Living at Home For Uni

Since the start of this year, I've had very mixed feelings about living at home. Sometimes, I feel regretful, other times I feel relieved. Regret because I may have lost the best opportunity to move out, relief because I just love my childhood home so much. Starting Uni was definitely a time of change. It took a lot of adjusting and getting used to. In a way, deciding to not move out was just one less thing I had to learn to familiarise myself with. Since I really did struggle getting comfortable at Uni, I do feel quite grateful in that sense. In saying that though, there is a seed of doubt in my mind that wonders whether it would have been better to just deal with both transitions at once. Then I wouldn't be having these confusing thoughts in the first place. 

I can completely understand why people decide to leave home alongside starting Uni. I definitely think it's the most logical time to move out. The main reason I decided to stay at home was because there was no real reason I shouldn't. Not only was I already living in the same city as my chosen Uni, it is literally a 30 min walk away from my house. Location-wise, I had absolutely nothing to complain about. The only other purpose I could think of for moving out was gaining more of my independence. At home, under the same roof as my parents, I almost feel stuck. I'm struggling to grow as a person. I look at the friends who are either flatting or living at Uni accommodation and they seem so much wiser and mature than me. They're living like proper adults whereas I'm still having to text my parents if I'm coming home late from somewhere. I guess I'm not necessarily moving backwards but I'm not moving forwards either and I think that's the thing that scares me the most. 

Living at home definitely has its advantages and disadvantages. I try to see it through a positive lens as much as possible however I can't deny there are moments where I wish I followed in the footsteps of a majority of my friends. This post is a little bit all of over the place which represents my thoughts on the topic perfectly. I'd love to hear what you think about leaving home? Did you do it straight before Uni? Or did you wait a little while first? Let me know in the comment section below!  

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The Behind The Scenes of my Blog Photos

If you look at my blog images, you'll see a lot of neatly arranged, carefully edited, flat lay photographs. The mess and chaos that goes on behind the camera is completely overlooked. Believe it or not, my room turns into a complete pigsty every time I go to take a new blog photo. This is because I won't hesitate to turn my room upside down in search of the perfect combination of props. For this week's post, I thought I'd reveal this side of the blog photography process. It really goes to show that there's much more to a photo than meets the eye. 

 

These two photos highlight the before of my room. Whereas my thumbnail photo shows how untidy it can get. I am very picky with my props so I like to lay out all my options on my bed then select my favourites from there. My desk holds a majority of my best props so I always like to look there first. 

Once I've chosen my props, I like to transfer my whole setup to the best window spot in the house. It gets the perfect amount of natural sunlight. As you can see, I always have to make sure I don't include any of the wooden texture in the final frame. 

Thanks for reading! What did you think of this little BTS post? Let me know down below! 

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INTRODUCING... Nancy!

Introducing my new series "INTRODUCING..." where I share/write about a blogger on my blog. Not only will I give a short description of the person's site, I'll also put together a digital drawing for them as I've done for Nancy below. If you read my "How I Make my Photoshop Graphics" post, you'll know I've been really keen to do more digital drawings for you guys. I really want to thank Nancy for being so willing to take part. She responded so kindly when I asked if she'd be interested. If you'd like to be featured next, you can either DM me on Twitter or email me at theanniechanieblog@gmail.com.

INTRODUCING... Nancy!

On her blog, Exquisitely.me, Nancy likes to blog about her personal adventures and experiences and always includes a lovely array of photos in every post. Her food photography is amazing and whenever I read one of her foodie posts, I always end up craving whatever she's photographed. As a very all-rounded blogger, she also likes to share life lessons in order to inspire her readers be the very best versions of themselves. Check out Nancy's blog by clicking here. 

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Which 2018 Movie Should You Watch/Rewatch? - Quiz

I've been going to the cinema a lot recently. In fact, I've been seeing at least one movie a week for the past month. Because of this, I think that I can confidently say 2018 so far has been a great year for movies. For this week's post, I thought I'd do a quiz based around the films that have been released this year. Let me know your thoughts on the movie you get below! 

1. My go-to movie snack is...
A) Red liquorice.
B) Jelly babies.
C) Chocolate.
D) A box of popcorn.

2. A majority of the films I watch...
A) Make me feel like a little kid again.
B) Keep me on the edge of my seat.
C) Have a feel-good ending.
D) Involve amazing special effects.

3. Something that I loved as a child and am still quite fond of now is...
A) Disney channel.
B) Horror stories. 
C) Musicals. 
D) Comic books. 

4. I really enjoy watching movies with...
A) My younger sibling.
B) My boyfriend/girlfriend. 
C) My mum.
D) A group of friends.

5. I like the famous movie quote...
A) "To infinity and beyond."
B) "Say hello to my little friend."
C) "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."
D) "With great power comes great responsibility."

6. My ideal time to go to the cinema is between...
A) 12am and 2pm.
B) 6pm and 8pm.
C) 2pm and 4pm.
D) 4pm and 6pm. 

7. If I were to star in a movie, I'd want to play the...
A) Best Friend of the main character. 
B) Super villain. 
C) Romantic interest. 
D) Hero.

8. I prefer to watch a film that...
A) Is animated.
B) Has a lot of jump scares.
C) Includes a lot of singing and dancing.
D) Is based off a novel I've read. 

9. The TV series that I've been obsessed with recently is...
A) The Simpsons. 
B) Pretty Little Liars.
C) Glee. 
D) Arrow.

10. My favourite movie genre is...
A) Family. 
B) Thriller. 
C) Rom-com.
D) Action.

You should watch.......

(Mostly A's)
Incredibles 2
This film is exciting, sweet, funny and as all classic Disney movies do, is sure to lift your spirits. It's impossible to not fall in love with this super family. This movie is very all rounded with a lot of action, a bit of romance and just the right amount of comedy. 

(Mostly B's)
A Quiet Place
Right from the get-go, this movie is sure to make your heart race and your palms sweat. When watching the characters go about this terrifying world, you'll almost feel like you're right there with them. If you like movies with a lot of suspense, then this is the film for you. 

(Mostly C's)
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
This film is not only for ABBA fans but those who favour mushy films. This sequel takes quite a different approach to the first movie however it still has all the characters you'll know and love. If you like heartwarming, sentimental films then this is the perfect watch for you. 

(Mostly D's)
Avengers: Infinity War
This movie is one huge superhero collaboration with all the well known Marvel characters fighting against one extremely powerful villain. If you enjoy action films with amazing stunts and graphics, then definitely give this movie a go. 

Thanks for taking the quiz!

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Tips For Saving Money

Lately, I've been spending quite a lot on eating out and shopping trips to the mall. I used to be pretty good at saving my cash however for some reason, this hasn't been the case as of recently. I thought this post would not only help others but myself also. I need to establish some ground rules for keeping my spending habits under control. Let me know if you found this post useful in the comment section below!

Have an Ultimate Goal

Having a goal or something to work towards can be a great incentive towards saving. Your goal could be an experience like a holiday overseas or a physical thing like a new phone or laptop. The bigger the goal, the more satisfying it'll be when you do end up saving that amount. It's okay if during this process you feel like you're goal is still so far out of reach. It can take a little bit of time to build up that momentum but if you stick with it, you'll get the results you want in no time. 

Limit Yourself to a Certain Amount a Week

A great way to limit your buying is to set yourself a maximum amount each week. Once you've decided on a reasonable spending amount, keep it at the back of your mind wherever you go. Be strict with yourself because the more lenient you are, the more likely this won't have an effect. This method will help you make more responsible purchases and ensure you're not splurging unnecessarily.

Make the Most of Sales/Discounts 

Sometimes all it takes is a bit of patience to save you some dollars. If you see something in a store and you're really tempted to buy it, give yourself at least a week to deliberate. If you're really lucky, during that wait a sale may pop up and you'll be getting the thing you wanted for nearly half it's original price. Look out for when your favourite stores or restaurants are having any special deals/discounts. Even the smallest percentage off makes a difference. 

Thanks for reading! Do you know any other money saving tips? 

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