WRITING || Sitting Down to Blog.

Well. This is awkward. I can't help but feel a little embarrassed by my absence here. In fact, it's what stopped me from writing for so long. The first week slipped by, I thought I'd take just a little time off from my pretty demanding blogging schedule and return to it in a few days. Then my first term as a Second Year student began and that all went out in the window. Despite my best efforts of course! Blog photos were taken but never uploaded, ideas scribbled down but never fulfilled, and that's when I lost momentum. And you know, uni has a tendency to take over my entire life. But no complaints! It's been a fantastic three months and seeing as it's Christmas and all, I felt like it was time to sit down and have a catch up.

Where to begin? University is going well. Southampton really feels like a second home now. I live in a lovely big house with eight other wonderful people. And although not much work gets done at home, we certainly have a lot of fun. In terms of my studies, let's just say that I've had to read Ulysses this term - which should pretty much sum up how academically challenging some of my work has been. But it's been hugely rewarding, so you know, it wouldn't be a degree if it wasn't difficult at times.
There's also a new guy in the picture. I'd be lying if I said that he hasn't been a big part of my life the past three months.  However, back in July I wrote a post entitled, 'I'm Not Ready For My Other Half', which I found playing on my mind a lot when things started happening between us. Looking back on it now, I stand by a lot of the stuff I wrote there. In fact, I really enjoyed being single (I know, shock horror) so it's nice to know that it took quite a special guy to make me want to change my ways.
So since September, I've been socialising, writing essays, and working part time back at the store. I know it's a cliché but it genuinely feels like I've barely had a minute to myself looking back on it. Although I somehow managed to finish watching Parks & Recreation and re-watch half of Gilmore Girls... mysterious, right?
Anyway, back to the blog stuff. I have to say, although uni played a huge part in why I've been so inactive on my little internet space the past few months, I don't think it's solely to blame. Reading through my last few posts, I remember feeling uninspired - I had spent the whole Summer working so hard to produce interesting, thoughtful content as well as balancing a Full Time retail job. Looking back on it, I was so burnt out and tired of writing the same old kinds of posts. So I'm back and ready to shake things up a bit!
Of course, I'll never stray too far from my beauty writing - because hand on heart, make-up is one of my favourite things to write about. No shame, it's a passion of mine. But I'm an English Literature student, I love to read and I somehow want to convey that here. I'll be sticking to Diary posts on Sundays because... well because I love having them to look back on and I personally always like to get an insight into the person behind the blog. I'll be changing my schedule up a bit too - because it was just downright naïve of me to think that my university timetable wouldn't affect my blog content. Such a mistake Lydia! I haven't worked out the specifics yet but I'm hoping to stick to three or four days a week.
I've been meaning to write this for a long time and I'm sorry it's taken me so long. But it feels good to be back - I forget how easy and natural it feels to write these kinds of spontaneous posts. And you know what the best part of taking a break is? Coming back to it all with about a billion ideas for new content. I've bought a lot of new make-up because some things never change. Nor would I want them to.
So Merry Christmas to anyone out there reading this. Because if Google Analytics is anything to go by, there are still a few of you there. Thanks for sticking around, it means a lot. I'm off to read Lisa Eldridge's 'The Story of Make-Up' which I found waiting for me under the Christmas tree this morning - i.e. one of the best presents you can give a beauty fanatic. That or a good old book. Either one will do! x

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