Tea Stains and Daisy Chains

Found on Instagram: Absolutely Bear

12:22

Work hard, play (sport) hard

21:40

I would have entitled this post 'Work hard, play (sport) hard, and blog hard', but that (as well as being slightly less catchy) would involve me having (even vaguely) successfully done so... Sadly, during my first year at uni, I haven't written a single blog post. I suppose I could have made myself write some, maybe late at night instead of going out drinking, but I don't think blogging should ever be forced- if you want to write, then write. If not, don't stress.

But anyway, here I am a year later, blogging again! Let's hope I haven't completely lost it...

Seeing as it's the Olympics at the moment (woo!), I thought I'd share some tips I've learnt this year about how to be involved in a competitive sport at uni and also keep on top of your degree at the same time, preferably without having a complete breakdown. I am, of course, no expert. I'm not at the top of my class, nor at the top of my sport, but then I guess that's pretty much the norm. (If you're a 16 year-old currently competing in Rio, I'd suggest you stop reading now- I think you've got this).

This was actually probably the hardest thing about starting university for me- I wanted my course to go well and to get good essay marks (I know first year doesn't count blah blah) but I also wanted to get really into rowing and train as hard as I could. Now don't get me wrong, there are so many other sports that don't require anywhere near as much commitment as rowing, but me being me, of course I chose the one that involves early mornings and two sessions a day (I'd definitely recommend it, by the way). So here are some tips (from someone who definitely never gets stressed and definitely never eats chicken nuggets in bed as a way of coping, and has certainly never cycled alone to a field with a bottle of wine...)

Get involved straight away. It may seem like too much to take on a new sport when you arrive at uni for the year and are being bombarded with reading lists and deadlines, but do it anyway. If you don't sign up and go along to meetings in the first few weeks, you might find it hard to ever get round to it once term starts properly and you remember what 'busy' actually feels like.

Keep a diary. Not for writing down your every thought (although please feel free), but for keeping a track of everything that is going on each week. Work out what you have to do for your course and allocate each task to a certain day, as well as filling in your training sessions. If you've got an essay to write, plan it in for a lighter training day so that you don't suddenly remember about it the day you've got two sessions and an hour in the gym, which just so happens to be the day before it's due.

Be flexible. Whilst you can have the best intentions (see above), sometimes things just crop up. These might be extra training sessions, extra reading for a seminar the next day, or spontaneous nights out/ naps. Having a plan is great, but if you feel like your life is being dictated by it then that's not really ideal and will probably just cause more stress. As cliché as it sounds, you kind of just have to go with the flow when this happens; do what you can but don't freak out if you don't manage to do absolutely everything you had planned.

Prioritise your work. I don't mean prioritise your work over your training, I mean prioritise the most important parts of your course. Now this really depends on the type of person you are; if you're like me and feel like you're going to fail if you don't read every single item on the 'suggested reading list' before a seminar, then listen up. Just chill out a bit- as long as you've got a reasonable grasp of a topic before a class then you'll be fine, no one is expecting you to have read everything under the sun on Descartes before a seminar. And if anyone has, then good for them, but they probably didn't do 90 minutes on the erg followed by a water session the day before.
Look after yourself. Sometimes it seems ridiculous that on top of all this rushing around you still have to find time to feed yourself/ tidy your room/ wash your clothes/ change your sheets/ go food shopping etc. As gross as it is, I often realise that my sheets have turned yellow and my carpet has collected what seems to be an entire head of hair. It's at these times that I remind myself that while I want to study hard and be at the gym 24/7, I can't live in a pig's sty (I apologise to all the pigs out there, I think my room is probably worse). So, try and set aside some time each week to sort out the rest of your life- put some washing on and give your floor a quick hoover, it shouldn't take very long if you give yourself some time to do it.
Eat well. It goes without saying that if you're training most days then you've got to eat well. So this means making sure you're eating fruit and veg (I find keeping some frozen veg in the freezer works best), as well as carbs (lots and lots of carbs) and protein etc. While you could pretty much eat whatever you want because of how many calories you're burning, if your diet is really unhealthy all the time then it's not going to do you any good and you won't have much energy for getting your work done. Personally, I do a weekly online shop, which means I can plan my meals easily beforehand and don't have to spend time doing a big shop in a supermarket. I also have a cheap and cheerful smoothie maker which is great for whizzing up some fruit before a training session.
Sleep well. Whilst realistically you will probably be running on not very much sleep most of the time, don't over do it. With a sport like rowing especially, where you have early morning sessions, make sure you at least think about getting a bit of an early night a few times a week. Alternatively, make napping your new best friend.
Treat yourself. Even if you feel like you have a million and one things to do, it's important to take some time out every now and then. Maybe this is just to watch Netflix for a bit, eat chicken nuggets in bed (which I have definitely never done...), or hang out with a friend. Basically just make sure you're not spending every waking hour either working or working out.
Be okay with not being a 'typical student'. Not that that's really a thing anyway. But people (mostly older people, I find) seem to assume that all students lie around in bed all day and generally don't do a lot. And of course, you will probably have friends who do this to varying extents, and sometimes you'll be smug, sometimes you'll be infuriated, and sometimes you'll be insanely jealous. There you are making your third meal of the day before you rush off to some lecture or other, and someone shuffles into the kitchen, blinking in the daylight and asks whether you've got 'a busy day'. Before you respond with some sort of insult, remember that you love your way of life (most of the time), and they probably love theirs too.
Be okay with sometimes missing out. If you enjoy a night out, then I'm sure you'll manage to fit some into your busy schedule, but there will sometimes be sacrifices you have to make. Maybe you've been away all weekend at a competition so need to catch up on work, or perhaps you're on drinking ban during the last two weeks of term (hardest weeks of my life...), but just try and tell yourself that it will be worth it when you get a PB or win a race/match. Your friends (if they're anything like mine) will probably get sick of the response 'Sorry I can't, I've got rowing', but if they're good friends (like mine) then they'll respect what you do.
Remember you're not superhuman. Sometimes it's impossible to do everything. Most coaches don't want you to jeopardise your degree for the sport, so if you're really struggling to keep up with the work, and you're genuinely trying, then missing a few sessions isn't going to do much harm. As long as you talk to someone and don't just not show up, then no one is going to think any less of you for taking some time off.

I hope some of these have been helpful and that you are able to work hard and play sport hard this year.

If you need some more advice or have any tips of your own, please feel free to leave a comment below!

beauty

Purchased in September

14:09

blogging tips

How to get all your photos the same size

12:07

annie sloan

DIY Shabby Chic Mini Wooden Drawers

11:46

In my last post I said I was possibly going to try a DIY project with the mini stationary drawers I'm taking to uni. I didn't really think I'd ever get round to it, but as it turns out, I was bored today and fancied getting a bit creative. You'll be pleased to know that it only took a couple of hours, so it's not the kind of project that takes the whole day or weekend or anything. Even better, you can do this with any piece of furniture you want to turn vintage! Here's what you'll need:

1 set of mini wooden drawers (IKEA is probably your best bet)
Chalk paint (I used Annie Sloan's)
Soft clear wax and soft dark wax (again, Annie Sloan's is great)
A couple of paintbrushes of varying sizes
An old cloth or rag of material
Sandpaper
Paper, a pencil and a ruler
Acrylic paint for decoration (I used black)

Step One- The painting

Before you start any painting, you'll want to lay down some newspaper to protect the surface you're working on. You could do it outside if it's sunny, but it's useful to be at a table to get the best stance when you're rubbing down later on! Once you're all sorted with your old shirt and your radio blasting, you need to take the drawers out of the main 'chest' and coat each one with your chalk paint. I only did the front and sides because I didn't see much point in doing the inside or the back, but it's up to you. Don't worry about being particularly neat; if you miss a few spots then that will only add to the vintage effect. Lay the drawers out to dry and then do the same with the actual chest (again, I only did top, sides and the small edging on the front). Leave everything to dry for a while, preferably a good few hours.

Step Two- The waxing

First, take the clear wax on a paint brush or an old cloth and rub it into each of the painted areas of your drawers and chest, almost as though it's a moisturiser. The next bit's a bit scary, but if you want that shabby chic look then it's got to be done! Take the dark wax and paint some onto one of the sides of a drawer. It will look very dark and horrible, but that will all change! Using a dampened rag or cloth, rub in the wax (always going in one direction) so it smudges, making sure you exert quite a lot of pressure. Continue this until you've got your desired effect, also using the sandpaper to help scrub off some of the wax so that the white paint, or even the wood, shows beneath. It looks quite good to have darker bits around the edges, but you can create any sort of look that you want. Once you've done this with each side and each drawer, do it to the main chest, coat everything in the clear wax again and leave to dry.

Step Three- Drawing the Design

Now, if you like the minimalist look, you could just leave your drawers at that, but I decided to add a design on the front to personalise it even more. Obviously, any design would work, but if you're not used to painting then keeping it simple is probably the best idea. If you know the kind of thing you want, head over to Pinterest and have a look around; that's what I did! Instead of cracking straight on with the paint, it's best to measure out the area you want to apply the design to, and then make a paper replica as a sort of template. For mine, I measured the height and width of the chest (from the inside of the border around the edge) and cut my paper to the right size. Then, I measured the height and width of the drawers and transferred all of those measurements on to the paper, which then created the horizontal shelf in the middle as well.

Next, draw your design onto the paper, remembering that you don't want a complicated bit to fall on the edge of one of the drawers, or on the middle shelf. When you're happy with it, transfer the corresponding section onto each of the drawers using a pencil. Press quite lightly in case you make a mistake.

Step Four- Painting the Design

Once you're pleased with your pencil outline, you can begin to apply the paint! I used black acrylic straight from the tube, as any water would just be resisted by the wax coating I applied earlier. I'd recommend taking each drawer out and painting it individually, as it's just easier to work with and I'd use quite a fine paintbrush if your design is detailed. Once you've done one layer of paint and it's dried, you might want to apply another layer to create a cleaner finish. Finally, put all the drawers back into the chest and join up any broken lines (e.g. over the middle shelf).

All that's left to do now is fill your drawers with stationary, make-up, jewellery or anything you fancy!

I hope you enjoyed this DIY tutorial- please let me know in the comments section below!

blogging tips

Organisation Essentials

22:55

fashion

Found on Instagram: SCRT clothing

14:32

Everyone loves a bit of 2am Instagram stalking. Especially when it leads to finding awesome new clothing brands, and subsequently awesome new clothes.

From its small beginnings in London in 2010, SCRT has grown into a creative and forward-thinking streetwear brand, with an ever-evolving online presence. To find out more about the brand (and order some pretty things), visit their website.

After having seen a few posts on Instagram and having a quick browse of their site, I fell in love with one item in particular; the Mountain Long Sleeve T-Shirt in white.

I liked it because it's simple, yet bold and makes a statement without shouting about it. I was especially a fan of the mountain design on the back, as up a mountain is one of my favourite places to be.

Despite having told myself not to spend any more money before uni, I ordered it (with only the slightest hint of guilt).

Caps off to the guys at SCRT, who had my tee delivered two days after I placed my order, as well as continually keeping me up to date with the stages of the transaction. Thankfully, it fitted me perfectly as the website provides a helpful size guide, but if I'd needed to return it, details came in the package along with the receipt.

I'm also really happy with the product itself, which seems to be made to a high standard and the prints aren't made of that annoying stuff that peels off after a few washes. It's really versatile in terms of style and looks great with ripped black skinny jeans and a beanie, as well as paired with denim shorts and tights, or a pinafore. Basically, it looks pretty cool with anything denim, thanks to the fresh white background and the perfectly understated blue print.

Hopefully I'll be making some more purchases from them soon (as long as I can make my student loan stretch), as well as from some of the other UK-based streetwear brands I've recently come across on Instagram. Follow them @scrtco.

Harriet x

Also, as a footnote, I wasn't asked to write this post, or given any discount, so my views are totally my own. I wrote this because I genuinely wanted to share something cool I found.

art

Review: Sketchout Art Classes

19:40

No one at work believed me when I told them I couldn't cover on Saturday because I was doing an art class. Apart from one guy who said 'it sounds like the kind of thing you'd do'. So if you're reading this now, know that I wasn't lying! Or if I was, respect my commitment.

Sketchout is a small London-based company dedicated to providing high quality art workshops to people of all ages and abilities. Set up and run by Rosa Roberts, they pride themselves in offering a selection of one-day art courses held in some of London's cultural hot-spots, such as the V&A, The National Portrait Gallery and The Tate. Rosa is one of several tutors, all of whom are practising artists themselves, and you can visit her website to see her work. The workshop I attended was 'The Fundamentals of Drawing' at the V&A Museum and was suitable for complete beginners, as well as for those with some drawing experience; from GSCE or A Level Art for example. As it happens, the majority of people on my course were total novices, although you wouldn't have known by the end of it.

Before I went, I wasn't really sure what to expect in terms of the workshop, and also of what the other people would be like. I was quite worried that everyone else would be really old, or airy-fairy, or as one lady put it, 'bohemian'. Thankfully, when I turned up at the designated meeting spot in the V&A (all the details were helpfully provided by Sketchout upon booking), everyone seemed pretty normal. I was greeted by Rosa, who was friendly and approachable. Whenever someone entered the gallery clutching a large sketchbook and looking a little lost, she would usher them over and immediately put them at their ease. For some reason, it always surprises me how many people actually like to spend their Saturdays doing something as 'weird' and 'uncool' as an art class, but I think that's just because I still have a 14 year-old's view of what is perceived as cool or not. Or maybe because no one else actually cares about seeming 'cool'.

Once all fourteen of us were assembled, Rosa handed out the drawing stools and took us through the gallery to begin the workshop. After going round the circle getting to know everyone (a bit awkward but actually a very good idea), she gave us a half an hour introduction, in which she essentially taught us the 'Fundamentals of Drawing'. Using her prepared sketchbook of examples and headings, she did it in such a way that was very articulate, easy to follow and useful for both beginners and those with some drawing experience. Even though I did GCSE art at school, I still felt as though I was learning a lot and Rosa's intro definitely enhanced my experience of the workshop as all the skills and techniques were fresh in my mind.

The first exercise after the introduction was a 2 hour drawing session. To start with, this seemed a little overwhelming, but Rosa gave us a selection of four statues to choose from and helped us settle into the right spot in which to have enough room and the best angle. She was then on hand to assist and offer advice whenever we needed it. We'd all just learnt how to measure up a subject using a pencil, so there was a lot of holding up pencils and squinting going on.

Because we were in the V&A, we were only allowed to use dry materials, which was actually great as it meant we could just focus on the drawing rather than faffing around with paints and colours. As we got into our drawing, the time flew by and I found myself really immersed in what I was doing. It was a bit odd being perched on a little stool in the middle of a busy museum trying to draw, but when all the tourists gathered behind and started beckoning for their kids to come and look, it was all rather flattering.

After this session, we went for lunch at a little restaurant down the road from the museum, which was included in the price. It was all organised very well and there was a choice between a chicken dish and a vegetarian quiche. I had the veggie option, which was really tasty and the whole set up gave us a chance to chat to some of the other 'students'. I got talking to a couple of girls, who were both lovely and it was nice to discover that they had been equally worried about what everyone else would be like!

To start off the session after lunch, we did a few 5 minute exercises to loosen up our style a bit and help us to draw more freely. These involved quick one-line sketches, where we couldn't take our pencils off the paper and drawing with our left hands (if we were right-handed). For a perfectionist like myself (and seemingly most of the others), this was really hard as the results were usually terrible, but Rosa was really encouraging and found something positive to say about everyone's efforts!

Lastly, it was time for the final long drawing session. Rosa chose a different selection of sculptures for us to tackle and we set to it again, this time with a little more confidence. As before, Rosa spent the 2 hours going between us and helping us out if we were struggling, which I certainly was as I'd chosen a really hard sculpture! Thankfully, she showed me a technique that helped me represent the face even though it was in complete shadow and made out of a really dark material.

At the end of the day, Rosa asked everyone to show each other their work, which was a really encouraging way to end the session, as people made nice comments and generally made everyone feel good about themselves!

If you think this sound like something you'd like to do, visit Sketchout's website to find out more or follow them on Twitter @sketchoutiscool. My ticket for the class was purchased through the voucher site LivingSocial, which offered a great discount and seemed to be how most other people had done it too, as the courses are quite pricey. It was definitely worth it though, as I had a great day at the V&A, learning new skills and meeting new people.

Harriet x

blogger

It's been a while

15:38

blog

Unique Christmas Gifts for Book Lovers

12:34

about me

Look Up

08:44

I went to a fireworks display earlier this month, during which the man with the loud-speaker told us to "look up". As we all turned our heads to the sky in anticipation, he added that he's found this a pretty good motto to live by. For some reason, this lighthearted comment has really stuck with me, so much so that I decided to include it in this blog post!

Don't worry, I'm not going to go all philosophical on you and start analysing the meaning of life or anything. No, instead I'm just going to share a bit about what's going on in my world at the moment. (This is definitely totally relevant and related because things are looking up, okay?). I get that this might not be particularly interesting for you as a reader, but I do like to include a variety of posts on my blog, with some offering practical tips and others being a bit more diary-like.

Two weeks ago, it was the first time in probably about two years that I was out every single night of the week. For lots of people my age (and any other age, come to think of it), doing something other than watching TV every evening is no big deal. But considering that pretty much all of my friends are at uni and I've spent most of this 'second' gap year sitting at home with the parents, this was a fairly momentous event.

I started the week by going along to the fifth or sixth session of the Alpha Course. For those of you who aren't sure whether this is a new language or some sort of fitness regime (when I told someone the other week, they replied by letting me know that their friend was doing Tough Mudder...), the Alpha Course is basically a series of talks and discussions about the fundamentals of the Christian faith . You may have seen posters outside churches asking 'What's the point?'; these would have been advertising the course. It's essentially a place where anyone, regardless of their beliefs (or lack of), can find out more and ask questions in a safe environment about God and the church. Having grown up in a Christian family, I've found it really useful being around non-Christians who are staring from square one, as well as those who have a really solid faith. It's been encouraging to hear other people raising the same questions and doubts that I've always had floating around in the back of my mind. Plus, it's free and we get food, so everyone's happy.

During the week, I had training for my new job at a bar in the centre of town. I'm not entirely sure what possessed me to choose an insanely popular and busy bar for my pint-pulling debut, but I'm telling myself that we need a challenge every now and then. I witnessed the throng of 21+'s a couple of Fridays ago, as I had my first weekend shift behind the bar. Beforehand, I was absolutely terrified and was shaking as though I was about to sit an oral language exam (my worst nightmare: why I thought I wanted to do French at uni I'll never know). But when I actually arrived and got going, it was no way near as bad as I'd imagined. Having to remember all the cocktails and being able to serve the different drinks at about one thousand miles per hour has definitely forced me onto a very steep learning curb, but I'm hoping that things will start to be a bit more enjoyable once I feel like I sort of know what I'm doing!

Now that I've got two jobs (and one of them involves ridiculous hours!), I've decided that I want to spend some of my money on getting myself insured on my mum's little KA. For me, being able to drive is literally the best thing ever, so I'm a very happy bunny. It's also great to feel as though I'm a bit more independent and don't have to cycle to the gym in the pouring rain or rely on my parents to come and collect me from work at 2am!

So that's pretty much my life at the moment. Although things seem to have suddenly picked up a bit, I'm still trying to fit in reading, art and writing into my week (not always successfully). But I'm not complaining, because about half a year ago I was doing literally nothing and definitely wasn't happy about it!

Life's good when it's full.

Harriet x

Found on Instagram: Absolutely Bear

Work hard, play (sport) hard

Purchased in September

How to get all your photos the same size

DIY Shabby Chic Mini Wooden Drawers

Organisation Essentials

Found on Instagram: SCRT clothing

Review: Sketchout Art Classes

It's been a while

Unique Christmas Gifts for Book Lovers

Look Up

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