Long time, no see. It’s been a while since I sat in front of my laptop and just typed. I feel a little rusty if I’m honest so bare with me. To say this year has been a roller coaster would be an understatement. Amid all the painful moments there were a handful worth celebrating. I think we can all agree it's for the best to put last year behind us.
I struggled a lot with my mental health last year and ended up cutting back on a lot of the things I loved doing. I took a long break from social media and blogging when things got too much and then felt a little out of my depth when I wanted to come back. One thing I missed the most was being creative and producing content. One of my goals for 2021 is to be consistent with my content.
The pandemic threw more than I realised and one thing I'm focusing on this year is my mental health. Last year taught me how important a good mental health is in being able to function. After all, we’re only human and we can only take so on much.
Here’s a couple of things I’ll be doing to look after my mental health this year:
- Be kinder to myself. Funnily enough, I wrote a blog post on this and never followed any of it. I can count on one hand how many times I have been kind to myself this year. It’s quite shocking really. As the pandemic continues, I’m going to have to rethink what things I can do to bring me happiness since what I used to do has been put on pause. Taking it easier and not putting so much pressure on myself are my two priorities.
- Have more ME time. For the whole year, I have felt that my time belonged to someone else. I think that’s been a big cause of my anxiety. This year, I’m focusing on taking ‘protected’ time out for just me. I started doing it last Autumn and it really helped. Essentially, Sunday will belong to me. For that day, I will do whatever I want to do whether it’s catching up on my latest read, creating content or going for a nice stroll. The most important thing is feeling as though that time belongs to me and no one else.
- Be creative. I thrive on creativity. It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to make writing my career. I used to bake, cook, write, read, and film. I loved it all! I mentioned earlier that I stopped doing those things when everything got a little too much. Really, I should have kept those things going.
Love, Aoife xo
Long time, no see. It’s been a while since I sat in front of my laptop and just typed. I feel a little rusty if I’m honest so bare with me. To say this year has been a roller coaster would be an understatement. Amid all the painful moments there were a handful worth celebrating. I think we can all agree it's for the best to put last year behind us.
I struggled a lot with my mental health last year and ended up cutting back on a lot of the things I loved doing. I took a long break from social media and blogging when things got too much and then felt a little out of my depth when I wanted to come back. One thing I missed the most was being creative and producing content. One of my goals for 2021 is to be consistent with my content.
The pandemic threw more than I realised and one thing I'm focusing on this year is my mental health. Last year taught me how important a good mental health is in being able to function. After all, we’re only human and we can only take so on much.
Here’s a couple of things I’ll be doing to look after my mental health this year:
- Be kinder to myself. Funnily enough, I wrote a blog post on this and never followed any of it. I can count on one hand how many times I have been kind to myself this year. It’s quite shocking really. As the pandemic continues, I’m going to have to rethink what things I can do to bring me happiness since what I used to do has been put on pause. Taking it easier and not putting so much pressure on myself are my two priorities.
- Have more ME time. For the whole year, I have felt that my time belonged to someone else. I think that’s been a big cause of my anxiety. This year, I’m focusing on taking ‘protected’ time out for just me. I started doing it last Autumn and it really helped. Essentially, Sunday will belong to me. For that day, I will do whatever I want to do whether it’s catching up on my latest read, creating content or going for a nice stroll. The most important thing is feeling as though that time belongs to me and no one else.
- Be creative. I thrive on creativity. It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to make writing my career. I used to bake, cook, write, read, and film. I loved it all! I mentioned earlier that I stopped doing those things when everything got a little too much. Really, I should have kept those things going.
Love, Aoife xo
It’s been three years since I moved to Portsmouth to start my Journalism degree and it feels absolutely surreal to say I made it to the end. I haven't shared my whole journey online but you can see highlights on Instagram and Twitter (@aoifecaitrionax). In my first year of university, I felt very lonely and I struggled to make friends. Like anyone, I signed up to almost every society I had a remote interest in. First year is all about trial and error so don't be afraid to make mistakes.
Second year came along and I was stuck living in a house that lived on drama and animosity. It wasn't very fun or healthy but I learnt a lot about myself during that time. The main one being how to stand up for myself. Academically and career wise, I was starting to get ahead and had articles printed in local news websites. When final year came around, I promised myself that this would be a year I could be proud of. And I am. Despite the ups and downs, which as a uni student you will know, I have met some amazing people who are now my friends and made memories that will stick with me for life.
Aside from the academic side to university, there are plenty of important lessons to learn outside of lectures and seminars. So here’s what university really taught me and what I wish I knew before starting:
Use your time wisely. And by that, nothing is waiting around for you. At university, you have a lot of time on your hands when you’re not in lectures, seminars or working. Use that spare time productively. I spent a lot of time in my first year blogging and making videos on YouTube. Unfortunately, I slowed down in second year and lost motivation in third year. I regret not believing in myself more and sticking to it. I really recommend using your spare time productively by taking up a new skill, hobby, or searching for internships and grad schemes.
Do something you’re passionate about. University is a lot more fun when you’re passionate about the subject you’re studying. I wrote essays on feminism, did presentations on the fashion industry and put together video packages which I had a lot of fun doing. I really enjoyed the work and the skills I was learning with it. There were a few late and stressful nights but I wouldn’t change a thing because I was still doing something I loved. I've spoken to my friends and other people about it who all agreed that you should be studying something you're passionate about and interested in. It will be a greater experience and you'll enjoy it more.
Make the most out of the University services. There are so many services that universities offer these days and I'm pretty sure, you're not even aware of half of them. I struggled a lot when I moved back home for lockdown and my anxiety was at an all time high. My lecturer recommended that I reach out to the wellbeing team to get some additional support. To be honest, I don't know if I would have finished university without the support and weekly session from a councillor. Most universities also offer academic support with essays or career support. We pay a lot of money attending university so we may as well take advantage of what it offers.
(Money management) How to have fun on a low budget. Regardless of whether you have the maximum grant or the lowest grant, we all struggle with our money at some point. In your first year, you make bad money decisions and by final year, you’ve decided to go vegan because it’s cheaper and save all your money instead. Social life is a big part of university. Clubbing at uni has never been my scene but I still went out for lunches, dinners, day trips and everywhere else with my friends. This all adds up. However, by the end of the whole experience you've learnt how to have fun on a low budget.
It's not a race but it's not a marathon either. Your grades are not everything at univeristy. Sure, they're important because you need to pass to move up a year and you want a good degree classification. But, they're not the be all and end all. Lecturers are looking for how you engage with the content. My highest scoring essays were down to referencing different scholars and sharing ideas and theories. You're not in a race with anyone because you're not competing with them. Getting a degree is something you do for yourself and a personal journey.
Good luck! And if you've already been, what did you learn at university?
Love, Aoife xo
It’s been three years since I moved to Portsmouth to start my Journalism degree and it feels absolutely surreal to say I made it to the end. I haven't shared my whole journey online but you can see highlights on Instagram and Twitter (@aoifecaitrionax). In my first year of university, I felt very lonely and I struggled to make friends. Like anyone, I signed up to almost every society I had a remote interest in. First year is all about trial and error so don't be afraid to make mistakes.
Second year came along and I was stuck living in a house that lived on drama and animosity. It wasn't very fun or healthy but I learnt a lot about myself during that time. The main one being how to stand up for myself. Academically and career wise, I was starting to get ahead and had articles printed in local news websites. When final year came around, I promised myself that this would be a year I could be proud of. And I am. Despite the ups and downs, which as a uni student you will know, I have met some amazing people who are now my friends and made memories that will stick with me for life.
Aside from the academic side to university, there are plenty of important lessons to learn outside of lectures and seminars. So here’s what university really taught me and what I wish I knew before starting:
Use your time wisely. And by that, nothing is waiting around for you. At university, you have a lot of time on your hands when you’re not in lectures, seminars or working. Use that spare time productively. I spent a lot of time in my first year blogging and making videos on YouTube. Unfortunately, I slowed down in second year and lost motivation in third year. I regret not believing in myself more and sticking to it. I really recommend using your spare time productively by taking up a new skill, hobby, or searching for internships and grad schemes.
Do something you’re passionate about. University is a lot more fun when you’re passionate about the subject you’re studying. I wrote essays on feminism, did presentations on the fashion industry and put together video packages which I had a lot of fun doing. I really enjoyed the work and the skills I was learning with it. There were a few late and stressful nights but I wouldn’t change a thing because I was still doing something I loved. I've spoken to my friends and other people about it who all agreed that you should be studying something you're passionate about and interested in. It will be a greater experience and you'll enjoy it more.
Make the most out of the University services. There are so many services that universities offer these days and I'm pretty sure, you're not even aware of half of them. I struggled a lot when I moved back home for lockdown and my anxiety was at an all time high. My lecturer recommended that I reach out to the wellbeing team to get some additional support. To be honest, I don't know if I would have finished university without the support and weekly session from a councillor. Most universities also offer academic support with essays or career support. We pay a lot of money attending university so we may as well take advantage of what it offers.
(Money management) How to have fun on a low budget. Regardless of whether you have the maximum grant or the lowest grant, we all struggle with our money at some point. In your first year, you make bad money decisions and by final year, you’ve decided to go vegan because it’s cheaper and save all your money instead. Social life is a big part of university. Clubbing at uni has never been my scene but I still went out for lunches, dinners, day trips and everywhere else with my friends. This all adds up. However, by the end of the whole experience you've learnt how to have fun on a low budget.
It's not a race but it's not a marathon either. Your grades are not everything at univeristy. Sure, they're important because you need to pass to move up a year and you want a good degree classification. But, they're not the be all and end all. Lecturers are looking for how you engage with the content. My highest scoring essays were down to referencing different scholars and sharing ideas and theories. You're not in a race with anyone because you're not competing with them. Getting a degree is something you do for yourself and a personal journey.
Good luck! And if you've already been, what did you learn at university?
Love, Aoife xo
The last few months have not been easy. Being in lockdown has been a challenge for us all but for some of us, it has been an even bigger battle. One thing that came out of my recent therapy sessions is that I need to be kinder to myself. I need to learn how to be confident in myself and not see my weaknesses as completely detrimental.
Since then, I've been on a little journey of self-confidence in learning how to identify unhealthy behaviours and make them healthier. I think we all need to not just be kinder to ourselves, but learn how to instead. We can be kinder to ourselves by treating ourselves to a bar of chocolate or a new Dior bag. However, that's only short term. By 'learning', we can create long term healthy habits. Here are four tips that can help boost self-confidence:
Be proud of what you’ve achieved- How often do you stop and reflect on what you’ve achieved? I can’t remember the last time I did that and that’s an issue. We continue to achieve every single day and that should be recognised. I don’t think about what I have overcome or really acknowledge all the amazing things I’ve done in the past three months. And they’re a pretty big deal. I just graduated with first class honours, woah! As humans, we tend to have the habit of chasing one thing after another, never really feeling fulfilled at what we’ve already done. When you have a moment, think about everything you have done in the past week, month or even year. The most important thing is that you can smile about it and think, I did that.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself- Do you know what’s human? Making mistakes. No one is that perfect and if they are, they’re lying. In order to be kind to ourselves, we have to allow room for errors. We’re going to get things wrong from time to time and that’s how we learn and overcome it. By putting so much pressure on ourselves, we’re missing the opportunity to learn and grow from experiences. And Rome wasn’t built in a day. Things take time and they’ll take as long as they need to.
Accepting you don’t have complete control over everything that happens- Anxiety often stems from a lack of control. In situations where we’re not in control, we often feel anxious. I get waves of anxiety that tend to last a few weeks to a few months. I guess it never really goes away but I’ve learnt how best to manage it, if you will. One thing I always get told is to focus on what I can and am able to control. This can be quite difficult in some situations especially where we feel helpless. Take the coronavirus, we can’t control that or being in lockdown but we can control how we choose to act and use our time now that we’re at home more often than not. We can control some things and we can’t with others. Finding a balance is really helpful and focusing on what we can control.
Treat yourself- I’ll admit that use those two words a lot normally. I only realised the impact of not treating yourself when I starved myself of that. Pre-lockdown, I’d treat myself by going shopping or buying artisan doughnuts (so so good). But since we went into lockdown and I was struggling with everything including really bad acne, I stopped. I stopped feeling worthy of myself and stopped being kind to myself. One way you can treat yourself Covid friendly is to buy flowers. Flowers can make all the difference by brightening up the space and making the room feel happier. My Nan said to buy flowers for someone when they’re sad and that’s a good lesson to remember. So, whether it’s your favourite doughnut, flowers or something pink (my happy colour), remember to treat yourself and do things that make you smile.
Love, Aoife xo
The last few months have not been easy. Being in lockdown has been a challenge for us all but for some of us, it has been an even bigger battle. One thing that came out of my recent therapy sessions is that I need to be kinder to myself. I need to learn how to be confident in myself and not see my weaknesses as completely detrimental.
Since then, I've been on a little journey of self-confidence in learning how to identify unhealthy behaviours and make them healthier. I think we all need to not just be kinder to ourselves, but learn how to instead. We can be kinder to ourselves by treating ourselves to a bar of chocolate or a new Dior bag. However, that's only short term. By 'learning', we can create long term healthy habits. Here are four tips that can help boost self-confidence:
Be proud of what you’ve achieved- How often do you stop and reflect on what you’ve achieved? I can’t remember the last time I did that and that’s an issue. We continue to achieve every single day and that should be recognised. I don’t think about what I have overcome or really acknowledge all the amazing things I’ve done in the past three months. And they’re a pretty big deal. I just graduated with first class honours, woah! As humans, we tend to have the habit of chasing one thing after another, never really feeling fulfilled at what we’ve already done. When you have a moment, think about everything you have done in the past week, month or even year. The most important thing is that you can smile about it and think, I did that.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself- Do you know what’s human? Making mistakes. No one is that perfect and if they are, they’re lying. In order to be kind to ourselves, we have to allow room for errors. We’re going to get things wrong from time to time and that’s how we learn and overcome it. By putting so much pressure on ourselves, we’re missing the opportunity to learn and grow from experiences. And Rome wasn’t built in a day. Things take time and they’ll take as long as they need to.
Accepting you don’t have complete control over everything that happens- Anxiety often stems from a lack of control. In situations where we’re not in control, we often feel anxious. I get waves of anxiety that tend to last a few weeks to a few months. I guess it never really goes away but I’ve learnt how best to manage it, if you will. One thing I always get told is to focus on what I can and am able to control. This can be quite difficult in some situations especially where we feel helpless. Take the coronavirus, we can’t control that or being in lockdown but we can control how we choose to act and use our time now that we’re at home more often than not. We can control some things and we can’t with others. Finding a balance is really helpful and focusing on what we can control.
Treat yourself- I’ll admit that use those two words a lot normally. I only realised the impact of not treating yourself when I starved myself of that. Pre-lockdown, I’d treat myself by going shopping or buying artisan doughnuts (so so good). But since we went into lockdown and I was struggling with everything including really bad acne, I stopped. I stopped feeling worthy of myself and stopped being kind to myself. One way you can treat yourself Covid friendly is to buy flowers. Flowers can make all the difference by brightening up the space and making the room feel happier. My Nan said to buy flowers for someone when they’re sad and that’s a good lesson to remember. So, whether it’s your favourite doughnut, flowers or something pink (my happy colour), remember to treat yourself and do things that make you smile.
Love, Aoife xo
In my first year of university, I wrote a post in line with the American holiday of Thanksgiving and shared all the things I was thankful for. It also happens to be one of my more popular posts. The post has weighed heavily on my mind ever since and I felt like I owed it myself to write another one.
What are you grateful for this year?
Aoife xo
In my first year of university, I wrote a post in line with the American holiday of Thanksgiving and shared all the things I was thankful for. It also happens to be one of my more popular posts. The post has weighed heavily on my mind ever since and I felt like I owed it myself to write another one.
What are you grateful for this year?
Aoife xo
What tips and tricks do you do to help you be more productive? Comment Below x
Love, Aoife xo
What tips and tricks do you do to help you be more productive? Comment Below x
Love, Aoife xo
Love, Aoife xo
Love, Aoife xo
To put it simply; the world is dying. This is something we’ve known about for a while. Except you probably thought that won’t happen until at least another five thousand years. That might be true but it will get a lot worse before then. If you look around, with climate change, running out of resources and even Brexit, the world is getting itself in a sticky situation. As much as the hot summers are nice, the cold winters aren’t and the dramatic weather is about to get a lot worse.
Quality, get to know it. From what I’ve learnt, quality doesn’t have to be expensive. My Flatmate owns a Primark jumper from years ago and it’s still going strong. However, I think buying something a little more costly comes with a different mindset. When you buy something cheap, you see replaceable. But when you buy something a little more costly, you see durability. You paid more for something and so it won’t be treated carelessly. Being a student is slightly harder because our income is obviously limited. Therefore, a £50 white tee is clearly out of our budget. However, be smart about it. When you buy a garment, will it last endless wears and many washes? Or at least longer than a year? Two? Think quality. Quality means you won’t be in a rush to buy a replacement so quickly.
Need over want. Money in our pocket means we can buy whatever we want to. And that usually includes a quick order of cheap clothes from a fast-fashion online store. But clothes should be a desire and they should be treated as a love affair. Every item you own should have a place and a reason to exist in your wardrobe. The top that’s been staring at you in the shop window for a while or the dress that makes you feel a million times more confident. So I challenge you, when you next go shopping, to ask yourself: “Do I need or want?” If it’s want, are you going to love it this time next week? next month? six months from now?
Mend your own clothes. I currently own three pairs of ripped jeans. On one pair, my knee has stretched the rip out so much that it looks like a giant hole in the wall. They were really cute as well and made my butt look good which can be quite hard in a mum/ boyfriend-style fit. So, I grabbed a needle, a piece of blue thread and started sewing. Clothes don’t need to be thrown away because they have a giant hole in it. Learn to mend your clothes and make the most out of them. You could even take the opportunity to add something new such as embroidery.
Swap, donate or buy second-hand. The number of people buying clothes second hand and going thrift shopping is growing. And there’s a reason. You’re helping the planet. If you haven’t tried it already, what are you waiting for? You can find some great steals there and quality brands being stocked. The great thing with charity shops is you’re also donating to a cause. Not only helping your pocket or the environment but someone else’s life too- Double whammy!
If that doesn’t sound as appealing, because not everybody wants to buy second-hand which is fine, look to buy from a sustainable designer or products made sustainably. Look beyond the clothes on the high street and look into smaller brands whose clothes are traceable and are made from sustainable materials. The ethical fashion industry is switching things up and they’re looking much more attractive than they did thirty years ago. Deakin & Blue produce amazing swimwear made from recycled fishnets. Tala workout gear is made from recycled clothes.
In summary, it’s about time we group together and start working on changing the culture. Our current culture is full of disposable elements. Our new culture needs to learn that things are here to stay and we need to learn to love our planet as much as we love the people closest to us.
To put it simply; the world is dying. This is something we’ve known about for a while. Except you probably thought that won’t happen until at least another five thousand years. That might be true but it will get a lot worse before then. If you look around, with climate change, running out of resources and even Brexit, the world is getting itself in a sticky situation. As much as the hot summers are nice, the cold winters aren’t and the dramatic weather is about to get a lot worse.
Quality, get to know it. From what I’ve learnt, quality doesn’t have to be expensive. My Flatmate owns a Primark jumper from years ago and it’s still going strong. However, I think buying something a little more costly comes with a different mindset. When you buy something cheap, you see replaceable. But when you buy something a little more costly, you see durability. You paid more for something and so it won’t be treated carelessly. Being a student is slightly harder because our income is obviously limited. Therefore, a £50 white tee is clearly out of our budget. However, be smart about it. When you buy a garment, will it last endless wears and many washes? Or at least longer than a year? Two? Think quality. Quality means you won’t be in a rush to buy a replacement so quickly.
Need over want. Money in our pocket means we can buy whatever we want to. And that usually includes a quick order of cheap clothes from a fast-fashion online store. But clothes should be a desire and they should be treated as a love affair. Every item you own should have a place and a reason to exist in your wardrobe. The top that’s been staring at you in the shop window for a while or the dress that makes you feel a million times more confident. So I challenge you, when you next go shopping, to ask yourself: “Do I need or want?” If it’s want, are you going to love it this time next week? next month? six months from now?
Mend your own clothes. I currently own three pairs of ripped jeans. On one pair, my knee has stretched the rip out so much that it looks like a giant hole in the wall. They were really cute as well and made my butt look good which can be quite hard in a mum/ boyfriend-style fit. So, I grabbed a needle, a piece of blue thread and started sewing. Clothes don’t need to be thrown away because they have a giant hole in it. Learn to mend your clothes and make the most out of them. You could even take the opportunity to add something new such as embroidery.
Swap, donate or buy second-hand. The number of people buying clothes second hand and going thrift shopping is growing. And there’s a reason. You’re helping the planet. If you haven’t tried it already, what are you waiting for? You can find some great steals there and quality brands being stocked. The great thing with charity shops is you’re also donating to a cause. Not only helping your pocket or the environment but someone else’s life too- Double whammy!
If that doesn’t sound as appealing, because not everybody wants to buy second-hand which is fine, look to buy from a sustainable designer or products made sustainably. Look beyond the clothes on the high street and look into smaller brands whose clothes are traceable and are made from sustainable materials. The ethical fashion industry is switching things up and they’re looking much more attractive than they did thirty years ago. Deakin & Blue produce amazing swimwear made from recycled fishnets. Tala workout gear is made from recycled clothes.
In summary, it’s about time we group together and start working on changing the culture. Our current culture is full of disposable elements. Our new culture needs to learn that things are here to stay and we need to learn to love our planet as much as we love the people closest to us.
“Still, I rise”.
“Still, I rise”.
What is the meaning of life? You tell me.
What is the meaning of life? You tell me.
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