Thoroughly modern millennial

Tag: personal post

  • On Blogging Resolutions | Wishing For Chanel in 2015

    2015-blogging-goals

    New year, new me…blah blah blah. You’re probably all sick of posts about New Year’s Resolutions, but I thought I’d at least throw my two cents into the mix.

    In the past when I’ve set up blogging goals they’ve almost entirely been numbers based i.e. hit so-and-so many followers by December, get so-and-so many views, earn so-and-so much money, do so-and-so many brand collaborations etc. It’s hard not to get caught up in the numbers game as a blogger but I’ve discovered that trying to hit certain targeted number counts only leads to disappointment and frustration.

    This year on Wishing For Chanel I want to channel three things into my blogging. Share. Diversify. Let It Go. These three phrases will serve more as a mantra than actual resolutions that are wholly more achievable and less about number chasing.

    Share

    I feel like I don’t speak about how incredibly talented the blogging community is enough, so in 2015 I want to share more about the bloggers/vloggers/Internet people I’m loving more frequently both on the blog and on social media too. That means more blogger/instagram love posts, shout outs to people on Twitter and recommend more bloggers I enjoy reading to others. I want to involve myself in the online community more and what better way to do this than through sharing the love.

    Diversify

    Contrary to what my blog name says I’m not all about the pretty fashion posts anymore. Though I love my share of gasping at designer couture, my personal online space has evolved as the years have gone by. In some cases this has meant creating side projects dedicated to those interests (i.e. Blogger’s Bookshelf and Feminist In Training) but in most cases I want to share more about those other facets of my life here.

    Let It Go

    Elsa had the right idea when it came to letting go of her inhibitions. After four years of blogging I feel like I’ve finally hit a point where I’m comfortable with who I am and what I want out of blogging.
    I’ve semi-resigned myself to the fact that I will never become as big as someone like Zoella or Tanya Burr, I don’t need continuous outfit posts to keep myself relevant in the community, and the world will not collapse if I forget to do a blog post or take a break for a week. I’ve come to terms with the fact that though I may be a blip in an ocean of incredibly talented bloggers, I have a community that I’m happy to chill with – you’re all awesome btw. So yeah…Let It Go, Let It Goooo!

    Let me know what your blogging resolutions are too!

    R.xoxo

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  • My University Experience | Thoughts from a graduate

    university-experience-header
    As I write this I know there may be a few of you out there who may be venturing off to University very very soon! It’s an extremely exciting and horrendously nerve wracking time, and I know I’m not the only one in the blogsphere who’s either reminiscing or dishing out advice on starting that journey. However, I personally feel I’ve probably had one of the more unusual times during my technically four years of higher education.

    I’ll start this off with the pre-disclaimer that I decided to stay at home for University. Long story short, after much debate and a little disappointment after not getting into my first choice school, I ended up at a University with a 40 minute train ride to get in.

    One thing you need to know about being a commuter is that it’s hard. Both socially and logistically.

    Unlike others who could stumble home after a night out during Freshers or make fast friends with people in the student dorms or shared houses, I really had to try and make an effort to make an impression during seminars or lectures.
    Luckily, I had a few friends who I went to College with who I caught the train with regularly, as well as others I knew from secondary school who had also decided to commute. One thing I also found out pretty quickly was that other ‘commuters’ tended to find each other and we all sort of bonded over the experience of travelling in. In fact, it ended up becoming my own opener to conversations with others who didn’t commute.

    Juggling a 40 minute commute alongside University meant I always had to be two steps ahead in terms of organisation. Whilst I was quick lucky with some parts of my timetable, 9am lectures were a huge effort to get in for (6am wake up calls and 7.30am trains to get in on time!), 6pm lectures sometimes meant getting home at almost 9pm and huge 5 hour gaps in between seminars were always the bane of my life. And I actually ended up making friends with people I really got on with and could work with, not just because they lived across the hall from me or I shared a house with.

    I had to figure out how to use my time effectively and fill the voids between lessons, which was always harder at the beginning of the year when there’s nothing to work on, but quickly changed as coursework and exams cropped up (and I started blogging during my first year!).

    Placement year became my turning point. I’ve written about my experiences with my placement year on my blog before, but the real difference wasn’t with myself but fellow course mates when we all came back.

    The mood had changed. Everyone was more focused and ready to work, I had people joining me in the library on multiple occasions and we all ended up bonding over stress (which I found was pretty common amongst people at every University). The change in attitude definitely helped me out a bit and I sadly the most social in my final year than I had been in my first two.

    In hindsight, I do think the decision to stay at home was worthwhile. I do always wonder what it would’ve been like to move away from home and live like a ‘proper’ Uni student, but I don’t actually know whether I would’ve ‘fit in’ with that kind of life. My experience at Uni suited my introvert nature, allowed me to learn different organisational skills, and gave me a chance to focus solely on my degree.

    If I were to offer any advice to anyone who may have decided to stay at home to study, I would definitely say take it in your stride cause it’s tough. It took a long time for me to realise that just because it’s a different kind of tough to what everyone else is dealing with, doesn’t make the experience any less valid or valuable.

    For me my time at Uni allowed me to find a real passion in my degree subject and the work that i did, which is why you’re there in the first place right?

    R.xoxo
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  • Flying Solo | Thoughts on solo travel from a travel newbie

    Flying Solo | Thoughts on solo travel from a travel newbie

    As Summer’s drawing into it’s final weeks, I suspect many of you will be hopping on planes, trains and automobiles to do a bit of last minute travelling or are perhaps planning Autumnal trips when the school holiday rush is over – and prices come down! Whilst it’s always fun to go along with your family or friends, once in a while it can be good to be a bit brave and venture out on your own.

    As you guys know this Summer I went on a solo trip to New York. Though I’m pretty slick at travelling on my own here in the UK, I hadn’t even contemplated travelling to a foreign country all on my own before. It was both a daunting yet utterly exciting prospect and something I was adamant about doing at least once in my life. New York was a pretty soft entry into the solo travel world – same language, different accent, and very similar to London as a city – but nevertheless, the prep that went into planning the trip was key to helping it run as smooth as possible.

    Luckily I have family over in the States so I’d managed to save some money on a hotel by staying with relatives for some of my time there. Apart from that finding a hotel was pretty easy, I opted for a hotel over a hostel or smaller bed and breakfast mainly for safety and convenience. The one I stayed in was two blocks from Times Square and had plenty of staff around 24 hours of the day.

    There isn’t much I can say about travelling solo that hasn’t already been said before, so these are my personal thoughts on my own experiences.

    Part of the fear I think a lot of people have about solo travel is the feeling of being lonely. My view to that is, socialising whilst on a solo holiday is what you make of and is completely dependent on your personality. As an introvert being alone was a blessing not a curse as I’ve always found solace in solitude. Not only does solo travel provide you time to thing but a chance to indulge in one of my favourite past times, people watching.

    There’s so much freedom in solo travel to take things at your own pace and as you’re only catering to your own needs, your travel schedule can be totally flexible. This was definitely the case when I travelled, as I switched up my routine pretty much every day dependent on my mood, level of tiredness and the weather. Solo travel also, obviously, works out cheaper in terms of accommodation, transport, and entertainment. Once you get over the awkward feeling of sitting alone in a restaurant or cafe, or going to the theatre or other events solo and realise just how much less you’re spending, you’ll never look back!

    There are of course downsides. You become completely responsible for yourself. You’re the one dragging all your luggage/valuables around, you’re the one who has to make yourself wake up in the morning, and find the places you want to go without the help of a friend or family member.

    As a woman, safety also comes into play. Though New York isn’t as threatening as people like to make out, I had to be aware of my surroundings at all times, especially in the evenings. Acting like a local is key to solo travel. Densely populated tourist-y areas in particular are a hotbed for potential pick-pockets and if you look like another tourist then you become an easier target.

    There were obviously times when I felt a little metaphorically lost in the big City. New York is h u g e, so there were definitely points during my trip where I felt like I was swallowed in the crowd.

    But where this is a downside, the sheer amount of people you come across is also a blessing. There is always someone to talk to, whether that be the people who are serving you in cafes, people waiting in ticket queues with you, or fellow tourists at the bigger tourist attractions. I found very quickly that my accent ended up becoming a conversation starter with many other tourists, some of whom also hailed from the UK!

    I can’t say that every city or country will be like New York when it comes to friendliness, and, of course, friendliness can lure you into a false sense of security. But as long as you keep your wits about you and make sure you don’t give away too much personal info, you’ll be fine.

    And to be honest that what travelling solo really boils down to and the point I want to reiterate. You are in control of your travel when you decide to venture out alone. Independence is fantastic and there no better way of experiencing it than in a completely different culture and country to your own.

    What about you guys? Thoughts on solo travel?

    Have any of your ventured out on your own and what have your experiences been like?

    Ria Xx