My Balayage Experience

Hello friends! So I finally got my hair done and I thought I’d share my experience with you!

For a while now, I’ve wanted to colour my hair, specifically to ombre/balayage it. I had a faint idea of what I wanted which was to colour the ends of my hair an ashy blonde or light brown. As it was my first time dying my hair I didn’t know what to expect or what I needed to ask for in detail. So it definitely helped that the hairstylist I had was patient with all my questions and took the time to explain everything for a first timer like me.

The appointment started at around 12:30pm and lasted 2.5hours (which is what you would expect from a colouring appointment such as this). I showed my hairdresser photos of what style and colour I was after and she immediately went to mix the right colours for me to get my dark brown hair ‘lifted’ for an easier colouring application.

The first thing they will do is bleach your hair. My hairdresser asked me whether I wanted to bleach the entirety of my hair ends or to mix it with my natural hair, to which I asked for them to mix it with my natural hair as I didn’t want to do anything too drastic my first time. I also kept the top part of my hair with its natural colour so I didn’t damage it too much with a full head bleaching. It should be noted that each stylist will balayage differently so don’t worry if the YouTube tutorials you’ve been watching don’t follow the same method as the stylist you get. What my stylist did was separate my hair into sections and bleached smaller parts and folded it with foil. This was kept in my hair for about 20 minutes.

Next, the bleach was washed out to reveal a bright yellow colour (note that this is what should happen according to my hairstylist). After washing the bleach out, a toner is added which is what will give your bleached hair the colour you want. I did ask how this was different from normal hair dyes you may buy at the supermarket and the difference is that hair dyes can change your natural hair colour while toners will only change your bleached hair colour. However, like hair dyes, toners will fade over time, at which you may want to re-tone your hair or go for a completely different style. At this point, I was asked if I wanted a really blonde colour (like in the photo I showed her) or a darker blonde colour. I wanted a blonder colour but my hairdresser assured me that having a darker colour would mean that after a few washes it would become lighter and that it was more worth it starting off with a darker colour.  So that is what I went with.

After the toning, my hair was shampooed with a nutrient-rich shampoo that was specific for coloured/damaged hair. I can say that with this shampoo, my hair has felt silky smooth for the past few days without any feeling of damage from the bleach.

My hair was then cut (which for me meant a little trim to get rid of split ends) and then blow-dried. My hairstylist then styled my hair into curls before revealing the final product after 2.5hrs of work. I have to say I am quite pleased with the result, but I wish the colour was a bit more noticeable in photos haha. But I guess that also depends on lighting.

Right now I’m just waiting for my coloured hair to lighten up a bit. But it’s still at a very natural and subtle stage which I don’t mind. Next time, I may re-tone my hair a brighter blonde or a lighter brown so it is more noticeable. Or if I’m feeling confident, I may even bleach my own hair and save a bit of money haha.

So that’s my update. Let me know if you’ve recently had your hair done (if it was self-done or at a salon), was it what you were expecting or if there is anything you would change?

you can see the different coloured strands at the top of my head

looks more brown than blonde in this light hmm

City Trip

I’ve realised that I rarely take the time to appreciate the city I live in. The fact is that Sydney has always just been ‘home’ to me, similar to that feeling when something becomes familiar so it loses a bit of its magical appearance. It’s a place where I’ve grown up, where I’ve gone to school and where my friends and family live. But just recently, it hit me, that despite having lived in Sydney my whole life, I haven’t even begun to explore all that this beautiful city has to offer. I have yet to travel to many of the beaches here, or eat at some of the smaller unknown cafes tucked into random corners of the city. But this year, I’m more determined to try new things and see a different side to Sydney. This definitely means that more food adventures and sight-seeing escapades will be on the agenda for 2016 haha. So in this post I will recap a little bit about one of my first in-depth explorations of Sydney.

Pyrmont Bay Park

Since I was young, I associated going to the city as a family adventure or a trip just for special occasions. But ever since uni started, going to the city has lost some of that special meaning, with shopping and lunch dates becoming the norm during uni days. That is until a city trip with the family to celebrate my mum’s and I’s belated birthday.

It was a Sunday, so my family and I started the day with mass at our usual cathedral before we proceeded towards Sydney’s CBD for a late lunch at Critinis. The pasta I had wasn’t particularly great, but my brother enjoyed his spaghetti and my parent’s definitely enjoyed their seafood platter. I’m not usually a fan of seafood, so any piece that I enjoy is actually a big compliment haha. And I have to say the scallops were quite delicious! They were served with vermicelli noodles that were dipped into a smoky-tasting sauce which was the perfect addition to the sweet taste of the scallops: 4/5 stars for that!

Seafood platter for 2

Scallop yummy!

#flatflay

Next my brother and I took a tour of the Australian National Maritime Museum and checked out some of the docked vessels that are open for display on the wharves of Darling Harbour. First we explored the Destroyer HMAS Vampire, which is one of Australia’s largest museum vessels and the “last of the nation’s big-gun warships”.

View from outside the Destroyer HMAS Vampire

View from a door on the Destroyer HMAS Vampire

Second we climbed into the Submarine HMAS Onslow. Seeing how small the living quarters were and how close everything was, it wasn’t hard to imagine how difficult it would have been to be one of the hundreds of men sharing a small space with everyone else in a hot tin can under the water. I would not have been able to survive, but seeing all the food tins and Captain’s quarters and engines and periscope on display certainly made me appreciate what they had to endure during World War 2. To make the experience more real, there are volunteers you can find in any part of the vessel equipped with the knowledge to answer any of your questions.

Lastly, we checked out the Tall Ship HMB Endeavour, which was a replica of Captain Cook’s famous vessel when he first discovered Australia. It felt a bit like going onto one of Jack Sparrow’s ships from Pirates of the Caribbean (but much cleaner haha). I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it, but seeing my brother so excited about learning the history of these vessels was enough for me to enjoy my time there too.

Tall Ship Endeavour

In addition to exploring the Vessels, our Big Ticket granted us access to the Action Stations and the Special and Permanent exhibitions. This allowed us to check out the Navigators Gallery (which displayed exhibitions defining Australia), the Eora First People Gallery (which displayed the diverse cultures of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities) and the Passengers Gallery (which displayed the long sea voyage millions of people have taken to make new homes in Australia). Not only was I able to learn a bit more about the history of Australia’s naval fleet, but I was able to experience and better understand the stories and historical events that have made us into the multicultural nation we are today.

One of the exhibits at the museum

I have to say, I’m sure you do trips like this when you’re in primary school, but it’s different when you choose to go on a tour like this by yourself without the constant nagging of teachers. I definitely felt like I appreciated everything a lot more and that my mind was more open to absorbing information. I really enjoyed this day and I’m glad that my brother was the one who suggested we do this. I would recommend doing this tour to anyone who has an interest in these types of vessels or if you’re just keen to learn!

It was a particularly hot day that we went, so we ended our visit with ice teas from Chatime. Remember to always stay hydrated!

For this city trip, I opted for high waisted denim shorts with a black and white top for a classic colour combo. This was completed with comfortable white sandals because being in the city means walking, and you want to be able to walk around without your feet aching haha! Check out some of the photos of my outfit below.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! I honestly can’t believe that it’s 2016 already! Where did the time even go? Ok so this will only be a short post because I just wanted to wish everyone a successful, happy and full-of-adventure 2016 to come (amongst other things)! Also to let you know that with the new year, I’ve decided to change up my layout and personalise it a lot more. I’m looking forward to what this year is going to bring (blog wise and life wise), so I hope that you are too!

NYE from Sydney

For me personally, I just have a good feeling about this year. I’ve told myself that this is the year where I’ll be doing what I want to and not because someone has told me to do it, or because it will ‘look good on the resume’ (although if it’s something I want to do and I can put it on my resume all the better). Last year was definitely a year of firsts, and this year I just want to experience everything with a new, refreshed and more mature perspective. I’m ready to just enjoy myself and chase things that I am passionate about. This blog for instance was kind of neglected last year, but this year I hope to write more and post more. It’s less about the maintenance of this site, but for my personal log book of what I have experienced, of outfits I am excited to showcase and everything in between. I honestly think this will be a great way for me to reflect and develop as a stronger and more independent person.

Second of all, I want to pursue music more seriously. For example, last week, a friend and I got together to compose my (and one of many of his) first songs! It needs a bit of fine tuning and adjustment but I can’t wait to fully record it and reveal it to friends hehe. But I have to say, that being able to work with someone so passionate about music and guitar playing as I am, was so much fun and quite a new challenge that I can’t wait to tackle again (seriously composing and coming up with the right lyrics to go with the chords is haaaard). And one day, I hope to compose some songs by myself too! But that will be a while off; my guitar skills need some work hehe.

Thirdly, I hope to do some more travelling this year or next year. I’m aiming to work and save as much as I can for a trip to Japan and Korea soon. For those who know me and for those who don’t, I am quite a big fan of anything Korean-pop and fashion related, so a trip (solo or with friends) to the capital of where my favourite K-pop groups originate from would change my life hahaha. In addition, I would love to be proficient in the Korean language this year too! I know that it’ll be a while before this happens, but I’m more than determined to pursue this. I’ll keep you updated as I go along!

So as the first day of 2016 comes to an end, I want to wish everyone another amazing year to come, go chase your dreams and make this year, yours!

New post coming soon!

To Terrigal

I recently went on a trip with 16 other friends to Terrigal on the Central Coast for three days and two nights. Let’s just say that beyond the fun times, beach-side games and late night drinks, Terrigal is actually a very chill and relaxing place. It’s a family friendly get-away from the city (with many people bringing their pets with them!) where you can opt to soak up the sun on the main beach or go exploring at Terrigal’s quieter and more secluded beaches. In this post, I’ll recap what we did during the three days, what we ate and the places we stayed while on a budget (because when you’re on holidays, the last thing you want to worry about is what the maximum is that you can spend without feeling guilty).

To start off with, I want to say thankyou to the people who organised this trip for everyone! They put in so much effort and I think it really paid off because it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience 🙂

#memesoc at Terrigal

Ok so first thing I want to mention is accommodation.

I’m sure you’ve heard of Airbnb. If not, it is a hosting site where people can list their houses/rooms for rent to people looking for a cheap place to stay. These places have all the facilities that an average home has including TV’s, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and garages for your cars if you’re driving up yourself. Most houses will also offer fresh towels and clean bed sheets with each visit. Essentially you get to live like a local during your stay without the hefty prices some other accommodations charge you.

So what we did was rent two Airbnb homes within walking distance to accommodate our large group. But let me tell you, the main house where we put all the food was located on a very steep hill from where the second house was located. That trek up for lunch and dinner was a bit painful but we made it work HAHA! The cost for the two nights’ accommodation worked out to be around AUD$55 per person which was pretty worth it. On top of the cost, the second house, where I stayed, was only a 5min walk from Terrigal beach, a fact which we definitely took advantage of. I was actually very surprised at the quality of the Airbnb homes we stayed in and for the cheap cost, I will be sure to look at Airbnb homes first when I do any travelling!

The view from the top house

The second thing that should be considered in planning a trip is food and how everyone is going to be fed. On the day we first arrived, we ate lunch at a nearby cafe at our own expense while we waited to be checked-in. Our dinner that night was pizza which we had delivered and was part of the overall trip expense. Note; if you don’t feel like cooking and you’re with a big group of people, pizza is always a fast and easy option for a meal.

Playing at Terrigal beach

On our second day, breakfast consisted of croissants, muffins and banana bread which a friend brought from his café. For those who wanted milk with their breakfast, there was a local IGA which was a 5min walk from the second house. Lunch on the second day involved a bit of preparation with people from the main house pulling apart four bbq chickens bought from the supermarket and adding parsley and other garnishes to it. This could be eaten as it was or could be put on top of slices of bread to make a wholesome, cheap chicken sandwich. Note; if you don’t want to spend time washes up too many dishes and cutlery (which may not be provided at your Airbnb to begin with), come prepared with plastic plates and cutlery which can be easily thrown out afterwards. Dinner on the second day consisted of Thai takeaway which was included in the expenses.

Midnight chills by the beach on the second night

On the third day, we woke up early to clean up so we could check-out in time. This meant we would be buying our brunch before we headed back home. Our large group split off to eat what we wanted. The group I was with ate at a nearby restaurant that was serving $10 big breakfast’s with a complimentary cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate. After spending the last two days eating take-out and home-made food, this breakfast was one of the best I had ever had! HAHAHA on top of that we had American pancakes which were basically pancakes with maple flavoured bacon! It was like a symphony in my mouth, simply delicious for my last meal in Terrigal.

And now onto the activities.

Terrigal beach

On the first day we arrived, the weather was quite gloomy and rainy. Thankfully the weather cleared up just as we finished checking in and settling into our house. The group from the second house decided to go to Terrigal beach where we played some beach footy, soccer and water games. The group from the second house opted for some more relaxing activities such as yoga, sleeping and chilling. After washing up, we all came together for dinner and of course… drinking games. It was my first time playing King’s Cup and I have to say it’s pretty fun HAHA!

The second day started off a bit slower thanks to the previous night’s activities. So after lunch, one member from our group suggested we go to a more secluded beach that was a 15min drive away. I would definitely suggest Googling different beaches/places to explore when you visit tourist areas because the more known beaches are often crowded and dirtier. Of course if you want the protection of lifeguards, the smaller beaches won’t be patrolled, but if you take care of each other, the peacefulness of the smaller beaches and the cleaner sand definitely outweighs any benefits of the main beach. So off we went to Spoon Bay which is located within Wamberal Lagoon Natural Reserve.

The view from the top of the bay

Follow the path down from the top and you’ll reach the sandy beach

It was seriously so beautiful there! We were probably the only group there for a while and that allowed us relax and do as we pleased. It was quite a hot day so jumping into the cool refreshing water felt so good! We played some water games, beach soccer and even had some wrestling matches HAHA while some took to getting their tan on. Note; don’t forget to bring towels, and a backpack full of water, sunscreen, hats, umbrellas, tissues and whatever you think you may need. Because when you’re quite far from everything, you won’t be able to go back to retrieve anything you forget. Better to come prepared with everything!

The water was so clear

The sand was so clean

Later in the day, we decided to walk towards the cliff side of the beach and walked on the rock structures. The view from above was incredible and made for some Instagram-worthy photos HEHE after a few hours we headed back for a quieter night of games and less drinking.

Rock structures towards the left of the beach

“Wave after wave, slowly drifting”

Spoon Bay, Wamberal Beach, Terrigal

On our last day, there wasn’t much to do as everything was already packed. So after brunch, we chilled by Terrigal beach before heading back home.

And there you have it! My recap of my trip to Terrigal (my first trip with friends not organised by a school or uni too)!

Let me know of any places you’ve been with friends and what activities are the best to do with a large group of people, also what accommodation you find to be the best! Ok that’s all from me, see you guys soooooon!

Terrigal beach

Towards the right side of the beach there is a kiddy pool and natural rock structures

Tis the Season

Christmas has finally returned for another family-filled, food-filled and fun-filled couple of days. And seriously I feel as if it has arrived so much faster this year than previous years. As one of my customers said at work, “as you get older, the years go by faster,” and I have realised that this is more true than I thought possible! This year for instance has come and gone so quickly if feels like only yesterday when I was still ‘studying’ for finals (thank goodness though that I’m free from uni until next March HEHE). Anyways I have prepared a little taste of what my Christmas looks like as well as a special Christmas outfit for you guys, so please enjoy!

Christmas to me has always meant family gatherings, large meals, Christmas mass and of course Christmas carols. Surprisingly, I have a renewed love for Christmas carols and just the thought of everyone coming together and singing with so much energy and fun brings me such joy. Like recently at the CASS Christmas party (mentioned in my last post), a group of us sang carols with guitars playing and harmonies ringing. Everyone was smiling and joining in and it’s such a warm feeling being there in the moment.

Another Christmas tradition I grew up with is my Godparent’s Christmas-Eve party where families come together to celebrate. I unfortunately only get to see everyone once a year at this party because they’re not my blood relatives but catching up is always fun. At this party there is always a scrumptious selection of Christmas meals complete with ham and jam and turkey (no need to worry about getting midnight snack cravings!)

Christmas family dinner

After dinner, the young kids prepare a re-enactment of the birth of Jesus Christ. And yours truly played Mary. It’s interesting to see that as everyone gets older, the roles get handed down to the younger generations. For instance I played the Angel when I was younger and my brother played the Little Drummer Boy. These roles were passed down to the younger children last night and my brother was promoted to Joseph HEHE. After the play we sang Christmas carols and enjoyed some desserts before leaving for the night.

This year as well, I watched as the little kids opened their presents and I felt like a child with them! Seeing them rip open the wrapping paper and seeing their faces light up from the goodies underneath was so nostalgic. As I get older, wrapped presents become less of the norm and “Red Packets” become the easier option for relatives to give. So being there in the moment with them definitely brought back good memories.

For my actual Christmas day, this started off with a Christmas mass at my usual cathedral and a roast lunch made by my dad! Seriously the roast pork was en point hehe. Later in the day, I headed off to a friend’s party which was a great way to spend my Christmas with both FAMILY and FRIENDS.

Sausages straight from the bbq

Asian roast lunch complete with rice hehe

And now for the Christmas outfit special that I wore for the Christmas-Eve party. I went for a red and black patterned maxi skirt that I thought was quite festive. I matched this with a plain black tee and a simple chain necklace. For my hair, I plaited my damp hair in the morning and let it remain tied until the moment I was getting ready for the party (this meant that they were tied up for about 4-5hrs). This allowed me to create a wavy effect without the trouble of curling my hair or using heat (yay for lazy methods), and finally I set the waves with some hairspray (otherwise my hard earned curls would be straight within the hour).

And there you have it, my Christmas in a nutshell and a sweet-as blueberry cheesecake outfit to go with it! Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy it with family and friends! Let me know how you celebrate your Christmas/holidays!

HELLO, IT’S ME

Hello friends, wow has it been a while! And seeing as the new year is just around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate that I’d do a little review of the second half of the year, and take some time to reflect on the year that has been 2015.

hello, it’s me

For starters, I have now officially finished the first year of my university degree! Only 4 more years to go!! Honestly when I started uni this year, I was nervous – about making new friends, fitting in, worrying about whether my degree was what I actually wanted to do – and at the same time I was excited – to start living my life and experiencing everything that uni has to offer. And boy did this year not only exceed expectations, but it allowed me to realise that everything I’ve done so far has been part of what I like to call … THE UNI EXPERIENCE *cue bright lights and ethereal music*

High tea with the Hierarchy 🙂

#memesoc at Terrigal 🙂

Let’s go back to the beginning of the year when I went to the orientation camps for both the business part of my degree and the law part of my degree. This was where I had my first experience with alcohol and also where I made some good friends who I’m pretty sure I would never have met otherwise. Speaking of which, I recently went on a trip with my law group of friends to Terrigal for three days and two nights where there was (you guessed it) more alcohol and chill times. I didn’t go away for schoolies (a week after final yr 12 exams end and before results come out), so before going on this trip I was very excited. And honestly I had the best three days that I could have asked for! (Check out my more detailed report of the trip here).

Spoon Bay, Wamberal Beach, Terrigal

Spoon Bay, Wamberal Beach, Terrigal

Continuing on with uni, if you remember back to my TOO LONG (A ‘REVIEW’ OF MY FIRST SEMESTER AT UNIVERSITY) post I mentioned that by the end of this year I would have “joined and actively participated in a society I am passionate about” and would have achieved a “more positive, confident outlook on my university life”. I am glad to say that I have made this happen! I became more active in a society called the Catholic Asian Students’ Society (CASS), where I am currently the Treasurer at my uni. I am so happy that I joined this society because it’s not just a society, but it’s really a family with branches across the four main uni’s in Sydney. I have gotten a lot closer to my faith as well and am eager to learn more next year. The friend’s I have made through CASS are also people who are genuinely amazing with so much love and faith to share. Recently at the annual Christmas party (which happened to fall on my birthday) they surprised me with a birthday cake which I was not expecting! It was a small gesture but I really felt so loved and that I was finally in a great place with my university life.

Enlarge the photo for the Christmas puns!

Apparently I was only turning 1 HAHA

The second half of this year also saw me getting more involved with food, so much so that I went to an INSTAFOODIE Event specifically for enthusiastic foodies from the Instagram community. We went to One Tea Lounge and Grill located on York St near Wynyard Station for a night of fire, ice and delicious food! Check out my Instagram here for pics of the food from the night. Also this year, I went to the Night Noodle Markets for the first time. I have to say, being at uni in the city definitely makes it easier to stay back after classes to meet up with people and head off to events such as this one. There were so many different styles of food available (all with an Asian flavour) that I managed to go three times! In fact this is where I was introduced to One Tea Lounge’s featured Ramen Burger Sliders and their famous Ice Cream Baogers *omnomnom* A particular story pops to mind with this event. So on one of the nights when I went with a friend, we decided to go for some drinks afterwards. And to our surprise we were chatted up by a couple of guys HAHAHA it was legit one of the funniest experiences for both of us!

Ramen and Rice Beef Sliders at the Night Noodle Markets

Fried icecream in a deep fried bao from Gelato Messina

Ice Cream Baogers with a white Ferroro Rocher ice cream patty

9+ Wagyu Beef on a sizzling hot plate and the flaming wagyu volcano

Continuing with the ‘new experiences’ topic, I finally got around to getting my Provisional Driver’s Licence this year! I think I spent about two years as a Learner (meaning I had to drive with a fully licensed driver beside me at all times), so having that freedom to drive whenever and wherever I wanted was both exciting and scary. But now I love the independence I get from driving without bothering my parents to pick me up and having the ability to go to work without having to take public transport. Speaking of work, this year was also the first year I started working. Not only have I developed stronger conversational skills with customers but that feeling of earning my own money feels great!

Yay for passing my driving test!

A sunrise that can only be seen right before I head off to work

One last thing that I had the opportunity to do was attend a BIGBANG concert in Sydney!!! My word, I remember my friend introducing me to K-pop (Korean Pop) almost five years ago and I remember being so hesitant to like it. But now I have a deeper appreciation for it than I thought would be possible. BIGBANG was one of the first groups I listened to and all their songs are amazing. They are very creative with their sound and also self-produce most of their songs which is no small feat. I also remember telling my friend that if they ever came to Sydney I would be going no matter the price, day, time, year, anything! And I am soo happy that they did come Down Under. They really know how to put on a show and I enjoyed every last minute of it! (They’re more beautiful in real life I swear… and their voices ermahgosh it’s like they swallowed their CD!) Can’t wait for the day that I can travel to South Korea and watch them perform live again (and also to see my other favourite groups and try authentic Korean cuisine :)) Check out some of my fancams here, here and here.

During their ‘If You’ stage

During their ‘We Like to Party’ stage

Seungri!

Taeyang with the voice of an angel!

T.O.P rapper: my ultimate bias!

So as Christmas draws near, and New Year’s soon after, I have another message for myself… take care of yourself and enjoy everything. Do the things you’re passionate about because that way you’ll be able to enjoy it more, get the most out of it and not waste your time. Don’t get caught up in the ‘what-ifs’ and the ‘maybes’, just do it! Never think that you’re alone, and don’t be ashamed to ask for help if you need it. I have a good feeling about 2016, so let’s get out there and make it the best year yet!

JUST DO IT.

So I think I’m just going to stop apologising for not posting often, because as everyone knows and human nature would have it, procrastination is inevitable and it will strike at the most inopportune moments.

I have successfully cleaned my room, cleared my desk, organised my bookshelf (as well as I can) and basically done everything else  other than the essay I have due soon. I’ve even done my notes, and other assignments before it because essays just take too long and too much effort to do. I know this is a terrible habit, and maybe it’s one that I’ve continued on from High School English, but me and essays just do not work out. It’s a one way relationship. Me being the one who puts all the effort in and receives nothing, except maybe being left with the satisfaction that once it’s done I never have to worry/talk about it again.

I know essays are meant to have critical analysis which isn’t too hard  to achieve as long as you support your arguments, so I don’t see why they’re so hard to start. I keep hoping that I will be struck with inspiration and I’ll be able to write it all in one go. Then editing and footnoot-ing and bibliography-ing will come easily.

But why is it that starting is always the struggle? And it’s not just essays that this trait pertains to. It’s there when you’re trying to start a new routine (eating healthier or exercising for me at least), it’s there when you’re trying to start getting out of bed and ready for work, it’s there when you know there’s something better and more interesting to do.

I think it all comes down to how we’re feeling in the moment. For example you might be super pumped and ready to start and you’ll do it and everything works out nice and dandy. Then you have those moments where sleeping or eating or reading the ‘terms and conditions’ of that new program you downloaded just seem more worth your time. Unfortunately this is me 90% of the time. Hi my name is Jessica and I suffer from chronic procrastination.

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I achieve so much when I procrastinate, like doing things I’ve been putting off because it wasn’t the right time then. But even I know this is a habit I will have to change. I want to turn that 90% to 10%. Because realistically, no one is never going to not procrastinate HAHA

So here’s my plan: I’m going to write out realistic tasks for myself to do each morning for the day ahead. I’m going to make sure I only focus on that one task during the time I’ve allocated for it and close any unnecessary tabs on my browser if I’m working on my laptop. I’m going to situate myself in a quiet area where I won’t be disturbed or distracted. I’m going to position myself as far away from my phone and the FRIDGE as possible (but give myself little breaks too, like a stretch or making a smoothie). And I’m going to pray. I’m going to pray a short prayer to God to give me strength to complete the task at hand and to stay focused.

I know it’s not going to be easy to change my ways, but I know it will never get easier unless I start small and I start now. These are healthy habits I want to develop and carry with me through my life, especially since I plan to move out at the end of my degree. So hopefully you’ll see an update from me sooner rather than later… Because that will mean I’m still procrastinating from this essay HAHA just kidding! It’ll be because I’ve sorted out my priorities and I know how my time should be dedicated to certain tasks. And to finish this Midnight Musing for tonight, here’s some inspirational words spoken by the wise man Shia LaBeouf himself, “Don’t let your dreams be dreams” “yesterday you said today” so  now I guess I have no choice but to “JUST DO IT!”

Newtown Jammin’

A chilled and relaxed environment, colourful street art in the background, guitar in hand and a voice full of soul. Where am I?

Last week, a few friends and I took a trip to Newtown, a quaint suburb in Sydney known for its ‘hipster’ feel and an atmosphere that is completely inviting and comfortable to be in. Yes to positive vibes! Many of the buildings reign from the late Victorian and Federation period of Australia and still maintains its classic style. But of course, if you were to walk along the street today you won’t just encounter old buildings, instead you’ll come across skillfully drawn works of art on walls, some hidden in alleyways that are an explorer’s dream.

We had lunch in one of the cafe’s tucked away into the corner of one of these alleyways then headed off to find a ‘quiet’ place for us to bring out the guitar, rock out some solid harmonies and just jam. Of course, ‘quiet’ wasn’t quite what the place was, what with cars passing by every five minutes. But nevertheless we persevered, and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon singing amongst ourselves with little care in the world.

And it was great! The people passing by didn’t give us any disapproving looks as if to say ‘what are these delinquent children doing sitting on the side of the road?’ but it was as if they were enthralled and enjoyed what we were playing for them. It was as if they were used to this, and that it happened everyday. We ended our jam session with brownies, coffees and hot chocoloate. The perfect way to end a perfect day.

Suffice to say, I’m loving Newtown and for sure I will be returning for more!

Multi-purpose outfit for this adventure of a day included a blue chambray shirt under a grey cable knit turtle neck, black skinny jeans and of course my favourite white converse for a laid back, relaxed look to fit the hipster vibes ✌

“If you’re ever in one of those moods, where you feel like you need to get away, just think back to the good times, when there was laughter and smiles. Find your happy place and you’ll be good again.”

Uni Days

One of the things that has been the most difficult to adjust to for uni has been choosing what to wear each day. Of course you don’t want to turn up in the same jumper you wore yesterday or the same pants even. But with so many various pieces of clothing I’ve acquired overtime, I can’t help but drift back to the same jeans or same top or the same shoes just because they are so comfortable to wear.

So I thought to myself, what could I do to change up my usual black themed outfits and make it comfortable for a day at uni?

Introducing these light weight, drawstring, trousers I bought on sale from PaperScissors a while ago. On the tag, they were classified as ‘dressy pants’. If that’s not reason enough to love them, then maybe the fact that I can consider myself a little bit fancy by going one step above the classic jean look will do the trick! I love how classic and effortless this look was to put together and how comfortable it was to move around in it.

I paired it with a loose navy striped top from Dotti, as well as a teal coloured necklace for a pop of colour. Add a blazer and I think I’ll be work ready as well! Cheers to multi-purpose outfits 🙂

Too Long (A ‘Review’ of My First Semester at University)

I know, and you know, that it has been too long since I last posted here. And for that reason, I am very sorry!

The first semester of university has finally finished and I can say I have successfully ‘survived’ the trials and tribulations of familiarising myself with the quickest route to get from the station to my lecture, where the ‘cool’ places are to hang out and grab food during the breaks between classes, how to make friends again and keeping up with homework and assignments without the constant reminders that I was given back in high school.

Some say making the transition from high school to uni is not only hard but a major change. You’re no longer pampered with the luxury of having teachers who care about your personal development or have the time to personally review any work you want feedback on. It’s not hard to imagine why this would be the case though, what with a cohort (especially in my business cohort) that is more than 10 times the size of my year 12 grade, I would be lucky if my tutor remembered I was actually enrolled in their class! Along with the different teaching styles, I think it’s worth mentioning the work load here at uni compared to the final year of high school. I wouldn’t say that it’s all that different (in my perspective). You have your weekly classes, you have your homework that you’re expected to do for the tutorials and you have lectures that you can choose to attend or view online (if you’re lucky). The effort to stay on top of everything has stayed the same, but the level of enthusiasm and motivation to do the work has certainly changed if you’re doing a degree that you specifically chose and are actually excited about doing.

I loved learning about business processes and the business environment during my HSC (final year of high school), so naturally I have been loving the business half of my degree. The law part of my degree is another story. Maybe the reason is because I started my Foundations of Law subject without knowing anyone in my class and having a tutor that didn’t really captivate me. It’s also not set out as your typical lecture and tutorial session for a subject, rather it was a twice-a-week discussion class that required active participation. I was very out of my depth entering into the subject, having no prior knowledge about the legal system (except where it applied to businesses) and little to no interest in the law in general. As the semester progressed, I realised that I was prioritising my business subjects over my one law subject and that I was only looking for a credit whereas my business subjects I was certainly aiming for a distinction or higher. That’s another thing I want to point out. Coming from a high school that emphasised the importance of striving to do your best both academically and character wise, entering into an environment where most of the students were only aiming for passes definitely threw me off. I personally set myself high goals and learning how to improve to get those high marks is what drives me. But of course there are times when all you can do is hope you’ve done the best you can. Even if that best is just a pass. That is how I felt with Foundations. I wasn’t interested in what I was learning. And I could tell there was a very obvious difference between my friends who were passionate about the law and pursuing a career down that path, and me who was more passionate about entering into a corporate job, with my blazer and pencil skirt, financial reports at the ready. But hopefully my interest can be piqued in someway as I continue on with my subjects.

Aside from the academic point of view, university has been a lot about opening myself to new experiences such as getting involved with orientation camps, drinking for the first time, partying, making new friends and learning to be somewhat independent. I realise now that I’m more inclined to stay out, get my work done at uni, catch up with friends over lunch and eat dinner rather than come back home straight away like I did during high school. While this is all fun, it is also a bit draining, what with living close to an hour away from the city. However, it does have its positives, I think an hour’s train trip isn’t too bad (on one straight train, gives me time to catch up on readings I should have done the night before).

But in saying the above activities, I’m not as social as I make myself seem to be. It takes time to develop a close bond with any one person, especially with people you’ve only known for a few months. Heck I can confidently say it took me a few solid years, random shenanigans in class and fun teasing to be as comfortable with my high school biffles as I am now *SHOUT OUT TO THE ALMIGHTY HIERARCHY* and I am eternally grateful for them because I know we’ll always have each other’s backs. But at uni, how does one even begin to form bonds as strong as that? Sure you make friends that you sit with in tutorials and lectures, but you only see them once a week. It seems like a strictly in-class friendship with nothing extending past the classroom. There is a need to put in extra effort to maintain any connection until you get to the point where you’re arranging classes together for the next semester, texting each other to go out on coffee runs. And I feel as if that is still a while away for me. In this situation, anyone would say to join a society you’re passionate about, you’ll be able to make a lot of new friends with similar interests as you in that way. And to that extent I can agree. But yet I feel as if the way I’m trying to make friends is forced. I’m not fully myself, I don’t really fit in. Not yet anyway. I’m finding it much harder to get involved here at uni than it was for me to get involved back in high school. Probably for the same reason that there’s less structure at uni, you go and find opportunities by yourself and you don’t have the constant support of teachers or friends helping you along the way.

Uni is what you make it. So this is a message to me, that by the end of next semester, I’ll be able to look back on this post and say hey, yes I had my doubts and my fears about getting involved and not yet finding the right group of people that I click with, but at least I tried my best. I will have joined and actively participated in a society I am passionate about and made new friends and a more positive, confident outlook on my university life. That is my plan, my goal, my vision. And I’m going to make it happen.

Ciao for now, new outfit posts coming real soon xx