The Land of Laura

Fear.

That all encompassing feeling that stops us in our tracks. The dark cloud that we all try to ignore but we can't, because deep down we know there's a storm overhead. The feeling that consumes you so much you can't escape from it.

Fear.

The weakness of man.

No matter what you are told, everyone is scared of something. Everyone. Whether its the monster under their bed or the fear of losing the one they love, their fear is real. It exists. Sometimes it presents itself in the most violent of ways, and other times it creeps up on you so slow that you don't feel it until you're doing the thing that scares you most. You could be up in a plane about to do a skydive and then it hits you when you here the word 'Jump'. You could find yourself trapped in a small space and it makes you want to kick and scream and panic until you're free. Fear. It's a funny thing. The same feeling that stops a little boy going to bed at night, also brings a grown man to his knees. We are all scared of something.

Me? I'm scared of flying and spiders. Small spaces and big crowds. Failing and Death. Loving too much and not being loved at all. These are my weaknesses. Some stop me in my tracks, others are like a quiet niggling that will destroy me in my sleep if I let them. They consume me all at once, and then not at all. Sometimes I think I've conquered them, and then they prove me wrong when I least see it coming. It's an ongoing war that won't be won on either side. Thats how fear works. It plays tricks on you until you think you've won, then it shows you who's boss. It doesn't want to win, it just doesn't want you to win either. It's your own personal little joker.

But here's what fear doesn't know - It can be channelled. Let the fear that stops you in your tracks become the adrenaline that gets you moving again. Let your heart race for the right reasons. Fear was designed to stop us. Adrenaline was designed to keep us going. So, I guess that's the real war isn't it? Do we stop and walk away, or do we jump? Either way we'll be scared out of our skin, but only one of those ways do we get to conquer our fear, if only for a moment, before we're crippled by the next thing that scares us.

Hello loves,

If you read my post last Thursday, you'll know I've been in somewhat of a rut the last couple of weeks. If you've not read my post from last week, you can do so here. So, it's Monday now and I feel much more on top of things, so I thought I'd share my little tips on how to get yourself out of a rut and find your fire again.

1) CLEAN YOUR SPACE
If you're anything like me, you find it incredibly hard to stay on top of the cleaning! If your space (e.g your room, office or whole house) is a mess, it really helps to give it a good clean! I know it may seem like an overwhelming task but just take it one room at a time and you'll be done before you know it. A clear space really helps to achieve a clear mind! This is something I'm really trying to improve on, and now I've finally got a clean room, I'm aiming to keep it that way! It also helps to make your bed every morning. You'll be surprised how much cleaner your room looks!

2) LIST EVERYTHING
It really helped me to break everything I had to do down into as many small tasks as possible. I briefly touched on this last week but I'll explain some more now. Writing every small task down may make your list longer, but you'll constantly be crossing things off, making you more motivated to keep going, and consequently increasing your productivity. It also helps if you're particulary struggling with a task, such as an essay, to break it down so you can overcome it one baby step at a time and it doesn't seem like an unachievable task!

3) BREAK THE ROUTINE
Routine can be such a comforting thing that most of us fall victim too, but sticking in a routine for too long can really make you feel trapped. Do something a bit different such as a weekend away or a night out with the girls - get yourself out that house and have some fun, (most) work can wait till Monday! You'll come back on Monday feeling much more refreshed - especially if you're coming back to a clean space!

4) FORGET THE SMALL THINGS FOR NOW
If one of things you've got on your to do list is 'hoover under the bed', FORGET IT. Do the visible things, and the big tasks first. You can shorten your to do list down no end by scrapping all the silly tasks. Don't forget them forever, you can return to them when you're feeling more on top of things.

5) DON'T PRESSURE YOURSELF
There is one thing that all us humans need to realise, no-one has their shit together! Everyone at some point feels like they're in a rut and thats okay! Theres no need to feel bad for it, we've all been there. It's also okay to not come out of your rut straight away, sometimes we need time to take a breath and recuperate. Stay in bed, eat some ice cream, binge on Netflix, work out whatever it is you're going through, but set a day that will be the turning point. It can start with something as easy as getting out of bed earlier, making your bed and having your breakfast. It's all about baby steps!

6) REWARD YOURSELF
If you've been feeling really down, reward yourself everyday! Okay so you didn't get all the laundry done today like you planned, but you got up, made the bed, did the dishes and cooked dinner, good job! Now go make yourself a Gin & Tonic! Criticising yourself because you didn't achieve a million things in one day is only going to put you back in a slump. Reward yourself for the little things, and every day you'll feel better and get a little bit more productive, promise!

You've got this!

Laura xoxo

So, today is the third of March 2017, meaning today is the day that Ed Sheeran dropped his new, much anticipated album 'Divide'. I decided to write a post giving you my honest opinion on each song. I'm not down with all the technical lingo so i wont be able to give you a proper description of the songs, just my opinion. I highly recommend you listen to the album (with tissues and your dancing shoes) to fully understand what I'm on about!

Eraser - For me, Eraser is a progression of classic Sheeran. He truly is an incredible lyricist. Singing about the down sides of the industry and job he's found himself in, I can't help but think Ed is incredibly brave for coming forward and singing in the such true manner that he does, and this continues throughout the album. One thing i really love about this song is the several levels to it, sometimes its just stripped back and raw and then others it's so full on.

Castle on the Hill - where do i start with this little charmer? Singing about growing up in his hometown of Framlingham, Suffolk, Sheeran provides an upbeat song that everyone can relate to from the days they grew up, discussing first kisses, drinking and many more things teens get up to. The song encourages the listener to think back to their own upbringing, and if you're anything like me the song with have you smiling at many points as it reminds you on anecdotes from your youth. The love Ed has for his hometown is beautiful, and the feeling he puts into the song is reflected in his voice in such an impressive manner.

Dive - I really can't think of the way to describe this song! It builds so beautifully and the roughness in Ed's voice is gorgeous. I love all the backing elements we have with this song, and we don't often get them with his songs! The electric guitar we get in the middle adds such a fantastic dimension to the song before kicking back in with the incredible roughness of Eds voice.

Shape of You - I love this! It's so different for Ed! Ed spoke about how he took some convincing to put this on the album, and then more convincing for him to also release it as a single, but i'm so glad he did! I find the song difficult to come to grips because in some ways this is so different for Ed but in other ways it's hard to imagine him not releasing this song, it suites him so well! It's nice that he's released an upbeat song that has already proved to be a hit and is a banger in nightclubs across the globe. Shape of You also provides a nice chilled back listen that the album really needs before the emotional stuff really kicks in.

Perfect - Okay, so who wouldn't have this as their first dance song? I love how much he loves his current girlfriend, and ex-classmate Cherry Seabourne. If i was her i would die a thousand deaths every time i heard this song. It made me an emotional wreck within 10 seconds. It is very 'Thinking Out Loud' in nature but there seems to be so much more truth and personal experience behind this song - i can imagine him getting emotional singing it for some reason? It really is the staple first dance song we all know Ed is great at creating.

Galway Girl - The first of the Irish influenced songs on the album, paying tribute to his paternal grandparents heritage. I can't help but feel disappointed that this isn't the cover of the song 'Galway Girl' from P.S. I Love You that i was expecting, but i like the song non the less. I think this song will grow on me the more I listen to it, because i honestly wasn't huge on it the first time I heard it. It may just be that it combines so many different types of music that i don't know what to make of it, but we'll see.

Happier - A heart breaker, Ed sings of seeing an ex with someone else, a notion many can relate to. The album really explores many different emotions, this song is a complete 180 flip from 'Galway Girl'. However, I think this really shows the diversity this man has and truly does  his talent justice.

New Man - Again, a complete switch from the song before. I like to think of this song as the 'middle finger' of the album. It really is the perfect 'f*** you'. The song is actually also quite lyrically funny, which isn't unusual for Ed. Overall, I love this song, i think it'll be the song i angrily clean my room to when i'm in a bad mood, and by the end of it i'll be having a proper dance.

Hearts Don't Break Around Here - I genuinely don't know how he does it! Another beautiful little love song. The type you slow dance to as you try not to cry and fall apart at how perfect the moment is. Again, you can really feel the love he has for his girl in this song, she's one lucky egg. The impressive thing is how incredibly he manages to put this love into words, because i struggle to name someone who does this as well as him.

What Do I Know? - Bringing the mood back up, this song is just cool I and can't help but have a little boogie to it. For the weirdest of reasons, certain bits of this song remind my of the theme song for 'The Cleveland Show', but that's definitely just me! I'm honestly struggling with stuff to say for this one, just because i can't stop dancing long enough to actually think about it !

How Would You Feel (Paean) - I could be wrong but i believe 'Paean' is a song of a tribute to a certain person, so again, i bet his girlfriend is a puddle of tears every time she hears this. I don't know whether it's insulting to describe this album as a wedding album but it has the perfect mix of upbeat, dancing songs and romantic slow dance ballads that this album would play perfectly at a wedding, (although it is destined for so much more than that!). Perhaps you'd take Happier off the playlist though, the newly weds might not appreciate it. Moving on, again with this sexy electric guitar he keeps bringing into his songs, i blooming love it, it adds a whole other kind of groove to the song.

Supermarket Flowers - I was not emotionally prepared for this song - it is gorgeous. I could be horrifically wrong but i believe this was written about his grandma? The sadness in this song is enough to jerk tears from the most emotionless of people, it's so raw. You song really breaks for Ed when you hear this song, i'm yet to listen to it without crying all the way through. The lyrical break in the middle of this song is hauntingly beautiful and puts in me in a state of awe of every time.

Extended Edition

Barcelona - The furthest switch from Supermarket Flowers, this song is just fun with an incredibly Spanish influence (obviously). I dig Ed singing Spanish in some of this song, even if I don't know what he's saying. I love that it brings in loads of different instruments, it really adds to the fun of the song.

Bibia Be Ye Ye - Again, just pure fun. This is the sort I imagine playing in Nando's (and no that's not an insult!). I love that he only put these song's on the extended edition because that's what they are, a nice little bit of fun at the end, I don't think I'd have liked them if they were in the place of one of the other songs on the normal edition of the album. This is really one to have a boogie and laugh with your best friend too!

Nancy Mulligan - Again, I believe this is about his grandparents and the Irish influence in this song is so much fun and such a refreshing thing to listen to. I need to learn how to Irish dance just for this song, I imagine a large group of people dancing to this at folk festival, it's so much fun and just something so different. This seems like something that would just be sung off the cuff, in the most positive way possible it just seems so busked.

Save Myself - This song is exactly what i needed to here. If you've read my previous blog post about felling overwhelmed, you'll be able to understand why i relate to this song. If you've not read it you can check it out here. I truly believe this is a song that everyone needs at some point. It has such a 'lifting' element, i feel like a massive weight is off my shoulders by the end of the song. This song is like a deep breath of fresh air that we all take to help us through trying times. I honestly think this is one of my favourites, and it is a gorgeous ending to the extended edition.


So that's it! My review of Divide (Extended Edition). I know that some of you will think me being a huge Ed Sheeran fan has made me biased, and it probably has, but i tried my hardest to be as honest as I could in this review. The problem is, it is so hard to critique greatness - which this album is.

Until next time,

Laura xoxo

Hello lovelies,

Apologies for not putting a post up in the week, hopefully this post will explain why. If you've read one of these "Lets Talk About" posts before you'll know that me and my best friend Jess collaborate on blog posts to talk about a variety a topics. This week we've gone a bit more rogue, and although our posts are similar in nature, we both really wanted a post that we could just ramble about our feelings - my brain couldn't possibly compose a coherent thought, so this one might be a bit all over the place, sorry !

If you're new here you might no know that i'm in my third year of university, which basically means i'm functioning with my stress levels at 100%. Although some of the pressure has been taken off by managing to get a job lined up for when I graduate, there is still a million and 1 things I need to do before that actually happens. With trying to complete my assignments and my dissertation, while keeping a night shift job a feel like i'm swamped with work! On top of that i'm trying to orchestrate moving in with Ross when i graduate, which is stressful in itself!

I had a moment this week where I honestly just wanted to book a weekend away, throw my phone away and get anyway from (almost) everyone for a bit. I lie awake at night just glaring at my phone screen, and it's addictive. It's not even like I post many things myself, i just lie there scrolling and scrolling. I'm hoping to go away with Ross this weekend to hopefully allow us both to completely switch off. The next few weeks are going to be crazy with house viewings and appointments at estate agents and banks etc, so we both want to take advantage of the last free weekend we have before moving in together.

As for my work, I've been managing better, I've broken everything I've got to do down into as many small tasks as possible, so even though my list of things to do appears longer, i'm getting more of it done because I'm not feeling overwhelmed by large tasks. For example 'clean room' can be broken down into tasks such as 'make bed', 'tidy desk','do laundry', 'vacuum', just little tasks that can be accomplished easily and fairly quickly. I've found breaking things down in this way really help me, so if you're also feeling overwhelmed by the amount of things you've got to do, maybe give it a try!


Thanks for reading,

A much less stressed,

Laura

For Christmas, I received the Paula Hawkins book 'The Girl on the Train'. Having recently finished it, I thought I'd give you a review and let you know my honest opinion on it.

Generally, the feedback around this book is incredible, everybody is raving about it! So, maybe it's just me? While I cannot deny that Paula Hawkins is an incredibly talented author with a beautiful writing style, something about the Girl on the Train fell a little flat for me. I'll try and explain the best way  can without giving away any spoilers.

Hawkins writes the book from the viewpoint of three different characters, each chapter alternating between these characters. By doing this, we learn so much about so many characters and really build up and bond with them, so props to her for doing that. It's just a shame that these characters, and their stories, become sort of irrelevant by the end. The book is certainly packed full of twist, which normally has me hooked on a book, but for some reason I often struggled to find the motivation to pick the book up, I think to me the pace became a little slow in the middle and I became so fed up of not knowing what was going on and "filler storytelling" (those bits of the book that add nothing, they're just there). Some people really love the fact that the story is dragged out and keeps you questioning and in suspense for so long, but this just wasn't for me. Furthermore, for it to be dragged out that long and for the ending to be what it was? Not a fan. I haven't yet seen the movie and I normally always prefer books to movies, but in this case i actually think the book would work better as a movie. The "filler" storytelling wouldn't occupy as much time and you'd get to the end of the movie not feeling pissed off that you'd spent a week and half reading it. With the movie, its only an hour and a half of your time gone, no biggy.

I am fully aware that I am in the minority, so it is probably just down to my personal taste, since everyone I know LOVES this book. The high reviews around it are a testament to Paula Hawkins, but this one just wasn't for me - sorry !

Always Read,

Laura xoxo

Hello lovelies,

Top 10 Relationship Tips (Not necessarily in the right order)

1) Compromise - I know I said these weren't in the right order, but this is probably my absolute number 1 tip! Compromise is so important in all aspects, whether its fro

Bonus Tip From Ross!

As a little bonus I asked my boyfriend for his number one bit of relationship advice and can't believe I didn't think of it myself! Ross' top tip is to never try to change a person and love them for all their positives and well as their negatives (which i have bags of). I have to say I 100% agree with this one. Love them for who they are, never change them and never let them change who you are!

Hi Guys,

Welcome to the first official post in my new series "Lets Talk About:"! To see what this series is all about check out my previous post (although, its fairly self explanatory). To kick things off I wanted to talk about something that I've wanted to do a post on for ages - university! I kept putting off writing about university because I wanted to wait until I was close to my graduation (which I now am, go me!), so that I could truly impart some proper wisdom, rather than just saying "jaegerbombs are grim after the second one", which is truly the only advice I could have offered as a fresher. I've broken it down into categories and given you my top 3 pieces of advice for each topic, although not necessarily in the right order! I decided to focus on advice for when you're actually at University, if you'd like a post offering advice on the application process and choosing where to go, let me know!  So here it is....

Books
 - don't go nuts buying loads, they cost a bomb and you most likely won't need half of them ! Try taking them out of the library and see which ones are worth getting first !
- for books you do need to buy, try getting second hand ones, university forums and social media pages are great for this, there is bound to be people in the year above you that don't need their anymore.
- for books you need from the library, get in there early! The library will only have a limited number of books and if it's a core text book for the course, they will run out !

Accommodation
- stay in halls in your first year (if possible), it's a great way to meet new people and make friends. Be careful about what accommodation you use though, look at what you can realistically afford. For example, my student loan wouldn't cover me having an en suite room, so take this into consideration!
- if you choose to move into a student house, NEVER GET 12 MONTH CONTRACTS. They seem great at first because you don't have to move all your stuff home at summer, but if your in my position (I.e you get basically the minimum loan) you won't be able to afford rent over the summer. Look at the cost of renting and see if you can afford it, but realistically, most people don't stay at uni over the summer, so it becomes a waste of money anyway.
- If you do live in a student house there will sometimes be a downstairs bedroom, if this is the case, avoid it like the plague! You'll be woken up constantly!

Work
- get a part time job (even if you don't need one), it looks great on your CV and it's a good way to meet new people.
- get into a habit of starting your uni work early. Getting into a good habit with this will make your life much easier later on ( I didn't do this, and boy do I wish I had)
- any extra things you can do such as volunteering will look all go on your academic record and look great on your CV, anything extra you can do makes you more employable when you graduate.

Social
- be yourself, literally anything goes at uni and you're pretty much guaranteed to find someone who likes the same stuff you do, so there is no need to pretend to be into stuff you're not.
- depending on where you go, there is a pretty big 'drinking culture' at University and it is ABSOLUTELY FINE to not be in it. If your not a big drinker (or you don't drink at all) do not feel pressured, you can still go on nights out if you want to and people will like you just as much!
- Join a society. Societies are massive at university and they range from the academic (such as the medical society) to the down right wacky (my university has a Quiddich Society!). There's bound to be something for you and they're a fantastic way to meet people and escape from work every now and again.

Graduating
- If you're not graduating until June, start applying for graduate job before Christmas, since this is when a lot of the application deadlines are for graduate schemes.
- Even if a company isn't advertising a job, drop them an email and your CV anyway, it shows passion and initiative - I got an interview from doing this!
- Don't promise loads of people that they can come to your graduation, there is normally a two person ticket limit!

Money
- Live within your means. It may be nice to have an en-suite bathroom but if you cant afford it you will begin to resent that bathroom more than anything. Nothing stresses you out more than not being able to afford your rent - shared bathrooms honestly aren't that bad! (depending on how many people you're sharing with).
- Food shopping is extortionate. Make a rough meal plan and a list before you go shopping, try to buy things that can be used for a lot meals (chicken breasts for example) and buy things that can easily be frozen. Its horrible spending a fortune on food and having to throw it away because it's gone out of date.
- When choosing where to bank, don't be drawn in my by the massive overdraft limits and freebies. I went with Santander for the big overdraft and free railcard. BIGGEST. REGRET. EVER. Setting up their online banking is a nightmare and their mobile app is shit. Mobile/Online banking is fantastic at uni for when you inevitably have to pay your housemate for your share of the Dominoes.



There is probably a million things I've missed but these were all the main things I wanted to cover! I hope if you're thinking of going to University or are at University already you found at least some of these useful! I had a fun time writing this, laughing to myself about all the stories that inspired each piece of advise. I'll be back on Sunday with another post and next Thursday  with another "Lets Talk About:". What would you like me to cover next?! Leave a comment or tweet me @LauraCharlotteG!

Until next time loves,

Laura xoxo