It was after watching the film, ‘About Time’ (an amazing film by the way, the main female character is played by Rachel McAdams who is my all time favourite and I would really recommend it!) that I realised something about my life. For a while now, I feel as though I haven’t been living life to its full potential. As cliché as that phrase sounds it describes perfectly where I feel I have gone wrong. I am happily in my second year at Leeds uni, I have the best friends I could ask for and a great family yet I still feel as though I haven’t actually been completely immersed in my life. Somehow, amongst all the chaos of leaving home and becoming a new and independent person, I managed to lose myself along the way.
On the surface, everything seems pretty good and most of the time it is! But on a deeper, more personal level, I feel as though for some time, I have just been going through the motions. My week consists of lectures… and missing lectures; trying to spend as little as I can on my lunch and bus fares then blowing £30 easily on a night out or a new dress for a night out; dragging myself to the gym but then ruining the hard work with chocolate and takeaways; trying to get on with seminar work, talking for way too long in the kitchen with my house mates and then trying to do a bit more seminar work until the early hours of the morning… the usual week of a student. Yet I am distanced, I feel as though I am not actually experiencing life. I feel as though I am following a plan that someone else has devised for me, a typical student life.
I am not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing but there are so many things that I would love to change that I probably could. Yes, there are things that are completely out of my control but there are quite a few things that are actually within my power to do something about. I just want to feel that I am being pro active and shaping my life the way that I want it to be. I want to explore all the sides of my personality and not let myself settle into a monotonous routine of which I become bored. So, I have decided to start a blog. I want to keep a record of my attempt to change the things I don’t like about my life and a record of the things I love in life.
I have always loved creativity, art and photography so I really want to get back into this. I am already a big Instagram lover and user (@sassbristow) so check out some of my photos on there! Here is one of my favourite photos that I took in the city Graz in Austria last summer. I think the combination of the colours, the soft lighting and the depth of field really make the photo very beautiful and romantic:
I also love taking photos of people, here is an example of a photo from a shoot I did with my sister in our garden:
Last term I started attending life drawing classes which I absolutely love, I find it such a great way to relax after a long day at uni. I would like to try and find more classes like this and really allow my creative side to come out! Often things like this are forgotten about amongst the task of balancing university work and a social life but I think it is really important to find time for the things that you love to do. Here is an example of one of my drawings from class:
I had a huge desire to paint this holiday. I got my old paints out from GCSE art and I was all set to go until I then realised that the paints had gone mouldy and were unusable; I was so disappointed! Nevertheless, I used what resources I had and here is the result of an evening of pencil drawing:
I love cooking and baking so I want to post some of my favourite recipes and meal ideas. I do have a weakness with making cupcakes and whenever I go home from uni I am unstoppable ! I love trying out new flavours. Here is a photo of one of the white chocolate and raspberry cupcakes that I baked at the start of the month, they were absolutely delicious and I will probably post the recipe on here soon!
I absolutely love red velvet cake so I also made a batch of red velvet cupcakes for mothers days! They were absolutely delicious and I love the red glitter that I put on top!
Another of my favourite puddings to make is baked apples. Which are little healthier I guess, if you ignore the ice cream (but everyone needs ice cream every now and again!).
However, as much as I do love my cakes and deserts, I also want to get into healthy and organic eating. I am definitely going to track my progress with creating and sticking to a clean eating plan. On a similar topic, I have decided that I want to change my gym routine. I will write another post on this in more detail but basically, for the last 6 months I really got into my cardio and I have been doing a lot of running but I want to try and get into weights and lifting. I think this would be a better use of my time in the gym in the long run and who doesn’t want to get toned and in shape for summer?! During my running training, I managed to reduce my 10k time by 12 minutes which I am extremely proud of!
I also had a Gait analysis done in the christmas holidays so that I could buy a pair of trainers that would support my feet. If you are into running I would really recommend doing this. I could instantly feel the difference with my new running shoes and it is reassuring to know that I am helping to protect my feet and ankles the best I can. Running is a high impact sport and it is so important to try and look after your feet.
I love fashion so there will definitely be fashion and beauty posts. I intend to write about trends that I love, new clothes that I want, beauty products that I am lusting after. At the moment I am on the look out for a collection of skin products that really work for me and my skin so this is something that I will be investigating and then writing about. I have a weakness for gorgeous nail varnish colours and I love decorating my nails for a big night out. Here is a photo of my nails that I recently did for a ball that we had at uni. It is a L’oreal Paris nail varnish and the shade is ‘104 Beige Countess’. I really love natural, nude shades at the moment, I think they look so elegant and sophisticated. They are perfect to wear both in the day and at night. As you can see here I jazzed them up a bit with glitter for the ball!
Another passion of mine is interior design. I have always been really interested in colour schemes and the way that different shades can complement one another; how some colours just work really well together and others do not. I love fabrics and patterns and looking at the organisation and layout of a room. I love reading home magazines, watching home programs on television and I can spend hours looking around home and interior shops! So this will definitely be making an appearance in my posts. Here is a photo of my room at uni. I will no doubt be doing a separate post on this but here is a sneak preview!
I absolutely love to travel and explore new places. Ideally, one day I will travel the world and in the future, maybe after I have completed my degree, I will put this plan into action. At the moment though, I have just returned from a dance tour to Spain which was so much fun and I will probably post about it very soon! I am also planning a trip to Thailand and Vietnam with my friends this summer so expect regular updates!
Finally, I intend to write posts on anything that I find interesting to talk about. From creativity, travel and fashion to growing up and becoming the person that I want to be, my vision is to create a blog all about me and what I love/think/do… basically, what Sass says 🙂
So here is my first post!
Thanks so much for reading this,
Sass x
whatsasssays 
Great post! I definitely relate to a lot of what you said – especially the parts about not quite feeling like you’re getting everything out of life. Since changing uni courses and making sure to find time for my interesets (which sound almost identical to yours haha), I’ve felt a million times better in myself! I always feel like there’s more I could improve on (that’s my perfectionism talking), but I think the fact that we’re even thinking about changing up our routine is better than what most people do 😛 you def sound similar to me in that respect! I can’t wait to read more from you x
Thanks! I am excited to start doing the little things that I love and recording them on here! It is great to hear that finding time for your interests made you feel better about yourself, that is what I hoe to get from all of this! I am excited to take a look at your blog now 🙂 Sass x
Ah that’s great, and it sounds fairly similar to what my blog will hopefully be about too! Cool, lemme know what you think of it so far (still very much a work in progress!)
ps – I absolutely freaking love About Time too 😛 and it totally sums up the point you’re trying to make perfectly! I came out of that film feeling so ready to grab life by the horns haha x
Yes, mine is also still a work in progress! But everyone has to start somewhere right? 🙂 I love it! It is one of my all time favourite films! Haha, it really makes you want to live life to the full! x
oh, your weekly schedule sounds exactly like mine when i was in school. isn’t it crazy how much effort can be spent budgeting lunches, and how much money on just one night out??? anyways, you’re very talented, your drawings are beautiful. looking forward to seeing more!
Haha, it really is! Thankyou so much, I am excited to write more posts 🙂 Sass x
I am totally hooked, best wishes on your personal success with this blog! I’m sure when you start posting, and then reviewing your posts, you’ll feel quite satisfied with your unique personality and creativity… It’s really great that you’re doing this for yourself, and I’m glad you are going to share! Happy greetings from Egypt!
Thankyou very much! Already I feel that through sharing my plans I am feeling much better about myself and inspired for the future. I look forward to checking out your blog!
Sass x
Ga! I love how artistic your room looks, and those cupcakes are beautiful. Not to mention your artwork being lovely… can I just have roughly one percent of your talent? No more, I swear, but for me, that would represent a significant improvement on my drawing abilities.
Will look forward to seeing what else you post! 🙂
Thankyou so much, this is such a lovely comment!! I am excited to write more posts! I am excited to have a look at your blog now 🙂
Sass x
I can relate to you on the whole going through the motions thing. Just do one thing each day that you wouldn’t normally do and you’ll start to feel in control of your life again. Visit a different cafe to the usual, get to know a stranger, if you see somebody you like, go introduce yourself! I know a lot of women wouldn’t have the guts to do it, but if it makes your heart beat faster and gets your adrenaline going, you feel alive, and that buzz might stick with you all day.
This is such a good idea! Thanks for the inspiring comment, I am going to make this my aim for each day. It is this feeling of being alive that you talk about that I want to feel! x
Liked the post… Got to ask though… What is the significance of the padlocks on the fence in regards to the photo you took in Austria?… Sounds like there is a good story attached to it.
A good question! I think they are referred to as ‘love locks’ and a similar concept can be seen in quite a few other cities in Europe. Most people are familiar with the padlocks on a bridge in Paris. Basically, I think the idea is that two people attach a padlock and inscribes their names on it. The reason and relationship between the two people is different in every case, although often people who are in a relationship do it. It is such an lovely idea though! There are so many padlocks and it demonstrates such a beautiful side of human nature. It is also leaves me so intrigued to the stories behind all of the padlocks! Maybe I should write a blog post on this topic, you have inspired me! 🙂
Sass x
That’s kinda beautiful, I like that, bit like a modern day version of carving initials into a tree… I’ll look out for your post 🙂
It’s actually good you are having this conversation with yourself at this point in your life. Don’t settle … and don’t let anyone or anything steal your joy. I’m still having the same conversation with myself several decades later. BTW, I’m a new follower from the Blogging 101 challenge. LOVE your header! Customizing a blog header is probably my next step in my blog’s evolution.
Yes, I realised that I had become stuck in a rut and I am still so young and have the ability to change it! I think it is so important to always be thinking what could make you happier and to try and achieve it! Thanks so much! I look forward to seeing your blog header 😀
Sass x
Sorry to butt in here hehe, but I just had to say that I COMPLETELY agree with this! I study philosophy at uni and it has taught me so much about how people think they should live etc. I used to surpress any thoughts or doubts I had about how I was living my life, but now I can see that living an ignorant, un examined , and monotonous life is just no fun! I think constant reevaluation of your goals and aspirations is so important – I’m glad there are other people who think the same 🙂
Wonderful introduction! I recently watched “About Time,” and I found it wildly exciting as well. Similar to you, I left the movie thinking that I needed to utilize my time better…That is, until I find a way to travel through time! I’m looking forward to reading more of your content, as we have quite similar interests. Here’s my suggestion though, if you so desire to hear it! You wrote that you felt you were just going through the motions as a student, that you felt your life was already determined for you. When I was in college a few years back, I felt the exact same thing. I was two years into a bio/chem pre-med program, when I realized I truly wasn’t happy. Luckily, I was able to switch my major in time to still graduate within the next two years. I know I barely know you, but it sounds like if you’re just going through the motions at college, then you’re not in the best program for you. Unlike grade school, college is where you finally have the freedom to choose exactly what you want to learn. Thus, even though the courses can be demanding and tedious, they should offer at least some interest or excitement for you. You appear to have several talents, so maybe take some time to reassess your situation. After all, these are the best years of your life. You don’t want to waste them by completing a degree you don’t truly desire. Like I said, I barely know you, so this might not apply. I just see some similarities between the two of us, and if I could travel back in time 🙂 I’d tell myself to take some serious “me time,” and figure out exactly how I want to use my talents and skills. Best of luck to you!
This was so interesting to read and has really got me thinking so thank you for taking the time to write this! The thought that maybe I am not doing exactly what I want to be doing has always been at the back on my mind, I have always wondered whether I should be doing something a little more creative so it was quite scary to see some of my thoughts mirrored in your reply after having read just one of my posts! Maybe it is more obvious than I was aware and I do need to consider if I am truly happy in my degree. I am studying English and I do enjoy it but sometimes I wonder if there was something else I would rather be doing. I always wanted to take a course in interior design, but my parents both being scientists were not very supportive in me following this through! It is always possible that I could do this once I have finished my English degree though and I am no longer going to let what other people think, stop me from following my heart!
I understand the tough situation you’re in. It’s hard when you and your parents don’t see eye to eye, but when it comes down to it, they truly want you to be happy with your life, to do what YOU love. It might take a while for them to adjust to your independence, but trust me, life is far too short to be living it for someone besides yourself. I’ve made the mistake of putting the wishes of my loved ones before my own because I thought sacrificing myself would show them how much I loved them, but what they really wanted all along was just for me to be happy. Though, I’m not saying to ditch the English degree, especially if you’re halfway through it and you feel you might really utilize it. I wrongly confused living for myself with arrogance, and the last thing I wanted to be was conceited. It sounds cliché, but listen to your heart- which it appears you’re doing! You’ve got this!
I love, love, love, love About Time! The director also directed another of my favourite movies, Love Actually.
I think people who have varied interests like you, (and myself) have a slightly harder time feeling “connected” to things if we’re not pursuing at least one or all of them? It’s just that there are so many it’s hard to keep up sometimes but good luck to you!
Yes! Love Actually is amazing too, so so good.
You are right, there is so much that I want to do and enjoy doing and so little time! Hopefully with this blog, I can try and make time for all the things I want to do. Thanks, I look forward to checking out your blog now! x
I love your post! I could SO relate to much of what you described about feeling like you’re just passively floating through life. This is something I’ve been contemplating myself for a while now. I’m looking forward to reading more as the challenge progresses.
Thanks so much! Yeah I think this is something that happens to a lot of us and it is so important to find ourselves again!
It sounds really good. I loved this post and I could relate a lot. ❤ Thank you for sharing.
Thankyou so much!
Hi Sass 🙂 wow, you’re a talented girl 🙂 you can draw beautifully 🙂 I can understand what you mean by being out of touch with yourself, I usually take a trip home to my family when I need to find myself again, but you have a lot of good going on for you- like I said, you draw beautifully, you obviously bake some great stuff 🙂 and with all the other hobbies… These are the things that make you- You! That was a very thorough blog-post and well written! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thankyou 🙂 yeah that is a good suggestion, I guess being home and with my family lets me get back in touch with my roots and the foundations in which I am built upon.
Thanks for the comment and feedback, much appreciated!
Sass x
Your blog is just perfect, you’re just so honest!:-)
Thanks so much! 🙂 x
elegant & appetizing title. nice photoshop work!!
Thankyou 🙂 x
I really enjoyed reading your truth here! Thank you for sharing!
Hey Sass! I love your good spirit and you being true to yourself is one step along the lane of life many are yet to take. Im just a baby blogger and I ll love it if you show me around, some little tips here and there. Still yet to give a major post cos I want to be truelly inspired.
Hey there! I guess some tips would be like you say, to stay true to yourself!! It’s all about writing about what you wanna write and connecting with others who are similar to you/inspire you etc. Enjoy! x