2013; A quick recap and some (probably unrealistic) hopes for 2014!

Hiya Peeps!

So as 2013 draws to a close, I thought what better way to celebrate my final post of the year than recapping everything that's happened in my life. For the most part it's been a pretty good year and I've had amazing people around me, but 2013 hasn't been all fabulous. Despite that, I've learned a hell of a lot, hung out with some amazing people and I've smiled almost all the way through. So without further ado, here's what happened to me in 2013... (And I'm sorry it's not in chronological order, I'm painfully lazy!).

Possibly the biggest and most talked about thing for me this year was when I graduated University back in July. I know it was 6 months ago now, and I haven't really stopped going on about it, but I actually still can't believe it happened. I've blogged about it a lot and you can check that out here, here & here and if you want to see the exact moment I 'officially' became a graduate, skip to 0.55 of this video and listen to my family scream at me... I won't talk too much about it because I've already said way too much, but I had the most amazing time with some really incredible people who I can't thank enough. I learned so much about my future, but also about myself as a person, so good job Cardiff, you treated me well.

After I finished studying, I was also lucky enough to land myself my first real bit of work experience with Social and Mobile Media agency, Coup Media. It's also something I've spoken about already on my blog and you can read more about it here, but like being at University, I learned so much while I was with them, and it's only made my passion for Social Media grow, so cheers guys!

2013 was also the year that I started to take blogging seriously. Now I know what you're all thinking... 'Amy, you haven't taken it that seriously, you haven't posted in about a month' and you're right. Towards the end of the year I have been slacking, but I promise you, 2014 is our year! I hit 2000 views which is absolutely huge for me, so thank you to everyone who's read previous posts or is reading now. Whether you've read all of my waffle from the beginning or whether this is your first time on my blog, thank you! And while we're on the Social Media topic, I also wrote my 20,000th tweet in 2013. A lot of you will say that this is because I don't have a life, but I think it's just because I have a lot to say, and I really like the internet. Tyler Oakley also followed and then unfollowed me this year, but I'm keeping this in because I'm so sad that it's no longer a reality.

For me, this year was a big year for music. I'm not necessarily talking about artists that have broken through into the top 100 or that have kick-started their careers, but I'm talking about music that I have discovered this year, and artists that I've been lucky enough to see live. Artists like SoMo, Kid Ink, Jay Loftus and Lewis Mokler have had my heart this year when it comes to discovering new talent. I also happen to have a love affair with Little Mix, Union J and Wiz Khalifa this year. I've been lucky enough to see some of my favourite artists this year including Hoodie Allen, Tyler Hilton, Bruno Mars, Ellie Goulding and Mcfly, among others! Music has spoken to me a lot in 2013 and pulled me through so much. I'm starting to realise that I think I love music more than people.

2013 is also the year of McBusted, and I honestly couldn't be more excited about it. I'm going to be seeing them in 2014 with my sister, and I'm super stoked. I've been wanting McFly and Busted to collab again for a really long time so I can't wait to be a part of it. It's also the year of the first McBaby and that's another thing that is super amazing. Being part of a fandom for such a long time, you really feel it when things like this happen and I just know he or she is going to be the coolest and most spoiled kid of all time!

Oh and for those of you who know, you'll now how hard the next two things were for me. Lent came around and I really wanted to have a good stab at it this year. I always give up things that I can't stick to, but this year I was going to push myself. I drink A LOT of Diet Coke and my Uni friends thought contracting me to give it up for 40 days would be a laugh. I knew it would be the hardest thing ever, but I decided to give it a whirl... And I actually stuck to it. And on the last day of Lent, I bought a crate of 30 cans of the gorgeous, fizzy, sugar free goodness and haven't looked back since. I also battled with my weight a lot throughout 2013. My anxiety got really bad, and in turn I think I got really lazy and just put on a lot of weight. I also think being in the University environment doesn't help when everyone around you can eat whatever they want and it goes to your thighs, rather than theirs. However, I have also lost a lot of weight this year. So far I've lost about 2 stone and in 2014, I hope to lose more. I've been at a bit of a standstill for a while so am looking for a bit of extra inspiration to push my weightloss in the new year!

Looking ahead to 2014, I have a lot of dreams and things I want to achieve. All of this year, and most of my life I've talked about my love affair with the USA. I am 100% certain I was born on the wrong continent, and this is something I want to work on over the next year and many more to come. I want to spend some time in America, whether that's a two week holiday or a three travelling trip, I'm going to do it. Ideally I want to hit up Florida before the summer, Los Angeles in October and New York for xmas. All probably completely unrealistic, but if I even manage to achieve one of those I'll be a happy little soul. America has had my heart since I was 11 years old, and I can't wait to get back.

I've mentioned it already, but I want to get to my goal weight in 2014. I'm not going to tell you how much I weigh now, but ideally, I want to weight 5lbs less than Harry Styles which I believe is 11stone. My friends know the reason why, but I'm not going into it on the internet. And when I get to that weight I want to maintain it. It's one thing to lose weight, but to stay there is the hard bit, so hopefully I can do it! 

I also hope that 2014 will be my year for luck in Love. Everyone I know is going to be freaking out about this because for the longest time I've been happy being single, and I still am but I guess I'm ready for someone to cuddle and eat Nandos with while watching trashy TV (soooo vommy I know, and I almost hate myself for writing it). I'm not asking for much though, so maybe Harry Styles will see my potential in 2014 and fall madly in love with me. 

So that's it. Thank you so much if you've lasted until the end of this post and thank you all for sticking by me this year. 2013 has been a pretty good one, but I'm almost certain that next year is going to be even better. 2014 is MY year. All of my Social Media links are in the side bar so come chat to me, I'm nice enough. Tweet me or tell me in the comments, what are your plans for 2014? 

You can check out my 2013 in photos on my Instagram or here!

Thanks again for stopping by,

Take care, Stay Beautiful and Dream Big (especially in 2014!)

All the love in the world, 

@amyjcollins

I'm back! | Figuring Out Where I'm Going in Life - The Next Chapter

Hiya Peeps!

I know it's been a super long time since I've been here, but please don't judge me, I've been super busy trying to figure a few things out and now I'm (hopefully) back for good. Setting myself a goal to post on a weekly basis on a certain day and time was obviously something that I wasn't going to be able to stick to, so I'm sorry for that also! 

As you may know, in July this year I graduated from The University of Glamorgan (now The University of South Wales) with a 2:1 in Media Production (I know, I still can't really believe it either!). Throughout the whole of my third year I didn't really think about what I was going to do after graduation, I guess I just focused on the work and holding onto the University lifestyle. I always knew that the time would come when it would all be over and I'd have to start looking for a job, but I tried to block it out. I'm one of those people who haven't figured out what I want to do yet, so actually getting my head down and applying for stuff scared the living wits out of me. 

Since I was able to get my hands on a computer with internet access, I've been a little bit addicted to Social Media. Don't laugh, I was even on Habbo Hotel and Neopets (and if you don't know what those are, I'm judging you!). During my third year at Uni, Social Media really became my thing, and I knew that it was what I wanted to do as a career. The whole Social Media movement excites me and watching how everything and everyone is moving online is fascinating. People use the internet so much in their every day lives and it's an industry that's moving so quickly, I can't see it ever being boring. When I finished Uni, I was lucky enough to land an internship with a Social and Mobile Media Agency in Newport and it completely changed my life. Being there, I learned so much and my passion for the business only grew more. I wanted to work in Community Managment and I wanted to spend all of my time online. 

 

I've since moved home to Essex, and finding a full time job is proving more difficult that I had hoped. Everyone told us it wasn't going to be easy, but I never ever anticipated that it could be this stressful. It's hard because everything you apply for asks for more experience than I have, but how am I ever supposed to get experience when no one will take a chance on me? I know my industry is a difficult one to get into and everyone is in the same boat, but I sometimes question where I'm going wrong. I have a part-time job which has been a lifesaver for me, but I can't help but look at where I am now and see that I'm in exactly the same spot I was in before I acquired my degree. It's really hard to be upbeat about the future when you literally have no clue where you're going in life, or really where you want to be. 

Last week I made the trip back to Cardiff where I studied to catch up with some of my friends and family, and my FMP lecturer from Uni. Going back was one of the strangest things I've ever experienced and being back in The Atrium was even weirder. I drove past where I lived, and went back to the place where I graduated and couldn't help but feel the huge lump in throat that it was all really over. I went back to my University to meet one of good friends who was also my FMP lecturer, Julie, and that was the strangest part. Being back in the building where I studied for three years didn't feel like home anymore. On one hand, I wouldn't have found it strange if my friends had walked in and we'd have gone to lectures, but on the other, I couldn't help but notice that it wasn't my life anymore. There were hundreds of people around me and not one of them knew who I was or that I'd even studied there before. Speaking to Julie, though, has made me feel a lot better about things. First, she gave me a kick up the backside about not blogging (probably why I'm back!) but she also helped me to feel okay about the fact that I'm not sure where I'm going yet. She reassured me that most people are in the same situation and as long as I have dreams and aspirations I'll get there one day soon. Seeing my best friends from Uni really brought it all home to me that most of us really are the same. We spent so long sharing all of our memories and I was so grateful to see them all again, but it was also so nice knowing that we all believe in each other. I think the Uni Glam Class of 2013 are the best yet! 

I've been thinking a lot recently about what the next step is for me. It's hard knowing that my University life is over, but that's not then end of my story. I've got so much more that I want to achieve and so many things that I want to see that I'm not giving up on. While a career is so extremely important to me, I've also decided that I might want to travel a bit. If you know me well, you'll know that I've always said I was born on the wrong side of the pond. My heart belongs to America, and even though I've only been there twice, I cannot wait to get back. I've decided that I NEED to go back. I want to spend part of next summer in Los Angeles, but that all depends on what I'm doing career wise at the point. I'm still applying for Social Media and PR & Marketing jobs every day in the hope that something will come along real soon. I guess I don't have a finalised goal of where I want to be. I don't know if I'll stay here in the UK or if I will make it to the US, who knows?! All I know is that I have great people around me, a degree that I'm proud of and the power to be whoever I want to be. I have no limits. I'm lucky enough to have the most supportive family and friends out there, and I know they'll be there for me whatever I do in life. 

I guess this is really a post for anyone who's in the same position as me, or for someone at Uni or someone who's thinking about going. It's a post for my family and friends, but it's also a post for me. It's good to talk about what you're going through and hopefully this way I'll find even more people that can relate to my experience. 

I know this is kind of a serious post but I do also want to keep this blog light-hearted and fun to be a part of. I'm going to keep blogging about life after University, but I also want to keep the Beauty and Tag theme around. What do you want to see me talk about next time? Pleaseee give me suggestions because they're really helpful at moments of severe writers block, but I also want to write stuff that you want to read! Just tweet me @amyjcollins or comment any ideas that you have! There are plenty of other Social Media sites where you can grab me as well, links are all in the sidebar. I hope you're still enjoying my blog and I'll see you very soon! 

Thanks so much for stopping by, all the love in the world,

Take care, stay beautiful and dream big!

@amyjcollins

xox

I'm an intern... Whaaaat?!

Hiya Peeps! 

On a Wednesday morning, a very nervous and slightly over dressed 20 year old called Amy Collins (that’s me!) got on the train at Cardiff Central and headed to Newport for her first day as an intern at Coup Media. 

I didn’t think it was physically possible to be so nervous and so excited about something at once, but apparently it is! When I arrived at the office, I literally had no idea what to expect. I knew the team was small so that made me feel a little more relaxed as there would be less people to impress and, more importantly, less people for me to be scared of! As it happens, the people here aren’t scary at all and I feel like I fit in well. 

I’ve been doing a bunch of different tasks since I got here and I’m really enjoying learning new things and working alongside a team who are as passionate about Social Media as I am. I’ve mainly been supporting the guys in the office and helping them out with extra jobs that need doing. 

The majority of my role had been emailing people and researching. I spent some time working with Steve on the Oi! Conference and emailing people who might be interested in attending, as well as doing some of my own research to find local businesses and bloggers who might benefit from the event. As well as Oi!, I’ve been working with Sadie and helping her with both the KMS and the Internacionale accounts. I’ve been talking to some beauty bloggers about their reviews of the KMS Frizz Fighter Kit and I’ve even had the chance to read a few! I’ve also been doing a lot of work on the Internacionale Pinterest account which I’ve really enjoyed. As well as adding to the boards that they already had, I also added some of my own which made me feel (stupidly) important! I also posted a couple of pictures on their Instagram last week and I got really excited when people started to ‘like‘ them! I’ve also learned quite a bit about Social Bookmarking sites since I got here. I used to go on Stumble Upon quite regularly, but I never realised how and why sites like it are used; I just ‘stumbled’ looking for cute cats or dinner ideas! Because users can tailor what they see, sites like Stumble Upon and Delicious are a great way to get your content out there and seen by a wider audience. All in all, it’s been a great experience so far, and my face has even appeared on the Coup website (gulp!). 

I was also lucky enough to attend the Oi! Conference at the Marriott hotel earlier this week. The day was really great for networking and getting to know people in the industry. I learned so much from all of the speakers, but also from people I met at the event; I even gained a new follower on Twitter! I found the talk from Mark Schaefer most inspiring as he spoke a lot about blogging and how to create spectacular content. As I'm new to blogging, his tips really helped me and I couldn't wait to get home and start writing. 

I’ve found being here at Coup straight after University really beneficial. I’ve not really had time to stop working which has meant I’m in a much better mindset. My brain is still in ‘work mode’ and because I haven’t had a massive break, it doesn’t feel like a struggle doing work, especially when it’s work I’m really enjoying. 

So after 8 cans & 5 bottles of Diet Coke, 16 train journeys and a new addiction Blogger, Pinterest and Stumble Upon, I’ve completed three weeks of an internship at Coup! 

Remember, take care, stay beautiful and dream big! <3.
Thanks for stopping by,
@amyjcollins

Well, I’ve graduated (almost)... Now what?!

Hiya Peeps!

For me, finishing Uni feels like the most daunting thing EVER and I have no idea what I’m going to do with my life. With graduation fast approaching, it feels like everything has come around so quickly and I feel very out of my depth. This is the time for my peers and I to be making some big decisions about our futures, and I’m just not sure if I’m ready yet! 

I’ve been hearing all over the place that, ‘we need a break after uni!’ and ‘this is going to be the best summer’, and people are probably right, but is this really the best thing for us in terms of finding work? While our minds are still in ‘work mode’ I think now is the best time to be proactive and start applying for those all important internships and graduate schemes. 

And if you manage to land a placement or job straight out of University, then you’re one of the lucky ones. Finding work at the best of times is tough, so being a graduate with little experience makes the process even harder. Going straight into work means everything that you’ve spent the last three years learning will be fresh in your brain and you’ll be raring to go! I’ve been lucky enough to land an internship at a Social and Mobile Media agency and I’m loving being back in work so soon after finishing my degree as I feel motivated to work and am ready to move onto the next chapter of my life! 

Like I said before, though, finding work off of the back of University isn’t easy. Here’s a few of my tips of what to do after you’ve graduated...

1. Get Networking! - Having contacts in your field is absolutely key! They’re not only useful for when it comes to finding work and applying for jobs, but they’re also great for advice and motivation while you’re searching for the perfect placement. I made a lot of contacts while at University and the reason I was able to land my internship was thanks to one of my lecturers.
2. Be Proactive! -    Work opportunities won’t just fall into your lap; you’ll have to be actively looking for a job if you want to be employed. Websites like LinkedIn advertise entry level jobs and internships for recent graduates so they’re a great place to start! If you have a clear idea of the industry you want to work in, find details of companies you’d like to work for and contact them direct. They’ll appreciate your enthusiasm and it’ll show your interest.
3. Take Advantage of Opportunities! - If you’re offered a job or information about a work opportunity, TAKE IT! No matter how big or small, at this level, any experience is good experience! If you’re anything like me, you’re not 100% sure where your talent lays, so any work experience will help you to establish this. Any chance at this stage of your career is great because it all adds to the CV, and the fuller your CV, the better.
4. Keep Learning! - Even though you’re not studying anymore, that doesn’t mean that you need to stop learning. Regularly reading things and generally keeping up to date with news in your field will really help you out. It’s good to keep your brain active and regular research will help it!
5. Use your time wisely! - If you do decide you want a break to relax or maybe travel, make sure you use the opportunity to your advantage. While you’re abroad or at home chilling, why not take some time out for a bit of voluntary work. It’s a really good way to stay active and feel like you’re doing something of worth with your time, as well as it looking great on your CV. If you’re taking time off, try to use your evenings and weekends for a part time job while you job hunt as it’ll keep money coming in to tide you over until you find something you want to do long term. 

So whether you’re already doing your dream internship, spending your days searching for a graduate placement or chilling on a beach somewhere, remember that your future starts NOW. 

Remember, take care, stay beautiful and dream BIG!
Thanks for stopping by.
@amyjcollins <3.

Things I'm Loving At The Moment...

Hiya Peeps!

So I've moved over to 'Blogger' and it's really hard to get used to, but I am really liking it. I love that it's linked with Google+ which means I can try and get a bit more savvy at that as well. I know a lot of bloggers are using this platform to post so I thought I'd give it a whirl!

I just wanted to do a little post about 'Things I'm loving at the moment'. It's not necessarily just going to be products or items of clothing that I'm enjoying; I'm going to include things that I'm doing and maybe some people (because I'm massively cheeky!).

Something I'm really loving at the moment is working. Now, I know this sounds completely insane coming from me as I moaned the whole way through my degree about the heavy work load and how much I hated it. I'm currently doing an internship with a Social and Mobile media company (more in Big Life Updates post!) and it's honestly so much fun. I really feel like all the work I did in Uni is starting to pay off and I'm absolutely loving learning more about an industry I think I'd really like to work in. I like the routine of going to work and it keeps me in a much healthier mindset meaning I'm much more motivated to do other things and to actually get up in the morning. I feel important on this internship and feel like my ideas and opinions are being heard. It's a great feeling having a team of people that believe in me and who I really enjoying going to work with! I will be writing a blog / series of blogs about my time with Coup so stay tuned for those if you want to find out what I've been getting up to and any tips I have for those of you looking for internships or who are about to embark on your first internship!

Moving very swiftly on to the rest of the things I've been loving recently. Like I said before, it's a bunch of different types of things and I'm just going to list them and talk about them a bit. Ok, here they are.

I recently came across this really UH-MAZING singer on YouTube called Lewis Mokler. When I first heard him singing it was in the back of another video and I thought it was a new Ed Sheeran track. I went a bit crazy and started Googling lyrics and Shazam-ing the video so I could find out what it was. I can't actually remember how / when I found out who he was, but he's my 'favvy musician of the moment' (that could be a thing?!). If you've got a few spare £££'s, jump onto iTunes NOW and buy some of his music. My favvy's are Pieces, Nutella and The Traveller. He's got a bunch of stuff on YouTube as well so make sure you check him out! https://www.youtube.com/user/LewisMokler?feature=watch

At the moment, I'm really ill and there's literally nothing that makes me happier when I've got a cold than a mug of hot squash. I know what you're thinking... 'Amy, that's so weird', 'OMG, that's so gross, what's wrong with you?!', 'Can't you just have a coffee or something?!'. My response is that yes, it is weird and it's not the norm but it's literally so comforting. I don't like tea, coffee, hot chocolate or any other warm drink that may exist, but sometimes you just need something to soothe your throat when it's all gross and gravelly and a mug of hot blackcurrant sorts me right out. Plus, it reminds me of Brownie Camp when I was younger, and I like that.

I also feel that I need to quickly mention Grilled Cheese sandwiches. Yesterday I was 'stumbling' at work, and I came across this amazing image of a gooey, cheesy toasted sandwich thingy that I literally wanted the eat through the screen. It was so delightful looking that I immediately texted my friend to tell her about the delicacy and we decided to make them that evening. They were delish and you should Google how to make them because they're like heaven.

Moving very quickly into the make-up section of life which I know will shock anyone who knows me because I haven't always been a massive lover of the stuff and only recently started wearing it on a regular basis, but yes. I have been lovinggg the Real Techniques make-up brushes. I recently had the 'Core Collection' kit bought for me after I went on about it for weeks on Twitter and I'm so impressed. They're so soft, are great sizes and even come in a cheeky travel case which is extremely handy. My favvy is definitely the 'Buffing Brush' which I've been using for my liquid foundation. (I think it's very similar to their 'Expert Face Brush' which is also supposed to be good for foundation).

I also recently purchased my first eye primer and I went with the Rimmel Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer. I'm really impressed with this product because it does exactly what it's supposed to and it doesn't feel weird. It's a really light primer, blends really easily on the eyelid and lasts for blooming ages! It keeps my eye shadow on all day, and I absolutely swear by it!

My final make-up product that I'm loving is the Sleek Contouring and Blush palette. I'd seen a lot of reviews of this one going around and thought I'd give it a go. At £9.99, I was a little skeptical as make-up isn't something I'm used to spending a lot of money on, but when I thought about it I was in effect getting three products for the price of one and bought the thing anyway! I'm really glad I did because it's now part of my 'everyday' make-up and I just love it. It doesn't have a weird smell to it and the bronzer and blusher are super pigmented meaning I'm getting exactly what I paid for and what I can see in the palette, YAY! (Bet you're glad that's over!).

HOLY MOLY, this is a long post. I'm sorry guys!

The final thing I'm really loving at the moment though is really just having time. I know that sounds completely odd and everyone's probably reading this like 'Amy, what you on about man? Everyone's got time. Time isn't a thing that you have, whaaat?!' but it's really true. Now that I've finished Uni, it's meant that I've got so much more time to do things that I want to do and not worry about when my next deadline is or when I've next got to go out filming. Having this extra time has meant that I've been able to take an internship (which is great and I can't stop talking about) and it means that my friends and I can just enjoy spending time with each other without work climbing on top of us. Because most of us are going to be leaving Cardiff soon and going back to our home towns, it's nice to have this time together to just relax before we do all go our separate ways. Having this extra time has also meant that I get to have 'Hollyoaks sessions' with my housemate Verity which are usually extremely vocal and end with us screaming at the TV and eating copious amounts of bad food (banana custard and jam doughnuts). I've also started reading for leisure which I'm really pleased about. When you're studying it's really hard to enjoy a good novel because you're worrying about worm so much. I really like getting lost in a good book so I'm glad I've got the time to do it now! Happy days!

AND BREATHE. So that's finally it, guys. I know it's a long one and I'm sorry (but I'm not sorry if you've enjoyed it!). I'm going to try and blog a lot more regularly so I hope that's something you'd want to see. For me, it's kind of like a little diary that I get to keep online and people read if they fancy it (not me).

Take care, stay beautiful and dream BIG!

Thanks for stopping by <3.

@amyjcollins

xox

Big Life Updates - Aaaaah!

28.05.2013

Hiya Peeps!

Okay, so I've been slightly out of touch because I thought finishing University would mean I had all the time in the world on my hands, but it turns out that's not the case. I feel like I've been soooo busy the past two weeks that I've barely had time to breathe, let alone blog!

Basically, in this post I'm just going to share a few of the big updates in my life, and talk about some of the things I've been getting up to, so here it goes.

First update, (probably not that huge), is that I'm finally turning into a girl! Now, don't lets all start spreading rumours that I'm a male and have a hairy chest, but I have started acting more like a girl recently. I've suddenly had this massive burst of interest in all things make-up and I guess I kind of like this. I've never really been a massive fan of make up and always just worn little to nothing on my face, just because I could never be bothered. I started watching some YouTube videos of girls doing make-up and what the best products on the market were and I just decided it was something I wanted to experiment with. It's odd that I haven't had this before because I've worked in a 'drug store' for almost five years now and literally been surrounded by make-up products almost every weekend since I was sixteen. So, yes, that's update no1! If you see me now, I'm probably wearing eye primer and highlighter on my cheeks which sounds completely insane.

Now, probably the biggest update in my life at the moment is that I've finished Uni. I mentioned it at the start of this blog very briefly, but yes, it's now completely done. I don't think it's actually sunk in yet that I don't ever have to go to another lecture (hoorah!) because I've been spending time preparing for our end of year show and just generally being busy with life and stuff. It did kind of hit me today when I went back to the Uni building for the first time in nearly two weeks and it felt very weird. The building was really quiet because obviously most people have finished lectures now, but it sort of felt like I shouldn't have been there. I knowww that sounds completely ridiculous as I've been a student there for three years but I was almost waiting for someone to come and tell me off because I'm not technically a student anymore! I've mentioned a bit about Uni in a couple of my other blogs, and if you follow me on Twitter (@amyjcollins) you'll have probably seen my constant flow of tweets about Uni. It has been three of the toughest years I'll probably ever endure (which is probably why I've moaned so much), but it's also been the most exciting and eye opening experience of my life and I literally recommend it to EVERYONE. I've met the most amazing people over my time at Uni and I've also learned quite a lot as well (gladly!). Living away from home has really taught me A LOT of valuable life lessons and I've spent amazing times with some incredible people I'll never forget. (I would list them all, but I'll probably miss someone and don't want to offend. You all know who you are <3).

Third big life update is that I'm starting work experience tomorrow. I'm going to a Social and Mobile Media agency to learn more about what they do and how they work with high profile clients. I'm obviously blinking nervous about this but I honestly cannot contain my excitement. I'm buzzing to get out there into the world of work and because it's something I'm really keen to learn more about, I'm sure it'll be great fun. Social Media marketing and promotion is, I think, the future of marketing and promotion and it's definitely something I'm interested to get involved in and gain knowledge about.

Next thing, not something directly about me, but what is this weather playing at, eh?! I cannot believe that on Sunday afternoon I was having a barbeque with all my family at my grandparents house, and then today I got completely drenched by the rain walking 10 minutes home from town. It's insane. If there is someone who's borrowed the sun, please could we have it back? I miss it, and my bedroom is very cold because it's disappeared. Cheers.

So that's it really. Those are just some of the things going on in my life at the moment. I'm aware that they're not HUGELY exciting for other people but it's just a little insight into what's going on with me right now.

Thanks for stopping by <3.

@amyjcollins

xox