Although 22 is not a big celebratory age, to me it feels like a massive jump from 21. In my head 21 still seems young and full of life; 22 on the other hand feels so much more mature and grown up. I don't think I'm ready to grow up just yet! Due to university commitments I wasn't able to go home for my birthday but I did get to see my family a week and a bit later for a brief few hours, which was lovely.

I'm not a massive fan of my birthday - I don't really like being the centre of attention and the day can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming! And really, I had very little to do with my being born on the 6th February so if anyone should be celebrated it should be my mum, not me! Having said that, I was very grateful for all the cards I received, although a little less impressed with my brother's comments of how I am now 'sooooooo old!'

 

I was also lucky enough to receive some very appreciated presents, courtesy of family and friends. I'm paranoid that since I started drinking coffee a few months ago that my teeth are not as white anymore, so I was very appreciative of a new electric toothbrush! Already I'm convincing myself it's making a difference. I also received a beautiful light catcher from my family, adorned with poppies (the flower that shares the same name as our dog). I love decorative elements in my bedroom and when it starts to get sunnier in the coming months I think it will really brighten up my uni room. Other presents I was lucky enough to be given included a Barry M glitter polish and a gift card for my favourite shop Urban Outfitters from my two housemates, as well as a gift card for New Look from my Nana and a Made in Chelsea book from one of my best friends from home. I haven't spent either of my gift cards yet - I want to spend them on items I really want so I'm taking my time!

 

 

Although I do feel considerably older now and I'm sure more wrinkles are already appearing on my forehead, I am weirdly looking forward to embracing the rest of my twenties. I'll be finishing university soon and entering the world of work, and turning 22 has made me feel like I'm getting a bit closer to being ready to deal with that. Eeeek!

 

Jade x

Depending on your opinion of Drake, using his lyrics as the basis for the title of a life goals post is either inspired or a low point in life! I can kind of share Drake's sentiments however as I very much feel like I'm starting from the bottom. It's taken a good few years to decide but I think I know what I direction I want to take my life in now. And yes, it does mean that I will be starting from the bottom but everyone has to start somewhere.

 

I want to be a writer. I want to be the person who sits at a read through for a TV drama and hears people acting out the words that I have written. I want to run around a city - London, Paris, New York, anywhere - wearing jeans, a nice shirt and my hair knotted in a messy bun on top of my melon shaped head., watching people and writing about them. I think I've always known I wanted to be a writer, I just never had the guts to admit it out loud because there was always so much standing in my way. There still is - if not more - stuff standing in my way but whatever career path, whatever plans you have for your life, I'm pretty sure there are going to obstacles to overcome.

 

So since I want to write, I figured I would write down exactly what I want to achieve in 2014. The last three years I've had the comfort in knowing that I'd be staying on at university, I would be on the same campus, doing the same things with people I've come to call some of my best friends. This year, that certainty isn't there and it's scary. I'm scared that I'm going to lose contact with people because of geographical reasons. I'm scared that my hometown will gradually chip away at my determination. I want to keep wanting this future I've imagined for myself and I'm going to try and do what I can to keep myself motivated.

 

That's where these life goals come in:

1. Graduate!

It's all well and good having all these post-uni plans but I need to actually put the work in and graduate first! It's going to be a tough few weeks but I'm ready for it.


2 & 3. All in the aim of improving as a writer. I don't care if I get two words published in an online magazine no one has heard of or a poem published in an anthology twenty people subscribe to - I just want to start making progress! And I figured that writing workshops are going to be the best way to network and make that happen!

4. Of course with having a jobs come the benefit of earning money! I've spent the last four years avoiding buying too many new clothes and going on trips to places because I need to be paying for my accommodation and living expenses at uni. So the prospect of having a bit more disposable income is really exciting! And wardrobe wise, I can't wait to start building a collection and smart-casual blouses and blazers.

So here's to a productive and positive 2014!

Jade :)

Just a quick update to say that with changing the name of my blog, came a change with my Bloglovin' address. So if any of you delightful people would like to stop following the now non-existent You Can Call Me Jadey and switch over to Oversized Facial Features, that would be absolutely grand!

 

Here's the link:http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/11422727
 

In other news, I came home from uni on Saturday for the first time since September. I went to a Christmas party that evening and spent all day Sunday eating and sleeping - perfection! I love being home and being reunited with my main girl: Poppy, the family dog. This will be the second Christmas in our new house but because I've been away at uni for most of the year, it feels like I've hardly lived here at all yet! So here are a few snaps from my first few days back:

i. Typical train journey tidbits ii. Catching up with my number one cutie iii. My cosy corner

Jade :)
 

 

So apparently in the last two weeks, the only things I've taken photos of are different forms of (unhealthy!) food.

Looking back, it has really been quite a food orientated two weeks! Having my family come up and visit me at uni was definitely a much-needed boost, and as soon as Friday 15th is over and my deadlines are handed in, I'm going on a detox! I have been going to the gym 3 days a week and doing 3 hours of dance too so I guess it's not all bad..? (I'm just trying to make myself feel better!)

 

Jade :)

Granted it's not the widest variety of photos ever but it's been a pretty good two weeks. A uni open day with my brother, a lot of baking, a few cheeky snaps from my most recent waitressing jobs and my poor attempt at being artistic.

 

Summer, you're fun, you can stay for a while.

 

Anyone else been up to much?

 

Jade :)

It's been a busy few weeks but I've finally finished my exams meaning second year is over! In true celebratory style, I headed off to Paris for a long weekend which was absolutely fantastic. I've been a little bit obsessed with Paris for years and the city didn't disappoint - I could have done with triple the amount of time though, as there was so much I wanted to see. We did see most of the main tourist attractions though..

 

Check out my Instagram (Jadey_face) for a few more Parisian pictures. Aside from visiting Paris, the last 12 months have been pretty eventful. I made this post on a vision board just over a year ago and I actually achieved a lot of what I set out to do!

 

 

I didn't quite get a summer body (attempt number two starts today!) but I did take up YouTube yoga and managed to keep it up for these last 12 months. I also went to Paris (finally!), I got back into creative writing and choreographed my own ballet solo. So all in all I think the vision board was pretty successful, which is why I'm spending the rest of the day making myself a new one.

 

Also, I noticed I reached a massive 70 followers on GFC! I never thought anyone would want to read anything I wrote so an enormous thank you to anyone who has ever taken the time to do so :) I know I'm usually a bit of a sarcastic self-deprecator but I really do appreciate people reading and repsonding to what I do. Really, really.

 

Happy summer everyone,

 

Jade :)

 

 

I'm at that stage in life where I'm just feeling terribly lost. I have one year left of my degree and no idea what I want to do after it. In fact, I often feel like I don't want to do anything after it. I'm a creature of habit (and probably a tiny bit OCD) but I like doing things that I've already done. When I go to my lectures I always leave at the same time and aim to sit in the same seat. I like having a routine - I always start with my left arm when I'm in the shower and I always eat my roast dinners one food at a time, in the same order (sadly these examples are just the tip of the iceberg.)

 

In short, welcome to the odd but mostly monotonous and prosaic insight into my life.

 

What the above might have subtly suggested is that I don't really like putting myself out there. Doing that requires making changes and my body no longer copes well with trying something new or different. To be fair, I don't think it ever did but as children we are, on the whole, far more adaptable. It's like I've hit the ongoing dilemma - the desire to move on to new aspects of life and make the most of all the great opportunities we're lucky enough to be offered, coupled with the overwhelming nausea inspired by the fear of rejection. The not-knowing how something is going to pan out.

 

I've had a lot of knock backs this year, as I'm sure everyone has. I'm not entirely sure how it's even possible to have done so, but my confidence seems to have dropped even lower than usual. Which is making it even harder to accept that in just over a year, I'm going to be graduating. The thought of having a job itself isn't too worrying - I've had a one before and I know that although I get horrendously nervous, I can cope. (Eventually.)

 

I think I'm more concerned about being the new girl, about not being up to scratch (and that's if I can even get a job once I graduate.) Basically I think I have a bit of an inferiority complex and yeah, it does stop me doing things because I'm scared I won't be good enough. It's like The Smiths say in their beautifully woeful song 'Ask':

 

"Shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life you'd like to"

 

 

But sometimes I am brave. Sometimes I push (well, force) myself to do things I wouldn't usually do. And sometimes it's great and I feel so much better for it. But just as often (if not more often) it's horrendous, I get knocked back and I can feel myself bitterly reminding myself why I don't do this. Why I don't put myself out there.

 

Take internships and summer jobs. I've applied for a few over the last few months and like a lot of people I've been constantly rejected. And every time I think to myself that supposedly comforting saying of get knocked down 7 times, get back up 8. But I have to say that the older I get, the harder it is to get back up.

 

But then I think to myself about the many, many people who have it worse than I do, which usually results in some guilt-induced eating, but then I pick myself up, dust myself off and dive back into my routine. It's a bit of a vicious circle really; anytime I break out of my norm, the moment it all goes wrong I become even more fastidiously repetitive than before. I guess I'm just scared that it's getting harder to shake off these confidence knocks, but in reality as soon as I leave university they're probably going to become even more commonplace.

 

So what's the answer?

 

I think I'm still trying to figure that out. I'm just not one of those incredibly effervescent people who gets over things terribly quickly (I have a lot of flaws - just saying.)  I will say it helps to have a really good set of friends. They have a habit of finding incredibly amusing YouTube videos that definitely help to take your mind off things. I tried only pushing myself for things I really wanted, to lesson the frequency of rejections but as it turned out, this only serves to make rejection less familiar and all the more painful. So at the end of this very wordy post (sorry) it seems I can offer very few tips (sorry again!) But I guess because I'm still on this learning curve myself, I'll let you know when I know.

 

Deal?  Deal.

 

(And just in case, like me, you're stressed out by exams, feeling low about life or just in general need of a pick-me-up,  my brother showed me this video and it tickles me ever such a lot. I'm not even a massive fan of the movies!)

 

 

 

Enjoy,

 

Jade :)

 

 

 

 

It's like a miracle (and not only because a line from one of my favourite films can finally be applied to my life!) Yesterday I very spontaneously booked tickets for a long weekend in Paris! My best friend is currently living out there for her placement and I've been meaning to go for ages, but with uni during the week and having dance on the weekends it's been hard to find any free time. I handed in my last essay yesterday and in true celebratory style, bought a £50 return bus ticket to Paris!

 

I still have one exam to get through but knowing I've got something to look forward to a mere 3 days after my exam will hopefully be enough to get me revising hard. I've never been to Paris but I am in love with everything French so I'm so, so excited to be going (even with the 12hr coach journey each way!)

 

Has anyone ever been? I'm only out for the weekend but I want to do as much as I can! Any recommendations?

 

Jade :)

Last week took the form of a nice collection of activity-filled few days: I met up with my best friends who I hadn't seen since Christmas; Mum and I took our dog on a long (and windy) walk one morning; I went shopping a couple of times (sadly not for myself) and I finally got round to re-dip dying my hair. So all in all, a pretty decent week.

 

 

 

The pictures suggest that the weather was nicer than it actually was but I can't complain - we managed to avoid the rain! The wind, on the other hand, was out in full force and being the idiot I am, I stupidly left all my gloves at uni so by the time we got home my hands were absolutely frozen. It was worth it though, the walk totally tired Popstar out: she just got a bit comfy on the wrong bed!

 

 

As stated above, I also dip dyed my hair again. My hair really needs a cut but I'm planning to dye the ends red in a few days so I figured I'd cut it after all the hair dying is done. As my hair is so dark naturally, I had to use a pre lightener on it first but I actually love the colour it turns the ends of my hair. Which is ideal really, as I can't dye the ends red straightaway.

 

 

 As for the denim jacket I'm wearing there, I bought it ages ago for a cheeky £10 in the January sales from Urban Outfitters and I swear I wear it all the time. I love the collar detail and it's perfect under my ever-growing collection of men's jumpers.

 

 

 Happy Easter!
 

Jade :)

It is with the greatest relief that I can say I am home from uni for Easter. It's been an incredibly busy term since Christmas and I can't lie and say it hasn't been terribly testing at times. But like always, things are never quite as bad as they initially seem and here I am, back home for four whole weeks. And boy am I going to make the most of them.
 

I've already caught up with one of my best friends, blitzed my bedroom and eaten more food than is probably necessary. My dog (who I affectionately refer to as Popstar) has spent a lot of time in my room since I've been back and since the rest of the house are mostly still at school and work, I think she's just happy to have a personal playmate. She has started to claim my bed as hers though - I obviously don't wear the trousers (or patterned leggings) in this relationship.



As a little treat after a pretty stressful term at uni, my mum bought the two of us tickets to see Singin' in the Rain at the Palace Theatre, London on Wednesday.


We went to a matinee performance and despite being the second youngest person in the entire theatre, it was such a lovely day out. We had pizza for dinner after it had finished and only just made it in time to Victoria to catch our train home. Mum and I both dance so it was incredible to watch all the tap routines in the show (even if neither of us really understood the story line!) It was a lovely day out though, now all we need is a bit of sun to make this Easter even better.

And Easter Eggs of course. Lots and lots of Easter Eggs.

 

Finally I am now on Bloglovin'. I'm sure you've seen the rumours circulating around the internet about GFC and all that jazz so I got Bloglovin' just to be on the safe side. I spend far too much time finding new blogs to follow that I didn't want to lose all the ones I have already found! If you fancy a follow, you should find the Bloglovin' button on the right hand side of the home page :)

Hope everyone else is planning a nice, relaxed Easter :)

Jade