A well needed break.

After what was possibly one of the most challenging academic years of my entire life, I have really been looking forward to the summer holidays; to spend time with my friends and family. My blog kind of became a little neglected, because quite frankly, I had various deadlines to meet and my radio shows to organise, all while maintaining a social life and going away with my family. I feel like finally, I have managed to be on top of everything! So now, I can do things I have been wanting to do for a while, but just not had enough time for.

 

Sometimes, you just need a break. After going away for a week with my family in July and then again in August, I felt refreshed and energised, ready to tackle things I had been putting off for a while and it gave me that little bit of motivation I needed. To be able to not have to do any writing, or plan for a radio show, was actually really nice (as much as I love it!!!). But now I am back to reality; writing, planning radio shows (my next one is this coming Wednesday, 24th August 2016, 1-4pm on Erewash Sound 96.8FM). I absolutely love being on the radio and I am always very grateful for anyone who listens in to my shows, it really means a lot so thank you if you do! Also, feel free to get in contact when I am on air, as it makes my shows more exciting and filling when people do.

 

It's also been really lovely to catch up with my friends as well, especially those who are off to University in September, or those I don't see very often, as well as my friends who I usually spend every day with at college. I'm looking forward to seeing more of my friends this summer too, before our lives get waaaay too busy again. I'm definitely trying to make the most of the rest of the summer!

 

So there's a little update on what I have been getting up to recently. I do plan to blog weekly if I can, but I don't want to put too much pressure on myself, when this is an important time to recharge my batteries before I return to college in September.

 

Thank you for reading this very random post, there should be another one shortly.

 

With love always

 

 Emma ♡ x 

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I'm going to have my own radio show...

So, this was not the post I had planned to upload tonight. But, I can tell you I am extremely excited as I am writing this, sat in the radio studio. As some of you may know, it is my dream to become a radio or television broadcaster. This week, I have been working with Erewash Sound (96.8FM) which is a fantastic local station.

I have just been told that my demos are good enough for me to have my 'debut' if you like, tomorrow on the station live at 3pm-4pm. I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am, and of course, I am very nervous too. If you are unsure, a radio demo is basically me doing a show but it is recorded rather than going out live on air. This way, I was able to get feedback.

Although I have been on the radio live a few times, it has mainly been chipping in or co-hosting with another presenter and this week I read the traffic and travel news, which was pretty scary as well as co-hosting. Tomorrow, I will be doing an hour show, full of (hopefully) exciting content. The thing that scares me most is that it will be live, so if I make a mistake, there is no going back!

Radio is much harder than I ever imagined, but I didn't realise how much I was going to love it. A combination of talking, music and people; 3 of my favourite things!

This is possibly one of the most exciting achievements of my life so far, I can only continue to work hard and hopefully work my way up the media ladder, so to speak.

My family and friends, have been so so supportive and for that, I am eternally grateful! Also, a huge thank you to everyone at the station who have given me excellent advice, especially Jeff who has been so very patient and supportive of me, so thank you for making this happen Jeff, if you're reading!

I would really appreciate it if you could tune in tomorrow to hear me do my debut show, 3-4pm. Here is how you can listen:

•  Tune in the old fashioned way on your radio, on 96.8FM

• Download the 'Tune In' app from the App Store or google play and then type in 'Erewash Sound'.
• You can also listen through the website if you click here: http://www.erewashsound.com

Bye for now, I'm off to co-present a show with a presenter called Laura. 4pm-7pm tonight, feel free to tune in to that if you fancy, I know it is going to be very fun! It's all go go go for me this week!

With love always, 

 Emma ♡ x

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My top tips for Prom...

It definitely doesn't feel like a year ago since my friends and I were preparing for our Year 11 Prom. For us, this was a huge milestone to reach, as it marked the end of an era. Surviving 5 years of Secondary school was a huge deal and a very exciting (but expensive) day for everyone involved.

We had an eventful night from the moment my friends and their families arrived at my house. I hosted a little pre-prom party in my garden. It was such a lovely way to start the evening, I have a family friend called Chris who kindly took a beautiful selection of photos for us. I'm not too sure how my dress managed to survive the entire night, because I fell over on my lawn as my friends were arriving (I obviously got way too excited). Then, to top things off, I spilt champagne down the front of my dress before we even got to the venue. To my surprise and delight, it dried without a stain! Miracles do happen...

Seeing as Prom season is quickly approaching, here are a selection of tips to help you have a (hopefully) successful prom:

1. Choose how you are having your hair after you have purchased your dress, but way before the day of Prom

A month before Prom, you should hopefully have found your dream dress/suit. By choosing your hair style in advance, you can find a hair stylist or contact your current hairdresser and talk it through with them. They will be able to talk you through the style and see if it will work depending on the length of your hair. Alternatively, you could do it yourself or get a friend/family member to help you if you are opting for a simpler style.



2. Have a trial run with a make-up artist or practice the look yourself

For my Prom, I opted to do my makeup myself. The reason I decided to do this was because at the time, I was still suffering quite badly with my acne, and I knew the best ways to cover my scaring and remaining spots. I felt as though I could avoid the embarrassment of showing my bare face to a make-up artist. I'm sure this was me just over-thinking the whole process and I am sure there are fantastic make-up artists out there, who will do an amazing job of making you look beautiful no matter what state your skin is in. Having said this, by doing your make-up yourself, you should look like you, and not like a completely different person. You know what colours and products work well on you, and it also saves you money. Prom definitely isn't cheap! (Sorry Mum and Dad!!)

 3. If you choose to get your nails done, get them done the day before 

This way, if you do chose to have acrylic nails you have a day to get used to having them long, if your nails just do not grow and are usually short like mine. You can also make sure the colour matches your dress or accessories, and if not then you could change the colour using a acetone free nail polish remover. However, I would recommend getting the colour right in the first place!

4. Try and leave the entire day free to prepare for Prom

It may sound ridiculous to leave the entire day to prepare, but if you are hosting the pre-Prom party like I did, then you definitely do need the entire day. Not only did I have to get myself ready, but also help my Mum, Dad and Sister with the preparation of our garden. Don't be fooled  into thinking that it will only take 10 minutes!! My Dad decided to mow the lawn, and My Mum decided to put bunting and fairy lights in every available space in my garden. It did look very pretty in the photos though! Another tip is to make sure you have enough bunting to cover your garden. I had to call one of my friends, Frankie, and get her Mum to go and get us some more bunting, which was super kind of her! Another friend, Hannah, leant us some beautiful fairy lights and fake candles (I didn't want to light real ones, we all know how clumsy I am!) And so the garden really did look beautiful. We also had a selection of nibbles and champagne, which was a really nice idea for all the guests to snack on, as me and my friends weren't feeling that hungry. Pre-prom nerves do exist, apparently!



Just a selection of the bunting in my garden!

The selection of nibbles.

5. Take some makeup in your clutch bag, to top up if you need to

This was a mistake I made. I had used a beautiful new foundation, which was the Double Wear Estée Lauder in the shade 'Shell' and this was the perfect colour for my extremely pale complexion. But I did find, like with a lot of foundations, that my face did become a little shiny by the end of the night. It wasn't too bad, but I could have done with some powder. As well as this, I had smiled and laughed a lot and so much of my winged eyeliner did smudge slightly too therefore I could have done with taking that with me. But with limited space in a clutch bag, I prioritised the space with my phone and camera to capture all the moments from the evening.

6. Ensure your phone/camera is fully charged with plenty of storage available

You will really regret it if you don't take plenty of photos with your friends at the venue. Some of them may go their separate ways to different colleges, so you will want to keep a selection of photos with the people who hopefully, made your school years some of the best you will ever experience.

7. Try and go to an after Prom party!

This was another mistake my friends and I made, no one had arranged an after Prom party in our group. This was kind of sad, as the evening could have lasted even longer. You need to make the most of the evening! This being said, we definitely made up for this over the extended summer we had before we endeavoured on the next chapter of our lives at college.

8. Set up a Dropbox to share all of your photos with your family and friends

Setting up a Dropbox was something I hadn't thought of, until the photographer suggested the idea to us. Since Prom, I have used Dropbox on a few occasions as it is really great to allow people who were at the event to view them, without having to set up Facebook group chats which we all know, annoy a lot of people!! Dropbox is so easy to download, you can either download it onto your laptop/computer, or alternatively download the app onto your phone or tablet. This was amazing as all of my friends and family could access all the photos from the night in one area. So I would definitely recommend this, especially as it is free!

 

Most importantly, make sure you enjoy not just Prom itself, but the preparation for the evening too. Getting ready is super exciting, and seeing your friends looking all grown up and beautiful in their dresses is really special.

If you are attending a Prom in the upcoming months, I hope you enjoy it! And if you aren't going to a Prom, I hope you enjoyed reading this anyway.

Emma ♡ x

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Products I have been loving...

Recently, I went to Boots to purchase a few bits and bobs, so I wanted to share some of my favourites with you.

First up is a perfume which I discovered back in around December. I had used a fragrance which I loved (Fame, by Lady Gaga) for a few years, but felt like I needed a change. So I purchased 'Ghost Eclipse' which I did wear for a while, but I wasn't fully enjoying the scent. Then I discovered 'Rose by Paul Smith'. Initially, I was drawn to the name of the perfume, seeing as roses are my favourite flower, both scent wise and appearance wise. So this perfume appeared perfect for me, as well as Paul Smith being a Nottingham designer too. I recently used up the entire 100ml bottle, which retails for around £57.00, but I usually try to purchase perfumes when they are on offer, which this was in Boots for £25.00. What I love about this scent is that it is fairly strong, but fresh at the same time meaning that it does last all day. It doesn't run out as quickly as some other fragrances and you don't have to keep topping it up. People often compliment me on this scent too, so I would definitely recommend it.

Next up is the Real Techniques Stippling brush by Sam & Nic. I am a huge fan of their YouTube channel 'Pixiwoo', but they also have their own range of Make-Up brushes which are of extremely high quality. I already have the Powder Brush and the Blush Brush, which I love because they apply powders really well. I also like how easy they are to clean, which is great for me as I try to clean my brushes as regularly as I can due to having acne prone skin. The brush hairs don't fall out either! I ordered a Stippling Brush from Amazon, which was super cheap, around the £3 mark. This was a huge mistake, as obviously I got the quality which I paid for. The brush hairs were falling out everywhere. So I decided to purchase a brush I knew was going to be of high quality which was the Real Techniques Stippling brush, which applies my foundation flawlessly, allowing for a full coverage to fully mask my acne scaring. Well done Real Techniques, once again I am a happy customer.

I have really enjoyed using the Garnier Ultimate Blends The Sleek Restorer Shampoo and Conditioner. Since having my hair cut into a 'Lob' around a month ago, I have found I am using much more heat on my hair than when it was longer. I love my hair this length, but if left natural, it does tend to go a little crazy. Therefore I had noticed my hair looking a little dull and not very hydrated. But after using this shampoo and conditioner, even after the first wash, my hair was much more hydrated and softer. I would definitely recommend this if you have dry/frizzy hair!

Finally is the Soap and Glory Hand Food. This is another re-purchase because I love it so much. I suffer from dry hands all year round, but with this product my hands are always super soft. I apply it religiously every night before bed, to keep my hands soft and moisturised. What I love about this formula is that it absorbs really well into your hands, and unlike other hand creams I have used, it doesn't leave that horrible oily feeling which everyone hates.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this little blog post on some of the products I have been loving and hopefully you can give them a try and love them as much as I do.

Emma ♡ x 

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Coping with the pressure of exams both before and after

Exam season is nearly over for me, but for many it is still an on-going process. My family and friends, especially those at college (sorry guys!!) know I am a huge sufferer of exam stress. During Year 10, when I was 15, was probably the worst I had suffered. I think this was because I had no idea what to expect, because it was of the fear of the unknown. Year 11 wasn't as bad, but then the stress this year towards the end of Year 12 when exams were looming was similar to what I had experienced when I was 15. Thankfully, I had learnt how to deal with it a little more. Never the less, it was still tough.

The thing about stress is that it can do one of two things; drive you to succeed or make you crumble under the pressure. For me, I thrive on stress as it impels me to achieve, but it does have its drawbacks. Being a complete workaholic does take its toll and being a perfectionist has its problems too. The stress of trying to do something to the best of my ability, and then not completing it to how I want it to be, can often cause huge amounts of stress and can result in complete exhaustion. Quite frankly, I just put too much pressure on myself!

During my Year 10 GCSEs, I had worked incredibly hard and thankfully, this was reflected in the grades I achieved. But, about a week after my exams, I fell ill. I originally thought it was just a normal virus and that it would pass within a few days. How wrong was I? This lasted for the entire 6 week holidays, and my Doctor told me I had caught a nasty bug. I had overworked myself and stopped suddenly, so my body just went into shutdown mode. I had swollen glands in my stomach, meaning I had to eat bland food, which resulted in a diet of fish fingers and mashed potato for almost 6 weeks. My Dad does make the best mashed potato so it wasn't too bad! However, my weight plummeted which was concerning.

So how did I avoid this happening the following years? Here are some of my tips to avoid post exam anxiety (if that is a thing!?):

1. Work hard in the first place, but take regular breaks.
2. Don't isolate yourself; go out occasionally with friends or family. Breaks are SO important.
3. Make a timetable to ensure you don't leave revision to the very last minute. This will minimise emotional breakdowns!
4. Eat healthily- fruit and veg- to stop you catching a horrible virus and keep your immune system strong and ready to fight those nasty germs.
5. After your exams have finished, stop slowly. Keep yourself busy doing things you enjoy, why not go out with family and friends?
6. Try not to worry about results day, it's done now and there is nothing you can do to change the outcome, but this is definitely easier said than done.
7. Get a summer job! This way you can pay for going out with your friends and save a little bit of money for the upcoming year, as well as keeping yourself occupied.

No matter what happens, everything happens for a reason. Pathways may open up, or close and take you in a new direction. One of my closest friends constantly reminded me through exam season  that 'Grades are just a letter on a page, don't let them define you' which is so true. There is so much more to a person than grades.

 

If you want to read more about how to deal with exam stress, read my article on pages 28 and 29 in The Grapevine linked here:
https://issuu.com/beechpublications-ng10/docs/grapevine_in_wollaton_1__may_2016_m

If you are sitting upcoming exams, good luck!

 

Emma ♡ x

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I've started a blog!

Hello!

Now, I am completely new to this whole blogging thing, but seeing as my AS level exams are pretty much done, (apart from one) I thought that it would be something I can do to keep myself occupied. Hopefully I can keep it up! It's a little challenge for myself.

If you are reading this but don't know me very well, I'm really interested in a future career in the media; whether it be journalism or broadcasting. TV and Radio is ideally the path I'd like to take, but you never know what else could crop up along the way!  I've nearly finished a radio presenter training course and you can find my articles in the Grapevine, a local magazine distributed around the local area. Quite frankly, I love writing and anything to do with presenting.

I hope to have some regular readers of this blog, and I'd be very grateful if people return to read it. I haven't decided specific topics to write about, but I think it will mainly be lifestyle and a more chatty version of my articles. Having my articles published is a great privilege and I enjoy coming up with ideas to write about. It makes me feel all fuzzy inside when people come up to me saying I made them think differently about a situation or phoning my Nan saying how much they enjoyed my piece. This will be a little space where I can write more frequently. I've been wanting to write a blog for a while, but just haven't really had the time!

 

So I guess we will see where this blog leads! It might be a little random while I find my feet, but I'd really appreciate it if you could give my blog a follow to see what I am getting up to. I have written 3 posts including this one before I made my blog live, so that there is some content available to read!
 

Emma ♡ x

Also, a huge Thank You to Steph who was incredibly helpful when I was setting up my blog. Go and check out her beautiful blog here: http://lovestephx.blogspot.co.uk/

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