The Monthly Round Up #1

I never realised how much I like April until recently when I fully took in the fact that the sun was now rising at time I deem acceptable and providing us with longer days full of sunnier, warmer weather that does wonders for my overall mood. I recently realised how much I love reading about what bloggers have been up to over the month (as well as their beauty favourites) when I was reading Dana Fox's from The Wonderforest Bi-Weekly Review and thought I'd try my hand at a monthly one.

BLOG

After my little hiatus, I've been getting back into the swing of blogging, which I've been really enjoying, if it is a little challenging time-wise. You don't realise just how much productivity and time-management is important until you're trying to figure out where to fit in blog planning, blog writing, social media scheduling, commenting, product research and all that lovely jazz into your day whilst also attending the last of your lectures and revising for your upcoming final exams. So far, my only solution has been to wake up earlier (a lot earlier) to give myself a few extra hours.

I also participated in my first blogger chat, which was quite a milestone for me. I'd always been nervous that I wouldn't have anything to say, my social anxiety transferring from my real-life to my online social interactions, but when Rebecca-Louise from Autumn Leaves was hosting her first Twitter chat, I just had to participate. The experience was fun, informative and a great way to connect with other bloggers, as it's not always easy to keep up with your Twitter feed. I'll definitely be looking for a way to regularly participate in Twitter blog chats.

LIFE

In the final stretch of my law degree, my life is currently fifty shades of revision. As someone who has always been a chronic 'do everything at the last minute'-er, I wanted a change from the routine panic a week before exams when I realise I underestimated the complexity of my course syllabus, and cramming weeks worth of studying into a couple of caffeine-filled hours. After all, one definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the different results. So I've been trying to make sure I get a couple of hours of revision in every day instead, taking it at an easy, steady pace. With my exams starting on the 1st June though, I'm going to stepping up the pace in May, but hopefully avoid any and all panic and frenzy.

This month I've also been making a conscious to add exercise to my daily routine, mainly for the endorphins. I really enjoy doing Yoga With Adrienne when I feel like I need to wind down at the end of the day as well as give my body a lovely, deep stretch, but my wrists unfortunately don't agree with daily downward dogs. I recently discovered Joanna Soh's Youtube videos, and I have fallen in love - so much that they make up the bulk of my work out routine. If you're looking for fun, effective cardio interval-based workouts, then I would highly recommend Joanna.

To supplement this increase in activity, as well as my dairy-free, low-carb diet, I've also been taking the Forza Multivitamins for Dieters I got from this month's Lookfantastic Beauty Box. However much the name irks me, multivitamins are multivitamins. 

TV, MUSIC, ETC.

Netflix is a very dangerous for a student needing to focus. With the Easter break meaning I wasn't travelling to uni, so didn't have as much need for Spotify, so I swapped it for a Netflix subscription instead. The series which would win Most Binge-Watched Award would have to be Pretty Little Liars. I wasn't expecting to get into it as much as I did, but apparently there's something very intriguing about watching four young women from a small-town being terrorised by the mysterious 'A', who is never, ever who you suspect they'll be. I think the series finale of this show will rank up there with Friends and How I Met Your Mother. 

I am also a big fan of the Netflix Originals. House of Cards is a gritty political drama that had me gripped during the first two seasons, but the last season got a little too gritty for me. Daredevil also surprised me. I had no intention of watching it, but after hearing so many people raving about it, I checked it out and the next thing I knew it was three in the morning. There are perhaps a few too many action scenes for my liking, but it's one of those shows where there's a little something for everyone. 

Oh, and Game of Thrones is back, so that's self-explanatory ;)

READING

It annoys me that when my revision increases my time for reading decreases. I've been re-reading Feel The Fear...And Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers, which is a great book if you find yourself being held back in life by your fears. I really like it as an overall personal development book, but as I start thinking of what I want to do after university, it's helping me to see past my worries of failure and realise that I hold the tools for success.

I've also been trying to be a lot better with keeping up with my blog reading, though Bloglovin' likes to mockingly inform me there are a thousand odd posts I still haven't read. This month I liked these posts: 

A Little Boat Sailing | An Ode To Soap and Glory

A Little Opulent | The Creative CV

That Grace Girl | Best for Brows Prep & Care

A Beautiful Mess  | Elsie's Home Tour 

Autumn Leaves | Blog News & Top Content Creation Tools

Dizzybrunette | The Product That Stops Your Make Up Going Cakey

Being Erica | Update on dating

Emilade DIY | No Crease Hair Ties

What about you? What have you been up to this month?