“I must have a prodigious amount of mind; it takes me as much as a week, sometimes, to make it up!” ― Mark Twain

Recently I was faced with making a decision between two jobs. Now it wasn't a huge decision like you see in the movies, where the protagonist gets offered their dream job, but unfortunately it's thousands of miles away from their loved ones, and they're torn between chasing their dreams and staying put. No. It was a lot less exciting.

Nevertheless, it got me thinking about the choices we make in our day to day lives. From the small decisions about where to grab a coffee from that morning, or the slightly more important choices, about which school or university you'll attend. Isn't it bizarre how these sometimes seemingly insignificant decisions can shape huge aspects of our lives? 

For example, when I was trying to decide between these two jobs (my extremely indecisive nature did not help), I sought the help of friends and family. My tutor at the time also tried to advise me, and gave me an example from her own life. She said that when she was around my age, she was offered three different jobs on the same day, one of which was abroad. It turns out, she opted for the latter, and ended up meeting her husband there (who she now has a child with).

I couldn't quite wrap my head around the fact that if on that day, her instinct had told her to stay in the country, and choose one of the jobs closer to home, she would not have met the man she is now married to, or even have had her son!

Similarly, you never know where choosing that particular coffee shop, or university, or that path to go for a walk down, can lead to. You never know who you might meet or what might happen, which is so unnerving but exciting at the same time.

Luckily for me, I am a firm believer in predestination which saves me from the dreaded 'what if?' But sometimes it is interesting to think about what could have been, if you'd said yes instead of no, and so on.

P.s. The book (and film) One Day by David Nicholls, kind of explores this idea, which is why it's one of my favourites!

'I have a theory that every time you make an important choice, the part of you left behind, continues the other life you could have had' - Oranges are not the only fruit, Jeanette Winterson. (P.p.s. Not only is this a fantastic quote but isn't it an amazing concept for a book or film?!)

:) x

Fifteen of my favourite feelings

1. Crossing things off my to do list
2. My phone being fully charged
3. Getting into my pyjamas
4. Getting into bed
5. Taking off a full face of makeup after a long day
6. Finishing a TV series
7. Being so gripped by a book, you can't put it down
8. Looking out of the window in the morning and seeing that the sun is out
9. Hearing my 3 year old niece laugh uncontrollably
10. Submitting an assignment
11. Managing to get your eyeliner symmetrical on both eyes (pretty much impossible)
12. Eating a food that you've been craving for ages
13. Wearing a new piece of clothing and feeling amazing
14. Making other people laugh/smile
15. Laughing until my stomach hurts

 :) x

Always look on the bright side.

Recently, where I live the weather has perked up and the sun has decided to make an appearance.
Spring seems to finally be arriving after a winter that felt like it was never going to end!

After waking up and seeing the blue skies for a few days in a row, I realised how something as simple as the weather has the power to completely change my mood.

Seeing the sun shining, even if I'm indoors or at work immediately makes me smile as though my mind and body want to mimic the brightness of the sunshine! (Almost like pathetic fallacy for all my fellow English students/graduates).

What changes your mood for the better?

:) x

Battling for balance.

Recently, I've been feeling as though there just aren't enough hours in the day to sleep, study, work, eat, read, write, blog, stay up to date with current affairs, stay in touch with friends and family, and finally, relax.

My life at the moment seems to be a constant battle between fitting all of the above into a single 24 hours. 

Is it even possible?!

'Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.' - Thomas Merton

^ And that is what I seem to be lacking.

Condemnation.

To the numerous amounts of people on social media asking where the Muslims are when it comes to condemning the Charlie Hebdo massacre,

Of course I am disgusted and horrified by the atrocity in Paris. And yes, I condemn the horrific actions of those people. But not because of the fact that I'm a Muslim, but because I think we should all condemn this kind of violence. 

Regardless of faith.

Condemning because of my religion, would be to admit that these individuals acted in the name of my religion.

My Islam that teaches me to pray 5 times a day.

My Islam that teaches me to respect my parents.

My Islam that teaches me to give a percentage of my wealth to charity every year.

My Islam that teaches me peace, love, and compassion. 

#Notinmyname

Syria to Sydney.. Peshawar to Paris.

For days I've been reading around what's happened in Paris, trying to wrap my head around what's gone on, and trying to think of how to respond. 

Unfortunately, this seems to be becoming a common occurrence. From seeing and hearing about the terrible news in Syria, Pakistan, Australia and now Paris, the words 'Muslim extremists' seem to have been heard so often, that they've become almost arbitrary. 

Now in terms of Charlie Hebdo in particular, I want to start by saying I am ALL for freedom of expression. When you start limiting what can and can't be said, you're going down a very slippery slope! 

However, when some people in France are stopped from wearing what they want to (i.e. the hijab and/or the veil) then does freedom of expression no longer matter? Is it exclusive to certain groups? If so, how is that fair? 

Secondly, once again, the media coverage between these sorts of events is unbelievably disproportionate. It seems that they don't even attempt to be discreet or covert in their attitude that some lives (western lives in particular), are more valuable than others.

Penultimately, what baffles me each time these sorts of events occur, is why hardly anyone seems to be interested in uncovering why these keep re-occurring. 

I don't claim to have the answers, but if we pulled together and stopped creating situations in which terrorism thrives, maybe these events would become few and far between as opposed to increasingly frequent.

Finally, to those spreading hatred. And I mean on both sides, those who are approving of the Charlie Hedbo attack, and those who got the 'Kill all Muslims' Hashtag trending, you are part of the problem. When in fact we should be striving towards a solution.

14 things I know as of 2014

1. Almost everything tastes better with Nutella (Excuse the unintentional rhyme)
2. All relationships require effort from both sides
3. There are certain things that we have no control over
4. Happiness is an emotion that fluctuates. Not a permanent state of being
5. Being alone and being lonely are two completely different things
6. Change isn't necessarily a bad thing
7. Success and achievement take time, hard work, and dedication
8. Plans are subject to change, nothing is set in stone
9. Chocolate has the ability to fix almost everything
10. Faith can keep you going even when you're at breaking point
11. Where you are born determines the quality of your life
12. Although I love reading fiction, I can't write it to save my life
13. You can control/change who you associate and surround yourself with
14. Optimism shouldn't be mistaken for naivety 

:) x

"Time and tide wait for no man." - Geoffrey Chaucer

The fact that we are fast approaching the end of the year, as well as the fact that it's been over 4 months since I last posted on this blog (I'm really terrible at this), ties in well with today's topic.

Time.

Yes that funny old thing. On occasion it drags as though the situation you're in may never actually pass. While on others, it flies by, leaving you wishing you could go back and relive those moments all over again. 

A single day, 24 hours on its own, often seems insignificant due to the monotonous routine we fall into, waking up, eating, working, watching TV, sleeping, and then doing it all over again the next day, and the next. But when those days add up, and turn into weeks, and then months, it's actually quite scary to look back and see how much time has really passed.

Before you know it, another year seems to have gone by in the blink of an eye, and while sometimes major events may have occurred, other times, it can feel like nothing has changed at all.

What do you spend the most time doing?

:) x

'The Other Half'

We all have that one friend. He/she has jumped from long term relationship to long term relationship, their promise to stay single after the most recent break up, never quite being fulfilled.

Most of us also know of a person who refuses to even pop to the shops alone, insisting, or at times, dragging, a friend to go with them. 

And while many love their own company, often opting for a night in alone over going out with friends, there still exists a preoccupation of sorts, with being alone.

Whether it's the constant stream of love stories we're taught to believe in through books and films from such a young and impressionable age, or just society at large frowning on those who choose to be alone.

I mean, we even refer to partners as 'the other half'. Implying that we aren't quite complete until we meet prince/princess charming. 

As with anything, moderation is key. Being at two extremes will no doubt drive you potty. But while it is of upmost important to not spend all your time cooped up in your room alone, I think it's equally important to be comfortable being alone. And the latter, in my opinion, isn't emphasised or encouraged anywhere near as frequently, as the former.

To be happy with yourself first and foremost is the trick. Not to think that happiness is an external entity. Because while that person may make you smile when they are in your midst, when they leave, (don't mistake the inevitable for pessimism) your happiness will walk out of the door with them.

And to end my ramblings, I shall leave you with this wonderfully ironic quote by the author of (yes I'm about to break the rules,) Fight Club. 

'People used what they called a telephone because they hated being close together and they were scared of being alone.' - Chuck Palahniuk.

:) x

Praying for Peace.

As a colleague scrolled through Facebook earlier today, and let out a gasp, I instinctively asked if everything was okay.

I did not however, prepare myself for the response.

The gasp was a knee-jerk reaction to a post that had caught my colleague's eye. A post that described the anguish and turmoil of a friend whose entire family had just been tragically killed.

After reading countless articles, blog posts, tweets, and comments under YouTube videos, I told myself there was nothing left to say.

Surely, everything worth saying had already been said/and continues to be said about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

My input seemed and still does seem, small and somewhat insignificant.

However, everyday for the past nineteen days, I have helplessly watched the numbers rise. The number of fatalities as I write this, is thought to be 45 Israelis, and 1049 Palestinians.That's not to mention the thousands injured. 

Now, we've all read the numbers over and over again, and in instances like this, people become just that. Numbers. Mere statistics. But just take a second to actually digest that information.

These people; innocent civilians, women and children, are NOT mere numbers.

They are precious lives being wiped out. 

One by one.

To put this into some sort of perspective, it's like the entire population of the Vatican City being wiped out in a number of days.

Now every single person, including you and me; has a story. From the 1049 Palestinian lives lost, some were just starting out and didn't even get to finish the first chapter. For others, including the family mentioned earlier, their story was prematurely and cruelly ended for them.

It occurred to me today as I sat lost for words. Not knowing how to respond to hearing something first hand and personal. Something that felt so different to the detached and disinterested reporter reading out numbers on the news. And that realisation was this; as a nation, we have become desensitised. 

We feel nothing when we see images of dead children, let alone when we hear mere statistics.

The sanctity of life no longer seems to exist. Particularly when these lives (and deaths) appear to be so far away.

At this point, land, religion, ethnicity and all other divisions are irrelevant. Basic human compassion, morality, and ethics is what we need to strive for. 

So as a reminder to myself first and foremost, sign every petition that you can get your hands on, donate more frequently than ever, and lastly, say as many heartfelt, sincere prayers as humanely possible.

And for once, let's unite for the sake of humanity, and pray for peace.

"Men have become the tools of their tools." - Henry David Thoreau

As I type up this blog post on my laptop that I probably couldn't live without, my iPhone bleeps with a text message. I immediately peer over at my phone to see who it is. 

Text messaging, iMessage, Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pintrest, Snapchat, Youtube, Netflix.

The vast majority of us will use at least one or more of the above on a day to day basis. Instinctively unlocking our phones and opening one of these apps from the minute our eyes open in the morning, through to the end of our day, when we struggle to stay awake to scroll through the endless pictures, tweets, or videos.

Now don't get me wrong, I love technology and everything it allows us to do. But like everything, there are certain limits. And sometimes, just sometimes, I do think we have surpassed these limits by a long mile.

I wonder how many of us have let the food in front of us go cold, while we take endless photos of our meal, trying to get the perfect one? How many of us have ended up getting late to meet a friend because we wanted to take the perfect selfie before we left the house? Now I know I'm exaggerating and using light hearted examples, but on a more serious note, how many kids do you reckon, have wasted entire summers sat in front of a computer, not going outside, or physically interacting or communicating with anyone.

I'm not attempting to be preachy because I'm the first one to admit that I spend way too much time on my laptop/computer/phone or whatever else it may be. 

But all I'm trying to say is, how many things have you got on your to do list, wish list, or bucket list? Whether it's something big like a skydive, or travelling the world, or something smaller, like wanting to read or write more often. And how many times have you told yourself that you just don't have the time?

Now compare this with the amount of time you spend looking at Kim Kardashian's most recent selfie, or people's holiday snaps on Instagram wishing that was you? Do you still not have the time to do all those things you've been wanting to do forever?

I think living in the society that we do, we have to learn to love and embrace technology. We have no choice since it is all around us. But we have to learn how to prioritise, and objectively look at whether the 'technology vs. everything else' balance in our lives is healthy.

So take the plunge. Switch off that phone, close your laptop, and do something.

P.S. When you do switch your phones and computers back on (the irony!), take a look at the video below and this blog post that explain what I'm trying to say in a much more succinct and coherent way!

:) x

“She's not wearing makeup so her face just looks like skin.” ― Chuck Palahniuk

She climbs out of bed, and walks straight over to the mirror. The somewhat mundane routine. The same old scrutiny, day in, day out.

Pinching and poking her face in an attempt to survey both old and new spots, scars, freckles, and wrinkles. Like unwelcome guests at a party, on her skin, on her body.

A little tighter here, and a little slimmer there, just a few adjustments and she'd feel better, she'd be happy.

Almost instinctively she reaches for the bag. The thick greasy liquid feels cold on her skin as she smears it onto her face. Still unsatisfied, she adds a little more until the mask looks complete. 

The curls in her hair disappear one by one, as the straighteners sizzle on her damp hair, and the room becomes filled with smoke and a distinct burning smell.

She's running late because her hair took too long, and so, as always, breakfast is skipped. Although it doesn't matter. Like her boyfriend mentioned, she needs to lose a few pounds anyway.


This is the sad reality.

We are bombarded with society's notion of size 0, page 3, thigh gapped, 'perfect' images. But take away the photoshop, the makeup team, the hair stylists, and the professional designers, and you will realise that beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.

And you are beautiful. 

:) x

The Pursuit of Happiness

The topic on today's agenda is something I've wanted to write about for a while. I think I'll keep it short and sweet because there really isn't much to say.

I think as human beings, we sometimes overcomplicate the most simple of things, and then complain about how complex our lives are. (The irony!) Taking away these complexities, and the differences between us all, I believe that no matter where you're from, regardless of your race, skin colour, gender, class, and so on, one universal aspect of human existence, is that we all want to be 'happy'.

Happiness is something we seem to crave, something we pursue, and something we strive for.

When we enter a new relationship, get a new job, or move to another part of the country, we often ask ourselves 'Am I really happy?' 

And of course, though it is something that unites us, happiness differs for each and every individual. What makes me happy, may make somebody else extremely unhappy! And vice versa. It's a subjective experience.

Nevertheless, recently I've found myself coming to the realisation, that myself, and many others, strive for happiness as if it's a destination. A destination that once we reach, is a state we will remain in forever.

And that's where we stumble and fall.

The beauty of life is its unpredictability. And while at any given moment you may feel sad, in despair, and hopeless, the fact that this could change in an instant, (since pain is only temporary), is pretty darn amazing!

I'm sorry to do this, but I'm going to quote a well known pop song. The lyric 'you only know you've been high when you're feeling low', exemplifies how we can only truly appreciate the happy times we have in our lives, by going through some of the worst times of all.

So to everyone out there who's having a bad day, remember that happiness is something only YOU can achieve for YOURSELF. 

Don't continue making the mistake of waiting for happiness to arrive in your life, as if one day we'll wake up and it will have finally made a grand appearance, shouting 'I'm here!'

Unfortunately, that's just not how life works. So revel in the unpredictability and the uncertainty of life, in the days where you feel like things couldn't possibly get any worse, and you feel lower than ever, because at least that way, there is only one way to go. 

:) x

Quotation, Quotation, Quotation.

If you've been reading my blog for a while now, you've probably noticed that I do quite like the odd quote here and there!

Who am I kidding? I love them. 

There's just something about reading or hearing something that sums up what every fibre of your being is feeling in that given moment.
Or something that you've felt or always known, that you couldn't quite find the words to express.

I think quotes are a reminder as to how similar we all are. How universal certain themes are, that they can transcend time, gender, class, race, religion, just to name a few.

So today I will share with you just a FEW of my MANY favourite quotes, from some of my favourite poets, authors, films and TV Shows. (Brace yourselves and enjoy.)


‘I have measured out my life with coffee spoons’ – The Love-Song of Prufrock, T.S. Elliot.

''Tis better to have loved and lost/Than never to have loved at all.' - Tennyson, In Memoriam.

‘Than the two hearts beating each to each!’ – Meeting at Night, Robert Browning.

'Love is not love/Which alters when it alteration finds' - Sonnet 116, Shakespeare.

'All the worlds a stage. And all the men and women merely players' - As you like it, Shakespeare.


'So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past' - The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald.

‘We live as we dream. Alone.’ – Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad.

‘I suspect that the truth is we are all waiting, all of us, against insurmountable odds for something extraordinary to happen to us.’ –And the Mountains Echoed, Khaled Hosseini.

‘I have a theory that every time you make an important choice, the part of you left behind continues the other life you could have had.’ – Oranges are not the Only Fruit, Jeanette Winterson.

'To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation.’ - Life of Pi, Yann Martel.

‘I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams.’  - The Shawshank Redemption.

‘Don't ever let somebody tell you, you can't do something. You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.’ – The Pursuit of Happyness.

'Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.' - Mark Twain.

‘I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass.’ - Maya Angelou.

‘I hated every minute of training, but I said, don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’ – Muhammad Ali.

'Inspiration is a guest that does not willingly visit the lazy.' – Tchaikovsky.

‘If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs.’ – Tony Gaskins.

‘Make a wish and place it in your heart. Anything you want. Everything you want.
Do you have it? Good. Now believe it can come true. You never know where the next miracle is going to come from, the next smile. The next wish come true.
But if you believe that it is right around the corner, and you open your heart and mind to the possibility of it, to the certainty of it, you just might get the thing you're wishing for.
The world is full of magic. You just have to believe in it. So make your wish. Do you have it?
Good. Now believe in it with all your heart.’ – One Tree Hill.

‘It’s the oldest story in the world. One day you’re seventeen and planning for someday. And then quietly and without you ever really noticing, someday is today. And that someday is yesterday. And this is your life.’ – One Tree Hill.

What's your favourite quote?

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” ― Allen Saunders

If you're anything like me, you make plans. I have countless notebooks full of to do lists, a jam packed diary, and constant thoughts circulating my mind.

For as long as I can remember, I've been a 'planner', not one to take risks or be spontaneous, (I mean I couldn't possibly do something if it wasn't a part of my schedule haha), and this has always worked for me. I've often been told by friends, to 'just go with the flow', but this has never been quite my style.

From plans to achieve certain grades, to plans about having done certain things by the time I reach a certain age, I've planned it all! But what happens when things don't go to plan? In fact, what happens, when what actually occurs, is the complete opposite of what you'd planned for? Sometimes this can leave us feeling crushed, disappointed and lost. 

But more often than not, whatever it is that hasn't gone to plan or turned out in your favour, whether it's missing your flight or as big as breaking off your engagement, it is in fact, exactly what you needed.

I'm a firm believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason, and sometimes your plans 'failing', can actually open your eyes to other opportunities that you hadn't even acknowledged.

Say for example, you've wanted a certain job for as long as you can remember, and this is what you've prepared for your whole life. Now for some reason or other, let's imagine you don't get this job, and that career path is no longer an option for you. Instead of having a breakdown and feeling like it's the end of the world, sometimes you just need to step back, analyse the situation, and open your eyes to the countless alternative paths available to you. The ones you hadn't planned for, but that's okay.

I've definitely come to learn that you don't need to have every minute detail of your life planned out, and that it's okay when things go wrong. Whether you believe in God, fate, science, or even nothing, know that whatever is meant to be will be. Of course you should go out there and chase your dreams, but when you stumble along the way, remember that maybe, just maybe, that fall was actually the best thing that could've happened to you (and prepare yourself for bigger and better things to come!)

There's nothing wrong with planning, and I for one won't be stopping any time soon! But it's important to remember a few key things:

- Don't lose sight of what's important.
- Don't take the present for granted while you're planning for the future.
& Finally,
- Have realistic and achievable goals & expectations, but nevertheless, dream big!

:-) x

The Veil - Freedom? or Oppression?

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you'll no doubt have heard, seen, or read something or other about the Niqab or the veil.

Now when I first heard that this was something that was being discussed in parliament, I couldn't help but laugh. I honestly thought it had to be a joke. My first thought was seriously? Surely this country has bigger problems. Surely our government have more important things to tackle, instead of debating about the way a certain group of people should or shouldn't dress.

Having said that, I can completely understand why certain members of the public might be unnerved by women who choose to wear the veil. If it's something you don't know a lot about, or something you've never come across, it can seem somewhat 'alien' and even perhaps frightening.

However, if you take the time out to look into what the veil is and the reason that some Muslim women choose to wear it, the last thing it is, is frightening. In fact, all this news coverage and debate is doing the complete opposite of what the veil aims to do, it is drawing unnecessary attention to these women, who are trying to mind their own business and go about their daily lives.

A lot of the arguments about why the veil should be banned, link back to the story about a Muslim woman who allegedly refused to lift her veil in court. Whether this is or isn't true, I definitely understand that the face veil has to be lifted in court, in front of a jury for it to be a fair trial. 

What baffles me however, is that I know several women who wear the Niqab and have done for years, and I know that if they were ever to find themselves in a similar situation, they would have no problem at all lifting their veil. The same applies at airports, or any other situation where it is necessary for whatever reason, for someone to confirm their identity. Therefore, for this one isolated incident to spark a debate about potentially banning the veil, is to me, quite ludicrous.

Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of women in this country do not wear the veil because they have been forced to wear it by an oppressive, tyrannous male family member. In fact, they feel empowered by this piece of clothing. The idea that they are choosing what can and cannot be seen by other people is for them, freedom. Therefore, the people that think they are liberating these women by dictating to them how to dress (oh the irony), are in fact doing the exact opposite of what they are condemning, and are in fact taking on the role of the oppressors. 

I can't discuss the topic of the veil, without making mention of Rachid Nekkaz, a businessman who has paid 699 Niqab fines since the ban was implemented in France. (Faith in humanity restored!)

Finally, I'll leave you with this video that makes for quite an interesting watch:

:-) x

Don't worry.. Be Happy..

After having a quick look at my previous blog posts, it has come to my attention that I blog about a lot of negative things! Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in everything that is wrong with the world, and to overlook the amazing blessings that surround us day in day out. So below, are a few things I've come across recently that have definitely put a smile on my face.

Remember, hate will only breed more hate.

Besides, 'Beneath the armor of skin/and/bone/and/mind most of our colors are amazingly the same.' - Aberjhani

Fairy tales do exist!

Surely this is enough to make anyone smile!

'The soul is healed by being with children.'

- Fyodor Dostoyevsky

:-) x

Cut out knife crime.

'Boy, 15, stabbed over Facebook fight'

The words you never want to read. The words that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. The words that send shivers down your spine. 15 years old, with his entire life ahead of him. The saddest part is, he isn't the first, and he will not be the last.

These types of headlines in the news have become all too common in recent years, and we must ask why?

Why is this even happening in our society?

Why do 15 year old children, sometimes younger, feel the need to carry a knife?

Why are these incidents forgotten a week or two after they occur?

Why? 

Why?

Why?

I 100% agree with the fact that the people who did this, and commit these sorts of crimes daily around the globe, need to be caught and punished accordingly. However, I can't help but feel that if a little more time, a little more effort, a little more care, went into finding out the motives behind the crime, and educating our children on the consequences, we might slowly, very slowly, begin the very long journey towards cutting out knife crime.

As I grapple with my thoughts on this topic, somewhere across the country may be a child (because that is what they are, children), who is angry, confused and lost. Who unfortunately, feels the need to carry a weapon, whether it's a gun or a knife or something else. For what? Protection? Self defence? Who knows? And if, or should I say when, the situation arises where they feel the 'need' to use this weapon, we will once again be reading those harsh cruel words:

'Boy, 15, stabbed over Facebook fight'

Hollie McNish is an up and coming poet from the UK. Her videos never cease to inspire and amaze me, and this one video in particular I decided to share because it was relevant to today's topic, so please take out a few minutes to listen to her thought-provoking poetry.

:-) x

Friday Favourites!

Another Friday has come and gone! The weeks just seem to be flying by. This week I apologise, as my favourites are a few days late. Nevertheless, enjoy!

Favourite Smile:

Everyone needs a best friend because, 'a life is an awful, ugly place to not have a best friend.' - Sarah Dessen, Someone Like You.

Favourite Place:

Airkix is SO much fun! Try out indoor skydiving at one of their three locations for an exhilarating and adrenaline filled experience! I recently went there for a friends birthday and will definitely be visiting again soon.

Favourite Scene:

Sometimes it is so nice, to take a few minutes out of our busy schedules and just appreciate the beauty around us.

Have another great week!

:-) x

'Don't let schooling interfere with your education' - Mark Twain

This is something I've been wanting to write about for a while now, and I think it's about time! I recently watched a video which was both inspiring, and thought provoking and if you've not seen it, then please watch it below before reading the rest of this post.

Check out his channel here for more inspiring videos.

Just over 3 weeks ago, I was sat in an exam hall, surrounded by my fellow students, scribbling away furiously. I had just two hours to answer questions and write essays in an attempt to show my intellect and my ability. Two hours that determined whether I would progress to the third and final year of my course at university. Now to me, at that time, 3 weeks ago, the four exams that I sat felt like the most important tests I have taken to date. I couldn't help but think that if I failed these exams, I wouldn't progress to the final year, and therefore would not graduate, and therefore would be stuck in a dead end job, if I could even find one. 

Now for me, this is just a little bit strange, because ever since I was in school, I was told that the exams that I was facing at that given time were the most important ones I would ever face. Those exams would be the ones that would determine my future. I was then told the same exact thing when I sat my A Levels at college. Confusing to say the least. 

My problem isn't in fact with the teachers that told me these things, I guess they were just doing their job. But for years I have failed to understand our education system. It is something that has frustrated me for a long time, simply because I cannot grasp the fact that those few pressure filled hours, are deemed a fair test of someone's intelligence.

What happens if you wake up on the morning of your exams feeling unwell, and knowing full well you won't be able to perform to the best of your ability? What happens if you study for weeks, perhaps months in advance and on the day, you go blank? What happens if you are a bright and talented individual, who simply has a bad memory? Because this is what I think exams test, not ability, not intelligence, not whether you are capable, but simply your memory.

Thankfully, I have always done 'okay' in exams, but the fact that I know people that I consider to be much more talented, much more creative and even more intelligent than me, who for one reason or another, do not perform too well in exams and therefore are given what may be deemed as a 'low' grade, when in fact they deserve so much more, really upsets me.

Unfortunately I do not see the way students are tested, changing for the better any time soon. (Although in the U.K. there's been plenty of talk about changing GCSEs, but to me these changes are pointless and a waste of time, when there are so many other areas that need reform, both in the education system and with our country in general). But I for one, am glad that next year will (fingers crossed) be the last set of exams that I take! And for all those who have years of exams ahead of you, don't despair. Remember to try your best, and that is all anyone can ask of you. Keep in mind that some of the most successful people around the world weren't educated through 'mainstream schooling', and aren't conventionally 'academic'. A grade whether it's an A* or a U, does not define who you are or your capability.

Remember, 'Education means inspiring someone's mind, not just filling their head' - Katie Lusk. So stay inspired and chase your dreams because, 'if you don't build your dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs' - Tony Gaskins.

:-) x