ootd: ice-cream;

I have a bit of a confession to make.  I didn't wear this outfit today (!!).  I actually wore this last Tuesday, but I haven't had a chance to post since then.  Sorry!  I wore this into college to watch my classmates demo their video editing module assignments and was told several times that I looked "adorable" and "like an ice-cream.  Hmm...

Anyway, the polka dot dress with the cutest collar and the lilac jumper are both from Penneys/Primark.  This jumper is really comfortable and really summery, and I've been wearing almost non-stop since I bought it.  The chunky gold necklace is from River Island, as is the clip-in hair braid (I love this so much!  Reminds me of being a child again!) that you can kind of see in the first picture.  I kept my make-up pretty simple with my everyday brown smoky eye, with MAC's Please Me lipstick.

This is only my second outfit post and, seeing as I don't own a full-length mirror or a tripod, I hope this one turned out a bit better than the last one.

Thanks for reading!

april in photos;

re-dying my hair, finally // all finished! // panda ear college selfies // elastic band my counsellor gave me

snapchat, anyone? // peach & apricot mmm // bubble tea is yuck! // max is special

bailey sleeping with toast // notd // caramel mocha mmm //  bronze and gold fotd

last day of lectures with two of my favourite girls :(( // iced cocktails and pyjamas // nyx jumbo eye pencils review // pizza!

shameless selfie // best cuppa i've ever tasted!

Sorry I'm a bit late with this one!  As I mentioned last month, college and assignments are my first priority right now. Sorry!  April was a month filled with noms and memory making.  April 26th was my last day of lectures and my last day as a college student, and I'm really going to miss spending every day with my wonderful friends.  Thankfully we've got a few more deadlines before we all go our separate ways, but I'm missing them already!  My final hand-up date is the 23rd of May, so after that my blogging will hopefully become more regular and scheduled.  Thank you all so much for your patience, and thanks for reading!

photos by shona #2;

As some of you may know from this post, I'm currently studying a digital photography module at college.  In my first photography post, the module has just begun and I was only getting the hang of actually using my camera.  Since then, I feel like my skills as a photographer (albeit still an amateur at this point) have greatly improved, which is really exciting to me.  I've had an interest in photography with so long, so simply understanding what settings to use to get a photo to look the way I want feels like a huge achievement!  Like I've finally accomplished something I've always wanted to do. It really is a good feeling.

Over the past few weeks in classes, we've covered a number of topics/themes including college architecture (I chose parallel lines as my topic, if you hadn't guessed), parkour and free running (which was really cool and lots of fun), and working with flash and studio lighting (I'm sorry, Kate!), and my photography portfolio is coming along quite nicely!

As I mentioned in the last post, if any of you have any tips or ideas on how I could improve my photo-taking, be sure to leave a comment!  I just wanted to give you all a quick update on my progress, so thanks for reading!

what's in my bag: college edition;

Doesn't look like much in the photo, but I assure you my bag weighs a tonne!  This is a bit different from your average "What's in my Bag" post because my average bag is my schoolbag, not a handbag.  I might do a weekend/handbag post soon, but here's what I carry around with me everyday!

First, the actual college-related stuff.  My dad bought this bag for me last year for college.  It's nothing special, just a rucksack with a padded pocket for my laptop.  Then there's my laptop itself (which gets heavier by the day, it seems) and my laptop charger, which I didn't bother photographing.  Next is a hefty pile of notes, which isn't even half of what I should have printed and which aren't organised yet.  And of course, a refill pad, which is rarely used yet somehow almost empty?  I have a handfull of miscellaneous pens and pencils, but no pencil case.  Then there's my external harddrive, which has my entire life on it.  At least as far as college is concerned.  Every project I've done since first year is on it!  I've a couple of memory sticks/flash drives/whatever ya call 'ems hanging around, too.  I usually have my camera (Canon EOS 600D) with me too, but I couldn't include it in the photo because I used it to take it!

I've been carrying a new phone (which I was given by Vodafone for free!) around with me with around two weeks now, too.  I'm supposed to be switching from Meteor to Vodafone so I'll need this when I lose my current signal.  That was supposed to happen two weeks ago, though.  It hasn't yet, so I'm keeping this phone handy just in case.  I bring my make-up bag with just a few essentials in it so I can touch up my make-up before work every evening.  And finally my purse, from New Look, which was a present from one of my bffs.

There you have it!  This is what I carry in my bag every day.  Thanks for reading!

photos by shona #1;

This semester in college I'm taking a digital photography class, which means I'm actually learning how to use my DSLR for reasons other than taking very high quality Facebook profilers.  On Monday, to get some snaps for an upcoming assignment, a few of my classmates and myself took a trip to the Guillamene Cove in Tramore. It was cold and windy, but ultimately very productive, as I managed to take most of the photos I need for the assignment handup.  That afternoon in Photography class, while it was still quite sunny, our lecturer took us on a walk around campus to put some of the theory we were learning into practice.  I'm really enjoying this class, I'm really happy with some of the photos I took today, and I'm really looking forward to improving my photography skills.

Keep in mind, I'm still a total beginner.  Aside from owning a "fancy" camera, and the theory I've learned over the past few weeks, I know very little about taking a good photo.  My photos mightn't be the best, but I'm learning, and it's a start!

Have you any tips on taking a better photo?  Thanks for reading! 

top tips: your study vs. your job;

As I've mentioned before, I'm currently a full-time student working towards an honours degree, which means lots of exams, lots of assignments, and lots of pressure.  On top of this, I work 20+ hours a week, which leaves me very little time for study.  Every day, I get asked the same question, over and over.  How do you manage it? Well, I'm going to tell you.  Here's my advice for staying on top of your studies while working.

(1) Attendance Attendance Attendance:  This is the most valuable piece of advice I could give you.  I can't stress enough how important it is to attend every class.  First of all, having less time to revise than other students, you might already find yourself falling behind.  Skipping class is only going to add to the growing pile of catch-up work you've to do.  And, if you find yourself really stuck or overwhelmed, lecturers are always more than happy to help, but only if they know you've been attending.  From experience, if you can't be bothered to even turn up, your lecturer won't be bothered to help.

(2) Get to know your lecturer/tutor:  Following on from my last point, make sure your lecturer knows who you are.  Now, I don't mean on a super-personal level, but they should at least recognise your face and name.  Participate in class.  Don't be afraid to ask questions and make comments.  Like I said, lecturers are always happy to lend a hand if they know that you're making an effort.

(3) Google is your friend:  This is something you should do before asking for help.  If you're stuck on an assignment, or you don't understand something in your notes, google it first.  Take note of the results, see if they make sense to you.  Some of them might, others might not.  Then, if you're still stuck, your lecturer will appreciate that you've at least attempted it yourself and it'll give them a better idea of what help/information to give you.

(4) Make every minute count:  Time is of the essence.  There's not a minute to lose.  We all know that you didn't really  need to watch that episode of Antiques Roadshow, and that you took twenty minutes longer than usual to make that cuppa.  Procrastination has no place in this world of study and employment, and you could have easily written 600 words in the time you spent formatting the headings.  If you utilise your free time properly (including before class starts, between classes, free classes, breaks, and those few minutes after college finishes and your job starts) you'll find that you get much more study done than you realised.

(5) Get stuck in:  When it comes to assignments, the hardest part is mustering the motivation to get started.  It's torturous.  Believe me, I know.  But once you get into it, there'll be no stopping you. And don't stop, unless you have to, or you'll have to go through the whole process all over again.

(6) Keep Calm and Carry On:  Finally, don't panic!  Not only does panicking waste valuable time, but it doesn't achieve anything.  All it does is drain your motivation and make you feel like poo.  Stay calm, have confidence in yourself and your ability, and just get on with it.  You'll be graaand.

Do you have any tips for balancing study with work/home life?  Thanks for reading, and good luck!

thanksgiving;

Happy Thanksgiving!  Although we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in Ireland, I thought I'd share with you some things (taking my family, pets, and friends as a given) that I have brought me happiness this year.

(1) Ruby and Ruby on Rails:  I thought I'd start off with a rather odd, nerdy one.  Ruby is a programming language and Rails is an application framework, both of which I'm studying this semester.  Despite the obvious stresses associated with being a fourth year student, I'm really glad I chose this class, because it's one of the few modules that I actually enjoy.

(2) Friendship Bracelets:  I don't ever wear jewellery much, but I make an exception for friendship bracelets.  I think that friendship bracelets are just the lovliest, and I adore receiving them.  The one in the picture is a "Swagger Bombs" bracelet  that was given to me by my friend Emma.  Except to shower, I never take it off.  It has nothing but good memories attached to it, and I love the warm, fuzzy feeling I get when I think of how great my friends are.

(3) Lana Del Rey - Born To Die:  Until this album came into my life, I really wasn't that into Lana Del Rey.  Now, this album has become my go-to album for all occasions and emotions.  I'm not great at reviewing music, but I'm always at my happiest when belting out a bit of Lana in the shower.

(4) Twinning's Earl Grey:  This one speaks for itself.  Nothing cures a bad mood better than tea, and this tea is my favourite.  Strong.  One sugar.  A bare drop of milk.  Thanks.

(5) Yankee Candle Trick or Treat:  I believe I've already mentioned my love of burning scented candles, and this candle is by far my favourite scent.  I light it in my room every single day, and it makes my room seem calmer and warmer.  Perfect for a good night sleep.  Unfortunately it's only available at Halloween, because mine's almost burnt out already!

(6) Flowers:  Simple yet effective.  Until a couple of months ago, I didn't really care for flowers much.  Now, even the sight of a pretty bouquet is an instant mood-brightener.

What are you thankful for?  Thanks for reading!

ootd: presentation casual;

Quick post!  Today marked the beginning of in-class presentations for my Management model.  Dress code: smart casual (read: clothes I picked off my bedroom floor, but with a blouse instead of a tshirt).  The blouse, jeans, and pumps are from Penneys.  These pumps are really comfortable, and burgundy is so totally in right now.  The cardigan, which is one of my all-time favourite items of clothing and is unfortunately on it's last legs, is from Tesco (!!).  Eyeshadow is Urban Decay's Midnight Cowgirl, Baked, and Lost.  Then, I just threw my hair up on the top of my hair, and voilà!  Ready to stand in front of the class and stutter for twenty minutes about the Change Management Process.

Any tips on how I could improve my outfit posts?  Thanks for reading!