MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY PHONE

My relationship with my phone has had its ups and downs. Sometimes we're joined by the hi...hand, other times I can easily go without checking it all day. I'm sure a lot of you are the same. What I find interesting is going from my first flip motorola when did it happen our phones weren't just a phone, but instead our life? All stored on a little device. 

Although my relationship has got to the point where I'm really not on it as much as I used to be - countless hours of procrastination in the library might be to blame for those endless hours on it? but it still remains my third arm - just slightly more detachable.

I'd well and truly be devastated if my phone got lost or stolen - thank god for iCloud so not all would be lost. Regardless though, I really would be upset/lost. Now, is that healthy?

Like I said, phones aren't just phones anymore, in fact the thing I do least on my phone is actually ring anyone. It's your music collection, your games, your connection point with social media, all your photos aka memories, and your conversations with your nearest and dearest (and co). In this digital age its your portal to just that.

The positive and negatives of this is clearly endless. Some people's relationship with their phone is probably the most committed relationship they've ever had. But in a world where AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a threat to jobs within banks, is it time to accept that phones are just a new limb?

I'd love to know your thoughts!

Sophie xx

THE PRESSURE OF TIME

The pressure we put into a change of year, season or even day is fascinating, for what is wrong with now? With the idea of time and how we idolise it in order to achieve so much is something I've never really put much thought into. Until now...

It wasn't till the other day when I saw a tweet basically saying they can't wait for summer to be over, as with a new season comes a new vibe etc. they're going to be happier. Now firstly, upon us is autumn...that cold weather isn't making me feel any vibe anyhow, this tweet really made me think and realise how much pressure as humans we put on a change in time.

You'd be lying if you havent said 'I'll start the diet on Monday' and it's just Tuesday. This outlook and attitude to how a new week can bring a positive attitude and motivation is intriguing, for I personally believe socially we have accustomed to expecting a lot from a new week, year or even season. I just can't help but wonder why not now? How have we become so accustomed to waiting for a new day, week, year or season to change our ways.

Don't get me wrong I feel the same sort of newness a new season, year, day etc. brings, with the idea of starting from fresh. Is this outlook in fact negative? As why are we always waiting when we have now?

This pressure on time won't be changing anytime as I think it's in our blood to say 'the diet will start Monday'. Personally I'm going to be trying to stop myself saying it and just instead live now, and not in a weeks time or till the new year hits. 

Sophie xx

LIFE | 2018

Hello, it's me, I'm back. Again. And as if it's 2018?! I'm pretty sure it was 2016 like two weeks ago.

Sooooo, this year I think instead of resolutions I'm going to instead look at how I can improve myself generally and not just focus on one specific thing.

1. First up, I'm going to try and be a better friend. Now don't get me wrong I'm not a bad friend. BUT I find myself very easily consumed into day to day life and not make plans till plans are way overdue. SO, one way I'm going to better myself is actually make plans with my besties.

2. This second one is a tad daunting to even think about but...it is officially the year I graduate. With that, I really want to finish with the best grade I can and wether I go onto to do a Masters or get a job, just do my best to do well in whatever I chose to do.

3. The final one is that cliche one you can't help but hope for when a new year comes but I really want to be happier, 2017 brought a few new low points for me and I really want to spend more energy on positivity than negativity, which I've been guilty of not doing in the past. SO, I strongly believe 2018 although being the year in which I'll no longer be living with my two besties *crys* can and will be a bloody gooden'.

So there we have it my three ways and wishes that'll make 2018 better than the last.

Whats your guy's new year new you mottos?

Sophie xx

STYLE | MAKING A CASUAL DAY LOOK READY FOR THE BIG CITY

Hello lovelies!

This style post was one of my favourite to shoot I think the city location was partly to do with it as well as a newly found love for this specific outfit.

Soooooo, it was another hot day (which are now a thing of the past) and I wanted to keep it casual to go about Cambridge in yet sometimes I do like dressing up an outfit a little. I also knew I wanted to wear this incredible frilly cropped, Topshop jacket which can be found here and costs £45. Since pairing this with a pair of light denim mom jeans in the past I knew that for Summer days pairing the jacket with light denim is lush but it was a tad hot for jeans so went for this Forever 21 denim skirt (which isn't available online anymore).

Still wanting to keep the jacket as the statement of the outfit I decided to pair it with a simple white jersey vest which is also from Topshop and can be found here. Wanting to keep it simple and casual so the whole outfit isn't too dressy and just let the jacket do all the work!

 I think this outfit is perfect for strolling round a city shopping etc and it's fast become one of my favourite summer day outfits!

Thanks for reading xx 

LIFE | THE HARSH REALTIES OF LIVING ON A STUDENT BUDGET

Hello all you lovely gals and guys. 

Today's post is a ramble on my personal experience of coping on a student budget (prepare for a large amount of complaining)

For those who haven't gone to uni or are about to, you might think that I must of known I'd be living on a student budget for 3 years so why complain? but trust me when you're initially setting off to uni whilst money is somewhere in your head it's certainly not a priority. Personally my brain was more focused that I was about to go move to a city, and into a building with hundreds of people I'd never met.

So first year...a word that sums up how I survived is overdraft. Boy oh boy was that a good friend of mine by the end.

I'd decided seeing as I needed to settle into a new city the last thing I also want to be stressing about is also settling into a new job so I decided not to get a job this year. I figured I could survive off of my student loan and savings...fast forward to Christmas and I'm deep deep in my overdraft. Semester two certianly called for some sort of budgeting (which of course didn't last...).

I've never been good with money really, for some reason it burns a hole in my pocket and I think my obsession with shopping is something to do with that. So from being comfortable with a part time job at home, and having money to buy some of the clothes I wanted,  to be able to go for a meal if I wanted, to suddenly have the reality check I can no longer do that hit hard. 

If I had advice for any first year it's to not blow all your money in freshers and actually attempt to budget. For me personally, the summer between first and second year the amount of hours I worked to get myself financially stable again wasn't all that fun!

Fast forward to second year...it was time I got a job. Which I did, I worked at my local Topshop in Cambridge. Getting a job there was one of the best parts of second year because I got to meet some of the best babes ever, two of which blog themselves go peep Charlotte at iamcharrloteolivia and Sophie over at sophiefoskett.

Anyhow, so yeah not only the people were fab but payday was also. But me being me now worked in Topshop which meant most of my wage went there...but without having a job in my second year I wouldn't of survived! So whilst being finically stable and not having to become friends with my overdraft again I still to this day have a spending problem...

So to finish of this post here's a list of the top 5 harsh realties every student faces when living on a student budget...

• Not being able to order takeaways whenever you please. The worst is when you're hungover and all you want is a dominos but your bank account just won't let you.

• The guilt. To a degree shopping isn't as enjoyable as it used to be for now every single time I buy anything (even a weekly shop) I'm filled with guilt and dread that £15 is about to leave my bank account and I'm left feeling guilty for picking up an expensive pack of grapes.

• A lack of luxuries in your life. The holidays, the massive spending sprees are a thing of the past for a while. Which is very depressing. 

• Not being able to give back. For me I LOVE buying presents for people for no reason at all, and this becomes a rare occurrence when surviving on a student budget. As a weekly shop is probably a little more crucial than that top for your mum.

• The trade off. For many students I think we've all at one point or another had to do a trade off. For example, I buy that dress I really don't need instead of doing a weekly shop, and end up eating pasta for a week...When this starts to happen it's when you know times are tough.

So there we have it, the harsh realities of living on a student budget. Although at times it's very testing. I love uni and whilst would love a lot more money wouldn't change it for anything.

Here's to hoping I survive my final year!

Thanks for reading xx

P.s I reached 900 followers Monday and I want to thank all 916 (current following when typing this) of you for following me and reading my blog! It's very much appreciated xx 

STYLE | DARE TO DOUBLE DENIM

Double Denim. Otherwise previously known as a fashion DON'T. 

However it's 2017 now and the days where myself and probably many others wouldn't dream of 'double deniming' are gone. Alas, it's socially acceptable (not that that would stop me anyway...).

TOP PICKS | DRUGSTORE MASCARAS

Hello all,

Welcome to my new series 'TOP PICKS'. I've been wanting to start this for a while seeing as I seem to have a lot of top picks, ranging from fashion to beauty products.

To start off with is my two top mascara picks. I'm quite fussy on mascara, so for me to find a good one is quite impressive and recently I've managed to find another one! 

My first holy grail is Maybelline 'The Falsies' which to be honest I've been on and off using since I was like 13. It's one I love but it somehow always seems to fade from my make up bag eventually then when I buy it again I just love it all over again. I love it as it doesn't crumble under my eyes, and actually gives good volume to my not so impressive natural eyelashes. As well as this it isn't expensive at £7.99.

A new edition to my mascara must haves is L'Oreal's 'Volume Million Lashes'. Similar to Falsies, the volume I can build up with it is pretty good. The lasting time is also impressive as with some mascara I find mid day I look in the mirror and I look as though I have none on...but luckily with this one that's not the case.It cos's £10.99 and I don't think that's out the way at all! 

So there we have it my top mascara picks! 

xx

STYLE | A MUST HAVE SUMMERS DAY OUTFIT

Hello lovelies! 

Today's style post is an outfit fit for a summer day/evening doing whatever! As the temperature was reaching 30 degrees I opted for this amazing skirt from Topshop, as it's floaty and a very lightweight material it managed to keep me cool, so is definitely an essential for hot summer days. And yes I wore a skirt on a bike ride but the fit of it makes it so when you're on the bike it doesn't move, so all good. This skirt is fast becoming a summer favourite with it being so effortless with it making any outfit look great even when paired with the simplest jersey top.

As for the Brandy Melville top I have on, unfortunately it isn't on sale anymore as I got it last summer but once again it managed to keep me cool so I didn't melt in the heat and it also went perfectly. Seeing as the skirt's bright print is a statement itself keeping it simple on top is probably for the best.

As for my sandals, they're the best bargain ever, they cost only £3 from Primark and are one of the comfiest pair of sandals I own, they sell them in white, brown, denim and black so I'd recommend heading down to your local Primark to grab a pair!

TOP - BRANDY MELVILLE
SKIRT - TOPSHOP
SANDALS - PRIMARK

So there we have it a must have outfit for a hot summer day!

Thanks for reading xx