July Favourites | Podcasts and Music

July has been a wonderful month full of memories for me. And sunny ones too! The sunshine in the UK has been amazing. Is it possible to add the sunshine to my favourites list?? Why not...

Personally, I love favourites posts when they include lifestyle sections. I can get bored with strictly beauty centered ones. I am starting this series as I am ALWAYS on the look out for podcast/food/beauty recommendations, and I want to share with others what I have been loving.

July's favourites has a bit of a theme. As I was travelling a lot last month, I have been listening to podcasts and music to pass the time. I was going to add some beauty products to this as well but it was already long enough as it is, so I will save that for a separate post. If you have any long journeys coming up, then definitely check out these podcast recommendations and who knows, maybe you'll find your new favourite song from my July playlist?

Podcasts

Podcasts are a big hype at the moment, and I am fully on that. When you find a few you love, it becomes addictive to find more and more. I now follow several religiously! I highly recommend listening to podcasts in the car (just bluetooth it from your phone to your radio). You can learn and travel to your destination. Win-win!

I use the CastBox app to listen to my podcasts, which also has a sleep mode. This allows you to play a podcast before going to bed and set a certain amount of time for it to play before switching off - perfect for falling asleep to.

I have summed up a few of my favourite podcasts from this month down below:

THE FOOD MEDIC PODCAST - LIFESTYLE MEDICINE AND THE NHS

I am absolutely in love with The Food Medic podcast. Dr Hazel Wallace speaks to professionals about lifestyle and nutrition based topics, with a casual conversational style. It's relaxing but informative and I look forward to a new episode every Monday. This episode in particular really stood out to me as I completely believe in the power of changing your lifestyle in order to treat some diseases.

STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW PODCAST - HOW THE PILL CHANGED THE WORLD

As a female, I found this podcast extremely interesting but also quite scary. The hosts discuss the history of the contraceptive pill and the problems related to it, including those horrible side effects. If I am in the mood for learning something, this podcast has a whole library of topics, so you'll no doubt find one or two you'll like the sound of!

THE HEALTH CODE PODCAST - OUR RELATIONSHIPS, FLINGS, REBOUNDS, BREAKUPS AND PLAYAS!

This podcast is hosted by the Youtuber Sarah's Day and her boyfriend Kurt. It is full of laughs and I love all the stories they share. In particular, this podcast shares stories of their previous relationships and delves into their own journey as a couple. If you want easy listening with some laugh out loud moments then I recommend you give this a listen!

Music

On July 1st I went to Community Festival in London and ever since I have been listening to the playlist on repeat. I thought it would be nice to share my favourite music of the moment because I love finding new things to blast in my room whilst getting ready. Listed below I have my absolute favourite tracks from the artists who played at the festival, as well as Maggie Rogers and Glass Animals. All these songs feel so summery and they give off such good vibes. This playlist makes me want to hang out around a campfire with my friends, wine in hand and having a wee boogie.

25 Before 25 | A Quarter Life Bucketlist

As a person that loves to write lists, it's no surprise that I have only gone and wrote a list of all the things I want to do before I'm 25. Anyone else feel really satisfied after writing a big long list? I just feel like I have my sh*t together... for a few minutes. Then I drift back into my procrastinating self.

Something I hope I don't procrastinate with is this exciting list of goals which I'd like to achieve by the time I am 25. I know this is only 2 and a half years away (wtf), but I think it is great to have things to work towards and push myself to do. And hey, if I only manage half of them then it's better than none at all! I will revisit this list in future for an update, or a kick up the arse if I have been slacking.

So here we go... 25 things I would like to do or have achieved by 25. 

1. Run a half marathon 

Eventually I would love to run a full marathon... one step at a time!

2. Go to a festival for a full weekend

I actually went to Community festival a couple of weeks ago in London. Side note: if you have the chance to see Two Door Cinema Club - DO IT. They were bloody amazing! The thing is, this was only a day festival. I would like to go somewhere like Glastonbury to get the full festival experience. 

3. Travel outside of Europe

I have only ever travelled to Europe (France, Switzerland and Portugal). I desperately want to see more of the world.

4. Read 12 fiction books in a year

Some people might think this is piss easy... and I guess it is to an extent. But life gets busy, and as someone who isn't a natural bookworm it can be hard to dedicate myself to a book. You've heard it here first though, I will do it!

5. Visit Rome

I was debating putting Amsterdam here instead, but I do love Roman history and I think it would be a great romantic getaway. Hopefully I can tick this off my European cities bucketlist before I'm 25.

6. Go skiing 

I haven't been skiing since I was 10! I understand that not many people get the opportunity to go skiing even before they are 25. But I live less than an hour away from Aviemore (a big ski destination in Scotland). I have been keen to go again for ages now and I hope I can achieve this one. Who knows, maybe I will even go abroad this time? A girl can dream.

7. Move out

Technically I have already done this when moving to uni. But I have taken a step backwards and I'm back in my family home. Oh the joys... Hopefully it will be for good next year when I do a masters degree. I love you mum and dad, but I do need my own space!

8. Go to a protest or march

I was so close to booking to go down for the animal rights march in London this year. However, I am in London not long before that so money wise it wouldn't have been ideal. Hopefully next year.

9. Have a career plan

I don't know if this will ever be set in stone. Life changes like the weather. One minute I could want to do one thing and then another opportunity can come my way. What I want from this is just to be confident about my future and have a rough idea of where I am heading. 

10. Actually get good at surfing

I have only been surfing twice in my life, but I am adamant that one day I might be okay at it. For a beginner I don't think I was atrocious as I did manage to ride a few waves (it's the best feeling). This one might be a bit of a challenge but I will do my best!

11. Live in another country for a month

Pre-25 seems like the best time to accomplish this one. As I grow older, having a career and a family could hold me back. I am looking to travel Australia early next year so this one could be ticked off fairly soon!

12. Learn how to do climbing/bouldering

Having watched people use their amazing body strength on this years Ninja Warrior, I am determined to enhance my own physical strength. Plus something like climbing is a lot more fun than doing deadlifts in the gym!

13. Complete an assault course (e.g. tough mudder)

Similar to above, I want to test my strength and fitness. Completing something like this with friends and family would be such a great experience.

14. Do a masters degree/go back to university

As much as I try to fight against it at times, I am an academic at heart. Hopefully next time round I will be able to keep my mental health in check too. 

15. Attend a yoga class

I have done yoga at home but never been to a class. Worth seeing what all the hype is about!

16. Beat Curtis at chess

Curtis (my boyfriend) beats me at Connect 4 and chess all the bloody time. It's about time that changed haha.

17. Go a full week without social media

Everybody needs a digital detox every now and then. It's important to take in what the world has to offer around you, rather than via endless Instagram posts. 

18. Join a sports team

I seriously miss the days of playing netball and being in a cheerleading team. I loved challenging myself through sport. Unfortunately there isn't a lot up where I live now, but hopefully when I move for uni I can join a team again.

19. Have my emails organised 

Yup, I am that person with 2,730 unread emails. I will have it down to zero before I'm 25... maybe.

20. Learn how to combat stress and not take life too seriously

Hah, this one is a tough one. I am naturally a big ball of stress. So lets see if I can actually master the art of relaxing.

21. Watch the sunrise

I'm pretty sure I have done this one before, drunk at 4am, post night out. But I want to experience a sober sunrise when I'm not yawning wanting my bed.

22. Go to an escape room

Sounds like the perfect challenge for an absolute stress head. Why not?

23. Buy a car 

I have been umming and ahhing about buying a car for the past year. Where I live it's pretty much a necessity but I have got away with driving my parents car for now.

24. Be more conscious about the environment and use less plastic

It's about time we all did this really. Times are changing and plastic straws are now being banned, but I think we can all do our bit to really make a difference. I'm going to start by buying my own reusable straws and cutlery to throw in my handbag, as well as consciously using less single use plastic.

25. Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef

Something completely out of my comfort zone but yolo n'that. 

Best Vegan Mascara's | Beauty

This is a new series of blog posts dedicated to finding some of the best vegan and cruelty free makeup products which are easy to find online or on the high street. I'm also on the hunt for a range of prices so you can find one that meets your budget. I hope that you enjoy this series and let me know if there are any other make up products you want me to do next. 

Today's post is all about mascaras... an essential part of any makeup bag! The main issue with mascara is that it tends to contain beeswax, therefore making it non-vegan. I am pleasantly surprised with the variety of vegan friendly mascaras I have found though, especially because all the ones I used prior to going vegan weren't vegan friendly. Personally, I use the more expensive Better Than Sex mascara by Too Faced - I have already repurchased it once and I can't see myself changing it as I love it so much! It is on the pricey side, but I believe that there are two makeup products worth splurging more money on: mascara and foundation. I'm past the days of super clumpy mascara and foundation that tints your face orange...

Other vegan mascaras which I haven't mentioned but are worth checking out include the e.l.f. Eye Enhancing Mascara, Pacifica Aquarian Gaze (waterproof) and the Collection Lengthening Mascara. 

I hope this post has helped anyone struggling to find vegan mascaras. I want to try and make the transition to a vegan lifestyle as easy as possible for anyone who is interested. Please do let me know what your favourites are too as I am always up for trying new products!

Make sure to follow me on Instagram to get updates on new posts. The next part of this series will focus on vegan foundations, so stay tuned!

Best Vegan Food | SOUTHAMPTON

Hi everyone! Today I am starting a new series of blog posts compiling some of the best vegan hot spots all around the UK. I hope to eventually build up a big list which anyone can use if they are travelling. Today I am starting off with Southampton, a place which I have become very familiar with in the past year. As my boyfriend lives here, I have tested a lot of the vegan delights Southampton has to offer. Here are a list of my favourite vegan hot spots in Southampton...

Baffi Pizza

Baffi has one of - if not the best - vegan pizza I have ever tried. It's not often you get proper Italian pizzas topped with vegan cheese, usually you have to opt for a cheese-less one. Number 3 on the menu might be the only vegan option, but I do know that you can switch things up a bit depending on what you do and don't like. Luckily for me, I liked everything on it. Check out the deals they have on too, I'm pretty sure on Saturday's between 3-6pm they have £6 pizzas!

My rating: 8/10. Would be higher if service was a bit better. The staff do live up to the Naples stereotype and are quite serious, which is fine but a little different to British customer service.

Cafe Thrive

The holy grail of vegan food in Southampton is Cafe Thrive. It is an all vegan cafe with everything from burgers, to delicious sandwiches and a sweet section which will tempt you. My non-vegan boyfriend loves the donuts in here and claims he can't think of any donuts he has tried which are better! They are always experimenting with new food ideas which you can see on their specials board. Sometimes they do a vegan roast dinner too! What I love about this cafe is that it doesn't look like your average vegan cafe with odd chairs and poor lighting - it's full of light and has a bright interior with fab customer service. If you are a coffee lover like me then I highly recommend getting a latte with oat milk here - my favourite!

My rating: 10/10. Everything from the interior, to the service and the food is perfect here. Cannot fault!

Mango

This was the first place I ever came to in Southampton and it was a on a date with my - now - boyfriend. He did very good! Though I have a confession to make, I have only ever had the same curry and I haven't even tried the tapas yet. My go-to is the golden curry which I get with tofu. It has a sweet hint to it which is so delicious and I like to pair it with the jasmine rice. They do have lots of other dishes which they are able to make vegan and they aren't short on vegan desserts either.

My rating: 8/10. I would rate it higher but it is on the pricey side. Well worth it for a nice meal out though!

Rice Up Wholefoods

I couldn't end this post without mentioning the ALL vegan mini supermarket Rice Up Wholefoods. It has everything a vegan could need: chocolate, cheese, meat replacements, sauces and household products. They also have a selection of foods they make in store such as bread, pastries and cakes. It is only a few doors down from Cafe Thrive which is very handy, but my bank account does suffer a bit!


I hope you enjoyed reading this post and for any of you heading to Southampton in the future, be sure to save this somewhere so you can come back to it. Next on my list is the Scottish vegan capital, Glasgow.

Megan.

One Year Since Graduating | My Life Since Uni + Graduate Tips

It feels crazy that nearly a whole year has gone by since I left university. Nothing will beat living in a city and being surrounded by your friends (AKA actually having a social life). Even though I could have stayed in Glasgow and gotten a job to tie me over whilst I made some decisions about my future, I decided to come back home for a bit. To be honest, I never thought I'd move back here - where I'm from is quite the opposite from city life. University was an amazing period of my life but mentally it drained me a lot. I thought it was important to cool myself off from stress for a year before venturing into adult life, and oh boy am I now ready to get back into a fast-paced routine!

As the high from finishing exams finally started to dwindle, I found myself twiddling my thumbs thinking, “right, what the f*ck do I do now?”. It was frustrating me that I was potentially not going to use the knowledge from my degree in order to give myself an income. Finally, I came to the conclusion that I would become a tutor. With hindsight, this was such a great decision. Not only was I going to be using my knowledge from my degree to tutor biology and chemistry, I was also pushing myself out of my comfort zone which has massively boosted my confidence. Now believe I can do almost anything! 

Onto my second year post-uni plans (yikes that sounds old). I have dreamed of travelling Australia for a while now... so thats what I've decided to do! In January-March 2019 I am planning to travel the East coast of Oz with my boyfriend. I am so excited to make happy memories that I can look back on in the tough years to come. Plus, my seasonal affective disorder would probably thank me for it (long dark days are my biggest enemy). I have always wanted to explore the world - I’m a bit of a travelling noob - but a) my anxiety of flying stopped me and b) I was missing a travel buddy. Though, this does mean I am going to have to save save save this year... But I'm hoping long hours of working will be all worth it!

After my time travelling I have my sights set on doing a master’s degree in nutrition, an area I am very passionate about. It may take me two years post-pharmacology degree to get my butt back in education, but I'm hoping that this time out will give me a much better mindset for the next chapter.

My tips for newbie graduates…

• You don’t need to know what you want to do next. Trust me, I had many mini meltdowns stressing about the fact I didn’t want to go into the pharmaceutical industry. I think taking a gap year post-university is nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, I would encourage it for anyone feeling that final year PTSD - you don't want to burn yourself out.
• Don’t be afraid to change you path. My new journey into nutrition isn’t completely far fetched from my degree in pharmacology, but any degree is a one way ticket into a lot of jobs. Many companies look at skills you would have gained from your degree - especially if it’s an analytical one such as a science of some sort. You might think university was a "waste of time" but you'll be surprised how many places it can take you. Consider using your universities career service - I did, and I was really inspired. Plus, they'll probably put your mind at ease and tell you that most people don't stick to their degree area post-uni.
• Focus on yourself, not what you think everyone else thinks you should do. It’s hard for families to not have an influence on your thoughts about what the next steps are. Take advice, but don’t let others impact YOUR decisions. This is your future after all and if it takes you a little bit longer than everyone else to have your lightbulb moment, then don’t worry!

Megan.

Photocredit: @michael_d_beckwith on Flickr (labelled to allow reuse + modification).