A Day in the Sun.

Living less than an hour from the beach, a road trip with friends to the sea side is a great way to spend a boiling hot day in the middle of an Australian summer. Lying on the sand hearing the waves crash on the shore has an instant calming effect, removing you from the busy hustle and bustle of the city. There are a few items for me that are essential to having a successful day at the beach.

A beach towel is always requires as it is a great way to avoid the burning sand, while still being able to enjoy the beach.
So that the skin on the bottom of your feet doesn't end up being sizzled by the burning cement or sand, make sure that you pack a pair of thongs, your feet will thank you the next day. I have defiantly forgotten this item in the past and trying to walk after the beach was a struggle to say the least.
I have recently started using little clear ziplock bags to pop all of my more expressive belongings in. This way they are protected from the sand and water, and your touchscreen electronics still remains functional.
In order to capture your amazing day in the sun, make sure to pack your Polaroid camera or your instant camera of choice. The beach was meant to be photographed in polaroids and it gives your pictures a much more genuine feel.
If you want to pop up to the shops during your day, make sure to pack a summery dress that you can throw on top of your togs. The dress code at the beach is extremely casual, so go for something very light and material that will dry quickly.

To make sure that your lips don't get too damaged from the combination of the drying sun and salt, don't forget to include an extremely moisturising lip balm.
Sunscreen is probably the most important item when trying to avoid getting burnt. Make sure you use a product with the highest SPF of 30+ for protection against the harmful rays. I recommend using a face specific sunscreen for your face, as it designed for this delicate skin and is usually a lot lighter, preventing breakouts a few days later. For an added protection you can also use zinc on areas that are particularly prone to burning. For me it is under my eyes and on my nose. Feel free to get experimental and use bright colours opposed to nude.

Now how would a day at the beach be complete without swimwear of your choice are an obvious essential. I recently purchased this spotty bikini off ASOS, which are extremely comfortable and a really lovely shape.
Speakers are perfect for a day in the beach. Make sure they are water resistant and protect your phone from the sun and sand. There is nothing more relaxing than listening to music and lying in the sun on a hot summers day.
So that your eyes are protected from the bright rays, make sure you remember to pack your favourite pair of sunglasses. There are so many different designs nowadays, so there is the perfect shape frame from everyone out there.

First Year University Reflection.

After months and months of studying, I have finally finished my final exams and my first year of University is now over. Once finishing school, I had heard so many horrible rumours about how awful University is and how people really find the transition from school really hard. I am here to put these rumours to bed. I had an amazing first year experience and I wanted to share with you that University is actually a lot of fun, if you make it.

Firstly being able to leisurely stroll in and out of campus is one of the greatest aspects of University. If you have an afternoon lecture that you aren't really feeling, then you can just go home, no questions asked. This however can lead to you missing all of your lectures, so it's important that you still have some form of weekly learning structure. Otherwise when it comes to exam time, you will be stressed to the max!

The semester that I just completed, I was only at University two days a week. This gave me so much free time to socialise, work and even start this blog. As I had a lot of free time, I wanted to do something with it and I had always enjoyed writing and fashion so I thought I would give blogging a go. In order for you to have a lot of time on your hands, maybe even a little to much, make sure that you make your timetable as efficient as possible, so you don't end up having to go into University everyday of the week.

A lot of people I know struggled with making friends during their first year, however I was never faced with this problem. I study the unique degree of Bachelor of Nutrition/Bachelor of Media and Communication. There was only a handful of other people in the same course as me, and we ended up all finding each other and they were familiar faces throughout our lectures, tutorials and pracs. During your first year you are bound to do at least one group assignment as well, so again you have an opportunity to meet new people. My biggest piece of advice would be to put yourself out there and make the effort to make friends. Don't worry, everyone else is just as nervous and shy as you are, and I bet they will appreciate the effort you make.

A lot of people are extremely nervous for University, as it is such a different environment to school. I know it took me a while to get used to lecturers swearing and calling them by their first names. But it is seriously so much fun and one of the greatest experiences you will ever have. Don't stress about it and have a blast at this more relaxed studying environment.

Good bye University notes!