18 things i learnt before i turned 18

1. If someone makes you happy stick with them, sometimes they may not treat you the way you want them too but they could in effect feel the same way about you.
2. You are not going to be the best at something the first time you try, stick at it, keep going! Practice makes perfect.
3. Life isn't a competition. Stop comparing yourself to others thinking you aren't pretty compered to someone else because thats not what matters.......... be confident in your own body. If you like something about yourself don't be ashamed about it. Don't compare your chapter 3 to someone else's chapter 25.
4. BE HAPPY. Cut negative people out of your life you don't need them however much you tell yourself you do.
5. Make time for others and treat them like you would like to be treated. Yes it may hurt when people don't treat you the same way but in the end they will regret letting you go.
6. Enjoy something when you have it, you don't know when it could end so enjoy it while it lasts and don't push anything. As my lecturer once said why impose meaning on something that has  no meaning ?
7. Don't say anything after 1am if you are mad, think it over and say it in the morning. Avoid pointless arguments.
8. Put yourself out there. The friends you make for life could be someone you don't expect to even talk to.
9. Keep healthy. Work out, eat regularly, sleep well.
10. Do not stress about that recommended reading, its recommended for a reason you will not fail your course if you don't read it. If you can't cope give it a miss for a while.
11. Always make time for family, they will always be there for you.
12. Sometimes your friends can be wrong and you need to make your own opinion on a situation or you will regret it. They are looking out for you but only you know the circumstances.
13. Keep your guard high enough so you don't get hurt when someone unexpectedly walks out of your life. However life will go on.
14. Appreciate the small things in life and smile at them. Make others smile as much as possible.
15. Listen to crappy music and dance around your room like an idiot. No one is watching and no one cares at the end of the day.
16. Don't plan your life out. Yes a rough outline is good but in the long run everything can change. At the start of uni you could be doing a course but at the end of uni be entering a completely different career path.
17. Your life is not and will never be your favourite romantic comedy so do not expect it to be all happiness. 
18. Be yourself, don't change yourself to please others. Individuality is the best quality you can have.

Lauren x

Uni room tour

So i'm in my 7th week of uni and its only just come to my attention that I haven't done a room tour yet which is something I really wanted to do ! I live with 11 other awesome people in flat 4 (the best flat on campus of course).

This is my cute little room

My photo filled notice board and Christmas bedding (its not too early)

View from my window

The en-suite

My door featuring 'my quotes' basically a huge flat inside joke.

The hallway, yes I am at the very end.

The massive kitchen and main social space.

Lauren x

Transformation Tuesday

The other day I was looking through old photos and realised how much I've changed over the years so I thought I would get out my hard drive and show you my terrible photos and how I've changed over time so enjoy!

Back in 2004.... I'm not sure why I wanted that stone over the others...

2005.... attractive times

Still 2005....

I look so happy to have a younger cousin

Next top model

2005 selfie game strong...

Bit happier to see my cousin a year later

2007

2007 family wedding

2007 holiday

2009..... I look overly happy about shuffle board

2010 when I lived in jumpers....

Very happy about the Caribbean heat but my legs look good aha

2011.... 

Went crabbing and managed to catch a fish, standard Lauren.

2012... 16th birthday

I don't even know

2012... didn't expect that

Prom

Looking very lanky

2013 cruise

Ugly selfies are my number 1 talent

Halloween being a conventional cat

Raining at lands end

Hair game so strong

2014 .... spent my birthday doing this

Before 2014 holiday

2014 cruise

Another cruise photo

Cruising...

Stalking bands 

Concert times

July favourites

Well July has just ended so I thought whats better than a new favourites post.

Tv, films , books & music

So I shall start with tv shows. Well at the end of July I became completely obsessed with American horror story. I have just started season 3 and I am obsessed with it already but I did miss season 2 because it just didn't appeal to me because of the plot and it doesn't have Taissa Farmiga in and she is my favourite character, well along with Evan Peters.

When it comes to films I can think of 2, I did go see TFIOS which was great but I don't know I wasn't completely blown away, I did cry multiple times but I expected it to be different. Another good film was 22 jump street which is bloody hilarious to say the least, I had to wipe tears away half way through the film but you can definitely tell its a sequel its just not as good as 21 jump street but it has a hell of a lot of intertextual references to the first film.

At the end of july i managed to finish the book chain reaction which is the final book in the perfect chemistry series. I know the collection is pretty old and I have had the books for a year but I have only just read the last one and for the last half of the book I just couldn't put it down it was incredible. I would 100% recommend the trilogy to anyone.

Music wise I have been enjoying more clubby songs since I went to Kavos end of June and when I was on my cruise we went to the club every night so yeah my music taste is changing every day. I know they both came out late June but I only got my hands on them in July since I was away but 5 Seconds of Summer's album and Ed Sheeran's album are both incredible and if you haven't given them a listen I would totally recommend them. With 5sos my absolute favourite is end up here and with Ed Sheeran my favourites are afire love and thinking out loud.

Cosmetics 

There are a couple of products I can mention here, first I shall talk about lip products. 2 main products have stood out and been very helpful since I have been in the sun. First the watermelon flavoured malibu lip care which tastes divine to start with and it really moisturises your lips and protects them from the sun. The second product is Cliniques chubby stick in the shade 07 super strawberry, I actually got this for free when I picked up the July addition of glamour magazine and I have fallen in love with it ! Its quite a subtle colour but its still very cute. I will be picking up a full size one when I have finished with the small version.

I would also recommend 2 spot products these are all by neutrogena I have the tangerine and lime daily wash and scrub which work really well for your face and smell divine. I also have the body wash and scrub in pink grapefruit which works really well. I've had small spots on my back for as long as I can remember and this product has definitely helped in reducing them so I would recommend them to anyone having back acne problem.

Shops

When I was on my cruise I discovered a shop called Pull and Bear and absolutely fell in love. I think its a European shop based in Spain but it has a lot of cute stuff at reasonable prices so its basically a Spanish H&M and since I have a huge love for H&M its not a surprise I fell in love with Pull and Bear.

I have also found that this month Primark has been great, I have been wearing a lot of clothes from there when I went away, mainly skirts and shorts but they definitely serve a purpose and its so cheap that if they do get ruined its not the end of the world. I got a pair of sandals for my holiday and wore them every day and completely distorted them but its fine because they only cost about £8 I think.

My final shop is B&M, I've always been a fan on the shop since it has a huge variety of stuff for a decent price but at the moment I'm looking for uni stuff and they have great stuff. Soon I'm doing a uni stuff haul where I shall show the stuff I have got (will link here when it has gone live) .

Others

In June I got my mac but I still haven't really put it down its basically my baby so its definitely still a favourite.

I also ordered cards against humanity at the end of July since I've only heard good reviews, I haven't had chance to play it yet but I can tell its going to be brilliant because of the nature of the crude cards.

Also since I have been travelling a lot I have discovered a love for Barcelona. Since I only spent one day there I didn't see too much but what I did see was absolutely beautiful and I'm pretty excited to go back soon.