3 key things I've learnt from my work experience placement

If you've been following my blog for a while or know me personally you will know that I study media and communications and that I want to go into the journalism/PR/events industry after I graduate. I know I am only in my first year, but I am keen to get the ball rolling, and take the first step on my career ladder.

The past 2 weeks I have undertaken a work experience placement at a PR agency. The agency I am with have a very good reputation and are within the top 150 agencies according to PR week. Whilst I have been here I have witnessed what it takes to be a good PR person, how to impress clients, how to communicate with journalists, and ultimately I now have a better understanding of how media relations works. Also, while I have been here I have witnessed the merging of two agencies. Connect (where I was) have joined with another top agency, Seal Communications. You can read about this on PR week and the Birmingham Post: here and here.

3 Key Things I've Learnt: 

1) People will help you and in return you will help them. Interns get a bad name, and a reputation for being the tea makers and when no one wants tea or coffee just sitting about twiddling their thumbs. But the people I have been working with the past 2 weeks were lovely and helpful. I didn't feel like a pain, or like I was in the way and they didn't make me do the tea and coffee all week either, they gave me proper jobs to do and made me feel like part of the team. I think people are often reluctant to complete a work experience placement and they think you get nothing out of it, but from my experience - I disagree. I've got so much out of it.

2) Social media is the key. I use social media every day as do most other people my age, but what a lot of people don't realise is twitter isn't just for you to indirect your ex-boyfriend. It is actually an incredible tool, a way to push out information, gain traffic and gain business. I have spent the whole of my 2 weeks at Connect using social media, I have managed the social media for two of Connect's clients, Persimmon Homes & Charles Church. I have been pushing out special offers from the clients, new homes and new developments in the attempt to gain more 'clicks' to the website and ultimately more traffic/business for them. While I have been here I have also set up the Pinterest pages for both clients something I am proud of and something I was praised for.

3) If you don't ask, you won't get. Whilst I have been here I have met some really interesting people. The majority of the people I have spoken to have a journalistic background, whether they studied it at Uni or worked as reporters/editors on local newspapers and they have all made the transition into PR. I have only found this out through asking questions - something I would urge all interns and students to do. Ask questions about how they got to where they are today, as it ultimately somewhere you want to be, ask for advice, ask for contacts, ask for references, ask for things to do,  ask how you are doing, if there is any way you can improve. Ask, ask, ask. If you don't ask, you won't get. If you don't ask, you won't seem interested. I have had such interesting conversations with people this week, people have given me advice and have warned me of certain career pathways and I have a lot of information I can take away from this week and apply to my life.

Best Dressed at the NTA's 2015.

It is the biggest night in British television where the nations stars turn out in force to grace the red carpet. Reality TV stars, soap stars, celebrities, TV judges and presenters head into London in glamorous gowns in the hope to turn heads and win their category. Dermot O'Leary hosted the show which took place last night and saw the likes of This Morning, The X Factor, Ant & Dec, Keith Lemon and David Walliams all take away awards. Read on to see my picks of best dressed! 

Amanda Holden. 

Wow, the Britians Got Talent judge completely stole the red carpet with her cut-out black halter-neck gown. Showing of her toned figure and rocking the low pony tail as she posed for the photographers, you would never of known she had to get the tube to the award ceremony in her dress!! 

 

Emma Willis

Emma added a pop of colour to the dim, cold January night. The Celebrity Big Brother presenter showed of her toned tum by pairing a cream floor length skirt which had a yellow panel down one side with a studded crop-top. Her McBusted hubby Matt joined Emma on the red carpet looking handsome in his dark suit. 

Lucy Watson (and Tiff Watson) 

In my eyes, Lucy Watson can do no wrong. She is an incredible human and I think all girls should be a little bit more like her, (that's enough of me fan girling). Her quirky outfit is definitely different to the typical NTA attire and a daring choice to make - but it definitely paid off. Stripes are so on trend this season, and the pretty baby blue tulle skirt went perfectly with the outfit. 

 

Rochelle Humes

The Saturdays member wore this amazing strapless red dress which featured a fishtail train and complemented her figure immensely. She accessorised the dress with a chunky gold chain necklace, an up-do and dark lips. The mother of one looked sensational, and The Voice presenter hubby Marvin looked proud. 

 

6 easy ways to be more money efficient post the Christmas spend

January is a hard month, getting back into the swing of things; school, uni, work - not sleeping in until midday, everyday... But not just that, a lot of us spend a substantial amount of money before Christmas, whether it be on presents or even just going out celebrating the season. So January brings a long month and a long wait for payday. Being as today is 'Blue Monday' (google it) I thought I'd send out a more positive post, here are my top tips for being money efficient this January.

1) Make your own lunch to take with you to work - don't buy your lunch, even if it is the meal deal from the local shop that is only £3, it all adds up! Use the food that you have already bought at home, there are various different meals you can easily and cheaply prepare the night before you head out to work - from ham sandwiches (standard) to pasta dishes or rice dishes.

2) Have friends over or go to friends houses instead of going out. Cook for each other and take it in turns rather than spending money eating out. One cook the meal, the other bring the wine. Everyone's a winner.

3) Have a clean out/declutter. Whilst finding space for the presents you've had this Christmas, have a look what you actually still use, what you actually need, and get rid of the 'crap' that just sits in your room. Have a big clear out and head down to a car boot sale, or sell it on eBay - easy money.

4) Write down everything you buy/spend money on - at the end of the week review the list and you'll be surprised how much money you could of saved. Did you really need two of those caramel hot chocolates with an extra shot of caramel and extra cream in one day? (yes)

5) Take a big bottle of water with you out the house - promise yourself to drink it all, this will help you avoid buying tea/coffee/other drinks throughout the day, it's cheaper and healthy - win, win.

6) Look for discount codes online before buying anything/going anywhere. Most the time you can find 2 for 1 offers on google for days out, and many shops have discount codes which certain journalists and bloggers promote. There are also normally offers online for restaurants and bars too - always check.

Daily Blogging Explanation & Update

'Jodie, you said you were blogging every day throughout January?' Holy Moly. How many days have I missed now? Too many. I am so sorry that I haven't been able to keep up my resolution of blogging daily. Unfortunately life has took over, as it often does, and I have once again pushed blogging to the side.

The problem is I don't want to create crappy content for you guys. Therefore feeling like I have to post something every day means that the posts I write are never any good, they are rushed. I would rather spend more time on making a post perfect, interesting and a good read than throwing something together quickly just to have regular content. Blogging is my passion, my hobby and I enjoy it. I do not want it to ever become a chore, or something I resent. I blog because I love it, because I want to, not because I have to or because I should.

I don't know why I thought I'd be able to blog everyday this month because I am actually very busy at the moment doing a work experience placement. I am at a PR company this week and next, 9am - 5:30pm every day, plus working at my part time job on the weekends! So as you can imagine I am a little stretched for time therefore the posts will not be coming in thick and fast although I might do a round up of how my week has gone or an outfit and make up post of what I have been wearing (please comment if that would be something you'd be interested in!)

Don't forget you can keep up to date with what I am doing on my social media pages which you can find over there somewhere! >>>>>>>>>>

Thanks for bearing with me :)

Moving on, growing up. Teenage Years.

Being a teenager is a wonderful thing, it is a time when you grow, you mature, you have new experiences, you learn, you become inspired, you aspire to big things, you dream of the future, you love, you gain friendships, you make decisions, you learn about yourself, you are deciding who you are and who you want to be, you do good things, you have good opportunities, you get to meet so many new people and there are so many other things brilliant about the teenage years. But as they come to a close I think it's appropriate to touch on the subject of how to cope when it's no longer just you and your friends having fun at school. You're in this big wide world where everybody's growing up, everybody is changing, everybody is in different places, with different people, there is this sudden weight of responsibility on you, you are no longer young enough to need taking care of, you need to start making big decisions which have a massive impact and you start drifting away from the people that you were with daily and lived your teenage years with.

It's such a scary thought, and as personal as this post is to me, I think it is something that everybody can relate to and therefore something I wish to share. I've had conversations about this with so many different people and from what I see everybody can understand, everybody has something similar that they can bring to the table.

At this age I think it is only natural that you grow apart from people that you were once extremely close too. It is a sad time and it is difficult to come to terms with but as you grow up you do change, you mature, you meet new people and everybody grows up in different ways and at different times and through different circumstances. Whether that be they meet new people who understand them better, who change them, whether it be they move away to university so far that you just don't get the chance to see them, whether they get a new boyfriend who you don't really like or approve of, whether you just grow apart naturally and change into different people without realising.

I'm just going to reiterate that. We all change, even if we think we haven't. If you reflect on your thirteen year old self to your sixteen year old self, to your now eighteen year old self or twenty something self - you are so different - without realising you have even changed. Many things will have happened in that 5/6 year period, it is a crazy time where so many things influence you, you learn new things, try new things, meet new people, move to new places, like new people, love new people. Your best friend at 13 may be somebody you don't even recognise now, somebody you wouldn't even say hello to if you saw them on the street - which to some people is a good thing, and is something they are glad has happened, and to others it is sad and difficult. But some people have the same group of friends throughout school so what happens when you suddenly stop seeing each other every day? What happens when people move to other cities? When you meet new people? Get new boyfriends? Does it work? Can it work? Can the friendships survive. What I find a difficult concept is when do you give up? And when do you stop trying to fix it? When does it end?

For me, I've come to a stage where I am just beginning to accept it. I'm just letting life happen. I have decided that I am glad of the way I am and I am so happy with the people surrounding me and life is constantly changing and people are constantly drifting and we have to just roll with it.

There is also a huge responsibility at this time in life. I am turning 19 this year, and last year I made a big decision to go to Uni and study Media and Communications. This is something I had to decide on my own, I had to dig deep into myself and decide what I wanted to do with life, where I wanted to be in the future. I decided on a course which I think will hopefully get me closer to what I want to do for a career and I decided to stay at home and study and commute to University - a decision some people find mad, but was the best option for me.

I have a few more years of opportunities and different exciting things happening to me before I well and truly have to go into the scary reality of real life. At the moment I still live at home and I go to Uni, but I do drive myself around, work for my money and pay my way so I am beginning to see into this big wide world, I have a glimpse of how I will cope and I think I can handle the responsibility.

Being a teenager is a scary, exciting, sad, amazing, wonderful, horrible, hormonal and beautiful time and the thought of only having one more year left, for me, is sad yet exciting.

The Perfect Pair

Lip Pencil - Hip 'n' Happy 

Cremesheen Lipstick - Creme Cup 

This pair work absolutely delightfully together, so much so that I can now no longer use one without the other. I have only recently purchased the pencil in hip 'n' happy and my gosh, how was I using creme cup without it?! It lines the lips perfectly, and gives a brilliant base for the creme sheen lipstick to sit on. Making the colour last longer and defining the shape of the lips, creating a more efficient and professional look. 

MAC are known for their constantly consistent and brilliant products and as they are so well known and so good they do not come at a cheap price. This combination together is a little pricey and not ideal for me as a student to spend money on so frequently, so this was a little christmas present to myself with money given to me in Christmas cards. 

Next time you plan on treating yourself I would definitely consider going over to the MAC counter in your local shopping centre and having a play about with the different colours, make sure you speak to the make-up artists at the store though as they will be able to recommend colours best for your skin tone and match you up a perfect lip pencil. 

The Perfect Distraction

This weekend I have not been very well at all, I think the Christmas and New Year shenanigans have caught up with me and I have had a awful cold, felt very weak and overall extremely crappy. As well as this most of my friends are home from Uni still for the Christmas break and a lot of them went out last night and I was really excited to see everybody and unfortunately I had to give it a miss, which meant I felt even worse, and began feeling sorry for myself.

However, this not so great weekend has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I have been able to reflect on what has been a monstrously busy few months. I have been wrapped up in a blanket with copies amounts of tea whilst watching film after film, and typing away blog posts on my MacBook. This weekend has given me the chance to recharge my batteries and given me enough energy to go out and face January with a bang.

I have just finished the weekend with a hot bubble bath (using a Monsoon bath cream and burning the 'Christmas Cookie' Yankee Candle) which has left me feeling extremely relaxed, happy and calm. Although it has been a bit of a rubbish start to 2015, it has a silver lining. I am now feeling much better, although I assume I'll have this annoying cough for a few more days yet. 

Sometimes we need to take a break from our busy lives to recharge our batteries and relax, to distract ourselves from work or from the drama going on and just concentrate on ourselves. This weekend has been the perfect distraction from my responsibilities and allowed me to slob about and not feel guilty about it, allowed me to cry at films because I have concentrated on the plot and am now emotionally involved, and I have actually concentrated on documentaries and programmes instead of having them as background noise. Before going back to reality (as most people are tomorrow), it is important to have a little time to concentrate on yourself and relax, reflecting on the Christmas break. 

I hope you have all had a lovely Christmas break and a happy start to the new year, and for those of you who are going back to reality tomorrow, going back to school or to work, I hope you feel ready, relaxed and energised! 

Sleek Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette Review:

This palette is from Sleek and includes a blush, a highlighter and a bronzer. I have the palette in light 373, which is perfect for me as I have fair to light skin so I have to be careful with the products I use on my skin as they can sometimes be overpowering. I am unsure of the price as it was a Christmas present of my Auntie! 

The palette includes 3 key products used in everyday make up which makes life so much easier especially on early mornings when you are rushing and rummaging through piles of makeup looking for products. The small compact palette also comes with a mirror inside, therefore making it the perfect companion to travel with or to top up with on the train. 

The bronzer is brilliant, it isn't to harsh on the skin like bronzers I have had in the past and the colour is matte so it blends really well into the face, you can build up the colour until it is ideal and right for you, but I have to be careful not to get carried away. The highlighter I am unsure about, I have been using it still but I sometimes feel it is a little too shimmery for my liking so I am wary and careful when applying it to the skin as too much can sometimes stand out and look a bit over the top for daily make-up however perfect for a night out or special occasion. Finally, the blush is a lovely colour, it is darker and a more powerful colour than I am used to but this works really well with the subtleness of the bronzer, making contouring the face a lot easier and making the overall look work better together. 

Which products do you like to use for contouring? Any recommendations? 

London // 2 Year Anniversary

Earlier this week Bradley and I celebrated our 2 years together by spending a couple of days in the capital. This is the 4th time we have been to London together, it's one of our favourite places.

On Monday we got to London Euston just before midday and after having lunch at Nandos we headed straight to Madame Tussads, we qued for about 20 minutes to get into the attraction but this time went quite quickly. Inside I couldn't believe how amazing it was. I have been to Madame Tussades once before but when I was little and the only thing I can associate with the trip is the picture hanging in our house of me with the Queen's wax figure. 

There are 4 floors of the museum, with millions(probably an exaggeration) of figures. There is also a 'ride' through London's history and a 'Scream' walk through the dungeons and prisons(I think) where live actors jump out at you and reach for you. On the final part of the museum is a 4D film lasting around 10 minutes about superheroes protecting Buckingham Palace, the 4D experience was brilliant and I really think Madame Tussads is worth going to and worth the money. 

After this we walked to the hotel, which we found through Google Maps. It was about 45 minutes away but it was a lovely walk through Westminster and the area was really posh we saw all sorts of posh shops, posh cars and posh people talking in amazing London accents - which Bradley continues to try and copy.

On the evening we headed to the theatre. Bradley and I have already seen War Horse and Woman In Black at the West End as well as seeing Blood Brothers and Thriller Live whilst they toured the UK. But we were extremely excited to see Wicked the Musical after hearing so many brilliant reviews about it. We were definitely not disappointed. I got goosebumps during some of the songs and the overall performance was brilliant. I definitely see the hype over the show, and would recommend you all to see it at some point.  

The hotel we stayed in (A Taj Hotel, St James' Court) was a 5 minute walk from the Apollo Victoria Theatre where Wicked was and also a five minute walk from Buckingham Palace. We really had hit the jackpot with this hotel, it was absolutely lovely and in central location, we didn't go on the tube once as everything was in walking distance (remind me not to wear healed boots to walk round London again though). 

On Tuesday morning we woke up and had full English at the Hotel's restaurant (this was included in the package) the breakfast was buffet style with all the bits of an English breakfast as well as different breads, cheeses, fruits etc. It was really lovely. After we had breakfast we checked out and headed to Buckingham Palace, we walked round the park, down The Mall and did a couple of touristy sight seeing things. 

After a morning walking through Westminster, we hit the Oxford Street sales. Obviously this was a very busy time as it was only a few days since the sales started so I did not take any pictures. It was so intense and tiring that we had a hot chocolate break to re-energise before walking(and getting very lost and ending up at the West End, thanks Google Maps) to Covent Garden. At Covent Garden we sat and had the famous Paella and watched the performances outside before getting a taxi to the train station. 

Below are some of my pictures: 

Fail ^^ 

We had the best time in London and can't wait for our next trip there!

<3