Culmination of Term One

And what a hectic one at that! A test and two lab reports due in for the last week of term, yep, that is exactly how my university chose to wish us second years a 'merry christmas'. Several of my friends pulled all nighters in order to finish the lab reports on time - something I don't quite understand as I had them done and dusted in just under twelve hours in total?! Maybe I'm just a machine... I'll leave that for you readers to speculate.

As it is, it is six days until Christmas day and I'm feeling extremely festive. Having had a few Christmas dinners of late, not to mention present exchanges and also the snow (more on that later), I'm ready for Christmas 2011! I've never felt more like a kid (and I'm definitely not a kid anymore by age) yet all I want to do is mess around like one. I know this isn't possible, however, as I have two exams as soon as the second term begins (boo!).

Anyhow, these pictures were taken a few weeks back. The first one is of the view from my window from my parents' house. I came home for the weekend on a Friday night and upon waking up on the Saturday morning, this was the sight before my eyes as I drew my curtains

And getting back to London on the Sunday afternoon was hell. My train was delayed by an hour so by the time I got back to my place, it was all dark - but no snow.

Obviously, I spoke too soon as in fact there was snow. This was the view outside my window in my place in London:

Can't say I liked it as I can fall over easily when there is no snow (I'm really quite clumsy, if I have to be honest) but with this gracing the pavements; well, that was a definite hazard. Needless to say, for the few days we had of snow, I lived in my Ugg boots and thick winter coat if I had to go out.

I left London on Thursday morning to come home for the holidays and there was not a snowflake in sight, however, I am told that on Friday, there has been a lot of snow with six inches being the figure I was quoted from a friend! Not sure if that is a reliable figure though as well, as with most things, I have to see it to believe it.

With that, I will conclude this post with a MERRY CHRISTMAS. I hope your Christmas hasn't been spoilt too much by the snow if you're travelling and I will post again in due course (provided revision goes well...)

(Also, apologies for the picture quality - they were taken on my phone which has, quite possibly, the worst camera known to man.

So, I've been a bit AWOL recently

...and my Filofax says it all if you open it up randomly. With netball matches twice a week and training once a week, this leaves me four nights in a week to get some work done - be it revision or a lab report. I had a hectic November where there was one lab report after another and netball three times a week but things are set to get quieter now with my first lot of second year exams around the corner in January.

With these looming exams, I have found myself turning to my Filofax to organise my revision schedule (as well as various Christmas events going on with several societies I am a part of).

I'm glad to say though that this time next week, I will be home and dry for the Christmas holidays...where I will attempt revision for two exams...

2011 inserts; got yours yet?

Without meaning to sound boastful... but I have mine and have had them since April 2010! I know, I am so eager (or organised? Or unwise? Wishing I had heard of Quo Vidas then as I really want to try some of their inserts).

These are my 2011 inserts - cotton cream, week on two pages, and boy, am I excited to use them. The space for each day is so big - perfect for term time when I'm rushed off my feet doing one thing or another! I've put a quote in the 'this week' box to try and motivate myself. I am not sure if this will work but you never know until you try, right?

What are your inserts of choice? Feel free to mention even if they aren't Filofax inserts - I'm always on the lookout for other brand inserts which also fit in a personal sized filofax ;)

For The First Time...

I set foot in Paperchase! Prior to my first visit, I had heard many good things about them but just shrugged them off having never actually seen a physical store. However, I was Christmas shopping on Friday in Westfields, London only to find myself outside a store, admiring some wall calenders I had seen. Little did I know, this was the start of myself spending an hour in the store (bear in mind I only had four hours to do my Christmas shopping) admiring everything in every single aisle! How have I not come across this store before?! Have have I managed to fulfill my stationary needs in the past?!

They also had a section for Filofaxes and refills even though the store was small (when I say small, I mean small. The aisles were so narrow, it was hard to turn without knocking into something). Nothing Filofax related caught my eye, though, some other cute (non-stationary related) things did. They had cute food containers (I bought them as I needed some anyway) amongst other things, such as oyster card holders, the cutest sticky notes ever - but having raided freshers' fair and careers' fair earlier in the term, I had no valid reason to purchase them (unfortunately for me, but fortunately for my bank balance).

On the other side of the tiny shop, they had a stand full of Moleskine diaries, and having held one in my hands, I have to say that I am actually quite tempted by them! Having had a look online since, I really do like the look of the ones which have a different colour for every month - though come the end of a month and the time for a changeover to the next colour, I may start to go crazy; as planning things more than a month in advance may become difficult. Then, I thought of a solution - I can use both Moleskine and Filofax! Moleskine to carry around with me and Filofax for at home, laid flat on my table at all times. Thoughts on this? Good or bad idea? 

Needless to say, now that I know of Paperchase, I will never pass up an opportunity to have a nosy instore again!

NB: For obvious reasons, I have not posted pictures of my purchases and some of them make up Christmas presents :]

is a filofax the ideal christmas present?

In my eye, it is. Here are my reasons:

• There will be a model which suits everyone - from the Metropol for vegetarians who want something with a leather feel but without being real leather; to the Classic which is, a classic.
• There is a wide variation in the price range, from uber expensive to the very much affordable.
• Different models have different colours! Something to suit everyone, surely.
• The ring mechanism means that it can be personalised to how one wishes. Reading the various blog posts around the internet say it all; everyone has a different set up.
• It can be re-used time and time again; all that it needs are new inserts once a year.
• The Filofax is a practical gift that will never go out of fashion, despite the continuing emergence of more and more smartphones (which aren't guaranteed to not break down, unlike a Filofax).

As if these reasons aren't enough, Filofax do a Beauty Box which makes an ideal Christmas gift!

This is pretty much the perfect present for me... The Domino in snake (already have a pink Finchley, thanks, can only have so much pink in my life) and the pen with the built in atomiser! Genius. Seriously. I honestly wish I had invented that.