Study Abroad Diary: Nesting

The day I arrived at my Edinburgh accommodation, I nearly broke down in tears. I've always felt it is important to have a 'safe space' that you can escape to when needed, and to find my room adorned with red curtains, red carpet, and a bright blue door (not to mention the extremely dated furniture), was a bit of a shock. After a little bit of a meltdown and some complaining to Mum, I decided it was time to visit IKEA and turn this dark space into a cozy and inviting bedroom for the next six months. I've always loved turning something plain into something beautiful, so this was the perfect challenge. And the results? A total success. I love this space now, it is the perfect inviting place to be after a long day of classes and exploring Edinburgh.

Some of the key purchases I made were a floor lamp and lovely green desk lamp from IKEA, as well as a faux sheepskin rug for my chair (it's so fluffy!) and of course, a nice selection of novels. My advice would be to have a look at your budget, see how much you can spend on decor, and just go for it. It has made my time so far substantially more comfortable. If you are planning to study abroad, or even if you just find yourself with a space that's a bit 'umph,' I hope you can find some inspiration here.

Papercutting is a new hobby! Add some tealights and you have a very 'hygge' setup. 

Adore my new IKEA bedding

Mood lighting, only six pounds at IKEA!

My ever-growing stack of books, I'm doing well with the Goodreads reading challenge for 2017.

A Few Favourite Things

So it's been a while since I've posted here, and I won't apologize -- I've just been happily living my life for the last month or so. My New Year's resolution this year was to spend less time documenting and planning my life, and more time living it. So just take my absence from this space as an indication that I'm succeeding in that.

It's been a big month. I've been making lots of plans, figuring things out for next semester at school, and enjoying my summer as much as possible. On top of the usual daily routine, I've fostered the most beautiful dog from the RSPCA (but their policy prohibits me from sharing photos until he's ready for adoption). However, I have found some time to slow down and enjoy the everyday, and I wanted to share some of that with you here. I thought I might share my 'favourites,' but instead of material possessions, focus instead on events/activities/recipes (although there are a couple new things I want to share!)

Lazy afternoons reading

I've been reading a lot lately, which has been lovely and much-needed. There's something delightfully comforting about reading on the couch while it rains down on the windows. I recently finished The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion and loved it just as much as the first Rosie novel. Don's narration is so refreshing and not frustrating, as I find many narrators to be. Right now I'm reading Diana Gabaldon's Dragonfly in Amber, the second in her Outlander series. I've absolutely been swept up in Claire and Jamie's story, and love DG's writing and Claire's narration. I'm up to date with the TV show so I can't wait to finish this novel and get on to the next one.

And watching some television

A couple of great shows I've been watching lately have kept me entertained in the evenings. Master of None, Aziz Ansari's show, was a seriously entertaining but light-hearted watch. Well cast and with clever humour, it was the perfect kind of show to watch over a couple of rainy days in bed. Then I started Please Like Me, created by Australian comedian Josh Thomas. It is a wonderfully optimistic show that deals with complicated issues in a tasteful way. I really liked that the main character, Josh, didn't seem to have any idea what he was doing as he entered adulthood, which I found very relatable and realistic. Finally, I've just finished the the first season of Jane the Virgin. I had watched a few episodes a while back but never got into the story, but recently I rented the season from the library and found myself totally invested in the storyline. While the premise is a little ridiculous, the characters are complex and interesting, and I love it now!

Planning for the next few months

I'm such a planner that I've been busy making lists and calendars and checklists to get ready for the next semester. Without even trying, I find myself with five jobs/roles on top of classes, so I'm in for a very busy few months on campus. I bought a new diary from Kikki.K (that has lots of little illustrations to colour in) and I've been using Apple Calendars and Google docs to make plans and lists so I'm all ready to go. It just makes me so happy to colour code and highlight things so I've really been enjoying that.

New additions to the wardrobe

While I didn't set out to shop too much this summer, I have picked up a few nice new pieces that I adore. I bought a pair of Blundestone 585 boots recently and have practically been living in them, they're so comfortable! They go with just about anything and I love love love them to bits. I also stopped in Chapel St. the other day and bought a lovely pair of cotton pants at Sussan, as well as a tunic dress and jacket in the Ishka sale (honestly I don't know of a better sale than an Ishka sale!) I love the colours of these pieces and they are all soft and made of cotton, which is just awesome.

Delicious breakfasts

I recently picked up the PB2 powdered peanut butter in chocolate flavour, and have been loving that so far! My favourite breakfast lately has been oats with chia and flax seeds, some chopped banana and the PB2 chocolate drizzled on top. So good! I'm also pretty obsessed with overnight oats- basically just oats and chia left to soak in coconut/almond milk and coconut yoghurt overnight. Top with some fresh fruit and it's a quick and delicious breakfast on the go.

x B

Curing Midweek Blues

Lately I've been making more of an effort to enjoy (or at least not detest) weekdays and all that come with them. It is so easy to fall into the mentality of I can't wait until Friday! It's totally okay to look forward to Friday and I really do most weeks, but I also think it's important to appreciate Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I'm trying not to be the kind of person that lives for the weekend. I'm working on making the most of every minute of every day.

That said, my busiest day is Tuesday and sometimes by the time I get to Tuesday evening all I want to do is curl up in bed and sleep until Saturday arrives. I wish. If you're like me and find it a struggle to stay motivated and power through the week, but also find yourself worn out by Friday afternoon, maybe these tips will help. 

• Plan! I know it sounds boring but honestly, this is what I've found to be the most helpful in getting things done and making sure I have time for myself in the evening. I keep a diary so that I know when important things are coming up. Additionally, each night I write myself a list of tasks to complete the next day. This has been a huge help this school year, and I would recommend it! I cross each task off when I finish it and somehow I can feel myself de-stress a little bit after I do.
• Put yourself first. It took me a long time to learn that no paper or homework task is as important as my mental and physical health. I'm not an all-nighter kind of girl, and I'm not going to let schoolwork stress me out to the point of physical exhaustion. I had a friend who had a literal breakdown because she worked too hard and didn't spend enough time caring for herself. So, start assignments early, to avoid late nights. And even if you feel like you need a late night, just don't stay up all night. All kinds of regret the next day.
• Exercise! I am not the best person to be dishing out this advice, but when I do make the time for a walk or a run on a weekday I feel so much better. It clears my head, makes me feel more energized, and gives me a chance to look at all the pretty trees and flowers around the neighborhood! When you get back, you'll be so much more awake and ready to tackle any challenge that comes your way!