Find drive, and thrive!

        

Hello there lovely!

Are you missing your summer tan already? I sure am feeling pale already..

I hope life is treating you well nonetheless, and that you are all happy and content, reading this.

Today I wanted to talk about the new school year, and how you can succeed in making yourself feel comfortable, no matter where you’re going. Sounds fun, right?! Even if it doesn't, you better buckle up. You already started procrastinating, so why stop now?

Although my summer holiday has been amazing (there will be a post about it coming soon!) I was pretty excited to get back to uni again. Weird to say that, because last year was my first year as a university student, and I have to say, it wasn't exactly a piece of cake for me. I found out a lot about myself, what I look for in life, and what I look for in friends. If you are in your first year right now, you will probably come along these kind of problems as well, so to make the struggle that is life a bit more easy, I decided to make some lists. I know, who doesn't love lists?

Let’s start with the things that make the issue of not feeling at home a bit less of an issue, shall we?

• Stay true to who you are. I made a post about this earlier, because this was probably the biggest struggle for me. Not being intimidated by all of my new classmates, who liked drinking way more than I did, and were so much less conscious of what they were doing with their lives/the lives of the people around them, was hard. I thought they were brainless and annoying, but I also felt lonely and misunderstood, because if everyone liked that kind of thing, why didn’t I?  In short, I struggled a lot with being myself and being comfortable with myself last year. This will pass. You will eventually find a group of friends (even if that group only consist of 3 people) that respect you for who you are, and you will start to feel at home again. Let me tell you, if I managed, you sure as hell will.
•  Don’t limit yourself with your classmates. Now, having a group of friends at uni is great, but if most of the people around you really are total idiots (like it is in my case), visiting a sports club, or joining a study group can really help! For me it was the student athletics group in my town where I really found friends and comfort. For you it might be the fencing team, the baking class, or the knitting association. Just get yourself out there, experience new things, or revisit old hobby’s. People that share the same interests as you will always be there to welcome you home.
• Talk with your roommates. I have one of the best housemates I could possibly wish for, but for you it may not be that case. If you are going to live in dorms, or in a shared apartment, you will maybe find yourself feeling uncomfortable with your roommates/housemates. The thing I found most useful, is to ask them about themselves. People like to talk about themselves, and telling someone else your story will always help them understand why you act certain ways. If you really can’t get along with your housemates, however, remember the point I made above. You don’t have to limit yourself with the people that come on your path by faith. Go on dinner dates with friends, or visit the community restaurant at your uni. You are not alone in this, there will be plenty of other people that simply can't get along their roommates.
•  Make your room your save place. There’s nothing more comforting than to come home after a long day at uni. Make sure that your room is everything you ever wanted, with enough room for you to do work, enough chocolate to keep you satisfied, and enough lovely knickknacks to make your room yours. My room is only 7m², but I love it with whole my heart. I will give you guys a tour one day, it really kicks arse. Having a nice and save room is always good, because you have to have a place where you can let your guards down, and completely be yourself, no matter what the situation is.

 Now that we’ve got you completely at home and comfortable, you got to stay. And by staying I mean, not dropping out, or getting kicked out. Next list: how to manage schoolwork and academic stress, YAY!

• SCHEDULE. I can’t say this enough, but scheduling is key. What I try to do, is to write everything I have to do on that day as little to-do boxes, so that, when I’ve finished the task, I can simply tick them off and get on with my day. I usually make my schedule a week in advance, so that I look at the tasks with an objective view. This is because when I start the week, I usually get so carried away with other stuff, that I wouldn’t do anything if I hadn’t planned it already. Making a list on Sunday, with things you have to finish the coming week, will work wonders.
•  Keep a diary for all your appointments, due dates and assignments. Without my diary, I’d be a lost case. All my classes, appointments, and to-do lists are in there. Make sure you love to use your diary, so don’t buy one of those unhandy but cheap ones. You have to stick with it for the whole year, so you better like writing in it. Mine is gorgeous, and the mere fact that I’m writing in it makes me feel like I’ve got everything under control.
•  Don’t push yourself too much. You can only do as much as you can. Don’t tell yourself you have to do the shopping, the laundry, the dishes, that assignment of 5 hours, and that essay, all in one day. Try to keep in mind that taking time to do things, and understand what you’re doing, is more important than finishing as much as possible in one single day. Not being able to follow your schedule isn't the end of the world, don't beat yourself up because of it!
• Get started! One of my favourite YouTubers, Louise aka Sprinkle of Glitter once said "tell yourself you will study for five minutes, because the hardest thing to do is start. Before you know it you've studied for 30 minutes instead of 5!" or something like that. All I can say is, she is right. Starting your homework is probably the most difficult thing to do, and probably is why you're reading this right now.  Believe me, though, once you start studying (without distractions: shut down that phone and laptop and use books and your brain!! Procrastinating is the thief of time.) you will get into a flow, and all the answers will just get on that piece of paper out of nowhere (okay, not really, but once you’ve started it really gets easier).
• Keep your room clean. A clean desk, a clean mind. Studying in a room filled with distractions, funny smells, and dirty clothes is not going to work. By keeping your room neat, you will find that your brain gets more space to think. I know it sounds a bit odd, but trust me on this!

Do all of this, and your time at college will be sorted. I can only give you one more tip: Your happiness is the most important thing. Don’t continue studying something you hate, or continue living somewhere you can’t settle. Things will be hard in the beginning, and most of the time it will get better, but if it doesn’t, don’t be afraid to change your situation. Sometimes quitting is the most brave and wise thing you can do.

I hope this helped, if you want more tips, here are some links to blogs/sites I found about how to schedule, bookmark, organize and all things you need to really thrive this year!

Study tips: X X More productivity: X XClean room: X Feeling at home in your new room: X

Good luck lovelies, stay true to who you are, and i will see you soon! 

Jane xxxxx

Summertime Book Recommendations!

Hello there, wonderful!

Are you ready to indulge yourself in free time, boredom and sunshine? The summer holidays are nearly there -some of you might even be in them already, lucky bastards- so the time has come to relax, sleep in, and most of all, to catch up on your reading.

Personally, the reading thing is the most exciting of all, since uni has tried their best to suffocate me with literature, and I can't wait to be able to read literature on my own freewill. If you're still not sure what books you're going to pack to that lovely white beach, pay close attention, because today I will list the books I strongly recommend, plus some I just can't wait to get started in. If you click on the titles, they will guide you to my favourite online bookshop, Book Depository. This site doesn't charge any shipping costs, has most of the books on a constant discount, and it sends a lovely bookmark with -almost- every book you order. Hurrah!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak ★★★★★

This book is so hauntingly beautiful, some of the quotes will stick with you for a very long time. Zusak is one of those writers that knows how to play with words like no other human being can. He shifts and shapes them, until they leave you breathless and teary eyed. I never like to spoil what books are about, because you just have to read them -or watch the beautiful film adaption of this one, you barbaric non-reader!- but this story is definitely in my top 10 of books. It has shone a whole new light on the Germans during World War ll, and on death and loss in general. Beautiful, haunting, and romantic, this one!

Life In Outer Space by Melissa Keil ★★★★

This story is perfect if you are going on a beachy holiday, where you don't want to think about any ethical problems, war tragedies or upper class English gossiping. It's basically a boy meets girl story, but this book is from a boy's perspective, and you can't help but sympathize with him. This book is especially great if you are a film geek -which most of you are, I believe.

I have to warn you though, there is a lot of fluffiness in this story, that will make you grin and squeal, so watch out when you're reading it in public area ;). 

The Maze Runner by James Dashner ★★★★

If you like the future dystopia themed books, you will absolutely love this one. It's the first part of a trilogy, so you'll be busy for a little while, and the story really pulls you in, so much you forget you're not actually living in the maze. Perfect for long journeys or lazy days that need to be spiced up a bit. I read it in a couple of days, even though it was in one of those busy uni months, so that shows how much I got sucked into it. The story isn't as well thought out as let's say, the Hunger Games, but it's really nice -and the film adaption will be out soon!

The History Of Love by Nicole Krauss★★★★★

I got this one for my birthday from one of my best friends, and I absolutely loved it. Just like Zusak, Krauss has this way of writing that leaves you looking at the world in a different way, which I think is essential for a book to be good. This isn't a relaxing read, however. There's a lot of different p.o.v.'s, with a lot of different names, so it takes a while to get into it. I am going to reread it this summer, since I read it in a busy week, so I never got a hang of the names, but the book is wonderful and the ending is mind-blowing. Without giving anything away, it's about love, friendship, loss and loyalty, without it being cliche at all. It's brilliantly written, with one of the best story building I've ever seen. It's like Game Of Thrones without the sword fighting but with all the wittiness of George R.R. Martin. A must read, this one.  

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Let me just put this out there: I think Rainbow Rowell is one of the most uplifting authors stumbled across. I have now read 2 books of her, Fangirl and Attachments, and I have loved them both so much, I just had to buy this one. You probably already know this book, since it's been the topic of many book critics. I have not yet read it myself, because I am saving it for my trip to Sweden, but I just know it's going to be a good one. Rowell has this way of making her story so easy to read, it's almost as if you're going down memory lane. This is another boy meets girl story (I think) and I just know i will love it, since Rowell has not let me down yet! If you need some happiness in your life, or just really enjoy laughing and squealing while reading a book, go for a Rainbow Rowell one, and you're sorted!

The List Of My Desires by Grégoire Delacourt
Last, but -hopefully- not least, this gorgeous book by Grégoire Delacourt. I've yet to read this one, since it looks like the perfect story to read on a plane, but I saw that Carrie Hope Fletcher read this one and rated it 4 stars on Goodreads, so I couldn't help myself and bought it in an impuls. The cover is so beautiful, and I reckon this is going to be one of those fast, fun reads. It's about an "older" woman who is beginning to doubt her life decisions, and since I'm now in the life-decisions-to-make phase of my life, I thought this might be a nice story to shine some light on what I really want to do with my life. It's the perfect summer read, since you will have loads of spare time to reflect and digest ;).


THAT'S IT! These are some of the books I recommend you read this summer, and some I just really am looking forward to reading. I hope you enjoyed, and that I gave you some new story ideas. If you have any recommendations for me, or anyone else, please leave a comment down below! You can also follow me on Goodreads, where I will be updating my reading progress. If you have read all this, but don't have the money to buy the books from Book Depository, I will share this little secret with you: ePub Bud. This site enables you to download most of the books I've talked about in this post, and many more, in an epub file, so you can read them on basically any media device. I know I know,  you're very welcome.

Thanks for reading, now go and enjoy this wonderful weather! Be true to who you are, lots of love, and I will hopefully see you soon.

Jane xxxxxxxxxx

Define your own happiness

Hello beautiful!

I hope you have been enjoying the sun as much as I have, and if it's not summer-y where you are right now, I hope you have been able to keep your mood sunny nonetheless! The sun will shine again before you know it, there can't be darkness without light!

Above you see one of the many encouraging photos that float around the Internet, and today I want to dig a bit deeper into these kind of photos/drawings/graphics/texts/whatever floats your boat. I think, and correct me if I'm wrong, that a lot of teenagers/young adults these days expect a lot of other people. Maybe a bit too much. They think that their lives will be saved by their own prince charming, who will ride into their lives when they need him the most and will change everything into a whole new, better place.

I hate to break it to you, but this is not going to happen. There probably will be some people who will have their fairytale life, but most of us are doomed to make it on our own. I don't mean that you will never find someone special, who will make you feel beautiful and cares about you, no matter what. What I'm trying to say is that you are the boss about your own happiness. You don't need someone to lick your wounds and tell you it's going to be okay. You don't have to have someone by your side to stop feeling lonely. I believe that too many people nowadays lay their faith into someone else's hands, and this saddens immensely. Instead of putting hope into other -sometimes imaginary- people, you should try to put that hope into yourself! You are a strong and very capable person, who has been breathing, walking and learning without help for so many years. You can make life as hard and as simple as you want to, and most importantly, you can change. It is not necessary for a stranger to walk onto your path to make your life a better place. The start of a happier and more fulfilling life lays with you, yourself et toi.

The main question, though, is how. It all sounds easy as pie when you're reading this, and -luckily- most of the time it really isn't that hard. The biggest obstacle is starting to believe in yourself. Having faith in your own choices, your own happiness and your own definition of happiness is something a lot of people -me included- struggle with from time to time, if not all the time. Everywhere around us, in films, books, series, and on the Internet in general, we are told that we need someone else to be happy. We need either a boyfriend, a best friend, or some kind of supernatural gift, to define happiness for us, when actually, we just have to be as true to ourselves as we can.

Who knows what “having a good time” means to you? To me, it means having a nice cup of tea and a good book, or having the summer air blow into my room as I am typing this down. I don't need a fancy party with lots of booze to feel content. If you do like to go crazy on the dance floor, however, that is great as well! The key point is that you have to decide for yourself what you really enjoy, and what you think you like but actually hate, because other people seem to be enjoying it. Happiness comes from within, not from the people around you. Friends and family can be a source of happiness, that's a given fact, but the essence of happiness, contentedness and comfortability comes from knowing yourself, and not being afraid to be happy in your own unique way.

What do you think is essential for happiness? What do you do when you feel sad, lonely or fed up with the world? Share your thoughts and opinions with me, I'd love to read and learn from you!

Be true to who you are, you are perfect in your own way. I will see you very soon!

Jane xxx

You are not your meal

one of my cheeky foodstagram snaps ;)

Hello there lovely soul! I wanted to talk about food with you today. Browsing around the Internet, I've seen so many blog posts, videos, instagram accounts, and pinterest boards about food, lately. “What's healthy, what makes you lose weight, how can you make it taste good?!” It is driving me nuts, to be quite honest. I can't overlook it anymore, and feel myself sliding into the food obsession many of us have succumbed to (I'm even guilty of having several pinterest boards dedicated to food now..), and I don't think this necessary has to be a bad thing. It's good to be more conscious about what you put into your body and how you can regulate the amount of sugar/saturated fat/chemical compounds that will stay in your body longer than you intended. It's a great direction this community is growing towards, with the ever growing rate of obese people and diet induced diseases, like metabolic syndrome.

I just want to make one thing clear: you are not the food you eat. You are not less of a person if you had a bar of chocolate for breakfast, or simply can't get those green leaves through your throat. You are not more of a success if you are able to resist all the sugar and carb-filled temptations. You are what you do to yourself and other people. You are the smile you bring to people's faces, or the argument you always win. It's about the conversations at the dinner table, and the fun you have in preparing and eating your food, more than what exactly you are preparing of stuffing your face with. I'm not saying that it's okay to just eat unhealthy all of the time. I'm saying that it's not okay to measure your self-worth by the nutrition table on the back of your cereal box.

YOU ARE NOT YOUR DAILY DIETARY INTAKE.

It makes me really sad to see that a lot of people don't enjoy what they're eating anymore, because the only thing they can think about is the amount of unnecessary sugars or fats they are consuming. Food is something that shouldn't have as much pressure on it as it has now. Sure, eating more healthy is always a good idea, but it shouldn't consume you, instead of the other way around.

If you enjoy your life, love the people around you and the things you're doing, why would you worry about that piece of chocolate? Your body will take care of most of it, believe me. Our bodies are made to take up all the nutritional amounts you need at that moment, and filter out all that is not needed at that moment of time. Fats will be stored, so that you will not eat your muscles away when food gets scarce. Sugars will be made into energy, so that you won't get tired after running up a flight of stairs when you're too late for class. Did you know that, about 70% of all the vitamins in those “healthy” vitamin supplementation pills will end up in your toilet? Your body isn't capable to filter out all of those vitamins, because the receptors in your bowels simply get saturated!

What I'm trying to say with this biological rambling is simple. It is perfectly okay -and I encourage you to continue!- to be more conscious about what you're eating, and to improve your eating habits to live healthier. It is, however, not okay to let the food consume you, making you unable to think about the good part of food (the joy of a shared dinner, the coziness of a pizza and movie night, the summer-y feeling of a barbecue) as well as the nutritional part. Don't overdo it. Be happy with who you are, embrace your inner beauty, and try not to get too overwhelmed by the huge amount of food blogs out here. Food is delicious, you shouldn't make it a chore or a challenge instead of a time to relax and enjoy life!

How do you feel about the whole superfoods thing? What are your ideas about food and what role it has to play in one's life? How do you keep yourself on the healthy side of food consumption, without it taking over your life? I'd love to read about it!

Be true to who you are, you are lovely, and I will see you very soon!

Jane xxxx

A journey of a thousand miles

Hello beautiful soul! 

I'm Jane, short for Janeri. Don't even try to pronounce my full name, it will only leave you with a strained tongue -and a weird feeling of contentedness, because thank the lord, your name is normal- which isn't something you want, right? 

To be quite frank with you, I don't know how to do this thing. I spent the last hour or so sorting out my 'template', which -obviously- still isn't top notch material. I don't know how one gets their links into the nice social media icons, or how this blog post will look when i hit the publish button. I'm unprepared, kind of scared but most of all, green. But hey, it's Sunday, I've just had a week off university and i'm finally getting over my horrible cold, so I'm feeling unstoppable. This is going to be my new project, let's see how long i will be able to stick to this one. 

So, blogging. Coming from the Tumblr family, I know how it feels to gain friendships, and lose a bit of that weight pressing on your shoulders, by talking to people on the Internet. I am lucky to say that most of the friends I have, I met through the Internet. If you think I'm talking rubbish right now, look at the YouTube community. Most of the "famous" YouTubers, like Zoella Sugg, Marcus Butler, Charlie Mcdonnell and Grace Helbig, have this massive group of friends they all know because of YouTube. The Internet is -now more than ever- the place to meet people who share the same interests. You can reach out to anyone, no matter where in the world they're living -as long as they have WiFi connection- by one single click. Now, I have decided to reach out to you. 

I'm not a "famous" person out here in the world of blogs and videos. I'm not a famous person anywhere in the world, for that matter, but I am here now. I'm going to start writing blogposts on this blog, hopefully every week, about topics that I think need to be discussed. There are too many people I've met out here that feel lonely, misunderstood or helpless, and I believe that we, together, can change that. Ambitious thoughts, I know, but as Lao-Tzu said; A journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step. 

So, that's it then. My introduction post is done. Hopefully this was enjoyable enough for you to stick around until the first real post. Again, I don't know how this works and if this even comes near a proper blogpost, but it's the inside that matters, right?

Be true to who you are, you are wonderful, and I will see you next week! 

Jane xx