New Stars Shine

Hello! Interesting karma.. Another day with another day of work, another day of helping. Volunteering has always been a huge passion of mine for years. It is something that I consider a great aspect in my life. This evening I had an opportunity to go and speak with some of the volunteers working at the warehouse, it was interesting to see others with the same determination as myself.  I was speaking to one of the 'experts' as we call it (volunteers who have been at the warehouse for over a week), and he spoke to me on issues that affected him, and why he came to volunteer. It is perceived to be that people chose to do this for a few reasons: A passionate volunteer 1) They have had a difficult past, and think this is the best way to remove the past they've had and to rectify the future. 2) They have had a very fortunate past, and this is how they are returning the favour. 3) They believe they can be the change, and are fed up of what is seen in the media...

Helloo friends! I wanted to discuss advertising as a whole in this blogpost. Mostly because it is part of my study at university, but also because it has sparked up a flame inside of me which I wanted to spread with you all! The original Victoria Secret Advert When we think of advertising we first think of models, we think of how consumables are displayed and what effect this has on society. Take a Victoria Secret advert as an example, one in particular (see image 1) depicts a woman as having 'the perfect body'. This 'impossible standard' is something that degrades women, makes them feel worthless. As if we can never be good enough, never 'perfect' like the photoshopped women constantly shown in all forms of advertising. This is the way we are bringing up the generation, to believe that they will never be perfect. Contrary to this, advertising also opens a world we can utilise to our advantage, taking the example I used earlier it's important to no...

Hello friends! I have been at university for nearly a month now, I honestly do not know where the time has gone, but now I am doing my first assignment! (Way too soon!) It is very surreal to be studying again after three years off. Firstly I have completing forgotten how to function like a normal young adult, secondly I realised how much I enjoyed spending time with adults much older than me (at least those with less drama and can hold their alcohol without looking like a blubbery baby), and thirdly I didn't know just how much I really love learning. I am studying environment and media studies. In a sense it means I basically study mediums and then look at our earth and try to fit it all in and make sense of it. Harder than it looks I promise! A majority of university students seem to take what they have learnt and do what they are told, whether its to sit an exam, what to write, what to think etc. I can't do this. I can't comprehend this lifestyle. For example; i...

Hellooooo friends! It's been one crazy month! An update on this bizarre and incredibly long September; Mother and I switching puddings.. 9th -  MY BIRTHDAY!! 21, finally can rent a car...and drink alcohol worldwide (yippee...) Celebrated with my mother dearest doing some retail therapy, then dinner at my favourite restaurant with the family. Ended with a slight make out session in my car with an old friend of mine...who has a girlfriend. Very awkward.. Work collegues.. 10th- NIGHT OUT! So I rarely venture into the depths of basement clubs, pounding bass and drunken sluts, but it was a work party, and my birthday night out, which called for nothing less than an absolute abomination of alcohol and drunken craziness... Long story short, I made out with my night supervisor...and my front of house manager. Good adulting on my part. Ended with my head in a toilet bowl passed out. 11th- WORST DAY EVER! I think there is a sudden shock when you go from being 18,19,20 t...

Hello! Apologies for being so distant, it has been a crazy few weeks of preparing for university and working. My sister has recently moved to Worthing, which is close to Brighton, and I am most excited! We celebrated her arrival, as well as her 23rd, with a day out in the city, drinks, food, book shopping and lots of fun. More to the point is the reason I am writing today, I wanted to discuss passions. When you were younger what did you want to do when you were older? I went through life deciding different paths, which is perfectly normal, until I went to Africa and then decided that doing good is what I wanted to do. It's not a career like most aspirations, it definitely isn't money oriented, but I don't care. I want to wake up in the morning and go back to sleep at night knowing that I've made some good decisions that day. However for now, I am a receptionist, who works a 40 hour week, going shopping on her day off, and more mundane things. I no longer am dan...

Helloooo!   What drives you? What inspires you? What makes you sit up and listen? Discussing mission statements in the office! I attended a Focus Group in the Restless Development office in London this afternoon, it was about reshaping Restless, what attracts their target audience (young people), and how to attract more. The office, based in London It was an interesting afternoon, spent with like-minded people, some who have never heard of their work, and others, like myself, who are quite accustomed to their agency. I thought it was incredibly interesting, I have always admired Restless and the work they do, but once you start analyzing, and having the chance to debate and disagree, it sparks a flame in a group of young people that is influential to all.  Focused minds analyzing work We started the session off with a video on the agency's statement, what they believe in. This we analyzed together, discussing what makes the video eye-catching, and ...

Helloooo friends! Nick Hurd and I after a discussion on child marriage. I hope you have had a wonderful summer so far, Britain has even had the fortunate spell of sunshine for a whole weekend! (Thats a big deal!) I have had a busy few weeks, and it led me to think about my future. Which is something everybody has to do at some stage, for some it is in the shower or in bed late at night. For me it is on a train.  Since I was sixteen I have been volunteering, I have a fire for it, a passion. I won't go into it in the article but feel free to read my previous one (My Greatest Achievements). Girls in Education I have been with Restless now for over 2 years, it has been a rush of a journey, it constantly pushes me to be a better person, to inspire more people, to encourage, to teach, to develop myself and others around me. It is constantly making me stronger, louder, and more determined than ever. I recently went to the Girls Education Forum, which was just brilliant. ...

Hello friends! Back again with another list (I love god-damn lists). I was recently in the big bad city of London visiting a friend, and then in the quiet, conservative city of Oxford. These are two very different places, however one thing they have in common is how people act. Or dress in a sense. After living in Brighton I realised that people just don't care what you wear, its all about self-expression.  For years and years my life has been about looking presentable for others. I am bored of it. I want to wear comfy trousers and colourful unmatching tops. It is difficult when you are constantly being judged as a woman on what to do and not do, what to wear and not wear. After being in those cities I realised that my style has differed massively. In Brighton I suit bright yellow and blue trousers, in London I look like the sunshine they have never seen- I LOVE it.  It is time to accept who you are, this is your skin, your personality, your body for your whole lif...

Goooood day everyone! The equivalent to my purse! So my post today relates to everybody who works a job and also can't budget! Where is gets so close to payday yet it just isn't there, so you end up pulling apart the sofa for that 20p you lost when you were rich! The worst part of monthly pay is that you keep working and you think you'll be rich, then by the time rent and bills and direct debits go out...well...you are left with enough to buy a big bag of pasta and the cycle starts again. Since I've lived in Brighton I have had these 'financial blues', and have also come up with ways to budget your money so you still have some left for the holiday fund. My little treat yesterday! I love pretty things, more than this I LOVE expensive things! My biggest shop-a-holic store is Anthropologie. Expensive...very expensive. Not to mention I love Waitrose for my food shop, and can only purchase organic, free-ranged items. I love socialising, going for drinks...

Power of persuasion: What makes a person go from being the average Joe to becoming a hero? Is it saving a life? Is it making your name is lights? Is it something as simple as following your dreams and in doing so making others happy?  Each person defines themselves from a young age with ‘What do I want to be when I grow up?’. Let’s face it, everybody doesn’t stick with their dreams when they are five. My dream when I was five was to be an animal. It then progressed to being famous, then successful. A big difference in the two that I learnt when I was 11. Then reality hits and you realise that you can’t achieve those huge aspirations you have just from following the crowd. As you get older obstacles come up, you meet more and more people and realise that your huge dream you had? Millions of others had one too. Then you listen to numerous assembles, that gives you the first clue, then you choose what exams you want to take, and realise 40 others are doing the exact sa...