Showing posts with label :). Show all posts
Showing posts with label :). Show all posts

Thursday, 20 March 2014

I'm just a little clueless...

So I was going a little crazy while attempting to study/finish homework/start on assignments last weekend, and I thought I needed a little break. Since I'd heard a lot of good things about this particular movie, I decided to watch ...Clueless. Oh. My. God. This is actually my favourite movie at the moment, I'm not even joking.
Before I go into detail about what this movie has taught me, I thought I'd share my favourite Clueless quotes with you all. Read on.

[driving up to a huge house]
Cher: "This is where Dionne lives. She's my friend because we both know what it's like for people to be jealous of us."

Amber: "Was I the only one listening? I thought it reeked."
Cher: "No, I believe that’s your designer imposter perfume."

"Ugh, as if!"

Amber: "Ms. Stoeger, my plastic surgeon doesn’t want me doing any activity where balls fly at my nose."
Dionne: "Well, there goes your social life."

Mr.Hall: [as Travis goes to jump out window] "And could the suicide attempts PLEASE be postponed until the next period?"

"Christian said he’d call the next day, but in boy time that meant Thursday."

"So okay, I don’t want to be a traitor to my generation and all but I don’t get how guys dress today. I mean, come on, it looks like they just fell out of bed and put on some baggy pants and take their greasy hair (eww!) and cover it up with a backwards cap and like, we’re expected to swoon? I don’t think so."

"He does dress better than I do, what would I bring to the relationship?"

Mel: "What the hell is that?"
Cher: "A dress."
Mel: "Says who?"
Cher: "Calvin Klein."

Cher: [wondering why she feels so horrible because of Tai and Josh; looks in a store window] "Ooh! I wonder if they have that in my size."

Cher: "If it’s a concussion, you have to keep her conscious, okay? Ask her questions."
Elton: "What’s seven times seven?"
Cher: "Stuff she knows!"

"I was just totally clueless."

Okay, I'm done (but seriously, this movie is like the Mean Girls of the 90's!).
Just about all of us are a little clueless about something (or everything), and during our teenage years especially. I actually think this is a pretty good thing. I mean, life wouldn't exactly be exciting if we knew all about anything and everything. This is the beauty of life - no one truly knows what is going to happen in the future, so this definitely gives you the right to take chances. Discover new things! No matter how 'crazy' your ideas may seem, you should definitely attempt to put your (not too extreme) ideas into action by doing whatever you can to make your dreams into a reality.

Still not convinced you should share your ideas? Maybe I should give you an example. I'm guessing you're all familiar with Richard Branson (or heard of any business beginning with 'Virgin'). He single-handedly began quite a large number of his own businesses - some failed; others are now extremely successful. My point being, Branson had an idea. No matter how many times he got knocked down or was laughed at, he didn't stop giving up and is now one of the richest people in Britain.

So no matter how clueless you may be right now, someday everything will make perfect sense. So make the most of it! xx

Wednesday, 19 February 2014

When you don't like change...

If you've read my favourites' posts from mid-2013, you'll probably know that I love Lauren Conrad and everything she's written/appeared in - her TV show, her fictional books, as well as her Style and Beauty books... Don't even get me started on her personal website and The Beauty Department! She's a very talented woman, who happens to have made some comments that have stuck with me. I won't mention all my favourites just yet (maybe in another post?), because I'd like to talk about one particular quote right now. I've included it below...

“And lastly…why did you move to L.A.? Besides your job, why L.A.?”
Jane thought for a minute. “To be uncomfortable.”
Dana and Wendell looked at her, a little confused.
“My whole life I’ve always been safe, boring…comfortable,” Jane explained. “I’ve had the same friends my whole life. I have a great family. I grew up in a beautiful place. I was really lucky, but I came to L.A. to get out of my comfort zone and do something different.” 
(Conrad, L. LA Candy, 2010)


It's a well-known fact that almost every human doesn't like the idea of change. And why would you? Things are (mostly) perfectly fine as they are, and it's quite common to become hesitant when it comes to changing things up. Things are familiar, routinely...comfortable for you. Which is why it's good to remember that stepping out of your comfort zone may be just what you need in life. I mean, how else will you get to see everything the world has to offer for you?

And as for stepping out of your comfort zone? Well, the choice is up to you! Just do whatever makes you feel uncomfortable (in a good way), such as changing jobs or taking up a new hobby. And I don't know if I should be asking this, but I'm going to do it anyway: Do you really want to have the exact same life in 20 years as you do now? If the answer is yes, then that's completely fine - actually, that's great! However, if your answer is no, then you may want to think about trying something different every now and then.


If you don't like something, change it. If you've decided what you'd like to try, but are scared, click here for a post I recently published that's all about making decisions.

No matter how much you deny it, you're probably hesitant when it comes to trying something different. But this is completely okay! The best thing to do is to accept that at some point, change is going to happen. Focus on the positives of these changes, and you'll be able to handle anything. xx

Wednesday, 5 February 2014

Making a decision (the right way)

No matter who you are, no matter how smoothly your life may be going at the moment... there will come a time where you'll need to make an important decision sooner or later. Don't stress, though - I've compiled a list of questions (with not-so-creative examples) you may need to ask yourself before making the all-important decision, ASAP.

Is this possible?
Let's say you were wondering whether to put medicine as one of your preferences on a university application. If it's obvious you don't have the grades to get into this particular course (doctors have to be unnaturally smart!!), you may want to consider another course. On another note, if your grades are just a little away from being doctor-standard, you could consider an external program or a training course to make your application really stand out and higher your chances of being accepted.
-> Before deciding to do something, just check if it's feasible before you set your mind to it. :)

If I go through with this, how will it affect everyone around me?
So you've just been offered an amazing job... that's halfway across the world. Your decision as to whether or not to accept this offer really depends on how settled you are right now. If you're really close to your family and are in a serious relationship with someone who can't move, maybe taking the offer just isn't right for you. However, if you're a pretty independent person and the people closest to you wouldn't mind (or may even move with you), taking the offer may be the thing that really kickstarts a great career for you.
-> Of course, at the end of the day it's your decision that matters the most - but it's probably best to consider the feelings of those closest to you before you decide on something potentially life-changing.

Is this what I truly want?
So you live in a relatively small town and your parents are expecting you to move to the city for university. Despite the fact that you think it's a good idea, think about what you really want to do. If you'd feel comfortable staying where you are for a little longer (or maybe you'll never really want to leave), then I recommend doing what you think will make you feel the happiest at the end of the day.
-> Try flipping a coin to decide whether you should leave town or not - while the coin is in the air, you'll suddenly know what answer you're hoping for.

Will this make me happy?
Your friend has decided that she's sick of your long hair and has suggested you get it cut a bit shorter - no, make that a lot shorter. Other friends and family members may agree with this idea, but you need to consider your own feelings towards this decision before the opinions of anyone else (and no, this isn't being selfish).
-> Focus on making yourself happy before dedicating your time towards helping other people find happiness.

Best/worst possible outcomes?
Okay, so you want to join a club/sports team, but you're worrying that it'll be difficult to make new friends/master the skill/etc, etc. Before you freak out, just take a moment to consider the best and worst possible outcomes from joining. The worst outcome would probably be that you hate the commitment and end up leaving after a few weeks. Not so bad, is it? However, the best outcome could be that you love your team/club and make heaps of new friends along the way.
-> Seriously, though - you'll never know if you never try.

Okay, so I accidentally posted this a week late... But I'll definitely try to keep up with blogging from now on! xx

Next Week: Valentines' SOS

Wednesday, 27 November 2013

Speak Now. Yeah, right now

Whoa, Katrina's posting again?? Sorry this blog hasn't been updated in ages, but things have been so hectic at school lately. But, guess what? Tomorrow is my last day of school for the year, which means I'll be regularly posting again! Yay! Oh, and if you haven't noticed (well, of course you have), I've updated the entire theme of my blog. Let me know if you like it!

So, to start things off again, I wanted to post about something I think everyone should know. Because if you don't learn this lesson, things have the potential to get pretty ugly. So what exactly is this "important life lesson?" It's to speak now. Yeah, right now.

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you really like someone, but you're not good friends with them and want to talk to them more often, please listen to me when I say SPEAK NOW. No, this doesn't mean call that person up right now and express your undying love for him/her. It means that starting from today, you should definitely begin to either start making contact with this person (smiling at them when you catch their eye, or just saying "hey" as you walk past them), or try to become better friends with them (snapchat has definitely made me closer with some people). The reason I'm insisting you do this ASAP?? Because I've had a few moments where I've either been too shy or worried over what people will think of me to have the courage to talk to certain people. And trust me, this hurts more than rejection. I mean, I'd much rather feel temporarily sad because I've made a bad impression on someone, than stay quiet and feel horrible because I'll never know what would have happened if I'd only done something, anything!

On the last holiday I went on, there were a bunch of people my age there - with the added benefit of a "teens club." Normally I'm quite shy when it comes to meeting new people, but for some reason I turned into a very loud person on the first few days of this particular holiday. Long story short, I ended up in an amazing group of friends from all over the state who I'll never forget. It's also pretty safe to say that it was the best holiday I'd ever been on, ever. I mean, imagine if I'd been my usual, quiet self in those first few days of the holidays? Would I have seen them doing everything together while I'd wondered what it would be like to hang out with them?

I really hope you get the point of this post, because you know how the famous quote goes, "I'd rather have a life of 'oh well's' than a life of 'what if's.'" And as of today, I'll be continuing to post every Thursday afternoon! :D So that's all from me for now, so I'll talk to you all again next week, bye! xx

Next Week: Make your own cute wall art

Thursday, 3 October 2013

Getting Motivated. You can do it!

We all know the feeling. You’ve got exams to study for and assignments to finish, but there’s a problem. You just can’t be bothered and you don’t want to. Yep, happens to everyone. Don’t worry though, I’m here to help.

So, what exactly is your goal? Whatever it is, just make sure it’s realistic and if it’s a large goal, set yourself mini-goals that lead to it. Secondly, what are you going to do to achieve that goal?

For example, your goal may be to update your wardrobe. Set yourself a weekly/monthly clothing allowance, and stick to it! You could aim to get at least one new piece every few weeks, over three months. By the end of it, you will have your desired goal and possibly extra spending money. Win-win!

Now, this is the part where you groan. You know what your goal is and what you have to do to get it, so now you actually have to do something to achieve it (Oh no, too much effort? I know what you mean). A lot of people say that they don’t have/can’t find time to do what they want, but…

You can’t find time, you have to make time.

That’s my little secret. Also, if you have a boring goal, then you can reward yourself at the end! Yes! You can have a picture of your goal or write it down and keep it somewhere you’ll always see it, like in your purse or next to your bed. You create your own motivation.

There may be a time when your progress towards your goal gets interrupted, but you need to look through that problem and go back to what you were doing previously. You can do it!



I hope you all achieve your goals and have an amazing weekend! xx

Taken from: My second tumblr (I'm on holidays! :D)

Wednesday, 25 September 2013

My Crazy Camp Adventures

This is going to be a little different to what I'd typically post, mostly because this is going to be about my real life. (What!? Katrina has a life outside the internet? Believe me, I'm shocked, too)
Last week, I went on school camp to a little town right next to the ocean. And don't let the location mislead you, because we didn't go tanning and swimming all day... Just read on :)

On the first day, we drove to a little caravan park and had lunch, then we were dropped off at the entrance to a 27km track through the rainforest (no!). And to top it all off, most of us had backpacks weighing about 13kg (NO!). It was okay though, because we only walked 8km on relatively flat ground. (Actually, don't tell anyone but I pretty much died, shh) But in reality, the whole walk was much easier than what everyone made it out to be.

The next day, we got up at 5:30am, packed up our entire camp and left by 7am. In my opinion, this was by far the hardest day for the whole camp, mostly because there were So. Many. Hills! I was a bit sick, but I was still pretty happy with the speed I walked at - And I think some expert deep heat massages helped everyone's muscles to feel a lot better ;) -

The last day of the walk!!!! Today was basically just 4km's of going up one massive hill, before nearly tripping down the other (very steep) side. Also, our "parkour" (jumping over rocks with our backpacks on) helped pass the time. After we finished, we all went back to the caravan park and showered (finally!), then went into town and ate our way through McDonald's - hey, I'd just gone through 2 days of eating nothing but muesli bars!

The next day, we left our trek bags at the caravan park and swapped them with smaller backpacks because... we were going to an island! And instead of travelling there on a boat like normal people, we kayaked about 5km to get to the island. It was super fun, but my shoulders are still sunburnt :(. That afternoon, we had heaps of fun burying people in sand/coral, and just hanging out on the beach in general. It would have been nice if we stayed for longer, but we still had to go home the next day (I still loved it and had so much fun!).

On the way back from the island, I made a terrible decision by convincing myself that I'd be able to steer the kayak. After getting a little too close to everyone else, some of my friends thought it would be funny to flip up our steering thing (yeah, I forgot the name), causing us to go backwards for a while until I realised what was wrong. After this, I decided to keep well away from everyone else - and ended up bumping into a stationary yacht with 200m left to paddle. Yeah yeah, laugh all you want - but it's hard to steer with your feet! (Oh, and we saw a dolphin about 10m from our boat - seriously!)

Sadly, this isn't my photography... but this view is amazing!
Aaaaand that was my week! If I had the chance, I would live it over again because I had so much fun and I absolutely loved it! :) - I know I've left some inside jokes in this post, but I know a few of my friends read this blog. - The things I'll remember the most about the camp include...
- One of my friends running down the street with a McDonald's bag on his head :')
- Watching massage trains :')
- Finishing the hike without any scratches or sprains
If you liked this week's post and want to hear more about my "adventures" and whatnot, leave a comment! Other than that, that's all from me for now and I'll talk to you next time, bye xx

Next Week: Getting Motivated. You can do it!

Thursday, 19 September 2013

September Favourites ♡

Hey Hey! That's right - my monthly favourites are here yet again! So let's skip the intro and get straight into it, shall we? :)

Beauty Favourites
For those of you who don't know, lip balm is by far my favourite beauty product, ever. The Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balms are super good quality, and come in a range of pretty shades (I own the rose tinted one). These take literally no time to quickly swipe on your lips as you run out of the door, and the right colour can make you look much more polished.

Secondly, paw paw (or is is papaw?) ointment has been my love for months now. It can be used as a lip balm, clear mascara, brow gel or even a highlighter. Yeah, I know - What!? Since the formula is nearly transparent, it can easily be used in your everyday routine without being detected as makeup (if you have a no-makeup rule at your school like I do).

Casual Favourites
Yeah, I know The Hills is pretty much old news by now... But I absolutely love it! I watched one episode to see what the big deal was about (and because LC stars in it), and next think I knew I was already onto the second season. Scripted or not, this show is super addicting!

Ever since I got some black high-top Converse shoes from some very generous friends on my birthday this year, coordinating outfits with shoes has been so much easier. Whatever you're wearing, these can easily be slipped on and still look cute! Plus, since they're enclosed, they are appropriate for just about anything you do. (I actually wear mine to theme parks so I don't have to keep slipping them on and off between rides)

My favourite song lately has been "R U Crazy" by Conor Manyard. It's seriously catchy and I think it's Conor's best song yet!                                                                                       Oh, and just to be fair, "Better Be Mine" by Cody Simpson isn't my favourite song at the moment, but it's still pretty amazing so I think it deserves a special mention :)
I'm actually away camping right now, so I've had to quickly write this on the weekend. Next month, there'll be heaps more favourites, I promise! xx

Next Week: My Crazy Camp Adventures

Thursday, 22 August 2013

Making a Statement. You know you want to.

Party? School? Whatever the occasion, sometimes (or all the time) you feel like you just need to make a statement. But do you know how to? Read on.

Make-up: And the golden rule is… only focus on one area at a time. This means a bold lip during the day, then taking your lipstick off and having a smoky eye at night (whatever works for you!).

Clothes: Try to have plain colours around your statement piece. For example, you may have an Aztec print shirt and choose to pair it with a black skirt. For belts, try to wear the opposite colour to the colour of the belt (for a black belt, wear light clothes, and for lighter or neon belts, wear darker colours). For shoes, you can wear (almost) whatever you want with them, keeping in mind that printed jeans won’t draw attention to your shoes.
                             

Jewelry: It’s all about the bling! If your jewelry sparkles or is metallic (silver/gold/charcoal), make sure if it matches your outfit (only for necklaces and earrings). You can go crazy with your bracelets etc. For colourful jewelry, make sure you wear something white to really bring out the colours!
When it comes to jewelry, you can be as subtle or obvious as you're comfortable with
Hair: Do something you wouldn’t normally do. If you check my archive for this blog, you’ll be able to find something new to try that you haven’t even taken a second thought about!
Nina Dobrev
Nails: White clothes look so pretty with coral coloured nails! Black looks amazing with glittery colours, especially silver. For other colours, just look on a colour wheel and go either similar colours or the complete opposite of the wheel!


If you keep these tips in mind, it’ll be all eyes on you next time you’re out and about. If you need just one more tip from me, it is to be confident! You’re beautiful no matter what, just remember that. Till next time xx
Taken from: My Second Tumblr

Next Week: The Perfect Subtle Make-up Tutorial

Wednesday, 14 August 2013

August Favourites!

Hey Hey! So this week I'll be talking about my August favourites (oh, and is it just me or is 2013 going way too fast?). I have no idea what else to say in this intro, so let's get started :)

Makeup Favourites
I like to think that I'm pretty good when it comes to applying makeup, but there's just one problem: I've only learnt half of it! I mean, I've got blending concealer and applying mascara down pat, but I've never been brave enough to try the complicated stuff, like eyeshadow. Yeah yeah, I know - I'm boring! Since then, I've started to make an effort in learning how to master eyeliner. I decided to purchase a liquid eyeliner because I was struggling with my kohl pencil, but a very helpful sales assistant deterred me from the expensive brands and to the ChiChi Black is Black Liquid Eyeliner Pen instead. It worked just as well, if not better, than any other eyeliner from a well-known brand. (plus, it's a fraction on the price!) Remember, sales assistants are paid to help you, so make the most out of them!



Ahh, Maybelline Baby Lips! Just about all my friends keep one in their pencil case at school, because they're so handy to have wherever you are! Plus, the name isn't misleading; your lips are so soft when you regularly use it!

Okay, this is another long-time favourites of mine. For too long, I've been suffering from dark circles (no matter how much sleep I get). However, it's unlikely that you'll ever see them while I have makeup on. My secret? I've been using the Garnier Anti-Dark Circles Roll-on nearly every day for the past 2 years, because I love it so much! It's not the strongest concealer out there, so it doesn't look like you've covered your face in makeup - but still covers your dark circles. In addition to this, the formula includes caffeine, which helps to de-puff your eyes. Seriously, this thing works!

Beauty Favourites
As horrible as it is, a lot of people have dandruff. Also, cheap shampoos that you pick up from your local supermarket may seem to fix the problem, but will actually damage your hair if you use them for long enough. As for the expensive products? As much as I hate to say it, the upmarket products are the ones you should be looking at. Sure, they may be expensive, but they definitely work. Currently, my favourite hair product is the Kerastase Bain Exfoliant Purifiant anti-dandruff shampoo. 
                                

Casual Favourites
My favourite clothing item for this month are the Lorna Jane tank tops (wow, trust me to include workout clothes in my favourites!). But hear me out: everything from Lorna Jane is perfect for almost any sport, no matter what your size. Also, I find their clothes are super comfy, and are made from good quality, breathable materials. 

Okay, I know you're all probably sick of hearing me talk about Lauren Conrad's books, but seriously! I'm currently reading the final book in her The Fame Game series, and I'm literally glued to it! I strongly recommend reading her books, because they're really well-written and the stories are quite unique. 

TV Favourites! Okay, so whoever hasn't seen an episode of Pretty Little Liars should definitely consider doing so (Warning: you'll be hooked). The storyline isn't the best, but it's just too easy to watch episode after episode without hesitation once you get started. Plus, the clothes these (extremely lucky) girls wear will definitely give you some fashion inspo. 


Finally, my favourite song is currently Summertime of our Lives, by Cody Simpson. I can't think of what else to say, so I'll leave you to form your own opinion on this super-catchy song. 
                  

That's all my favourites for August, but I'll definitely have a lot more next month! Don't forget to keep visiting this blog every Thursday for weekly posts. Till next time xx

Next Week: Making a Statement. You know you want to. 

Thursday, 8 August 2013

The Adventures of an Athlete

When I use the word "athlete," I generally use it as a loose term. In my eyes, an athlete is someone who loves sport and can even be a little bit competitive. So basically, I think everyone is an athlete at heart.
This week, I wanted to talk about my crazy "adventures" with sport, while also mentioning a few lessons that have helped me along the way, to help you get motivated.

Ever since I was little, I've loved to run. I remember winning my first cross country race back when I was in grade 1 (I think it was about 1.2km - intense stuff for a 6 year old), and realising that I actually wasn't too bad when it came to middle-distance running. Ever since then, I've taken running pretty seriously, but didn't start to properly train until I was 13. Also, I never really believed I was good enough for the district cross country team, until this year when I tried out and got in straight away! That taught me a pretty important lesson: You'll never know if you don't try.

Since I wasn't properly training until a few years ago, I wasn't doing any sport for a number of years - and this didn't make my parents too happy. In this time, I played basketball for a year (and hated it), was part of an athletics club for 2-3 years (and liked it, but ended up quitting because I didn't have a lot of friends there - another thing to remember is Don't let other people drive you away from something you love), and I nearly joined netball. This problem ended ended in grade 8, when I signed up for soccer because some of my friends were also playing. It took me a while to get used to it, especially when you have to alter your technique whenever you change the position you're playing. I'm so glad I signed up though, because I absolutely love it, and I've continued to play ever since.

If you're looking to get more serious about sport, one thing I cannot stress enough about is to take it easy when you're training! About 2 months ago, I was training for an event (that got postponed anyway) with so much intensity that I actually ended up tearing a muscle. Luckily, my school holidays allowed me to relax while I (rather impatiently) waited for it to heal. Which brings me to my next point...

When I haven't ran for about a week, I literally go crazy. Oh, my bedroom's just down the hall? Better sprint. I'm guessing half of you are thinking that I'm really weird right now, but I promise you I'm not. I mean,  being unable do what you love would probably make everyone go just a little crazy.

My advice when it comes to sport? Try a bit of everything to see what you enjoy, or you're good at. After that, join your local team and don't look back!



Everyone knows that regular exercise will cause you to look and feel healthy, but did you know that it can also make you happy? When you exercise, your brain releases feel-good hormones that can quickly improve your mood.

Okay everyone, that's all from me this week! If you have a question or suggestion about any of my posts, feel free to leave me a comment. Bye! xx

Next Week: August Favourites!