The Scrimpy Student

I graduated!

2016-07-26T09:49:00.001+01:00

The title kind of gives this one away. So no prizes for guessing what I got up to when I returned to Bangor!

I had an amazing day celebrating with some amazing people. I finished work at 3pm, jumped on a train, read books, got to Bangor, stayed with Jane and Chris, woke up, met Richard, got gowns and photos done. Met my family, ate lunch, sat in a hall, waited, waited more, walked across the stage, shook two men's hands, collected an envelope, sat down, waited more, reunited with the family, drank free cava, ate free cake, chatted with lectures, said bye to family, went home, went out for tea, pub, home, bed.

We had the best tapas for lunch!

I wore a rather fabulous dress from debenhams, I did have a dress from Tesco initially but I later found that it was a little see through. The shoes were also from debenhams and luckily for me they didn't rip my feet up as I didn't have time to wear them in!

Graduating can be hard, I needed to put my feet up!

It was also a day to look back and thank everyone who has helped me through the past four years. To all my friends and family you're all amazing and I really couldn't have done this with out you. A few people deserve a mention though, firstly Tomos. Tomos was my peer guide, he was the first person I met when I came to Bangor, and throughout my time at Bangor he was happy to help. He was also the person who introduced me to Richard. I guess I owe him a lot.

Thank you Tomos!

All of my friends, Jane, Chris, Rose, Al,Hannah, Sarah, Sara, Wiwi and Malsha (and so many more) you've all been so wonderful and supportive. From ordering pizza with me to late night computer sessions, I loved every second of it.

Couldn't have done it without them!

Lastly Richard. I really couldn't have done it without you. You've been my rock, you've made me laugh, you've held me when I've cried but most importantly you've just been you and I couldn't have asked for anyone better to have shared this experience with.

He's a good egg!

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Turning self neglect into self care

2016-07-06T11:03:00.001+01:00

This week I've been pretty ill with sickness bug, so much I fact I was pretty much bed ridden for two days. I'm feeling much better now but I did have to take a day off work. It was when I was calling in sick I found myself getting quite upset about the fact I was letting my team down. The fact I couldn't physically get out of bed, and probably would have infected half the team was irrelevant, I just thought I was letting everyone down. It wasn't until that evening when I was soaking in the bath that I realised I've been too harsh on myself recently.

Yes, I'm very sorry to my team that they were a staff member short on Tuesday afternoon and I'm very sorry for all of those people that received their Christmas confirmations a day late despite the fact they weren't expecting them. I'm very sorry to all of the people that had a que at reception to check out of their room as there was only one staff member on duty however I'm sure that 30 second delay wasn't the worst part of your day.

Most importantly I'm sorry to myself. I'm sorry that I've beaten myself up over all of those things and more, I'm sorry I didn't listen to my body when it began to feel tired last week and I'm sorry that I was mad at myself for being ill.

The fact is I needed a break. I've found I've given up too many things I enjoy to please other people. This blog is a prime example of this! But also soaking in the bath, reading a book, planning and generally looking after myself. So I vowed to start looking after myself, from what I've been eating, exercise and lack of me time. I need to make some changes if I'm going to be keeping myself healthy. I'm going to make better use of my planner to encourage myself to block off some time to look after myself. After all I'm no use to anyone if I'm not at my best.

I guess the moral of this illness has been that I need to put myself first and not feel guilty about it!

Keep it Scrimpy,

Laura.

DogFest 2016

2016-06-20T14:10:00.001+01:00

This weekend Richard and I packed Oscar and all his stuff into the car, picked up Jo and her new puppy Bella and headed off for a weekend at Dogfest.

We had heard from the day before there had been some issues with traffic so we set off nice and early and arrived about half an hour before opening, with Bella only being a little car sick (bless her). We weren't queuing long before the gates opened. There were dogs everywhere! Stupid statement I know but seriously, dogs of every shape, size and breed.

We had a good walk round, spoke to some lovely people and spent a little too much money!

One of the first stands we went to was the RNLI stand. Oscar wasn't a fan of the dried fish they were offering but we stayed for a chat anyway! They were there asking people to #respectthewater and educating people on what to do if their dog was in trouble in the water. Primarily, please dont go In after your dog. Generally dogs are much better swimmers than us, if they are in a river then head down stream and call them over, if they're at sea, call 999 and ask for the RNLI to come out. They will launch a boat and rescue your dog for you. It was a serious message to get across and they did it really well, they also had a very cute dog made from wellies.

Oscar then showed us up at the hay bale race by ignoring the bales completely and running in the other direction! Cue two mortified owners! We then decided it was probably best we didn't enter him into anything else, he did really well all day but with so many other dogs he was a little distracted! Which is a shame really, I'd have quite liked to entered him into dog diving, it looked pretty fun, although I'm sure he would have wussed out and not dived off the end!

We watched several demonstrations, from flyball to agility and even dancing dogs! It was all very entertaining and I wish Oscar was half and well behaved and some of those dogs! (We are working on it!)

Another highlight was visiting the Mancheter and Cheshire dogs home stand which is where we got Oscar from! So it was good to give them all an update on his progress and say hello, we even helped their cause by purchasing what felt like everything on their stand! But it's a good cause so it's fine! We invested in a good rubber bone for Oscar to chew at and hopefully not distroy and a lot of chewy treats from their pick and mix. We also got ourselves a new lead, some pigs ears and a seatbelt clip for his harness among lots of other things! He was a very spoilt dog!

After such an exciting day it's safe to say both dogs and owners were very tired! Just to make sure they would really sleep we visited Tatton Park on the way home and saw some deer!

Keep it Scrimpy,

Laura.

Life lately.

2016-06-18T12:17:00.001+01:00

I think this has been the longest time I've gone without blogging. I'd apologise but I've just not felt like it and I really don't see the point in forcing myself to blog and just producing crap for you guys. I'd rather take a good break, get my life sorted and start again. So that's what I've done. I'll start by telling you what's been going on lately. Then I'll fill you in on the starting again bit!

So we got back from Czech way back in February! We had a few weeks relaxing and adjusting to life back in the UK, then it was time to start job hunting! Richard was quite lucky and someone contacted him and offered him a job (lucky thing!). I started looking around locally and applied for a few different jobs, I'm still a little sad I didn't get a job in Waterstones. I ended up having an interview at a local hotel to join the receptionist team and got the job. I spent about a month training and now I'm a proper receptionist! I love the team, everyone is really helpful and generally quite kind when I cock things up which is nice!

The other big change in our lives has been four legged and fluffy! Yes, we adopted a dog. For those of you who have been following this blog for a while you may know that Lucky passed away in January 2015.

It's been a long time coming but as soon as I had a stable place to live and a full time job I knew it would only be a matter of time before we got another dog. We spent a good few weeks trawling round rescue centres looking for the right dog.

Finally we found Oscar and it was just meant to be, as soon as I saw him I just knew. We saw him on the Monday and we picked him up on the Wednesday. I was so glad nobody adopted him on the Tuesday! Thank you to the staff at Cheshire dogs home who were so helpful and guided us through the process. Please if you are looking for a dog to join your family, consider a rescue dog.

As you can see, life has changed a lot over the past few months and if I'm honest I feel I've outgrown the typical student lifestyle. Living and working in Czech I felt quite disconnected from student life and since coming home I've begun to work full time, and again I'm feeling like I'm moving on from student life so as a result I think it's about time I moved this blog forwards. I want to keep my old content, I hope some of it might be useful to someone, so over the next few weeks I'll be rebranding the blog, there will be a new name, new logos, new banners and email addresses. I hope you'll all stick with me in this new adventure!

Keep it Scrimpy,

Laura.

5 Reasons I worked abroad and didn't study

2016-03-10T22:01:00.000+00:00

The general trend with years abroad seems to be to study, at least at Bangor anyway, and with the amount of help and support available I can see why people prefer to study. At Bangor you simply scroll through the list of pre approved study abroad partners, select which one you fancy, apply and off you go. Finding a work placement however is slightly more tricky, there is no pre-approved list, we didn't get any pointers it was simply, find yourself a work placement by the end of May. So why did I bother?

I was so lucky to work with these monsters.

1- It looks amazing on your CV

Working in a different country brings with it a wealth of skills and this is what employers are after. Working abroad shows you can adapt quickly to new environments and that you are willing to challenge yourself. I've developed no end of skills in the past five months, working as part of a small, multicultural team, having to adapt to and manage new volunteers, has taught me many things. The most important lesson I've learnt is that communication is possibly the most important factor in running a business. All of this, I believe gives me skills that might not have been possible to get by just studying.

2- I wanted to truly experience a new way of life

While I love being a student I was beginning to feel like I was in desperate need of a reboot. What I really wanted was to totally dive into a new country, culture and way of life. I didn't quite get all of that but I've definitely kicked some student habits like napping and cheesy pasta.

3- I needed some work experience

While university and the Bangor Employability Award has done wonders for my CV when it comes down to it my work history looks a little bland, I've worked in a Chinese restaurant, a pub/restaurant and another pub after that. Working out here I hope will really add something interesting to my CV that hopefully will make someone consider giving me an interview (pretty please).

4- I was totally fed up of education

After three years I was so glad to hand in my dissertation, I seriously think one more essay would have pushed me over the edge. I wanted out but at the same time I wasn't sure where I wanted to go next. I had been toying with the idea of a masters but I wasn't ready. This year has given me the break I needed while allowing me to gain some valuable experience.

5- I wanted to travel

While studying would have allowed me to travel and probably travel more, I felt that working allowed me a more structured timetable that I could plan travelling and I'd hopefully appreciate it more. We knew we would be getting every Tuesday off and occasionally we got a few days together for longer breaks. A more limited amount of free time has really pushed us to make the most of our time and plan ahead.

Us at the top of the Danube tower in Vienna.

So that's why I chose to work abroad, I'll post a more reflective post on whether my year has met my expectations or not when I'm home for good.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

February round up

2016-02-29T18:35:00.000+00:00

How the hell has this month gone so blooming fast!? I've not been very good with this months goals if I'm honest!

Relax

This one I've done pretty well on since I've got home. I've seen loads of friends and family, there's still more to see though, we're a big family!

Report

Well this didn't exactly get done. I've made good progress but it's no where near a draft! It's not the end of the world though, it'll get done. I'm only mildly stressing at the moment.

Masters

Well I applied for one and I'm half way through the two others. The one I have applied for is my first choice so I'm happy I've applied but bricking it for their reply!

Get a haircut

I did it! I went for quite the chop. I've been lusting over Lea Michelle's hair for ever and she totally rocks the fringe so I did it. I love it but I still getting used to it. It's super versatile and goes well into a side fringe when I don't fancy a full fringe.

So a mixed bag overall. It I'm pretty happy, the things that didn't get done aren't a disaster and I've got the important things done. Roll on March!

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

The perfect valentines.

2016-02-12T15:04:00.000+00:00

It's not very often I'm excited for Valentine's Day but this year I am. IM COMING HOME! I'm so excited!

Valentines day = A morning spent in bed!

I'll be spending it with the cutest guy I know, he's handsome, loves cuddles, doesn't judge me for how much I eat or snack. He loves chick flicks, legally blonde is his favourite. He's always pleased to see me and he's got the cutest eyes. Yup, Alfie is my date.

He's a good kisser as well!

Did I mention Alfie is a dog? Does it even matter? Look how cute he is!

Richard and I have spent a heck of a lot of time together these last seven months so we're both looking forwards to spending some time on our own, we will be spending Sunday together since we fly home Saturday night and my house is closest to the airport. I'll be having my dog date with Alfie sometime in the week.

How can anyone resist that!?

It's the perfect valentines. Who needs a man!? I mean mine is pretty great but he's no pooch.

Happy Valentine's Day guys!

Keep it scrimpy
Laura.

February goals.

2016-02-04T14:45:00.002+00:00

I'm forever making to do lists, monthly weekly and daily lists. So I thought I would share my list of monthly goals on here, then at the end of the month I'll update you all on my progress. My thought is, if I share them with you guys, I'm more likely to actually do them, right?

So here they are.

Finish my report. At least a draft.

Just like the dissertation.

We have to write a reflective report about our time here and it's due a month after the placement ends so I want it done by the end of the month so I've got a good amount of editing time.

Apply for a masters. Or three.

My personal statement was written last month so now it's time to get applying!

Relax and have fun.

I'm going to get me some dog cuddles!

I've missed home, friends, family and animals and I can't wait to catch up with them all!

Get a haircut.

It's been nearly eight months since I had a haircut. I'm in desperate need of one.

I'll report back at the end of the month and let you know how it all went!

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Read Harder 2016 reading challenge.

2016-01-24T17:09:00.000+00:00

So back at the start of the month I decided to commit to a reading challenge in order to get myself reading more. After a little research I stumbled upon bookriot.com . Just the name sounds pretty awesome if I'm honest. Their 2016 Read Harder challenge looked do able (more so than the PopSugar one, well done to anyone who tackles this!)

So here it is, 24 book related tasks to tackle in just 12 months. I prefer the flexibility that this challenge gives me. I think I'm just going to spend the first half of the year reading whatever I fancy and then fitting books into these categories as I go and then around July I might sit down and figure out what else I have to read to finish the challenge.

So far I've read one amazing book, The Hangmans daughter, highly recommended, I was gripped. However, I'm now slugging my way through the man in the high castle, I keep telling myself it will get better but to be honest I'm not really sure what's going on! Does it still count as me having read it if I give up and watch it on Amazon?

Are you taking any challenges this year? Good luck if you are!

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Why I took a year abroad.

2016-01-19T17:24:00.000+00:00

As most of you know I'm currently in the Czech Republic working on a farm as part of my degree. In July I'll be graduating with a degree in BSc Geography with International Experience. At Bangor anyone can choose to add the 'with international experience' to their degree so why did I do it?

It's been a crazy 6 months, but why did I do it?

1- I wasn't sure what I wanted to do

I spent a lot of third year panicking that I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life, it was the cause of some serious breakdowns, at the same time the international department were bombarding us with emails about study abroad, so I went along to one of their sessions and working abroad was mentioned briefly. I started to consider it. I knew I didn't want to study any more, I needed a break from education. So it all just kind of fell into place, I applied to do the year abroad as was accepted onto the program so all that was left was to find a placement!

2- It makes you stand out

In a smaller job market that is swimming with more and more graduates, it's important to stand out, not many people have an international experience degree, I'm not saying it's going to net you your dream job, or any a job for that matter but it might make employers take a closer look at your application.

3- It's funded (kind of)

When uni were advertising the year abroad options to us they really went hard on the funding. 'Oh it's all funded' 'There's an ERASMUS grant from the EU that'll cover you'. Since the year is part of your degree you do get funding from student finance for it. For me this is great, I get the maximum student loan so yes, I am able to live on that. Other people aren't so lucky. The ERASMUS grant from the EU doesn't really cover much. I have received half funding which means if I work for 8 months then I get 4 months worth of funding. It's a little help but really not much. Still, if you are lucky enough to receive full student loan then it might be possible for you to survive on just that while abroad.

4- I would get some real work experience

It seems to be the one thing employers always want, 'experience'. I've had several jobs before and during uni and I was lucky enough to spend summer of second year in Malta on a placement but a little extra work experience always looks good, no matter what it's doing.

5- I would get to live in another country

This was a big one for me. I was getting itchy feet and I wanted to get out and see places. Travelling is one thing but actually getting the opportunity to live and work in a whole new culture, that's an awesome opportunity!

Hello 2016

2015-12-31T19:06:00.001+00:00

Now I'm not really sure what 2016 will have in stall for me, I graduate in July and I'm off to see Harry Potter and The Cursed Child in September but really that's all I have set in stone at the moment. To be fair I'm quite happy to just wait and see what happens at the moment, I'm pretty content with life really.

My 2015 - Cake, Cocktails, Books and Animals.

So with no drastic changes planned for the year, my 2016 resolutions are a little smaller than usual, maybe this year I will actually manage to keep them!

Read more books

To force me to actually do this I'll be undertaking a reading challenge, I haven't decided which one but I'll keep you posted on my progress!

Spend more time with family

I love my family, I've really missed them while I've been away. My cousin has the two cutest kids ever. I want to see more of them, mainly because I get to play Lego and have cuddles and who doesn't love that!?

De clutter

Yes, I own far too much stuff, my mum will laugh at that! This past five months I've lived out of a suitcase and found it surprisingly easy. When I head home I'll be getting rid of some clutter. This might also result in a boot sale.

Get back to reason I started blogging

I feel like I've strayed slightly from the student advice purpose of my blog so this year I'll be sharing some more student focused posts, especially a series about taking a year abroad.

What does 2016 have in store for you?

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Goodbye 2015

2015-12-30T14:08:00.002+00:00

Well with 2015 almost behind us I thought it was about time for me to review the year, and what a year it has been!

Quite frankly 2015 began in the worst possibly way, pooch died. It was the single most devastating thing I've ever experienced. It was all so fast and so sudden. I still miss her every day but she had a pretty good life

She was a pretty awesome dog.

Things were generally uphill from there uni was going well and I went into 2015 knowing that I was getting at least a 2:1 it was a pretty good place to be. Dissertation was stressful but looking back rocking up to Thoday with my slippers in my bag and setting myself up for a full day's work in comfort are some of my highlights. Getting the dissertation finished was amazing, actually seeing and holding the bound finished thing was unbelievable. Then came my final exams, again they weren't too bad and I have to say, eating a KFC family bucket and gateau between Hannah and I is one of the most surreal exam moments ever.

We polished the whole thing off!

Fast forwards to July, I was so proud of all my friends at their graduation. They worked damn hard for three years and I was honoured to share their day with them. Also the night out afterwards was great! The middle of July meant my birthday and Richard and I headed to London to visit the Harry Potter studios, he also sprung the surprise on me that we were going to see Mamma Mia so we then had to spend the rest of the day trying to find me something to wear. We also visited Madame Tussauds which was so much better than I was expecting! The Star Wars exhibition was amazing, getting a selfie with Yoda was awesome.

I couldn't ask for better friends or a more beautiful university.

YODA!

The end of July came far too quickly and we were soon heading out to start our year on the farm. The last five months have flown by, it's been tough but I've met some amazing people from all over the world. We've had visits from my dad who supplied us with cheese and gravy and Jo and Jade who came to teach us more about the horses and give us some much needed riding lessons.

My dad came to visit!

Just horseying around!

November and December brought mud to the farm, mud like I have never seen it before. It also brings Christmas though so I'll put up with the mud for that. Christmas also meant a week at home. What a week! It was so busy but I loved every second, I really missed family and friends while I was away. I even managed to squeeze in some sales shopping! As a family we are ending the year on a sad note but we are all sticking together. I'm now back in the Czech Republic to finish 2015 on the farm.

I hope you had a good Christmas, Rhonda wasn't impressed with tinsel.

I hope you all had a good 2015, I'll be posting a resolutions type post soon.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Flying home for Christmas

2015-12-26T23:43:00.000+00:00

I'm writing this post as I'm travelling home. I am so freaking excited! I haven't seen my mum and sister for nearly 6 months and yes. I have missed them. I've missed so many things, the queen's face on money, over priced gin and pub a quiz but most of all I've missed my friends and family.

I have to say, Rose and I so have rather fetching jumpers!

Christmas is that time of year when I really make the effort to see friends and family. I love the little traditions we have like going to church, the chinese and then the pub on christmas eve. Getting woken up by my mum at 7am on Christmas Day and our games night Christmas Eve.

This year, for the second time I will be cooking Christmas dinner for my grandparents. I've come to appreciate my grandparents a lot more this past year. Certain events have made me realise that they won't be here forever and I should make the most of them while they're still here. Sounds a little morbid but it's true.

Last years christmas dinner

This Christmas I'm making an extra effort to spend time with my friends and family and I'm most excited to see my Aunty Pam and family. My cousin Lisa has the cutest kids ever and one of them has been asking me for ages to go and play Lego with her, how can I refuse!? So on Boxing Day I will be entertaining myself and a small child with Lego. I'm so excited!

Merry Christmas pooch

So airport security just opened and I'm off to browse the duty free.

Merry Christmas!

Keep it Scrimpy

Laura.

Making that budget stretch.

2015-12-11T17:03:00.000+00:00

End of semester one is fast approaching and while that means it's almost time to go home for Christmas and enjoy a warm house and some proper food. End of the semester also brings some hefty expenses, Christmas presents and journeys home. At this time of year the bank balance can be getting a bit low for us students so when TransPennine Express got in touch and asked me to share this fun little info graphic of ways to make your money go further I couldn't really say no.

I have to say, I totally agree with getting a rail card! It's totally worth it if you travel a lot and will pay for itself in no time. One thing I didn't know is that the Co-op does student discount! How amazing is that?! If only there was one nearby. I also had no idea about google opinion rewards, I might give it a go, if I do I will let you know.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura

BEDN- Reflections

2015-11-30T22:24:00.002+00:00

So we've finally come to the end of November and I can finally stop feeling guilty about not posting everyday. To be honest I've not done well in posting everyday but then again I don't really care.

I've learnt a lot about my blog and blogging style this month. I've experimented it topics that I would never cover usually and for those that I missed I have the titles saved and I'm keen to try them in the future. So really I haven't failed at this, I've learnt a lot, and I'll be making some tweaks In the future.

That's quite the success really.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

BEDN- Buy nothing day.

2015-11-27T12:50:00.000+00:00

Was this supposed to a challenge? If so I failed miserably!

Now I know some people really disagree with Black Friday and last year I wasn't really bothered but this year I'm stuck 1000 miles away from home, in the middle of the countryside. There aren't that many opportunities for Christmas shopping here. To make it worse, we don't get home until the 23rd of December and if anyone thinks I'm trudging round a shopping center that close to Christmas they have another thing coming! So this year I have been partaking in some bargain grabbing.

Now I definitely do not agree with pushing and shoving your way to a bargain (that's just lack of manners) and I really don't see the point of waking up at 4am to go shopping (I'm just lazy).

This blog has a money saving side so I have to say that buying stuff you do not need is a waste of money, it might be in the sale but if you didn't need it then you've wasted money. However, if you need something and you see it in a sale then by all means go for it, it beats paying full price! If you're going to spend money you light as well spend as little as possible!

If you decided to spend money today or not I hope you had a good day.

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura

BEDN- Friday night out.

2015-11-24T18:55:00.002+00:00

I've not being doing well with this blog every day thing have I? Oh well, I've just enjoyed blogging more this month. Anyway, Firday was mine and Richard's Anniversary, he's put up with me for a whole 2 years bless him! We've had to put celebrating on hold for a few days but we are now in Vienna making up for it.

We did however escape the farm for a few hours to visit our favourite cafe for cocktails and ice cream!

I'm afraid this is about as wild as our Friday nights get here, I had one alcoholic cocktail and one none alcoholic and Richard didn't drink at all (there's a zero tolerance on drink driving here). I would definitely choose this kind of night out to a night in a club any day.

What's your idea of a good night out?

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Just a woman.

2015-11-19T20:38:00.001+00:00

Someone said to me today 'you're just a woman Laura'. I laughed it off at the time but it's been playing on my mind all day.

The moment came about when I was explaining to someone what our plan was for the day, we were heading to the forest to push over some dead trees and haul them up to be cut. The person who I was talking to looked at me a little worried and said 'be careful, you're just a woman Laura'

I'm not just a woman though, I'm so much more than that.

I'm a daughter, sister and granddaughter.

I'm a friend, girlfriend and (to some) enemy.

I'm a student, peer guide and blogger.

I'm a book, planner and stationary addict.

I'm a groom, cook and baker.

Yes I am a woman but I'm also so much more. I'll be dammed if I'll ever let anyone define me as just one thing.

Keep it scrimpy,
Laura.

BEDN- Dear Jane and Chris

2015-11-16T21:23:00.002+00:00

Today's prompt is Video. Well some of you may not know that since arriving here in the Czech Republic I've been giving vlogging a go and I have to say I've been really enjoying it!

I've taken inspiration from my favourite youtubers Carrie Hope Fletcher, Tom Fletcher and his lovely wife Giovanna Fletcher. Each week they vlog to each other and update the world on what they have been up to and I have been doing the same. Accept I vlog to Jane and Chris. It all started when I left Bangor... on the train.

Packing the important stuff, obviously.

Then Jane and Chris graduated and it was the most amazing day ever. Watching all my friends get the recognition of three years hard work was amazing.

Generally we just like to keep everyone updated on our antics, it's rained, we've visited castles, and doctors.

You can find my Youtube channel here, please feel free to share in the comments!

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

BEDN- World kindness day

2015-11-13T20:35:00.005+00:00

So after a few days off in back! I was being kind to myself and having a break (see what I did there?)

It's always nice to do something for someone you love so here is my top three.

Run them a bath (be sure to include bath-time snacks)

Buy flowers (chocolate is also good)

Buy them a book

What about people you don't know? Random acts of kindness are possibly the most wonderful acts of kindness.

Smile

Leave a note

Buy someone a coffee

It's the small things that make us smile.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

BEDN- FamIly

2015-11-10T21:11:00.002+00:00

Ah, where would we be without family eh? We fight like cat and dog but we wouldn't be the same without them.

My parents are pretty awesome really, they've both always supported me in everything I've wanted to do in life, as long as what I'm doing makes me happy, then they are happy. My dad came to see me last month for a few days and I got to show him around the farm.

Mother when she came to visit Bangor

My dad here in the Czech Republic

My sister and I used to fight a lot but somehow, since I left for uni, she's grown quite attached to me. It's almost like she misses me sometimes. I still get a little bit worried when she just FaceTimes me for no reason.

We scrub up well really!

I didn't always see eye to eye with my grandparents either, I still don't on occasion and our relationship has been rocky but things have been good the past few years and I'm starting to realise that time with them is precious. I've been making an effort to keep in contact with them while I'm away so I've skyped them a few times (They don't own a computer) and my granddad even attempted to use my dad's partners ipad which resulted in a few laughs.

Old people and technology eh!?

Pooch was and always will be a member of the family. I'm a big believer that pets should be included as part of the family. Our newest addition is my sisters hamster called Dwayne (it's a girl) I'm pretty excited to meet her at Christmas

You know that person you call Aunty but you aren't actually related to? I have a few of those. And friends who just become adopted family members. They are just as important as the rest of the family.

Like adopted family members that just turn up at your house and nap!

Then there's my uni family, these beauties got me through three years, nothing made me prouder than seeing them graduate last summer. Also a shout out to Sara who I lived with for a year and Wiwi who I lived with for two years. They put up with a lot!

Family are pretty amazing.

Keep it Scrimpy.
Laura.

BEDN- Self-care Sunday

2015-11-08T21:10:00.000+00:00

Self-care is something that I've seen popping up more and more as of late. But honestly, it's not something I'm that good at. I spend my days off worrying about the horses or when I'm at home I find myself pointlessly stressing about tiny things and at uni a was just terrible for pushing myself too far and making myself ill. So I'm making a promise to myself now, with all of you here to hold me accountable.

I'm important and I need to look after myself.

Sometimes it's okay to spend a morning in bed (or whole day)

I will do more spontaneous things that make me smile more, like riding a merry go round in London

I love my friends, seeing them all graduate was amazing. They make me happy so I will make more time for them.
Cuppa anyone?

Finally, animals, dogs especially make me smile. There are no shortage of animals here on the farm but back home I like to steal Tash's dogs. I will be visiting at Christmas!

How do you take the time to look after yourself?

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

BEDN- Unusual hobbies- Planning

2015-11-07T20:07:00.001+00:00

This post has taken a lot of pondering, my hobbies aren't exactly unusual, I read, blog, eat, ride horses and dabble in crafts, it's not exactly wing walking. I do however own a Filofax and I've been a member of the U.K. Planner Addicts Facebook group for the past year.

I think planning is one of those things people either get or don't. Loads of people have a diary every year but a planner to me is different. It's more about organising more than just your schedule. There are several sections that I have in my planner.

Making my planner really reflect me is what I love about planning

Addresses and birthdays

I love sending letters and cards to friends, it's less of s surprise if you have to ask for their address every time you want to send them a pick me up. I also have a list of birthdays and a list of present ideas for each person.

Notes and lists

This section can get messy, during uni I had lecture notes in here. Later on I had notes relating to my year abroad and summer plans. I genuinely love listing, I had so many to do lists, mini bucket lists, shopping lists, book and film lists.

Diary

Now this is the section that gets used most, everything is here, meetings, lectures, interviews and reminders. I've played around with several layouts over the past year, I currently have a week to a page view then a two page notes and to-do for the week. I'll probably change again soon.

Health

For me this was an essential section, My doctor asked me to keep track of a few things over 6 months and a month to a page calendar was a great way to keep track of things.

I love my daily motivation

I love the flexibility about my Filofax and I love taking the time to make it my own, my cover page always makes me smile. I love having the freedom to change my layout whenever I want to. There's also something quite satisfying knowing you have a selection of post-it notes on hand at all times. Need a book mark? Post-it note! Making a list? Post-it note! Leaving your housemate a passive aggressive note? POST IT NOTE!

Is planning an unusual hobby?

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

BEDN- Friday night in

2015-11-07T18:14:00.000+00:00

Okay, so this is a day late and I'm very sorry but that does mean you all get two blog posts today!

Most nights are nights in for me now, we're in the middle of nowhere so indulging myself while staying in is something I'm getting used to. Here's how I do it.

Have a bath

This sounds proper cheesy but there's nothing I love more than relaxing in a warm bubble bath with some music on and just forgetting about all responsibility, even for just half an hour.

Catch up on TV shows

I'm a little obsessed with #zax

There's not much time for TV so we occasionally like to take and evening to shut out the rest of the world and catch up with Russel Howard's Good News, Casualty or if I'm in the mood for something cheesy, say yes to the dress. I've been known to combine this is having a bath. Also, I'm far too invested in Casualty at the moment, Zax are my top priority on a Saturday night, they have to get back together (I probably need to get out more)

Netflix and chill (or Amazon)

There's even less time for films than there is for shows. When Shanna was here we did make an effort to have a movie night once a week but since she left we have let that one slip. James Bond is top of my to watch list.

Eat snacks

Before

After

This usually goes well with watching films/TV shows, screw it, I sometime snack in the bath.

Blog

I love taking time out to blog, it's time when it's just me and I can write anything I want without having to worry too much. It's a nice release for me. I've really gotten back into reading blogs and actually making to time to do something for just me is really nice.

Reading

When I just want to shut the world out I pick up a book and block out everything else.

How do you take time to indulge yourself?

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Recent reading

2015-11-05T22:07:00.000+00:00

I'm a massive book worm.

I love books. Always have done.

I used to get picked on in school for being a bookworm but now it's a badge I wear with pride and really it's something that I want to blog about more, I did a post here about a book haul back in May but my collection has grown considerably and I've been following some booktubers (is that the right word) I feel it might be time to step out of the bookworm closet and start bragging about my books starting with what I've been reading recently.

Charlotte Rogan- The lifeboat

Now this was a book that I really wanted to enjoy, it's about a newly widowed woman who is now on trial for murder after surviving a shipwreck. She spent two weeks in an overcrowded lifeboat, for everyone to survive people had to die, the two weeks play out for most of the book before switching to the trial. It had such potential! At times it was gripping but in the end it was just predictable which was kind of heartbreaking.

Sue Townsend - The Woman who went to bed for a year.

This whole book is literally summed up by the title. A middle aged woman with a cheating husband gives up on life and goes to bed for a year. Basically it was awful. It was the kind of book that I had to force myself to turn the page and power through to the end. I would not recommend it at all.

It seems like I've been on a book slump recently, any recommendations would be appreciated!

Keep it scrimpy,

Laura.

The Scrimpy Student

I graduated!

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

Turning self neglect into self care

DogFest 2016

Life lately.

5 Reasons I worked abroad and didn't study

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

February round up

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

The perfect valentines.

Keep it scrimpyLaura.

February goals.

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

Read Harder 2016 reading challenge.

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

Why I took a year abroad.

Hello 2016

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

Goodbye 2015

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

Flying home for Christmas

Making that budget stretch.

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura

BEDN- Reflections

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BEDN- Buy nothing day.

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura

BEDN- Friday night out.

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

Just a woman.

Keep it scrimpy,Laura.

BEDN- Dear Jane and Chris

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

BEDN- World kindness day

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

BEDN- FamIly

Keep it Scrimpy.Laura.

BEDN- Self-care Sunday

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

BEDN- Unusual hobbies- Planning

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

BEDN- Friday night in

Keep it Scrimpy,Laura.

Recent reading

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it scrimpy
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy.
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.

Keep it Scrimpy,
Laura.