Growing Up: Leaving School and Starting University

• Choose subjects to study
• Get good grades
• Choose a career path
• Get into University
• Graduate
• Get a job in chosen career

This list is only slightly different to one I made myself in my final years of High School. As I progressed through the higher years of school, the increasing pressure of finding "what is next after high school" was very much clear. When it came to my last year, I still didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, which isn't exactly bizarre when that choice needs to be made at 16 years of age, or so we're led to believe.

I chose a mix of different subjects, ranging from Sciences and Maths, to English and Geography, hoping that I would soon discover an innate ability in one of them. My last year finished, I got decent grades, but definitely not the great grades I'd previously planned - Of which would DEFINITELY be the end of the world if I didn't get - and despite slightly lacking in one grade requirement, I was still offered a place in my chosen University course.

This was the point where I came to a crossroads in my life, contemplating on the plane home from my "end of school celebration holiday" whether I continue to see through my plan I'd made the year before, despite the fact I started to feel regret for the course I had managed to get into, or whether I should do the "embarrassing" option and not take the place at university, possibly blocking four years of endured dread.

I decided to withdraw from my University course, look online at the mocked backup college courses I had applied to - which was insisted by the school - until I realised I had unknowingly applied to a very specific course that excited and interested me. My family had already celebrated the fact I had got into university straight from school, the first in my immediate family to do so; I almost felt ashamed when I had to tell them I'd withdrew and planned on going to college instead. From this point forward I decided to go with life as it comes, no more planning set lists and how things should be followed through, but instead just working on forward with a set - flexible- goal in mind.

Two years later and I have now graduated from my college course; a two year diploma which allows entry straight into work if desired or entry into third year of a relevant University degree. My worries two years ago almost seem trivial, having intrusive thoughts of shame for going "off track" with my progression in education when, in the end, I came out right on track. With a place at university for a course I show a great interest in, which would not have been discovered if I had not side-tracked, I now feel more at peace with the future than I ever did.

The moral is, if you're leaving high school unsure of whether your chosen path is right or not, don't be scared to temporarily disappoint others to find something you truly enjoy. It all works out in the end.

Apple Macbook Air (Review)

Apple Macbook Air (Latest Model as of 10/10/16)

As I get myself back into the habit of blogging, it only makes sense to have suitable devices that aid in the process. Although blogging wasn't a massive reason for me to buy my new computer, it did still contribute as a reason. I have been with apple for years, whether its through the iPhone or previous MacBooks I've had over the years, and after switching to a windows computer, I felt it was finally time to return to the Mac. All-in-all if you're someone who enjoys iOS on the iPhone, or just an iPhone in general, then chances are you're also going to enjoy switching to Mac.

Price

Now, the price can vary in certain ways; Whether you decide to get the 11-inch or the 13-inch, and also whether you decide to go with Tier 1 or Tier 2 of each size. I personally went for Tier 1 of the 13-inch Macbook Air which cost £849 (figures may vary on the Apple website) but I will list below every Tier with the differences and also the prices.

Macbook Air 11-inch (Tier 1)
- 1.6GHz Processor
- 128GB PCle-based flash storage (Literally not too sure what PCle means)
- 4GB memory (Basically RAM I'm guessing?)
- Intel HD Graphics 6000
- Turbo boost of up to 2.6GHz for Processor
Cost - £749

Macbook Air 11-inch (Tier 2) 
- 1.6GHz Processor
- 256 GB PCle-based flash storage
- 4GB memory
- Intel HD Graphics 6000
- Turbo boost of up to 2.6GHz for Processor
Cost £899

The differences in the 11-inch tiers is basically just the increase in storage from 128GB to 256GB, which is most likely better if you're someone who likes to store a lot on the computer, otherwise the Tier-1 model will be just fine (You could also just buy an external hard drive)

Macbook Air 13-inch (Tier 1) 
- 1.6GHz Processor
- 128GB PCle-based flash storage
- 8GB memory
- Intel HD Graphics 6000
- Turbo boost of up to 2.6GHz for Processor
Cost £849

Macbook Air 13-inch (Tier 2) 
- 1.6GHz Processor
- 256 GB PCle-based flash storage
- 8GB memory
- Intel HD Graphics 6000
- Turbo boost of up to 2.6GHz for Processor
Cost £999

Again, the differences in the 13-inch tiers are basically just the memory increasing from 128GB to 256GB, so it's not too much of a big deal unless you need the extra space.

Review 

The differences between the 11-inch and 13-inch models in general mostly boils down to the fact that the 11-inch models contain up to 7 hours of battery life, whereas the 13-inch models contain up to 12 hours of battery life (And I personally have been able to sit for hours on end without needing a charge) along with the pretty obvious differences in the screen sizes.

It's a great device to use for things such as blogging due to the fact it's fast as heck (possibly one of the fasted computers I've had before, which is strange since the processor isn't really anything too special)

If you feel like getting yourself a Macbook Air, for things such as: university, college or just in general, I would recommend using your student discount if you are eligible. Apple offers up to 10% off iPads and MacBooks for students, which in the end can result in £75 - £99 discount depending on what device you by. Sign up to UniDays  if you think you are eligible for this discount

Graze Chocolatebox (Review)

GRAZE BOX REVIEW

Yes, it is finally the time again to post another graze box review, this time with a different type of box. Instead of the usual graze snackbox review, I decided to try out a new box that graze offers called the chocolate box. Instead of taking a picture of the nicely packaged box like I usually do (And let's be honest here, I think we've seen a lifetime of those boxes) I decided to just go straight inside the box.

SNACKS RECEIVED

Cookies & Cream (A mixture of mini cookies, white chocolate, hazelnuts and sunflower seeds)

Bounty Hunter (A mixture of Belgian milk chocolate, coconut and cranberries)

Brilliant Black Forest (A piece of chocolate cake with a cherry purée sauce)

Sticky Chocolate Pudding (A mixture of Belgian milk chocolate with green and black raisins)

Rating for this snack is a 7/10

The first I tried was the Cookies & Cream which looked to be the most appetising. Surprisingly, the cookies inside were very crunchy and nice (nothing different to non-healthy cookies) and the white chocolate tasted very milky and sweet. Although I couldn't bring myself to taste the sunflower seeds (I'm just not willing to eat plant seeds sorry) I'm sure if you like that sort of thing they would have been nice too.

Rating for this snack is a 4/10

The next snack to try was the Bounty Hunter which was actually one of my least favourites I have received from graze. The milk chocolate was very good and of good quality, and the cranberries were also very nice too, but in all honesty I could feel myself trying not to gag when I tasted the coconut (which made up most of the snack by-the-way) 

Rating for this snack is an 8/10

Next, the Brilliant Black Forest dessert which I was very excited to try when I first saw it. The chocolate cake was very spongy and sweet but not too sweet, you could immediately tell that it was freshly made. The cherry purée its self was very strong and tasted slightly alcoholic (I don't know why) but with the cake, the bitterness complimented the cake.

Rating for this snack is a 7/10

Now to the final snack, the Sticky Chocolate Pudding. Again, the milk chocolate in this was the same chocolate in the other snacks in the box and tasted very nice. The black jumbo raisins were also nice (although slightly dry) but I felt that the green raisins had a strange taste to them so I wasn't too keen on them.

OVERALL RATING

The average rating of this box was a 6.5/10

I personally rate this box a 7/10

I hope you enjoyed my review of this new box, and if you want to try out graze click here to try a free box! 

Lush Haul

Shout out to my mums bed for providing the background

So, as you can see by the iconic paper lush bag as the blog post header, today I'm going to show you what I bought from lush! These products that I bought aren't actually for me, I bought them as part of a gift for a birthday present for someone who enjoys baths a little too much..

The first thing I bought from lush was Granny Takes A Dip which is a bath bomb. It looks very colourful just as a solid bar and has a very fruity/citrus smell to it which made me buy it (A summer smelling bath bomb) It has the following description on the website;

"This ginger, pepper and lemon-scented bath bomb turns your water psychedelic and puts some colour in your life. Simply drop into a warm bath and watch as its fizzing centre dissolves into multi-coloured waters. Its spicy, citrusy scent will pep you up: lemon oil boosts the mood, while ginger and pepper are warming."

The next thing I bought was the Fizzbanger and althought it looks like it would smell like lemon, it actually smells more like cinnamon and apple spices. It is a very dense bath bomb so I suspect there are other colours beneath the outer layer although I am not sure because I'm not the one who will be using it! It has the following description on the website;

"A Catherine wheel of a bath bomb. It changes colour as it fizzes, crackling with popping candy as it goes and releasing first a citrussy apple and then a cinnamon, apple pie like scent with a hint of ylang ylang. Petitgrain is used in aromatherapy to calm the breathing, slow the heartbeat and reduce feelings of anxiety. Ylang ylang produces a feeling of joy, and cinnamon leaf oil helps you let go."

The next items I bought were actually bubble bars, which in case you don't know, is a product that you crumble under the running tap/bathwater to produce nice smelling bubbles. The first bubble bar I got is Brightside which has very orangey citrus smell and is slightly sweet smelling in contrast to the bath bombs. I also really like the colour mixture in this bubble bar. It has the following description on the website;

"When you’re chewing on life’s gristle, don’t grumble, give a whistle! Hop in the bath with one of these uplifting bubble bars, Sicilian mandarin, bergamot and tangerine essential oils to help you look on the bright side of life! Its jazzy bright colours will create magnificent orange bath water, and the sunny citrus fragrance is sure to leave you jolly and refreshed."

The last bubble bar that I bought was The Comforter, which is very sweet and fruity smelling compared to all of the other products bought. It smells kind of like raspberry/blackcurrant and I can imagine it turns the bath water pink. It has the following description on the website;

"Sometimes you just need to shut yourself off from the outside world under a blanket of fruity foam that will put you back in the right frame of mind to face the world. This bar is supersized, so you’ll only need to crumble half a bar under your tap to make enough bubbles for a long, comforting soak. Cassis absolute gives a distinctive blackcurrant fragrance, while bergamot adds an uplifting note."

That's all for my "Haul" today and I hope you enjoyed reading what I bought from Lush! If you want to check out Lush or check the ingredients of the products I bought, click here to go to their website.

SmileSciences Teeth Whitening Pen (Review)

TEETH WHITENING PEN

So I thought it was time I did a review that DID NOT concern food for a change and this time I chose to review a product from Smile Science! The product its self is a teeth whitening pen which can be used to remove stains on your teeth (making them whiter) please not that this is NOT a substitute for brushing your teeth.The company also recommends that you consult with your doctor before using any whitening products (not just from them, but in general) 

Before we get into the review I thought I would post some other information that the product has on the package.

SIDE AFFECTS

Some side affects that may occur due to the use of this product is temporary sensitivity in your teeth, although this is normal and will subside

Discontinue the use of the product when you feel sustained discomfort or irritation.

The product should not be used when you are pregnant or breast feeding.

The product is unsuitable for children aged less than 16 years old, persons with dental problems such as periodontal disease and bleeding gums.

DIRECTIONS

Step 1 - Brush your teeth and floss

Step 2 - Twist the pen to dispense the teeth-whitening gel

Step 3 - Smile to keep lips away from your teeth while applying the gel

Step 4 - Apply a layer of teeth-whitening gel to your teeth

Step 5 - Relax your lips after 30-40 seconds (and rinse)

Step 6 - Repeat twice a day for 14 days.

REVIEW

Okay, now since that is out of the way let's get into the review of the product! Now I have only been using this product for a few days and I have already noticed a change in whiteness to my teeth (I am a coffee lover..) Although there is a possibility that you may experience sensitivity, my teeth were already kind of sensitive and I did not notice any increase in sensitivity at all since using the product and other reviews that I have read agree with me. 

When you open the package, it comes in a little box which you will see above as the cover picture to the blog post. Inside the box is then the little teeth-whitening-pen containing the gel that you put on your teeth. The pen its self is kind of small and portable so can be used on-the-go (I used this when I was away camping) It is however a bit tricky to know exactly how many times you twist the pen to push the gel out and how much to use on your teeth, but I guess that just comes down to your own preference for how much you think you need.

The product recommends that you use it for 14 days (which is how long the gel usually lasts until) but I personally feel like I may get a few more days because of the large quantity of the gel that you get in the pen. After only a few days of using the pen I can notice a slight change already and I will post an update on the product when I have finished the full course of the product!

I hope you like the first part of my SmileScience review for their teeth-whitening pen and if you want to check them out I will post their information below!

SmileScience website - http://smile-science.co.uk

Graze Competition Closed

So after one month of pure inactivity, I return with the winners of the graze competition. I picked two random names from my followers on Bloglovin to determine who would win the graze vouchers and I have already contacted the winners! I'd like to say congrats to Millie and Frankie and hopefully they get back to me on their experience with Graze when they redeem their vouchers!

Now that it's summer time, I can now also say that there will be regular posts since I have no other current obligations until school starts back again. Expect to see some new product reviews in the close future which I expect to be arriving soon (some have already been dispatched actually) so it is quite possible that may be the next blog post! Both Millie and Frankie also have blogs, so if you want to check them out I'll post their links below;

http://millieerosee.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.francescaeloise.co.uk/

Another Graze Giveaway

Yes, I'm using my school shirt as a background

GRAZE VOUCHER GIVEAWAY TO CELEBREATE 170 FOLLOWERS!

So if you've read my blog for awhile now, you would know that I have done a few Graze reviews on here for the first few times I have ordered the Nibbleboxes and I gave away 2 vouchers to two different readers of my blog (Selected at random through twitter/my blog.

I still have a few more vouchers left that I'd like to give out (£5 vouchers with instructions on the back of how to redeem them as you sign up to Graze) I was already planning to give these away, but it also turns out that I hit 170 followers for my blog, so it's to celebrate that too!

How to Enter?

There are no specific rules for how to enter/win, I only ask that you are following the blog through Bloglovin or are a member of the blog. 

How will you get the Prize?

I'll use any contact method that is suited to you! If you follow my twitter, it's also easier to select winners from there, so if you follow me on there, I can easily just DM if you win and send you the code right there and then!

That's all for this post, hopefully you enjoyed my Graze reviews in the past otherwise this give away is pretty much useless to you! Thank you for 170 followers!