Zoe's Musings

So I'm trying to get my blogging brain back in gear but it's proving to be quite difficult. I've been blogging for effectively a year now, which is the longest time I've ever kept up a disciplined hobby, and I'm really struggling to find the motivation and drive to post regularly. I made a little goal for myself to write 100 blog posts this year (after having written 88 last year), but having only written 3 last month I'm already quite far behind...

The issue I have is the age old dilemma that I don't want to create content for the sake of posting something on schedule every single week, as I want to feel proud of everything that I'm creating for my blog. It can be really hard to find something that I'm proud enough of to post, as I probably write about 3 drafts for every 1 post that makes it, or have 5 ideas for every 2 that actually turn into posts. Whoever said blogging was easy is sadly mistaken!

What I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry my content has been a bit bare recently, and that I've not really posted anything that interesting. I really want to continue with my weekly musings posts because I'm really enjoying those, but I'm considering making them into 'Monthly Musings' instead as I feel like they can become a bit repetitive, especially as I've started second semester so they're probably not going to be that long for the next few weeks until Easter. Also I think I'll find it a bit easier to maintain uploading those posts once a month rather than once a week along side another post. I feel like my blog will become saturated with Weekly Musings posts and not much else otherwise!

Otherwise I've been feeling a little bit overwhelmed recently, I'm trying to get back into the routine of having lectures alongside trying to find the time to do regular life things like sleep and eat and food shopping and laundry so getting that balance as well as finding time to do creative things like blog and read has been fairly challenging. I'm hoping that by sitting down every once in a while to just think creatively and to plan blog posts is going to help get those creative juices flowing once more!

How have you all been? Hope you're good, and thanks again for sticking with me. If you'd like to see what I've been up to recently then my Instagram is here and my twitter is here!

I've been thinking a fair bit recently about blogging, and social media, and how it's been a year since I properly got into this blog. I am only a small blog with a handful of followers but I really appreciate that there are some people out there who are interested in what I have to share with the world. I ramble on a lot and I don't really have a clear direction and I sometimes miss uploads (I'm the worst ever at sticking to schedules) but the fact that people have chosen to stick with me is great, and I'm really appreciative. I hope now that exams are all done I can start as I mean to go on and blog lots and lots!

Also now that exams are done I'm hoping to get more into working out again, I did pilates the other day using a Blogilates workout, and I'm planning on going on a run once in a while once I get back on my feet. No excuses this year, it's time to get healthy!

I also went back to work this week. It was really hard to adjust to the late nights again, and that hasn't really helped me when I've not been feeling that great recently. But it's been great to be able to start getting back into my routine again and it's been lovely to see everyone as well.

Something else nice happened this week; I wandered into Boots to kill some time one afternoon and a girl from the Benefit counter approached me and asked if I'd like to get my makeup done by her for free. I think they were doing some kind of training thing, but I happily agreed to try out some of the products.  I've never actually tried anything from Benefit before (I know, a blogger who doesn't have any Benefit products shock horror!). I already had a fair bit of makeup on (all my base makeup and eye makeup done), so she put on some Hoola bronzer, Watts Up highlighter and They're Real mascara. I was so impressed with the highlighter that it's definitely gone on my wish list, as well as the bronzer. The mascara was really nice as well, but I'm not sure I can bring myself to splash out so much on a mascara when I'm perfectly happy with my £5 one from Rimmel!

Apologies for the slightly grainy photo, my phone camera is pretty poor!

And that's all that I got up to last week, how have you all been?

Hello again, it's me. Hopefully you've not all forgotten about me in my 3 week absence from pretty much all social media.... I'm so so so sorry for being gone so long. I've had exams to prepare for and so much on my plate uni-wise so I've had to put blogging on the shelf for the time being until I had some spare time. But, now that my exams are over I'm back with a vengeance. But anyway, enough of that, here's what I've been up to recently! If you're interested in keeping up to date with what I'm up to, I've started posting regularly again on my personal instagram, which you can follow here should you wish! I check out all of my followers and tend to follow back pretty feeds and bloggers so hmu!!!

A couple of weeks ago I went to visit an old preschool teacher of mine from when I was little. My mother and her have kept in touch over the years, although we hadn't seen each other in probably well over 10 years. Upon opening the door to me the first thing she said was that I hadn't changed at all, which made me laugh! To be honest though I haven't, while I've obviously grown up a lot and matured a lot I still am recognisable to that little girl that she knew all those years ago! She told me stories about myself in preschool that I didn't remember, and it was great to hear what I was like back then. I had a great time and she is such a lovely lady, I'm very lucky we're still in touch.

I then was in the midst of preparations for me to go back to uni after Christmas, so I had to get all packed up and buy my groceries with the help of my mum. I was really reluctant to go back, I don't remember having ever been so reluctant to go back before, but I'd had such a great Christmas break, and going back to uni meant that I would have to really start working hard to prepare for my exams.

I instantly wanted to go home again, however I did have something very exciting to look forward to a couple of days after I got back to uni, which was a dog therapy session organised by the union! I had the absolute best time ever playing with all the dogs, and it really did help to calm me down and lift my spirits during revision week. I fell in love with so many of the dogs there! Shoutout to Pets As Therapy, their organisation is absolutely fantastic and one that so many have benefited from, as while it was a bit of fun for us it was also absolutely theraputic, and all the volunteers told us about how they take their pets to schools to help kids read, and to retirement homes and hospitals and they brighten so many people's days while giving up their own time, so I think they're pretty incredible!



I was trying to eat better this month and ate loads of salads and veggies at the beginning of the month, but then ended up giving up during exams in favour of quick food for a lazy and tired student! ***Note: now exams are done though I have no excuses, I'm back on the healthy foods and on the exercise. I want to join a yoga or ballet class (not decided yet as I'd love to do both but don't have the time!) and I'm also going to start running once the weather is a bit better!

I have skyped my family a fair bit recently which has helped my homesickness, I have plans to go back home soon so I can't wait for that!

Other than that I did a lot of exam revision and procrastinating playing Animal Crossing New Leaf (my new obsession).

(don't we all!)

Near the end of last week I had my first two exams, which were possibly two of the hardest exams I've ever taken. Not great, but I stuck with it and kept my head down to revise for my next two!

And that's what I've been up to for the last two weeks! I'm hoping to have my 'weekly musings' for this week just gone up on the blog tomorrow at the earliest, so look out for that too. Also I have lots more ideas for posts now that I have more free time, so I'll hopefully see you soon!

I have a journal which I've kept since starting my second year of university. I've written at least something in it for most days, and I've never stuck with a diary so much as I have this last 6 months. I'm not sure why I've suddenly started writing everything down, but I really love reminiscing and looking back at old photos and diary entries. I love taking photos of everything I get up to and I suppose that's similar to a diary, but this year I want to also do a little summary blog post about things I've done or thoughts I've had about the week. I'm not promising it'll happen every week because I'm not the best at sticking to things, but I'll give it my best shot.

So this week was the first week of the new year. A lot of people can be incredibly cynical about the new year, new me stuff, and I prefer to set 'goals' for myself rather than 'resolutions', because I prefer thinking of things I want to achieve rather than things I want to change or stop doing. I kind of hate and kind of love new years. New years eve is my birthday, and while I enjoy the birthday part because I'm with my family celebrating I never really enjoy the countdown or the new year celebration because I always feel a bit lonely and sad at the year ending (lol). Saying that, once I'm over the countdown I do like the arrival of January 1, because while that means for me that exams are on the way it means that I have a fresh start to the year ahead of me. With this new year I've got my fresh start, I've cut my losses about the previous year and all the bad stuff that happened, and I'm more ready than ever to really make a good go of it this year. If you're interested in seeing the goals I've set myself for this year then you can find them here.

Here are some of the things I've been up to this week:

I've had quite a busy week this week as I go back to uni in a few days so I have to start getting ready. I've begun packing, and I've started to buy food to take back with me (mostly comprised of the generic uni student fare of pasta, rice and noodles lol!).

I made some yummy oatmeal cranberry cookies yesterday that I'm hoping will last until I have to go back so I can take a couple with me!

I've spent a fair amount of time revising this week, exams start in a few weeks and I'm really stressing about them. Hopefully I'll do well, I would hate to flop them as this year is really important.

I had a morning out shopping with my mum which was fun, I got quite a few things that I needed and it was just nice to have some girly time out.

I got to see my cousin and her child for the first time in ages as well, it's always lovely to see them and I miss them lots when I'm not at home.

I went out for dinner with my primary school friends this week, some of whom I hadn't seen for nearly 8 years. I wasn't sure how it was going to go but we had a great time reminiscing about primary school and all the people we went to school with and where we all were now.

This week was a week for reflections, a week or reconnections, and a week for re-kindled friendships. I had a really positive week, with my fresh start and fresh outlook, and I couldn't be happier.

Hello everyone, and happy new year! Looking back on my goals for 2015 provided an interesting insight on my plans for last year. Safe to say I didn't make time to do all of the things on my list, but I made a good attempt at working hard at university and at spending time doing things for myself, and I also got a job, which I think were the three most important things on the list.

I have a few things that I'd like to attempt to achieve this year, and here they are:

1 // Do an hour of revision every day (with NO distractions)
If I set aside at least an hour a day to do notes or revision or online tests or something like that then it'll be a lot easier come exam time to revise. It'll also mean I don't become behind in my notes like I have done a bit this semester. Also I need to turn off my internet & 3G and put my phone away and just work solidly for an hour, and not check my phone or twitter every 5 minutes!

2 // Drink 1L of water every single day
AT LEAST. I'm never properly hydrated and it's especially bad because my kidneys have had problems in the past so I need to make sure I'm adequately hydrated to flush out any toxins. Plus it's really good for your skin too!

3 // Start writing blog posts in advance
I've struggled a bit at some points to come up with interesting blog post ideas, so this year I'd like to take advantage of the times I'm full of creativity & ideas and just block out and plan and write posts when I have free time that I can use when I'm a bit stuck for time and ideas, especially for when I'm revising or taking exams.

4 // Save up some more money
I've done really well this year with saving, I've put aside a fair bit, but in 2016 I'd like to save up some more, maybe for a holiday or just to treat myself sometime.

5 // Participate in the 366 days challenge
I've been massively inspired by the gorgeous Danielle from Underland to Wonderland who has done the 365 days challenge for 2015, and I want to try and do something similar. I don't think I'll document it all on here, but maybe I'll share parts of it with you all.

6 // Make time every Sunday for an hour of reading
I put aside a few hours every Sunday to have a pamper night, so I run a bath and do a face mask and watch TV and relax, so I'd like to schedule in some reading time as part of my pamper session. I used to read all the time and I miss that relaxation time away from a computer screen or phone, so I'm going to make a big effort this year.

So, those are my goals for 2016, what are yours?