A Post-Lockdown 21st

Turning 21 is surreal enough at the best of times. I'm now officially an adult- even though everyone insists I'm still young and can get away with doing stupid stuff. Your 21st birthday is your last "big" birthday. There's not much you can't do after you're 21. So, many people go all out on their 21st, throwing huge parties to celebrate their crossover to adulthood. But over the past year and a half, most of us couldn't do that. I was fortunate enough to celebrate my 21st with my friends, but feel bad for those who were stuck inside for their birthday...

Has Lockdown Changed How I Dress?

Lockdown has affected our lives in a hundred different ways. I've delved into how students have been affected by the pandemic before. But I haven't addressed how fashion has changed in the past year and a half. During the pandemic, most of us swapped out our jeans and tops for jogging bottoms and PJs. So, …

Things I’ve been Grateful for During Lockdown

This past year has been crazy. Lockdown has changed how many of us see the world. Our lives were flipped upside down and the definition of "normal life" will possibly never be the same again. The pandemic has prevented us from seeing loved ones and has caused the loss of family members, friends and livelihoods. However, I've been trying to see the good that has come out of the past year and I want to encourage people to consider what they were grateful for during lockdown. So, here are some things that I was thankful to have during the pandemic...

6 Rainy Afternoon Reads

Who doesn't love a good book? I love lighting a scented candle, making a cup of tea and curling up to immerse myself in a page-turner. As much as I like my Kindle- which is better for the environment- I can't help but prefer physical books. I cherish the texture and smell of the pages and adore having cute bookmarks to keep track of my progress. But if you're anything like me, you struggle to find the time to read. I read plenty of articles and magazines but, books have been gathering dust on my bookshelf in recent years. However, I made a New Years Resolution that I'd read 20 novels in 2021 (not exactly a huge number but, it'll still be a challenge). So, I thought I'd try writing more posts about books to share what I have read with you all and encourage myself to read more. These are some of my favourite books, and please let me know what your favourites are in the comments or on social media...

My Make-up Essentials

With the end of lockdown in sight, I'm preparing for "normal life" again. Since lunch-dates and nights out have been non-existent for the past year, my face has been mainly makeup-free. Obviously, with my placement at BeautyBooker- I do wear make-up to work sometimes (usually if I am going to be in Zoom meetings), but I tend to focus on skin-care. Since I'm a student, my go-to make-up is mostly affordable middle-of-the-road options- no Chanel or Dior here. With "normal" life on the horizon, I thought I'd get back into the habit of looking presentable. Here are the make-up products I find myself reaching for the most and that you should try for post-lockdown life...

My Lockdown Morning Routine

It's always difficult to wake up motivated and ready for work, especially during lockdown. But there are ways to wake yourself up quicker and easier and increase productivity throughout the day. I might not be the most productive person, but I enjoy finding new ways to start my day. So my morning routine is always changing, but the fundamentals stay the same. I like to appreciate my mornings- relishing every second of them and savouring them. That's the best way to enjoy your day- at least, I think so. If you start your day well- the rest of your day should go smoothly...

More Things to do in Lockdown

Last spring, we were put into lockdown for the first time. It was a time of home-haircuts, panic-buying and eating tinned food for weeks on end. This was when I properly started writing for Thrifty Mango to keep me occupied while cooped up in my flat and to spread positivity during a terrible time. Now- 10 months later- we're back to square one and more fed up than ever. So, if you're struggling for ideas for how to spend your time until the restrictions are eased, you can check out my 10 Things to Do in Self-Isolation post and find more suggestions below...

My New Year Resolutions- 2021

Normally, I disagree with people waiting until the new year to make drastic changes, I think we should all be able to start making changes to our lifestyles any time of year. However, 2020 has been a rough year for everyone so establishing new year resolutions is incredibly important for this year especially. Setting up new year goals will help bring a little structure to our lives- something we have all been lacking this year- and give you something to look forward to doing in 2021. Considering how bad 2020 has been, I think we should view 2021 as a fresh start and allow ourselves to look forward to the future. I'm aware that the majority of the year might be a bit of a "write-off" like 2020 has been so I've tried to keep these realistic under the circumstances. So without further ado, here are my new year resolutions for 2021...

A COVID-Proof Halloween

With social distancing and limited household gatherings in public- parties can’t happen this year. Halloween 2020 won’t be going ahead for a lot of people, after all a global pandemic is enough horror for some of us. However, by being a little creative and with cooperation from neighbours, we may be able to arrange a safe Halloween for everyone. Here are some ideas that I’ll be using to make this year’s Hallows Eve something worth celebrating...

Tips for Studying at Home

Whether you're in a local lockdown, self isolating or even trying to get used to new covid guidelines, our lives are still being affected by Coronavirus. Universities are back in business, with some choosing to go completely online for this year or having one on-campus class a week. My uni, Robert Gordon University, has opted for the latter. After 2 years of attending in-person lectures and classes, adapting to online sessions is going to be difficult. Last semester, Ryan and I worked through coursework deadlines at home with some difficulty. We usually study on-campus even when classes stop so we had to learn how to study at home in the presence of each other. This is what I learned from studying in lockdown...

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