Things That Have Made March A Bit More Bearable

The weather's been gross, I've been engulfed in work and I've missed my family and friends while being at uni more than ever...March, you've been well and truly *insert smiley poo emoji here*. It hasn't come across this way recently, but I am a generally happy person, it just seems like March has been the worst and my mood has been pretty rubbish. But, let's look on the bright side of life - I've found some fab things and routines that have helped boost my mood (mostly) this month. So if, like me, you're not feeling tip-top at the moment, how about giving these four things a try? 

a good start to the day. A lot of my days at uni start with 9 am lectures, including a Monday morning - now that might not seem like the worst thing in the world, maybe your work hours a worse, but trust me, it ain't fun. Waking up at 7am - or sometimes even earlier - is a right pain, especially when all the work and stress is screwing up your sleeping pattern and you don't get to bed until the early hours :)))))) Anywho, that's why I've been trying to make my early morning starts little bit nicer and more refreshing. I've (for the most part) stopped snoozing my alarms, got straight into the shower to quickly freshen up, then put some makeup on my face before making a better breakfast than I'm used to. Last semester I usually grabbed an apple and quick coffee before my 9ams having snoozed the alarm 10000 times, but getting up a bit earlier and having a more nutritious and yummy brekkie makes me feel a whole lot brighter in the mornings. Recently I've been loving my morning cuppa with tropical granola and yogurt (a range of flavours, not fussed, but I do love me some coconut), and if I'm feeling super adventurous, some banana on top. Deeelishhh. 

self love. From the start of the day to the end, I love a good pamper in the evenings. It's not even necessarily a pamper, it's pretty basic stuff that I sometimes skip because I'm so darn tired I just can't be bothered. But this month I've been making a particular effort to remember to moisturise using the Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream (with the It's Potent Eye Cream and Instant Comeback Serum most days too). I've also discovered the Softy Foot Lotion from Lush this month; I won't go into detail about feet - who wants that? ew - but it's such a nice product to massage in before bed, especially since the lavender scent helps you have a better night sleep. Speaking of Lush, my friend Emma introduced me to the Sleepy Body Lotion, which is an excellent body moisturiser to use before bedtime for the same reasons - I've used it many a time on Ellie & Emma girls' night (you can read about our weekly pamper evenings here). And as soon as I returned home from uni, I jumped straight into the bath with loads of lovely candles and the Intergalactic bath bomb: absolute bliss. 

good tunes. The same way as I have a dozen different sad playlists for when I'm down for different reasons (I am usually happy, I swear), there is always music to turn to as a little pick-me-up. Throughout the month I've been o.b.s.e.s.s.e.d. with the new singles from George Ezra, specifically Paradise and Pretty Shining People. However his second album, Staying at Tamara's, was released last week, and is pure gold. There's not a song on there I don't like, and the majority of them (minus Hold My Girl which made me weep, I blame sleep deprivation) are really upbeat, summer anthems. Get Away is incredible, Saviour is a bit more moody but beautiful, and don't even get me started on how excited I am for listening to Shotgun in the back garden during summertime with a glass of wine in hand. Other than George, I've rediscovered my love for Lana del Rey this month - although her music definitely isn't mood boosting - and been perfecting my Fall Out Boy lyric knowledge in prep for the gig on Saturday (I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT IT OMG). 

a good serial killer show. What this last para should really be titled is "How freaking great is Ryan Murphy?". That man is a living legend. Seasons 1-4 of American Horror Story are television genius and I was addicted to American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson, which I binged last year. The second instalment of the ACS anthology surrounds the murder of Gianni Versace, or more the murderer himself. This is a case I didn't really have a lot of prior knowledge on, but the ACS team have presented it in such a gripping and clever way. Darren Criss deserves every award going for his portrayal of Andrew Cunanan also, just saying. Only four episodes have aired so far, with the next one showing on BBC tonight, so if you're looking for a new show to keep you on your toes, this is it. 

And that's my round up. April, you promise to be a better month - please come quickly. 

From, 

Eleanor