Week by Numbers: graduation 2.0

This week has been pretty much centered around my graduation, so unsurprisingly, that's what a lot of my favourite things have been about.

7 favourites...

1.) Lo and behold boys & girls, but lil' old me now had 2 degrees! Amy Lo, MA & BA - which as my brother points out, I now have more letters behind my name than in my a chula surname... 

This is my 2nd graduation, but someone i felt more emotional and excited about it. As I've mentioned before, I have somewhat of a connection and love with Sheffield, so celebrating the time I spent there, with all that I had achieved and learnt with the people I've met there, just made me really happy. It was just the most lovely day, every part of it that I think back to, brings a smile to me face.

2.) And this sense of happiness wasn't just felt by me, but walking out in my silly hat, with my certificate in hand, to see my dad with the biggest grin across his face just oozing with - what I assume is pride - made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Thanks for all you've done and your support Mama & Pops, I'll never be able to tell you enough.

3.) And the happiness trickles to my friends, who I genuinely do not know how I would've gotten through this year without. And what better way to celebrate our achievements together than by going out in they city we bonded, and clink some glasses together and dance madly around to Proud Mary and Christina Aguilera.

4.) During said night out, me and my friend Kim went skipping around the dance floor, providing a social service of sorts to humanity, stressing the importance of appreciating your best friends (after locking both of us in one toilet cubicle and telling each other how much we love one another haha). Our speech went like so: "Do you have a best friend? Do you connect with them? We're best friends and we connect all the time! CHERISH YOUR BEST FRIEND!" It may have been the Desperados talking, but I wholeheartedly stand by this statement. Don't take your besties for granted yo!

5.) Graduation also made me realise how many people care about me, which sounds stupid, but we kind of just trot along with life and sometimes forget to let people know how much they mean to us and how much we appreciate them - and that's coming from a pretty sentimental gal. But between friends whopping for me when I went on stage, to my brothers texting congrats and other soppy things to me, I'm one lucky bunny who's has a lot of love and support.

6.) If that wasn't enough - what else does a girl need?! - I also received a pretty, amazing and extravagant graduation which left me pretty giddy and speechless. When I graduated last time, my parents wanted to get my something as a present for all my hard work, but there was nothing that I really wanted or needed, so I said don't bother. This time, they took it upon themselves and this beautiful floral leather jacket from Mulberry is now mine for keeps!

7.) And what do you after graduation when you're pretty badly hungover? Binge on yet another series on Netlfix of course. This time round, it's Brooklyn Nine Nine, which when I first saw the adverts of, I wasn't too keen on and thought it was trying too hard, but my god, was I wrong. It's brilliantly written and the cast are fantastic. The humour's sharp, clever and witty, and there's a bonkers and amazing character for everyone to fall in love with. I watched the whole 1st series in one day, and my crush on Andy Samberg has also gone from pretty pedestrian to ridiculous. 

3 thoughts...

"How can I still be obsessed and listen to George Ezra's album non-stop from beginning to end a whole flipping year later?! God I love that boy and that voice..."

"Ahhh I'm so happy and all these people make me happy and I don't want graduation to end!"

"This is horrific and I'm not going to drink ever again and I just want this day to end so the suffering can stop."

1 outfit...

top:ASOS, skirt:ASOS, bag:Next, shoes:ASOS

Since this week has been graduation based, why stop here? Along with my gap and gown silly hat and cape, I had a silver and black embellished, pastel blue co-ord outfit on, along with what are now turning into my favourite heels. They're strappy, spotty and glittery - such fun! Much like this bag. Who said graduations had to be serious?!

How was your week?

Stay happy!

Until next time...

A.x

Week by Numbers: food, resolutions & more food

This week  has been productive and I made plans to see a fair few people, but it's been a bit of a sleeper week. I've just seem to have eaten a lot of good food...

7 favourites...

1.) Will you just feast your eyes on this beautiful masterpiece by Burberry! It took some self-control for me to put this coat back on the rail and walk away from it. If someone wanted to gift this to me, I wouldn't complain. Just sayin'.

2.) I went for dinner with my friend Hannah at Bounce in Holborn (where you can play ping-pong and drink cocktails -winner!) I had a earl grey gin & tonic and spiced crab mac 'n' cheese, and OMG it was insane. As if I didn't love macaroni and cheese enough.

3.) Then the next day, I went for breakfast with my friend Sarah - who I've known since I we were 7-year-old scallywags - and had this feast of food in skillet: sausages, bacon, peppers and poached eggs with all the chives you could ever want. And the place was just a log-cabin dream or coffee and fireplaces. If you're in Angel, got to Elk in the Woods. You won't regret it.

4.) I haven't really done New Years Resolutions since I was about 15 and decided it was a good and sensible idea to lose 5 stone. (FYI. Not good. Not sensible.) But when a friend asked me if I had any, and I said no, but wanted to make some changes to my life, I realised that I subconcisely did. I want to spend less money on stuff, and more on doing things. Why did I have another spree on ASOS why I could've gone on a city break with that money? Why don't I go to gigs more? - I love the atmosphere at gigs! I've got some getaways planned already that I can't wait for!

5.) To go along with that, I want to use my DSLR again more to capture these adventures. It's been neglected the past year as I pick up my phone for ease, but my god, that camera takes some beautiful pictures.

6.) Hummingbird Bakery recipe books are one of my faves. Fantastic recipes with just as fantastic imagery. And that is where I picked up the recipe for these for. Peanut butter and jam spiral cookies. All future cookies should include peanut butter.

7.) I had an interview, and it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. I hate intern culture, but I know me as one person won't make a difference by standing up against it.

3 thoughts...
"How have I not watched 'The Office' until now?!"
"I hate David Brent. But. Can't. Stop. Watching..."
"OMG 2015 IS GOING TO BE SUCH A BEAUT!"

1 outfit...

jumper:H&M, tutu:ASOS, bag:Skinnydip London, headband:H&M

I've been keeping a secret identify from all of you. I'm actually a sugarplum fairy, complete with star-studded headband.

Stay happy!

Until next time...

A.x

Sheffield: 100% Me

I always think of Sheffield as my 2nd hometown. And I only lived there for 1 year of my life.

And I think that's because when I moved to Sheffield. That's when I really became, me.

I like to think I'm a pretty outgoing person who's assured of who I am, and this isn't to say that I wasn't myself up until that point, I definitely was and have never to pretend I was anything else but me. But I just think, I didn't fully let out that every single 100% of me, just in case people didn't like it. So I kept a bit of that madness bottled up in a sparkly jar.

I've lived in the same place I grew up in all up until the point I left home and went to Uni.

When I left for Uni, I was absolutely terrified and scared as hell. My friends and family were all I knew, and the thought of not being around the same people that I'd been around for all my life, everyday as I had done, frankly scared the flower embroidered socks off of me.

I ended up depending and finding security in my boyfriend at the time, when I moved to Uni. He was familiar and comforting, and a person and an emotion that I knew. And to be honest, I didn't fully immerse myself in the whole uni life and experience in that time, because I was trying to hold on to THAT part of my life so much. Like a child who won't get off the swings.

Then when we broke up, I kind of did the same with my flatmates. I'd grown to know that and them, and they ended up being my new security blanket I guess.

So when I moved to Sheffield for my postgrad, it was all completely brand-spanking new. I was moving to a new city where I didn't know anyone. There was no-one I was emotionally attached to that I could depend on, and I was going to be moving into a flat with a bunch of strangers. 

And just like a kid who's scared of the 1st day of school, at 21 years old, I was getting ready for my 1st day, and worried I wasn't going to make any friends and have to eat lunch on my own everyday for a year, and hide in my room away from my flat full of people who didn't want to watch Friends with me. The horror.
I even took a ribbon bow out of my hair before I left the flat because I thought no-one would want to go talk to THAT girl.

A year later, it turns out that some people flipping love that girl.

Who'd have thunk it?

I ended up with a whole new bunch of friends who I know will be for life, lived with a bunch of people that went from going to weekly pub quizzes together, to chats until 2am in our kitchen, and met my kindred spirit of a best friend within the first 2 days.

I danced ridiculously at clubs. I let the cackle come out of my life.  I talked to people more honestly. And I was more honest with myself. There were some emotionally hiccups along the way, but by golly Miss.Molly, did they make me be more honest with myself when it came to my feelings when I came out the other side of the tunnel - if you're going to mess me around, then I sure as hell don't want to be around for you to mess with.

And when I watched Lousie from Sprinkle of Glitter talk about what Liverpool means to her, it's exactly the same.

When I think back at what I was like when I moved to Sheffield, to what I was like when I left, I wouldn't say I changed, but I just let more of myself come through. I came into 100% of myself.

And as my bestie said when I told her how much I love and miss Sheffield because of these reasons, she said:
"I think that city was just so suited to your personality, that you just shone."

I couldn't agree with her more.

Sheffield. I love you, you bonkers Northern beauty.
And you'll always have a special place in this equally as bonkers girl's heart.

Stay happy!

Until next time...

A.x