HOW TO: SURVIVE GCSEs

You may have noticed recently that my blog had slowed down quite a bit in terms of new posts, and as some of you may have already guessed, it was due to my GCSEs, and I simply didn't have the time to post as regularly as I would like. BUT, they are over now, and I'm reporting on how I survived. I know they are over now, but for upcoming years, this might be useful material for someone.

TIP #1 - FIND YOUR LEARNING STYLE
For a lot of people, revision hasn't been something they've done before and it becomes a bit overwhelming when trying to decide how exactly they are going to tackle the extreme masses of textbooks they need to plough through. Luckily, I did one GCSE a year early last year so had a bit of practice and mock exams are pretty useful too. I was a fan of making condensed notes in loads of coloured pens, as well as highlighting key information and using index cards to make flash cards that my mum could test me on. It is important to trial different methods to ensure you are taking in as much information as possible, and generally learning off by heart is not the best option, as you generally aren't tested on recall and you instead have to apply knowledge to certain information. Take advantage of the help available to you - if structured sessions are offered at your school try and go to as many as you possibly can rather than trying to sit alone with a book.

TIP #2 - ORGANISATION
Being organised makes things a whole lot easier. Setting out a revision timetable is a useful tool to ensure that you are making the most of your time as well as getting enough done. By starting this process early on rather than super close to the exam you will feel more at ease when walking into the examination hall. Revision should not rule your entire life for the weeks or months leading up to exam season, and you should keep some sort of balance between work and life, to help de-stress.

TIP #3 - STICK TO ROUTINES
This links to the previous point, but try and stick to the normality that would be occurring in your life before exams had started to kick in. Eat and sleep well, as well as putting aside some time to relax each day. If you find yourself cramming, take a step back and analyse what exam is closest and how to manage your revision for it. Worrying how much revision your friends have done is not the best option (I learnt the hard way) - and only you can tell whether you have done your absolute best in terms of working towards each exam.

TIP #4 - THE END GOAL
Perhaps the easiest way to get motivated is to stick to the end goal. Think about getting your results sheet and seeing all the grades you wanted. That doesn't mean the grade the next person wants, because everyone has better and worse subjects - it is all about what you personally want to achieve. Although you may feel like your life has come to a standstill, think about the long summer you will receive afterwards, and how much freedom you will have once everything is over.

Although I'm yet to receive any results, I hope these tips are somewhat helpful to another student out there somewhere, who is simply trying to power through an extremely stressful time. I'm looking forward to the time I now have to focus on my blog and get it back on its tracks.

DAILY GRUNGE - THE OUTFIT

Flannel - H&M  /  Vest - TkMaxx  /  Bag - H&M  /  Jeans - Primark  /  Shoes - New Balance 410

The majority of my wardrobe consists of monochrome so for me it's not difficult to create grungy, dingy looks, but today I think the combination was worthy of a post itself. A black and white flannel shirt seems to make any outfit that little bit more edgy and it just seemed to pair really well with the sort of acid wash grey loose vest. I actually found it in TkMaxx for £8 the other day and instantly imagined this outfit, and it's lovely quality too. 

I think some ripped jeans would have tied this outfit together that little bit more, however they were in the wash so standard, slightly looser jeans were on the cards. I've also got a corresponding makeup look too with quite a warm red smokey eye and some cool toned lips that'll be going up at some point soon, so look forward to that one. 

NEW BALANCE 410 BLACK SONIC TRAINERS

For a while now, I've been wanting a decent pair of trainers, and I've never quite found a pair I loved (being the fussy buyer I am), and I've often been known to spend hours trawling the internet to find a pair - even making a few orders and returns along the way.

I'd seen the New Balance 410 style around and liked them a lot, but never wanting much colour I just waited, until I found these Black Sonic ones on ASOS. I kept sending screenshots to my friends, and eventually I caved. They are all black, apart from the white and grey sole, and are mesh with suede look panels, and I am in LOVE. Seriously, it is £60 very well spent.

The fit is amazing as is the comfort of them, but I would add that I usually fit a UK size 5 but after some research I went for a 6 instead as apparently they come up a little small - and the 6's were a perfect fit. I must admit, I do also love the neon coral lining on the inside of the shoe. I'd been looking for trainers that I could use to workout and to style in outfits, and these fit that category perfectly. They aren't your Nike Free 5.0s by any means, and they probably aren't major running shoes, but for workout DVD's in the house (my personal favourite), they fit the bill.

ASOS seem to have a good selection of New Balance trainers if you are interested - so go and have a look whilst trying not to spend all your savings...

NYC SUNNY BRONZER

Being quite fair skinned (until a holiday or the sun comes out - then I tan sooo easily, which I guess is rather lucky) and a fake-tan fearer, I try to get the faux glow going on with the help of bronzer, and my collection is pretty much brimming. Nars Laguna is 100% my favourite, but as I have hit pan on that I've gone back to the trusty NYC Sunny Bronzer. 

What I love about this is that it is extremely budget, I got it in the USA for the equivalent of about £1.50, which is a total bargain, and you get quite a decent amount (and a mirror) for that price. For me, the colour is a little too intense on pale skin, so the Real Techniques Duo Fibre brush comes in rather handy to get a light amount, however when I'm tanned, this is a pretty good colour, and I find it looks best when I've already got some colour in me.

It's almost totally matte, which is what I love, as although it is becoming more popular among drugstore brands, finding a matte bronzer used to be extremely difficult on a budget. I still wouldn't use this for contour and the colour is still a bit too orange for that on my skin, but it might work well on others.

If you can get your hands on this, I totally recommend it, as it doesn't break the bank either, and try out your preference with it. At the moment for me, it's a light handed affair, but I'm hoping as the sun comes out a can pick up a brush that's a little more dense....

KIKO SMART LIPSTICKS

KIKO is a brand I don't own very much from, as I don't live in London, and I often don't want to make a full on order online, so KIKO products are very few and far between my ever growing makeup collection. I do own three of the Smart Lipsticks though, and I do love them.

The formula is quite creamy, and by no means matte on the lips, so not majorly long lasting, although for a slightly sheen-y product they do have pretty good staying power. I seem to have accumulated colours across the spectrum, and I'm fairly sure they are cheap (I'm talking around the £3 mark from what I remember).

908 is the true red, and surprisingly one of the only reds I have ever found to suit me. It's so so pigmented, and one coat has the lips ready to go almost, and I think the fact that it's slightly more glossy than a matte means I find it a little less 'bold' if you will.

912 is a medium pink, that has a slight red tone to it, so it isn't anything fuchsia here, and is one of the first bold lip colours I actually felt comfortable wearing. I'll also add, these smell pretty good, as I find a lot of lipsticks to smell too plasticy, whereas these are slightly sweet.

Finally 901, that I'd describe as a brown nude that is slightly peachy (quite a throwback shade I guess) and I really enjoy wearing this one on a daily basis, as the consistency and the colour is so wearable.

I hope to grow my collection of the KIKO Smart Lipsticks, but I don't know where to start! Do you have any colours from the collection?