19 things I want to do having turned 19

Leading up to my 19th birthday (which happened to be a few weeks ago - and yes I will accept belated birthday wishes), I started to think about what I wanted to achieve this next year. And I figured, because I'm 19, I should select 19 goals (am I smart or what). Here's what I came up with...

1. Cook an actual meal. Like, from scratch. 
Or, almost from scratch - I only have a year, I'm not a miracle worker.

2. Drive a super car at the speed of light (or so fast I feel I may throw up)

This isn't some crazy, potentially lethal idea, honest. For this years birthdays my dad arranged for my sister and I to drive 3 different super cars around a racing track. 0 to 60 in 3.5 baby! (Yes I will quote Rihanna lyrics if I want)

3. Get back into running

Maybe buying these insanely hot Nike running shoes will help?

4. Learn how to hold my liquor (not easy when my friends are all total lightweights)
I am doubtful that this will happen, but it sure will be fun to try.

5. Blog for real
I am so bad at actually committing to stuff, but I really want this whole blogging thing to work out so I shall try my best!

6. Finish my photo wall
I love waking up every morning to my photo wall, but right now it's only half finished. I purposely left room to post new pictures because everyday new cool stuff happens, but I reeeeeally want as much of the wall filled asap!

7. Enjoy my last ever family holiday
My parents have decided to ditch me after summer 2014. Yep, I am being ditched. By my parents. Oh the shame.

8. Conquer a fear
I haven't decided which fear yet, but I'm sure the process will be life changing and really not very enjoyable at all.

9. Keep on the paleo path
For the last few months I've been trying to follow the Paleo living and eating plan and it's really good, and I feel great (most of the time; when I'm not considering mass genocide just so I can eat a slice of bread). Healthy eating is great so I definitely want to try and continue with it as long as possible. {what's paleo? Educate yourself here}

10. Write someone a letter
Like, an actual real life pen and paper and stamp and home address written in calligraphy, letter. Nobody does it anymore and it sounds nice.

11. Tell my friends I love them as often as possible (without it getting weird)
Frankly, nobody says 'the L word' enough and I want everyone I love to know that I am nice and that (to me) they are super cool.

12. Take a step back from the drama
Drama seems to follow me everywhere, so this year I want to watch everyone else's drama from the sidelines, and not partake in my own. A mug of herbal tea to accompany my quiet life will suit me just fine, thank you.

13. Get work experience!
This is a very important point on my list; whilst getting a degree in advertising is good, it is even better if you have industry experience. Next summer I will be jumping in with both feet to get me some work experience!

14. Meditate
Don't give me that look! I got super stressed out a few months ago (boys, deadlines, uni, boys) so I started meditating before bed to help me relax after crazy days and subsequently sleep better. It actually really helped - and the internet is a great place to find tips on making the most of what mediation has to offer.

15. Keep my plants alive
It's really not as easy as it looks. Though, my dad did just buy me a cactus and they're supposedly near impossible to kill so I'm feeling positive.

16. Pass my second year of uni!
If this doesn't happen, I'm kind of screwed because I don't really have a Plan B...

17. Become a gold level Starbucks card member
You get cool free stuff like soya milk and flavoured syrups to add to your coffee. Yeah, it's pretty pointless but I'm over three quarters of the way there so now I just want to take it all the way. Green level is for suckers.

18. Use my year planner
I am notoriously egotistical when it comes to my ability to remember dates, but frankly, it's all lies. I recently bought myself a year planner and I am determined to use it to help plan my life. It's scientific fact that people with written planners are badass and never forget anything, and that is the kind of person I want to be.

19. Have fun and be happy (woop!)
Cliche and embarrassing to admit, but it's true. This year I want to find something that makes me so inexplicably happy that I never let it go (or just revel in this happiness for as long as possible). Positivity is key... I'm gonna write that down.

So there we have it, my 19 resolutions. Next year I'm gonna come back and see how many I actually managed to do. Wish me luck!

~ Eleanor xo

All the cool kids are doing it...

Life as Eleanor officially has its own Bloglovin' account. What an exciting time to be alive!

Come say hi! Making new friends is what the internet is alllllll about (well, that and cat videos, obviously)

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How to survive Freshman Year

Own it like you're Sharpay Evans

University is pretty much the biggest and scariest thing I've ever done. I know everyone probably says that, but I had turned 18 a matter of weeks earlier and suddenly I was getting shipped off to a town 50 miles away to learn the art of advertising, and most importantly, fending for myself.

The whole experience ripped me straight out of my comfort zone and dropped me into a sea of entirely new people, and entirely new experiences -- and though I spent more nights than I'd care to admit wishing to be anywhere else, I wouldn't change any of the last year; I learnt far too much to be ungrateful for the situations I found myself in.

So, here's a list of 10 things I learnt last year (in the form of advice points, apparently):

1. Talk to everyone
At university, everyone is new so everyone's trying to make friends and fit in; so straight from the off, be open, friendly and positive about everyone you meet. On my first day of university I promised myself I would do just this, and now, a year later, I'm living with two of the girls I met that very first day (and a third is one of my closest friends) - anything can happen!

2. Say YES. But also no.
There are so many new opportunities at university - take them all! But if you want to stay in and watch a movie or have an early night that's ok too! Missing one party will not ruin your university experience. Don't believe all the peer pressure bullshit, please. 

3. Your old friendships will change. It's ok. Let them.
If you move away, you can't expect your friendships with people you left behind to stay the same. It's not realistic and it's not fair. You're living different lives now; you will always be BFFs (because that's what you scribbled into birthday cards and notebooks) but you have to understand that the dynamics will change and you may grow apart. Skype your bestie as little or often as you want - don't totally cut off your old friends, but give each other breathing room and your relationship will feel better for it. 

4. Do not simply eat ready meals
They aren't nutritional and they will ruin your skin and probably give you mood swings or something. Cook every once in a while - I am a terrible cook but I had a lot of fun dancing around the kitchen whipping up some crazy food concoctions. Don't forget your veggies either!

5. Long distance relationships CAN work
Admittedly, this didn't quite work out for me, but a bunch of my friends succeeded in keeping their relationships alive and happy - and why not? If you're committed and you know it's what you want, there's absolutely no reason why it shouldn't work. Unless they're a jackass. Wait, what.

6. Sadness and heartbreak bring out the greatness in you
Sorry for the downer, but this right here is the honest to god truth. Being out in the world on your own will be tough, and you will spend nights crying into your pillow blaring Adele or something equally depressing into your ears. But this is the greatest motivator. And I know this from experience. I went through some really hard times, but I came out of it with amazing grades and amazing friendships. Your heart will heal and the storm will pass.

7. Call your parents!
My parents did a lot for me leading up to university (buying stuff to fill my dorm room, giving me food and rent money, etc.) and though uni is about spreading your wings and flying the nest, don't forget what's important. I skyped my parents every Sunday evening to catch up and it was always so nice to talk to them and see familiar faces - this ritual was super important to me, and it should be to you too (though, not every week if you don't want to)

8. Go home
To relax, to de-stress, to see old friends, or to simply have a bath; there are so many reasons why every once in a while, you should go home for the weekend. Your mum will do your washing and you can lie on a sofa and have your meals made for you - this is a great way to recharge after weeks of deadlines, or hardcore partying.

9. Missing deadlines doesn't make you cool, it makes you look like an arse
Yes, when you miss a deadline, everyone in your class knows about it. And no, they don't all clap in unison because you've become the bad boy/girl partier who's too cool for school, they sigh and mentally write your name on the list of people to avoid working on group projects with. If you have the stamina, by all means go out 8 days a week, but don't ignore your work because you will look dumb and people will treat you like it.

10. Finally, HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!
This is your new life, go out and live it! Make new friends, take some shots, break some hearts (including your own) and take as many pictures as you can on your iPhone because these are the days you will always want to remember (especially when you're old and can't boogie like you used to).

If you're going to uni this year, good luck and enjoy every minute!

~ Eleanor xo