TEENAGERS WITH EXPERIENCE

Divination when used properly can be amazing. Depending on who you ask, they’ll say it’s either the practice of getting information about the future, getting answers from your subconscious, or getting knowledge from a supernatural force. Personally, I lean more towards the last two, but it’s all up to you on what you prefer. 

There are a lot of different ways to practice divination, all of which can be dangerous in their own ways. As always with possibly contacting or using a force from the supernatural, you’re risking a supernatural force becoming attached. This can be avoided by using the correct tools and going through the suitable ‘safety procedures.’ These will always differ for each person as it’s down to personal preference. There isn’t a right or wrong way to practice, so as long as you’re doing it safely, you’re fine! 

I’ll mention things about protection in this, and this generally means the crystals you feel drawn to for protection or even protection spells. What you use is entirely up to you!

Probably the most known form of divination is using a ouija board. Personally, my advice is to stay away from these. Unlike anything else I’ll mention in this article, you’re not in complete control of them. Whereas others are like books where you can open and close them as you please, ouija boards are like doors. They can be used both ways and you don’t have as much control over what comes through. General safety advice- don’t go near these. If you do, make sure you’ve researched them, you know what you’re doing and you have general protection around you. 

The next one I’m going to mention are tarot cards! Typically, these cards offer a guideline for you, they don’t really predict the future. They’re more for self reflection and awareness. With these, you typically shuffle a deck with a question in mind and intent, and draw cards in the way you want. You don’t need as much protection for this, but personally I keep amethyst around while I’m drawing tarot cards and once I get round to it I’ll be adding a protection spell to that. It isn’t as necessary, but for me, I like to be safe just in case! Tarot cards are safe so long as you don’t mess around with them, but it’s all personal preference!

The last one I’m going to mention are pendulums. This one does require a bit more protection that tarot cards, as they’re seen as more of a supernatural instrument. Whether you want to draw information from your subconscious self or a supernatural force, it’s up to you, but protection is always handy to have around. It’s also said to keep pendulums in a bag, somewhat as protection, and to keep it away from any negative intervention. These are used by asking yes or no questions, and the pendulum will swing in the direction of yes, no and maybe. Sometimes a pendulum board is used, which you can make yourself with a piece of paper, or you can ask the pendulum for the directions of each answer and it will give you each direction. It’s best to have a protective item around you for this, just to be safe, and then store the pendulum with a protective item. I always have an amethyst around my pendulum as well as items of positive energy. Again, what you use is up to you! 

There isn’t a right or wrong to divination, but there is safety. Safety is always the priority with divination, just in case anything happens, but the tarot and pendulums are already pretty safe! It’s all down to personal preference. There are more ways of divination but those are the ones I practice the most and know enough about, other means can be Norse Runes, Oracle Cards, the list is endless. It’s always a case of trial and error but stick with it, you’ll find what works best for you! I hope this general breakdown has helped, and remember to research before you do anything. It’s always best to know exactly what you’re using before you go into anything. Stay safe!

~ En

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Content Warning - Very in depth talk about menstruation, endometriosis symptoms and brief mention of misogyny / infertility.

I started having periods when I was eleven, and since then it’s been seven years of hell. Whether it’s the hormones, the cramps, the back pain or even the nausea and fainting, my life revolves around my period. It takes over three weeks a month of my life, and it always stops me from doing my daily activities. 

My mother used to tell me I was being dramatic. She said that it’s a part of life and that I need to get used to it. It took me passing out for her to finally take me seriously on just how bad it was. Ever since I was thirteen, I’ve been going to the doctors to try to get something to help. More often than not, I was just told I was being dramatic, but at fourteen I was put on a combined pill, microgynon to try to stop me from complaining too much. Due to some of the side effects, I stopped taking it after a year and went back to avoiding going to the doctors about it and keeping quiet. At seventeen, I went back to the doctors about it, and got given co codamol and was told to get on with it. That never helped much, though. 

Before going more in depth, here’s what I did to get through my periods. These may or may not work for you, but after spending ages researching and experimenting these are general things I did to help minimise the pain. 

• I found hot water bottles were incredible. I took anti-inflammatories every six hours and ibuprofen every six hours, alternating so I’d have one of each every three hours. Only do this if it’s safe for you and if your doctor has approved it. 
• As cliche as it sounds, chocolate helped. There’s something comforting about sitting down with a hot water bottle and a bag of chocolates. 
• Not sponsored, but BeYou monthly patches saved me. They have a strong herbal scent, but they’re amazing for the pain. I can’t recommend them enough. 
• I was a lot more careful about my diet when I was on - I couldn’t stomach much, but I made sure to get more carbs and protein when I did eat, just to keep my body going. Toast, mushrooms and spinach ended up being my go to - and even now when I’m still struggling to stomach food, mushrooms and spinach on toast is my go to. 
• If you struggle with nausea, drink a lot more water than you usually would. 
• Something that irks me is when people say to be more active and go jogging when you’re on, but for me that was never an option. I was bed-bound. Don’t feel guilty about staying in bed. 

These things might not work for you, and it’ll take experimenting to find what works. This is my seven year discovery of what works for my body. Just be patient and experiment, and you’ll find your own things.

I want to say that all those got rid of the pain. They didn’t. I was still in horrific pain every day, and it was unbearable. September last year, I moved to another city and registered with a new doctors surgery. I ran out of codamol within a month of moving, but I didn’t want to go through the fuss of being told that I was being dramatic or that I was making it up, so I just got on with it. It wasn’t until a few months later when I ended up passing out again that I did make an appointment with the doctors. My mother didn’t understand why I didn’t get an appointment as soon as I moved, but I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been through this understands just how crushing it is to constantly be told that you’re being dramatic by several doctors and just how nerve wracking it is to have to phone to talk about it again, especially if you don’t know what the doctors are like.

I got lucky this time. The doctor that I had the appointment with listened to everything I had to say, and was so understanding. She told me that it was endometriosis, and she went through all of my options. Combined pill, the injection, an IUD, the implant, and different painkillers I could get. She listened to all of my concerns and answered all of my questions, and I couldn’t be more grateful for what she did during that appointment. It feels weird to be grateful for someone doing their job, but she took me seriously and I can’t thank her enough for that. 

I phoned again a week ago because I’m in constant pain, and she listened again and didn’t laugh when I cried to her. She talked me through all the options, she answered all of my questions and she’s made it clear that if I have any more issues to just phone straight away. I don’t think she realises just how bad it currently is for me, so once I’m back in the city I’m going to make another appointment because I’m still in constant pain. 

Endometriosis is a health condition where similar tissue that lines the inside of the uterus grows in other places. It can grow in / around the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and can even affect your bowels / intestines and bladder. Some of the common treatments include - pain medication - typically anti-inflammatories, hormone treatments - including combined contraceptive pills, contraceptive injection, intrauterine system etc, and only in serious cases, surgery. Some of the symptoms include painful periods - including lower back pain and cramps that can begin several days before the start of your period and continue throughout your period, heavy periods - including bleeding outside of your period, pain when passing bodily fluids during periods, nausea / diarrhoea / constipation / blood in urine during periods, and generally debilitating periods. 

For me, my life revolves around my period. The pain takes up the week before I’m due on, when I’m on and when I’m ovulating. My periods are heavy, I’m in constant pain when I’m on, I get blood in my urine, severe constipation, and I have nausea and lose consciousness a lot. Another thing I’ve noticed is that my cycle is irregular. Sometimes it’ll be thirty days, other times it hits seventy. Not sponsored in any way, but I use the app Flo to track my cycle and when I remember, my symptoms. When I had the first appointment with my new doctors surgery, that was a lifesaver. 

After having that appointment, I ended up going on a combined pill. The first one I tried a few years ago - microgynon - didn’t help me. It added to the symptoms and I had to stop taking it. I do want to say that I know so many people that it’s helped, but personally it didn’t work for me. Everyone’s different so different medications will work differently on others. The one I’m currently on, millinette, is fine, but I’m having the same issue. When I have to take a break from the pill, I have to take Tranexamic Acid three times a day to stop the bleeding, essentially making it so that I don’t have a period.

Even though I’m on the pill, I’m currently in pain all of the time. I’m not even sleeping. The one upside is that I’m not bleeding and I don’t have cramps. Even though I don’t bleed or have cramps, I constantly have a bad back, bad legs, feel nauseous all the time, can barely stomach any food, can’t get more than four hours of sleep at a time, my moods are horrific, and I’m having numerous problems with bodily fluids being painful - which has led to me and my doctor thinking that my endometriosis has spread to my bladder and bowels. This is a problem we’re trying to put off addressing, purely because of the complications that can involve and the severe treatment for it.

I had another appointment with my doctor where I addressed all of this, so she gave me another painkiller and more options. She said that the best option for me if the painkillers don’t work is to get the Intrauterine Device (IUD). It’s a plastic and copper coil that’s inserted into the uterus. Personally, I would hate that, but I know that my options are limited. I know that it’s one of the only options I have right now. I’ve researched it endlessly and as soon as I get back into the city, I’m going to make the appointment to get it done. I’m desperate to not be in constant pain and to actually sleep, and I’ll do anything to get that. 

I don’t want to be ignorant about what my diagnosis means. I know that this is something I’m going to struggle with for another forty, maybe fifty years. I know that if the endometriosis has spread to other organs, that it might mean I’ll have to get surgery. Personally, I’d rather that than having to suffer with this pain, but I know what it means for my body. As anyone AFAB, I feel like we’re defined by our fertility. That’s how I’ve found the whole topic of periods, anyway. We’re valued for our fertility. I know that with endometriosis, there’s the complication of infertility, especially if it spreads from the pelvic area. Considering it’s highly likely mine’s spread that far, I know that it’s massively unlikely that I’ll ever have kids of my own. It’s funny, really. I’ve never wanted my own kids. I’m not attracted to men so it’s highly unlikely I’d ever have my own kids, especially because pregnancy doesn’t appeal to me. I never want to get pregnant. I’d rather adopt. That’s always been my stance and it hasn’t changed. Ever since I got this diagnosis and knowing that there’s the possibility I’m infertile, I can’t help but be sad. I wouldn’t want to be pregnant but I’d at least like the choice. In a funny way, even though I don’t identify as female, I feel like I’ve failed. 

If you have any issues with your periods, go straight to the doctor. You shouldn’t suffer. Periods shouldn’t be debilitating. If they are, don’t hesitate to get medical help. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re being dramatic. Look into different options. Look into what you’re comfortable with, and don’t let anyone tell you any different. It’s your body, your health, you’re in control of what happens to it. You’re never alone in this. There are so many others going through similar things, and it’ll never hurt to talk about it. Do whatever you’re most comfortable with. It’s tough, but we’ll get through it. We’re tougher than we look. 

~ En x

Endometriosis UK (even though it’s a UK site, they have an in depth breakdown of endometriosis and some advice) - https://www.endometriosis-uk.org/
Healthline - https://www.healthline.com/health/endometriosis
National Endometriosis Organisations - https://endometriosis.org/support/support-groups/

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Now that I’ve moved into my own place and have to cook my own food every day, I’m finding it pretty hard; with stress building and work piling up, the last thing I want to do is cook. Sometimes I have days where I’m happy to do it and actually enjoy it, but then there are times where I’m tempted to skip eating because I don’t want to cook, or times where I just look at the oven for ages without moving to actually make something. Things can be like that sometimes, and I’m starting to prepare for those times a little bit more now. Here’s how I’m doing that!

• I’ve downloaded takeaway apps on my phone. Uber Eats, Just Eat, Deliveroo, any delivery app you can think of, I’ve probably got. Plus, if you’re a student, most of these have student discounts. I don’t do takeaways often, but sometimes it’s nice to not have to worry about cooking. Plus, it’s a bit of comfort food!

Foods like rice and noodles, but more so rice, are super filling! You can get bags of microwave rice in shops and they come in handy for when you don’t want to cook. You can get microwave noodles and cup noodles too, but rice is more substantial and filling.

• Bread is a handy thing to have. If I don’t want to cook, I’ll make a toastie or toast or even beans on toast. Quick and easy, plus minimal clean up! Bread is very versatile so it’s always good to keep a loaf around.

 

• Ready meals. I make sure to have at least one microwavable meal in my freezer at all times. They’re not ideal, but they’re quick to make and they fill a hole. 

 

• Speaking of freezer meals, when I cook I often bulk make everything. I made soup last week and made sure to do a lot so I could freeze portions for whenever I might need it. Soup is quick and easy to make plus can stay in the freezer for up to three months. 

The other day I made taco filling and made more than I needed so I had that with pasta the next day. Tomorrow I’m making gnocchi and making more than I need so I can freeze it. It’s always handy to bulk make things when you feel like cooking so you can keep some for the next day or put it in the freezer! 

Those are some things I’ve learnt over the past month. I’m sure there’s more that I’m missing but these are the ones that have really saved me. Remember, you don’t have to go through this alone. Please, if you’re struggling, reach out to someone. There will always be people there to help, even if it doesn’t feel like it.

Stay safe and look after yourself! You’ve got this.

~ En

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Going into rented accommodation with only a student loan to support you can be intimidating, especially when you’re going into a private tenancy in the middle of a city. Going into it with absolutely no idea what the average pricing is of the area or not knowing how to deal with agencies and landlords can be hard to deal with, but it isn’t impossible, even if it feels like it.

I live on a main road in one of the priciest towns in my city. I’m paying close to £600 a month in rent and bills, and I’m completely reliant on my student loan. This is my first year at university, and this isn’t uncommon. The place I study is in a very posh area, and with the unpredictable and late hours we work, living out of the area isn’t the best idea. Considering there are two other universities in the area, the rent in accommodation isn’t exactly cheap. I know a lot of my friends who live in the area are paying around the same as me, or even more a month. Budgeting sounds impossible when you’re paying that much a month, but there are some ways around it. Here’s what I’ve learnt over the last six months -

Get a budget book - This sounds so stupid, but I recently got a budget book and it’s saved my life. I’m tracking what I’m spending every month and it gives me a basic idea of what I’m spending money on. It’s simple but I love it. 

Budget before you pay your first lot of rent - Student loans come through in blocks at the beginning of term. I budgeted my first term before I even moved just to make sure that I’d have enough to live on. I looked at how much I had to spend a week and that made it so much easier to move and relax knowing I had enough money for the term. Over the holidays I budgeted my next term, and I’ll do the same in the next holiday. It averages everything out and I feel a lot better going into the term.

Savings - Not long after moving, I started a Monzo account and it’s amazing. You can sort your money into pots, it’s really helpful if you’re saving for different things at a time. This isn’t sponsored, I just really like their services and it was super easy to set up. I put £20 a week in it and any ‘extra’ money, such as scholarship funds into the account. This helps take a weight off my shoulders as I have a deposit to pay in a few months for a new flat and it isn’t cheap, but I know I have the money in my savings if for whatever reason I don’t have the money in my bank account. 

Don’t be afraid of the reduced aisle - Our local supermarket isn’t cheap. On average to fill our freezer and cupboards from this shop, it costs at least around £60 - £70. Split between three of us, it isn’t bad, but it’s not ideal. We always go to the reduced aisles first to see if there’s anything we can use, and that did lead us to buying a birthday cake for £3 one week despite none of us having a birthday, but who can turn down a £3 cake?. Sometimes there won’t be anything you need, but it’s always worth a look. 

Know your shops - As I said, the local supermarket is very pricey, but before me and my flatmates go back to the flat after holidays, we always do an online order from the cheapest shop we’ve found. For us, this is Iceland. Not sponsored, but they have some really cheap bits and so far our shop from there has lasted us over a month, and we still have a decently stocked freezer and cupboards. It cost about £50 but split between the three of us it wasn’t bad. Once you find a cheap shop, it’s always worth sticking to it. 

Loyalty Schemes / Cards - Tesco Clubcards and Nectar Cards are incredible. They’re free to sign up for but you get so many discounts / offers that are always worth having. Me and my flatmates have a competition going on as to who can get the most Nectar points by the end of each term. It’s fun and an incentive to use the card. This isn’t sponsored, but it’s something I’ve found that helps. If the shops you use deliver, it’s always worth signing up for newsletters to get the information on offers, and sometimes by making an account you get exclusive offers and they’re always good to have. 
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Make the most of discount codes - If you’re like me and love a takeaway, UberEats are so good with sending out discount codes - this isn’t sponsored I just appreciate a good discount. Between me and my flatmates, we get around three 50% off codes a month. We don’t have takeaways that often, but they’re always handy to have. When we have them does often dictate when we have takeaways. UberEats and Deliveroo have shops too, so every now and then when we get a discount code for either one, we do our shop from one of the available supermarkets . Easy way to save money!

Saving money on a student loan will always vary between people. What works for me might not work for you, and that’s completely valid! Even if they don’t work, I hope they’ve given you enough of an idea to start figuring out what works for you. If you ever need help with finances, there will often be someone working in your educational facility who can help, and don’t be afraid to look into scholarship funds. There will always be options out there. 

You’ve got this!
~En | Photo by Kenzie

Since I was about eleven, I’ve thought about gender and what it meant to me. I vividly remember thinking - what does being female feel like? That’s still something I think about a lot, whether I choose to or   as a general thought that crosses my mind. What’s it like to feel completely set in your sex? To feel as if, without any doubt, that it’s you? That it’s who you’re supposed to be? With more and more pressure to know exactly who you are by the time you leave your teen years, it gets stressful. More so than it needs to be. Finding yourself takes time t, and it’s never too late to really figure it out. What's most important is that you’re happy and healthy. 

When I was fifteen, I started to realise that I’m not cisgender. In a panic, I suppressed that. I ignored it and that’s probably made the situation worse. I can definitely say that putting it off doesn’t help. Neither does just ignoring it. If anything, it makes it worse. It definitely made it harder for seventeen year old me to grapple. Throughout those two years where I ignored these thoughts and feelings, I would go back and think that I was cis, and despite everything, I still do. I still question it, but I know that my heart isn’t in it. It’s more something I wanted to be rather than accept how I really feel.

During lockdown, I’ve had a lot more free time to think about these things, and as amazing as that’s been, it was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. Though I can now say I’ve figured out my sexuality, my gender is another story. No matter how much I think about it, no matter how many times I send myself into a breakdown over it, I can’t figure it out. I can’t label it, and I don’t know if that’s something genuine or if I’m inadvertently stopping myself from labelling it. Something I will always say is that you don’t need labels, as long as you’re happy then that’s okay, but when it comes to myself? Not knowing makes it harder. Overthinking it is a massive problem for me, one that I don’t know how to overcome. It’s as if I’m scared that gender comes with a rule book and if I don’t fit into that rule book then it’s wrong. I don’t know if that’s me being paranoid about societal standards, because society’s expectations of non-binary people are just  androgynous, and half the time that’s not me. Society’s expectations made it so much harder, but seeing my friends come out as gender non-conforming and being femme or masculine helped a lot more than I think anyone realises. Even now, even when I’m vaguely confident in my gender identity, I still question it. I don’t think I’ll ever stop. Even though I’m pretty sure I’m non-binary, I think my mind will always question that, no matter what my heart says. 

As much as I want to say that questioning was the hardest part, coming out isn’t any easier. The truth is, I’m only out in TWE and to my closest friends. In September of this year, I went through my social media and changed my pronouns to she/they, just as a slow transition. I stopped referring to myself with the feminine words such as daughter, woman, and replaced them with child, person, things like that. It was slow, but it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. On my first day of uni, we were asked to share pronouns and I said she/they, the first time I’ve ever said that out loud, and as scared as I was, I’m so glad I did it. I remember getting a few messages asking about preferences, and the fact that people cared enough to ask made me pretty happy. 

One person in particular keeps referring to me with they/them pronouns. Any time we’re together, she does that. I didn’t realise how happy that would make me. I don’t think she realises just how much it means to me either . We’ve had the pronoun chat and I’ve always said I have no preference because I was scared to say anything, but it’s as if she knows. My flatmate referred to me with they/them pronouns the other day, and that was different. I’ve known him for two years and hearing him say that when I never thought he’d ever accept me was incredible. 

Now it’s December. We’re about two weeks away from Christmas and I’ve almost finished my first term. Even through this, I’m not fully confident in my gender. It’s a long process and as I’ve said, I know I’ll probably keep questioning it for a while. No one back home really knows my pronouns, which I didn’t think would bother me, but I’ve spent three days in rehearsals where I’m referred to with she/her pronouns and it feels wrong. I’ve never felt that to such an extent before, but it’s uncomfortable. I don’t know what that is or what that means, but all I know is that I don’t like it. Despite that, despite all of the questions and the stress of trying to figure this out, I know who I am. It’s whether or not I’m ready to accept that just yet. Maybe I am.

My advice to anyone trying to figure out their gender identity would be - don’t rush it, don’t overthink it, don’t torture yourself about it, and make sure you’re safe. Express yourself when you’re comfortable, but make sure you’re safe as well, too. Especially now when there are so many debates over gender identity, your safety is the most important thing. It probably  probably won’t be easy. Not with society being as it is. Even with that, don’t isolate yourself. Don’t keep this to yourself. I’m fortunate enough to have friends that I can count on, especially to have one who’s been through this already and has been absolutely amazing throughout all this. Don’t be afraid to experiment. of experimenting. T That’s such a big part of this but it’s often overlooked. Experimenting is the best way to figure it out. , so don’t be afraid of doing that.

I don’t normally like writing about things that leave me so vulnerable. I’ve never really opened up about my struggles with gender identity, but it helps me to write it out, and if I can help anyone by sharing my experience, then it’s worth it. Something to remember is that you’re not alone. Even if you feel like you are, there are so many people around to help and support you. Even now in the media, there are people coming out and being so unapologetically themselves. Even though things aren’t great, they’re getting better. 

If you’re struggling or need any help with LBGTQ+ / mental health issues, here are some helplines / general information. You’ve got this, I believe in you. 

General LGBTQ+ helplines-
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/lgbtiqplus-mental-health/useful-contacts/

Switchboard - 
https://switchboard.lgbt/help/

Stonewall -
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/help-and-advice

Worldwide helplines - 
https://checkpointorg.com/global/

~ En

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Politics can be intimidating and it can be hard to figure out where to start learning about it. Learning about politics is important so you know who to vote for, and since politics is such a hostile environment, many things can factor into why people may be voting for the wrong person.

I see a lot of people saying that if there isn’t a good party they won’t vote. This is dangerous because there will always be a ‘better’ party. They will never be perfect, but one will be less dangerous than the other. This is where tactical voting comes into play. Other times I see people say they won’t vote because politics doesn’t interest them, or that politics is boring and they don’t care for it, or even just claiming that they’re not political. If politics doesn’t interest you then it means that the current political climate suits you so you don’t feel the need to change it. I think you should instead look out for people who genuinely need a hand in political climates and help them out. 

There can be a lot of misinformation about politics, sometimes even from those we think we can trust. Here’s how I started learning about politics and how I got a foot in it:

• Don’t always listen to what people say. This is how misinformation can spread. No matter how much you trust what these people say, do your own research. Almost everyone’s politically biased, they’ll try to make their opposing party look bad.

 

• Do your own research. Look at every party’s ideals and go from there. It’s important you go straight to the source. Watch campaigns, read their websites, their leaflets, anything you can directly from the party. Don’t listen to what anyone else says. 

 

• Look at who the influential leaders are. This comes under research. Look at their social media, research their past, anything you can think of. This will show a lot about what they’re like and where their ideals stand. 

 

• Don’t always listen to the media. This is because the media maybig up anyone who benefits them. They tend to be very biased. They may twist headlines to either get more views or to get a good word in with a party if it looks like they’re going to win. Whatever you see in the media, make sure you find the origins of what they’re saying.

 

• Look at tactical voting. Say if you wanted to vote for purple but yellow looks like they’re ahead, and you don’t like yellow, but the only party that will beat yellow is pink, it might be worth voting pink. Although if you vote purple they might get more seats, ultimately if yellow wins then they’ll get the majority of the votes. It’s a very frustrating situation to be in but, sometimes tactical voting is better than the obvious. 

 

• Understand that you won’t agree with everything. There are two major political parties in the UK, and although I don’t agree with everything both say, I understand that one is MUCH worse than the other and although I don’t agree with the other all that much either, I completely understand that they’re the best one for me to vote for. This is where tactical voting comes in - the party my ideals line up with the most wouldn’t win against these parties, so if I do feel as if the very bad party will win, I will vote for the other. Even though I don’t agree with all of their ideals, they’re better than the other option. 

 

• Think about their impact. By voting for someone who’s homophobic, transphobic, sexist, anti-Semitic  and racist, that’s the country you’re going to make. You can’t align your ideals with a party run by people with those ideals and claim you’re not any of those things. You will put all of those people affected by those things in danger. Think before you vote. Look at the bigger picture.

Politics is intimidating and petrifying, but it’s so important to understand it. It’s important to understand just how impactful your vote can be. Voting can be life or death for some people, and, though that seems dramatic, it really is. It’s important to know what parties stand for and know how to figure out what’s fake news and what isn’t. It’s important to know where your ideals stand and how to align them with the best party for you. Remember, vote for who’s capable. Don’t vote for someone because it’s funny. Vote for someone who’s capable for the job and can really inflict positive change. 

It’s hard, but it’s worth it. We need to make the world a better place and, though we can only vote for our country, it will be a massive help. Change won’t come overnight, but we can do our part. 

Your vote matters. As soon as you can do so, please register to vote. Don’t underestimate how important it is. Just vote. Don’t let anyone discourage you from voting. .our vote matters.

~ En

Register to Vote UK - 
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​Recently there’s been a lot of makeup companies creating vegan formulas, swapping out their makeup products with a vegan recipe, or even going completely vegan. Some of these vegan brands are - KimChi Chic Beauty, E.L.F, By Beauty Bay and KVD Vegan Beauty. Some makeup products, especially ones by vegan/well known brands can be pricey, but I’m a student so most of these products will be under £15 or are on sale frequently! Before I mention any products, I want to clarify that what works for me may not work for you, and that’s okay, these are just products that work for me and ones that I use almost everyday in a full face. Just a mention that this isn’t sponsored, this is just the products I use on a daily basis! Here we go! 

• Any E.L.F primer - they have tone adjusting ones, hydrating ones, pore ones, in liquid, mist or putty, depending on the product. I switch between tone adjusting and the ‘poreless putty’ primers. They’re both hydrating, but stay tacky enough to grip onto any products put on top. Personally I prefer the liquid primers, but every one I’ve tried has been amazing. (Superdrug £5 - £10)
• Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Foundation by NYX - it’s medium-full coverage, it blends so nicely and it lasts all day. I’ve never had a problem with it being cakey on my skin, I use it with a sponge and it looks airbrushed. I’ve only been using it for about three months now but it’s up there as one of my favourite foundations. (Superdrug £15 - 38 shades)
• Flawless Finish Foundation by E.L.F - another elf product! This brand is so good, especially for the price. It’s definitely worth checking them out. But this foundation is again, one of my favourites. It’s medium-full coverage, blends nicely and feels light on the skin. It lasted all day and blended well with other products. Again, I used it with a sponge and it looked airbrushed, never cakey. It’s up there as one of my favourites along with Can’t Stop Won’t Stop. (Superdrug £7.50 - 26 shades)
• 16hr Camo Concealer by E.L.F. - last elf product for a little while, I promise! I’ve used this concealer for ages, at first I didn’t like it, but if you go in with an eyeshadow blending brush to blend it out? It looks amazing! It’s full coverage, you definitely don’t need much more than two dots to get good coverage, and this is coming from someone who really struggles with the under eye area! When I used it with a sponge it looked drying and never quite settled, but using a brush has solved all those issues. Be sparse with powder, too. (Superdrug £5 - 18 shades)
• Professional Loose Setting Powder by MUA Makeup Academy - I’m not going to lie, this product smells gross, but it works! My foundation always creases by my nose and two light coats of this solves it. A light dusting on the concealer above sets it nicely. It’s got such a silky feel and the overall performance of the product definitely makes up for the smell! (Beauty Bay £4 - 2 shades)
• Bronzed Matte Bronzing Powder by MUA Makeup Academy - nice colours and they blend  well! What more can I say? (Beauty Bay £2.50 - 4 shades)
• Ultra Blush Palette by Makeup Revolution - lots of colours with highlighters! Really cute and pigmented. Builds nicely and blends well. (Beauty Bay £6 - 3 palettes)
• Precise Brow Pencil by Makeup Revolution- I don’t do much with my brows, I just colour them in and call it a day so I don’t really experiment with brow products, if in doubt I use eyeshadow. This product is pretty good though, it’s pigmented and it gets the job done. (Beauty Bay £3.95 - 3 shades)
• James Charles Artistry Palette by Morphe - every single colour is so pigmented, they blend out so nicely and the metallics are so creamy. This palette is a dream. There’s a bit of fallout but nothing too bad. This is on sale quite a lot, and UNiDAYS have a 20% discount code for online purchases! (Morphe - £39)
• Any palette by Beauty Bay - they’re so cheap and so pigmented! Honestly, the exact same feedback as the James Charles Palette, but they have more collections and therefore more colour collections. (Beauty Bay £6.50 - £25)
• Butter Lipsticks, Lip Lingerie, Strictly Vinyl Lip Gloss, Suede Matte Lipsticks by NYX - I’m fairly certain that all of their lip products are vegan, and they’re all really good! They’re all pigmented, and their liquid lipsticks aren’t drying, which is a total plus! (NYX £4 - £9)
• SRSLY Satin Lipsticks by E.L.F. - last product by elf! They’re pigmented and hydrating. Overall a good product! (Superdrug £3 - 10 shades)

There are my recommendations! Remember, what works for me might not work for you and all that jazz. One thing to watch out for with vegan pressed pigments, red ones can stain your eyes. That’s why on labels they’re not recommended for the immediate eye area, but they’re totally safe. I don’t find that they stain too bad, once I used one of the reds from the James Charles pallet as an eyeliner and I just looked like I had red eyes for a day afterwards. They’re completely safe to use, just be mindful that they could stain. 

Those are some of the vegan products I use in my day to day makeup routine, or have used and just recommend, hopefully this has helped a bit! Remember that there is no right or wrong way to do makeup, what works for you is perfect. 

(Photo by Maxx)

~ En ​

With university applications starting to be sent out, it’s important not to forget about the interview process. I did exactly that: I didn’t think about what I’d need for interviews, so that’s why I’m here reminding you! 

If you’re applying to an art course/theatrical course, most universities will ask you for a portfolio, which is a showcase of your work. If you do textiles, it will probably be full of designs and pictures of finished products. If you do art, it’ll probably be full of your artwork. If you’re a lighting designer, it will probably be full of your light designs and the finished products. It’s a way for the interviewers to see what you’re capable of. It’s an important part of an arts course, and even though the universities won’t say you need a portfolio, it will definitely help. Here’s the structure I was taught for portfolios -

1. Personal Statement - this will probably be in your application, but by having it in your portfolio provides a bit more to talk about, especially if the interviewers have any questions.
   
2. CV - this is nice to put in so that the interviewers can see your experience. Personally, I put in my ‘show CV’, which is full of the shows I’ve worked on. You can use a regular CV if you want, or even skip this step, but if you’re going into a theatrical course or if you have any experience working in your subject, a CV won’t go amiss.
   
3. Your work - start with your most recent work in education and work backwards, then go into your experience out of education or your personal work.
   

That was the advice my lecturers gave my class and it worked for us! Something that I felt intimidated by was the style. What was it meant to look like? What kind of work was I meant to put in? What makes a portfolio stand out? Here are some of the things I learnt -

• Show off different styles - this is especially important for artists. Show off everything you can do. Range is key. If you’re a techie, show that you can do more than your specialty (if you have one). Show off everything you’re capable of. 
  
• Make it pretty - this is more for artists and designers. Go wild with decorating your portfolios. You’re an artist, use that to your advantage. Write things in your favourite pens and make it as colourful as possible!
  
• Keep it simple and structured - this is for techies! If you’re not set, props or costume, don’t go artistic. Keep it simple. Don’t decorate pages, keep them plain. Type everything out and glue it in. Don’t go artistic. 
  
• Choose paper wisely - this might sound weird, but you’re going to want a nice book to put your work in. Keep in mind that plain white pages are boring to look at, so if you’re going into an artistic course or if you’re a designer, go all out with colour! Make the pages interesting to look at! Or get a black page book. Stick white paper on it and it’s got a bit more life to it. Techies, I recommend that one, but designers and artists, if that peaks your fancy, go for it!
  
• Structure - choose what way you want your book to be: portrait or landscape. If you’re going landscape, put pictures on top and an explanation on the bottom. If you’re going for portrait, put pictures on the right and explanations on the left. The interviewer will probably flick through your portfolio as they’re asking you questions, so by putting the pictures on these pages, they’ll be in their line of sight and draw their attention a bit more. Keep the explanation brief.if it’s a project, don’t go into detail and if it’s a show, give a brief overview of your role. That way, they can ask questions and you won’t be reciting the words on your portfolio.
  
• Be fussy over what you put in - show off what you’re proudest of. The education work will show your growth. With the outside of education work or your personal work, only show your best. If you don’t like it, don’t put it in.  
  
• Show your process - as RADA have on their website, a good portfolio should display your process as well as your finished result.
  

Making a portfolio can be intimidating because it’s your impression on your interviewers, but as long as you have the passion, they’ll take in anything you show them. Creating your portfolio is best to do as soon as you can. I waited until I had at least one confirmed interview which ended up with me rushing to create a portfolio within a week. Learn from my mistakes, make one as soon as you can. It isn’t mandatory to have one, but it really helps. 

If you’re doing textiles or a costume course, take an example of something you made. My friend took a tailcoat she made to all of her interviews and that went down really well. If you’re working on a project, take some of the work with you. I took a prompt copy from a show I was working on at the time to my last interview and that went down amazingly, it gave us something else to talk about and it showed my growth form my portfolio and it was relevant. Plus it’s a very good way to get a free ego boost. Those are my tips on creating a portfolio, I hope they helped! 
~ En

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