Freedom.

I'm free! Exams are over and summer is finally within reach. This time tomorrow I'll be in Turkey in the 30c heat. The only thing left to do is pack... I. HATE. PACKING. It really is my pet-peeve. Currently my room is stacked high with boxes, bags, and suitcases. It's a mess. I've moved my Uni room back into my old room at home. Yesterday I lived in my pj's to save the hassle of hunting through the mountain of stuff. I always wonder how I accumulate so many things. And in all honesty most of it is just stuff. Stuff I don't even need. I guess everyone slips into the mass consumerism without realizing it. On that note I went to a Topshop sale in Canterbury and stumbled upon these AMAZING sequin harem pants. They're actually my life right now. I never seen something so shiny, so inappropriate, but just so right. I'm in love.



I have a problem with buying inappropriate and ugly clothes and shoes. I think I subconsciously make it my personal mission to buy awkward clothes just to try and make them work. A personal challenge. I think I might have to refrain from taking them with me. I have no social boundaries. I just told my Grandma I was planning on wearing them to visit a Muslim temple in Turkey. Apparently that is not socially acceptable. On the same shopping trip where I found the harem pants, my housemate said in passing how most the clothes I own she would never pick out because they look so wrong. The same goes for my shoes. I collect shoes as pieces of art. Before I leave for California I'll have to post some of my favourites...

Naturally I've gone right off topic... back to packing. I think I've collected together the clothes and shoes I want to take to Turkey for the two weeks:






I still have a few more pairs of shoes to add, these are just the simple flip-flops and sandals that were lying around. I worry when I pack that I'm going to get to my destination and need a certain shirt or accessory to make an outfit work. Hence why I usually end up cramming everything into my suitcase - just in case! But today I think I've been reasonably selective. I still have more accessories to pack, but I think I'm good for now... Hopefully I'll be able to update from Turkey! Living without any form of normal communication for two weeks is going to be challenging!

I just can't wait to see all the colourful clothes and accessories at all the markets and wonderfully strange new foods. Safe to say I'll return with lots more "Stuff" to add to my mountains of boxes... I really need to sort my life out...

Hopefully update soon!

Day of Doom.

I guess it's been a while since I've written on here. Too long if you ask me. I think if your life is too busy to update a blog then it really is depressing. It wouldn't be depressing if I hadn't spent all my time studying in the library for 8hrs straight, every day, for two weeks now... Even less depressing if I've received good results.

Today was THE WORST exam of my life. THE WORST. Never before have I not been able to answer a question or at least feel like what I was saying wasn't totally off the chart (and not in a good way). Annoyingly enough I had remembered all 25 quotes, all critics, and historical backgrounds for my exam, but the question just was not there. I spent 3hrs of my life wanting the world to swallow me up just thinking "there goes California". Because California demands good grades. Grades that I've worked so hard for for my whole life.

Today was the day of doom.

I even prayed about it. Yes. Me. I prayed. Prayed the night before that my plays/authors would come up, and they did. One could say I got exactly what I asked for. Just not in the order I needed. I guess life's a bitch sometimes. You don't always get what you want.

That corralates with California I guess... I applied for San Diego and I got Irvine. Now I see that as a blessing in diguise. Alex and I have a beautiful appartment waiting for us in a stunning location, and I really can't wait to start my life there.

Maybe that's what today was. A blessing in disguise. Maybe it's taught me that no matter how hard I work I can't always do things right or get what I want. Or maybe things wont be as bad as I think they are...

Just maybe...

Plans.

I have a really bad tendancy to plan everything in advance. This could be a good thing, but I tend to do it to make sure things are actually real. I've spent the past 3 years living on hope and I can't believe I'm about to experience everything I've ever wanted. I guess you could say that's how this blog appeared. I need a place to explain, perhaps to myself what's going to happen within the next few months and be able to look back and say "wow, that really happened".

To start with I've been accepted to study English at the University of Irvine CA and will start there on the 20th August. I've never been to California. Sure I've been to the states from time to time, but I have never ventured as far as the West coast. I spend most of my time in Michigan with this boy:


Safe to say we spend most of our time together eating sushi and making trips to Chicago.

So moving to Cali is going to be a big step. We've been accepted for an apartment which scares and excites me endless amounts. I've never lived with a boy before - well apart from my rabble of housemates in my first year of uni, but they don't really count. It's going to be a massive change from the long distance relationship we have had to adapt to, to living in a studio apartment. Needless to say he's probably going to realise I'm crazy, self-destructive, and a walking mess. But I think we might just be ok.

Now! The plans for our road trip have been near finalized (with the exception of booking motels and actually packing haha). We're starting off in Michigan, driving through Illinois, down to Missouri and staying with Alex's Grandparents. I've never met them and am bound to make some horrific first impression that will be scarred into their memories. After this we're heading through Kansas (ANYONE know anything cool to see in Kansas and i'm all for it). From here we're headed to Colorado and the rockies, (i'm praying to the Volvo God's that we don't break down here) and then are making our way through Utah, into Nevada and onto the Las Vegas strip, and down into California. I'm predicting this is going to take us 6 days. 6 days of me chatting none stop and wearing myself out, whilst Alex puts on metal music and I fall asleep to the voice of a man who sounds like he really needs a strepsil...

Think I'm just going to put it out there... if anyone has been to, or knows of any cool things to see and do in the following states please let me know:

- Missouri
- Kansas
- Colorado
- Utah
- Nevada

Much appreciated in advance. I really want to use this trip to discover some really interesting things, take lots of photos, and have some crazy stories that I can write about... All I can do now is wait for August to swing around and try and restrain myself from packing already...

Hopefully I'll have some actual interesting things to write about soon! Visa day tomorrow, things are becoming so real. If you've stuck it out through this ramble - thank you! Promise once I'm out there I'll have something real to say... fingers crossed...

Cliche

Apologies in advance for the typically cliched introductory first post - but it had to be done...

I'm currently a lost and confused English student about to set out on a years "study" in California.

I've started multiple "fashion" blogs in the past and have tired of trying to keep up with the endless amazing blogs out there that I envy and devour. I think I'm going to use this blog to write down my thoughts and feelings that occur during my year away from normality as I throw myself into the world of "90210" as I'm bound to want to look back on this in years and laugh at all my mistakes and adventures.

The first thing on my list of adventures is a week long road trip across the states from Michigan to Irvine. Safe to say a 2,500 mile voyage in my boyfriend's tempremental Volvo is bound to come with it's fair share of hilarious tales. Not to mention my desire to stay clean, fresh, and presentable, and his typical mannly desire to not wash and sleep in a car for the week...

...Which leads me onto the name I have chosen for this blog. As much as I love fashion, I cannot claim to be the most stylish or glamorous. Far from it actually. Being a student I lack the funds to keep up with the ever changing world of fashion, not that that's ever stopped me gazing through Vogue telling myself that one day I'll have a wonderful job that will allow me to have all the shiney things I see.

When I move to California in August I am going to have to cram my whole wardrobe into two measly suitcases and that is going to be a challenge... To put it in perspective I own over one hundred paris of shoes, (before I hear the cries of hypocrite! Most of these were on sale, presents, or well saved for!). Another challenge for me is trying to keep up my own personal sense of Brit style when on this infamous road trip and when living in CA. As a Brit moving to America I almost feel obligated to bring a bit of English style across the pond.

So what better place really to document my adventures than in a blog that can be reached and read on either side of the Atlantic - although I do not claim to be an excellent writer, I will try not to bore you and hope to share moments in my life that might be the cause of amusement and entertainment. Just think of this as me facing my own embarassment head on.

So if amongst my ramblings I've somewhat caught your attention, do me the favour and check back in a week once this is up and running and hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised...