Graduation tips

After four years of student life i finally donned my cap and gown, whoop!

I had a very busy weekend, there were 9 family staying at my house - yes 9!- the weekend before the ceremony and it was beautiful to have everyone together. As you can imagine everything was a little rushed organising so many people but when i finally arrived the sun shone and i had a fabulous day. 

There are a few tips i would like to share for graduation which i wish i had known previously. Some are self explanatory but with being so busy the weekend before i forgot a few things

• Wear something you are comfortable in. Do not worry about what other people are wearing, just make sure you are wearing something that you feel nice in. I bought a selection of  'proper' graduation dresses, shirts pencil skirts, they did not flatter me at all and i would have been conscious all day. So i went with a Navy and flowery dress bought from Marks and Sparks for £20 in the sale. Actually i would say that 70% of the girls at my Uni went for smart but colourful dresses, you don't have to stick to black and white!
• Do not over think your make up, try to look like you just a little more polished. I noticed lots of girls who had done their make up like they were going clubbing, this event is about you and your cleverness not a night on the tiles. They stood out but not in a good way, keep it neutral  - saying that i went for pink lippy. That said i saw one girl with bright pink short hair, very loud dress and lots of piercings. She looked great - if you are a little more adventurous on a daily basis don't change yourself for this day, it is celebrating you as you are now. 
• I have naturally very straight hair and i knew under a cap it would make me look a little bit flat, but a friend with curly hair straightened hers so it did not look big. I would 100% recommend whatever style you choose avoid hair completely up, your hat will cover any elaborate styles at the back and you will look pretty bald on your pics. Also avoid making your hair too big on he top, i saw one girl taking out 20 pins from her perfectly back combed hair as her hat would not fit. 
• Take extra hair grips to hold your hat in place, i totally forgot to take any and my hat was slippy slidey - although you give measurements they are never going to be a perfect fit, the pins will give you some security while walking across the stage.
• Get there EARLY! We were advised to get there an hour and a half before, that time goes nowhere - there is lots of queuing to be done, to register, collect gowns, pictures, parking... if you want to truly enjoy your day beat the crowds and have more time to be with your friends and family. 
• There really is some truth in the benefits of wearing a shirt - the buttons really help hold on your graduation hood. The hoods have teeny loops on the end of the V which fit around a button and secure them in place. This can be rectified by sewing a little button onto whatever you are wearing, i saw a few clever ladies had done this, i was jealous. I was constantly putting mine back into position and made it a chore to wear, get sewing!
• Wear comfortable shoes, my shoes were not very pretty but were formal, comfy and i could walk in them easily. If you are not one of those girls (like me) who can wear 9 inch heels on a daily basis (like my cousin) i would not risk it for the day. I felt really sorry for beautiful clever girls stumbling across the stage because they are not used to higher heels. 
• And finally smile - you really deserve it. University is fun but it is blood hard - take this moment to shine.

Me and Mother Bear - how beaut is my mum?!

My nephew Ollie Bug

Mum, Me and Gramps

A cake from my family - yum!

Curly hair

Auntie Kerri and Oliver

Me and Gramps

A little update

I have been away for a while now because i have been tres busy. I have just started a new job at a local hotel resort and have been getting settled. I am really enjoying meeting new people as i live three hours away from my family and friends so its pretty exciting. I love all the people i work with but the job is not ideally what i want to do. I have a degree in Events Management and that is what i want to do, the hotel has an events department so i am hanging on and hoping i get the chance to have a go in that department, fingers crossed!

xx

Hen weekend in Leeds

Hello Ladies

At the weekend i went to Leeds for James sisters hen/birthday weekend and i thought i would share with you all. 

We stayed in the Leeds Travel Lodge, which was grimy to say the last but there were beds, showers and a bar open until 4am - for £20 you cant complain.

I organised a scavenger hunt for everyone, i made little cards and each one had a clue to somewhere and a task to fulfil. The girls had to follow these clues, riddles and challenges which led them around Leeds city centre and do silly tasks. 

These included buying sweetcorn from Leeds Market, going to the Corn Exchange, Leeds Town Hall, buying tights, cupcakes, red lipstick, wearing masks, getting photos taken in certain poses and visiting harvey nicks and trying on some very expensive clothing and getting photographic proof (we nearly got chucked out).

At Leeds Market - photo taken by a policeman!

Wearing our lovely masks 

We went to Tiger Tiger for a yummy meal, i had Thai Green Curry which was seriously lush.

We then went for a session of karaoke at a Chinese/bar/karaoke place. 

Website here: http://www.dfusionkaraoke.co.uk/ 

The venue was bizarre, the decor looked more like a room from a brothel than a kareoke booth - there were lots of Chinese songs and the words were badly translated, but this made it even more fun, drinks were super cheap. We had all the obvious hen party tack which i had bought for everyone so we spent the night drinking cheap and nasty vodka cocktails out of penis straws, as you do.  I would recommend visiting OK karaoke rather than this place to you all if you fancy a classier experience hehe.

 We then went to Revolution on call lane and got cocktails which was packed and we all fancied a dance, so off we went to the gay bar Queens court, this was fabulous we got the chance to have a boogie with lots of young gay dancers (they have some serious energy!). I used to visit here quite often in my uni days, i am your typical fag hag, i have far too many crazy gay friends.

We were exhausted after the days scavenger hunt antics and sore feet cut our night out short - sorry for that ladies! 

We had a fabulous time though and it was so nice to have a girlie weekend, i have not had one in so long. I spent the day on Sunday gardening and raking leaves - not very glamorous. 

Did you do anything fun this weekend?

xxxx

Girlie Weekend :D

Today has mostly been about getting my washing done (i can now see the basket - not quite the bottom of it yet though hehe) tidying up, making beds and other boring stuff. This is because i am preparing to have a proper girlie weekend, whoop!

Tonight my friend Millie and her mum Fiona are coming to my house to have a proper girlie sleepover with chocolate, wine and pampering and filthy jokes. They are both bringing me round outfits to try on that i can borrow for the rest of the weekends antics because i am too poor to buy new things. Millie is going out with my boyfriends best friend so the boys are going to her house (sorry about that Mills) and I get the ladies.

Tomorrow i am going on James sisters Hen do/birthday weekend in Leeds. We have a treasure hunt (which i have organised, a tad nervous) shopping, dinner, karaoke, cocktails and a night out planned and staying over in a hotel. 

This is just what the doctor ordered, i have been rather lonely recently, i have moved 3 hours away from my family and friends and have yet to meet many people, i sooo miss being around my girlfriends and just having a right old giggle. 

Will ensure i get lots of pictures and update you with what we got up to,an edited version maybe ;)

What are your plans for the weekend?

xxxxxxx