EmmaGrxce: 2017

December 06, 2017 No comments

November 28, 2017 3 comments

During winter when the days get shorter and the temperature plummets, like me, your mood may suffer. To pick myself up I like to have a super cosy evening, and really focus on myself with a good pamper session.

My routine normally starts with a running a steaming bath. Whilst this is running I make myself a cup of my favourite tea, currently this is the Raspberry and Peach fruit tea from Lidl. There's nothing more relaxing than a hot bath, especially in winter if you have the window open and the cold air blowing through. This is the best way to unwind after another stressful day at Uni, where deadlines and exams are looming. To make my bath extra luxurious I added the 'Fizz-a-Ball' bath bomb by Soap & Glory. Now let me tell you, this smells DIVINE. I used the 'Original Pink' scent, which is probably my favourite scent by them. Its sweet and feminine but not sickly. It filled the whole bathroom with the smell and this lasted until the next day. The bath bomb made the water turn a very aesthetic pink and filled it with glitter (and unlike some bath bombs I didn't leave the bath looking like a disco ball!).

Whilst I was in the bath I also used the 'Radiance-Boosting' sheet mask from Soap & Glory. This is the perfect pick me up for dry and dull wintery skin. The mask was cool and refreshing in the hot bath and oh my it made my skin feel incredible afterwards. Because it had vitamin C in, it made my skin glow. I don't do this step every time I have bath, but when I do it makes the evening especially luxurious and makes me feel like I've really treated my body.

Because I left the face mask on for 20 minutes, it gave me the opportunity to listen to my current favourite podcast - The Heart of It by Estee Lalonde. In this episode she talks to kick-ass women about feminism and female empowerment. Listening to this felt like I was looking after my brain as well as my body.

After I've left the bath I pop on some super cosy winter pyjamas (possibly even Christmas PJ's if the mood strikes) and snuggle up in bed. A top-tip if you live in a student house like me, and its always freezing, is to make a hot water bottle before you get ready for bed and put it in between your sheets. That way it's nice and toasty for when you get in.

Once I'm in bed, I switch on my fairy lights, and put on whatever TV series I'm in the middle of . I've just finished watching the first series of The Top of the Lake, and although it was a bit of an intense watch, if you love a crime drama like me, you'll love it. Because I'm so chilled after the bath, I normally fall asleep after an episode or two and that's where my routine ends.

Thanks for Reading - Emma x

Thanks to Soap & Glory for supporting this post and providing the genuinely lovely products featured. Also thanks to my boyfriend for the use of his bath and being my personal photographer.

November 19, 2017 No comments

October 09, 2017 No comments

September 28, 2017 No comments

So this summer, the boyf and I ventured to Parklife festival for the first time. Keeping in mind that Oli and I have a VERY different music taste, this seemed like the perfect festival to attend with indie for me and grime and hip hop for Ol (I'm sure his list would be very different).

So first, the hits:

George Ezra

Although I'd heard of 'Budapest' I wasn't Ezra's biggest fan, but he was on early in the day when there wasn't much else to do so we thought we'd see what all the fuss was about. His set was more chilled out than most, but it was quite nice to have a little sway to an acoustic guitar rather than to be flung into a mosh pit. I also realised I knew more of his songs than I first thought, which was an unexpected bonus.

Stormzy

Whether you like grime or not, Stormzy sets are always so energetic its almost impossible not to get caught up in it. The small tent was packed with people even crowding outside, which made the atmosphere even better. Although I think it was a bit cringe that he did his cover of shape of you, it gave me something to sing to when I knew very few of his own songs.

And then the misses:

Frank Ocean

I know this might be controversial, and I'm sure a lot of people would argue otherwise.. But I was not impressed with Frank's set. I love his music and his vibe as a person, but when he had to re-start 'Solo' 5 times I got impatient. This was after he was half an hour late to his set time. Also, because he had arty-farty hand held camera shots, the signal kept cutting out and because we weren't lucky enough to get close to the stage it was a bit irritating.

A Tribe Called Quest

These are only a miss because I'm just a little bit salty they didn't turn up. I understand that one of the members had an injury and fair enough. But Parklife failed to announce that they weren't playing, sneakily took them off the line up and replaced them with Run the Jewels - who aren't even nearly on the same level. Honestly both me and Ol were really excited to see Tribe, and it was one of the main reasons we bought tickets to the festival in the first place.. shame on you Parklife.

July 24, 2017 No comments

Backstory: Oli and I have been together 3 years (ish). We met when we were both 16 in Costa in town and have had an (almost) normal relationship since. The only part we don’t talk about is the brief period in which we broke up last summer, which coincidently happened during the stress of our A2 exams and the stress of uni and moving away from home and each other. ANYWAY as I say, we brush over that minor hiccup and move on to how we’ve dealt with both being fresher’s at different uni’s.

First of all, this is just us. Our situation is probably very different to a lot of couples who go to uni. Particularly that we only live about an hour away from each other. This isn’t what a lot of people would call long distance but after spending the majority of our relationship 10 minutes away, it’s a bit of a jump. This isn’t usually a problem, if everything goes to plan. However if we’re arguing at 2am, getting a train from Preston to Manchester so we can talk in person is a pretty impossible task. This doesn’t happen often, but when it does it shows how much those 38 miles count.

Advice: you don’t always have to drive in the middle of the night only to get there and be questioned by the security at Oli’s halls as to why you’re there crying at 3am in your pyjamas.

Luckily, as Oli does a bullshit screenwriting course he’s only in uni 3 days a week, which means when he comes to Manchester we can have a long weekend and make the most of the time we have. However when I don’t finish until 5 on a Friday then have a 9am on Monday it makes the weekends in Preston feel extremely short. On the few (many) occasions I missed that 9am because I couldn’t motivate myself to drive for an hour down the M6 at 11pm on a Sunday night, I justify that it’s worth it. However when it came to first semester exam season, I realised that those 9am’s were probably important and if I had made it to them, I wouldn’t have has to spend an entire week teaching myself the course.

Advice: go to lectures. Even the 9am’s. You will regret staying in bed when you’re in the exam room and the only thing you’ve written is your name.

Taking it back to the first week, I moved in on the Friday before freshers. I drove up with my family, and Oli. Looking back this may have been a mistake. Not just because 4 people don’t really fit comfortably in a halls room, especially when trying to unpack. But because seeing them (Oli) leave was a bit traumatising. Oli moved in to his halls on the Sunday, I got an early train to Preston to help him unpack and settle in. But again was traumatised when I had to get my return train home.

Advice: rip the plaster off quickly and don’t hang about getting upset. You have to get used to leaving some time.

I know a lot of couples only get to see each other once a month, or less, because of costs or work commitments. We’re lucky in that we can see each other most, if not every weekend. However this often means missing out on time with friends. Although we have missed a weekend every now and then, not seeing someone for two weeks is such a long time if you’ve got into a routine. But you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice your partner for your friends or vice versa.

Advice: compromise is key. If you see friends on a Friday, you still have the rest of the weekend together. Or invite your other half out with your friends, if they get on with each other there are far fewer conflicts.

Because this post has gotten long and to be honest I can’t be arsed to write anymore, I’ll wrap it up. You don’t have to sacrifice a relationship just because you move to uni. At the end of the day, like any kind of relationship, if you trust each other it will work, if you don’t it won’t. There will be arguments, and inevitable jealousy. Its only 24 weeks, and it makes you appreciate the time you have when you are in the same town.

DISCLAIMER: I am aware that many people who know me may not think I'm the best person to give advice on relationships at all. But me and Oli are still together and happy the majority of the time, considering everything we've been through that's pretty good going.

April 15, 2017 No comments

Although the title is ambiguous, this post is a poor students guide to the nightlife in Manchester. I have to point out I will always be slightly biased towards clubs that play The Smiths and/or S Club, however I am also aware that most people wouldn't consider this 'good' music.

I admit I haven't been to every club in Manch, but I have ventured out to a few venues as my friendship group has a varied music taste. I hope this provides me with enough expertise to point you in the right direction based on the day, budget and whatever mood you're in.

My Number 1 : Fifth

So.... I'm sorry. I unashamedly love Fifth. Yes it's the 'worst' club in Manchester, and yes the floors sticky and YES they play some of the worst music from the 00's. But that's what makes it brilliant. Also, 99p jagerbombs. Warning: if you don't like chart, indie or throwbacks, then avoid fifth like the plague because I don't think they will ever play house or grime. But if you're drunk and don't mind Beyonce, it's a great night. Its the only place open pretty much all week, Tuesday-Saturday. Perfect for after a 9-5 day at uni.

Budget: Probably the cheapest night out in Manchester. £1 drinks most weekdays, and either free or reduced entry (£1/2) if you can find a rep hanging about on Princess St. Also, very close to the £1 bus that goes up Oxford Rd and runs all night.

Dress Code: Jeans, trainers, t-shirt, no t-shirt. No one really cares what you wear and you'll probably have a vodka Redbull spilt down it anyway. Extremely casual.

Music: The music varies depending on the day, Tuesdays are 90's, the rest of the days tend to be chart mixed with indie mixed with a few 00's throwbacks. The weekends tend to be more commercial.

2 The choice if we can't decide : Factory

Just down the road from fifth this is probably a less embarrassing club to be seen at. Because it has 3 floors with totally different music on each, it's the best place to go if the music taste in your group is varied. The ground floor tends to be commercial with a few remixes, the first floor is indie, and the top floor is a mix of DnB, grime and occasional house. Although Factory probably has the best mix of music, it only opens on a Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Budget: Heavily depends on the day, Mondays and Thursdays are £1 entry and £1 drinks. However the weekends can get a bit more expensive with £3 entry for students and £2.50 for a single vodka lemonade. If you pre-drink hard it shouldn't hurt your bank balance too much.

Dress Code: Again, jeans and trainers but you could probably get away with a 'nice top'.

Music: Chart, Indie, Grime, DnB, House.

3 Only if it's a decent event : Antwerp Mansion

This was a surprise to myself, especially when my favourite club is Fifth. I pictured Antwerp as a cold, dark, and creepy abandoned house, which it is. However for the event it was done up really well, with fairy lights all over the ceilings and themed decorations in every room. It was more than bearable. Although it's only open when there are events on tickets can be quite pricey so it's one you'll have to plan in advance. Again, it's close to the £1 bus so travel costs are kept to a minimum. The music is interesting. It changes depending on the event but is usually house/trance/DnB/garage. It's not my favourite genre of music but it was bearable after a few drinks.

Budget: If you get first release tickets it can be ok, but prices can get expensive, especially if its a popular event (£8-£15). Drinks aren't cheap either, although most people who are there don't tend to go for the alcohol.......... Again, pre-drink, or pre-whatever you want I'm not here to judge.

Dress Code: Whatever you want, theres no rules. Except trainers, wear trainers, its muddy and you want your feet to be comfy walking up and down the stairs to the toilets.

Music: It entirely depends on the event. I'm sure there's something to suit everyone.

Worth a Mention: Deansgate

Most of the previously mentioned clubs are casual nights out. Deansgate offers a more glammed up evening. You can fully embrace the LBD, heels and false eyelashes. This does come at a cost though, the clubs always have an entry fee and the drinks are pretty expensive. Hot Mess on a Wednesday for example was £6 entry. It depends what kind of night out you're after. It's alright to splash the cash once in a while.

Budget: Varies by club and night, usually around the £5 mark for entry, and drinks tend to vary around £2.50 for a single.

Dress Code: You can finally wear that one pair of heels you brought to uni. Pretty smart.

Music: The usual, commercial with some remixes.

DISCLAIMER

This is only my opinion, I am only one person with one specific music taste. I'm sure Manchester has a place for everyone and everybodys music preferences. Hopefully I'll discover more of the nightlife in second year and update you then.

March 10, 2017 No comments

February 28, 2017 No comments

February 16, 2017 No comments

On the 16th of September 2016 I moved to Uni.

At the time I was terrified. I spent almost everyday leading up to doomsday cry-packing my clothes into storage boxes and aggressively cuddling my dog.

I'll give you some background. I live in a relatively small town in the Peak District, about 20 minutes from Sheffield. The most exciting thing to do in my town is go to 'Big Tesco' or venture to the one nightclub that's only bearable on student Thursdays. Pretty bleak.

Moving from that to the second biggest city in the UK was a big fucking step.

I go to the University of Manchester and currently live in halls. I purposely chose the fuck off expensive halls with a double bed and heated towel rail. Not because I'm a snob or because I have the money to throw about but because I wanted the sanctuary and safety of a nice flat. If it all went tits up, I didn't make any friends and hated everything, at least I'd be able to come back to a room that didn't look like a prison cell. That's probably tip number 1: invest in nice halls. It's not all that much more expensive than the rest, I get to poo in private and don't feel like I'm being suffocated in my sleep when boyfriend comes to visit. It's also the place where you spend most of your time, binge watching PLL and trying to finish coursework 20 minutes before the deadline. It's worth eating ALDI basic beans and pasta for a couple of weeks. Also, heated towel rails!!

Tip 2: Say yes, to (almost) everything.

Before coming to Uni I hadn't bought any wristbands or tickets to events. Despite the constant facebook notifications that there's only 100 tickets left that YOU MUST BUY RIGHT NOW!!!!! there were always tickets left. I thought I'd wait and see what my flat mates were doing, or whoever else I happened to make kind of friends within the first week. Prior to coming to Uni a few girls in my course had started a group chat on facebook, this lead me to find two girls who lived in my halls. I'd messaged them a few times, and when I knew they had arrived and unpacked I invited them both to my flat for some drinks. (BTW I know it's not necessarily essential to drink in freshers, but a couple of vodka lemonades does make the conversation flow less awkwardly.) From this we all bought the same tickets to some freshers events and through those events and pre-drinks at different flats throughout the week I got to know a lot more people than just my flat mates. Some of the events were shit, Craig Charles DJing (that guy from robot wars) wasn't a highlight, but going to literally everything made sure I didn't miss an opportunity 1: to get to know the girls in my halls more and 2: to meet people outside of the small circle we'd developed. So say yes to everything (within reason, pugs not drugs!!!!!)

Tip 3: Don't play hard to get

Be annoying. Start group chats on everything with everyone. Have a course chat, have a flat chat, have a lad chat. This means that there are multiple opportunities to be invited to an event, or to invite people to an event. Don't be embarrassed to ask people what they're doing or if they want to go out somewhere. Freshers week sounds like 168 hours of alcohol fuelled fun times, but what doesn't get mentioned in the facebook event pages are the hours in the daytime you spend lonely and hungover. I found this the hardest part to deal with, ringing my mum crying fully clothed in bed because I needed paracetamol and I couldn't figure out how the hob worked to make the packet pasta she'd left me. Messaging the people you went out with the night before asking if they want to go for a spoons breakfast will never go unappreciated.

Tip 4: Don't judge someone by their public school cover

When I met my flatmates, I wasn't 100% convinced they were my kind of people. out of the 4, 3 are international, from Malaysia, Australia and France???? The other is the poshest person I've ever met. He went to Harrow, which is miles away from the community school I was at for 7 years. As it turns out, they aren't really my people and we have very little in common. However, they are all lovely and they're clean. Which is a rarity in halls. Although I was a bit down that they weren't really ones for shotting vodka I now appreciate a quiet, calm and CLEAN flat to come back to after 9-5 lectures. Instead of going out we have flat meals or order Dominos. It's an alternative uni experience but when deadlines are looming its a perk.

Tip 5: Enjoy being away from home

Now, I'm not saying I don't get homesick. Because I do, when I don't know how to cook rice or how to clean hair dye off the bathroom wall I give home a ring and get sad that my mums got a better social life than me. But the freedom of living alone is great. Not having to text saying you're going out and another text to say you're in the taxi home so your mum can 'go to sleep without worrying'. Having dirty pots in your room for weeks without anyone nagging to wash them. Not showering, because you don't have anywhere to be and you stopped caring about how greasy your hair was in week 3. Cooking oven chips at 3am because you're hungry and you can. It's not fully moving out, but its a good test drive to see if it's something you can handle.

Lastly, enjoy being a fresher. When semester 2 hits the fun and games are over and you have to actually get a degree. I've almost finished first year and our house is all sorted for September. Although it sounds disgustingly cliche, time goes so quickly, so make the best of your experience before it ends and uni starts shoving CV's and job interviews down your neck.

February 14, 2017 No comments

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