13 ways to make it though your first month of university!

Now I know what you’re thinking. What about the rest of university? Well, making it through Fresher's week and getting settled in, makes the rest of the year a whole lot easier.

1.    Don’t be afraid to make Friends.

Yes, the sound of making friends can be very daunting (especially if you’re an anxiety freak like me) however, every student in the same boat. Being afraid to approach someone can only limit you. Having friends at university can be an advantage as they can give opinions and help with projects. They will comfort you when you’re home sick, and make everything that little bit easier.

2.    Make your room a home.

Being at University can make you a little homesick, especially if it’s your first time away from home. Try to decorate your room with photos of loved ones, ornaments from home, and some artificial flowers – because let’s face it, who has the time to water flowers at Uni? The more your bedroom feels like home, the more comfort you’ll feel. Sometimes you need a little place to escape, so having a homely room will help in this area.

3.    Socialize.

If you’re a shy person and like to keep yourself to yourself that’s perfectly fine. Although, I do recommend that you do try to socialize, even if it’s only for a little. Socializing could boost your confidence and allow you to communicate with a variety of people about topics you never thought you would have. I’m not saying you have to force yourself to every fresher’s event, however on those nights you feel lonely, try and gather up your flat mates to hang out in the kitchen. Nothing is worse than feeling alone.

4.    Check in with the rents.

You must be feeling all kinds of emotions right? Well just imagine what your parents are going through. Their little baby heading off into the big wide world all by themselves. Yes parents can be annoying, and sometimes they just don’t ‘get it’… but they do love you. Just give them a phone call once and a while to let them know how you’re getting on. Even if it's just a quick text so they know you’re still alive, that’s all.

5.    Keep an eye on your money.

With there being so many events in the first month of Uni, It can be easy to splash all your cash at once. The best tip I have for you is to set up a savings account. It shouldn’t take too long to set up, and it does you the world of favours. Transferring your student loan into your current account when you need it, swill save you from spending all of your money on those premium vodka’s and late night kebabs.

6.    Don’t stress.

It’s your first month, you’re here to have fun!  Don’t stress out just yet. You shouldn’t be given that much work to do, maybe a couple of books to read, and even then there’s no need to stress out. Focus on having a good time and leave all the worrying for later. Don’t let Fresher’s week fly by without enjoying it first.

7.    Invest in pasta.

Ok it’s true. After a few weeks pasta can be a little boring, and in time you will eventually need some cooking lessons from mum. However, in the first month, pasta is fine. It’s easy to make, does the job before a night out, and us impatient students don’t have to wait very long before it’s ready.

8.    Be true to who you are.

I know it sounds cheesy, but starting a course in a new town, city or even a country can be the perfect time for a fresh start. An opportunity to invent a new you. However, it could also lead you into pretending to be someone you’re not. It can be easy to fall into a web of lies just to impress someone new. As silly as it sounds try to remember who you are. Just be yourself, and people will like you for being you.

9.    Don’t forget your friends back home.

It can be easy for the friends you have back home to feel ‘left out’ when you go to Uni. Especially with the endless Snapchat stories of you and your new flat-mates having the time of your lives. Arrange to meet up with them the next time you’re home, skype them when you’ve got a spare sec. Just remember to give them a little attention now and then so they know you haven’t forgotten them.

10. Health and hygiene.

Ever heard of the cliché that a student is lazy? Of course you have, it’s true. Most of the time you can’t be bothered to tidy up after yourself, or even cook yourself a proper meal, and why should you when you don’t have mum and dad nagging you? But if they’re not there to look after you – make sure you look after yourself. One thing I can warn you about is fresher’s flu’. Just think, there’s thousands of you students coming from all different parts of the world sharing the same shot glasses, the same bathrooms and living in the same space. You’re bound to get sick. Wash your hands plenty. Stock up on lem-sip, paracetamol and ibuprofen. Don’t forget to take your medication (If you have any) and eat your fruit and veg once in a while!

11. Make a good first impression with your lecturers.

Lecturers aren’t going to be your best-friends, although they are going to be teaching you for the next ten months; so it’s probably best that you get on good terms with them. Being polite doesn’t cost anything, and I’m sure they’ll prefer to help a pleasant and punctual student rather than a student that quite frankly doesn’t give a shit.  

12. Sleep.

Believe me when I say this one isn’t as easy as it sounds. Whether or not you’ve had a late night out with your friends or decided to stay in, sleeping won’t be that easy. The corridors of your flat will become alive at night, the windows do not have double glazing, and if you want to experience student events, that probably won’t help either. Power naps will become your savior. Eventually in time your body-clock will sort itself out, in the meantime, catch a few blinks whenever you can; so you don’t look like a walking zombie on campus.

13. Enjoy yourself.

Unfortunately there isn't just an 'On' & 'Off' switch!

If you were asked to draw someone who was depressed, how would you do it? Let me guess, your depressed little character would have their shoulders slumped, their eyes looking at their toes, and a very prominent upside down U for a mouth. Well believe it or not, depression is hard to spot among most of us. It's usually the happiest of people that are suffering with depression. People wack on a smile every day, hold their head up high, and try to kid the world (and themselves) that they're okay.

The reason why I'm writing this is for us as a generation, to support those who are suffering from a mental illness, (Not just depression). I see far too many posts on social networking sights about peoples unhappiness, and I'm not okay with it. Yes some of it may be down to a bad relationship, or a shitty job, but people who make jokes about 'committing suicide' or 'harming themselves' shouldn't go unnoticed. It isn't funny. It's a cry for help.

Having a mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of!

 (It's very important you understand this!)

I personally suffer from anxiety infused depression. What does this mean? It means that I  worry about absolutely everything, and anything, to the point where it makes me depressed, sometimes ill. You may think that's a little over board, but it's true. That simple little comment that you made last week "as a joke" I'm still thinking about it. The reason I didn't attend that party wasn't because I wasn't 'feeling well' or 'was busy' it's because I was worrying about every minor factor until I told myself I physically couldn't go. Some people may be reading this and be thinking "how stupid" and that's exactly how I feel too. If I could change my way of thinking, I would. But negative attitudes towards mental illnesses needs to change. Mental illness is just as important as a physical illness and just because you don't understand something, doesn't mean you shouldn't try to.

Don't sit back and let people suffer in silence. If you suffer with mental illness yourself, or know anyone who does, spreading a little positivity in their direction can help. Stunning actress Angelina Jolie openly talks about her relationship with depression time and time again, saying how she was 'miserable' and 'didn't know her place in this world' and how if it wasn't for her husband Brad Pitt, she wouldn't be with us today

Quote from Brad Pitt

"My wife got sick. She was constantly nervous because of problems at work, personal life, her failures and problems with children. She had lost about 30 pounds and weighed about 90 pounds in her 35 years. She got very skinny and was constantly crying. She wasn't very happy. She had suffered from continuing headaches, heart pain, jammed nerves in her back and ribs. She did not sleep well, falling asleep only in the morning and got tired very quickly during the day. Our relationship was on the verge of a break up. Her beauty was leaving her somewhere, she had bags under her eyes and had stopped taking care of herself. She refused to shoot films and rejected any role. I lost hope, and thought we'll get a divorce soon. 

But then i decided to act on it. After all I've got the most beautiful woman on earth. She is the idol of more than half off men and women on earth, and i was the one allowed to fall asleep next to her and hug her shoulders. I began to pamper her with flowers, kisses and compliments. I surprised her and pleased her every minute. I gave her lots of gifts just for her. I spoke in public only about her. I praised her in front of her own and our mutual friends. You wont believe it, but she blossomed. She became better than before. She gained weight, was no longer nervous all the time and loved me more than ever.

And then I realised one thing: The woman is the reflection of her man."

Inspiring right? Simply asking how people are, being positive, little gestures, will help those who suffer by not making them feel like outsiders. Making them feel included, and not feeling like just a 'waste of space'. It's incredibly hard for me to open up about my mental illness, however I want people to know that they're not alone. If you ever need someone to talk to, as a friend, or just for someone to listen to your problems (No matter how stupid you may feel they are)- I'm here.

I'm Engaged!

I am very pleased to announce that my boyfriend and I, are engaged!

For those of you who don’t know, February is a very special month, not only because it contains my birthday, but this year is also a leap year! But what is a leap year? A leap year is also known as a bissextile year and falls once every four years. Usually there are 28 days in February, however in a leap year there are 29 balancing out the lunisolar calendar.

Legend has it that during the 5^th Century St Bridget complained that females had to wait too long for their suiters to propose, so St Patrick then gave the women a chance to propose every four years, on the 29^th of February. Although, this theory was never proven. It was in 19^th Century when Queen Margaret of Scotland allegedly passed a law, which allowed women to propose to men – better still, the men were handed a fine if they didn’t accept!

In this day and age it’s becoming less unusual for women to propose. 15% of women said they would consider popping the question to their boyfriend and only 10% of ladies actually do! And I’m proud to say that I am one of them!

After getting the inkling that Ryan (my fiancé) was planning on proposing, I decided to take matters into my own hands. He had mentioned the idea of getting engaged more than usual in the last couple of months, and slowly but surely I put two and two together and figured it out.

I am one of those people who hate surprises... I can’t stand them! The thought of not being in control of a situation and having that horrible feeling in your belly not knowing to expect terrifies me. So what better way to take advantage of the leap year and beat him to it! After speaking to all my close friends and family about it, operation ‘put a ring on it’ was ago go.  

Both our parents were totally ecstatic and they’ve always said we’re like ‘bangers and mash’. Everyone was itching to tell him. Ryan isn’t usually the one to wear any kind of ring, so I intended on getting him a fancy watch to pop the question with, however, a watch didn’t shout engagement to me. After looking through plenty of websites I decided to get a ring, simple and classic. It was perfect. (It looks great and he wears it with pride).

Next was how to do it? I knew if I did it just the two of us he wouldn’t believe me.  He would say “Oh Grace, stop being silly.” He knew I wouldn’t usually have the balls to do something like this. We also watched a program a couple of weeks before I intended on proposing and the female proposed to the male. His reaction? “You know if you ever proposed to me I would say no right? It’s just a gentleman’s duty to ask for the hand in marriage”. Oh shit. No pressure then. Little did I know that while I was planning everything, so was he. He had even driven round to my family home and asked my dad for permission!

I designed a cake that read ‘Will you marry me, my Koala’ on it. Mainly because I thought I would be too nervous to get the words out myself. We had booked a restaurant in my local town. His parents, my parents and my siblings were invited. He thought we were celebrating my 20^th birthday, and everyone went along with it. When in reality everyone knew I was going to propose. As you can tell by the blog title he said yes! His face was hilarious, “I was going to propose! I even asked your dad for permission!” Bless him.

So I am currently wearing his mum’s diamond engagement ring until my bespoke ring comes. I couldn’t be happier. We have always been a wild and fun couple and getting engaged this way just adds to our crazy relationship. Ryan still plans on proposing, his way, with the ring he’s designed; and I can’t wait! It just means I get to experience the excitement of getting engaged all over again!

To everyone asking me when the wedding is… Not for a while. We want to wait until I’m out of university and are comfortably living together before we even think about any wedding plans. This engagement is a stepping-stone in our relationship. It’s a sign of commitment, and that neither one of us are going anywhere. We just want to spend the rest of our lives together. This doesn’t mean we intend on getting married tomorrow.

NOR AM I PREGNANT! A friend of mine asked if I was expecting just because I was engaged! I feel as though this is something I have to touch on. Why people think getting engaged young automatically means you’re pregnant baffles me. Why can’t two young people just get engaged because they love each other? Ryan and I have been together 2 years and felt it was right to take the next step in our relationship!

The amount of times I’ve heard “You’re engaged? But you’re only twenty!” Who cares? Back in the day our grandparents would be engaged and married by 18 and nobody battered an eyelid. When couples have babies after knowing each other 6 months it’s all “Congratulations! I’m so excited for you!” But when a young couple get engaged it’s all “Are you sure? It’s a big commitment” and “Getting engaged young is like leaving the party early.”

I would rather ‘leave the party early’ with the man I love. I’m not missing out on anything, I just have somebody to experience the rest of my life with! I’m incredibly blessed to have found the man of my dreams at such a young age and I can’t wait to explore the world, and go on adventures with him. My family and close friends are so excited and have been so supportive, and I’m so grateful to have you all in my life. To the small minded people out there, who are talking about my life as if they know me… do yourself a favour and find something else to talk about.

I’m incredibly happy and fortunate in my life right now. Thank you for all the kind messages, words can’t describe how blessed I feel.

Lots of love and thank you for reading!
AlexGrace

Photo: Ryan's engagement ring. 

Photo: Mum (left) Mum in law to be (Right) enjoying the strawberries. 

Photo: My fiancé and I enjoying a smooch. 

Photo: When he had just said yes.

Photo: The cake I proposed with. 

Pancake Day!

Making pancakes is pretty simple. 

All you need is:
100g of plain flour
2 large free range eggs
300ml milk,
1 teaspoon of raw coconut oil in the pan

Mix it all together until smooth poor it into a frying pan untill golden and wa-lah! 

My three favourite toppings for pancakes:

Nutella and Strawberries! 

Anything pretty much goes when topping your pancake, but why not try Nutella and strawberries? The smooth hazelnut chocolate spread combined with the sweet strawberries is delicious! 
Definitely a winner!

Peanut Butter and Banana! 

Ok, I know you might think this sounds weird, but it's actually delicious. You can grab any peanut butter, but my boyfriend and I are fans of the 'Creamy Reese's Peanut Butter' (available from Tesco's). Smooth Peanut Butter works better when spreading it onto your pancake, but if you prefer a crunch, get the Peanut Butter with chunks! 

Lemon Juice and Sugar! 

And finally, what would pancake day be without the topping your pancake with lemon juice and sugar? A great way to tweak this original topping is by using lime juice instead of lemon! You'll be surprised how different it tastes, but still scrumptious! 

Leave comments below if you've tried these toppings and what you think!

AlexGrace 

An A-Z list - things to be grateful for!

Feeling a little down? Lacking positivity in your life? Here is a list from A-Z of things I'm grateful for. 
Maybe you should make a list too. 

A-Art 

It's all around you, you just need to open your eyes. Art inspires me everyday. 

B-Best friend's.

There isn't a day that goes by, that my best friend hasn't managed to make me laugh.

C-Cats.

Not just my own cat, Henry. But cat video's and pictures are all over the internet making me smile everyday. 

D-Dogs.

My beautiful little dog, Dollie has been with us for 12 years now. She is one of my best friend's. 

E-England.
Living in England highlights how lucky I am. There's such beauty in this country.

F-Family.

If I could move 'family' to the top of the list, I would. I adore each and every member of my family.

G-Games.
Whether they're online, on a board or involve drinking, games are one of the best ways to have fun. They allow you to really connect with your families over the holidays, bond with your friends at parties or even just pass the time.

H-Holidays.
Words can't explain how much I love going on holiday. The sun, the tan, the sea. Love love love.

I-Internet
Could you just imagine your life without the internet? Just stop.

J-Jam.

Jam on toast, jam sandwiches, jam in biscuits, jam in cakes... any kind of jam? I'm having it.

K-Kylie Jenner.
Kylie has shown me that you can go from a 4 to a solid 10...with the right contouring. Don't let anyone treat you like you're 2012 Kylie Jenner, you are a 2016 Kylie Jenner.

L-Love.
The feeling, the gestures, the romance, the flowers, the cuddles. I love, love.

M-Money.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not made of money. In fact I'm in a heck of a lot of student debt. However, I'm very fortunate to have a roof over my head and food on the table. 

N-Netflix. 

What more is there to say?

O-Optimism.
This is something I am personally working on. To all my friends who have optimism towards life inspire me everyday.

P-Pajamas

Whether I'm sleeping or having a lazy day, Pj's are the best. 

Q-Quiet.

Having some time with my thoughts in the peace and quiet are moments I treasure.

R-Rain.

The smell of rain. The sound of rain. The sight of rain. 

S-Songs.

Imagine living in a world with no music, where no songs played on the radio and no songs got stuck in your head. We wouldn't even be able to sing happy birthday!

T-Tea
A cup of tea makes everything better.

U-University.

Going to University was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The friends I've made, the new skills I'm learning, and the sense of independence I've gained is incredible. 

V-Vodka.
University got the better of me.

W-Wine.
I love a glass of wine with my meal when my boyfriend treats me to dinner.

X- X-ray.
And I know what you're thinking. What a cop out? She might as well have put xylophone. But believe it or not I am truly grateful for X-rays. The amount of times I've broken a bone, or thought I'm dying (I'm a hypochondriac)... X-rays have always reassured me that everything's okay.

Y-Yoga.
I have recently found Yoga. It really helps me relax, and doesn't make me feel like a fat lump.

Z-Zoe Sugg.
This lady has shown me that anything is possible when you believe in yourself. If a normal girl like Zoe can make something of her life, why can't I?

Five Guys Review!

 Five out of five!

*****

 Photos: Taken in 'Five Guys' restaurant at the O2 arena. 

Five Guys is a restaurant chain that is taking the UK by storm. Although very popular in America - where it originates from, the Brits can't seem to get enough!

I'm personally not one for casual fast food restaurant's. If it was up to me I would happily have a tasty pasta dish and a cold glass of white wine. However, It was my boyfriends birthday and It was his day. So... Five guys it was!

The restaurant was jam-packed. People were queuing out the door! To be honest I wasn't looking forward to it at all. Was it really worth the wait? But oh, my, god.

Not only did the queue move faster than a blink of an eye, the person who served us was absolutely incredible. I regret not grabbing his name. He was so jolly behind the counter, a smile from ear to ear and happy to help.

After being given a ticket and waiting for our number to be called out, we clinked our Corona's. And I know what you're thinking? Beer? Really? Well it was Ryan's day! And the larger was pretty delicious. 

Next, the food arrived.

I'm not one for burgers... in fact, I barely eat red meat. So I went for the original hot dog... and boy am I glad I did! It was nothing like the hot dogs that you get normally here in the UK. Who knew a sausage in a bun could be so good?
(No euphemism intended...) 

My boyfriend couldn't fault his cheese burger. And the fries? (That's chips to you and I English folk)  were out of this world. Not only are they cooked in 100% Peanut oil, the portion sizes were massive! 

Oh, and you can also add different flavors to your soft drinks. We added raspberry to Coca Cola, and although I wasn't too keen on it, my boyfriend adored it!

I can honestly say I had a wonderful evening, and Five Guys played a massive part of that.
While their food is quick and simple, its absolutely delicious, and the atmosphere is buzzing. I would defiantly recommenced.
I'll be returning very soon!

Five out of Five!
Well done!

New year resolutions

Join my journey to a better you.

Alright, so every year we make a New Year Resolution and lets be honest, we never stick to it. I couldn't tell you the amount of times I've sworn I'll start the gym and try not to bite my nails. Every year I make the same resolutions and fail miserably. However, this year I am actually going to try my very hardest on working on myself as a person. Here is my list of ways to better myself in 2016!

Photo: Highlight from 2015, Spain with my boyfriend. 

1. Sleep. Having a good sleeping pattern helps with your physical and mental health. Being a student it is very easy to go to sleep at ridiculous hours in the morning, and wake up at stupid hours in the afternoon. I tend to live off power naps whenever I can squeeze them in. This year I will try to get to bed at a reasonable time and set an alarm for every morning.
   
2. Teeth.
   A strange one I know. However, in 2015 I managed to have three fillings, a root canal, and one of my Wisdom teeth pulled. How? Well, I guess I wan't looking after them as well as I should have been. In the new year I promise to brush my teeth twice a day, for a legitimate amount of time! I will floss after eating and use natural whitening products to achieve that glowing smile.
   
3. Organisation. 
   I can already see myself struggling with this one. Being organised tends to be incredibly hard for me. I struggle balancing my university deadlines, my social life... even knowing what day of the week it is. I have bought myself a little calendar, and I tend to use it. I have also found that writing lists helps too. Crossing things off a list once you've done them gives you a sense of achievement, and therefore motivation to do more! I am also going to make sure I have a place for everything, and everything's in it's place.
   
4. Optimism. 
   Having hopefulness and confidence about the future is something I tend to work into my daily routine. If you believe you will be successful in whatever it is you want to achieve, then it's more than likely you will. Positivity is key!
   
5. Friends & Family.
   My friends and family are the most important people in my life. In 2016 I will make as much time for them as possible.  I also want to explore different places with my boyfriend, creating as many memories as I can.