Things to think about in the new school year

After the challenging time for me that I call Year 9, I thought I'd just share with you what I have learnt through my experiences. This should give you something to think about when you are caught up in something that is too big for you to handle. 

• How to deal with nasty rumours

The solution to this problem is simple: just don't listen. Is a rumour being passed around your friendship group that is none of your business? If not, don't even bother thinking about it. 

The same goes for if the rumour happens to be about you. 

If the rumour is false, don't even get involved. 

If the rumour is true, then it shouldn't really be anyone's business but yours. If people around you continue to bring it up and it is getting you down, then just remind yourself that no one is perfect, and you are no exception. Other people should not be able to affect the way you see yourself, so don't give them that power. As long as you are happy with yourself, nothing else should matter. The people spreading these rumours obviously have nothing better to do with their lives, which is pretty sad. But that doesn't mean you have to sink to their level.

In the words of Mean Girls's Aaron Samuels:

"Stupid girls make up rumours because they're bored of their own lives"

• Friendship problems or school work?

Always pick school work. I assure you that no friendship problem is going to get worse just because you choose to work on that history project or whatever it is that you're supposed to be doing. This is especially relevant if you are approaching an exam or test. During the next year, I will be preparing for GCSEs (big British exams), and I am definitely not going to get distracted by who said what about who. (I will probably get distracted by some book or whatever instead as I am an easily distracted person but you get my point) :P

• Taking care of yourself

You can study all you want, but nothing comes before your mental health. Your mind will always be occupied by other things if you have an unresolved issue in your life. Don't get caught up in too many things at a time, especially if these things include other people's problems. It is fine to help out a friend in need, but if you end up struggling to keep on top of things, your friend obviously needs to seek help elsewhere, preferably some professional help if it is needed.

Remember to take a step back from everything once in a while to have a breather. 

• Sometimes you need to help other people help you

No one is a mind reader. If you are in a sticky situation and need someone to talk to, talk to someone! Your problems are not going to be resolved if you simply ignore them. Sometimes when you are panicky about something that is going on in your life it is hard to open up about things, but I promise you that things will get easy once you start talking.

• When friends stop being friends

Sometimes people do the things that we never thought they would do. It hurts (trust me, I know). But you will get through it.

It happens to the best of us, you are not alone in this. At first, it will hurt like being stabbed in the chest, but that fades. The thing to remember is that you still have all these wonderful friends around you to look out for and support you. 

That's it for today's blog post. I hope you found this useful :) Comment what you think of this style of blog post. 

Best wishes,

Lucy x

(P.S: On a separate note, If I Stay came out in UK cinemas today and I saw it with my friend, it is so beautiful. I cried more at the movie than I did the book, which I wrote a review for a while ago. If you would like to read the book review, click here. The scene I cried at the most was probably the scene where Gramps is talking to Mia and he just seems to understand Mia's situation all too well. Sooo yeah, check that out, it's great!)

Pikachu and Punk edits

I know I haven't posted anything in a few days, and that's because I went round my friend's house for two nights and haven't had any time for blogging.
Something I am really happy about at the moment is the fact that it is now cold enough in England to wear onesies! Despite the inconvenience of needing to pee in the night while wearing one, I am slightly in love with them. I mean, just look at my one: 

(I look especially pale because I was in a tent sometime in the evening - luckily I was still cosy and warm!)

Yup, I have a PIKACHU ONESIE. 

It has a tail and everything! Ever since I was a kid I have loved Pokemon, and I suppose I am no different now. Will I ever grow out of Pokemon? 

Ans: Probably not - but I see nothing wrong with that!

In fact, while I was on holiday in New York, we stumbled across a Nintendo shop where I found all of these:

This is just a small insight to how many Pokemon toys they had. Unfortunately, I have not been able to purchase the newest Pokemon DS games, as I do not have the right kind of DS (they insist on only using the 3D ones now), so I didn't know many of the Pokemon stacked on the shelves. I didn't mind though: they still had Pikachu! 

(it's sooo cuuuute!!)

The other thing I wanted to mention is something that I find really awesome, which is punk edits. 

(If you don't know what a punk edit is, it is when people - typically celebrities - are photoshopped to look like punk-rockers)

For a while now, I have found the idea of punk-ifying yourself so cool. I am probably the last person to actually be considered a "punk" (I personally find the music way too intense), but I have been thinking about what I would look like as a punk edit for a while now, and watching Connor Franta and Joey Graceffa's punk edit videos (as well as Marcus Butler's) made me really want to try out the look on myself. Obviously I know that there is so much more to a punk than just dressing the part, it's just that I really like dressing up and this sounds SO FUN. 

I just REALLY want to get my hands on some temporary tattoos and clip-on piercings right now. I'm not really sure what I would do with my hair or what colour hair chalk I would use - my hair is so long that the idea of styling it sounds really challenging! I would probably just settle with some red hair spray left over from Red Nose Day :P

Now I am just waiting for Alfie (PointlessBlog) and Zoe (Zoella) to make their punk-edit video(s). I can't wait! I hope this turns into a popular tag.

Connor Franta, Joey Graceffa and Marcus Butler's videos

Needless to say, with my obsession with dressing up, I am REALLY looking forward to Halloween this year! It is my favourite night of the year. My friends and I have had an idea for our costumes for months on end. I will keep you updated nearer the time! Unfortunately, over the past few years, we have been given a worrying amount weird looks while trick-or-treating as we are looking a lot more grown-up. We might have to cut down on the whole begging-for-sweets part of Halloween this year!

Tell me what you think of punk edits down in the comments :)

I will try to bring you a back-to-school style blog post soon. With school just being around the corner here in England (just one more week!!!), it's finally got me thinking about school supplies, and I now have some stuff coming in the post.

Speak to you soon,

Lucy x

(have a Pikachu for being awesome)

Baby Lips and Back-To-School Experiences

Today is another rainy day in England, which is hardly surprising. It is weird to think that summer has come and gone so fast. I'm not complaining though - I love Autumn (or Fall, as they call it in America). I've never really liked the term "Fall", I just think it's such an unoriginal and unimaginative name. What's wrong with just calling it Autumn? Actually, I've always wanted to know why Autumn is called Autumn. Does anyone know why? If they do, please tell me!

Anyway, today is a nothing kind of day, which is okay, because I don't really have anything planned for the remainder of the holidays (there's less than 2 weeks left now!!?). I've been thinking about doing a back to school/September kind of haul/favourites thingy, but I'm not really sure where I would even begin, seeing as I am not really set with all my school supplies yet. Last year's pencil case - which was covered in stickers with cute cartoons on - has basically fallen apart and I need to go shopping for a new one. 

I'm not really big on the idea of posting make-up tutorials on my blog as I am not great at make-up. Everyone seems to be posting back-to-school tutorials on what to wear and how to do make-up, but to be honest, I have a school uniform to wear and I'm not exactly a professional when it comes to applying make-up when I all I want to do is sleep until midday (I know, it's a bad habit). 
One thing I have been loving recently though is Baby Lips by Maybelline.

Left to right: Pink Punch and Cherry Me

They are great at keeping your lips hydrated as well as giving them a subtle splash of colour that I think is perfect for Autumn. They also smell REALLY nice! Cherry Me is my favourite. They are also quite cheap, which suits me, as I can't be bothered to spend too much on make-up. 

The colours are fun and playful, but not too bold at the same time. Maybelline have actually released a new load of colours for these, though I have not bought any of the new ones yet. I really want to try out this purple one called Grape Vine, though the ones I bought were "buy one, get the next one half price", so I stuck with these. I also own one of these in Quenched. 

Can I also just add that I don't really see the point of getting dressed up really fancy just for school. It all seems a bit pointless really (maybe this is just because I wear school uniform, I don't know). I kind of understand that it might be fun to look your best for the first day of school, but could you really be bothered to keep that up for the rest of the year? I know I couldn't! 

I wish everyone the best in the new school year. I am currently starting Year 10 (Grade 9 in America), making me one step closer to GCSEs - it seems as if they are just round the corner now, which is both horrifying and kind of weirdly exciting!

Either way, I think Year 10 will be good for me as I will now take classes with people I have never been in with before, including some friends from the other half of the year. 

(I will also be reintroduced to people I went to primary school with, which is extremely odd to think about.) 

I also see the whole experience as rather daunting, as I am REALLY BAD when it comes to meeting and speaking to new people. I am probably the most socially-inept and shy person I know. I am taking drama as a GCSE and practically none of my friends are doing the same. Acting makes me feel like a more confident person, and usually has this effect on me, though somehow I am still slightly shaken. 

Oh well - everyone is in the same position as I am anyway. There's bound to be people who feel the same as I do. 

What are people looking forward to in the new school year? What is your favourite thing about Autumn? Tell me down in the comments :) 

I am personally looking forward to seeing my friends again :D 

Best wishes,

Lucy x

Skincare and Acne

After one of my previous posts on "Body Image", I had a question linked to my skincare routine and product recommendations for those suffering who may be suffering from acne. Although I used to have quite a few problems with my skin, I have to say that I have never suffered with the severe kind of acne that I know others have to deal with. I would also like to add that I have next to no knowledge on skincare, so don't expect anything outstanding. 
Nevertheless, these are the products I recommend if you have skin like mine:

Anti-spot Exfoliating Scrub

Brand: Garnier

This scrub is really good at cleaning out your pores, therefore leaving you with less blackheads and spots. It protects your skin against the re-appearance of spots and fade imperfection marks (apparently). 

The back of the container reads:

Garnier PureActive Intensive is a range of concentrated formulae specifically developed and tested for oily to spot-prone skin.

Pore Minimising Toning Cleanser

Brand: Simple

I'm not overly sure what a "toning cleanser" is because I'm not that educated on skin care, I just like the products that I use! Apparently this is supposed to shrink and clean out pores. I recommend Simple if you have sensitive skin, as it tends not to dry it out. 

Back of the container reads:

Our Pore Minimising Toning Cleanser is a perfect blend of multi-vitamins, skin loving ingredients and gentle cleaners to help reduce the size of pores. Leaves your skin feeling refreshed and clarified. Perfect even for sensitive skin. 

Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser 

Brand: Simple

I find this useful if you have been out in the sun and maybe your skin is a bit sunburnt or has just become quite dry. 

Back of container reads:

Our Oil Balancing Moisturiser is a perfect blend of active ingredients and zinc PCA goodness to eliminate shine and maintain moisture levels. Perfect even for sensitive skin. 

Freederm Oil-Free Perfecting Moisturiser

I love using this product as quite a few moisturisers give me spots, while this one does not. 

Back of the container reads:

Freederm Oil-Free Perfect Moisturiser is specially formulated by experts to hydrate and moisturise those areas of the face that need it most. At the same time, it acts on spot-prone skin to help combat blemishes. 

Freederm gel

This is my absolutely essential product as it is so effective and works extremely fast to get rid of spots. I've tried using other brands of spot cream, though they are not as good as this. I would also like to point out that this is designed so that it can deal with acne!

You probably won't see the tube sold outside of the box, so I have included the box so that you will spot it easily when out shopping. 

Writing on back of box reads:

A cooling translucent, fragrance-free topical gel containing nicotinamide - a proven anti-inflammatory treatment for mild to moderate inflamed acne spots and pimples in all age groups.

That's the end of my skincare post - I hope you found it useful! I would like to point out that I use all of these products everyday apart from the Freederm gel, which I tend to only use before I go to bed. You can also find Freederm and Simple face washes in stores such as Boots and Superdrug, both of which I have tried in the past, though I personally prefer the Garnier one I use. 

Remember to give me suggestions for future posts if you can think of any, as I have recently been trying to experiment with the type of content I post. I can do anything from rants to hauls - I don't mind!

Speak to you soon,

Lucy x

Kimonos and stuff

Hey guys! *yawn*

So today I had to get up at 7am to go to the orthodontist (now it is 9:43pm) and I am EXHAUSTED. This is quite worrying, seeing as that is the time I usually have to get up at on a school day, and school is only a few weeks away. I'm not sure how I'm going to survive - it will be like jetlag all over again. Eeew, no, let's talk about something else!

Today I went shopping and found this AWESOME kimono in New Look that I wanted to show you guys. Since kimonos have come into fashion I have loved them but have not bought one until now (not that I won't be wearing them when they go out of fashion). I'm not sure I can form proper sentences right now, so I'll just show you a picture:

I am aware that this isn't the best or most professional looking photo - but isn't it cool? The fabric is so lovely and soft, but it is also very thin, and I am afraid that I will be careless and rip it. Apparently they sell some nice kimonos in TK Maxx as well (I think the shop name is different in America), so I will be looking out for them there too.

Unfortunately, after kimono shopping, I had to go shopping for school shoes which I think is the most tedious thing ever, as I don't find shoes particularly interesting and I have really small feet that seem to constantly make shoe shopping difficult.

What I'm basically saying is that I was the only teenager sitting in the children's range trying on kids shoes *shudders due to a sudden cringe attack*.  Am I the only one with this problem? 

Ans: Probably.

Also, today I watched the Divergent movie for the 5th or 6th time with my friend who came round who is also in love with the series and the movie. I don't seem to have gotten tired of watching it yet, and can basically chorus loads of the lines along with the characters now. When the movie first came out, I remember watching it multiple times and was so excited for the DVD to be released. I would highly recommend the books and the movie (along with the next one that is yet to be released called "Insurgent") if you enjoy storylines that:

1) Star an incredibly strong, brave female character (although there is definitely a strong, brave male too)

2) Are set in dystopian universes that feature new and intriguing futuristic struggles.

3) Include lots of action with extremely sassy and bad-ass characters!

People often compare it to The Hunger Games (as people seem to do so dismissively these days), and I have to say, I do see some resemblances with the attitude of the stories' villains and a few of the training strategies, but the whole plot of the movie is SO different from The Hunger Games. Also, most of the main characters bare almost no resemblance to those in The Hunger Games (trust me, I know my own fandoms here). However, I suppose most people do this because of the strong female character, Tris.

Not that The Hunger Games is a bad thing to be compared to, I adore The Hunger Games! It's just that they are not the same. 

If you enjoy reading my blog or just like kimonos or Divergent, remember to follow me on Blogger or Bloglovin :) 

...I need to publish this before I fall asleep at the computer desk.

Speak to you soon, 

Lucy x

WHERE DID SUMMER GO?!

Recently I have just been hit with that OMIGOSH IT IS BASICALLY AUTUMN WHAT IS HAPPENING mini-existential crisis moment that I seem to experience every year when I realise that since getting back from holiday, I have basically wasted my entire summer. I also realise this is probably due to English weather making everything seem soggier than usual, but still. This is also due to the fact that everyone seems to be either busy or out of the country right now (BOOO), so I don't seem to have talked to many people over the past few weeks. This means that I am making a special effort to invite people to go shopping and bowling and stuff, which I don't usually do, as I am the least socially skilled person of my friendship group. I usually stay at home reading, writing or watching YouTubers, haha (I don't know why I'm laughing, this is basically all my life consists of). 

So what's going on right now? Well, for those of you who know me quite well, I am an extremely (how do I put this carefully so they don't think I'm crazy?) dedicated Swiftie, and have been for quite a long period of my life now. So I'm not even over-exaggerating when I say that you can't even imagine how I reacted yesterday evening when Taylor Swift announced her new album and music video!! I am so excited to listen to all the songs she has yet to release on 1989, and Shake It Off has been on repeat for most of today. 
It is just such a fun and generally awesome song and video - not to mention that every aspect of it is just 100% Taylor! People can say that she's changed and has become a completely different person, I don't care. I just find it incredibly important that she just keeps doing what she's doing - releasing brilliant catchy songs that make me dance around the house like a lunatic!

"It's like I've got this muuusic in my mind saying it's gonna be alright!"

This is the part where I struggle to document anything on my life that hasn't got anything to do with fandoms...

Oh yeah, kimonos.

Basically, recently I have been looking through some cool blogs, some of them being fashion blogs. While I was at it, I saw some REALLY SWEET little kimonos from New Look, and told myself that I just HAD to get one of my own! The other day I went to New Look in search of them, found a cute cherry blossom one and.... 

then realised that I didn't have enough money. DAMMIT! Those things are more expensive than I thought they would be. Nice one, Lucy... (note the sarcasm). 

Never mind - I'm going into town soon, maybe I'll get one next time, and then I'll show you guys.

On another random note, those of you who do not know me in person will not know that I have had braces for the past year and a bit (hence why I never smile with teeth for photos), and have recently been told that I am on one of my last stages with my braces. 

For those of you who may be getting braces in the future, I wouldn't worry about it: they're not even that bad. I don't even feel them any more and now they feel like a permanent feature in my mouth... They're like my shiny metal extra set of teeth that are attached to my real ones! Despite this, I am so excited to see what I look like without them, it's gonna be so weird! I'm not sure how soon I'll be getting them off, I'll ask my orthodontist tomorrow. 

Also, for those of you who have been waiting for a skincare post, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I am meaning to do one! I've taken pictures of the stuff I use and everything, it's just that I've been really busy and today I had a friend round in one of my attempts to socialise. I will do one, I promise!

I wish you guys all the best for Autumn and the next school term/semester/whatever you call it where you live. Although back to school means work, Autumn is definitely my favourite season, so that's something to look forward to (for me at least). 

Speak to you soon,

Lucy x

If I Stay - a book review

Earlier today I finished "If I Stay", a book by the genius author Gayle Forman, and thought I'd try out writing book reviews... so yeah, here I am! I hope you find this interesting, I will try not to reveal any spoilers for those of you that are interested in reading the book or watching the upcoming movie. 

I actually found out about the new movie coming out before I'd even heard of the book, and had first fallen in love with the idea of the movie. However, once I'd discovered that it was based on a book, I was delighted! 

In my opinion, no matter how phenomenal a movie may be, the book is always better. I think this is mostly due to the fact that some of my favourite parts in books happen to be left out of movies. 

I tend to know what kind of books I will like just from reading the blurb, and this book was no exception.

I'm not really sure why I like the sound of some of the most saddening books - it's not like I enjoy the heart-cramps I endure while reading them. This is possibly because I know I have such an easy life and am interested in getting inside the minds of people who have gone through things I will hopefully never go through. Also, in my experience, the books that focus on the fragility of life are the most breathtaking (in more ways than one), and potentially the most beautiful.

Mia, the narrator of the story, has such a fascinating outlook on what she experiences in the short amount of time she spends in the hospital, which seems a lot longer than it really is when you think about it. 

Although I am capable of putting myself in the shoes of someone extremely different in comparison to myself, it was definitely easier to follow Mia's story in the knowledge that she is a girl not much older than myself (three years older, to be exact). By empathising with her, it was easier for me to ask myself the question that she is forced to ask herself throughout the story. When it really gets down to it though, I suppose the whole book is just one big question that the reader ends up asking themselves:

Would I stay if I were in Mia's situation?

Truthfully, I don't know. In the end, it all depends on what you have to live for. Despite the fact that I could not fully understand what Mia was going through, I was always rooting for her to stay due to the same reasons that Kim and Adam were. However, I did understand Gramps's reasoning for his unpopular -yet kind and considerate - advice. I think that is all I can really say without spoiling it for anyone who has not read the book!

On the whole, I think that Gayle Forman did a magnificent job on the book. The set up is an intriguing idea that has been drawn out into a heartrending (but not exactly depressing) story. Although it is certainly not at The Fault in Our Stars's level on the feels-scale, I did close the book with a tear-stained face, and would not recommend the book if you are sensitive on the subject of death. 

Despite this, it is still different from any book I have ever read. Yes, it focuses on death, but the whole story is so much more than that. First of all, it included many flashbacks from Mia's childhood and life leading up to that moment. Also, it makes the reader focus on the heart of what they live for. If almost all you had growing up was suddenly gone, what would be left for you? Just how much is left for Mia - is it worth staying for?

I am so excited for the movie to come out! I am sure Chloë Grace Moretz will do Mia justice, and from what I've seen in the trailers, it's looks like they've done a great job.

Not only that, but there's a sequel!! I will be sure to by "Where She Went", the book set three years after "If I Stay" and told from the point of view of Adam. 

I hope you liked this book review! I wasn't really sure how to write this kind of thing, but I thought I did alright. If you have read the book, tell me your opinion of it in the comments. 

On another note, I was thinking of writing a blog entry on skincare, acne and stuff like that, so watch out for that on WhatTheFudge too :)

Speak to you soon,

Lucy x

The trailers for "If I Stay"