My 5 Favourite Quotes of the Month

I said a while ago that I wasn't particularly motivated by quotes, but recently, that has changed. I like the idea that you can read something and suddenly feel like you can do anything. Here are my 5 favourite quotes this month.

1. "There are far better things ahead than we leave behind"

2. "Actually, I can"

3. "Speak the trust even if your voice shakes"

4. "You're always one decision from a totally different life"

5. "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist"

All of these and more are on my Pinterest board, titled 'Quotes'. You can view that here and you can follow my Pinterest by clicking on the button on this page.

Stay happy,
Katie xx

My Autumn Bucket List With Eventbrite

Since Autumn started yesterday, I thought it would be appropriate to put up something a bit like my monthly goals, but my goals for this season. This post was inspired by Eventbrite, the largest self-service ticketing platform in the world, and their GOMO campaign.  I wanted to create my goals for stopping FOMO (fear of missing out) and starting GOMO (going out more often).  If you're looking to GOMO this fall you can check out Eventbrite and look up events in your area or use their site to create an event for you and your friends!  Here are my attempts to get out more and have fun with my friends! Here are my attempts to get out more and have fun with my friends!

- Try and go on more walks - The autumn weather is the perfect time to go for a walk in the woods and hear the crackling of leaves and wear my warmest coat!
- Buy some new clothes - Autumn is the best for nice clothes, so I need to go and get as many as possible!
- Enjoy the concerts I am going to - I am going to see The 1975 and Tom Odell in the coming months and I cannot wait!
- Make some new friends and go out with the friends I have at college - College is a fabulous time for me to make new friends and keep the friends I have, so going out and doing stuff sounds great!
- Explore more cities - I really want to go back to London and I really want to go to Brighton and Cardiff as well!
- Print out my summer photos and do some more scrapbooking!

As I said earlier Eventbrite is the largest self-service ticketing platform in the world and I think that I will be using this a lot more in the future, as should you!

Stay happy,
Katie xx

Life Update // College and Other Bits and Bobs

On Monday 12th September, I walked out of my house at 7.30, headphones in, music blaring and headed off down my road to the bus stop. This was my first day at college and I was feeling so many things. Scared for the new start, meeting people and finding my way around. Happy I was doing subjects I wanted to do and enjoyed. Sad I had left school and I knew there was no magical way to transport me back to year 7 so I could restart and improve.

But my main feeling was happiness. And that continued through the day and the next and the next. I feel like I have found my place where I can enjoy my life with my friends, studying the right subjects for me and meeting people who, I think, accept me for me. My tutor is fabulous and my classes, in general, are good and friendly at the moment!

Also, I got a job at the local gardens and I am so happy about that!

Sadly, I had to give my ukelele back to my old school, so that will definitely be going on my Christmas list because I miss it so much! However, it is in its rightful home now.

I just hope I can continue feeling this way, even though I am sad that I have had to leave a few friends, I still have many and the ones I left are still my friends, I just don't see them as much!

Stay happy,

Katie xx

Alopecia Awareness

We all know about charities. Charities are everywhere and come in many forms. Ones that are based around raising money for cancer treatments, ones that are based on raising awareness for a certain disease, ones raising money for a cause like air ambulances or hospitals. There are so many charities. One of these charities that I have recently become very aware of, is Alopecia UK. 

This charity focuses on raising money for awareness and the research into treatments for the prevention of Alopecia. It is an amazing charity and I encourage you all to have a look at their website.

The reason that I have become so aware of this cause is because of my friend Anna, who writes for the blog A Fabulous Feminist. She recently did a post on her blog about her trip to Glasgow. This was for an Alopecia event, in which she went to workshops and activities which gave a better insight into the different types of Alopecia. She told me last weekend that she had a type of Alopecia, Alopecia Areata. This event is an auto-immune condition which means that the immune system, instead of attacking viruses and bacteria, it attacks the hair follicles, causing hair loss. 

When Anna went to Glasgow, she bought the most amazing wig, which looks amazing, as seen below. 

I think that Alopecia is not talked about enough and for that reason, I am writing that post and encourage you and anyone you talk to, to go and research Alopecia because it affects 12% of men ages 18–29 years, 38% of men in their 30s, 45% of men in their 40s, 52% of men in their 50s, and 65% to 70% of men over 60 years old. 

Anna's mum is raising money for the charity by shaving her hair off and you can donate by clicking on this link.

I hope you have learnt a few things from this post and I encourage you to look at Alopecia UK's website and donate to this amazing charity.

Stay happy,

Katie xx

Dear September

Dear September,

This month brings a whole new line up of exciting and scary things for me to try out! I can't believe it is September already, it feels like it should still be June when I finished school. This summer has been the best summer and I can't believe it has ended so quickly!

However, I am starting a new college, a new lifestyle completely. New lessons, new people, new friends, new routine. I am kind of looking forward to it, but at the same time, I really would just like to go back to school for a bit because it is all I know. This amount of freedom will be, and is, completely new to me and it panics me slightly. A lot of my friends are coming with me to my college, but a large amount is also going to the other college, which will be a very different and scary experience, after seeing them every day for years. For example, Anna and Jemima are going to the other college, which is so sad! However, lots of my friends are joining me at my college and I can't wait to start learning about the subjects I have chosen and have an interest in!

I also hope that this month will be a good month for me as I have recently got a job and although I haven't started yet, I hope I enjoy it as much as I think I will!

I think that September and the start of autumn will have so good photo opportunities as the colours change in the trees and the weather gets worse or better.

Thanks, August, hello September!

Stay happy,
Katie xx

September Goals

As is the new tradition, I am going to be doing my September goals today, as lots of people seem to like them! This month has a lot of new things happening, so my goals are in full flow!

• To keep to my new student planner
• To do my college work as I get it
• To practise my instruments at least 3 times a week
• To start and attend my piano lessons
• To get back on track with this blog
• To get a job
• Start reading books again before I go to bed
• To keep my room tidy
• To spend time with my friends, as well as balancing my school work 
• Keep enjoying my extra-curricular activities

What are your goals?

Stay happy,

Katie xx