Friday 3 June 2016

2016 To Date.

                                        2016 so far at University...

Good evening! I hope your day has been good, for me I have had a day of slowing down and doing nothing. It was spent in the garden sunbathing... little to my knowledge I was burning... I am now red and just why do I never tan?!?!?! struggles. Anyway, I wanted to share a bit about my year of 2016 being a student mental health nurse.

The year started of being on placement, which I absolutely loved. This was a complete new experience for me as I had never worked on a mental health elderly ward before. I absolutely loved it, I learnt so so so much, more than I thought I would have done. I was tired and exhausted from the long hours but the work and progress I was making, and seeing others make progress makes it all worth it.

I then went back to university for a little while where I sat through numerous lectures wishing I was back out on placement. I did enjoy uni, it was good to catch up with everyone and see how far people had come. My anxiety had settled down a lot by then and only had a few set back in some sessions that were mentally and emotionally challenging for me. However with support from both lectures and peers I managed to get through them.

A few weeks after Easter I then went back onto placement. This was the big one, a real eye opener for me. I was on a mental health acute ward. (Currently still on this ward) I absolutely love it, I know I said that about my first one but this one is so much more challenging and fast paced its unreal. Being a student mental health nurse is challenging within itself. Being able to build a wall and develop strategies and ways of coping with the stress and sometimes verbal abuse is a hard thing to do. I have certainly struggled with it to this date, but over the next three years I'm sure that this will soon come to me. If anyone else out there is a nurse, its one of the most rewarding jobs, agree? Seeing patients getting better and being discharged by some of the work you do... its an amazing feeling.

During the time at placement I handed in an assignment and did an exam so in a month or so I should get the results back and boy am I nervous! My first year of university is almost over (6 more weeks!)

To anyone else there out in university doing exams or waiting for the results... good luck! You will do absolutely fine, if you've put the work in those grades will come to you... believe in yourself!

I know that this was a really quick summary of my 2016 start based around university. If you would like a more depth post on mental health nursing from a students point of view let me know, also anything about mental health (I will do my best to answer), please leave you comments and questions below because I feel like its important to talk about!

Thank you all for reading, see you all very soon.

Love
Chloe x 

Guess Who's Back!

Good morning! A lovely sunny morning on a Friday, and today I finally get to have a day off.

Studying nursing is a full time course, the past year has been amazing but I haven't had a minute to rest. With the 40 hour working week and then revising for exams, where do I stop? But my exam was over yesterday... now I'm back! With just placement left, and summer well on its way I thought why not get back to my good old favourite hobby. 


This is just a little update really, to say that I'm back and I'm spending my day in the garden sunbathing and making many notes on new blog ideas!

See you all very soon

Love
Chloe x 

Thursday 31 December 2015

New Years Eve Reflection.

                                                 NEW YEARS EVE!

So Christmas is over and now New Years is upon us, so I thought I would look back through 2015 by answering some reflection questions... you could do this too, if you own a blog go ahead and make a post, or just answer them in your mind :).

1. What is the single best thing that happened to you this year?
-For me it must be finishing a-levels and getting into university, this took so much hard work and dedication that I managed to complete a successful goal and now I study nursing at university!

2. What is the single most challenging thing that happened?
-Definitely moving out of my family home into halls, even last year this would have never happened. There are many personal reasons why but I'm so proud of myself.

3. Pick 3 words to describe this past year:

-Eye opening, happiness, confusion.

4. What are the best books you read this year?
-The ones by Cathy Glass, they are all amazing, I cant remember what they are called but Google her, they are all based on real life stories and the children she has fostered over the years.

5. What is your biggest personal change this year?
-I've grown up a lot, from moving out of my family home and moving into university. I have become more independent and found myself... sort of!

6. What was your single biggest time waster this year?
-Wasting time and thoughts on people that don't matter, on people who have hurt me and people who don't benefit me what so ever. If you have people like this in your life, remove them. I did and its one of the best things I have ever done,

7. With whom were you most valuable relationships?
-My family.

8. What's a new hobby you picked up during 2015?
-Pole fitness... this is one of the hardest things I have done... mentally and physically. But boy do I enjoy it, it brings so much achievement when a new move has been mastered, there is also so many physical benefits! Abs here I come!

9. What's the biggest thing you learned this past year?
-Don't let others define who you are. Don't let others put you down. Be you, be yourself and you will achieve, but do it because you want too not because someone pressured or told you too.

10. Do you have any new years resolutions?

-Personally I don't believe in new years resolutions, if you want to make a change make it when the time is right and when you need too... you don't need to wait until new years to do that. However I want to be the best version of myself this upcoming year, that's all I ask of myself.

I hope you all have a wonderful night!

See you all soon
Love
Chloe x

Wednesday 23 December 2015

University Christmas Celebrations...

                                         IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE EVE!

Hey! Only two more days to go until Christmas! Today I wanted to talk about the flat meal we had to celebrate Christmas. Moving into halls is one of the best things that I have done, I have made so many amazing memories so far and its only been 12 weeks or so. One of the best memories I have been able to experience is the Christmas meal.

As students we went all out... (well... as much as we could haha). We made very piece of the Christmas meal to make it extra special and worthwhile. We were all given a single task to do.. however we all ended up doing much more because there was so much going on!

The day before the meal...
I was asked to make one of the desserts, personally I think that s a good task to be given! So I decided to make chocolate smores! Mmmmm they were delicious. I made double the mixture and ended up with tons of sweet treats! We also had trifle too! So much dessert... what can I say it was Christmas for us!
















The day...
The day after was the day of the Christmas meal, we were all preparing veg and chicken and everything else at 12pm with blasting Christmas music! It took 2 hours for the prep to be done and 2 hours for everything to be cooked and ready to go! We had everything going in this meal... chicken, carrots, meat and non meat stuffing, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, parsnips, turnips, mash, roast potato, home-made gravy and home-made Yorkshire puddings! We had so much food it was ridiculous! We also decorated the table with a festive throw, festive napkins, chocolate and Christmas crackers... everything you need! We also had Christmas decorations on the window and a cute Christmas tree to put the presents under...


While to meal was being finished we opened our Secret Santa, this was so funny, if you want to see what I received I wrote a post about this Monday here. After the meal we played a series of games, we played the game where you hold a card to your head and had to guess what you were. We then played charades, which by this time a few were drunk, and it was hilarious! Overall I had an amazing night, with amazing people, amazing food and amazing company.

How have your celebrations gone so far? Have you done anything exciting or memorable? Not long till Christmas now! Exciting!

See you all soon,
Love
Chloe x

Tuesday 22 December 2015

My Favourite Christmas Clothes!

Hey!
I hope you are all doing well! If there is one thing that I love it is getting all festive with the clothes that I wear during December! (Okay... a lie I've been like this since November 1st but ah! I love it!)

During the winter I am a big lover of jumpers and wrapping up warm for the cold weather (although this year the UK has been a lot warmer than usual... so a coat hasn't really been needed... SHOCK) Most of jumpers are from primark, simply because they are cheap and wonderful, they are warm and cosy and amazing!
1. To the left is the cutest reindeer jumper that I brought from Primark (I mixed it with a coloured wash and the white parts went pink, still looks cute though!)

2. To the right is a grey jumper with cute little owls sitting on candy canes (my favourite sweet during Christmas - so this was a must!) I honestly will wear this all year round because there is only a small hint of Christmas compared to the reindeer jumper!
3. A black jumper which is slightly thinner which is from Primark also. It has gold specks running all the way through it which reminds me of small litter specks of tinsel which you hang on your Christmas tree :).

Since its getting a little bit colder I also bring out the boots, currently I have been loving my Doc Martens below...super comfy and warm! I have also been loving my boots on the right for the same reasons, I cant remember where I got them from and I forgot to bring them home with me :(!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope the run up to Christmas is exciting for you! What is your favourite piece of clothing during this festive season?

See you soon,
Love
Chloe x

Monday 21 December 2015

Secret Santa Gift's...

Hey!
Second post of the night! To kick start the Christmas posts I thought I would share with you some of the 'Secret Santa' gifts I have received, and maybe it might give you some ideas for some last minute gift ideas for someone you might not have brought for yet!

1. The first Secret Santa I was involved with was with my flat in university... If you know someone like me who loves a relaxing bath and a sweet treat then this is one for you...
I honestly love a good bath, so my Secret Santa brought me: Dragons Egg, Intergalactic and Butterbear (butterball) bath bombs from Lush! I also have an incredible sweet tooth so they brought me birthday cake Oreo's and Jolly Rancher hard candy sweets! Yummy!

Lush is perfect for baths bombs if you want to treat someone to a luxurious bath. Sweets are always a pleaser for people who enjoy food and eating and trying new things!

2. The second Secret Santa I did was with my secondary school friends! This one is again for someone who has a sweet tooth and is hard to buy for haha!

A big box of chocolates will always go down a treat no matter who you give it too! Yum... I cant wait to dig into these soon!

I also received a gift card for boots, I am a make-up lover so this is perfect for me because I can treat myself to something a little more expensive! Gift cards are a great way to spend money on someone, however it allows them to buy something that they enjoy from their favourite store if you are unable or don't know exactly what they want and don't want to get it wrong!

3. This was a birthday present but I really wanted to include it as I thought it was such a thoughtful present. I get extremely anxious and I have moods that change frequently. University had put a lot of pressure on me and I found it difficult to cope with so one of my good friends brought me "The little bag of happiness"' and a complex colouring book, and for someone who like me gets anxious this is perfect idea, it takes your mind of whatever is worrying you, it calms me down and focuses my mind on something else so I can return back to my everyday tasks with more ease and a little less worry!

In the little bag of happiness there are tons of little objects which represent something incredible... for example:
-a plaster to heal you when you are hurt
-star to wish all your wishes upon
-string to hold it together in tough times...
These are just a few examples, and I think that is such a lovely idea for someone who think is going through a rough patch, one thing I always believe in is that the small things matter. Giving just a little bag of happiness may make someone else feel better, its a symbol of knowing that they care and that they will always be there for you.

Christmas is a wonderful time to spoil someone, but it is also a time where friends and family come together and have a wonderful time sharing and making new memories. Cherish the people that are around you and love them with everything that you have, they are people who are really important to you and you don't want to loose them!

I hope you are all looking forward to Christmas! Let me now of any Secret Santa ideas you have, or presents that you have received so far!

See you soon
Love
Chloe x

Apology..

Hello...
I'm not going to lie I've been absent for a long long while now, and honestly I'm half disappointed in myself because I wanted to keep up a hobby, on the other hand I got so busy I honestly had no time to relax. Being a student nurse, moving out for the first time and trying to find myself has been stressful, rewarding and frustrating... However I have enjoyed it!

Now that its Christmas break I will be uploading a lot more, I have photos saved that I want to upload, I simply haven't had the time... I never knew how much time university would take from me, but for all the good reasons as I'm perusing a career that is so important to me!

I hope that you are all well and enjoying the festive month and that you are looking forward to Christmas.. I sure know I am!

Speak to you all soon,
Love
Chloe x