Monday 15 June 2015

5 Recommended Reads from Advertising Girls

Studying a degree in advertising has made us completely obsessed with analysing absolutely everything. From the way people to speak, to the way our minds work we love to find out the what why and how.

While we are a great lover of non-fiction, assignment brain (yes it is a real thing) has given us the attention span of a gold fish, and led us to reach for books that are snappy, educational and will offer some inspiration.

Whatever it is you are studying, you won't have been able to avoid being told to read around the subject. If you are anything like us, your instant reaction to that is 'yeah I should, I probably won't', but stick with us because there really is some intersting stuff out there if you look hard enough.

1) Girl Boss - Sophia Amoruso
Okay okay so we've already told you to read it, but really read it! Whatever you are studying, wherever you are working or however you spend your day this book is relevant to you. If you need a kick up the bum, and some reassurance to help you reach your goals then this is exactly what you need to read.

2) Predatory Thinking - Dave Trott 
All we ever do is think, but do we really understand how we think? This book will have you looking at your own thoughts in a way that you have never even considered before, and while there are plenty of advertising references, it's perfect for anyone in a job that requires creativity (yes, an office job still does require exactly that).

3) The Tipping Point - Malcom Gladwell 


This one is great for anyone studying PR, or any of the subjects surrounding marketing, but is also relevant to understand the development of how the media works. With going 'viral' being the desire for most brands now, this shows you the 'tips' that make that happen, and gives an interesting insight into how we as consumers buy into communications.

4) No Logo - Naomi Klein



In an industry obsessed with consumer's it's useful to read a book that atempts to fight consumerism. Particularly in the blogger world image is everything, and this looks to challenges this, providing an argument against the brands that we are so obsessed with. Whatever line of work you find yourself in, the chances are that branding is going to be hugely influential, making this a perfect read to give you knowledge in the thoughts that exist against it. 


5) It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be - Paul Arden 



If you don't like to read, or you like a book to be over within the time you could watch a film then this one is the one. It's short, to the point and easy to read making it perfect if you are lacking in time (or patience). This will make you think about how you approach situations, the decisions you make and give you the motivation on how to do all of those things better. It's a great way to analyse yourself, and provides a solid understanding of all the ways that you can improve. 

Wednesday 3 June 2015

4 Quick and Easy Ways To Make You Feel Smarter

Remember being that age where being intelligent simply wasn't 'cool'? Putting your hand up to every single answer was a massive no no, and being labelled the 'teacher's pet' was probably one of the worst insults you could receieve. 

Imagine how much more intelligent we would be now if we had fought against this stage. If we had asked every question that had ever popped into how our heads, or actually went to the library to read about what interested us. The trouble is that this stage has made it difficult for us to want to learn. Now we are expected to be knowledgeable, to be passionate and to be educated about our interests, but we have spent so long pretending that we don't want to do that, that we've actually fogotten how. 

With knowledge comes confidence, but we live such busy lifestyles and consume so much media, that we don't always have the time to spend a few hours reading a book or watching three hour long documentaries. Luckily, the advance in media means that we don't have to, and these 4 ways show you how: 

1) Unreported World 




There is nothing better than a documentary that makes you feel like you have a whole new found knowledge when the end titles role. If you have the time, you can find our top documentaries here: But after a long day we can't really be blamed for not having enough of an attention span to sit through a couple of hours of factual viweing. The end of a long work day is made for guilty pleasure TV (hellooooo PLL), but you can still be educated easily if you want to be. Unreported is a Channel 4 documentary series that covers all sorts of cultural issues around the world, from bull riding to the war in Syria, and the best part? They are only 25 mintues long. Everything you need to know about a topic in under half an hour, that I think we can manage. 

2) Flipboard 

The trouble with being educated in a range of topics is that you are not always in the mood to learn about each one. You may not want to follow a Twitter page about politics, because lets face it who wants to see politics every single time they refresh their timeline? Flipboard is a great app that lets you pick your interests, and then presents articles surrounding those interests to you each day. The articles are presented in the style of a magazine, meaning you can literally flip through and skip the ones that don't take your fancy. Not only are all relevant articles in one place, but they are based on exactly what you are interested in and can be skipped depending on what you feel like being educated about that day. 

3) TED Talks 



Apparently there are people out there who do not like to read (crazy, we know). People are often put off learning through associating it with spending hours with your head stuck in a boring book, but this really doesn't have to be the case. TEDTalks are all different lenghts, on every topic you could possibly think of and for some, are a much more captivating way of learning. You know those evenings where you get seriously lost in the deep depths of Youtube? Well you can do the exact same on TED and become more educated without even realising. 

4) Talking


When we think about learning we immediately associated fact. We want statistics, research or any form of hard evidence that we can trust. It's not our fault, education has pretty much programmed us this way, but the trouble is there's so much to learn about that cannot be based on fact at all. Take culture for example, the best way to learn about a culture is to expereince it, and the most effective way of doing that is talking to the people. Okay so that doesn't mean if you want to learn about France, then you need to book a trip there straight away (although we are not saying that's a bad idea), but the chances are the people you know have the knowledge you need. Sharing knowledge is one of the best ways to gain knowledge, and you can feel a whole lot smarter simply by learning what somebody else already knows. 

Sunday 31 May 2015

There Are A Lot Of Things In Life That Are Mediocre, Don't Let Relationships Be One Of Them




They always tell you that your days at school will be the best of your life and everyone just shrugs it off. Then years later, you look back and realise that the best parts of those years were the bits you didn’t even consider at the time. Waking up that day and only thinking of the 24 hours ahead, going to sleep and thinking of the previous 24 hours and that is it.

Now, I have to think days, weeks even months ahead. My friends ask to make plans 6 months from now and I have to ‘let them know’ because everything is just so up in the air. It’s frustrating and increasingly annoying but mainly because I took my teenage years for granted. So much so, that I had no idea how happy I really was. I was so content with the way things were at that very moment, I had no reason to look forward.

When I think about my life right now, all I think about are things that I would change. I’m a worrier, I’m an organiser and I always think ahead - that’s just the person I am. I am an absolute perfectionist and I cannot stand doing the bare minimum for anything – it’s all or nothing, I see no in-between. So it’s natural for me to want to make anything better that I can and that includes all of my relationships.

Like I said, we all look back at our school years and wish we could go back to that simple life. That life where you saw your friends every day and you all would have the best times together. But the truth is – that isn’t real life. As much as I say I would like to go back to that time in my life, I also realise that I was a naïve girl and all was not as it seemed.
Life was simple. Your friends were always there for you, always there to pick you up when you were down and you always spent your free time together. Reality? Far from it.

This was life because there was no other way. You had nothing else to do on weekends but be with your friends, so of course they were your first choice. Now, I have to arrange with my friends weeks in advance just to make sure they have spare time. This isn’t because they are bad friends, it’s because we have so much more going on with our lives, that seeing each other is an effort. It’s not just a filler of time. It’s actually time-consuming.

That sounds really harsh. I love my friends and I love spending time with them. But because I have a busy life now, I constantly assess every minute of my day. If I didn’t spend an extra hour with you I could have replied to some emails… That’s OCD. And that’s something I’m personally trying to work on. But it’s a balance I have to find.

When I look at the way I am towards spending time with my friends now, compared to when I was at school, I realise it’s a now a choice. If I desire to see somebody, I will make the effort to do so. If I don’t… I won’t bother. At school, you would probably spend weekends with people you wouldn’t even say ‘hello’ to now. Isn’t that crazy? But you didn’t care then. Because your time wasn’t precious, or at least you didn’t think of it as being precious.

At least I enjoyed that whilst it lasted because now my time is precious, and boy don’t I know it. When I started to grow apart from friends I was upset, I clung onto them hoping it was just a phase. I clung onto someone who I would now describe as a shitty friend. I was fighting for someone who’s time had become precious, so they became distant. And suddenly now I get it.

Time is precious. Fill your time with people who inspire you, who make you laugh til your gut aches and who truly care about your happiness. Whether it be a boyfriend, girlfriend, bestest friend or a work friend, if you desire to spend time with them, it’s for a reason. Don’t waste your time on people who add little to your life. Time is precious so fill it wisely.


There are a lot of things in life that are mediocre, don’t let relationships be one of them.

Thursday 7 May 2015

Don't Base Your Decisions On The Advice Of Those Who Don't Have To Live With The Results




This week I had a reality check. The kind of reality check that makes you see all the tiny things you've done over the years, in a whole new light. 

Now let me start from the top. If I could describe myself as a friend, I would say I'm the one who voices my opinion quite willingly. If my friends confide in me for advice, I'm a great listener, but I sure as hell won't keep quiet. I will give my opinion and probably suggest what I would do in their situation. 

This is the part where I now cringe. I always thought that is a really good thing that I'm so honest with my friends and to a certain degree, I still do. But now I look and think that maybe I was a little too brutal... Or a little too forceful. In all honesty, a lot of the situations I was advising my friends on, I'd never been through myself. So I'm not surprised they didn't always follow my advice.

But me being me I just gave the advice anyway "if it was me..." Well the truth is: it wasn't me. And I had no idea how they felt at that moment, the only knowledge I had was the information they were offering. I knew nothing behind closed doors and it turns out, that part is a huge influential factor.

I used to laugh at the fact I would dish out my advice to others yet never follow my own, but now I'm ashamed of that. Talk about double standards... Who was I to say the best thing to do when I wouldn't even follow it myself? Truth is. I thought I thought I knew what was right, and who knows it could have been, but how many of us make the decision that in our hearts, we know is best? 

When the tables turn and people try and advise me, I quite often reject it and follow what I think is best. Which I think is quite a good thing... And now I look at my friends and recognise the situations that they've rejected my advice and suddenly, it all becomes clear to me. I'm not bitter, I'm not confused as to why they're ignoring it, I finally get it. It's their life, and the decision made makes little difference to my life. 

I now feel a nice sense of pride. I'm so proud that I'm surrounded by people who are strong enough to make their own decisions. My friends never took my advice and followed it word-for-word and now I'm so pleased that this is the case. They're strong and independent enough to have faith in their choices, and so am I. 

"Don't base your decisions on the advice of those who don't have to live with the results" 

Kirsti x


Monday 4 May 2015

Why The Only People Who Should Aspire To Be Like Bikini Competitors Are Bikini Competitors


If you have Instagram you will have stalked Bikini Competitors. You might not have been searching for them, but when a girl with a toned physique pops up onn your feed you can't help click on it. You've been distracted by the body, but then you see the food and suddenly the body isn't so desirable after all.

You're likely to come across the following; lots of Tupperware, chicken, veg, rice, more veg, gym selfies and muscle pumps. All of which are essential to a Bikini Competitor lifestyle, but are they necessary to yours?

The summer is approaching fast and we are looking for ways to tighten up, so when we come across  a girl who has abs and isn't afraid of posting absolutely everything they eat, it seems like the logical place to turn. They may post the numbers behind what they eat, the exercise regime that they carry out at the gym or something 'unhealthy', which they will quickly label as a 'cheat', making it easy to try to match your life to theirs. If it's worked for them it will work for you, right?

I'd love to say wrong, but in all honesty it probably will work. Providing you follow the same principles, but match the numbers to your individual needs there's a strong chance that you will see results, which is a good thing isn't it?

Don't get me wrong I seriously admire these girls. Not only are they breaking the stereotypes about what a girl is 'supposed to look like', but their dedication is ridiculously impressive. They certainly are a more favourable role model to have with the promotion of 'strong' being a desirable image, and the importance of eating enough to get results, but there's a whole other element to being a Bikini Competitor that isn't suitable for the everyday girl, and here's why...

The most striking aspect that concerns me is the level of pressure. If you have ever competed in a sport you will know that a few weeks before the competition starts you place pressure on yourself, and push yourself as hard as possible, which for the competitors is fine, but what are you pushing yourself for? To look good on the beach? That's fine, but it shouldn't be the same kind of pressure that is placed before a competition and this is where the lines get blurred. A cheat meal to you should not be the same as a cheat meal to a competitor, because what exactly are you cheating?

Adopting this sort of lifestyle is fine for a short period of time, but the competitors themselves are the first to admit that it can not and should not be maintained. A competition has a date, and once it's over the competitors diets change, but what's the end date when you are not a competitor? The trouble is that the lifestyle is addictive, and once you learn exactly what it is that your body needs to maintain a certain standard it can be impossible to stop. You start off thinking that chocolate is a cheat, but before long anything that doesn't consist of chicken and veg starts to become something that is seen as a treat, and as a result something that you are fearful of.

This is when the real problem arises, as it starts to interfere with other parts of your life. A Bikini Competitor is prepping for a competition and won't deny that they are strict on themselves, but it's for a cause. You don't want to go out for dinner, or have someone prepare your meal for you, you fancy chocolate but it doesn't fit with your diet. Without even realising you've become fearful of events that were once so normal, to the point that even going for a meal with your friends can be something you dread. What can you say? You don't have a competition that you are preparing for to use as an excuse, and it's reached the point where you're not even sure why you don't want to eat 'unhealthy' anymore.

Summers over, but your Bikini diets still there. The problem is the dedication that is required to be a Bikini Competitor is not required in everyday life. What started out as just trying to look like the girl you stalked on Instagram, or getting that summer body, or even trying to build some muscle quickly turned to an obsession. An obsession to fulfil a lifestyle that you do not actually lead. You are training for a competition that is never going to come, and if the competition never comes does the training ever end?

Wednesday 29 April 2015

5 Elite Daily Articles That You Need To Read

Elite Daily is our latest online obsession. From news to gossip, it's sure to make you think of things in a way that you never have done before. Here's our recent top 5 that you simply have to read. 


Grow Younger: What We Can All Learn From Our Childhood Selves



Since moving out of our homes we seem to be lusting after our childhood more than ever. Responsibilities, worries and routines can zap the fun out everything and we could seriously benefit from adopting a childish mindset from time to time. Remember being completely fearless, celebrating with cake instead of booze and just feeling happy for absolutely no reason nearly all the time? We could do with some more of this kind of living and this article really does open your eyes to how different life could be if we lived like this more. 

A Woman Is Making History In Puerto Rico And The World Needs To Take Notice




OK fab article, but it does make you feel kinda crappy about yourself. We get we should be inspired by women like this, but when it's 3 o'clock and we are still in our pjs we can't help feel bad about how much we are not doing to save the world. This woman is practically a real life superhero, and at the age of 33. Stories like this are becoming more regular and this is absolutely incredible. Go girl power and all that... but we still aren't getting dressed today (no judging!)

You’re So Addicted To Cheese Because It Has The Same Effects As Opium



Finally, we can stop blaming ourselves for our outrageous addiction to cheese! There's science behind it, which means it is completely out of our hands, not our fault at all and therefore we absolutely cannot feel guilty about it. While it's an interesting article, we do just want to point out that it is in fact Cosmo that is right with it's reports of cheese being good for you. We refuse to believe otherwise, and you should to. 



This is something we are both seriously passionate about. We physically cringe at all the skinny shaming that is just about everywhere you go, and constantly find ourselves asking the question 'why is it ok to say that someone is too skinny, but not too fat?'. With any issues regarding self image, particularly when it comes to girls, the media is the first to be blamed. This means that solutions, like punishing 'too-skinny' models, are adopted but are they really the root of the problem? This article gives a great insight into why they might not be, and what else needs to be taken into consideration. 



Every single day we send each other a screen shot or quote from social media, taking the piss out of a couple and the ridiculous things that they are posting. Why people feel the need to flaunt every part of their relationship we will never know, but one things for sure, it really does provide us with some entertainment (and some pretty long rants). It seems that a relationship is no longer between the two people that are actually involved, and instead one with the rest of the world (or Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pals). We would say that if you're one of these people that do any of the 10 things listed then stop, but actually you're really entertaining and we would have to find something else to laugh at you about if you did. 




Sunday 26 April 2015

5 Must Watch Documentaries That Are On Netflix

We have to admit we love nothing more than a good documentary. When we are completely overrun with uni work and get a spare hour we always find it impossible to switch off our brains... and this is where documentaries are our saviour. We have watched some fairly wacky ones in our most desperate moments (pretty sure Kirst entered a Google search consisting of 'monkey documentaries' once), but here are our top 5 that you can find on Netflix. 

1) Blackfish 



OK we know this is always everyones suggestion, but there's a reason for that. Following the story of Tilikum, a captive killer whale, this documentary will make you view SeaWorld in a whole new light. The scenes really are shocking, but something that we should all be aware of so if documentaries aren't really your thing then trust on this one, you still need to see this. 

2) Miss Representation 



Ignore what the name suggests, this is a must see for both guys and girls. This takes a look at how representation within the media is creating thoughts in our minds and the way we value ourselves. It looks at the pressure that the media places on us, and as a result the pressure that we place on ourselves. 

3) Fed Up 


Em is slowly working her way through all the food-related documentaries, but this new release is currently the most striking. It's main focus is on child-obesity (something we both find ourselves constantly being alarmed by), and where the blame mainly lies. It's truly shocking to see a) how little knowledge people have about food and b) how much the government and large corporations are to blame for this. Did you know that in America the School Lunch Programmes count fries and pizza as vegetables!? Told ya it was shocking... 

4) Louis Theroux - The Most Hated Family In America 


So just to be clear, any Louis Theroux documentary is worth watching. His are our go-to when we need something trusty, quick and light and there's always a topic he's covered that we are interested in. The Most Hated Family In America has to be one of the best though. Following a family that are at the core of the Westboro Baptist Church (an organisation that believes being homosexual is immoral) you will be completely shocked at just how outspoken this family are. 

5) David Attenborough - Africa 


Like Theroux you could pretty much pick any of Attenborough's sets and it would be a good choice. But as we move to warmer weather Africa has to be the pick! We don't need to tell you what you are in for here, as if you know of Attenborough then his work speaks for itself (if you don't know Attenborough then don't admit it out loud, instead lock yourself in your room and watch everything he's ever done). 







Sunday 19 April 2015

The Breakfast Club

I love breakfast. I honestly think a bit less of people if they tell me they never eat it, seriously how? I would have it for every meal if I could, and wherever I can use the typical breakfast foods for a meal, I do. 

So when in Shoreditch The Breakfast Club really was the only option when considering where to go for lunch! 




You know a place is good when it's a 12pm on a Friday and you have to queue out the door, but it was definitely worth the wait. 


When you walk in absolutely nothing matches. Not a chair, table or wall decoration and I loved it! When you go to a Nando's or a Pizza Express you could be in any location and the decoration is the exact same, it's boring! 


The menu is the absolute winner for this place. I'm sorry I was boring and just had a green tea (the drinks selection looked incredible), but after a morning of walking round London I was too thirsty! When I return (which I will) I'll be trying one of the smoothies, as they looked delicious. 


A few years ago I would always be the one to choose the sweet choice on the menu, but lately I've really grown to love a savoury brekkie. That being said I seem to have gotten into a trend of always opting for savoury, and on our quest to try new things I thought I'd go for a bit of both. Sweet pancakes, with maple syrup topped with crispy bacon. The other pancake option was mixed berries with maple syrup and cream. 



They were both absolutely delicious, the pancakes were exactly how they should be, thick and doughy and the portion sizes were overly generous! When I first saw the menu I thought that it was pretty pricey for what is was. Bills Restaurant was just next door, and seemed to offer similar food for much less. But when the pancakes were placed in front of us, and I watched the portion sizes the kitchen were dishing out, there was definitely a lot of value for money. 

In fact most of the people around us were unable to clear their plates (even I struggled and that never happens). If you love breakfast food, or even sandwiches, and you can handle a giant portion then this is definitely the place for you! But be warned, there are so many options that you'll want, you will be going back to try again. 

Emma x




Sunday 12 April 2015

It's OK To Deal With Things In Your Own Way




I've had a tough few weeks, and if you know me at all you would know that that sentence alone is hard for me to even admit.


I'm very private and I would say I'm quite guarded. I don't choose to share a lot of my life with people and when I see others sharing every detail of their life, I can't help but question why. Why would you want to tell someone that you're going through a tough time? That something awful is bringing you down and you can't stop crying? What do you gain from offering that information?

I come from quite a large family. My dad is one of six, and I am one of 16 grandchildren, and then we have eight grandchildren (four more are on their way). Growing up, I didn't even realise I had a big family, I didn't bat an eyelid.

Now this is the hard bit for me. In the last six months, we've lost three people from our family. My Auntie Lou, Uncle Kevin, and most recently, my Grandpa. I've experienced grief before, but I've never lost anybody who was that close to me. So, to lose three in six months has taken a huge hole out of our family. I come from a family of very strong people, I idolise my dad for his strength and bravery. Over the last six months he's had to make so many tough decisions, and had to take the reins on so many situations on the behalf of our family. Everyday we remind him that we don't know how we would have done it without him.

I love my family to bits. But somewhere in all of us, we have it engrained that to show suffering and pain is a sign of weakness, and if you show somebody that weakness they could use it against you. I always liked that I was private and that I don't need nor like to lean on people for support or help. Like I said, I question why others would want to share this kind of information with others. I personally do not think it would help me very much.

Don't get me wrong, I do have a few people in my life who I willingly share things with. I'm not afraid to cry in front of people, I'm not ashamed to say that I'm hurting or I'm not OK. I just struggle to find the desire to seek others for help.

After recent times, I've now realised how hard that makes me as a person to be around. It must be hard for my friends to want to be there for me, to offer their support, but be met by a brick wall. Effectively, that is what I have been at certain points. This is something that dawned on me this week, when I was met with messages from my friends asking questions. I started to beat myself up about the fact people were trying to comfort me, to help me and I was rejecting it completely.

Then I realise that the only way I have gotten through these last few months is that way and that way only. I realised that every message I have replied to has been my honest response at that given moment, if I said I didn't want to talk, it's because I didn't. No attention seeking, I wasn't actively trying to be private, I just didn't seek a conversation at that point in time. And you know what? That's OK.

So really, this post is a kind of 'To Kirsti', for the future. When I start to question whether my actions are right, or whether I should deal with it in that way, the answer is yes. Whatever your gut tells you, whatever your instinct is, is perfectly OK. Grief and mourning are an awful but strengthening period, and if the people around you tell you you're doing it wrong, they aren't the kind of people worth leaning on anyway.

Kirsti x

Wednesday 8 April 2015

March Musts

Must Watch - Pretty Little Liars



OK so we are really behind so don't you dare comment a spoiler! We only just discovered this series this month and are completely hooked (as if we needed another excuse to spend our  lives in our pjs watching Netflix). March was the month of the big reveal, where everyone found out who A is so it only seemed right to make Pretty Little Liars the must watch of this month.

Must Read - None of the Above



The media seems to be absolutely obsessed with reporting negatively about the younger generation when it comes to voting. As the general election approaches its becoming more important to address this. Rick Edwards explains both the need to vote, and how to know who to vote for in a way that's easy for everyone to understand. There's no shame in not understanding politics (does anyone really understand it?), but this doesn't mean you can't make an effort to engage in it. Your vote matters, and if you don't think it does then you definitely need to give this a read. 

Must Use - Clinique Take The Day Off 


Now this we are a little embarrassed about. Most bloggers have probably been using this kind of product for years, and were totally aware of why it is so essential. But we weren't. Before, we would use make up wipes, face washes, water, cleanser, toner.... the lot - but none of this. Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Oil takes off all traces of make-up and oil and leaves our faces so fresh and clean. Who knew we were potentially leaving so much crap on our faces?! At £22.00 a bottle it is a bargain, you use one squirt each time and it seems as if its lasting a lifetime. Perfect for both of our skin types and so lightweight on our faces - the best addition to our skincare regime. 




Must Eat - Shredded Wheat Nests 


Why Mini Eggs are only around at Easter is beyond us. We like to eat as many as possible before they are off the shelves and these nests are the perfect opportunity to do just that. These cakes just say Spring and are a great way to break those Summer diets that everyone is starting. Find the recipe here

Must Buy - Activewear 


The weather has definitely brightened up and everyone's starting to get on that health hype (seriously is all people can talk about dieting?). With brighter weather there are becoming less excuses to not work out. If you're going to do it then you may as well do it in style. Buying workout clothes is a great motivator, and lets face it getting on the move is better than the low calorie diet that people alternatively choose. 


Must Wear - Zara Skinny Jeans 


Anyone else sick of the Topshop Joni/MOTO/Leigh/Jamie jeans? Yep, us too. They fade within a few washes, they don't fit all shapes and most importantly - they don't even feel like jeans. We are a nation of followers, and unfortunately we always fall for the price tag. We think that if something is more expensive, we are getting better quality. This is not true. To us, Topshop's jeans feel similar to jeggins. Have you ever worn Joni jeans on really cold day? Useless. The cold goes straight through them. We have found the perfect range of jeans in Zara - so many types, so many colours and all around the £23-£30 mark! Granted, Zara aren't great for their organisation is stores, so it's likely you will have to take a long look around to find different ones, but it is so so worth it. Comfortable, flattering and above all, actual jeans!


Must Go - To A Restaurant You've Never Been to Before 


If you're regular readers of your blog you will know this has been our March obsession. We have spent far too much money eating out this month (explains why we haven't made our current loan last until our next), but it's been the best idea we have had. There's just something about Spring that makes you think of a fresh start, and to do that you have to try things that are different. We are such creatures of habit when it comes to food, so break it and trust us you will not regret the good food that you will enjoy as a result. 

Wednesday 1 April 2015

6 Tips When Applying For A Job



Whether you are trying to get a job, internship or placement you are going to be going through a pretty stressful period. Taking a new direction is daunting, especially when you are not sure which direction you will be taking.

Each new opportunity that comes, whether it's an interview or just an application, you talk yourself round to having this job as your new or temporary life before you've even got it. Then if you don't get it you're bitterly disappointed, or if you get accepted you doubt that the path is definitely right for you.

We are currently in the process of applying for a year long placement and we can honestly say we've never felt so unsettled! We are obsessive planners, and like to always know our next step, but how can we when we don't know what company or job role we will have, whether we will be living at home or getting our own place, or when we will even start when we do get one?

Applying for a job sounds pretty easy, but we can assure you it's not.  There are so many things we wish we had known when we first started applying, and hopefully this post will help with anyone going through the application process, and maybe make you prepared for what's to come.

1) Try and find out what you want to do

When we first started applying we were fussy, we wanted an exact role and wouldn't settle for anything less. A few months and a lot of rejections later we flipped to the opposite, applying for absolutely anything and everything. Then when we started to get opportunities we realised that we actually no longer knew what we wanted, and quickly figured out that the only way to know is to explore. This then leads on to...

2) Don't judge a role by it's description

Kirst got offered an interview and was convinced the role wasn't for her. For days on end she was toying between whether to go or not, if she didn't go she felt as if she would look back regretting and asking 'what if?', but she also had a gut feeling that it just wasn't for her.  Despite these feelings, she went to the interview for peace of mind, and because well... time felt as if it was running out. Luckily for her, she absolutely loved it - her gut feeling was way off and instead, within the first 10 minutes she couldn't see herself anywhere else. Moral of the story? First impressions aren't always accurate, and we'd rather take rejection than regret.

3) Be unique in selling yourself

One of the placements that Em applied for specifically asked to not be bored with a 'generic cover letter'. So many people just changed the company name in their cover letter, and it shows. Every job is different, even if the only difference in the actual role is the company it's for, meaning that everyone wants something different from you. Sell yourself differently to match the tone of the company, it will make you much more likely to stand out and less likely to be ignored.

4) Know your company from the word go

Two words... surprise interviews. Companies are always looking for ways to get the most honest representation of you that they can. When they ask for an interview they know you will go away and swot up on what you might be asked, and let's be honest anyone can do that. As soon as you apply for a job spend time getting to know the company inside out (you should have already started doing this when writing your cover letter) so that your confidence is evident right from the start.

5) Ask questions

When applying for a job you think that all the questions are directed at you, but actually what you ask says a lot about you. It tells the company what it is you want from the job, and determines how passionate you are about getting it. Ask questions that make you look genuinely interested, such as questions about the working environment, your responsibilities etc so you find out about the potential job and make it look like its something that you really want.

6) Be prepared to be rejected

We've done a whole post on being rejected, find it here. When applying for multiple jobs it's important to know that you are likely to face rejection, even if you haven't done anything wrong. You could have been the perfect employee, but someone else may have just had one teeny tiny element that made them suit the job better. It's important that you don't doubt yourself. Rejection is just another phase in the process, and you can't let it knock your confidence. Accept the rejection, take on board the feedback and use it go for the next job with a whole new sense of experience.

Saturday 21 March 2015

How Social Media Has Changed Us



Changed might be the wrong name for this post. Maybe it was there before but we just never noticed it, or maybe social media has brought out a side of us and just exaggerated it. But I’m sure that I don’t remember people being so in-your-face before. I don’t remember this much bragging going on. Is that true? Or was it just easier to ignore then? When it was just coming from someones mouth it was easier to zone it. Now, it’s all over our phones. Every platform we are on, it’s there. You’ve posted the same image over Instagram, Twitter and Facebook just to ensure that every person in your life has seen it.

Now, don’t get me wrong. We’re all guilty of it, we all have given in to it and now document most aspects of our life. Granted, some worse than others but recently it’s really started to get to me. It’s really started to annoy me way more than it did before. I can’t go out for lunch with my friends without one of them putting up a picture of what we ate. When did that become so important? Why does everyone need to know every minute of your day?

Instagram is now a really irritating one for this. It’s now become everybody’s blog – they update their followers like they are a fan base. It’s so superficial and so frustrating that I now search for posts that look at least a little genuine, like that person isn’t just putting that on for show, but actually because they just like that photo and want to share it. There are little numbers of genuine desire to share, and more and more of just showing off.

Holidays just illustrate this. I have never seen so many people post pictures of their Christmas presents, until this year. When did that become so impersonal? It used to be about spending it with your family, thought over price – now what, if your boyfriend didn’t get that Michael Kors watch for you, you won’t have anything to post? It’s crazy. But it’s true. I see it in everyone.

I have friends who have posted a picture of themselves at the gym, taken months ago, and yet repost it today just because they forgot to take a picture of it that day, and couldn’t possibly not document that moment in life.

It’s stupid. How ridiculous does that sound? But then look at yourself. How many times have you gone to post a picture or a tweet but haven’t done it because it’s not “interesting enough”, or you have actually posted something just to prove a point. You hate that picture of you from last night, but you post it anyway just so everyone knows you weren’t sat in waiting to find out who killed Lucy Beale (guilty).

I think my problem with it lies within the fact that I find it all fake. I find that people feel forced to post something to prove their existence, or prove their worth. ‘OMG, you don’t have Facebook? Where do you post that you went for a cheeky Nandos?’ springs to mind. It’s funny, I know. But at the same time it’s scary. I feel that we’ve lost a sense of life, whilst trying to desperately to show that we have one. We can no longer wish our Mum’s a happy Mothers Day without posting it everywhere so that the world knows that she's ‘the best mum in the world’.

Nothing feels genuine. I hate the feeling that someone is posting something for me, when it’s actually for the sake of their followers.

Kirsti x 

Saturday 14 March 2015

Frieda's Tearoom - A Bournemouth Gem



Our whole first year of Uni we lived about ten steps away from one of the best tearooms we have been to, and had absolutely no idea. While this will haunt us forever, we have more than made up for it with countless visits in our second year. 

There is nothing we love more than lunch, making the student lifestyle of frozen bread and lack of cold meats is absolutely unbearable, so we need a little treat every now and then. 



One of the main pros of this place is that it is such a cosy escape, in an otherwise average surrounding. With students living all round the area, it's difficult to find places that don't appeal to the typical student (you know the type - kebabs, Whetherspoons and Subways on every corner). 



If there's one thing we could complain about it's the choice! Seriously, we are the most indecisive people you will ever meet, so when faced with a menu like this we really do struggle (obviously the only way to overcome this is through several visits to try everything, sorry budget!). 




The afternoon tea is absolutely delicious, and perfect for two people to share if you aren't really hungry, or just enough if you are quite peckish. It's traditional, everything that afternoon tea should be, and the cakes are a big mouthful and enough to give you a variety of sweet tastiness. The sandwiches take you right back to your childhood and offer a reasonable range of fillings. The scones have that homemade taste, and are a decent size to provide you with good value for money. 



The attention to detail throughout is lovely, and there's just so much to look at. As you would expect from a tearoom absolutely nothing matches, creating a unique vintage feel.  



There really is something for everyone, and it's the perfect balance of a treat with it's great taste and food that is homemade and locally sourced. 


The bread is homemade and you can taste it. The sandwiches are extremely generous, cut thickly and stuffed with filling well. They also come served with potato and vegetable crisps, and a beautifully dressed side salad. We can both never pick a sandwich filling so we ordered Chicken BLT and Ham, Cheese and Coleslaw and had half each (sounds weird, but we do this absolutely everywhere we go). 


And you know the hot chocolate is good when we love it, as we seem to have had one everywhere in Bournemouth. Seriously malteaser in hot chocolate is such a good touch (we did regret drinking it before our sandwiches came though, maybe order one after). 



This is an absolute must if you are in the local area. It's not just the good food and drink that makes this place such an enjoyable place to visit, the staff are friendly and it has a lovely welcoming atmosphere. 

Amazingly - no moans!