How to Decide What to Wear

Picture: Rent Cafe Blog

You know those days when you open your wardrobe and stare blankly for a minute before uttering those heavily repeated words, ‘I need some new clothes’? The dilemma of nothing to wear rears its ugly head often enough that getting dressed can be a nightmare. Why not try some of these methods to help you decide what to wear today…

Follow the Facebook. What is Facebook for if not to judge your friends and scroll through endless pictures of yourself narcissistically? Next time you’re having a flick through, stop on a picture where you’re looking particularly fashionable and copy that outfit. You’ll automatically feel à la mode which will give you a confidence boost as well.  

Ask a friend. Have flatmates who seem to always look amazingly stylish without even trying? Why not ask them if you can raid their wardrobe. Throw in some fashion-y compliments and they’ll be happy to let you have a snoop and borrow the odd item, it’ll be exciting to wear something new and might give you new ideas as to what suits you.

Surf Daily Mail Showbiz. Ever heard of the Showbiz and Gossip section of the Daily Mail website? Apparently the most visited website in the US, it is a haven for pictures of celebrities (and the occasional nobody) looking trendy. Have a good scroll through to see if anything reminds you of any item you own and put that on for the day, you might even feel like a celeb.

Excavation Time. Open your wardrobe and dig in. Find something that you haven’t worn for at least a year and make it work. It’ll be fun to rediscover old items and if you end up looking terrible you can laugh about why you own something so hideous, provides a good conversation starter too. 

2000 Hits Later

Quite recognisable, no?

My second post on this blog just over 6 weeks ago was a declaration of my plans to expose my attempts at creativity online. I now feel that with the landmark of 2000 hits diminishing into the distance, it is time for me to reflect on this adventure thus far.

I am happy to see that I still possess the adamant feeling that my blog is there to entertain, maybe even educate but not to embarrass. Although I like to write about various aspects of my life, I am pleased to say that my personal life has stayed well and truly off the page. 

For all the things I am doing right, there are plenty that I am doing wrong. One of the challenges I am yet to face is that I often find my blog does not have any purpose or theme. I write the things that come to my mind, varying from amusing advice to controversial opinions without much continuity. This is hardly surprising, I tend to be incredibly indecisive in every other aspect of my life as well but I worry that mynotebookandme will suffer as a result. 

Despite all my gripes, the most encouraging aspect of this experience is that I have discovered that I like writing. I would never have thought that at the age of 20 I would discover a new hobby as simple as writing. I owe it all to Paperchase and their cute notebooks (yes, there is a real notebook!).

So 2000 hits later and I can’t wait to watch the numbers crawl even higher. The more people read, the more I write. Forget the stereotype of teenage girls complaining about boys and bad weather and jump on the blogging band wagon- it really is incredibly satisfying.

I guess I will update you again in 2000 hits time…but who knows when that will be.

Poem: I Once Asked a Stranger

A little poem to brighten your day:

I once asked a stranger

Where he was heading to

I wish I’d asked that stranger

If I could have gone too

I once asked my teacher

What she was teaching for

I wish I’d asked that teacher

If I could learn some more

I once asked a foreigner

What he was doing here

I wish I’d asked that foreigner

To travel with me, a year

I once asked myself

What my purpose was

I answered to myself

Simply, just, because. 

How to Avoid Wasting Time at University

Drinking too much coffee can cause a latte problems...

So we all have been partial to the occasional iPlayer/4oD moment when there is nothing you want to do more than catch up on some TV show that you don’t really care about. But for me, I always feel a bit guilty afterwards, like there must be some other activity I could be doing that would be less, well, lazy. I have come up with some examples of ways to waste time without necessarily feeling like you’re wasting time...

People Watching. Why not head over to the nearest *insert coffee shop name here*, find the perfect window seat and have a good stare? You’ll feel more proactive potato than couch potato as I’m pretty sure Costa/Caffe Nero/Prêt A Manger will make you change out of your pyjamas. Take a pretentious book to pretend to read and enjoy the staring as people go by completely clueless of your antics. If you’re feeling particularly bored, why not head over in the early morning and catch a glimpse of last night’s gossip walking home?

Social Media. Okay, so I know that spending a few hours on Facebook is a classic procrastination technique, but why not mix it up with a bit of Twitter/Google+/LinkedIn/Blogging and you’ll feel like you’ve spent the entire morning devouring all the web has to offer. Also, by putting LinkedIn in the mix, you are totally enhancing your career prospects, obviously.

Timetabling. Feel like you just don’t have the time to do all that you need to do? Print off 5 copies of your timetable and fill in when you are going to do which bit of work depending on which nights you go out. Let’s say you’re planning a mon/weds/fri (Bristol lot: Bunker, Dorma, Lounge?) why not create a timetable for working that doesn’t involve the mornings afterwards. That way you’ll be so totally organised when it comes to the timetabled hangover and already have found a time to do your stupid essay. Definitely not a waste of time. 

New Experiences. Write a check list of random things you want to do before you leave university and put it up on your wall (length of list depends on amount of time wanted to be wasted writing said list). Examples include: attend a free session at pole dancing society, go a week without spending any money or persuade the Sri Lankan society that you’re from Sri Lanka. 

Wakey Wakey, Rise and Shine

Image: Clips Ahoy

Being in my third week back at university, the inevitable doom of having to get out of bed every day has begun to strike its ugly chord. As frustrating and somewhat embarrassing as it is, getting out of bed is something that a lot of us struggle with, even when we’re not hungover after too many Jaegar bombs the night before. I am hoping that this prolonged bed-kidnapping phase is just that, a phase, but in the mean time I have come up with some solutions to help with that quotidian activity we all dread.

1)    The ‘Desert Island Alarm Clock’. A great technique for ensuring you arise from your bed at a speedy pace is to leave your alarm clock (or your phone) with the most annoying ringtone you can find on the other side of the room. Warning: Do not attempt if you’re living the ultimate student lifestyle and can reach every surface in your room from your bed, this one might not work for you.

2)    The ‘Breakfast Date’. If you promise a friend that you’ll meet them for a coffee before lectures/work you’ll feel like you really can’t let them down. Warning: Do not attempt if you don’t have any form of guilt complex.  

3)    The ‘Friend Alarm’. Persuade another friend with a 9am to create the raving, party-scene in your bedroom. Flickering lights, loud music in your ear and plenty of jumping up and down on top of you will do the trick. They’ll love watching you suffer and you might manage to stir slightly. Warning: Do not attempt if unwanted disturbance can cause the occasional violent impulse.

4)    The ‘Hold it in’. This might sound like a bit of masochistic torture, but why not avoid that desire to go to the loo just before you get into bed so that by the time morning comes you’ll have no choice but to jump out of bed in a fluster. Warning: Do not attempt if a) you are under 10 years old b) you have bed-wetting tendencies c) you’re drunk.

5 Ways to Learn a Language

Online. The internet is amazing and it seems to me that people online are very generous. There are a whole host of websites out there to get your language buds going. Ranging from easy vocab to grammar and pronunciation, it is so easy to get hold of what you want in any language just by doing a simple Google.

In the Car. I often find myself driving down the motorway constantly switching between iPod, radio, silence, radio, iPod and so on to avoid the inevitable boredom. Why not download a language tutorial onto your phone and do it while cruising along? These tutorials are easy and cheap and will keep your boredom at bay for at least half an hour.

With Friends. Do you happen to have any bilingual friends, a lab partner who happens to be a budding linguist or a flat mate studying towards an arts degree with far too much free time? Ask them to help you out, get them to teach you a few phrases or funny bits of vocab. Being able to say random phrases in foreign languages is a sure step way to impress in the pub and might come in handy on holiday too.

With Strangers. Without doubt there are plenty of foreigners in your town searching for English friends who would be willing to teach you a bit of their language. And the best part? It is all for free. Websites such as conversationexchange allow you to create a small profile and find others in your community who want to meet up over a coffee and learn some linguistics. 

  

Abroad. Haven’t decided what you want to do next summer? Why not spend a month in Paris learning how to speak French and getting comfortably round on gateaux. Or if you want to spend a little less money, why not have a quick visit to aupairworld and see if there are any vacancies in places you want to go? You’ll get free accommodation and food and the added bonus of something exciting on your CV.