Winter Favourites

The Questions:

What are your favourite things about Winter?

Winter is about cold mornings, dark nights and icy roads- but if you learn to embrace it, it can be the 'most wonderful time of the year'. Apart from Christmas and everything that comes with the exciting build up, my favourite part about winter is probably the seasonable weather. Although the cold climate makes getting out of bed 100x more challenging, I love crisp frosty mornings and the chance of snow. Walking to university when the sky is blue and the air is cool is my favourite time of day, and rushing home to warm up on dark afternoons leaves me feeling so festive. If you stop moaning about it, it's all so cute and enjoyable... embrace it. 

What is your favourite Winter outfit?

A typical winter outfit for me is black skinny jeans (what's new?...), a plain tee, and my beloved (and well worn) tan Timberland boots. I've also been loving my new winter coat, a smart black duffel with a fleecey fur collar. I picked it up from Topman early last month, and you can see it on some of my recent instagram posts. If you guys are interested, I'll feature it in an outfit of the day post soon! 

What is your favourite Winter food?

Who doesn't love a roast dinner? and they're pretty mandatory at this time of year. As a Brit (and especially as a northerner) a roast dinner is eaten in my house at LEAST once a week, but they're perfect at this time of year. When you include all of the trimmings- parsnips, roast potatoes, stuffing and sprouts, it's everything. If you don't like sprouts, you're doing christmas wrong!

Favourite Winter drink?

I'd love to sound super festive and classy, and say something spectacularly Christmassy like Bailey's or a strange caramel coffee of some sort- but it's really not my thing. I recently tried Costa Coffee's new White Hot Chocolate and was beyond disappointed, to me it tasted like luke warm baby formula- not impressed. What I do enjoy though is hot chocolate, and Starbucks is every instagrammers dream at this time of year.

What is your dream way to spend a Winter’s day?

If we are talking FANTASIES, I'd spend the day shopping in NYC with an an unlimited budget and all of my friends and loved ones. Ice-skating in Central Park, Mariah's festive concert at the Rockefeller Plaza... one day I'll make it. 

How do you like to do your make-up in the Winter?

I obviously can't answer this question as I don't wear makeup to the extent of having a 'wintery' way of doing things, but for girls you can't beat a dark lip- berry tones and purples. I know Rebel by MAC is a perfect lip colour for this time of year.  Some of my friends kill it, maybe you should ask them. 

What are you hoping Santa brings you?

My Christmas list is typically the same every year: aftershaves, underwear and money (what more could a boy want? ha) What I'd kill for this year is a new iPhone, and I'm undecided whether I'd prefer the six or six plus, is bigger always better? Unless I win the lottery, I won't be getting one anytime soon, but a boy can wish. 

What are the first three things that remind you of Winter?

Snow, Santa and sparkly lights. 

What is your favourite Winter song?

If you don't follow me on Twitter (which you should) you won't know that I've been LOVING Mariah's Christmas album. 'All I Want For Christmas Is You', 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' and 'Hark The Herald Angels Sing' are spectacular- check them out. Apart from the QUEEN of christmas miss MC, other festive favourites of mine include The Pogues' timeless anthem 'Fairytale of New York' and Chris Rea's 'Driving Home For Christmas'. So much love.

What is your favourite Winter memory?

Sledging seems like the perfect winter activity, but honestly I've had so many bad experiences I can't even pretend to enjoy it. Icy fingers, frozen feet and wet clothes- no thankyou. Some cute memories I have involve waking up to snow, and sitting in my pyjamas checking the school website in the hope it would close for the day. Everyday I'd wait at the bus stop, and when the busses stopped running, school was cancelled. What could possibly be more exciting for a lazy fourteen year old? Watching old movies in front of the fire when you should be working makes it all so much sweeter. 

What is your favourite Winter scent?

If we're talking winter scents it HAS to be a Yankee candle. I love the festive ones, and I'm currently burning 'Cherry Vanilla', it's heaven. In addition, I love the Christmas Markets in my hometown of Manchester. The smell is a mixture of chocolates, cinnamon, hog roast, pancakes, hotdogs and mulled wine- it wouldn't be winter without a day trip here. 

Finish this sentence… If I could have one wish this Christmas it would be…

To be surrounded by my loving family, singing and laughing over a gorgeous roast and a couple glasses of wine! oh, a white Christmas would be lovely too, so I'm wishing for snow!

Thankyou for reading, I've been super busy at university and I am finally coming towards the end of my first semester. I've been doing really well actually, and got a First Class mark on my most recent essay! I'm very happy and proud to say the least! Follow me on twitter and insta to keep up to date with my latest antics, and keep your eyes on this blog. Much more exciting stuff coming up this month :-) xx

Surviving Freshers and Settling In

The short-term absence of posts from my blog has been a consequence of me starting university, which has been the scariest and best time of my life.  Experiencing freshers has been crazy, and I feel like I'm now qualified enough to give you some advice on how to survive the manic first week and finally feel at home. Whether you're feeling a little homesick, or starting to feel the effects of the all-nighters, here's my personal tips for getting settled; 

Get Out There:

The only way to meet new people and introduce yourself to other students is to get out there and socialise.  You'll be surprised how many people are out there looking for new friendships- make them now before people get stuck into their studies later down the line!  I made it my plan to learn someone's name every where I went, so don't be too shy to jump into conversations and ask questions of your own.  It doesn't need to be awkward or formal at all, avoid cringe-worthy introductions at all costs. Just get chatting about nights out, university or moving out- everyone's in the same boat after all.

Pace Yourself:

It's no lie that there is a subliminal pressure to party, drink and go wild every night of freshers and I've tried my best to make the most of the cheap drinks and clubbing atmosphere. I think I've drank more wine this week than I ever have in my entire life, and when you're twerking to Anaconda by Nicki Minaj at 3am you know it's a good night. However, unless you're some kind of unstoppable party animal- the late nights will catch up with you and you'll need to allow yourself time to relax. One night midweek, my flat all went shopping and ordered a late night Domino's pizza- you can still have fun without downing a bottle of wine beforehand...  My advice would be: don't be afraid to get stuck in, but also know your limits.  I've ended up feeling a little run down and worse for wear but my week has been fantastic.

Plan Ahead:

On my first day of university talks I woke up at death's door. It's fair to say we all went a little far at the opening night, which was a beach themed party at the accommodation's central bar/club.  In light of this I'd advice you to plan ahead, and let loose only on nights where you're guaranteed a lie in the next morning. I'm not saying never have fun or drink ever again, there have been nights where my flatmates have been passed out with their head in the freezer door... but make sure you're prepared for what's to come the next day. The same rule will apply for the rest of your time at uni really, it's all just about thinking ahead and saving yourself the tortures of a lecture when you can't even see straight (trust me, it's not pretty). 

Relax:

My final tip is simply to relax and enjoy yourself.  There will be times when you have a little wobble, wishing you were at home in your own bed, and it's important to know that everyone is feeling it behind closed doors. If it all gets too much, confide in a friend and tell people how you feel- everyone in my flat has been so caring towards one-another it's almost too much to be believed.  I've been up at 5am unable to sleep, when I can see and hear drunken lads running around outside in their boxers, but it's all just part of the fun.  Relax and calm down, and if you can't beat them, join them.