Study Hard

As you all may know I am currently studying French as part of my degree and it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to learn. Throughout school I just kind of coasted through all my subjects, I was lucky enough to not have to try very hard. Regrettably, this meant that I didn’t try hard and while I came out with really good grades, if I had applied myself then I could have come out with exceptional grades instead. This hindsight came a little too late but I guess I’m making up for it now. Half of my degree is in English Literature which comes very easily to me because I love reading and analysing things but learning a whole new language is infinitely complex. So now I’ve got the chance to prove to myself that I can put the effort in and study hard so that I can achieve something rather wonderful…I have the chance to learn a new language that will open up so many new doors for me, both personally and professionally.

HOW TO STUDY HARD

Find the motivation – what will make you keep going even when it feels like your getting nowhere? If you have something worth striving for then you’ll keep at it.

Get some Coffee (or Matcha if you’ve been drinking to much coffee recently) – Energy is always needed on long hard days of studying. (Especially in the winter!!)

Take a Break – For every hour of studying take 15 to 20 mins to recharge so that you can stay focused on the task and not feel like it’s all blurring into one humungous pile of confusion.

Write don’t Type – As writing on paper takes more concentration than typing your more likely to remember your taking notes on – plus it gives you the chance to use all those funky notepads you’ve bought and never used.

Repeat – Repetition is key, it’s how we form habits and remember so, keep repeating and you’ll find it easier to study hard and you’ll actually remember what you’re studying.

Try out my new fave Matcha Tea from Teapigs

Trust Yourself

Having Trust in yourself is one of the hardest but most important challenges anyone experiences in life. Without that fundamental trust in yourself, how can you learn to trust another or, know your self-worth or even know where you’re going in life.

For most of my life, I have been crippled by an overbearing shyness. I am still rather shy now, but I have come a long way. At school, I had a few “friends” but I didn’t really feel like I could be myself around them, of course, teenagers go through Identity crises and what not but it also didn’t help that I simultaneously suffered from depression. The concoction of out of balance hormones and emotions really tested me, I hated the way I looked, I thought for many years that I was the ugliest girl in the world and that I was undeserving of love etc. Of course, this was all utter rubbish that my mind was feeding me but I believed it for many many years. It’s strange how your thoughts can trap you quite easily, it feels like because it’s your voice in your head that it must be the truth…

Slowly over many years I found myself balancing out, yes some days are always going to be darker and tougher than others but when you get the point of equilibrium it really is an achievement. For me, that was 2 years ago. After 7 years of feeling lost, I could finally look at myself in the mirror and tell myself that I was okay, that life is a gift and that it really does get better. To get to this point took a long time and while I regret that I lost 7 years of my life to feeling miserable and out of place in the world, I have come out the other side stronger and more determined to forge a life I want to lead. Funnily enough one of the things that helped me gain perspective in my life was this very blog, it was in finding a routine to create content that gave me a focus. I also listened (and still do) to Zen Buddhism podcasts, they helped me ground my mind and focus on the here and now which is such an important thing to master if you want to become positive and content with your life.

So what does my life look like now? 2 years after hitting my equilibrium moment I have started a degree in English Literature and French, this little Blog  will turn 3 years old this year, we have a youtube channel, I’ve started yoga again and I’ve rekindled my love for reading. While some things have changed, some things haven’t, I’m yet to have a relationship, I haven’t moved out into my own home and I am not pursuing my passions as a career yet. But while I sometimes worry that my life is unfolding far too fast, I have hope that if I work hard and trust in myself and my journey then things will fall into place.

Korean Cinema: Oldboy Review

Park Chan Wook’s most famous film, Oldboy, is an epic tale of revenge adapted from the Japanese manga of the same name. The film follows a man wrongfully imprisoned for 15 years until he is released seemingly unexpectedly one day and his subsequent path of vengeance.

Spoilers Ahead! Abort now If you still have not seen this iconic piece of Korean Cinema.

Park Chan Wook is a very visual director, his films are so immersive and beautifully shot. In Oldboy, the juxtaposition of ultra-violence with smaller more tender moments makes the film a rather emotional affair. It’s a movie not for the faint-hearted as the violence is rather graphic and the shock Oedipal twist is rather demented.

Park himself hinted that he was very much inspired by Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus Rex. He gave his protagonist the name Oh Dae-su to be evocative of the incestuous King and elevated antagonist Woo-jin through a rather striking and preternatural yoga pose which was designed to represent Apollo, the god that gave Oedipus the prophecy. Moreover, the fact that Woo-jin guided most of the events in the film and lived in a swanky high tech penthouse (a metaphor for Olympus) only furthered that image of Godlike power over Dae-su the lowly mortal man unable to fight against the guiding hand of fate. It’s rather intriguing to view the film as a modern take on the Greek Tragedy as it adds a whole layer of meaning to the already complex and intriguing storyline.

Park Chan Wook is undeniably one of the greatest filmmakers in modern cinema whose work only goes from strength to strength. I am currently working my way through his filmography, so far I have seen (in order) Stoker, I’m a Cyborg but that’s OK, The Handmaiden, Thirst and now Oldboy. Chan Wook’s trademark violence, lush cinematography and wit really is an intriguing combination that’s hard to find elsewhere in Cinema.

Beauty Review: [BY WISHTREND] Teca 1% Barrier Cream for Acne Prone or Dry Skin

Once again Wishtrend has given me a new product to test and once again it has blown me away! As you all know Korean Cosmetics are some of the most revolutionary products on the market and BY WISHTREND’s latest offering is the TECA 1% Barrier Cream…what is that you may ask…well it’s only the most blessed skincare product if you’re like me and suffer from Acne or really dry skin!

This cream is a spot treatment, so at the end of your skincare routine apply it to your problem areas such as spots, acne scars, dry patches, irritated skin and pigmentation. The cream acts as a barrier that allows your body to do all the healing it needs to do without any interference. And as a result, you will see a dramatic difference in the appearance of your problem areas within a couple of days. Witchcraft? Nope, just really good Science!

MY VERDICT: ♥♥♥♥♥

Normally in the run-up to Christmas, I am dreading all the family photo’s because my skin (for whatever reason) always plays up and I get so many spots that make me want to hide my face away. However, after receiving the TECA 1% Barrier Cream I have been able to treat my blemishes and even out my skin texture so quickly so that I don’t have to worry about hiding my face away and I have the freedom to embrace the festive season and look forward to celebrating the New Year without any skincare worries!!

Beauty Review: KLAIRS Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask

The lovely Wishtrend team kindly sent me a brand new product to review for you guys!! It’s from the Klairs line and is the Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask. Part mask, part intense moisturiser, this product is just thing to keep your skin soft and supple through the cold weather ahead of us.

First Impressions:

• Let’s start with the packaging, it’s simple, stylish and minimalistic which ticks all my boxes and it looks good with all my other beauty products on my skincare shelf, so 100 points for aesthetic appeal (because that’s totally important right! ).

• When you open up the jar your hit with gorgeous Lavander, eucalyptus, and citrus notes.

• The texture is bizarre but super cool, it reminds me of Crème brûlées and feels great when you massage it into your skin and I believe that the mask having such a texture makes it a little more adhesive to the skin thus your face stays moisturised for longer.

My Verdict: ♥♥♥♥♥

I am in love, after using the Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask for a week and a half I feel like my skin is much firmer and brighter and my makeup sits better and lasts longer. This product is definitely going to become a staple in my skin care regime just like the Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence has this past year. Another great thing about this mask is that it retails at $27 which here in England is £20, which is much more affordable than some skin care brands and a little of this product goes a long way so it will last you quite a while too!