Sue + Sue

One week in Hong Kong - what to do?

2018-10-20T20:46:00.003+02:00

Having lived in Hong Kong for nine months, I think I can say that I am a local. Been there, done that. I have done most of the tourist sighs to the local hidden gems.

I made the joke that I have been experimenting the perfect itinerary in Hong Kong with different test subjects a.k.a. friends and family and have boosting to my friends about my knowledge. Therefore, when my friends came to visit me in March, my goal was to show them all of Hong Kong. And they totally loved it!

So here is my itinerary and tips for what to do in Hong Kong for 1 week. Basically what we did :)

Day 1 - Dive right in

12:00. (Window) shop and bargain at the Ladies Market in Mong Kok
I picked my friends up in the morning and brought them to my place to drop the bags. After a simple wonton noodle soup brunch, we went to the super famous Ladies Market in Mong Kok. It is the place to dive right into the atmosphere and culture of Hong Kong. Not only the culture, but you can also get your energy from buying souvenirs, eating street food and purchase (cheap) sneakers in the sneakerstreet in the neighbourhood.

How to get there: Mong Kok MTR Station, exit E2

14:00. Take selfies at Tsim Sha Tsui Harbour
Done with (window) shopping and the crazy crowds now. Time to go to one of the most iconic places in Hong Kong: Tsim Sha Tsui Harbour. You can see the beautiful skyline of landscapers on the Island. It's a typical spot to make pictures and selfies. And to rest from the long journey. Despite my friends were fighting the jetlag, they insisted to go further and continue exploring.

How to get there: Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station, exit J

15:30. Get lost in the Aviary, Kowloon Park
We kept walking North and we decided to go the Kowloon Park to walk around. It is big, very green and there is an aviary which is quite interesting!

17:30. Experience a rooftop bar at Wooloomooloo
Time to get a welcome drink at a bar. Not just a bar, but the rooftop bar Wooloomooloo in Tsim Sha Tsui. There are many rooftop bars in Hong Kong, but I heard people are raving about the view at this particular bar. Indeed, the view was stunning and the drinks were nice.

19:00. Dondonya
We were heading back home and after 1 hour (!) of waiting we finally got some Dondonya 丼丼屋, which is Japanese ricebowl.

FYI: in Hong Kong you cannot book a table at every restaurant (especially the cheaper ones or chains) so it's pretty common to wait.

Day 2 - "You have to taste a culture to understand it" - Deborah Cater

12:00. Do a pre-hike exercise at Ten thousand Buddha Monastery in Shatin

After breakfast we went to Shatin to visit the Ten thousand Buddha Monastery. A beautiful pathway of 430 steps that is full of golden Buddha's led us to the tempel that was founded by Yuet Kai. Pay attention while you are climbing up the hill: every Buddha statue is different and unique. If you are in the temple, don't forget to take a brochure that tells the interesting background story of how Yuet Kai built this temple. After exploring the temple, we went to the right and took a few more stairs to discover another part of this beautiful place. We found the grave of the Yuet Kai, a beautiful statue of Guan Yin and really cute turtles and fishes.

I have been there twice and it wasn't very busy. Although this Monastery isn't necessary a hidden local gem (it's well-known), but it is a little off the beaten path due to its location on the hill. If you are lucky, you might spot monkeys (!) when you are taking the steps.

We took a "Wie is de Mol" photo, which turned out pretty good I must say ;) Guess who is de Mol?!

How to get there: Sha Tin MTR Station, exit B

14:00. Smell incense at Wong Tai Sin temple in Kowloon

Compared to the Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery, Wong Tai Sin tourist magnet as well as a very popular shrine to locals. It's home to the three religion: Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Walk further and you will see a beautiful garden with koi fish.

Locals performing "Kau Chim" or Lottery Poetry to seek answers from a sacred oracle lot

How to get there: Wong Tai Sin MTR Station, exit B

15:00. Walk around Nan Lian Garden & Chi Lin Nunnery

If you are in the neighbourhood, I would also recommend going to Nan Lian Garden and Chi Lin Nunnery. They are located next to each other across Diamond Hill MTR Station. In the middle of landscrapers you find a peaceful and green area which is Nan Lian Garden. It is known for its golden house and the perfect placement of every hill, rock and plant etc.

If you walk further, you will see some stairs and then you will reach the Chi Lin Nunnery. It is another large Buddhistic complex of elegant dark wooden architecture and soul-soothing lotus ponds.

How to get there: Diamond Hill MTR Station, exit C2

20:00. Go to an arcade to have some fun!
We accidentally found an arcade place in the same shopping mall where we had dinner. It was really cool to see all (Japanese) games and see locals play. We couldn't hold back either and tried some of them!

We went to the arcade in Plaza Hollywood. Directions: Diamond Hill MTR Station, exit C1 or C2

Day 3 - Time to get on the Dragon's Back

In the planning stages of this trip my friends have already decided: we want to do the Dragon's Back. Sure let's go! I have done it before to see that the hike was doable even for the less experienced. It's a hike of 4-5 hours if you do the whole route (only getting to the Dragon's Back is an hour). It's pretty nice to get on top of mountains, walk into the woods and end up at the Big Wave Bay Beach in Shek O.

How to get there: Shau Kei Wan MTR Station and then take bus 9 to To Tei Wan.

Day 4 - Never stop exploring

We wanted to have a chill day after the hike, however I got so much in store for my friends...

12:00. Take selfies at The Peak

We began with the famous Peak, which is a must if you visit Hong Kong and get the most gorgeous view of the city.

FYI: I recommend going with taxi (or bus) instead of the tram. It's overpriced ($84 HKD per person!) and in high-season it's possible to wait for 2 hours!! And that for a 10 minute tram ride... So we went with 2 taxi's, costing us $50 HKD per car.

Going up the hill by taxi. 'Josefeam' was very happy to see us.

15:00. Hong Kong Park + Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens

Very close by the Peak Tram Terminus, is Hong Kong Park and Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens where we could relax and enjoy the nice green scenery. There so many different species! However, I do feel like it's not 100% okay about locked up animals for human's entertainment..

19:00. Experience Hong Kong out of a Ding Ding

A Ding Ding is a Hong Kong tram that makes the "ding ding" sounds, hence the name. It is such a cool way to see Hong Kong on a whole another level: in a tram! You can take a tram directly towards Happy Valley if you would like. Or you can go all the way from West to East Hong Kong Island to see it in one go.

FYI: Go stand upstairs (and wait for a seat) to get the best views!

20:00. Take a bet in Happy Valley
If you get the chance, I would recommend to go to the horse races in Happy Valley Wednesdays! It's cool to see a bunch of foreigners outside partying and drinking beer and locals inside to analyse the races. We spent a very short time at Happy Valley, because of the next activity. Obviously you can take your time and have more fun.

21:00 Escape the room

We love games and have played escape rooms in the Netherlands. And instead of only sight seeing, I also planned a 'do activity': an escape room in Hong Kong. We did the Suicide Forest themed game in Causeway Bay, and... we did escape!

Day 5 - Go out on a limb

Dragon's Back was a piece of cake (was it?). The next challenge was the Suicide Cliff on the Kowloon Peak. It's my favourite hike in Hong Kong and I must take my friends to it and have them prepared by doing the Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery and Dragon's Back first. If I can rate it, I would rate Dragon's Back 6/10 and Suicide Cliff 8/10. It's a very exciting hike where you literally climb up the mountain, using both your hands and feet. The climb is very challenging, but the view so rewarding and gorgeous! The Suicide Cliff itself is optional, however it is a place where you can make pretty sick photos!

There are many different routes you can find online and we took the easiest one.

How to get there: Go to Choi Hung MTR Station and take the bus 91, 91M or 92 to bus stop Good Hope School. From there it is 10 minutes walk.

Day 6 - Shop till you drop

We have seen a lot and we have done a lot. Hong Kong is famous for its gadget shopping and that's what we were going to do. This time I wanted to show them one of the more authentic neighbourhoods: Sham Shui Po.

13:00 Aplui Street, Sham Shui Po
Aplui Street is a very large market full of various electronic gadgets and vintage items.

14:00 Figure store, Sham Shui Po
This was heaven for the boys. They like figures, cartoons and anime so when we saw this store, we couldn't just pass by. Apparently, these items are much cheaper in Hong Kong compared online!

15:00 Golden Computer Centre & Dragon Centre
Do you need electronics? Don't need to look further and go to the Golden Computer Centre in Sham Shui Po. It has everything and probably for the lowest price. You can find anything from laptops to computer components, headphones, power banks tripods and games.

Another mall I recommend is Dragon Centre. It's huge and it has a lot of clothing, gadgets, electronics and household appliances. If you look up, there is a built-in rollercoaster. Unfortunately it is permanently closed.

18:00 Local BBQ restaurant, Mei Foo
How local can you get? On recommendation of my friend, we went to a local BBQ restaurant in Mei Foo. For $168 HKD per person, you can all-you-can-barbeque in a typical Hong Kong style. It was cozy, yummy and super fun!

Day 7 - Last but not least

11:00. Say your prayers to the Big Buddha
Last final day! Of course you can't leave Hong Kong without visiting the Big Buddha at Lantau Island. I recommend going up by the cable car as the view is gorgeous!

13:00. Get wiser at the Wisdom Path
Walk a bit further and follow the signs towards "Wisdom Path". It is a trace of 38 wooden steles containing century old verses from Confucius. If you follow the path, it is arranged in an infinity symbol.

If you've got more time, I would recommend to take the bus from the Big Buddha to Tai O Village, which is a local fisherman village with stilt houses.

20:00 Have some drinks in Lan Kwai Fong

In between we rested a bit at home, had dinner and we went out again for drinks in Lan Kwai Fong! There are so many bars and clubs in LKF, you'll find your way! And if not, people also purchase drinks at the 7-Eleven and just chill outside on the streets.

This place is hard to find, but this place still holds a vintage Chinese vibe to it. It's rough and grungy, but at the same time a chill place for hipsters and artists to share and enjoy music.

An empty street and one car in Hong Kong

This was it! 7 full days of exploring and making the best out of Hong Kong. My friends were stoked! They said it was the best combination of culture, nature, city, local and tourist places.

Twenty years and still counting...

2018-07-19T20:21:00.003+02:00

Dear Jet,

Thank you for being my Dutch childhood friend.

Where I could always have lunch at your place during our school break and play with barbies. For teaching me Western dining ethics and inviting me to go over to your grandma to eat my first "stampot" ever. For being my childhood companion.

Thank you for holding onto me.

When the distance between us became bigger and when we parted our ways in high school, you seemed to found your way back to me and kept holding onto me. Taking initiative to meet up, showing interest and care for me. Thanks for lifting me up every time when I was feeling down.

Thank you for being my coach.

My hobby is to ramble and you always know how to rephrase my words and feelings in something that made sense. I love the fact that you always understand me yet at the same time seeing things in different perspectives. Hitting the right spot by asking the right questions. For having the general knowledge and help to develop my communication skills and teach me how human beings behave.

Thank you for being you.

Someone who is ambitious, critical, driven, sarcastic and funny at the same time. I am sorry that my humor-resist-level grew and you can't pull out stupid pranks on me anymore. You know exactly what you want in life, but you are also not afraid to show your vulnerable side and be honest about your feelings. That is what I truly admire about you.

You are a true loyal friend whom I appreciate so much. I love you.

A Weekend in Macau

2018-06-18T07:49:00.000+02:00

Few months ago while I was living in Hong Kong, I went to Macau for a weekend. I have downloaded iDiscover Macau, which is an app with walking routes that allows you to explore cities in Southeast Asia. It's very handy, because you don't need to do anymore research basically and just visit all the points of interests in the app to have a good understanding of what a neighbourhood has to offer. Here is my photo diary of Macau in 2 days.

Day 1 - Tapia Village

I was staying at The Parisian Macao

Museum of Taipa and Coloane History

Inside the huuuuuuuge Venetian Resort

Vintage restaurant where I was eating...

...this! Supposedly one of their bestsellers.

The extravagant hotels and casinos are incredible

Day 2 - St. Lazarus

You can spot a lot of pastel coloured buildings in the former colony of Portugal

Entrance of Lou Lim Ieoc Garden, where Jackie Chan's Drunken Master's key moments were filmed (!)

This was once a private garden of local tycoon Lou Kau, a pioneer that brought the first casino to Macau.

St Michael Cemetry: the oldest Roman Catholic chapel in Macau

Random picturesque street alley

Another picturesque view

Beautiful red, green en yellow building

Many tourists at the iconic Ruins of St. Paul's

If you are in Macau... you need to visit the super extravagant casinos, eat Portugese egg tart, taste free samples of beef jerky & almond cookies, stroll whole day in the luxurious Venetian and buy nothing, watch an epic love story The House of Dancing Water, and take a picture of one of many pastel coloured buildings with beautiful architecture.

Lead me through the reed field

2018-06-10T22:27:00.000+02:00

Glasses | Carin
T-Shirt | Korea

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
- Albert Einstein

Thanks to Jet for capturing me. These pictures were taken in Driebergen in the Netherlands. Never knew we have beautiful places like this. My next goal is to explore more besides the big cities. Also, this is a very excited week for me; hopefully I'll get some positive news that will change my life!

What makes Hong Kong stand out?

2018-05-21T07:00:00.000+02:00

"Everywhere I go, becomes a part of me somehow..." - 10.000 Buddha Monastery in Shatin

The last year was a quiet year on my blog, however I haven't been sitting still! To cut right to the chase: I have moved to Hong Kong for 9 months and now I am back in the Netherlands again. I have got so much to share, to start off:

What makes Hong Kong stand out?

Weather

In the summer months, it's incredibly hot and humid. While I was exploring on the first few days I thought I was going to faint because it was that hot. Not kidding. I couldn't understand how people could just walk around in suits and have loose long hair. Finally I got a little bit used to it, but eventually I also got a mini fan (the portable one that you can bring around with you)...

International

There are so many people from different nationalities and the contrast is even bigger because you can tell when someone is Asian or Western. Especially on Hong Kong Island, there are many foreigners because of their work and the community. I experience most of the international people are like super open and friendly as they have a mindset of looking for friends and social activities too.

My take on juxtaposition - somewhere in Kowloon

Old meets new

HK is often described as "old meets new" and I finally understood this when I lived there. There are so many old buildings and local neighbourhoods but if you go to the other side it's immediately very modern, urban and trendy. It's a mix of old and new and you can find it everywhere. Also on the road: you see old minibuses as well as the newer double decker busses.

Versatility

What I also really like about this city is the versatility. Just within an hour you can find a hiking trail on the mountains and after all the effort you can rest and cool down at the beach. Getting hungry? Go back and within an hour you can go to the foodcourt in a shopping mall to get your lunch. While you are walking through the shopping mall you see new Nikes that you really want. Quickly go home, take a shower and change to get ready to meet your friends in Lan Kwai Fong (night life spot) for drinks. Did I make it clear that you will never get bored in this exciting city?!

One of my very first hikes on Sharp Island - Sai Kung

Convenience

If someone asks me 'what are you going to miss in Hong Kong?' I would say the convenience. I am not living in the centre, however it takes me only 20 min to go to Mong Kok or 30 min to Central. I lived above a shopping centre and MTR Station. Meaning, within 5 minutes I got into a train, within 5 minutes I got my dinner from Coral de Cafe and within 5 minutes I get to grab a coffee and shop around in the shopping mall. There are so many food options, so many stores and there is always a convenience store in your 360 sight.

Fishermen village Sai Kung

Career • My Learnings as I enter the Business World

2017-04-30T14:26:00.001+02:00

It has been few months since I have written my article: 7 Misconceptions About Graduates Job Hunting. Click here if you want to read the article. Now I am a few months further and where am I actually? Have I finally reached my goal?

From the beginning, I have been applying systematically for a job: started with consultancy, followed by jr. positions, then assistants, but I ended with an internship. Perhaps I set my goals too high, or maybe it was also because my sister has put ideas in my head that I was a top tier student from university and that I was very wanted by top companies. I know she meant it all good, but truth to be told: the reality is different. If I look back, I regret listening to her - or being influenced by her. I would have been better off, with taking 10 little steps rather than 1 big step, career wise. I pushed myself in a direction that I don't even know if that's what I really wanted...

And so, with the thought of that I need at least 1 year of work experience first before I could get any job, I decided to go below my level and started my marketing internship at a FMCG-company. Sure some people might think I am exploited, while others could defend it is a learning experience. I am working full time and I am probably getting 30% of a normal pay, but do take into account that I also have 20% of the responsibility and am 99% allowed to make mistakes. At first, I thought it would be a piece of a cake (because I have previous internship experience), but I underestimated it. And I am glad I did, otherwise I wouldn't have settled my expectations and learned so much, even it's not directly linked to competences.

MY LEARNINGS

I am building my perseverance.

With over 100+ applications and 95% rejections, I have learned to deal with rejections. Yes it sucks, but oh well, let's move on and focus on the better. I always say this to myself: if it's not a match, then it isn't.

A whole new world.

I have always focused on one certain type of job, but now I am starting to questions myself whether that is really what I want. My internship is a perfect moment to discover other possibilities are out here within this field and learn more about it. Not only about the different kinds of functions, but also the option between working at a brand (in-house) or an agency.

Introduction to business politics.

Luckily the influence of business politics in my current company is not that bad, however the more corporate the company is, the more likely people will kiss asses. This is also a learning for me: do I fit in the corporate world or am I more leaning towards a start up?

Networking.

Especially in these hard times of finding a job, knowing people who could possibly lead towards a job is very important. No, it is not kissing asses, but it is a way to broaden your horizon, only if you have a genuine attitude towards it. How can people smell you are looking for a job if you now make yourself known? Because of it, I went out of my comfort zone and started talking to people and showed my genuine interests. Plus, another advantage improving your social skills too.

The moral of the story is, if you haven't found a job right after your graduation, it is okay. It is a learning curve. As long as you keep learning and developing through various ways, I strongly believe you will find the job. It just takes time and the right timing. Don't give up and grab all the learning opportunities as you can. :)

Beauty • BH Cosmetics Be... by BubzBeauty Review

2017-01-21T07:00:00.000+01:00

If you don't know BubzBeauty, Lindy or aka Bubbi is a beauty vlogger that I have been following for a long time. I am not the type to buy vlogger's merchandise, however when Lindy announced that she is going to launch her palette and the limited price offer of $12.50. Her swatches looked amazing and I ordered mine right away.

First of all, I like the concept of this palette, as it embraces beauty both inside and out. This is called Be... and inside you will find 12 shades, with each a different name that completes the quote of Bubbi: "Be whatever you want to be." Such as:

- Be Grateful

- Be Inspired

- Be Hopeful

- Be Kind

This is one of the main reasons why I support Lindy, because of her optimistic and positive character that reflects in her own palette. I find this amazing and unique because it empowers you every time whenever you apply the shadows whilst doing makeup. 12 empowering messages and beautiful colours for $12.50? That is a steal.

OVERVIEW

The Be... palette consists of 12 eye shadow shades, varying from matte to satin and shimmery within both warm and cool ranges. I took 2 pictures in different day lights to show the true colours. Admittedly, the colours are much more vibrant in real life.

The palette has a very nice colour combination and you could see that there has been put a lot of thought in it. Packaging wise, it's not the greatest as it is made out of carton. It feels very light and not too sturdy. But, on the other hand we need to keep in mind that it is only £12.50. I do like it very much it has a mirror because I actually do use it whilst doing makeup.

SWATCHES
So here are the 12 swatches.

Happy - light silver satin finish
Grateful - blush pink satin finish with a bit of gold glitters
Genuine - taupe satin finish
Optimistic - matte light cool brown
Inspired - matte cool dark brown
Bold - darker taupe satin finish
Charismatic - bronzy coppery shimmer
Thoughtful - deep satin warm brown
Able - satin rose gold
Confident - plum with light satin finish
Hopeful - shimmery white gold
Kind - lilac satin finish

OPINION: Not amazed by it.
While I do like the colour combination, Bubbi and the deeper meaning of this palette, I need to say that I am not amazed by this palette. I was quite surprised with the quality of the shadow itself - the shadows lack pigmentation, which makes the shadows harder to work with. As for the swatches above, I really had to pack the shade on several times. On the eyes, the pigmentation is again quite on the sheer side and the colours look a bit off and dull on the eyes. Moreover, while few of the shadows feel velvety, in particular the matte shades, overall the texture isn't super smooth. When I try to blend different kind of colours, it just makes the whole eye look very messy and look like it's just a mess of colours.

The pigmentation and pay off is the main reason why I am not too fond of this as I find it not easy to work with. Some colours are better off on its own or some only for layering. I loved the colour of Able, however the colour pay off isn't as beautiful on the eyes as in the pan, and this is the biggest problem I have with the palette. This palette is made for day & night looks, however in my opinion, this is definitely not palette for night looks, because again, the colour pay off is really sheer.

Therefore, I think these shadows are the best as layering shadows on top of cream-based or other shadows. Applying the shadows with primer, wet or layering on top of other (cream-based) shadows is the best. I think the plum/purple and lilac ones are colours out of my comfort zone, but just like BubzBeauty showed on her vlogs, it is definitely a pop of colour to add on the lower lash line.

I was one of the first to get this palette, but I gave it a lot of time to test this palette. I am overall quite disappointed of the sheer colour pay off of the palette. The concept is amazing, colours look amazing, but on the eyes it's really sheer, not vibrant and not as easy to work with compared to other palettes that I own. Such a bummer.

It's such a waste if I don't use it, so I mostly use it for work, which is quite neutral and nice. I would say I regret buying this palette - I rather would have opted for another Sleek eyeshadow palette, which is on the same price point and better quality. Sorry Bubz! - But I love your vlogs! X

TV-series Shout Out: 3% - Best Series of this Year?

2016-12-19T07:00:00.000+01:00

New is the first Brazilian tv-series and production on Netflix: 3%. I just finished watching this 8-episodes thriller and it was so good that I wanted to give it a shout out.

3% is about a dystopian world that is sharply defined by the poor and the elite, where people in their 20s are given the chance to escape from the slum to the so-called "Off shore". However, each year only 3% of the people can complete the Process and succeed.

The story line is fantastic, as it is something new and innovative - at least something that I have never seen before. The divided problem in this series is a blow up from the real world, in which it's very interesting. Each episode surprised me again and again. The acting is very good too and it didn't bother me that it was in Portugese (I would recommend the Portugese/original version).

This TV-series give me the vibe of The Hunger Games, as it also focuses between life and death.

Overall this series was very entertaining to watch and I can say it is on my favourites list!

I would highly recommend 3%. I can't wait for the next season!

Beauty • Hair Change Is Good

2016-12-15T07:00:00.000+01:00

Last year in December was the last time I have bleached my hair into a balayage. I was not too happy about it, as there was too much blonde in my dark asian hair. Then, a few months later I did a overall permanent brown from a pack and I just have let it grow.

The problem now are roots. You could clearly see my black, then brown hair with blonde. Not really pretty. Moreover, my hair has grown quite a bit and I'm a bit clueless with my hair. Are the following symptoms recognisable when you are clueless with your hair:

- My hair never looks good
- I don't know what to do with my hair
- It just sits there
- I always tie it back up
- Too lazy to style my hair
- My hair is dry AF

So before a Christmas Party and my graduation I decided to go to the hairdressers, Barry's Hair Studio in Galway. The stylist, Louise, gave really good consult about what she could do with my hair.

Basically, I was quite tired with my blonde locks, especially when they were quite orange from colours, damaged and very dry. Louise proposed me to give it an all over colour same as my roots but still keep few of the blonde locks. It is a transition from my bleached balayage to my own natural own hair colour. And this is the result:

BEFORE

AFTER

Tadaaaaaaa! I LOVE it! It has actually been the very first time I am really impressed by the work of a hairdresser. I did a little trim, went darker, but still left some bits and pieces of blonde here and there to make it less harsh and blocky, but more natural and subtle.

The light brown is not totally washed out yet, as the darker colour is a semi-permanent and it will get ligher the more I wash my hair. However, I have been told that it takes several takes in order to wash out the brown completely. By the brown I mean not the blonde, but if you look closely on top of my head, you still can see the difference between the brown and my roots.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I have never been so happy with my hair before. My hair is more healthy, smooth and overall it looks gorgeous. Louise did a fabulous job and I will go back to her again for a follow up colour! And their washing chairs include massages(!)

Barry's Hair Studio, 34 Shop St, Galway, Ireland

Career • 7 Misconceptions About Graduates Job Hunting

2016-12-12T07:00:00.000+01:00

⇢ 1: Graduated! What now?
You have just handed your dissertation in and you are officially done with university! Let's celebrate! You have already decided to sit back, relax and do nothing at all for the coming months.

Not really.
2 days later you are pressured by your family or friends to do something with your life - whether it's travelling or finding a job. Sitting at home is a no-no. Because of this pressure and people around you who are actually getting jobs, you unconsciously start to care. A week later you are updating your CV and cover letter. That was a nice week.. I guess?

⇢ 2: Creative CV
Let's create a creative CV! Graphic non-traditional lay outs? Video CV? CV in a song? CV with a golden frame? Let's do this and get that job!

Not really.
You found out that with a lot of applications you need to apply through company recruitment portals or recruitment sites, in which you are required to manually fill the forms all over again and again for each different company. Moreover, the size of your document is often too large for uploading (max 3mb): there goes your creative CV...

⇢ 3: My amazing profile
You've got both your Bachelor's and Master's degree in the pocket with First Class Honours. Not only do you have study abroad experiences, but you have internship experience at a well-known multinational as well. And growing up, you knew voluntary work and student board experiences will pay off in the future! Who could resist my beautiful resume though?

Not really.
Sure you have ticked all the boxes, but even with that amazing profile, in reality, companies are looking for experience ultimately."Entry Level job, required 2 years experience", doesn't it sound familiar? But as a fresh graduate, where are you going to get those experience whilst going to university? Do we need 4 x 6 months internships perhaps, to equal 2 years of work experience?

⇢ 4: First interviews? Yes, I am going to be hired!
You have got your first 2 interviews in the pocket, yes! You are well prepared, because you have read several websites and books about job interviews and have done your necessary research about the company! So it is most likely that one of them would be your future employer.

Not really.
While you impressed them and you sounded so enthusiastic, one company did not want to hire anyone yet. And to the CEO of the other company, you said you wanted the salary of a finance (€€€) internship instead of a marketing (€) one.. Ouch, such a blunder! #lessonlearnt.

⇢ 5: Job hunting is easy
Okay well, then you would just lower your expectations and look for jobs that are less of your level. Such as graduate internships or assistants jobs or even something that is not your first choice.You know that you can't find your dream job at your first try, but surely finding any fun job is easy!

Not really.
Job market is tight and while you surely can be flexible in terms of the key responsibilities, such as doing something you don't quite like or not having experience in the industry, companies have the total leverage power with one open vacancy and 250 applications. If one of them even fit the role slightly more than you, you are out.

⇢ 6: No reply or rejected? That's okay!
You have already sent out 50 letters so far (excluding the one-click applications on Linkedin) and you heard only from 15 companies. You have read several standard rejections such as:

"However, at this time, we have concluded there is not a precise fit for your skills and abilities with the jobs we are currently seeking to fill."

"Unfortunately, on this occasion we are not in a position to consider your application further for ....."

"We have reviewed your resume and at this time we do not have a position that fits your skills and experience."

And when you ask for feedback, this is the result:

"Candidates with a better match applied."

Wow, that is helpful feedback! This company is really considerate. Perhaps I could try again next time!

Not really.

Being rejected once or twice: okay fine. But when you get rejections over and over again with or without an interview- that hurts! It influences your confidence, motivation and your hope in finding a job. Feelings of stress, sadness and depression are inevitable.

⇢ 7: On to the next round? I've got the job in the pocket!
First interview went great and you are on to the next round! You've got the feeling that you will get this job in the pocket especially when you think you fit the profile perfectly.

Not really.
After the assessment in the second round they decided not to take you for a final interview. Even though their job advertisement said "creative writing", your assessment lacked a bit of analytical and numeric component. Well, that's that then if they want someone who has experience in creative writing and marketing and PR and be analytical and numerical and photoshop and blogging and on and on...

Being invited for an interview is one thing, through to the next round another, however actually signing a contract is a whole other thing. Nothing is secure yet until you have got your contract.

There is a huge gap between enrolled students looking for placements/internships and professionals who already got a proven track record of experience. In the middle, those are the graduates: ambitious and talented people who are ready to put theory into practise, but still struggling in finding a job.

I am learning that job hunting is a process and it is a skill that you need to develop. You always learn something whether it's with a positive or negative experience. Job hunting is hard, but allow yourself the time. Stay strong, don't give up and keep hunting!

Marketing MADNESS • Coolest Brands in the UK 2016

2016-12-06T22:15:00.000+01:00

Few of the coolest brands in the UK that are featured on coolbrands.uk.com

Mövenpick Ice Cream
Luxurious ice cream that is consistent in quality and taste. Filled with amazing ingredients such as Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar, Maracaibo cocoa from Venezuela, handcrafted caramel or hand-picked rasberries of the Héritage variety.

Gymbox

Born out of a desire to change the bland, boring London gym scene, Gymbox is the to go fitness place for savvy urbanites. With a fanaticism for fitness and design, each of its gyms delivers an experience like nothing you've seen before. DJ's, neon signs, polo dances and electric timetable of classes that makes it unique.

NET-A-PORTER

Covering more than 390 world's luxurious designer brands, such as Saint Laurent, Prada, Gucci and Valentine and over 130 specialist beauty brands on their online web shop. They attract to a global audience of 6 million female luxury customers, fans and followers.

The Saucy Fish Co.
How cool can fish be? With the mission to put more fish on dinner tables, The Saucy Fish Co. has transformed the way millions of Brits think about fish and continues to blaze a trail through the chiller aisles. The fact is, most people love a nice bit of fish, but find cooking it a bit daunting. The Saucy Fish Co. removes the troubles and offers a range of inspiring fish and sauce combinations to lick your fingers off.

NARS
Not a unfamiliar brand. Creator of Nars is a makeup artist, photographer and iconoclast, continuing to bring high fashion, high style and forward thinking to beauty. Iconic colours such as Deep Throat and Orgasm Blushes and Laguna Bronzing Powder are known by all beauty junkies.

Tangle Teezer

What's the fuzz about Tangle Teezer? It's a hairbrush that has achieved cult status and is loved by hairstylists, influencers and celebrities. Innovation is the key to developing products that create expertise to solve problems. This tool changed the way how hair is treated.

Green & Black's Organic

Focussing on ethical and sustainable practices to develop real premium chocolate to the world. Sourcing chocolate from the finest cocoa beans in the Dominican Republic, this range includes chocolate bars, gift boxes, Easter eggs, ice cream and hot chocolate. With 18 unique bars to choose from, there's truly a flavour to suit any palate.

Liberty

6 Floors of carefully curated fashion, beauty and homewares. Turning from a store to a fully experience since 1875. Famous for its design, unique gift offering and shop windows. Liberty is situated in the heart of London's Regent Street shopping district and is one of the most iconic and individual stores in the world.

Few TV-series I thoroughly enjoyed!

2016-11-27T06:00:00.000+01:00

I am an extremely picky TV-series watcher: if I don't get captivated at the beginning of the serie, I won't watch it. Hence I have skipped popular series such as Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead etc. Sure, they might be amazing as a whole, but it needs to be very engaging at the very beginning. I am not a crazy fan of series, but there are a few which I enjoyed thoroughly!

ORPHAN BLACK - MY MOST FAVOURITE

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No! Not the Orange is the new Black, but Orphan Black, which is amazing and thus my favourite serie ever! It is about a group of clones with distinctive characters and lifes that discover each other over time. They want to found out how they have become clones and much more. The amazing thing is that the lead actress, Tatiana Maslany (who has won the Emmy by the way), plays each of these clones! The acting and makeup makes it very hard to believe that each character is played by the same incredible talented women.

GRIMM

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A science fiction serie with a lot of action, funny humor and a appealing story, which made me a binge watcher. The story is about Nick, which has the ability to see the real thing of particular humans, referring to monsters. While some are good, the majority is bad and it just happens that Nick is a cop... Grimm might not be available on Netflix in your country, however I am sure you could download it online.

CHUCK

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This is such a funny and heartwarming story but still exciting and full of action. Such a funny romantic comedy action serie!

SUITS

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What is better than beautiful people playing in a beautiful law serie? The actors and actresses are very charismatic and that makes the story even better.

SHERLOCK HOLMES

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Such a classic, but a must watch! The combination of Cumberbatch and Freeman is gold!

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS

Girl recommendation alert! - No stories about rainbows and butterflies, but full of thrilling stories about the 5 girls. I must add that I have a girl crush on Shay Mitchell. <3

PRISON BREAK

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An oldie, but definitely a mind-blowing good one! So much action, good story telling and good acting!

Birthday Wishlist 2016

2016-11-24T00:36:00.000+01:00

Time has flown by and the last 3 months of a year - October, November and December, always go super quickly. I love that I am a November baby, but on the other hand I wished it wasn't so close towards the Holidays, as everything seems too festive at once in a year. This year next week, I am turning 24!

This year was a very parsimonious year. I was living in London and had to be really careful with my money as London WAS very expensive. No excessive shopping, eating out or spending money in general. This made me to be more thoughtful in spending money now: Do I really need this? Am I really loving this? With much care, I created a list of things that I really want to receive or buy! Few things are super practical and the Marc Jacobs Decadence perfume is just sexiness in a bottle.

Beauty Review • Soap & Glory Body Products

2016-11-15T23:17:00.000+01:00

Soap & Glory is a famous drugstore brand at Boots that stands out for its creative, girly and funny packaging and products. Ever since moved to London, I never really wanted to splurge on it because I still had other body products to use. Why splurge? Because it is not cheap nor expensive. You could say the mid-rage, but the thought of €10 shower gel, is something you need to think twice. And ironically, it was when I decided to move in with my boyfriend in Ireland to splurge on Soap & Glory. After all, I needed my own girly body products in a man's home. It was indeed the unusual packaging but also the scent that attracted me towards Soap & Glory and it could be said that these are my favourites!

CLEAN ON ME. 500ml creamy, blush pink shower gel in a plastic bottle with a pump - which lasts forever. You could see I am almost at the half of the bottle with 4 months of using. Foams up so much with a shower puff + 4 pumps, that it feels like you are wrapped in a blanket of happiness and sprinkles. The scent is very strong, unique and hard to describe - sweet and mandarin. It claims that it has built-in body lotion and this is absolutely noticeable after showers. No more dry legs, but very moisturised and hydrated skin.

FLAKE AWAY. Perhaps one of their most popular products: an effective body scrub containing shea butter, sugar, peach seeds power, sea salt, grape seed and almond oils, which gives the luxury spa feeling in the shower. The scent is similar to the shower gel, but a bit different. It is hard to put a finger on the strong scent, because for me it is just very nice and pleasant. It has so many different exfoliate particles that you feel it polishes your body.

THE RIGHTEOUS BUTTER. Body butter containing shea butter, aloe vera, cacao seed butter and coconut oil. Looks like a butter, but it feels more like a thick lotion. Again, a very strong scent that leaves the whole room smelling like that. It takes a moment to be fully absorbed, however the moisturiser is really effective because it makes my skin super soft afterwards. So soft that even my boyfriend notices the difference!

YES MY FAV! Although the not so low prices, these are absolutely my favourite body products! The strong scent of all three products are fairly similar and the results are clearly noticeable. I find it hard to describe, but it is definitely towards the sweet, citrus and shea scent. Moreover, the packaging and the usage of the products feels like a good pamper session at a spa. The products are effective and packaging looks super cute and girly too!

Fashion • 12 x Dusty Pink, Vintage Rose and Blush Nude Trainers

2016-10-27T17:36:00.001+02:00

When I expressed my love for dusty pink, vintage rose and blush nude similar colours in my previous posts in terms of makeup, it has slowly transferred to fashion as well. The obsession is REAL - I am not kidding. It first started with seeing the creepers in picture #1 and later I found out that many brands came out with similar colours. Is it me or is it a new trend? Hence I have made a little collage with this new trainers! So many brands, so many choices - it is really hard to choose from!

Here are 12 x Dusty Pink, Vintage Rose and Blush Nude Trainers!

Pull & Bear Creepers *link* - They look perfect and are affordable, but didn't buy them because they aren't the most comfortable shoes.
Adidas trainers €? *Footlocker store Galway* - Aren't they just super cute?! The fact that the outer material is varnish, it makes this shoe perfect for rainy weather! This is the one that I actually would like to buy!
Puma X Careaux Blauze of Glory Trainers in Coral Rose *link* - Super stylish and dope trainers!
Adidas Originals Dusky Pink Ponyskin Gazelle Trainers *link* - These are more darker and I think they would look cute with cropped skinny jeans.
New Balance 574 Cream and Bronze Suede Trainers *link* - Not a fan of all pink? These are neutral with a hint of some bronze.
Adidas Women Originals Hamburg Shoes *link* - Suede + the iconic three white stripes. What do you want more?
Puma X Careaux Coral Suede Basket Trainers with Rose Logo *link* - From the same collection, however bit more subtle than the previous one.
Bronx Trainers *link* - Super cute and minimal with 3 silver buttons at the back.
Adidas Women Originals Stan Smith *link* - Too lazy to tie your shoes? Ultimate convenience with these straps.
Hugo Boss Corynne *link* - Fancy a more high-end shoe? These stylish yet minimal are from Hugo.
Timberlands 6 Inch *link* - More boots kind of girl? You can't go wrong with these Timberlands.
Vans Old Skool Trainers *link* - Classic ones in a nude colour.

The ones that I could put on my wish list? Number 2, 8, 10 and 12. The one? Can't decide.. They are all too cute!

Marketing MADNESS • The explosion of the new industry: e-Sports

2016-10-22T17:21:00.000+02:00

Never heard of e-Sports? Not a big deal, but you might be interested in this rapidly growing industry providing many opportunities for many businesses.

E-what?

e-Sports is playing online video games on professional and competitive level. When back in the 80's - 90's they would be stereotyped as a "nerd" of "geek" with interests in video gaming at home, however that generation as well as the following ones are slowly but surely building their own community growing out as a whole industry into the mainstream worth of billions of dollars. As a result, e-Sports' revenue was estimated $252M in 2015 (Newzoo, 2015)!

Why is it called e-Sports? Because there are many similarities between traditional sports and e-Sports. Both including training, professional players, coaches, managers, fans and supporters and a myriad event at stadiums where teams compete against each other in front of a live audience of millions of people. The prize money is massive considering $71M in 2015 globally (Newzoo, 2015). Most popular games within e-Sports are: League of Legends, DOTA 2, Counter Strike: GO and StarCraft II. In addition, these matches are streamed online (Twich, Youtube) to make the event available for everyone all over the world, which refers to spectating.

The industry

The biggest regions in e-sports are: Korea, North-America, China and Europa. Firstly, the foundation of big e-sports tournaments lies in Europe, with ESL being one of the biggest organisations. Secondly, e-Sports is very big in Korea, some believe that's where it all started, with Starcraft. It was so big at one point that the National Champion would be a National Hero and still to this day you can see the importance of e-Sports in their society. Furthermore, China is one of the fastest growing and the most profitable regions because of the population size and viewers. Moreover, America has the most financial value in terms of sponsorships. Each region has their own events and tournaments and the best teams of each region will come down to the ultimate tournament where they play for the World Championship.

As Newzoo (2016) publishes, the industry consist of: teams, publishers, events, leagues, brands and evidently, the consumers (viewers). To go further into League of Legends (LoL), TSM, Fnatic, SKT, RNG are a few of the most famous pro teams.

Newzoo (2015

Consumers

Besides the rise, this industry is fascinating because of its own culture. They have their own norms, beliefs, values, "language" and symbols. Good sportsmanship is valued, as you often can see "gl hf" (good luck, have fun), or "gg wp" (good game, well played). Which also leads to a new type of consumers which provides many opportunities.

Consumers within the e-sports can be divided in players and viewers. Whereas it was a geeky thing to play video games in your room, it has become much more mainstream for young males but also females. According to Mindshare NA, 65% fans of e-sports are ages between 18-34, from which 38% are women. This is what I meant that whereas this group of people was the stereotype geek back in the days, now they all have grown up along with the hobby, resulting in a legit industry. Also , viewership is an aspect of the e-sports culture. The audience is made up of gamers. The finals of large tournaments reached to global audiences of around 30M on Twitch. League of Legends attracted 36M viewers to the Twitch live stream during the Worlds 2015. e-Sports in a growing industry that has become even more populair compared to NBA and MLB.

http://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2016/09/16/the-rise-esports-influence-brands

This is a true culture, because both players and viewers have a passion for e-sports and are true fans because of the deep social experience they gain. According to Mindshare (2016), almost half of e-Sports fans spend most of their free time on e-Sports. Moreover, 60% would like to travel to attend the favourite game, tournaments and players. The top pro-gamers are seen as celebrities and have their own fandom. There is no doubt that e-sports will only grow in the near future.

Marketing opportunities
With numbers like 36M viewers and $252M revenue, this developing industry can't be neglected and as a matter of fact, it is a huge market for many opportunities.

Red Bull
Red Bull entered the e-sports through sponsorship in 2008 sponsering the 20-year-old Bjergsen of TSM which is an American League of Legends pro team. Through his influence and platform of 310k Facebook fans, 805k Twitter followers, 1,1M Twitch followers, 500k Youtube followers and 113k Instagram followers, Red Bull could be part of the industry and creates incredible brand awareness.

Limitations

However, there are some limitations to enter to enter e-Sports as a brand. For example Riot Games, has several regulations in order to protect the game and its industry. Brands can't be visible on screen for commercial purposes. Secondly, because it is still quite a niche market, not every brand can dip their toes in the market as it might clash or be controversial. There is still many research gaps in order to discover business opportunities, however this is certainly an industry that can't be neglected.

Sue + Life 4 • (Long Distance) Relationship Theory (LDR)

2016-10-13T16:22:00.000+02:00

"Relationships are fundamental in the development of the human psyche. It is difficult to imagine life without any relations with other people. Relationships are in many ways how we embed ourselves in the world. " - (Heding, 2009)

The concept long distance relationship (LDR) is quite relative. When is a relationship considered as long distance? 3 or more hours? When you need to travel by car, train or plane? Living in different countries? America vs Europe is also very different in terms of traveling. This is up to you to decide.

I am together with my boyfriend for 2,5 years now and we have an on and off long distance relationship. The first long distance was after we got together for a month, and then I left the country to live and study in South-Korea for 5 months. It was tough. We spoke everyday and we missed each other badly, but we managed it and when I finally got back, we claimed that we would never have a LDR again.

This claim was broken a year ago. My boyfriend moved to Galway, Ireland for a job. And few months later I moved to London, UK for my study. Now we are still living 7 to 8 hours door-to-door apart. Whether it was back then or now, it is still difficult. But our mutual willingness for our future is the significant part that helps to overcome it.

Honestly, LDR is possible, but not suitable for every couple. My friends have asked me how I managed to do this, while they can’t even imagine to be apart from their loved ones. In my opinion, the more independent you are, the easier it gets. I grew up to be very independent and never really needed somebody with me side by side. So, for me being away from my boyfriend for long period of time is something I can get used to. In contrary, my boyfriend had a very hard time adjusting. We definitely have our ups and downs like any other couples, but I think LDR makes it harder. We are definitely on the right track and we keep improving and strengthen our relationship.

I have read few relationship advice articles online, but I wanted to create my own, since I felt there were some things missing. So, whether you are in a LDR or not, I want to share few LDR advices that hopefully can be of any use to you that I have learned from my LDR.

Key ingredients for a successful (long distance) relationship

TRUST.
One of the building blocks in any type of relationship is trust. In a LDR I find that you need to have the fullest faith to each other, especially when you don't see or speak with each other that frequently. Don't have any doubts or distrust in each other, because that will bring your relationship down and it will fest on you, which will do not any good. I think even if the partner did something wrong, you have two choices: 1) it's over or 2) forgive and forget. Then you really need to forgive him and forget it. Of course you should win each other's trust, but when you have the full 110% trust, have the full trust. Once someone break each other's trust in the end, then you will know when it's over.

COMMUNICATION.
In a LDR, miscommunication in the devil. This is something that we both experienced: once we were in an argument, because of the long distance, we weren't able to work it out and finish it immediately. In contrast, we stopped talking to each other and I turned into 'still mode' and so the arguments became worse. I had really to learn to communicate in a relationship. I couldn't say certain things, because I was scared that it might hurt his feelings, but in the end I realised that by saying your true feelings, even if they are not pleasant, is the key to communication. It helps clear things in the air and it makes it easier for both to understand each other.

RESPECT.
Treating each other as equals is very important, if not the most important. The definition of respect is:

admiration felt or shown for someone or something that you believe has good ideas or qualities.

Every person has their own good ideas and qualities. Don't look down on him on certain things that you want him/her to, or because you are good it at, rather have admiration or respect on his own unique qualities and good characteristics. Let each other in your own value. I may be very good at studying, but my boyfriend however is the most social person I have ever known.

FREEDOM.
Don't forget that love is about two individual being together, but it is as important to have your own individual freedom. Just as Harbard said in Vikings: Possession is the opposite of love. Whereas I would then say: Relationship is the freedom to love each other. So don't have the feeling of controlling one or another, because this would only be oppressive and that can leads towards a downwards spiral.

TRANSPARENCY.
I don't understand why people wouldn't be transparent. I have heard a story that a boyfriend lied about where he was and that he wasn't drunk, while he was. Lies.. how small or big they are, lies are lies and they have a negative impact on the relationship no matter what. Isn't it obvious that there is no harm in being honest and true? I mean, nobody can really fault you for being transparent. Transparency can make or break your relationship.

POSITIVITY.
It is maybe very obvious, but for some they may need a reminder. Couples need to be positive in their relationship to have a successful one. Successful? When is a relationship successful? All relationships are a progress build on successes and failures. Therefore, both partners need to be 100% positive and willing to strengthen, improve and work together on the relationship and for your future. Whenever one is 50% slacking, the other can't compensate and work for 150%, and certainly not for a longer period.

DISCUSSIONS.
What I personally find very important having discussion. Here, I don't mean arguments or fights but real discussions about very general knowledgable topics. I find that talking about politics, history, culture and news topics for example, help to bond together as soulmates and helps to widen your knowledge. Again, this might be very normal for some couples, but for me it is something that I have discovered since I am together with my boyfriend. It helps to understand each other better, but also yourself: to learn to debate, form your own opinion and learn more about the world.

SUGAR.
Besides all that serious talking, it is very important to throw a bit of sugar in your relationship once in a while. Whenever you are 2 years, 5 years or 12 years together, by putting some sugar in your relationship, it gives your relationship a boost and keeps it fun. I understand that sometimes that the relationship can be boring or dull, but try to keep it lively together.

“He’s not perfect. You aren’t either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don’t hurt him, don’t change him, and don’t expect for more than he can give. Don’t analyze. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you.”

― Bob Marley

New Look Work Wardrobe Fall 2016 Wishlist

2016-10-02T18:27:00.000+02:00

Studying and living in London is extremely expensive and therefore, I said to myself not to go on crazy shopping sprees, rather I'd be more careful with my money. Now that I have finished my studies and need to look for my first job ever (!), I am in need of a new work wardrobe to look representative at the office! I haven't really put much effort in my clothing style as study was more important obviously. My daily outfits were sloppy but comfortable clothing. Hence, I have been looking forward to this moment when I finally could have my own monthly income and give myself a fashion makeover!

I found that New Look has the best pieces to my taste and have therefore put together my New Look Work Wardrobe Wishlist for Fall 2016!

As the weather is turning slowly, but surely into the Fall season, the collection is also inspired by Fall colours such as: burgundy, khaki, chestnut brown, 50 shades of grey, dark green and obviously, black. Including texture and materials such as: wool, ribbed, velvet and suede. I aim for more one piece dresses, as it looks very sharp, sophisticated and are easy to wear at the same time. Moreover, I think skirts are really fashionable whilst professional, as long as they are not too short. Neutral coloured skirts can easily be paired with nice tops, sweaters and blouses. I like those office trousers, as if they are professional yet fashionable. I have thick legs, so often these trousers don't suit me really.. But hopefully one day I can find a perfect one! Cardigans are crucial layering pieces. Shoes that are more office approved are neutral colour in heels, boots or oxford style flats. It needs to look slick, but it also needs to be comfy as you are walking in them every day. Trench coats are perfect transition piece for the late summers. Long winter coats looks amazing in Fall, however when it gets really freezing cold the only option are the padded thick winter jackets (comfy first!) Finally, a nice suede or leather tote bag with shoulder straps finishes off the look.

Image credits to New Look

You might get the idea on the style that I am looking for: sophisticated, smart-casual and professional. I am not sure about the shoes and bag, as I am afraid they are not as high-quality and comfortable as I expect. But overall, I am really impressed with the collection and I can't wait to finally get a job to be able to afford (majority of) this!

Actually, before I post this, I just went shopping today with a very light hand, and bought these two items below, which I adore! They have 20% student discount at the moment, which is always a nice deal!

Marketing MADNESS 3 • Corporate manipulation or persuasion?

2016-09-21T20:22:00.002+02:00

My boyfriend Dennis, showed me this video recently. It is about the glasses business in America. Apparently, there is a corporation, Luxottica, that produces and owns 80% brands of glasses, which is almost a monopoly. The point of the video was that whether if you buy a pair of glasses of $60 or $600 they are the same, because 70% of the brands comes from the exact same factory and thus the company has the bargaining power to apply a higher margin on the glasses.
The video is made in the most subjective way in the view of the consumer's demand and supply.

Dennis and I argued about this video and I thought it would be very interesting to share this with you.

He finds that it is very unfair towards consumers from a business perspective to charge $600 for just a pair of glasses:

"I'm just saying, from a moral point of view, it shouldn't be like that. But we don't live in a perfect world like that so nothing we can do."

However, I am arguing that this is not corporate manipulation, but marketing persuasion.

"Persuasion is one thing - manipulation is another" (Hatch and Schultz, 2008)"

Branding is concept that exists for many centuries. The early use of brands was for administrative function, such as ownership and it has an important competitive advantage during the industrial revolution. Today, branding is about creating an identity with symbolic value that differentiaties with other brands to sustain competitive advantage. Therefore, it is impossible to imagine consumption without branding in this current world. Consumers want choices and companies need to be continuously innovating in order to survive. Consumers are also getting more picky as they want more value for money. Hence, there are so many different choices for consumers to choose from: from low, to mid to high budget and luxury. It gives consumers the freedom to go for the cheap $20 pair of glasses or $600 branded.

However, it is not that simple just buying cheap or expensive glassses. Like I said before, it is about the symbolic meaning. It is the individual, who adds these meanings to the glasses which are very personal. Dennis for example, never wears glasses so he would never put $600 for a pair. But he would pay few hundreds on computer things. On the other hands, I do wear glasses and yes I have been wearing $15 glasses, but they had to be replaced every three months because of the quality. Now, I am wearing one of £200, but in my opinion it is worth is because of the quality that makes the glasses more long lasting. They are also vintage, so I add the symbolic meaning of "hipster" to the glasses, which partly expresses how I would like to be.

Moreover, I also disagree that this is corporate manipulation, because even though the company owns like 80% of the business, consumers could also choose the less expensive option isn't? After all, it is the willingness that consumers like to pay for a pair of glasses and as a result, consumers are happy. And that is what the mission is of companies: satisfy consumers. Make them happy. And if they are happy, the companies are happy. So therefore, the market is influenced by supply (companies) and demand (consumers) and many other factors.

While I do agree with Dennis that majority of companies are too capital focused, there are several that try to give back to the community as well. Companies invest in sustainability, recycling, supporting charities, Fair-Trade that contributes to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Perhaps CSR is something I can talk about in my next Marketing MADNESS?

Anyhow, what do you think of this video and its discussion?

References
Video: http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/6883977/6855ee43/lesje_over_je_bril.html
Quote: Hatch, M.J. and Schultz, M. (2008) Taking Brand Initiative. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass

Sue + Talk 4 • Okay: graduated, what now?

2016-09-14T21:17:00.003+02:00

The last few days have been really hectic and stressful - the deadline of my dissertation was in sight. This is the research that I have been working on for 4 months and the very last commitment before I could receive my Master degree and wrap up my schooling.

Two days ago, I have handed in my dissertation, which I thought it would be a much bigger deal than I actually think. Right after I submitted it online at night and I still had the task of delivering the hard copies later at the same day, I felt so much emotions and tensions inside me. I felt like I needed to have a real good cry to relieve my stacked up emotions, but I couldn't. Maybe it would come later when I physically completed the submission through hard copies. I was expecting a big hit, but it is rather a slow relieve and numbness at the same time. I am not happy, nor sad. Is this called the post-dissertation-symptoms?

This moment is a bitter sweet moment for me. I am proud of myself and super happy that I am able to achieve everything up to my Masters degree, gain so much invaluable knowledge, skills and developed myself into a better person I was yesterday.

However, every good thing has to come to an end and this is the bitter transition. I can't no longer stay at the 'comfortable' and stable place, but I need to move forward. And the only way of moving forward is to actually apply everything you have ever studied on, into the real world. In other words: you are going from a student to a graduate and finally a starter or an employee. You know, the 9-5 office jobs which brings much more responsibilities with, that requires my own identity. I can't hide no longer under my safe daddy's wings, instead I need fly myself. And this is scary. The unknown, the "real world", adults, routines, short-term goals, future plans, blue Mondays, happy Fridays, looking-forward-to-the-weekend-but-it passes so quickly and actually looking representative everyday when you show up at your desk?

During my childhood and teenage years, I have been planning this all out: high school degree, bachelor's degree in marketing and eventually master's degree in marketing in the pocket. I can proudly check all these boxes just like I have it all planned out. Then.. Okay, I am graduated. Brilliant. But, what now?

Well, to give myself a clear answer and stop over-analysing: I need to get a job. Whether it's in a month, three months or a year, I need a job. And whether the unknown is scary, I still need to face it anyway. So, I will just relax for now and go with the flow. I am confident that I will slowly think: "Yeah, let's put my CV up", because I do care about my career that I have been planning and working so hard for. Everything will be fine!

Sorry about the rant, but it was something that I would like to get off my chest.

Take care x

Beauty Review • Sleek Goodnight Sweetheart (Limited Edition) swatches + first impression

2016-09-07T15:09:00.000+02:00

Lately I have been really into the vintage pink, rose gold, dusty wine red and cranberry kind of eyeshadow shades. While I am a cool toned colour type of girl, I find that those shades really suit me. Hence, my hunt for the specific eyeshadow has started. Having looked at different brands, I was still quite hesitant to commit to one. Until I saw the Sleek's Facebook post come by with their new release.... i-Divine Goodnight Sweetheart in limited edition. Because of the brand, price and availability I already knew I need to get this. This was still unavailable in my local Boots, so I grabbed one online instead.

This palette is inspired by romantic evenings, cosy warm candlelight dinners and seductive fire nights including: smouldering dusky rose, deep plump and iridescent shimmers as core colours.

Sleek is one of the famous drugstore brand in the UK that is known for their price/value products. Their products are affordable (€12.99) and the quality is amazing for that value. This palette contains 12 x 0.8grams of eyeshadows, a big mirror (as always) and a 2 sided sponge applicator.

I will show you the product, swatches and my first impression of the Goodnight Sweetheart eye shadow palette of Sleek.

THE SWATCHES

First row:

Seduction: light shimmery taupe with hint of silver glitters

Velvet Wrap: shimmery dusky rose/copper

Romance: matte deep plum

Lingerie: duo chrome white gold with pink

Dusk: medium/dark shimmery taupe with hint of silver glitters

L.O.V.E.: shimmery rose colour with hint of silver glitters

Second row:

By The Fireside: shimmery copper

Hole Me Tight: matte cool dark brown/taupe

Sweet Dreams: shimmery medium brown

Love Is In The Air: shimmery dusky taupe/plum

Snuggle: duo chrome warm dark brown with metallic green sheen

Sleeping Beauty: cool toned taupe/grey with a bit of shimmer

FIRST IMPRESSION. First of all, the quality is good. Very smooth, buttery and pigmented, like I expected from Sleek. Romance was the only one that had minimal crumbs during the swatches. Secondly, there are several positive points I would like to express. I love the pinky/rose/coppery shades, which are also the shades that I was looking for. Surprisingly there are two duo chrome shades in this palette and especially Lingerie was like "wow" when I swatched. Just a picture doesn't show the true colour unfortunately. In the light it is so beautiful.

While I haven't used it yet on my eyes, I do have a few things I wish were different. Firstly, it packaging says these are warm shades, but in my opinion it is a mix of cool toned and warm colours, such as the taupe and dusky colours which I like. Also, the darker taupe/brown colours did not really amaze me; I find that many of the colours are fairly similar. They could have put a cranberry shade, a black shade, a highlighter and another matte for example for the versatility (but that would be my personal perfect palette). Also, I find it a bit unfortunate that there are only 2 matte shades; I would have liked one more for the diversity of transition colours.

It is not my 100% perfect eyeshadow palette because of the few similar colours, but then again it is my personal opinion and preference. Besides my personal improvement points, overall I am super impressed with the quality, colours and especially the value. For only €12.99, you can't pass on this beautiful limited edition! The dusky rose, gold, coppery colours and the duo chrome Lingerie (!!) are just like.. ahhhh! Can't wait to start using it!

How to be a Nerd (and get those A's)

2016-09-06T21:21:00.001+02:00

I am compelled to write a blogpost related to my study, cause I am kind of enjoying my dissertation right now (so weird). But as you don't already know, I am a Msc Marketing student in London and I have already have written a blogpost about my experience of my university and course. I don't consider myself as intelligent, as a matter of fact, when I was younger I never received high grades. I was just average. But the more years of studying experience I have, the more I appreciate education as well as finding out what for me the most effective and efficient ways of studying are to achieve A's. In other words, here is my blogpost on how to be a Nerd.

Whether you are doing an associate, Bachelor, Master or Phd course, first and foremost you need to have interest in the field of your study. It might be very difficult for people to realise what they want to do in life if they are totally clueless. In that sense, I am very lucky; that from a young age I already really liked marketing (only because I know I hated financial courses). But please talk to different kinds of people with different occupation, watch movie have an image in which field you are interested it. I would find it very hard to study something that you don't like or don't have any interest in it at all. Or perhaps, studying isn't your cup of tea. However, I do strongly suggest that when you have the option to go study, you totally should do it. Education and everything along the pathway is knowledge for lifetime and you would never regret doing it, even if you decide not to follow the same path later in life.

Anyway, going back to how to be a Nerd like me. The most important on how to be a nerd is to have the right mind set. Once you made the choice to study, you need to pull yourself together and really go studying. I realise during my Masters that it is not about having a high intelligence (which surely does help), but it is about doing it and do it in the right way. In my opinion, every one can study, but not every one have the right mind set to study. Most of the time it is about pushing yourself to open that book or read a paper. You just need to do it. And the more you study, the more experience you have in applying your study skills, improving your time & planning management and slowly you will find the most and efficient and effective method to study in your own way. Eventually, your hard work will pay off and especially if you know the underlying reasons for a certain test or coursework and you are able to get those A's.

Here are two top tips that really works for me:

#1 START EARLY. What for me certainly works is to start as early as possible with any coursework or future exam. I am known to be the early bird, but I am sure if I didn't start early for my courseworks, I wouldn't be able to achieve a high mark. Starting early, even though it is just a create a cover page or read the first chapter really helps me to get into the material. From the moment on that I started with a certain task, my mind would start working and start thinking about it: such as what could I write, where to look for information, and how I should write it. The earlier you start, the more time you have to think about it and analyse it. And the more time spent analysing, the better the quality of the content. The last motivation why I like to start early is I want to avoid work at the very.last.minute. I hate being last minute. It makes me stressed, it makes me sad, it makes me go crazy and so on. Preferable I would aim to finish a week or few days earlier before the deadline so I can proofread comfortably, I can remove or add things whenever I analyse more and I could do all the finishing touches.

#2 ALL OR NOTHING. Another advice that has really worked me is: to work on my school whenever I am inspired and stop with school whenever I feel lazy and unmotivated. This works the best for me, because when I am inspired I can really work efficiently and effectively on my tasks. I hardly can make any progress whenever I feel down or unmotivated and it will eat you up or make you only more sad when you do decide to push yourself even further. Sometimes (or often) you need to allow yourself to have that break or the I-don't-want-to-do-shit-today or I-just-want-to-play-league-of-legends-all-day days. Go watch series, sleep, eat or go shopping for example. I also notice that when I am in this kind of mood and I still want to read or do school things, I am only going to be more distracted. Like in HIIT training (High Intensity Internal Training), for me is to fully focus on school, or fully focus on couch potatoeing, in other words: all or nothing. This way you will spend your time more efficient and effective.

I hope I have somewhat inspired you and please feel free to ask any questions if you have them!

Sue + Life 3 • Why so serious?

2016-08-27T23:10:00.000+02:00

There are periods of time in my life that I was a studyholic. I may have adapted this from my parents; my father is a hard-working man and my mother wanted the best for me, thus they have put invisible pressure on me when I was younger at school. Their belief is that when you study hard, you will get a good job, which provides you a stable life. Typical Chinese.

I was first against this thought since I was the rebel and youngest child out of the three. I simply did whatever makes me happy and I have learned to be satisfied with my own achievements despite my parent's (higher) wishes or expectations. But somehow, there is still a part of me that puts the pressure on myself from time to time.

SEOUL. There are two studyholic periods that I can remember clearly. First, it was my exchange programme abroad in Seoul. Instead of having fun, meeting friends and going out every week, I was focused on my studies. Not because I wanted to, but because I was unlucky to have a particular teacher for several modules. In that year he decided to have quizzes for every chapter, for every module he lectured. I have 3 from the 6 modules from his. Great. This meant that I had 4 to 6 quizzes every week for every chapter which was 30 pages long! I had a choice (or not) to have a fun study experience or work my ass off and get good grades. I went for the second option. Back then, I felt like there wasn't even an option for me because that "perfectionist" in me wanted to do good and achieve high grades. I wouldn't call myself a perfectionist actually, because I'm not. Striver is a better word. I was stressing like crazy. Because of stress I got acne, hair loss, sickness and whatnot. I was sad, depressed and have cried a lot. To be honest: I have never ever studied that hard before in my entire life. But indeed, hard work pays off and I have received a really high grade overall for my modules, which then has also increased my overall Bachelor's degree grade to a 2:1 or 7/10.

LONDON.The second time is the first semester of my Masters degree here in London. I was always very conscious of the gap between Bachelor's and Master's. The first semester was tough. It was not only my first time Masters experience, but also first time studying for a degree abroad. What are their standards? What do they expect? How much error margin is allowed? I have put so much pressure on myself and was stressing out again. Combined with severe homesickness I was very unhappy, constant worried and depressed again. However, this time I did have a choice. I have chosen to go to the UK to achieve my Masters degree and have come here with the intention to study hard. There comes the striver in me again: I need to do this.

I CARE. Luckily I'm blessed with good and smart friends.
Friend 1 just simply told me: "Sue, why do you study so hard? You don't need to take study and life so serious. You also need to have fun!"
Friend 2 who is a psychology/coaching student did a coaching session with me. She tried to uncover the underlying reasons for my behaviour and feelings.The reason why I was stressing out is that I felt I need to do my best and was therefore creating that massive pressure. We have uncovered why I wanted to do well: because I care. And the most significant part is to turn the negative 'I need to do my best' into the positive 'I care' and strengthen that part. 'I care' is engraved metaphorically in my soul. The conclusion is that I should not worry about doing my best, but trust myself and my own capabilities because 'I care' and be less stressed because, I am going to do it one way or another.

They are right. They totally hit the spot! Why are we taking some things too seriously? Don't we need to include the joy towards that thing too? Then, I have indeed forgot this quote: "Life is a journey, not a destination." Even though you are aiming and striving for your achievement, you are still a person with feelings and longing for happiness. I don't think it's right to shut off that happiness factor in order to achieve some thing. Some cases maybe yes, but for my two cases.. no. The achievement, is a consequence of your effort. Despite this effort, your mental and healthy state is the most important, especially if you want to keep achieving.

These two advices has really helped me to worry less, stress less and be more happy! Thus this quote:

I found this quote in a coffee shop in a hidden corner between big buildings in city centre of Galway. Even though it sounds quite ironic, I truly believe this is the strong essence of life. I took life way too seriously. No matter how serious you are, how studyholic or workholic you are, you need to have a part of your life that is filled with fun & happiness too. There needs to be a balance. You can't always work or study hard if it makes you lonely or sad. Nor you can't always have fun or can you? ;)

Nevertheless, life is too short to do only the serious things. We only have one life, fill it in with sprinkles of happiness and pleasure, and die without regrets shall I say ;).

Nike Airmax 90 • Premium Safari White

2016-07-21T12:14:00.000+02:00

As I have previously mentioned about my love for Nike Airmax here, I saw discovered this awesome colour way for the first time somewhere online. I fell for these sneakers immediately, however I didn't have the intention to buy them.

Until when I was in Hong Kong few months ago during Chinese New Year. Given that this pair was quite rare over here and it was 20% off, I spent all of my leftover red pocket money on these babies for $700~800 HKD, which is around 80 euros.

These are the Nike Airmax 90 in Premium Safari White. They are broken white/beige with a light brown sole and black logo and laces. And again, the upper materials is from suede (my love for suede shoes never dies). Luckily it has not a clear leopard nor cheetah print and certainly not all over the shoe. As my best friend responded: "These are typically Sue's sneakers." And I agree. :D

So once more my love for Nike Airmax 90 is confirmed and I must add that these walk as comfortably as my first black/grey pair. In my opinion, Premium Safari White is much more easier to break in as in loosen up, compared to the other one since I didn't need any soles.

I love to pair these the most with an all-black outfit combined with skinny jeans or leggings to dress down the look and make these shoes stand out. Even though they are the perfect colour combo for summer and nice weather, these might be too warm for your feet when the temperature is high. Obviously you'd like to wear airy shoes or sandals. However, for non-rainy, non-muddy and sunny days, these are pretty cool!

Beauty Review • Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express waterproof

2016-07-12T13:00:00.000+02:00

THE ROCKET VOLLUM' EXPRESS WATERPROOF. This mascara from Maybelline claims to give lashes massive, waterpoof volume from root to tip, super fast & without clumps.

The brush is a plastic wand with big and small bristles.

My truth: does what it claims, amazing! At the moment this is really my mascara to-go. I love everything about this mascara: it lengthens, it gives volume, it holds my curl (because of the waterproof attribute), no clumps and it's jet black. However, there is one thing I want to mention: even though it claims to be waterproof, it do tend to smudge beneath my lower water lash line during the day. However, it is my favourite from all western brands that I've tried! I have repurchased this over and over, especially when the drugstore does 1+1 offers!

Sue + Sue

One week in Hong Kong - what to do?

Day 1 - Dive right in

Day 2 - "You have to taste a culture to understand it" - Deborah Cater

Day 3 - Time to get on the Dragon's Back

Day 4 - Never stop exploring

Day 5 - Go out on a limb

Day 6 - Shop till you drop

Day 7 - Last but not least

Twenty years and still counting...

A Weekend in Macau

Day 1 - Tapia Village

Day 2 - St. Lazarus

Lead me through the reed field

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. - Albert Einstein

What makes Hong Kong stand out?

What makes Hong Kong stand out?

Career • My Learnings as I enter the Business World

Beauty • BH Cosmetics Be... by BubzBeauty Review

TV-series Shout Out: 3% - Best Series of this Year?

Beauty • Hair Change Is Good

Career • 7 Misconceptions About Graduates Job Hunting

Marketing MADNESS • Coolest Brands in the UK 2016

Few TV-series I thoroughly enjoyed!

Birthday Wishlist 2016

Beauty Review • Soap & Glory Body Products

Fashion • 12 x Dusty Pink, Vintage Rose and Blush Nude Trainers

Marketing MADNESS • The explosion of the new industry: e-Sports

Sue + Life 4 • (Long Distance) Relationship Theory (LDR)

New Look Work Wardrobe Fall 2016 Wishlist

Marketing MADNESS 3 • Corporate manipulation or persuasion?

Sue + Talk 4 • Okay: graduated, what now?

Beauty Review • Sleek Goodnight Sweetheart (Limited Edition) swatches + first impression

How to be a Nerd (and get those A's)

Sue + Life 3 • Why so serious?

Nike Airmax 90 • Premium Safari White

Beauty Review • Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express waterproof

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
- Albert Einstein