THE UNIVERSITY SERIES | Those First Day Nerves

I know first had how nerve wrecking your first day at university can be however I discovered a few little tricks to feel just that little bit nervous.

1. You are all in the same position. You are not alone, there will be hundreds of other people in the exact same position as you, all trying to find their way. There will also be students from previous years, members of your faculty and students union ready to point you all in the right direction.
2. Get to know others on your course. I found a Facebook page created by a fellow student, they created the page so that we could all get to know one another before we started formal lectures. We even arranged a course meal for the first evening of freshers. And believe it or not, I found this incredibly beneficial as I made friends with a lovely girl on my course, who I later lived with for my final two years at university and it meant that we went through the whole university experience together.
3. Be prepared. I can't stress this enough. Be prepared for your enrolment, and introductory lectures whether that means ensuring you have sufficient stationary or have the right documents ready, at hand. Just be prepared.

Coming up next time on the University Series is a packing list of items I believe to be essential for surving the university lifestyle. 

                                                       Bye for now my little pumpkins

THE UNIVERSITY SERIES | An Introduction

It is coming up to that time again where those who have made the decision to attend university have began to prepare themselves for the start of term. I have just graduated university in July, and I know all too well how nerve racking the whole experience can be so I thought I would create a mini series of blog posts called the University Series where I will share what I've learnt, tips for surviving those first day nerves and the do's and dont's of university life.

I will post frequently during the last few weeks of this month, continuing on throughout September. However, if there are any questions that you have about university life and I haven't covered it just leave me a comment and I will answer the best that I can. Alterntively, you can send your questions to me via the hashtag #theUniversitySeries over on Twitter.

                                                       Bye for now my little pumpkins

Lifestyle | Five Before I Turn 25

There is so much I want to do with my life. I'll read something, or see something on the internet that is going on in the world, and I will think to myself "well I could be the one to make a change" or I'll see someone explore a city that I am yet to visit and all I can think to myself is "I need to live while I can." And after another episode like that it got me thinking what I would like to do in my life, realistically, and where do I see myself in 3 to 4 years time. I thought it might be interesting to see if I make these mini goals, and achieve even just one thing from my list so I am going to share them with you all.

1. Travel, travel, travel. Okay, so I know that this is quite cliche but everyone who I have spoken to who has had the ability to travel whether it is just around one country, or if it is around the world has to travel as much as possible while you are young because later in life that opportunity won't be there anymore.
2. Educate myself. Some say that you need to attend formal, and higher education to educate yourself, and yes, I believe that it is certainly one way to educate yourself to some extent. However, I believe that you need to live in the real world to truly educate yourself. For me, since graduating university last month I already feel as if I am educating myself more, through living 'the adult life'.
3. Donate blood. This is actually something I am planning to do within the very near future - as in the next few months or so. It is something that I have always wanted to do but i'm a little bit of a scaredy cat and I used to be terrified of blood, and needles. However, I feel as if now I am over that fear and I am ready to donate. 
4. Move into my own place. I've recently moved back in with my grandparents after living in university accommodation, and as much as I adore living with my family again, I miss having my own place, doing things in my own time, and generally just doing things my own way.
5. Progress in my chosen career. At this moment in time I am a care assistant, however I'd love to progress in my career, but i'm struggling to decide between careers. I'm torn between becoming an adult nurse, or a social worker within adult services - with both professions I will need to attend education once more and both career paths can take a long time to complete, therefore I don't want to rush into a career that I may not enjoy in the long run. That is why I have decided to take my time in moving on in my career, and I am planning on taking an Open University course in an Introduction to Social Work to allow me to gain a bit of insight into the topic before making a proper decision. 

Well that is the five things that I want to do before I turn 25, with just over 3 years to go until my 25th birthday the pressure is on. Is there anything that you would like to achieve before a birthday of yours? Leave me a comment, and let me know!

                                                      Bye for now my little pumpkins

Review | Everything, Everything - Nicola Yoon

Title: Everything, Everything

Author: Nicola Yoon
Summary: The girl who lived in a bubble and the boy next door. 

Madeline Whittier is allergic to the outside world. So allergic, in fact, that she has never left the house in all of her seventeen years. But when Olly moves in next door, and wants to talk to Maddy, tiny holes start to appear in the protective bubble her mother has built around her. Olly writes his IM address on a piece of paper, shows it at her window, and suddenly, a door opens. But does Maddy dare to step outside her comfort zone? Everything, Everything is the perfect summer read - an inspirational story about the thrill and heartbreak that ensues when we break out of our shell to do crazy, sometimes death-defying things for love.

When I first bought this book I was a little dubious as to whether I'd like it never mind love it due to its format, and use of illustrations. But in all honestly, I was completely blown away. I instantly fell in love with the particular format of the novel too, with the inclusion of IM exerts, emails, doctors notes and observations charts making the novel much more fun to read. I also felt that it helped me to connect with the characters, as it made the readers much more a part of the story than some other YA literature does. 

I went into this story blind having read nothing about the story other than the blurb. I avoided all spoilers, reviews and discussions before reading it. And it can safe to say that I am glad that I did, I found myself unable to put the book down - to me, the story line was not in any way predicable meaning that any little plot twist was unexpected and because I had completely avoided the spoilers, the novel itself was new to me.

The characters themselves were lovable too, with the mysteriousness of Oliver Bright being something that kept me captivated. I also felt what the characters felt, and believed fully, wanting nothing but good to come to them. Willing them on from the start. But now that I have finished the novel I really need a story from the view of Oliver Bright and his family, I want to know more about his back story and what his family have gone through, including his father. His sister - although not particularly a critical part of Everything, Everything - is also another character I would love to hear more about. Why is she so mysterious and dark?

I honestly recommend this book with my whole heart, and I would even go as far as saying that Everything, Everything is in my top ten books, ever. I just loved it. Now I am off to go find my next novel, however I need something to top Everything, Everything so if you have any recommendations then leave a comment below and I shall check them out.

                                               Bye for now my little pumpkins

Lifestyle | Womens Sizes

Okay, I want to admit something to you all, are you ready? Okay, good. I hate any form of clothes shopping, whether it's for myself or other people. I won't try clothes on in store, I hate walking around trying to look for something you saw in store or online merely a week ago, but most of all, I hate how much sizes vary from store to store.

I know that I am definitely not the only one who suffers greatly because of this, but I want to share with you one experience that has completely put me off shopping altogether. I bought a pair of shorts from my favourite high street store - Primark - for my holidays, size 14, black denim shorts. I thought they were a steal for £5, and were perfect to take with me on my little summer holiday. Now I didn't bother trying them on in store partly because of my hatred of the whole shopping malarky, but also partly because the queue for the changing rooms at my local store are always unbelievably long. When I got home I discovered that not only were they a little snug around the tops of my thighs, but it near impossible to fasten the button around my hips. I am going to be honest I was a little disheartened but I was in desperate need for holiday clothes, and because when here in the UK I tend to just stick to what I am comfortable in - jeans and leggings - I just knew that I had to drag myself back round the shops, not only to take the shorts back but to find a replacement pair. Because of the fiasco caused by the last pair, I decided to actually brave the queues and try a number of pairs of the same shorts but in varying sizes. But to my disbelief and utter shock, the size that fitted me best was a size 18.

A few days later I found myself back at my local high street on the hunt for another pair of shorts, however out of curiosity I tried my luck at New Look - not a store that I shop at frequently. Before heading to the changing rooms I picked up a number of pairs of shorts, all in a variation of sizes and styles. And honestly, I found that the most comfortable pair were a size 14, and were a similar style to those in Primark, however as lovely as they were I just wasn't prepared to pay nearly three times more for them compared to the ones in Primark.

Unfortunately, it is not the only store I've had difficulty shopping in, and although I managed to find that comfortable pair in New Look, I've found that they sometimes have very low stock of the bigger sizes.

Since the great short fiasco I have set out on the search to find what store and style fit my shape and size best. Do any of you lovely lot have any suggestions of stores I should check out, or have any shopping horror stories yourselves that you wish to share? If so you can leave me a comment below and I'll be sure to check it out.

                                                      Bye for now my little pumpkins

GUEST POST FRIDAYS | The Get To Know Me Tag - Sarah

From today, every second Friday of each month shall be known as 'Guest Post Friday'. Pretty exciting huh? The idea behind it is to bring something a little different to Twenty Something and Day Dreaming, but also allow myself and Sarah to share the whole blogging experience together. So that's enough from me, and now its over to Sarah.

1. What is your middle name? Louise
2. How tall are you? 5"3
3. What was favourite subject at school? English (and I really liked History!)
4. What is your favourite drink? Mocha coffee
5. What is your favourite song at the moment? All Night by R5. It's an older song now but I've recently started listening to R5 again and All Night makes me so happy.
6. What would you choose as your last meal? Pasta. Pasta pasta pasta. 
7. What is the last thing you bought? The BFG book!
8. Favourite book of all time? SO DIFFICULT! Either The Fault In Our Stars by John Green or The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger
9. Favourite Colour? Blue
10. Do you have any pets? Two kitty cats
11. Favourite Perfume? It's probably not socially acceptable for a 21 year old but I've been wearing Our Moment by One Direction every day for about 3 years. 
12. Favourite Celebration? CHRISTMAS!
13. What is your favourite country? The UK
14. Do you speak any other language? I can say rubber in French
15. How many siblings do you have? None
16. What is your favourite shop? Waterstones
17. Favourite restaurant? Jamies Italian
18. When was the last time you cried? At Coronation Street about a month ago
19. Favourite Film? Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire
20. Favourite TV shows? Bates Motel
21. PC or Mac? Mac
22. Can you cook? Yes (much to everyone's surprise)
23. Favourite Blog? www.dark-readers.com
24. What is the name of your blog? The Little Contemporary Corner
25. How long have you been blogging? Just over a year!
26. How did you get into blogging? I read a lot of book blogs because I wanted to find out about other peoples thoughts on books. I then decided I had no-where to talk about my own thoughts, so I started blogging. 

Book | Confessions of a reader

1. I'm just going to dive right in and admit it, I judge a book by its cover. It's shocking I know but if a book does not look enticing then I won't pick it up. 
2. In my opinion, The Fault in Our Stars is not John Greens best novel. To me, it is Looking for Alaska.
3. I go for weeks without picking up a book, but then once I pick one up and really get into it, I just won't stop reading it until I have finished it.
4. I can't just buy one book, if I go book shopping then I will spend a few days trawling my local charity shops before heading to stores like Waterstones and Blackwells. 
5. I am not a fan of the way J.K Rowling writes, don't get me wrong, I adore the Harry Potter franchise but I just feel as if her writing style is difficult for me to get into.
6. I will rebuy books if a different cover is released and I prefer that one. I will also rebuy books so that all of my covers are similar - especially books by the same author.
7. I also do not like the movie covers of books, and will avoid them if I can. Even if that means buying one copy of the book - as the movie cover - and rebuying it later after the hype of the movie has died down.

What are your confessions, do any of you believe that an author is 'overrated'? Leave your confessions in the comments below.

                                                      Bye for now my little pumpkins

Travel | Exploring Northumberland Part 1

Until two years ago, I had never really explored the coastal county in which I live in despite there being so many beautiful and quaint places ready for me so when I was offered the opportunity to go on a small day trip around Northumberland, I really couldn't resist.

I currently live in a small village located on the Northumberland-Tyne and Wear boarder, about 10 miles outside of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. With the current population settling around 2900, everyone knows everyone. It's a lovely, and quite little village however after exploring numerous other villages and small towns within the county, I would love to up sticks and move to one of those just that little bit closer to the beach, and even further outside of the busy city.

Warkworth Castle,
Warkworth

The first stop on my little adventure around Northumberland was Warkworth Castle, situated within a village of the same name. It is less that one mile from the North East coast, with both the castle itself and the village occupying the loop of the River Coquet. It is uncertain as to when the castle was founded, however the construction is traditionally acredited to Prince Henry of Scotland in the mid 12th Century. The castle, and it's surrounding grounds are beautifully kept with the castle itself showing very little signs of restoration - which is something I have noticed, although some castles and buildings look immaculate, it is typically due to high levels or restoration. To gain full access to the castle there is a small fee which can be found here, however if exploring heritage sites is something of interest then there is always the option to become a member of the English Heritage site. After paying an annual payment which starts at £52, you will then have unlimited access to up to 400 sites around the UK, as well as discount off other attractions. For more information on how to become a member follow this link.

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick

My second stop was a little further north in the village of Alnwick, the home of Alnwick Castle and stately home, as well as gorgeous little old-fashioned book shop which goes by the name of Barter Books. Alnwick Castle is currently home to the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, however it was built following the Norman Conquest. Unlike Warkworth Castle, Alnwick has been renovated and remodeled countless times since its build. And since 1964, Alnwick Castle has been used as a setting for a high number of films and television series - with it's exterior used most famously in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and Chamber of Secrets. Throughout the year Alnwick Castle hosts activities and shows, often hosting child-specific activities throughout the holiday seasons, including activities orientated around the Harry Potter franchise. Although I do like to think I have matured just ever so slightly since becoming a University graduate, when I headed out to Alnwick Castle this past weekend the staff were welcoming, friendly and let us - a group of adults whose mean age averages out to 100 - play dress up, take part in making wands and did not judge when we wanted to take part in the dragon's quest which I thought was utterly brilliant. Similar to Warkworth Castle, there is an admissions fee for Alnwick Castle, however there are aspects of the castle in which you can explore for free. Additionally, once you have purchased and admissions ticket for the castle, it is valid for one whole year from the date of purchase meaning that if you so wish to visit the site again within 12 months then all you need to do is retain your original ticket.

Staff at Alnwick Castle

Now although Alnwick Castle has so much to offer, there is also the gardens which are located just a short walk from the Castle itself. The gardens are beautiful all year round, and depending on the season will depend on what is going on within the gardens with different attractions on show all year round. I have no attended the gardens in a number of years, however I am to make a trip within the next few months. Again, there is also a small fee to visit the gardens, with more details available here. Alnwick is also home of a Sunday farmers market, quaint little boutiques, typical high street stores and beautiful little gift shops. I firmly believe that it's quite easy to spend a day within Alnwick, exploring the cobbled streets, the castle and the gardens.

Wow, if you are still with me then thank you, I didn't realise how much I can say about Northumberland. Unfortunately, I still have two other places I wish to talk about, so I will talk about those in a later post. If you have any questions about any of the places mentioned today then don't wait about, just leave me a message and I will address that within my next post.
             
                                                    Bye for now my little pumpkins,

Review | On The Other Side - Carrie Hope Fletcher

Title: On The Other Side
Author: Carrie Hope Fletcher
Summary:  A love story like no other.

Evie Snow is eighty-two when she quietly passes away in her sleep, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. It’s the way most people wish to leave the world but when Evie reaches the door of her own private heaven, she finds that she’s become her twenty seven- year-old self and the door won’t open. Evie’s soul must be light enough to pass through so she needs to get rid of whatever is making her soul heavy. For Evie, this means unburdening herself of the three secrets that have weighed her down for over fifty years, so she must find a way to reveal them before it’s too late. As Evie begins the journey of a lifetime, she learns more about life and love than she ever thought possible, and somehow , some way, she may also find her way back to her long lost love…

I used to be a big fan of Carrie's when I was a little younger, and although I still admire and respect her, I just don't follow her in the way in which I used to so when it came to reading On The Other Side I was almost completely oblivious to the plot, characters and design of the book itself. And I can say - hand on heart - that I was pleasantly surprised by the novel. When I first got my hands on a copy of the story I was concerned that like her previous book - All I Know Now - I may have been a little too old to enjoy the book in its entirety, but I was wrong. 

The writing style displayed throughout the novel itself is brilliant, Carrie shows such talent in her writing, and it is clear that the story was written with pure passion. Her choice of writing style also makes it easier to connect to the characters and feel exactly what they feel. Additionally, the description used throughout is never dull, nor does Carrie use atypical words. You would believe that Carrie is older than she is in the way in which she writes. 

I was also delighted to discover that alongside the loveable group of characters Carrie created for her novel, she also included a range of sexualities which - despite it being the 21st Century - many authors often opt to avoid whether its through sheer unawareness, and background knowledge or whether it is through confliction of beliefs. Either way, for whatever the reason, it is not a topic touched upon by many and Carrie touched upon it in a respectful and casual manner too. Combining this with elements of the supernatural world - something I am a firm believer in - it made the story even more gripping.

In addition to the beautifully brilliant story telling, the physical book itself was just stunning from cover to cover. The protective cover surrounding the hardback itself showed key aspects to the book without giving any of the story away which I thought was very clever but even under the paper cover - the detail to the book was immense, such a beautiful use of colours too. I was completely in love with the physcial look of the book from the moment I laid my - admittedly quite awful - eyes on it. But to be honest I just love a beautiful book, don't you? 

But really this book could not have been released at a more perfect time for me, personally. I lost someone very special to me quite recently, and this book through its topic, loveable characters and the supernatural world providing me with the comfort that I so desperately needed. It brought me back up while I was down, it gave me hope in 'the other side' and most importantly, it gave me characters that I could relate too, even if I couldn't relate to them the whole time. So thank you Miss Fletcher, thank you for creating something so magical and brilliant, and for providing comfort to me during such a tough time.

If there any books you wish to see me review, just leave me a quick comment, and it could be the next book that I review.

                                                      Bye for not my little pumpkins,