Emotional Evenings

I have always been a night owl. 

Waking up at 8am with a spring in my step is a thing I have never ever experienced, and I will not see 6am unless I have stayed up all evening to get there. 

Contrastingly, I can quite easily stay up until the early hours in the tranquility of the night (here I am writing this post at 1am). 

Nighttime is quiet, peaceful, lacks distractions and is all-in-all much more relaxing, calming and comforting. So you early birds might think I'm wasting my day sleeping in, but I know you're missing out on the world at rest.

Not only is the evening tranquil, but I find myself much more emotional and reflective. 

Have you ever noticed that you ponder about things that might have been or unresolved issues at nighttime?

Or that you have the most meaningful, deep and emotional conversations with others under darkness? Conversations that you wouldn't think about starting in the middle of the day..

I've wondered this on numerous occasions. 

Mainly when I've sent a risky message at 4am, when I wake up totally regretting my decision and absolutely dreading the reply because I don't even have the excuse of being a little tipsy. 

It seems that I'm not the only person to experience this and there's a whole load of theories of why we are more emotional at night, but here are just a couple:

• During the day, we are distracted by work, chores, people and suppress or hide our thoughts and emotions. Whereas, at night we are alone in the quiet and can focus solely on ourselves; nothing and nobody is around to disturb our thoughts or judge us and ask questions, so there is no need to hide anything. 
• Being tired and more relaxed can actually enhance our creativity and emotionality. When you're tired, your brain (specifically the frontal cortex) is less efficient at controlling and filtering out distractions. So, when we are tired we are more likely to let our thoughts run wild and be less rational. We can create various scenarios in our minds at these times which could aid creative work or just keep us awake at night overthinking everything. Thus, heightened emotions are actually associated with fatigue/tiredness rather than the nighttime - it's just that we are more likely to be tired at this time.

We now seem to create lives in where we focus on being physically and socially healthy, yet we forget to keep our mental and emotional health in check. Make time to talk to yourself, as crazy as that sounds. Chill out or let your mind run wild - whatever it needs to do.

xxx

Being Assaulted

Hiya,

I wanted to bring up something serious that happened to me this weekend.

This Saturday (10/10/2015) I was assaulted at a club in Canterbury (where I attend university).

Some smart soul decided to throw a bottle of Grey Goose vodka from the middle of the dance floor to the outskirts of the room. This bottle hit me and the impact cut my head open. Not going to lie, my head was pissing blood and I think I gave everyone including the bouncers a bit of a scare.

When I eventually sat down in the club's staff room - after being led several times through the crowds in the club, up and down several sets of stairs - police, security and paramedics were all trying to talk to me and I ended up being sick.

The CCTV was checked whilst I was still in the club, but apparently the incident could not be seen on the cameras. How they didn't capture a large bottle flying through the air I do not know.

Eventually I was taken in an ambulance to the local hospital where I was met by police and had the wound cleaned and glued. To avoid getting the cut and glue wet, I'm not allowed to wash my hair for a week, so my hair is still matted with blood; I cannot attend university or do a presentation worth 20% of one of my final year modules. 

This incident could have been a lot worse, and I'm surprised it wasn't after seeing the amount of blood that I lost; I was literally soaked. But considering everything, I'm actually okay minus a bit of soreness - believe it or not I don't actually remember being in any pain. However, I went back to Nottingham after this incident and turns out I was concussed - that was another trip to the hospital.

My point is, don't be a wanker when you're drunk.

I really hope whoever threw that bottle saw what happened to me and will think twice about doing something as stupid as that in the future.

I definitely wont be attending any events at that club again. The club are not considering swapping glass bottles to plastic bottles, but they have reassured me that the security have now been trained to keep an eye out for people that look like they're going to throw a bottle. Yep. Like that is going to do anything. I was offered free champagne and a VIP table as an apology but they can shove that up their arses.

This last part is a long shot: 

If anyone in Canterbury that night saw the incident, or knows anyone that was throwing bottles around in Club Chemistry then please let me or Kent Police know. 

xxx

Back to Uni - Catch Up

Hiyaaa, 

Just thought I'd post a little catch up blog before I post all the interesting ones.

A couple of weeks ago I moved back to Canterbury for my final year of university.

AND I got myself a fella.

AND I actually moved out of halls and got my own house with my pals.

I miss being able to roll out of bed ten minutes before my seminar or lab (lets be honest, I didn't go to lectures), and the only preparation would be pulling some clothes on over my pyjamas. Now I actually have to walk over 3500 steps to get there, and then another 3500 back - according to my phone. That's probably more exercise in the first two weeks of third year than I have done over the last two years at uni.

Bit stressed at the moment due to writing all my deadlines down, 0 pennies to spend, my house is a building site (some maintenance men took our toilet, cryyy). BUT, my room looks pretty - shall do a room tour soon!

Anyway, that's our catch up over. Speak to ya soon.

Ciao,

Charlotte

xxx

Favourites - Lip Products

Alright dolls, just thought I'd share a few of my fave lip products with you all!

These are the products that I find my hands reaching for the most when finishing off a makeup look, and most are from drugstores so are super affordable.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush Lip Balm - 710 Drive Me Nude

Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush Lip Balm - 200 Keep Mauving

Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush Lip Balm - 300 Viva Violet

Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush Lip Balm - 210 Boom Chic A Boom

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick - 210 Coral in Gold

MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer - Reckless

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm - Cherry Me

MAC Matte Lipstick - Taupe

In Action:

MAC Matte Lipstick - Taupe

(with gold lipgloss on top)

MAC Matte Lipstick - Taupe

(without lipgloss)

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick - 210 Coral in Gold

(finished off with powder all over to give a matte effect, and white eyeshadow in the middle of the bottom lip to highlight)

MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer - Reckless

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm - Pink Punch

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of me wearing the Rimmel lip balms but I do plan on reviewing them soon because I lurveee them. So, I'll show you some photos then.

xxx

Budget 2015: Maintenance Grant Cuts

Conservative Budget 2015

(The aim of this budget is to clear the UK deficit.)

          Recently, it was announced that:

• Conservatives are cutting the maintenance grant - starting in 2016/17. 
• However, students from the poorest families, students with disabilities and students with children will still be eligible for a grant. 
• Also, the money that some students would have received from a maintenance grant is to be replaced by increasing the maximum maintenance loan amount to £8,200 per year.

After the budget and plans to reduce the deficit were announced, I witnessed many Facebook statuses and shared stories voicing concerns surrounding the cuts about to be introduced in the UK. As the majority of my social circle are people around my own age, and attend or plan to attend university, the moaning statuses were primarily based on the cuts to student maintenance grants.

 The difference between loans, grants, bursaries and scholarships

• Put simply, loans can be defined as money borrowed which has to be paid back, whereas the grants, bursaries and scholarships offered to some students do not require repayment.
• Loans (for both tuition fees and maintenance) and grants (for maintenance) are currently offered by the government and are usually administered through Student Finance England.
• Whereas, bursaries and scholarships can be offered to students by specific higher education institutions (universities), either to support students that come from low-income families or to reward students for outstanding grades, such as A Levels.

Not all students are eligible for a maintenance grant

• Students that come from low-income families - a household income of £25,000 or less per year - qualify to receive a maintenance grant of £3,387 per year.
• Students from families that earn up to £42,620 are also eligible for a grant but receive less.
• Students from families that earn £42,620+ are not eligible to receive a maintenance grant. 

Grant to Loan

     To the people moaning about the grant being replaced by a loan:

     What makes you think you're entitled to a handout of money?

Surely if you're willing to take money then you should also be willing to pay it back.

There are many people attending university now, it is costing a fortune to provide students with grants that I don't really think we're entitled to - students' total income from employment doesn't usually meet the amount that means we have to pay tax (personal allowance); you can't really say we've contributed to society financially yet. So why should taxpayers - a lot of whom wont ever earn as much as graduates - fund maintenance grants? They shouldn't.

Just for the record, I am entitled to the maximum loan and grant amount from SFE and would have been eligible for a bursary from my university had I entered at first year, but transferring and entering in second year meant I was no longer eligible for this. Yes, I struggle to pay my rent and buy food - the only reason I can afford to do this is by being well, well into my overdraft and because I have 3 jobs. I would never expect someone else or an institution to pay for any aspect of my degree because it is my responsibility.

Borrow as much money as you need (overdrafts, loans, extra help from your uni or student finance etc.); being a student is a struggle.
However, you should have the intent to pay it back at some point. 

If you are at university you are an adult, don't expect someone else to pay your way and be debt free.

'People will stop applying for universities because they can't afford to go now'

Bullshit.

   Don't let someone tell you you can't afford to go to university! Do your own research.

Since students in 2016 may be entitled to more money, I'm assuming the worry is about being able to pay back the money after graduating.

How does anyone have any idea how much they will earn when getting a job after graduating?

How could you possibly know you wont be able to afford to pay the extra £3000 (in replace of the grant) back?

Nobody knows the answers to these questions so don't claim you will not be able to afford to go to university just because of the increased amount of loans.

Yes it has been announced that universities will be able to increase tuition fees starting from 2017/18, but we have no idea what to or which universities will increase the amount they charge so I wont discuss this at the moment; I am focusing on the people purely complaining about the grant cuts.

Repayments

Obviously we have no idea how much we'll be earning in the future, but uni repayments are done at an affordable rate. You do not pay anything back until you start earning over £21,000, which if you do attend university, you are probably aiming to do. But if you're income drops to below this amount, then you stop paying. 

Below £21,000 = £0 per month

£25,000 = £30 per month

£30,000 = £67 per month

£50,000 = £217 per month

Interest is inflation plus up to 3%

So essentially you're paying the amount of a phone bill per month.

Feel free to voice your opinions in the comments

x

MOTW - Black and Gold

Make-up of the Week

This make-up is my go-to look at the moment; it's easy and looks alright.

Base

see my base routine post

Brows

see my eyebrow routine post

Eyes

1. MUA Twelfth Night Eyeshadow Palette

Ice - This colour matches my skin tone so I used this as a base all over the lid

Star Shine - Dark grey used in the outer corners & through the crease of the eyelid

Oudh - Gold used in the middle of the lid

2. MUA Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter (Iridescent Gold)

Used in inner corners of the eye and to highlight the brow bone

3. MAC Mineralize Duo Eyeshadow (Love Connection)

Gold- used for extra shimmer in the middle of lid

4. MUA Gel Eyeliner (Underground)

5. W7 Zoom More Volume Mascara

Lips

MAC Lipstick (Taupe)

Gold lipgloss on top (brand unknown)

x

Post-exams

Apologies for the lack of posts recently!

Like every other student I've had exams to be revising for. But now I've finished with all 6 of them I can actually get back to having a life (and blogging).

Having 4 deadlines in a week, then 6 exams within 3 weeks wasn't the most relaxing time of my life; the past couple of months have been so stressful. Why is it that the education system is set up so we're examined on everything at pretty much the same time? I was taught 3 modules per term, so why not have 3 exams at the end of 1st term and 3 exams in the Summer term? I shouldn't have to recall a shit tonne of information about each of the 6 at the same time. Ridic.

Anyway, because of the work load I had, I basically lived as a nocturnal library hermit. Nocturnal because the library at Uni of Kent is packed during the day; in order to be able to sit anywhere me and my flatmate ended up going to the library at 9pm and left at around 6am. Should probably sort out a different plan for next year.

Since exams have finished I've literally been bed bound - catching up on sleep that I didn't have when I was at uni. But getting up at 3pm isn't boding well with the mother around.

Anyway, enough moaning. I'm going back to sleep.

Night!

(Yes it's 4pm leave me alone)