Festivals I'd Love To Go To

Festivals have always been something that I've enjoyed attending as they are a great opportunity to see loads of different artists in one place. Watching live music has been one of my favourite things, there is something about watching bands in a field with the sun beating down on you. Well, that's if you get lucky and aren't getting stuck in the mud and drenched from head to toe. Even those times when I've been to a rainy festival, it doesn't ruin the atmosphere and I tend to just accept I'll be getting wet and enjoy the weekend. 

I'm not one to normally like to go camping, but when I'm at a festival it's a much more enjoyable experience. There's always a number of different things to do, such as checking out the different food options on offer or going on some of the rides that tend to be at most festivals these days or even heading to the comedy tents. I think I've got the experience from Leeds Fest since I've been three times already, as well as attending V Festival twice. We are right in the middle of festival season and I'm sad to say I've not actually been to or will be going to a festival this year. As you might be able to notice, I've tended to stick to the same festival choices, however, I would like to experience different ones.

Having looked through this interactive summer festival map, I've picked out a few options that I've like to experience. Even though they play the same acts that are at Leeds Fest, I'd like to see what it's like at Reading to find out if there is a different feel and atmosphere to it. Having listened to a many rocks bands over the years, I'd love to check out Download, in Leicestershire, which is packed full of this genre all in one location and be something a bit different. Parklife is a different kind of festival that's based in Manchester which is nice and close for me to get to. It's not a camping festival, so you can stay in a hotel overnight, or even stay at home if you are not too far away like me. It's a bit of a mix between pop and indie genres, and I think the non-camping element will make it a bit different. The last one I'd like to try is Latitude Festival, located in Suffolk, which has got quite a few bands I like listening to, as well as some I've not heard of before so it will be good to discover new music.

So if you're planning to head to a festival next year and need to get your drivers license before heading out on the road, why not head over to Go Girl for an affordable learner driver car insurance quote.

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24 Things To Do Before I Turn 24

I write this post each year about a month before my birthday and although I feel my blog has developed so much recently, I still want to create little posts like this. It's something I can look back on every year and see whether I've done some of the things I set out to do.

1. Go on a weekend away

I don't think I've ever had a proper weekend away before. Sure I've had my fair share of hotel stays in cities but they've been for a night or two and spent a lot of it going into shops I usually shop in and dining in huge chain restaurants. I'd like to stay somewhere other than a budget hotel (which I usually do because they're the best option for me) and spend the time really enjoying myself. Exploring a place properly and making the most of it.

2. Buy a house with Andy

Once we're out of our overdrafts we plan to get a Save To Buy ISA to go towards a deposit for a mortgage. We're looking to buy a 2/3 bed property that we aim to live in for at least the next ten years instead of renting a flat until we decide to move onto the next chapter. I've lived in student rented places before and as much as they're good we need our own proper home.

3. Throw a housewarming party

I obviously can't do this without having a place but I'd love to get both of our families together and all of our friends and celebrate moving out into our own space. I love a good party and I can't really go out clubbing due to my conditions so having a housewarming party is perfect as I can wear flats and sit down when I need to, surrounded by everyone that I love.

4. Buy a Macbook/iMac

Since I finished university I've had to use Andy's laptop to store all my photos on and write my blog posts on. Whilst I have nothing wrong with sharing a laptop and neither does he, we both want another device to edit vlogs on and to be able to both write blog posts etc at the same time instead of waiting for the other to finish using it first. 

5. Learn to drive

I bet everyone reading this who has read my previous posts (21 and 23) is laughing because I say this every single year! In the last few months I was owed some tax back from being emergency taxed last year so I finally bought my provisional license which is a step and a half for me. Maybe next year will be the year!

6. Go Full time with blogging

This is kind of relevant to now but I'll explain. I finished my job back in January and it wore me down. I've got a few medical conditions that means that I find it so difficult to be on my feet each day, to take public transport just to get to and from work and also to not have many days in between work to recover. I loved my job but looking back I'm so glad I'm no longer in it. In the past 9 months my body is so much better, I'm not as tired and I'm working towards turning this blog into a full time career. I live with my parents and I'm saving up towards a mortgage on a house with Andy so whilst I'm at home I have 8-5 to blog. I do earn sometimes from my blog and my Instagram and would love to turn this into a job where I can sustain myself and go towards my future.

7. Go back to Berlin

I first went to Berlin in February of 2011 and fell in love with the city. I went with my History class and loved learning about the events in Germany between 1920 and 1950 whilst also exploring Germany for the first time. It was completely different to how I had previously imagined and having only spent four days there I would go back in an instant.

8. Create more makeup tutorial posts

I am planning on doing some Halloween tutorials in photo form on the blog in the next few weeks but after that I'd really like to have the confidence to create some more makeup looks. I do class this blog as more beauty focused so having more makeup posts would hopefully make it more popular.

9. Buy some Alex drawers

So I have three Muji drawers and a makeup desk, but in my room have one box for excess makeup and one for all my hair products. My makeup desk has a drawer in for makeup and one for skincare and then on top of my Muji I have lipsticks and foundations. If I had a set of Alex drawers I could fill them with my makeup, get rid of the boxes and have a neater desk.

10. Get my eyebrows tattooed

After seeing Shannon from Shaaanxo on YouTube get her eyebrows tattooed on I went from never wanting anything done to my face to instantly wanting eyebrows to dye die for. My eyebrows are so light that if I don't apply makeup to them and actually draw them on that people joke that my eyebrows have disappeared. They're not even sparse but the colour is so faint that it's a pain having to spend a good 5 minutes per brow creating a shape, filling them in and then setting them. If they were tattooed on then I could get away with only spending a minute or two tops on them each day.

11. Hit some major blogging milestones

Over Summer I hit 26,000 combined blog followers and this was absolutely amazing. A huge chunk of this surprisingly comes from Pinterest. Maybe before I hit 24 I will hit 30,000 followers and increase my page views to 10,000 a month on Google Analytics (I don't use Blogger's stats as they're completely unreliable).

12. Finish writing out my recipe book

A family member bought me a recipe book from Paperchase a few years back where you fill it in with all the recipes you make so you don't have to buy them for every course. It took me a while to make my own up but I love having my own book to refer back to.

13. Set up my own blogging office

At the moment I'm sat in my room where my makeup desk is so close to my bed that I can't actually work at it. I'd love to move into a place where for a few years I can have my own office to take blog photos in, write posts and store all my makeup so that it's a separate space from my bedroom.

14. Create a gallery wall

This comes with moving into a house but I'm obsessed with prints of makeup and pretty things, especially using watercolour and motivational quotes. I'd love one wall in our living room to be full of everything that we love and admire.

15. Visit Santorini

This is one of the places I'd love to travel to next. It's a stunning place to visit and I can just image taking photos and using the drone there to capture some unreal footage. It seems so tranquil and it would be a lovely place to visit for the ultimate relaxing holiday.

16. Do another fundraising event

I ran fast walked the Big Fun Run last month and would love to participate in that or the Dechox event again to raise some money. I was in the Charity Committee in Sixth Form and loved doing bake sales for charity and now I've taken to other events to raise money.

17. Go to another festival

I've been to Leeds Festival 3 times, V Festival twice and Womad Festival a few times and really want to go to another next summer. Maybe after 5 years I'll head back to Leeds Fest or maybe after year I'll end up in V Fest again.

18. Try and do at least a video per month on YouTube

Before you jump the gun and think I have a beauty channel, I don't. Myself and Andy have our own YouTube Channel Landy Vlogs where we film us travelling whether it be abroad or just to a theme park. We love creating them and our Los Angeles vlogs and our most recent V Festival vlog where so fun to film, so if we could get one video up a month it would be such a good way to document each year in film.

19. Go pumpkin picking

An obvious one that will have to be done next month considering my birthday is just shy of two weeks before Halloween. I love carving pumpkins and I'd love to go somewhere other than a supermarket to pick one to carve.

20. Learn to bake something new

Ah I love baking. And cooking. But baked goods are so much more aesthetically pleasing to the eye which makes me want to bake more. And I should because I try so hard and it's so rewarding when you bake cakes for people so I definitely need to get back into it.

21. Have a strict skincare regime

I have combination skin and still at aged almost 23 I haven't found a whole routine to stick to yet. Some products are made for combination skin but don't hydrate my skin enough, or they'll target dry areas more and leave me with excess residue. I need to up my skincare game and find a routine that works.

22. Do some more DIY projects

I've previously posted my DIY Flower Crown Tutorial and it really inspired me to do some more. I'm planning on doing a post about DIY blog props and bases so hopefully I'll have posts like that up soon.

23. Invest in some more makeup brushes

I have a huge love for XOBeauty, Real Techniques, Nanshy and Lab 2 brushes and need to pick up some more. I'd love to try out some other brands out like Spectrum and Zoeva and once I've found which ones work best for me, I'll stock up on them.

24. Have a makeup clearout

I've been blogging for two and a half years now and although I've given away products that don't suit me and thrown away some products that are out of date, I need a good clear out. Although I see my makeup as a collection and don't want to throw much away, things like mascaras and eyeliners don't last that long and should be chucked. Maybe it will give me the opportunity to try some new brands out if I run low on a product afterwards.

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21 Things By 21 | Blogtober

I wanted to see whether I was able to complete my list before I turned 22 on the 19th October. I made this list being pretty optimistic given that the majority of this year I was in my final year of uni without a job, so well done past Laura. I think it's obvious I didn't complete the list!

1. Start driving lessons.

I still haven't even got my provisional so there is a bad start. I do want to start driving really bad but it's another money thing. I'd prefer to put the money towards a flat/house at the moment.

2. Try out a Nars product.

I achieved this! I bought the Nars Illuminator in Hot Sand and loved it. Even though it's getting a bit colder I love a good glow to the skin. I am still yet to try a Nars blusher though!

3. Go on a trip somewhere I haven't been before.

We went to Alicante in August. I hadn't been to mainland Spain before and I know it's not what I intended on the original post but it counts, right?

4. Get healthier.

Nope. Not a chance. My health isn't as good as it was last year due to being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. I did go to the gym whilst I was in uni but since being home I haven't had as much luck!

5. Start a Youtube Channel.

I have a channel! Andy and myself set a joint one up to document our travels which you can find here. We've only got one video up at the moment but have filmed some others that just need to be edited.

6. Get my own domain.

As you can see I achieved this haha! I love having my own blog address. It isn't needed by any means, but I feel like it makes my blog look a bit more professional.

7. Buy a decent camera.

Since learning how to use Andy's camera I haven't needed to get my own one yet. If you look back a year ago at my photos compared to now, there is a huge difference! Learning how to use Photoshop has really helped too.

8. Buy a Michael Kors Bag & Purse.

Although I never actually bought my bag (thanks Mum) or purse (thanks Andy), I do have them and have been in love ever since. I don't bother with other bags or purses now so definitely a good investment on their behalf.

9. Have over 2,000 blog followers.

My Bloglovin' followers have barely increased in the past year and I'm not too sure why. My combined followers have increased by tenfold though.

10. Completed my operations on my foot.

I haven't had an operation since April 2014 and although I'm coping, it isn't ideal. It doesn't bother me too much though and it definitely would not be on my list for things to do before I'm 23.

11. Own a Tiffany ring.

Yes I did hint hint to Andy. This really doesn't bother me that it hasn't happened yet as we're both on the same page and happy for it to happen whenever! 

12. Have a graduate job.

I really did not realise how hard finding a graduate job would be. It was super tough and I didn't get anywhere. I definitely have had a change in heart about what I want to do (now Digital/Social Media Marketing) instead of just accepting whatever comes my way.

13. Bake a lemon drizzle.

I achieved this and it was amazing. Although the loaf tin method is preferred by most, a round cake really gets the drizzle all the way through the cake. Just in case you were wondering.

14. Get fit.

Yeah, that never happened.

15. Learn more Spanish.

Not sure if teaching my Dad how to say more than "two beers please" in Spanish really counts as learning more. Maybe refreshing my knowledge?

16. Try a beauty product I think I won't like.

I've been a lot more open minded about beauty products as I've began trying and testing more out. I thought I would love cream eyeshadows but I don't. I thought I would hate cream contouring but I don't. You definitely have to try things out before wearing them for a big occasion though...

17. Conquer a fear.

Could I half cross this out? I actually walked over the bridge I hate in Newcastle. Once. I mean I wouldn't do it again but I'm not as scared.

18. Attend a blogging event.

I attended the NWMeet organised by Katy & Sam which was fab! I was super nervous going because although I may seem quite a chatty person, nerves do get the better of me sometimes. Katy and Sam did a fantastic job of organising the event and I'd definitely go to one of their events again.

19. Tour America.

I don't even care about crossing this off because we're going to Los Angeles in April 2016! I won a trip over on Twitter with Soletrader and Adidas and I'm taking Andy with me! I'll be blogging/vlogging about the whole thing so keep your eyes peeled.

20. Rent a Skyline Flat in Manchester.

Didn't happen. Most probably won't be happening. We had a change of heart and realised for the money we'd prefer a 2-4 bedroom house for the same price as a 1 bedroom flat with good views.

21. Do an extreme sport.

Again with the health, I'm not actually allowed to do extreme sports now in case I dislocate something! I'd never 100% rule it out because I do want an exciting life but you won't catch me bungee jumping anytime soon.

Have you got a bucket list?

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My University Bucket List

I started Northumbria University in September 2012 and made a bucket list on paper and promised myself to do it. It was roughly 20 things and I wanted to achieve them by the time I graduated. Well, I graduated on the 9th July and I thought I'd see if I had completed everything I set out to do.. I thought I'd show you some of my list here. If you enjoy reading uni posts then I have some here such as Exam Tips and What To Take To Uni.

The List

1. Join the uni gym

So this only happened today! I signed up for 3.5 months for the remainder of my time in Newcastle for a membership at the uni gym. Not only is this to work out but to also go swimming, use the climbing wall and go to classes. I feel like a new person.

2. Get to grips with the new place

I definitely feel like I know Newcastle a lot more than I previously did. The only thing I knew prior to moving here was what happened on Geordie Shore... not the most credible source for information.

3. Make friends

I have written previous posts on bullying in my time at uni, but one thing I learned was that I can have people who are friendly and do care for me. I was treated quite badly in my second year at university for no particular reason in my shared house but since moving out my whole outlook on life has changed. I seem to have shaken the majority of my depression and I'm not as anxious. I went up to people and spoke to them and I made some close friends and some course friends. 

4. Get a 2:1 in some assignments

After getting ABB in my A-levels I set myself a goal to gain some 2:1s in some assignments. There haven't been many but you know what, a law degree is hard work and is difficult to get your head around especially when there are external things going on. I've learned to be proud of all my grades.

5. Do something I would have never agreed to before

I went to a Benefit Cosmetics event with my uni friend Katie which I wouldn't have done before uni since I didn't have to confidence to. I went to a networking event with my course and met people who would have previously intimidated me. I also went on some mad nights out that I definitely would have agreed to.

6. Go to a lecture alone

I only succeeded in this in my final year! If my friends weren't going to a lecture I would head to the computers to do work, but picking modules alone meant that if I didn't go to the lectures then I wouldn't be able to complete my work. This was a huge step and I'm so proud that I accomplished it. It may seem little to some, but anxiety doesn't half surprise you.

7. Expand my cooking skills

I wasn't one of those people who believes they can't even make toast or use a microwave, I used to cook for myself a fair bit at home. But I wanted to learn to cook from scratch. Not to use a jar for my pasta, not to heat up a pizza and to make a gorgeous curry using tons of spices and herbs. And I did it. I love cooking even more now and would happily spend hours in the kitchen.

8. Go out in fancy dress

I went out as Spiderwoman, a dead ragdoll, a school girl, a dead bo peep and then some in first year!

9. Go out in a different city

I went out in Leeds in first year with friends which was completely different to Newcastle. A club inside an old church, the SU actually having a really good club and obscure pre-drink games.

10. Start off a new life

This wasn't completely intentional. I wanted to know what I wanted to do with my life, create some certainty and develop as a person. I never intended to meet someone and want a future with them, but I did. That person is Andy from Andrewmarksmith.co.uk and he is fab! Needless to say, I have still never kissed a random person in a club, nor had a one night stand because it just never happened. I'm so thankful anyway!

11. Have an amazing night out

I've been out when it's snowing, where there are stage games, seen people like Fatman Scoop and Verne Troyer. There have been nights where I've sang until my heart is content, or nights where I've had a right laugh. There is the occasional "screw this, let's get a subway" kind of night but they're still good nonetheless.

12. Complete a dissertation

I did it! And I'm so glad I never have to do it again. It was more enjoyable that my other modules since you got a bit stuck in, but the amount of proofreading, rewording, restructuring... Not worth the stress it put on my body! 

13. Go to the SU

I have done - in first year. I don't think Northumbria's SU is anywhere near as good as other uni's like Leeds (where they have their own club inside!). I wish ours was bigger with more on than just the odd quiz or football match that I would never go to.

14. Get a job

Kind of true. I had a job at the end of my first year back home for a few months which was good but couldn't transfer back up to uni as it was too far away from where I was staying. I did also be one of those promotional flyer people outside a club for all of two nights before I decided that my 9am lectures were suffering and it wasn't worth being groped by drunk men for £12.50 a night.

15. Get out of my comfort zone

I did things I wouldn't have normally done, but not to extreme levels. I got the metro by myself (to a job interview, see I tried!) before I understood which route to take. Bare in mind I despise getting the bus into town at home, so this was a good step in the right direction. I even got a 4 hour train from Newcastle to Liverpool by myself which was something I really wasn't expecting to do (for some reason I didn't think during uni I would come home, including Christmas?!). I've met some lovely people by going up to them and starting a conversation, with pre-uni Laura seeming completely out of the picture.

16. Travel further outside of Newcastle

With Andy, I have been to Edinburgh for the day, been on day trips to Sunderland and Gateshead and even gone to conduct research for his dissertation in the Lake District for a week. Can definitely tick off this box!

17. Develop career skills

Not only did I learn to network due to being a law student, I feel I have learned more interpersonal skills and confidence. I don't feel nervous going into interviews anywhere near as much and I can sit down and solve a strangers problem at ease. I've given legal advice to other bloggers and to family. I've learned to think from different perspectives and not get wound up as I used to. I think my whole personality has developed and I'm a much more well rounded person.

18. Expand my love of writing

Here is the proof! I've been writing my blog for exactly half the time I spent in university. I've definitely expanded my skill set and I'm loving every minute.

19. Get to know myself a little better

Not like what you're thinking. I always used to doubt myself and be unsure of whether I was really being "me". I learned to not care as much what other people thought of me (including bullies) and really be who I want to be.

20. Figure out my future

Still need to decide what I want to do! The ultimate dream would be to work in fashion/beauty in magazines or online stores but this isn't achievable at the moment. For now, the job search is on and I'm hoping I'll get through the next round of graduate jobs to start working in a scheme in September 2016. Once I've returned to Liverpool properly after my holiday to Spain I'll be applying for retail jobs to pass the year by.

I ticked off all but one, typical!
Do you have a bucket list?

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