought me to tears, I'm not going to say anymore as I don't want to ruin it for you when you read it. There were so many subtle hints to Audrey throughout the story and it was so cleverly written by Holliday. I found that the story inspired me, I've found myself asking 'What would Audrey do?' when I find myself in a tricky situation or 'What would Audrey wear?' when I'm going out and I can find nothing in my wardrobe. I just wish she'd turn up on my sofa and be my BFF. 

However, the book did have some very minor faults. It's very clear that it needs editing as I spotted a lot of mistakes in printing and sometimes the story rambled on a little too much. The perks of reading as a writer. Despite this, I read the book in a week and I couldn't put it down. I loved the personal issues touch; the book was less about Audrey Hepburn and more about Libby's relationship with her Father. It had everything going on and I didn't find myself getting bored at all. It's definitely one of my new favourite books and I'd recommend it to everyone. 

'The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily' - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Recommended: Yes

Rating: 3.5 Stars

'A Night in with Audrey Hepburn' - Lucy Holliday 

Recommended: Yes

Rating: 4.5 Stars 

If you have any book recommendations then leave them in the comments!

Lots of Love,
Meg

xox

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A Letter To 10 Year Old Me

Dear 10-Year-Old Me,
You're sat at the table in the restaurant of your favourite hotel in Blackpool. You're wearing your new navy blue skirt with a tiara sparkling on your head, giving a big cheesy grin to the camera as you tilt your head to the side. You have the most beautiful smile, and you should wear it more often. It's one of the only things about you that won't change. I can see the pride in Mum's eyes as she smiles back at you, and her pride in you will only continue to grow because you're going to achieve amazing things little one. 

You are such a clever little girl with so much potential. Sure, you might be the tallest girl in school with thin legs and knees that look like wool on cotton but you need to be true to yourself. It'll serve you well. Enjoy being as carefree as you are now because it's all stress from here but you'll get through it. There'll be challenges up ahead but you're stronger than you seem, and there'll be more good moments than bad, I promise. 

You'll leave all of your friends behind to go to secondary school, I know you're not thinking about that now but you've got it all to come. Trust in fate. It will be tough on you, and people will try to dull your sparkle but keep your head down, keep dreaming and it'll soon pass. They're just jealous of how effortlessly intelligent you are. But you need to tell someone when they start drawing over your work and throwing your things out of the window, you don't need to deal with that. Never listen to the names they call you or the things they say about you, don't waste your tears on them. It will knock your confidence, but you'll soon get back up. 

You'll work hard and pass all of your exams with flying colours, although you'll stress yourself out beforehand and you'll wonder if you have any more tears left to cry. When it's all over, you'll celebrate in style and turn out to be a real party person. I know you don't want to get up and dance now because you think everyone is looking at you, but soon they won't be able to get you off that dance floor. 

You'll also meet your first crush. Yep, I know boys seem gross now but it'll all change. He'll be in your form and you'll spend your days thinking about him, but nothing will ever come from it. Sorry, kiddo. You'll always have a soft spot for him though, and when you see him at a party a few years down the line, all the feelings will come flooding back and you'll still get butterflies. It's never going to go well with males, and you'll soon realise that they're no good. You'll get your heart broken but you just keep on wishing and he'll come along eventually. Snow White got her Prince and you will too, one day. 

In no time at all, you'll be 13. An unlucky number for some, but it'll be the start of something new for you. Just make sure you treat your Mum with a bit more respect, she's only trying to help you after all. Also, please don't let Dad take you to the hairdressers and let them put a bowl on your head. 'Coconut Head' is not a cool nickname to have. It's the age you'll realise that girls are cruel. They'll drag you down and make fun of you but you just keep spreading kindness. It's a good thing to be remembered for. However, they're not all that bad. You know Liv who lives on the same road as Mambly and Grandad? The girl you play out with all the time? Well, you're still friends 10 years down the line. You're currently the best of friends in your twenties and causing more havoc than ever. She's a good egg and you're really lucky to have her around; in the next ten years, you won't be able to get rid of her.

When you're 15 you'll meet one of the most inspirational women. She'll come in the form of your drama teacher and she'll send your confidence shooting sky high. How lucky are you to have someone so amazing to help you to achieve your dreams? You've always been such a drama queen, so it's no wonder you'll take lead roles in the school productions and you'll be absolutely amazing. Can you see how proud everyone is going to be? You have a strong talent there kiddo and you need to follow that passion even when people doubt you. Prove them wrong. Show them what you can do. You're a shining star, I just wish you could see how special you are.

As I write this to you, you're currently studying writing at University. You've moved away from home and made a whole bunch of new friends, although it hasn't been easy and you've had some setbacks along the way. You love Disney now more than you ever could, and you've finally managed to convince Mum and Dad for that little companion you always wanted. At this moment I know you want to be a beautician/hairdresser and although this isn't the career path you decide to take, you'll manage to work for Walt Disney Company and you're in a job now that you love more than anything, with people who are like your second family. I look at that little girl smiling and I'm so proud of the young woman you've become. The bullies will make you feel like you are not worthy of happiness but you will tower above them. Remember that beauty is only skin deep, and that you are so beautiful even when you don't feel like you are. Remember that it's okay to have bad days and you are entitled to them. Remember that you are worth more than any male who thinks he can take advantage of you. Believe that you can and you will.
Keep wishing on those stars and don't lose your beautiful imagination. Keep dreaming, keep believing and remember that the happiest girls are the prettiest.

Love,
A 20-Year-Old You


Lots of Love,
Meg xo

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A Twisted Tale: A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

I picked up this book whilst browsing the book isle in Tesco looking for the perfect summer read. I've always been intrigued by the idea of taking an original fairytale story and completely turning it around; making the hero lose, the Princess fight and the Villain stronger, so this seemed like the perfect book for me to read. The plot of the book is explained on the cover; it follows the journey of Aladdin and Jasmine, finding out what would have happened if Aladdin had never found the Lamp. 

At first the book is a little predictable, it just follows the original Aladdin Story; he meets Jasmine in the market, convinces the people selling on the market that she's crazy, gets taken to the dungeons and then is sent on the quest to  the cave. At this point I was very bored, I thought I'd been tricked and just bought the original story of Aladdin. However once he enters the cave, things start to take a very interesting turn. Instead of Aladdin getting the lamp and using the genie for good, Jafar gets his hands on it and things start to take a very drastic turn. I'm not going to tell you any spoilers though.

When I first picked the book up, I was expecting big things from it but I have to say that it was extremely disappointing. I think there were too many characters with confusing names so you didn't really know who was who. In terms of the way the book was written, it wasn't very good; some of the grammar was awful and at times it felt like I was reading the proof copy of the book instead of the real thing. I think I got my hopes up a little too much and it just wasn't what I thought it was going to be. From the moment I purchased the book, I got it home and started to read it straight away (this was in late July) and it has taken me until now to finish it. It ended up being a struggle to read and I found myself reading it for reading sake.

When I started to look for my Summer read, the thing that attracted me to this book was definitely the cover. It implies that the story is going to be really spooky, chilling and have you on the edge of your seat. I'm sad to say but it just wasn't spooky enough for me. I understand that they didn't want to ruin the original story but I just think that it could have been thought out and written better.

I realise I've just completely slated the book (oops) but it wasn't all that bad. Although the plot wasn't what I wanted or expected, it was still a pleasant read and if you are looking for a little bit of something to just keep dipping into then I'd recommend it. However, if you want a book that's going to constantly keep you hooked then it's definitely not the book for you.

'A Twisted Tale: A Whole New World' - Liz Braswell
Recommended: Not Really
Rating: 2 Stars

Lots of Love,
Meg
xox

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How to Ace your Drama Audition!

This time last year, I did my first drama audition at Bristol UWE. It was potentially one of the most daunting experiences of my life, I'd never done actual auditions before and knowing I was fighting against other people for a place at Uni really put some pressure on. From the very start, it was never my intention to go to a University down in London, I think London was just too big for me. This is why I applied to mostly small Universities. 

With any University that you apply too, especially to do drama, you will have to go through some form of audition, or interview; or sometimes even both. I was very lucky enough to be offered places from each audition that I went too, which was incredible for me. It really makes me feel strange at the fact that people saw something in me, because sometimes I find it very hard to believe in myself. So, in this blog post, I'm going to give some tips and advice on how to make the best impression in your drama audition and hopefully gain yourself an offer from your dream University!

Prepare

Not all auditions will ask you to prepare a monologue to perform to them, but the majority do. I went to two auditions which asked me to perform a monologue, the others just did some group workshops and made us read from some scripts. If you are going to one of those auditions which asks you to prepare a monologue, my advice to you is to make sure that you pick something that you know and something that you are comfortable to perform. Also, make sure that you know everything, make sure you know your lines and make sure you're not going to mess up. They look for people who have potential and people who are professional. Be as professional as you can. 

Don't feel intimidated

It is more than likely you will be doing a group audition, which means that you will be auditioning with people you have never met before in your life. Everyone in that room is in the same boat, so don't feel intimidated at all. Make the most of the situation, be approachable, go and speak to people. They'll notice that you're being sociable and they'll really like that about you. 

They're not monsters

Okay, so I know I just said that they're looking for someone who is professional. But they're actors themselves, they've been in your position and they understand that you're nervous. If you mess up your lines, they'll understand and they'll let you start over. They're not scary, and they're not monsters. They're really forgiving and the majority are very lovely. 

Spoken Interview

If it's part of your audition to have a spoken interview, just make sure that you are being yourself and are polite as possible. They're going to offer the place to someone they feel they can work with for the next three years. It's common sense, but just make sure that you're lovely and polite and they will love you. 

Teamwork

They want someone who is able to work as part of a team. So just make sure that you're being kind to everyone and make sure that you speak to most people. Like I said, they want someone who they can see themselves working with for the next three or four years.

Wear comfortable clothing

Okay, so just don't turn up to your audition in jeans and heels. Wear leggings, a loose top and trainers. Everyone is dressed the same, so don't worry how you look. Just wear something that you will be really really comfortable with.

You don't have to do what everyone else is doing

In one of my auditions, I did a comedy monologue (it's always best to play to your strengths) whilst every other person did a Shakespeare monologue (not that there's anything wrong with that of course). So when I came out of that audition, I was gutted, I basically thought I was screwed and my dreams of University had gone. However, it made them take notice of me, because I offered something different. You really don't have to be doing what someone else is doing.

Be Yourself

This is the most important thing. 

I know you're going for a drama audition, but don't put on an act. Just be yourself, don't be nervous and I promise that you'll be fine. But most of all, enjoy yourself. If they see that you're enjoying yourself, they're going to take notice of you. And the activities they make you do in your workshop are always so much fun!

I hope that's helped some of you!

Comment and tell me where you'll be auditioning!

Lots of Love,

Meg

xox

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Image 

New Ideas and Giveaway?

Hello Everyone!

A new blog post to start a new month! :)
I'm going to apologise in advance for this post being a little bit of a ramble, but there are a couple of things I really want to address. As you may, or may not, have noticed, the header and theme for my blog has changed a little bit. I wanted to make my blog a little more professional and I felt that my previous design had a little bit too much going on. I hope you guys don't think this is too plain and that you really like it. 

Also, after some events at University, I now have a lot more time on my hands. In fact, way more time than I ever expected to have. This means that I can focus on my blog, and seeing as I'm doing a creative writing degree, it fits in perfectly. Sometimes, my posts get quite a lot of views, and a lot of people really seem to like them, however others get minimal views. I would like to know the type of thing that you guys like to see on a blog, the type of things you read and the content you would like to see me post. I get bloggers block quite frequently so if you leave me some responses in the comments that would be really brilliant, 

If it's the giveaway that's brought you to this page, then this is what I'm going to talk about now. I'm coming up to my 100th blog post, and that's very weird. I'm never normally a person to stick to particular things, but with this blog, it's been something I've really looked after. I take it seriously and see it as my own little place on the internet where I can be myself and have my own voice. I love buying new beauty products, testing them out and writing a review for people to read. It's one of my favourite things. Anyway, onto the giveaway. As some of you know, I've been really loving the Revolution Make Up Collection recently, and I was thinking of doing some form of giveaway of some of their products to a lucky person who reads my blog. I think it'd be a really cool thing to do, so you should let me know what you think about that! :)

Overall, I hope you all still really like to read this blog, as much as I love writing on it. It'd mean a lot to me if you could give me some feedback in the comments below. Also, whilst you're at it, my bestest friend has decided to join the blogging community. Her name is Olivia, or Liv as I call her, and she has a film blog where she writes reviews on films and talks about life in general. It's a really lovely blog so you should go and show her some love. I'll leave a link here:

backtothecinema.blogspot.com

Lots of Love

Meg

xox

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Soap & Glory Solar Powder

Hello Everyone!

Today, I'm going to be raving about one of my favourite beauty products on the high street and that is the Soap & Glory solar powder. Although this doesn't sound like it, the solar powder is actually a bronzer. I was never a girl who used bronzer, I always thought that it made me look orange, became very paranoid, and avoided it like the plague. I remember when I was going to a concert and my mum told me I looked pale so came at me with a brush and bronzing beads. I looked like a wotsit. This is the event that put me off bronzer for life; or so I thought. 

For Christmas two years ago, my mum and dad bought me a Soap & Glory make-up set. I'd been very vague in asking what I wanted, and had simply asked for "makeup". I hadn't given a brand, what type of makeup I wanted or anything like that, so when I opened the Soap & Glory makeup collection, I was very shocked. I'd just like to put it out there that if you're struggling for something to buy for someone, the makeup ranges that Soap & Glory sell at Christmas time are amazing, they make the perfect present. It was a big brown box and when opened, it had a mirror and different little products from the range. This included a highlighter, lipgloss, mascara, six different eyeshadows and the solar powder. As soon as I saw this, the flashback to the bronzer incident replayed in my mind and I simply thought "No". 

However, when it came to doing my makeup that day, I thought I'd give it a try; and this was the best decision I made. The two shades create the perfect balance for a natural glowing bronzed look. The way I apply my bronzer, is I pull a fish face and then use my brush to gently apply the product to my cheek bone and then around the jaw line, filling in any little bits where you think you may need a little bit of colour. I tend to blend the two shades together, but if I'm going for a completely natural makeup look, I only use the lighter shade. 

The bronzer stays on all day, it doesn't budge which is perfect for everyday use. The slight shimmer on the 'S&G' of the product enhances the glowing look it provides to the skin. However, this shimmer tends to be gone by the first use, that'd be my only criticism of the product. When I'd finished the bronzer in the first set, I started to purchase new bronzers to try them out, but nothing beats this for me. It's the product I just keep going back too. 

The handy little compact mirror is perfect to use for the application of the product, and is even better if you're on the go and you just want to touch up your make-up a little. It's also small enough to fit in your handbag which is really good too. I love the way the product feels on the skin, the application is perfect and it doesn't feel heavy. It's also build-able so that you can get that perfect summer (or winter) sun-kissed glow. 

Although this is on the pricer side at £11, the product itself lasts for a very long time, I buy at least one of these a year and it lasts me the full year, and that's with everyday use. It can be purchased from most Boots stores, but it's definitely a must-have for any girls makeup bag!

Lots of Love
Meg
xox

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Ghosts, Tricks & Treats | Halloween Fashion Inspiration

Hello Everyone!

It's that spooky time of year again. The time when you get dressed up as a dead person and walk the streets knocking on peoples doors asking for sweets, go to a party dressed as something scary or simply just stay in with some popcorn and scare yourself silly whilst watching paranormal activity. Whatever your doing this Halloween, it's going to probably involve some form of costume. That's the worst part; finding something to wear. Although I'm not the biggest fan of Halloween, and I would much prefer bonfire night or Christmas, I really do love dressing up. I love putting on new clothes, doing my make-up and transforming myself into something else. So, I've been on the hunt for some lovely Halloween costumes for you all. I've chosen these from a range of shops, so I'll link everything that's included below. 

Topshop

 The first place I go to for some halloween costume inspiration is always Topshop. I think this is because they offer such a big collection, and eventhough it is on the pricer side, I think it's one of the best places to shop if you're going on a night out this Halloween.

The first outfit I chose is supposed to be a very discrete pumpkin. I know sometimes, on Halloween, people don't really want to go all out. The item that inspired me to create this outfit was the orange and black clutch bag, I really like the way the two colours clash together. They create a statement which is something I'm really liking at the moment. I wanted the bag to be the main item in this outfit, so pairing it with a black top, with the most beautiful design, and a pair of black disco pants seemed like the best option. I then picked out some gorgeous heels, which look very classy, but this can be paired with any black heels you have at home, or if you're not a heels kind of girl then black flats would work perfectly fine too. I then went into Claire's and found some cute pumpkin earrings, just to enhance the character and add a little more 'Halloween' to the outfit.
TOP  | DISCO PANTS |  BAG  |  SHOES  |  EARRINGS 

The second outfit is more of an outfit that you could chill out in if you're going to be staying in watching scary films, or watching X Factor like I will probably be doing. I'm really loving ripped jeans at the moment, they've been around for a while, but for Halloween I think they look really nice if you're just going for a really chilled, cool look. I've put a shirt with some vampire lips with the ripped jeans and skeleton socks, just because I thought they were extremely cute. If you want to go a little bit more spooky with the outfit, you could always add the spider web earrings that I've also teamed with the outfit. If you're looking for a spooky film to watch, as much as I hate them, I would definitely recommend 'Woman In Black'. It makes me scream every time.
TOP  |  JEANS  |  SOCKS  |  EARRINGS

Finally, the last outfit I picked out is supposed to be a cat. I know this is the typical Halloween Costume, and I'm pretty sure Liverpool will be full of cats on Saturday night, but it's one of the easiest costumes to style. Plus, if you're not willing to take a risk, you know that you wont be the only cat on the scene. I chose this beautiful black jumpsuit because it has a feline look with the lace around the top half. I then paired it with the beautiful black heels shown in the first outfit and added a pair of cat ears just to complete the look; I would definitely wear heels with this outfit as I'm not a fan of wearing jumpsuits with flats, they just don't look right sometimes. As for a bag, I picked out a metallic clutch bag as it adds some more colour to the outfit. If you're feeling even more adventurous, you could add these super-cute cat stud earrings that I found.
JUMPSUIT  |  SHOES  |  BAG  |  CAT EARS  |  EARRINGS

New Look

One of the best shops on the high street at the moment is New Look. It's perfect for people on a budget who still want some really cute clothes to wear for Halloween. I love the Halloween collection in New Look because they're items that you can wear all year round, so they'll definitely be value for money.

The first outfit is a devil costume. The minute I saw this red skater dress I fell in love with it. It looks very chic, and the bright colour is perfect for the autumn winter season. I feel like too many people wear dark colours and we need to brighten things up a little. I put this with some gold heels, but it can also be teamed with flats, as well as a black clutch bag. I feel like a black clutch is one of those essential things in every female wardrobe around the world. In order to make the outfit look like the devil, I've added a pair of devil horns on a headband, not too in your face, just nice and discrete. I also added a bracelet as I feel the outfit needs a little something to make a statement.
DRESS  |  SHOES  |  BAG  |  EARS  |  BRACELET 

The next outfit is another outfit that is perfect for people staying in this Halloween. I'm going to do an outfit like this from every store I cover in this blog post, just because a bit of variety is good isn't it? I also think this would be perfect for an occasion such as taking younger siblings or relatives out trick or treating, or answering the door to trick or treaters. It gets into the spirit. This really casual look includes a ghostbusters t-shirt, a pair of black leggings with zip detail, a pair of chelsea boots which are perfect for autumn/winter and then a choker necklace. I love choker necklaces, I think they can add a really quirkiness to an outfit, just make sure you suit them and you're comfortable to wear one before you buy it though!
TOP  |  LEGGINGS  |  BOOTS  |  CHOKER

When I mention to dress up as a mouse for Halloween, it reminds everyone of Mean Girls. "I'm a Mouse, duh!". This is the most expensive of the three outfits but it's definitely the most elegant from the New Look collection. I saw this cropped leg jumpsuit and chose it because you don't see a lot of those around at the moment and I really liked the chic-ness it created. I think paired this with a pair of black heels, a black clutch, a pair of mouse ears and a beautiful faux fur collar. This collar adds a lot of elegance to the outfit and it'll keep you warm on those cold winter nights. In order to add a statement to the outfit, I teamed it with a beautiful gold necklace, which contrasts lovely with the black of the jumpsuit. I also really like the bracelet to go with the outfit too.
JUMPSUIT  |  SHOES  |  EARS  |  BAG  |  NECKLACE  |  COLLAR  |  BRACELET

Boohoo

If I'm being honest, Boohoo has one of the poorest Halloween collections I have seen. It wasn't very inspiring, so using my imagination, I've come up with a few ideas that could be used for some Halloween costumes. Boohoo is such good value for money, and they always have different offers on so I would definitely recommend checking them out.

The first outfit is inspired by Sandy from Grease. I know this doesn't look like much, but not many people think of going as dead versions of characters from films. It's so much fun to do, and Sandy is one of the easiest characters to style. I chose this black bardot top, iconic from her look in the film, and teamed it with a pair of black disco pants, red heels to make a statement, a black clutch and a beautiful bracelet. I wanted Sandy's sassy side to come across with the outfit. Once the hair and make up is done, I can guarantee this outfit will look absolutely amazing.
TOP  |  DISCO PANTS  |  HEELS  |  BAG  |  BRACELET

Next up is the relaxed outfit, can you see a theme going on here? As I said before, Boohoo were quite poor for a Halloween collection, and a lot of the stuff was pyjamas and baggy t-shirts. I chose this night shirt/dress (whatever you want to call it) and put it with a pair of knee-high socks. I've seen a lot of these worn in magazines, and I think they can look really nice if you wear them right.
PYJAMAS  |  SOCKS

For the final outfit from the Halloween collection at Boohoo, I have gone for a gothic look. From the moment I saw this dress, I thought it looked beautiful. The lace detailing on the arms adds a real elegance to the look. The costume I'm going for here is something out of the Aadams family maybe? I paired this with some lovely black heels (the shoes from Boohoo are SO good), a black clutch bag and a lovely bracelet which really completes the outfit.
DRESS  |  SHOES  |  BAG  |  BRACELET 

River Island

Again, I was quite disappointed with the Collection in River Island. It's all very dark colours, as you can probably tell from above, but nevertheless, there are still some really nice clothes in store. There also wasn't a lot of casual stuff in River Island, so all of these outfits are something you would probably wear on a night out. I have tried to dress them down a little, but the majority of items are quite dressy.

I adore the skirt in outfit number one. The string to tie the skirt once again creates the gothic look that seems to be all the rage this Halloween. This is further enhanced by the floaty sleeves of the black top, which would be tucked into the skirt. The gold in the black heels adds a pop of colour to the look, as does the statement necklace that I paired with the top. Grab a black over the shoulder bag and you're ready to go!
TOP  |  SKIRT  |  SHOES  |  BAG  |  NECKLACE 

This was originally supposed to be the casual outfit, but I would say the third outfit is probably the most casual from my picks from the River Island collection. I chose some simple black jeans, a black long floaty top as I love this style (I have so many long floaty tops, they're great to go out in) and added a statement with a beautiful black and gold necklace. There's a lot of black and gold around for Halloween this year, so if you're looking for some inspiration, those are the colours that are everywhere this year. I then added some lovely boots with a frill detail and a lovely black bag.
TOP  |  JEANS  |  BOOTS  |  BAG  |  NECKLACE

As I previously said, this outfit is probably the most casual out of the whole collection. Once again, I went for some simple black jeans and a black top with some gorgeous frill detail. This adds a little bit of something to the outfit so that it doesn't look to plain. I do realise that a lot of the outfits I have included have had some form of heel involved, but it's completely fine to wear flat shoes too. I picked out these beautiful flats with some gold detail, which compliment the bag beautifully. If you wanted to add a little more 'party' to the outfit, you could add the earrings in too!
TOP  |  JEANS  |  SHOES  |  BAG  |  EARRINGS 

ASOS

I really love shopping at ASOS, but when it comes to putting outfits together for blog posts, it's an absolute pain. Anyway, I've done the best I can. Overall, I think I've saved the best till last because this is the Halloween collection I am most impressed with. It's literally got everything you could want. Some of the things are on the pricier side, but there are some real bargains in there too!

I love how quirky this first outfit looks. The spider web dress screams Halloween straight away, and it really goes with the diamonds on the heels of the shoes. A choker works really well with this outfit, as does the moon and stars earrings which I absolutely love. The bag is extremely cute and adds to the overall quirkiness. I just think this outfit is so perfect, I love it!
DRESS  |  SHOES  |  BAG  |  CHOKER  |  EARRINGS

The second outfit is the most expensive and the most elegant out of the collection. I really like the idea of masks and masquerade balls so this became the theme for this outfit when I laid on the beautiful mask. The lace detail is gorgeous. I wanted all the focus to be on the mask, so a black jumpsuit is perfect, and to add some more spooky too it, I've put in a bat necklace which compliments the webs on the shoes. The fringe bag creates another statement. This outfit is definitely one of my favourites.
JUMPSUIT  |  SHOES  |  BAG  |  NECKLACE  |  MASK

You didn't think that I wouldn't include Disney in this blog post did you?!
This is the casual outfit for this collection. The Disney top is my favourite, Mickey looks so cute and it seems to be a really comfy material. This would be perfect with a pair of black jeans, a choker necklace to add a gothic element and some spooky skeleton socks. This is my favourite casual outfit of the whole blog post.
TOP  |  JEANS  |  SOCKS  |  CHOKER

I hope this blog post has given you some Halloween inspiration, whatever you'll be doing to celebrate the spooky season.

Happy Halloween!
Lots of Love,
Meg
xox

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