As part of my 'birthday weekend celebrations', I took a trip with my two best friends to Manchester to check out their Christmas markets. I had always wanted to visit some Christmas markets, and as Manchester is the easiest for me to get to, while everyone I ever talk to in college who's been seems to rave about them, I desperatey wanted to go this year.


It wasn't overly busy this weekend, as we went on the 11th November, the first official weekend of it being open - I imagine it gets a lot more packed as the festive season is properly upon us! I did feel like there was an absense of cake or any sweet desserts that I was hoping for - everywhere I turned just seemed to serve sausages or cheese, neither of which took my fancy!
Yet it was so fun to start off the festive season with a trip to the markets as it made me feel so Christmassy already. They are dotted all over the city, from right outside the Arndale, to Albert Square where I had lots of fun taking photos in front of the huge Santa on the town hall.


We also had a Pizza Express lunch, a classic birthday favourite of mine - or any time of year favourite, if I'm being honest - and I had to make a trip to Starbucks to try out their new Christmas range too! I tried out their Salted Caramel Brownie hot chocolate and muffin - it tasted so nice and weirdly festive! It was very sweet though so I can't imagine how anyone can drink more than a small! I was a little disappointed the Manchester Starbucks didn't have any of the reusuable red cups, but the stripy cup design they have gone for this year I really do love - I'm a huge fan of stripes, of course.

I've been feeling like writing up some study posts on my blog since it is a huge part of my life right now, so I felt like kicking it off with a Q&A, so you can get to know me, my subjects I study and my studying techniques a little better! I asked on Twitter and Instagram for some specific questions which I have answered along with some more general, frequently asked questions about what I study. I've also been totally a little inspired by Soph's recent post here which you must check out!

T H E  B A S I C S

What year are you currently in?

I'm currently in Year 13 at college, studying for my final year of A - Levels. 

What subjects did you do at GCSE?

I did the compulsory subjects at our school which were English Language, English Lit, Maths and RE. I also took all three sciences, Chemistry, Physics and Biology, then my option subjects of History, French and Art.

What are you taking for your A - Levels?

English Literature, Modern History, French and Fine Art. I actually took all my option subjects at GCSE again at A-Level which I always found a really interesting fact but now I'm typing it I don't so much...

L I F E  A T  S I X T H  F O R M  C O L L E G E

Did you stay at your high school for sixth form or move elsewhere?

My high school was pretty small so it didn't have its own sixth form, therefore I was forced to move elsewhere! I will always wish I could have stayed there, because my high school is 5 minutes away from me, compared to either of the local sixth forms, of which my journey time is about an hour. I found it really difficult adjusting to a different place.

How do you find taking 4 A-Levels, and why you do it?

I take 4 A-Levels because art is a hobby of mine, which I knew I wouldn't make time for without having deadlines and I wanted to learn how to better my skills too. I'm not particularly pressured about what grade I get in it as long as I enjoy doing it. Since I'm not used to doing 3 A-Levels, I don't find it overly difficult, I find it normal, but I can see how people would think it is a lot of work - it does take a lot of time-management!

How have you found each subject so far?

ENGLISH LITERATURE: English I found to be the smallest jump from GCSE to A-Level, I know I've seen a lot of different views across the internet, but since it happens to be the same exam board as GCSE, it totally feels like a continuation of the same, except a whole bunch of more books and critical views for each one. I don't mind it as a subject, I've never really settled into my classes either year but the books are alright, I really liked Streetcar in particular.

MODERN HISTORY: My one true love... I say that even though the coursework is the absolute bane of my life right now - endless reading feels a little overwhelming! There was definitely a jump in terms of both content, which is so much more in-depth, and the essay writing skills, which was something that took a while to get to grips with. Our papers are on the British Empire and the Cold War, weirdly I prefer Cold War but find Empire easier.

FRENCH: French has been such a rollercoaster of a subject. It began on such a high, this time last year I absolutely raved about how much I loved French, then I did the exchange, was traumatised, got into a funk that even though I have recovered from, I just don't have the love for it I once did. I actually prefer learning grammar as I like learning the tools to be able to speak and write French, rather than the topic work that I often find a bit dull - though I am looking forward to learning about France in WW2 very soon.

FINE ART: The workload might be heavy, but I truly do love art. I have a double art lesson on a Wednesday which might not seem the most appealing but it is the perfect chance for me to get loads of work done. Last year my subjects weren't the most interesting so it felt a little more of a chore, but this year I am back to doing portraiture and it is so much fun, I really do enjoy it - it's an extra subject for me so if I didn't like it, it wouldn't be worth carrying on!

How did you find the jump from GCSE to A-Level?

It really depended on the subject. English Lit for example, I don't find the jump horrendous at all because I felt comfortable in my essay writing technique since about the end of year 11, but due to learning almost no French at high school (how I got through that GCSE is a wonder), I definitely felt out of my depth there. History is a jump in terms of the depth of the content, and art is a jump in terms of the workload - it went from producing four pages of work every month (or even less) to every week, which sounds a lot but was easily settled into.

R E V I S I O N

Do you listen to music when studying?

My honest answer is yes and no! I love listening to music when studying but sometimes feel a little distracted by it so I won't. Having a record player has been so helpful for this because I much prefer listening to music out loud rather than in my earphones when studying, it's so less distracting, while my record player is at the other side of the room so I can't mess around changing tracks like I would with music on my phone. I also love to have a couple of albums that help me to really get into the studying zone - my go-tos are Coldplay's A Rush Of Blood To The Head and Ed Sheeran's +.

What is your favourite A-Level to revise?

History, absolutely! It was by far my favourite to revise for GCSE - it didn't feel like a chore at all, and I find it easiest to revise because there's a lot of set facts, whereas English can feel a little overwhelming with an endless amount of themes, and French has unlimited vocab!

When you revise, do you stick to a timetable strictly or do you revise whatever you are in the mood for?

I have actually created a timetable for myself this year, dictating which topic I will revise each half term for English and History, and what I plan to do each day of the week for French. I'm hoping I will be motivated to stick to it! I find a timetable so useful because you can actually visualise how much work you have to do, making it much less overwhelming.

U N I  P L A N N I N G

What are you planning on studying at Uni, and where have you applied for?

I am planning on studying History at A-Level! The five unis I have applied to are Oxford, Warwick, Nottingham, UCL and York. Only time will tell as to which I will go to - I know which ones my favourites are, but I specifically wrote my list there in no order so you can't guess!

Turning 18 recently, on the 6th November 2018, apparently meant I am now an 'adult', therefore seemed the perfect time to reflect on what I have learnt so far. I have seen a few things like this floating around the blogosphere before, but I was actually inspired by a YouTube video by Fabulous Hannah a couple of years back, when I decided I would do that when I became eighteen, and the time has come!


4. A good cry is sometimes necessary – you should never have to apologise for your tears. I like to live by ‘have a good cry, then never cry about that again’. Let it all out, then never look back.

It honestly feels like years since I typed up a music post so today I thought I would return to basics and have a little chat with you all about what is currently on repeat in my ears since I am loving some groovy stuff lately that I can't wait to share.

If you hadn't already guessed from all the imagery of this post, I am currently loving The 1975 - although this is hardly unusual as they have been my most played artist on Spotify since forever. This goes up even more when they have new music out such as right now. I have been feeling very treated as they haven't just released one or two songs before their album comes out on 30th November (I am very excited for that!!), but a whole five songs. They seem to be getting better and better with each one too, as my favourite has to be the latest song, It's Not Living (If It's Not With You). It's such a classic 1975 song, thanks to those amazing guitar riffs.


I have also been listening to a new song from OneRepublic a lot - Connection. They never seem to disappoint me, and this new single is no exception. I love the lyrics and it is an awfully catchy tune too. I hope this means we're getting a new album on the way too because their last two, OhMyMy and Native are two of my favourites.

I was obsessed with the song Bear Claws by the band The Academic back in the summer, but when I saw Kate of Luxe Kate tweet about how good they are (I'm so jealous she saw them live!), I had to go and listen to some more music off their album. Definitely recommend giving them a listen as I am totally obsessed with the album right now - Different and Why Can't We Be Friends are two firm faves.


It has become super rare that I delve into the world that is chart music lately but I can definitely admit that Little Mix's new single Woman Like Me is a tune. I feel like I would be listening to it a lot more if it didn't feature Nicki Minaj (they seriously didn't need her), but it's classic Little Mix so what's not to like?  

Ellie Goulding returned a couple of weeks ago with Close To Me - I am the hugest fan of Ellie so it pains me to say this one disappointed me! It just isn't to my taste, but I am really hoping it's a bit of a grower. I'll just have to go back to her Delirium album to remember why I love her and wait it out for some new releases!

For more musical-updates from me make sure to check out my Current faves spotify playlist - which I think deserves extra points for the Chandler Bing quote I set as the photo!

It can be so overwhelming choosing the universities you're applying for, especially as there are such an amazing array of both universities and courses that you can really feel spoilt for choice. Since I have just sent of my uni application, being an early applicant, I'm often asked how I did it, so thought I would compile some tips and tricks that helped me narrow down my choices massively.

CHOOSE BY COURSE

I would seriously recommend knowing what course you want to do before even looking at the different universities available. Now, I'm not saying know exactly what course you want to do to the letter, but have a general idea - don't be choosing between doing natural sciences or English at this point! Have a general idea of where your interests lie, then start looking at some university courses for this subject. It's also a good idea to know what you want to get out of your course too, in terms of the way it's taught and the sort of modules, perhaps. You don't want to get attatched to a university, and then realise the course isn't for you! Feeling enthusiastic about the course you want to study is also so important. If you're not truly into the course, you just won't find any university appealing!


CONSIDER COURSES WITH DIFFERENT ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Since you'll eventually need a firm and an insurance choice, you really need a couple of tiers of universities to choose from - one's that could become your firm, and one's that could become your insurance. Your insurance choices need to be at least a little lower than your firm (for example, an AAA for a firm and an AAB for insurance), otherwise it wouldn't be worth having an insurance choice - it's basically the backup if you don't get the grades! But I would seriously suggest you put as much interest into your insurance choices and make sure you like them, which would soften the blow if you did need them, and make use of all your five choices.

OPEN DAYS

Definintely don't underestimate the usefullness of open days! If you are looking at universities all over the country it can feel like a total trek, but they are so useful to get a feel of where you could be studying, and what is on offer there. While at open days, I would definitely suggest thinking about things such as;

CITY OR CAMPUS?

I really wasn't sure about the difference of the two before I visited some unis. Many universities are campus based, like a mini village almost, with ammenities such as pubs, shops, and your accomodation all on site, whereas some are more 'city' based, spread out around a city. I would really suggest looking at them both and perhaps even applying to both sorts of universities, unless you really dislike one of the options. I really thought I was going to prefer a campus and feel too overwhelmed in a city, however I like the idea of a city being close by and being able to nip to the shops if I fancy, possibly because my current college is in a city (albeit a small one).


GO TO TALKS

Another reason why it's a good idea to know which subject you want to do is so you don't spend the day at the university going in several talks about subjects, it will be so easier to just go to one or two subject talks at each university, and then compare your experience at each of the talks. At one of my favourite universities, I was actually a bit dubious about their course, until I went to the talk and was absolutely blown away and sold.

LOOK AT ACCOMODATION

At most of the universities I looked at, the accomodation was much of a muchness, but it is definitely a good idea to go and have a look to get a real feel of where you could be living. I'd also advise you to consider living conditions for your second and third year - yes, it may seem like a long time off, but it is definitely worth considering. Some universities have some accomodation they offer for second and third years, but some won't - having a talk to some students about the areas they live in could be really useful.

TALK TO STUDENTS

At open days there always so many students about who are experiencing the life you could be! My best suggestion is go and talk to students who study the subject you want to study as you'll get a feeling for what it's like to study there too. I remember when I was doing college tours at Oxford, a few of the students were history students, who seriously sold me because they gave the tour from a 'historical' kind of perspective which was so useful.

Mentioning that, a campus tour can be a really good idea if one is on offer, it could give you a real feel for the place - the first 'campus' style university I went to was Warwick, so it felt totally discombobulating until I went on a tour, when I began to be able to navigate myself around the place a bit!


SO YOU'VE BEEN TO SEE THEM - NOW WHAT?

Now comes the serious part: the decision! Some universities you may just have a feeling for. The biggest decision I had was choosing between Oxford and Cambridge, as you can only choose one. I simply had a real feeling about one, whereas although I loved visiting the other one, I just couldn't really see myself there. It could be an idea to make some sort of pros and cons list if you are really stuck - perhaps the course is a bit better at one uni, but at another uni the location suits you better, and so you can weigh up which factor is most important for you.

Once you've got your five, the hard part is definitely over! If you do manage to get offers from all five, and really can't choose which one to pick for your firm and insurance, the unis usually host 'offer holder open days' where you can go again and really work out which one is best for you - it can definitely be easier sometimes with a fresh set of eyes.


WHERE HAVE I APPLIED FOR?

The big question! I'm asked so often where I've applied so here we go; I am applying to do a History degree at Oxford, UCL (University College London), Warwick, York and Nottingham. So far I have received a couple of decisions, from York and Nottingham, which is super exciting - I can now go to university, so long as I get the grades! A surreal feeling for sure...


I would love to hear about your experiences too! Whether you have been through uni or are there right now, I would love to hear your tips for starting uni and settling in - a crazy thought that I will be going through all that this time next year! If you have any other questions about applications make sure to leave me some too, I would love to help!

One of the best things about autumn has to be the colour scheme, right? I love all the deep browns and burgundys that appear everywhere this season, including and especially, on the lips. Here are a few of my favourite lipsticks this season that I know will be my autumnal staples.

B E R R Y S

Kat Von D - Lolita

Beginning with a liquid lipstick, Lolita is definitely an autumnal staple. It's possibly one of my darkest lipsticks - liquid lipsticks always seem to appear lighter until you put them on your lips, so I really want to get the worth out of it during the autumnal months. It's a gorgeous deep berry shade that literally screams autumn - even the packaging, fitting in with the Kat Von D brand, feels autumnal and Halloween-like.


MAC - Retro

This has to be the boldest MAC lipstick of my collection, with real red undertones. It was a little bit of an accident that I bought a lipstick so dark - it swatches a lot lighter, strangely enough! But it is the perfect autumnal shade so I'm really glad to own it. The satin finish is also great too, meaning there's a great colour pay off while feeling gloriously moisturising on the lips.

D A R K  B R O W N S

Colourpop - Times Square

The thing I have found with most liquid lipsticks is they're usually darker than they look, so when I was buying my first Colourpop lipstick in New York I went for the lightest shade of Ulta's collection, Times Square. Still ended up pretty dark! But I'm really glad, it's a really nice, cooler toned brown with an unbeatable formula, incredibly long-lasting and the fastest drying liquid lipstick I own.


Anastasia Beverly Hills - Hudson

Okay, I don't know what it is about this lipstick but I have recently realised it is so flattering and therefore have totally fallen in love. It's a really beautiful chocolate brown shade that perfectly compliments an autumnal red eye look. I'm so obsessed with it right now - I love how I have a mini size as it came in a set as it is the perfect handbag size!



RevolutionXSoph - Fudge

Since this one is only £4, it's a definite essential for everyone. I love that it is affordable and also has a cream finish which makes a huge change than all the mattes on the list. Fudge is a warm brown, really aptly named as it reminds me of fudge actually! It's so perfect for autumn, pairing it with some warm brown and burnt orange eyeshadows.

P U R P L E  T O N E S

Urban Decay - Backtalk

I totally didn't know what section to pop this one in so it ended up in a league of its own. I can't decide why this lipstick is so autumnal for me - perhaps because I bought it in the autumn two years ago, when I constantly wore it, so it always ends up reminding me of this time of year. It's also a really gorgeous purple toned nude that looks so fab with any burgundy-esque look, without opting for a super dark shade, making a lovely change yet still super autumnal.

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I have been obsessed with corduroy since about this time a year ago, when I purchased by burgundy fluffy-lined corduroy coat from Stradivarius. I wore it and wore it, and have continued to do so this time - it felt like a hug the first time I wore it this season, now it has started getting a bit chillier, I had seemed to have forgotten how cosy it is.

However, following on from my love of my coat last year, this year corduroy has appeared in shops everywhere in a big way, and I am certainly not complaining, so I thought I would round up some corduroy pieces you NEED for your wardrobe this season.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

The button up A-line skirts have made a return this year, much to my excitement! I purchased a blue denim one from Miss Selfridge three years ago now and feel totally on trend with it this year. It seems to have had a bit of a corduroy renewal this season too, and I love this red skirt from Miss Selfridge. I've gone a bit red crazy this season (to the extent I purchased a pair of red trousers), so I am really loving this. However, if red isn't your thing, I love the navy option from Topshop.

My whole love of corduroy began when, a while ago, I saw some corduroy mom jeans in Urban Outfitters. They were utterly beautiful, but I just couldn't justify £55 for jeans, so Stradivarius have definitely answered my prayers! I knew I had to check them out since my own corduroy coat is from them, and I love their more affordable mom jeans - again they offer them in the totally on trend colours of rust and a blush pink.

Sticking with jeans, I've kind of fallen out with my skinny jeans right now, but I love the twist New Look have given them with these corduroy skinny jeans. Again, the colour range is insane - I love the more subtle and trustworthy black but they will definitely have something to suit you.

My final pick is a pair of trousers I have had my eye on for a while - to the point I wandered round my local New Look store on a mad hunt to find them, but unfortunately failed. The burgundy cropped corduroy trousers are so gorgeous and since burgundy is my absolute favourite autumnal colour, they are totally perfect for this time of year.


I was totally overwhelmed when searching for pieces for this post because there are simply SO MANY corduroy items around right now! There's definitely something to suit you out there, so I'd love to hear how you style it.