VAGINA HYGIENE 101

VAGINA HYGIENE

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Good evening Little Ones! I've just arrived home from London, work was liberating, but I'm now in my happy place, writing away, my aim has always been to type whatever comes to mind; but I wish to work on publishing my content, without feeling anxious on who may judge it.
Today's topic may seem humorous, and some aspects will be ... But it's personal, for women out there personal hygiene is extremely sensitive. But look up to me as your fairy godmother, but for your vagina? Jokes aside, this blog post is going to walk you through several tips, on how to maintain the perfect vagina.
To ensure you are keeping up to date with previous blog posts, click here! Without any further or do, let's roll on vagina 101.

As women, we are expected to recite the rule-book of how to care and maintain for our vagina's, and feel utterly ashamed when something doesn't go quite to plan. Take me for instance, I'm an absolute germaphobe, I carry bottles of hand sanitiser, vagina wipes and even vagina deodorant ... Yes it exists, some people may assume that it's over the top, but it's become apart of my daily life. Who else feels dirty when having to use a public bathroom? The idea of thousands of people using the same toilet makes me cringe, which is why I take extra precautions, thus the vagina wipes and deodorant, nothing makes me feel crisp than spraying my lady garden with a heavenly scent.
Fundamentally, I want share simple tips and tricks on how to not only care for your vagina, but prevent nasty infections from settling in, for instance, UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). I've been there, and believe me, it's not where you want to be, you can catch these horrid beasts due to: poor personal hygiene, sex, and in my case, my kidneys don't function effectively. On occasions I still suffer with UTI's, but these tips, as well as medication have reduced these massively.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, I'm going to be mentioning a tone of Femfresh products, this blog post has not been sponsored, I've always used this brand when it comes to vagina health, and I haven't been keen to look elsewhere.

BUY VAGINA PRODUCTS:

FEMFRESH ULTIMATE CARE SOOTHING WASH:
But Amy, do I really have to keep my soaps separate, why can't I use my normal body wash? Ladies, when I tell you this, it's the make or break for preventing UTI's, if you fancy clenching the toilet seat, due to hot lava flowing through your urethra, be my guest; if not try the Femfresh ultimate care soothing wash. This beauty is enriched with cranberry extracts, which naturally prevents UTI's, why wouldn't you want that? Saves you from drinking cranberry juice in the morning.
I'm not saying you have to bathe your entire body in this product, but having soap made specifically for your lady garden, doesn't hurt.
FEMFRESH WIPES:
If you are going to take anything away from this blog post, let it be this! Vagina wipes, facial wipes, baby wipes ... They are essential in our daily lives. If you aren't willing to switch the soap, purchase these.
When you need extra freshness, for instance ... That time of the month, don't take a chance, no one wants to smell like a local fish market. Besides, when you hit desperation and you need to use a public bathroom, and regular toilet-paper doesn't cut it, these wipes have your back. Bringing out the big guns, isn't necessarily a negative thing.
FEMFRESH DEODORANT: 
Well that's a bit excessive Amy. Maybe, but I carry this around like normal deodorant, you DON'T have to buy this product, I use it more for discomfort; we've all been there when it gets too hot, summer is the absolute worst! When I feel I'm getting agitated, or anxious about forming an unpleasant odour, I spray this.
At first it tickles, due to the fact you are spraying deodorant on your vagina; but after a while it becomes refreshing.

VAGINA TIPS AND TRICKS: 

EMBRACE YOUR INNER GREEK GODDESS: 

I'm not saying wear a white robe, but what you may consider doing is introducing Greek yogurt into your daily diet, I know it's bland, but what I personally do in the mornings is; take a large portion of Greek yogurt, and adding: grapes, banana and strawberries. That way I'm getting 3 of my 5 a day, and I'm digesting Greek yogurt. 

Amy, what is so significant about this product? Well Little Ones, it's a known fact that Greek yogurt help boost good bacteria in your vagina, which prevents yeast infections selling in, I've never been in that situation, and to be perfectly honest; I don't fancy it anytime soon. 

GO COMMANDO (DARE IT  DURING THE DAY):

I'm not saying throw away your sexy lace thong, because to be perfectly honest, it's all I own, and it doesn't hurt to feel like Mrs Grey once in a while. 

Besides the point, if you aren't brave enough to walk around with no underwear on, I completely understand ... Not comfortable with jeans, has to be said. 

But, what I chose to do, is wear a baggy t-shirt, (preferably from your partner) and head to bed commando, that way I don't feel anxious as I have something covering me. It lets your vagina breath, if you have it squished 24/7, it's going to become sweaty, which would then produce an unpleasant odour. To free yourself from discomfort and embarrassment, hit the hay with no underwear on. 

LUBE:

Ladies! Doesn't it suck when you are getting it on with your partner, and your vagina doesn't get the memo? DRYNESS GALORE, which is more common than we like to admit.When you get down to business, try lube, that way you don't have to worry about your vagina flaps flying off, sex isn't meant to be unpleasant believe it or not.
Personally, (and this is not sponsored), I use KY jelly, it's unscented, and it doesn't get extremely sticky, doesn't taste great, so use this after foreplay.

If you are interested in any on the products I have mentioned above, click the link below:
FEMFRESH ULTIMATE CARE SOOTHING WASH-http://www.boots.com/femfresh-ultimate-care-soothing-wash-250ml-10131123
FEMFRESH WIPES-http://www.boots.com/femfresh-wipes-25s-10131217
FEMFRESH DEODORANT-http://www.boots.com/femfresh-deodorant-spray-125ml-10041138
KY JELLY-http://www.boots.com/ky-jelly-50-ml-10085537

Right Little Ones, this is the end of my blog post, needless to say this was an interesting read, something I normally wouldn't write about, non-the-less I enjoyed every moment of it. I hope you enjoy the rest of you evening, and I will see you again tomorrow, something more my style!
I love you all so very much, stay safe and stay tuned :) x x x 

MY ECZEMA

ECZEMA AND ME:

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Good afternoon Little Ones! Sun is shining bright in my hometown, and I'm feeling optimistic, I've a few days, but tomorrow's blog post will explain everything. 

Today marks the day where I share another massive insecurity of mine, that so happens to be my eczema. I've had this for a  number of years on and off, and recently it's happened to flare up ... Why? I ask it time and time again, doesn't feel like giving me an answer. 

To ensure you are keeping up to date with my daily blog posts, click here to read more! Without any further or do, let's roll on my eczema. 

WHERE IT ALL STARTED: 

I only realised a few years ago, that numerous red, itchy dry patches, started to emerge on the surface of my skin, it would move sporadically around my arms, chest and neck; but never more than that.
I assumed it was due to a particular shower gel, or body butter, so I kept my cleansing routine simple.
A few weeks pass, and nothing seemed to work, I spoke to my sister, (she suffers with eczema), right away she stated, "wow, you have eczema, you should probably see a doctor".

Still to this day, I have no idea how or why I managed to obtain this interesting skin condition, but it's going to stick by my side for the long run.

DO I KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO FLARE UP?

But, what I have noticed, is that if I feel partially anxious or depressed, it starts to flare up, especially my arm ... Once it's landed it spreads like wildfire. In order for it to disappear I need to calm down, and remain content.
Although, for the past few weeks I've been struggling massively with my mental health, no matter how much double-base cream I apply, if I still feel numb; my eczema will remain intact.
Time has past, and it's starting to die down, I've been on new anti-depressants for 48 hours, I feel OK, defiantly calmer, and guess what, my eczema has almost gone! Still dry and slightly painful, but it's completely disappeared from my neck and collarbone. 

MY CURE:

Depending on the type of eczema you have, depends on what treatment is available for you, I suffer with both: atopic dermatitis (chronic and inflammatory-immune system that goes into overdrive), and contact dermatitis, (skin comes into contact with an irritable surface).
Both types can be treated easily with a prescribed double-base cream, I continue to use it until it's said goodbye, it can take a few days, or a couple of weeks, either way, it will fade away eventually.

I've grown accustomed to my eczema, and I'm not afraid to say that it's who I am, it's a physical sign to warn me that I need to take a break; which isn't so bad.

Right Little Ones, that's for today's read, I hope you found this interesting, defiantly different for me ... I'm sorry that I've missed a couple of days. But, as mentioned previously, I will be releasing a detailed blog post with what's been happening. 

As for now, I love you all so very much! If you have any recommendations, leave a comment down below, or use my social media handles. 

Have a lovely day, and I will see you tomorrow! Remember to stay safe and stay tuned! :) x x x 

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My first question and anwer

Q&A

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Good morning Little ones! How are you today? I thought that it was about time to write my first Q&A! I asked if you wanted me to do this and the majority of you did! You also sent in some questions which I love! I've also incorporated questions people have asked me over the years! I thought it would be lovely for you guys to know me, and what better way to do that than answer your questions :). So sit back and relax and read my responses.

1. Favourite childhood memory :
   I would have to say when my Papa (Scottish phrase for Granddad) used to come down from Scotland and leave little goodies on mine and my sisters bed. the excitement that would go through me when I saw that meant Papa was here. The look on his face when he saw us was priceless, he would have his big old smile with his tweed jacket and matching hat ... Smelling of peppermint; damn I miss him so much, RIP Papa McGuire. 
2. Favourite colour:
   I have two favourite colours, does that count? I can't decide between the two! But I would have to say orange and baby blue. 
3. When is my birthday?
   The 24th February, I hate that it's such a cold month! Why cold why?!
4. My bestfriend?
   My best-friend is Eisha, we met at Stanborough-Secondary School. Because her last name began with M, just like mine we were put together on the seating plan. She was so confident and cheery, and I was so awkward and weird ... But 8 years on and we are still going strong, love ya gurl. 
5. What is your middle name?
   Fun fact, I actually have two! One of which was going to be my first name but my mum hated it! Margaret and Rose is the answer. Can you guess which one my  mum hated, yeah pretty obvious :').
6. Longest relationship?
   2 years ... and that was a complete mess.
7. Where do I want to travel?
   ROME! My goal in life is to sit on a balcony in Rome with a bowl of pasta, plus company which would be my boyfriend Christopher. From the pictures I've seen of Rome it's stunning, the architecture is beautiful and the history behind it all is so endearing.  
8. Have you gone abroad? 
   Yes I have. The first time was this year actually, I went to France with my boyfriend and his family. The sites were stunning, and meeting the other half of his family was simply wonderful. 
9. How many boyfriends have you had?
   Including the one I have now, 4.
10. Worst dentist experience?
    As you may or may not already know I posted a blog post on my worst dentists experiences. I really hate the dentist, it makes me cry and cringe. But if I had to say worse, it would be when she drilled a hole in the WRONG tooth, that became infected, and then she had to take that tooth out. But  because it was infected and she didn't put me on antibiotics long enough; the local anaesthetic did NOTHING, and I felt EVERYTHING!
11.  Do you believe in ghosts?
    I want to say no, but I do. I don't know if it's because of my anxiety but I sort of do.
12. Scared of the dark?
    I'm terrified of the dark, and that's in my room and outside. If it's dark outside I will not walk alone, and if I have to I genrally run to that location. In regards to sleeping in the dark, I have to sleep with a nightlight ... I don't want the demons getting to me!
13. Biggest fear?
    To be honest I have so many fears I can't pick just one, so I'll pick my three biggest. Heights, spiders and the dark. I hate all of the above ... Nothing should have eight legs! 
14. Dog or cat?
    I love both, but because I'm allergic to cats I would have to dogs! Plus I have always wanted a dog since I've never had one of my own as a pet. 
15. Curly or straight hair?
    On me, I prefer curly hair, simply because straight hair is really unflattering on me, plus I have really thick hair so it weighs down my roots. which gives the appearance of flat hair. 
16. Favourite clothing store?Topshop by far! Most of my clothing is Topshop, it's scary to think how much money I have spent there.
17. Favourite make-up brand?It depends on the product, for example if I was to pick eyeliner it would be Loreal, whereas foundation would go to Chanel. Overall I would say Chanel, their packaging is beautiful and the product content is perfection. 
18. Dream car?Mercedes E-63 in black. I feel that it would make me look like a boss, don't judge :'). 
19. Sleep with the sheets on or off?As weird as it sounds, it's always on, doesn't matter if it's boiling outside, I always need something to cover my body. I'm scared of something grabbing me in my sleep ... And the duvet is my protection. 
20. Favourite current song?
    Party by JP cooper, I love the beat and the sound of his voice, I constantly have this on repeat; I'm hoping I don't kill it.
21. Where did you grow up?
    I'm originally from Welwyn Garden City, it's a small town filled to the brim with trees, you think I'm joking? Please look it up ;').
22. What was your favourite subject back at School?I can't pick as there were 3 main ones. Which was: English, Arts and P.E. English was were I could write everything down, plus I had the best teacher ever, she was also my favourite teacher; she took no shit. In regards to Art I could express my inner thoughts, plus my teacher loved my work; she was a sweetheart. PE was just perfect, I loved sports and I have always loved sports, especially long distance running and badminton.  
23. Why did you start blogging?
    When I started this blog 1 year ago I was in a dark place, and I knew that writing my emotions down and turning it into advice would help people. But I had to stop back then as I didn't have the time. Nearly 4 months on and I'm constantly posting on here, I have never been happier :).
24. Would you ever have children?
    I want to say yes, but at the moment no. It would be my biggest nightmare if I had children at this age. But maybe in the near future I could see a possible family.
25. Do you ever want to get married?
    Hell yes! It's my dream to get married to my soulmate, and I honestly believe it's going to be Christopher :).
26. Best bra?
    Best bra by far is from Victoria Secret! It's the plump push up one, and mine is in a beautiful purple shade. It doesn't make your boobs look stupid; but they give them a little lift, it's sexy. 
27. What are your other hobbies outside blogger?
    Sounds boring, but I love reading, drawing and going to the gym. In regards to fitness Yoga is a godsend! All the hobbies above are so relaxing and make me so happy. I don't do it everyday, as I'm either doing work, or I'm on my blog :). 
28. Weird hobbies?
    It's not weird, but it sounds disgusting, but I'm going to be real with you. I love popping my boyfriend's blackheads ... I know it sounds gross, but it's so satisfying :'). 
29. Favourite food?
    I love Chinese food! Noodles is they key to my heart, with curry sauce and vegetables, oh yeah! :D 
30. Xbox, play-station or PC?
    Sorry to the people I'm about to offend ... But I'm a PC gamer, it's so much more acurate, plus nothing beats playing CSGO on my 34 inch curved monitor, #sorrynotsorry.

This is the end of the blog post, I hope that you enjoyed this, I know that I did! It bought back so many memories. Plus I want you guys to know me like my friends do, because I love you and I want to be your friend. I hope you have a lovely day! I  will see you again soon with a vegan recipe and a storytime :).

Stay safe and stay tuned Little ones :) x x x 

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Advice on people

Fake Friends 

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Good evening! I know it's very late, but this has been toying on my mind for a couple of weeks. I thought that it was about time to finally let it out and tell you what I've experienced in the hope that you can relate; and that I can help people; because you aren't alone ... People get treated like this and it sucks.

If you want to read my personal experience on fake friends, and how to deal with it have a little read below :).

If you want to read about other advice click here!

What is a fake friend?

• Fundamentally, from my personal experience a fake friend is someone who isn't always there for you. For example, if you are having a bad time at work, school, home etc. they support you when they can be bothered, if not at all. They are "too busy" to deal with your problems; which could be the case; but a TRUE friend would give you time out of their day to make sure that you are happy and healthy. 
• A fake friend is someone who won't make time for you ... You are always free and wanting to see them, but they always have something going on; they have to walk their dog, they suddenly aren't feeling well, they have made other plans and forgot etc. Which again could be the case, but they always have an excuse to why they never hang out with you. I would know, I was trying to make arrangements with someone for nearly a year. 
• A fake friend is someone that pretends to understand you, for example they will sit there and pretend they are interested in what you have to say, for them to talk about their issues of their successes and rub it in your face. This is one of the most hurtful aspects, simply because you believe in yourself that you can not only trust them, but think that they actually care and respect you; when in fact it's all a lie.
• They use you. A fake friend will use you for: your time or money, for example, if they are bored, or they've been cancelled on they will suddenly contact you out of the blue and ask if you can meet up. They are using you for your time as they know that you will come running. I know from my personal experience this was always the case; I would message my friend, constantly reminding them if they were free; or when they would like to see me; but it was always, "I'm super busy" ... But they would change their mind a few hours later if their other plans failed. 
• Fake friends lie to you, this has happened to me on so many occasions, for example if I had wanted to see said person, they would use the common excuse, "I'm super busy", "I'm at work", for me to find them on social media chilling in their back-garden ... Oh yeah, "super busy" alright. 

My experience:

In my 19 years of existence I have come into contact with MANY fake friends. It's something that happens to everyone unfortunately. In regards to my experience it's been an emotional  roller coaster, I've had my ups and downs, being ignored for months, and then for them to come back into my life like nothing happened. Some people have really messed me up, and think that it's ok because I'm "nice". Taking advantage of somebody because they hold a lot of patience is cruel and upsetting. On the other hand, it has taught me life lessons. One being, be careful who you trust, for example I had a really close friend, I thought the world of her, I told her pretty much everything about me; and she left without a word or trace. I learnt quickly that everything she told me was a lie, if she cared about me that much she wouldn't of left. I learnt that I have to be careful who I trust; I'm an open book I will talk about anything; but personal details about my life stay enclosed to people I really love and care about. 

In addition to this, I have also learnt to let go, you can't expect everyone in your life to stay, you have to be prepared that some people do leave and you have no idea why. Don't blame yourself because it's not you it's them. They are the one mistreating you, you don't deserve this backlash. If someone does leave, don't be disheartened, remember it was them and not you; if you know deep down that you did nothing then don't blame yourself, it's not worth the sleepless nights and panic attacks; believe me I learnt the hard way; some things happen for a reason. And your reason being that you can find a true and proper friend :). 

How do deal with it? 

When I was going through this my first port of call was to question myself. For example, I would draw a spider diagram, put questions in the middle and pin point what I thought was the route cause. The questions were as followed:

• What happened for them to go off me?
• What have I done?
• What haven't I done?
• What are they like?
• Why have I been making all the effort and not them?

If you can answer these questions with confidence and analyse them clearly, and you come to the conclusion that it's not you it's them ... Then you are right. You do not need to blame yourself because it's not your fault that they are behaving in such a cruel and selfish manor. 

I cried. A LOT. It's healthy to cry and let your feelings out, you have been betrayed by someone you thought cared about you; you deserve to cry! Don't be scared to either, I was at first because I thought I was being ridiculous but I wasn't. I wrote down my feelings and spoke to my mum and Chris. After explaining the entire situations on both sides they reassured me that it wasn't me, it was them and I should stop putting so much time and effort into that person who isn't worth it.  

Little one's you are not the route cause of their behaviour, they can only change when they want to; so stop blaming yourself because it;s not your fault. I've stopped blaming myself, I've stopped crying and caring for that person, because you are so much better than them :). 

If you have a fake friend in your life and they have not left, then leave then and give them a CLEAR explanation of why. That way they are not left in the dark, and they can reflect on their bad behaviour and change in the future. 

Thank you for reading this blog post, I really hope this helped; I know for a fact that this would have helped me a few months ago; because I was going out of my mind. If you need any reassurance or comfort I am always here to talk to, you can use my social media below or personal email to contact me; whatever you are comfortable with :) 

I love you all so very much and I will see you tomorrow morning with my first give away blog post :) Stay tuned and stay safe :) x x x 

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Advice

Applying to university-personal statement

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Good morning Little ones! How are you doing? What are you plans for today? I know that I'm going to be writing a review later on! I can't wait to share it with you :).

Any who, I have decided to help people who want to apply for University; but first things first, your personal statement needs to be PERFECT! 

In this blog post I am going to be:

• Showing you how to plan your personal statement; 
• what not to put in your personal statement;
• how to write your personal statement;
• the rules and regulations;
• my personal statement
  If you need help, or just need some inspiration, have a little look! I just really hope this helps :)
• Also, I hope to make 'applying to university' a series. For example, later on I want to tell you my experiences with applying for student fiance, my first year at university etc. 

If you want to read other advice on my blog, click here!

When I started studying my second year of Sixth Form (A2), they drummed into our minds the importance of applying for University, and that your personal statement had to be perfect! I remember walking into the hall, and before we were welcomed back into the new academic year; our head of year had a long and boring speech based on just personal statements ... Yes my summer was lovely; thank you for asking. But with this speech were just words, they went over my head; they didn't explain how to do it; they just wanted it done ASAP. 

This meaning, we were alone, I knew what I was best at, and that was planning to the extreme.

TOP TIP NUMBER ONE:
PLAN

When it came to planning my personal statement I used various strategies. For example, when I needed a generic guideline I put the subject which I wish to study in the middle; which was Marketing, and placed hit words of why I wanted to study it. With this I branched out on the why, and started analysing this with: marketing articles, quotes from people in the marketing field etc. And used this valid piece of information and linked it back to the question of: why I want to study marketing, and why I am the best candidate for this course. ALWAYS have this question in mind or in front of you! MAKE SURE YOU ALWAYS LINK BACK TO THE QUESTION! If you ramble out of track you aren't answering the question; which shows your university that you aren't right for that particular course. 

WHAT NOT TO PUT IN YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT:

As much as you want to, and as much as I wanted to ... Don't use intricate language. I know ... It's painful. But you need to make sure that it's easy to understand and to read. Keep in mind that your university has to read thousands of these applications they don''t have time to read your fancy writing. As much as you think it will set a good impression, it won't, it will do the complete opposite. 

DON'T PLAGIARIZER! I know it's a drag! Believe me I know you'd rather be doing your homework, but this needs to be done! Don't take the lazy way out and use someone else's personal statement! I have seen people doing it and their universities have turned them down! The sooner this is done the better! If you need to copy information, for example when I was writing my personal statement I needed quotes from famous marketing individuals, I referenced their quote. THIS IS OK TO DO! JUST REMEMBER TO REFERENCE ALL INFORMATION THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN. 

HOW TO WRITE YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT:

When it comes to writing your personal statement, it should flow. You should know what to write, as you are writing about a subject in which you want to study; in some way shape and form you have an idea of what to write.

If I was to give any advice I would suggest to:

• Write why you want to study this course;
• why you feel you are right for this course; 
• where did your passion come from? Have you learnt about it before? Reading online?;
• what extra reading have you done? (Use websites-blogs, books, personal experience-where have you been which links into your course?) For example, I went on a marking trip when I was studying media.
• who has influenced you? Why does this impact your course;
• what have you done outside of school, your hobbies, awards etc.

These key elements will be your guide, this will help you throughout writing your personal statement,

When writing your personal statement, make sure that it's short and snappy. Make sure you are always answering the question, and that you are to the point. You want to show your university of choice that you know how to write, and you know how to answer questions. 

RULES:

• Your personal statement has to be a total of 4000 characters, this includes spaces, commas, new sentence etc;
• if there is any information that isn't yours, ALWAYS reference;
• be 100% truthful, don't lie in your personal statement, your university DOES check! 

MY PERSONAL STATEMENT:

I wrote this personal statement on my own, it took me a total of 4 hours with one attempt. This includes planning by the way! It normally shouldn't take this long, but I took my planning to the max! With that being said, after I gave it to my head of year I only needed to change a few words as they were "too complex". Which is why I mentioned earlier, that your language should be simple!
My personal statement was a total of 3840 characters with spaces! And was a total of 628 words.

Marketing and advertising Personal Statement-Amy McGuire:

Marketing and Advertising is unquestionably an influential part of civilisation. I want to study this course because it would enrich my knowledge, and give me more information and experience in the Marketing and Advertising field; and would help me gain a better understanding of my future occupation. My passion started for this course in my A Level Media Studies. Additionally a key strength I have would be the capability to work independently and research successfully. A perfect example would be, planning and researching for my EPQ which was based on historical and modern architecture.

Another key strength would be my ability to work well within a team. An example would be, in Business Studies we were set a task of selling roses, making a profit and giving that to charity. My role was to compare suppliers, select the cheapest and to advertise the entire project. I did this by creating posters and placing them around school. This gave me a better understanding of what Advertising and Marketing would entail, because creating various forms of advertisements (posters) is a must in this type of industry, especially when you have to engage the public eye. We all communicated with each other to make sure everything went well, and also helped our team by dividing the workload. We made a profit of £138.76 and gave it to The British Heart Foundation. Furthermore another key strength would be, my problem solving skills, for example when I was supervisor at Cargo I had to tackle issues which entailed: refunds, customer complaints, furniture orders etc. I had to use my knowledge and understanding of the business to figure out a way I would solve these issues on a regular basis.

What I’ve done outside of School includes: volunteering at The British Heart Foundation, attending my weekend job at Sainsbury’s, which helped me develop my organisation and communication skills, purely because I have to speak to people on a daily basis, and I have to organise my time wisely when at work so I know what tasks to do without overlapping. I also write a blog on how to deal with depression and anxiety, which have enriched my writing and analytical skills, in which I would need to be able to analyse Marketing and Advertising strategies. Within my free time I read around Marketing and Advertising, my main resource’s being: “Advertising promotion and other aspects of integrated marketing communications” (2013)-book by Shrimp, Terence A; Andrews, J. Craig. Another book I’ve read into is, “Advertising age: the principles of advertising and marketing communications at work”-by Thorson, Esther; Duffy, Margaret (2011). I found these texts significant because it gave me a detailed overview of what Marketing and Advertising was, the history of many advertising companies, for example Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), in which they help take down advertisements which are inappropriate. Furthermore I’ve followed Marketing and Advertising blogs, such as: AdverBlog and Seth Godin, only because they deliver new advice, knowledge and encouragement; especially Seth Godin. For example his main moto is “make something happen”, this is helpful for me because it gives me motivation to work hard in my studies and aim for a better future. But the information provided by him is good, purely because he’s giving his own view of what it’s like to be in the Marketing and Advertising industry, “Only in the last 20 years have we seen marketing change”. On the other hand some of the material provided by him can be deceptive, he keeps it too brief. For example in one post he’s explains “The other element of guerilla marketing”, I would’ve liked it if he could’ve analysed the process properly, because I would’ve understood it more. Altogether I do find my resources extremely helpful, especially when preparing for university. 

I hope this has helped you! I know that when I was researching on how to write my personal statement, coming across a good blog post really helped me. I hope this has the same affect on you! I also hope that you find it easy and less stressful; as I know going into your second year of A Levels is tough! If you don't already know and would like to know my Sixth Form experience click here!
If I can do it, then I know you can to! 

I wish you a very good day! If you need to ask me any other questions about this or any other topic don't be shy! Talk to me on my social media platforms above or below this blog post!

I love you all so very much! See you later on today! Stay tuned Little ones <3 :D x x x 

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Email: missamymcguire@hotmail.com

 

Sixth Form

My personal experience at Sixth Form :

Disclaimer:

This blog post isn't the most positive, is anything it's rather depressing, but this is factual and what has happened in my life at Sixth Form. If you can't handle overwhelming situations then please don't read this.
This was a very hard post for me to make, and I was debating whether to post it or not, but I know that this could help some people.

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Hello! I hope you are all doing well and enjoying your summer holidays (if you've started them); if not then enjoy exam period, revise hard! I have finally finished Sixth Form, of which was an overwhelming experience. I thought that by sharing this experience with you guys would help some people; because you aren't alone. 

Throughout this blog post I will take you through the three years of my life during Sixth Form, and what ever year bought and taught me. 

I would just like to backtrack ... Year 11 embedded our minds with thinking that we SHOULD head into Sixth Form, it would "give you a better life", "if you want to be successful join Sixth Form", "don't go to college", "if you want to be a failure head into college" ... You get the point, Sixth Form really judged college students, you are seen as "stupid" if you go to college; I don't think this in the slightest now. I did back then and I'm ashamed, they brainwash you. As a year 11 student, I was quiet, shy, but polite. I did everything I was told, never missed any lessons, my attendance was 100%. You could say that I was the stereotypical goody goody.

I applied for Sixth Form with my Secondary School and I couldn't wait! I was full of excitement to start the next chapter of my life! I was going to be "successful" and "brilliant"; just like my teachers told me.

When my GCSE  results came through, along with my acceptance letter, I was overjoyed! I was starting year 12 (2013) in September and I couldn't wait to be apart of the higher School, to be seen as a leader. 

Year 12:

September 2013:

I was starting the new year with high ambitions, studying one of my passions: English. Whereas Business and Finance was based on School influences; to begin with I really enjoyed my subjects, they were interesting enough for me to keep up with my studies; but as months rolled past I lost interest; especially in Finance. I was told that if I passed both Business and Fiance I could change my A level subjects when I hit year 13; but this would mean that I would have to stay another year in order to finish those extra courses ... So that's what I decided to do. I had a new goal in mind, knew how to do it. 

April 2014:

Anxiety was getting worse. The stress and the pressure to do well in all three subjects was getting to me, alongside with a two week trip for business which was due any day. This entailed going to a business and shadowing various people for two weeks. This made it very difficult to revise, especially with exams starting next month; I was having panic attacks every other day, I didn't know how to cope, I felt like I was trapped in my own mind; I felt alone. Matters only became worse when two particular boys started hounding me, they bullied me to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. They were so cruel, reminding me of traumatic experiences I've encountered. They pushed me so far that I tried to commit suicide. On that very day, I came home on my first day of work experience, completely drained from the constant hassle they were sending me. And I tried to commit suicide. It was all a blur, I remember crying hysterically, looking at what I just tried to do ... And felt completely numb. 

Heading into School the next day was not happening, I didn't go for a while. My head of year phoned and demanded why I was attending School; this was strange behaviour, as I had 100% attendance. I couldn't talk on the phone, instead I went into School with my dad. I sat down in my head of years office and told him everything that had been going on from the very beginning. He took bullying "very seriously" and kept me and them apart. He demanded "serious punishment". I then went to the deputy head with my dad, I had showed her the messages that they were sending me; which entailed: "go kill yourself", "wouldn't it be funny if you died", "I wonder how deep she will cut into her wrists this time". She saw these messages, and I kid you not, she said, "I wouldn't take it so seriously, they were joking". I was livid, I have never EVER been rude to a teacher, but this was the time to speak; and I sure did. My dad wasn't so happy either, as you can obviously imagine. 

After a few weeks exams were over, nothing had been done with those boys apart from them not being allowed near me; but that was it, no punishment, nothing. 

Within 6 years attending my Secondary School I had never asked for help, but this was the only time where I needed there help, I wanted it, I wanted to feel safe at School and not trapped ... And they did nothing. 

August 2014

Results day was here, and within my hands was: A English, A Business and B Finance. My blood sweat and tears went into those results and I was overwhelmed with joy! I knew that I could change these subjects into my true passions! Which was: Photography, Media and Product Design. I was so proud, that after what happened the, previous months it didn't affect what I really wanted. I was so excited to start my subjects in September, I was going to be in year 13; which means "more responsibility, and stress; but I thought I could deal with it. 

Year 13:

September 2014:

You know what this means? New academic year, new courses, and the same boring induction. Everyone worrying about not doing their Summer assignments, extra reading etc. And I was just so happy to be in a place where I would experience true happiness. Especially product design, our class contained a total of 6 people. This making me less anxious; as big classes make me really intimidated. On the other hand, Photography was thrilling, our first lesson consisted on testing aperture and shutter speed. I remember running across the grass and jumping, hoping that somebody would take a clear photograph instead of fuzzy. In regards to Media one of the teachers made it sound amazing, and it was! The coursework side of things was exciting! It was creative and artistic which is what I love! I love to create. Whereas the exam side of things ... My other teacher wasn't so great, she didn't even turn up to the first lesson ... You can tell that this wasn't going to be good. 

November 2014:

Glandular fever had taken over. I have never been so immobile, so sick or useless in my entire life. I had to take a solid month of School to recover, and even then I wasn't completely well until January. I had missed my November mocks, and was made to take them in February; this triggered my anxiety. The workload was much more intense, I couldn't work from home during my sickness as I was too weak. I didn't know how to deal with the stress, so instead of facing it head on I ran away from the situation. I started missing most of my lessons, my attendance in Media was 50%, I basically taught myself AS media, as I was too scared to face my teachers and show them that I was weak. Deadlines were getting missed, this made my anxiety worse; which also triggered the depression. I wasn't motivated, as well as running away I didn't want to do anything. The phone kept ringing from School, demanding where I was. My parents were loosing their patience with me; which only made it worse. It got to the point where I didn't want to be there anymore, it was making me unwell for my mental and physical health. 

March 2015:

ALL PRODUCT DESIGN COURSEWORK DUE IN. Prior to this my classmate had destroyed the table I was making in order for my coursework to even exist. When I was too weak to make my table, I asked one of the people in my class to sand the table; I had left the room for no more than 5 minutes. They went to find me and said that they were so sorry, but they had sanded one spot for too long it had actually left a dip in the table. This was the only piece of wood I had ... They said "I will get you new wood for next lesson. The next lesson never came, and 5 weeks later the deadline was due in. 

You are probably thinking 'why didn't you buy some?'. I had already spent £200 on 100% oak wood, I literally couldn't afford it at that time. 

I handed in what I had and hoped that it was worth a pass. It wasn't. They handed me a straight U because of that person. What makes it worse, the wood that he was meant to give me, he used on his own work. 

I had the option of: building an entire table and updating my coursework in 1 week, or dropping the course entirely just so I wouldn't have a U on my record. At that moment in time I dropped it all, I physically couldn't handle the stress. I had 2 other A levels to worry about, I couldn't sacrifice them as well. 

August 2015:

At this point I didn't care what I got, I was already applying for apprenticeships. I looked at my results and was shocked to see two straight C's in Photography and Media. Despite my lack of attendance I had made it threw to year 14. 

With my parents persuasion ... I was entering year 14, but I wasn't happy, I had no motivation for this year. The slight enthusiasm was University. I wanted to study Marketing, this was my only goal left at this point, and I wanted it more than ever. 

Year 14 

September 2015:

Same old rubbish. Same old groups sitting at lunch, bitching about one another, who's had sex with who etc. I had my head down, I was heading to University, that is my one and only goal; this is the only reason I'm here. I looked alone, my year had left, all my friends had gone, I was alone. I didn't mind, I had my music, book and phone; I was good to go.
They tell you that the jump from year 11 to 12 is massive. It's really not. The jump from AS to A2 IS! The workload they expect you to do is insane! Media for me was no longer a passion, it was pure hatred. Photography not so much, I still relatively liked it enough to do mediocre.

March 2016:

Results for my photography coursework was due in (I handed in my draft in January), my teacher sat me down and said "I'm really sorry but I have lost parts of your work", I looked at the piece of paper she gave me and it said U. I thought it was backwards, because the amount of work I had produced since September was worth about a C grade; that's what she was telling me anyway. As you can imagine I wasn't a happy bunny. But this is March and you know what that means? To start exam preparation for Photography, which also means to put down the coursework you've been working on since September, and try and catch up on it when you can. The EXAM work is double the course work, and they give you 2 months to complete this, as well as amendments on your coursework. CRAZY RIGHT?! So for two months I had no life. I didn't go out, I put my head down and I did as much work as physically possible, while cramming in Media revision. 

May 2016:

Deadline for ALL photography work was due, I handed it in and didn't give a damn. I walked out of that room with my head held high, I put everything into that coursework and exam. Knowing that I started to feel fulfillment and joy, feelings I haven't felt in years. 

June 2016:

Media exam was finally here and I was excited. I knew what I needed to know and I applied that to my two and a half hour exam. I didn't stop writing, I wrote for that long I gave myself blisters. I kept smiling at the clock ticking by, thinking that soon ... I will be free from this School. This place that caused so much misery in my life, it's going to be my past and I can't wait to leave.
When that exam was over, I ran into Chris' arms (my boyfriend), smiled and cried with joy. To think that I was finally free from all the pain and depression. The weight that was lifted off my shoulders was overwhelming. I could finally do what I've wanted to do for years! One was writing my blog! To read a book! I have missed sitting down and reading books! I can also draw and paint! Things I haven;t been able to do for a long time, and I can finally do it! I can't express the happiness and fulfillment. I had left that School behind, and I didn't care, I was just happy.

To this current day, I have been free from my anti-depressants and anxiety tablets for months.
I'm so thankful for my boyfriend, family and friends that I have in my life.
I'll be getting my results this August, I will keep you undated to what University I'm going to :).

REMEMBER! This was my personal experience, if anyone out there feels like this, you are NOT alone! I've been there and I know how you feel.
If you want to talk to me I'll happily have that conversation with you.

My email is: missamymcguire@hotmail.com
Twitter: AmyRoseMcGuire

Like always, see you soon Little ones and stay tuned :) x x x