Why Mainstream Media Should Stop Hating on Zoella

Hey!

For this post I thought I'd talk a little bit about why I think mainstream media should stop scrutinising and hating on Zoella.

Taken from Zoe's Instagram: @Zoella

In some ways, I think that a lot of mainstream media struggle to understand both the concept of YouTube and 'YouTubers' but also the success they bring. Many are accused of being not very successful or have people questioning their success when in actual fact, this new wave of culture should be celebrated. Media personalities and journalists need to face facts in my opinion, that YouTube is becoming a huge phenomenon and understand that it's a huge new factor of media. For a lot of the younger generation, this is what they are interested in and how they spend their spare time.

For me personally, Zoella has impacted on my life in many ways. I first began watching her videos in late 2012, after discovering her 'Dealing With Anxiety and Panic Attacks' video which at the time was very relevant to me and my life. I was at a stage where I was a bit confused and in denial about what was happening to me, but watching Zoe's video and her experiences made me realise they were similar in some cases to mine. I therefore had a lot of respect for her and began watching more of her videos and saw her grow into one of the UK's biggest vloggers. When I began watching her, the YouTube culture was still growing and the mainstream media hadn't quite got as involved with it as they have today. The community was a lot smaller and arguably 'tight-knit'.

Due to this, I do in some ways feel protective of her as YouTube has changed and grown so much since she first began posting videos and nobody really knew it would grow to what it is now and I can't imagine how that must be especially from an anxiety sufferer's point of view. She has had to adapt to so much change so quickly. And there's also obviously been setbacks and media making things harder for her, for example when her address became published online by a newspaper and she had people coming to her house. It's almost like respect is lost if you're a YouTuber just because some parts of your life is online, which I personally don't think is fair to any YouTuber, but in Zoe's case it must be hugely difficult to balance your anxiety out alongside that.

I conducted a survey to find out more opinions to see if I was the only person who thought this way and to discover what others think of Zoella.

Following the results from the survey, 30% of people who saw themselves as Zoella fans felt that she had been treated too harshly by the media, while another 30% also added that this was sometimes the case.
70% of people felt like Zoe is scrutinised by mainstream media because she is a successful and well established YouTuber and interestingly enough, 90% of people believe that mainstream media doesn't recognise that Zoe's target audience isn't just pre-teens.
Another question I felt to be very interested by the answers was 50% considered Zoella to be good role model, while 50% were not sure.

I have to say I agree that because Zoe has become successful from YouTube, that mainstream media scrutinise her because she is successful and established and I'd also add that they maybe use her as an example when talking about YouTubers when she does not reflect the entire community. I would also say that I do believe she is a good role model, obviously nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes and we all have past things we aren't happy with, but there's much worse influences that people could be looking up to than her, especially on the YouTube spectrum.

I found this article in the Independent, and it discusses why you should stop hating on Zoella purely because you don't understand her success.  http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/zoella-boots-advent-calendar-twitter-youtube-a8056376.html
I do think this happens to be the case as a lot of the older generation are out of touch with modern forms of media and they can sometimes be close-minded on learning and understanding of how YouTubers make their success and why they are so popular.

I hope this post has maybe made you think twice about both mainstream media and Zoe and other YouTubers of course too. I'd also like to thank everybody who took part in my survey for this post!
It is very appreciated!

Claire xxx

Never Give Up Quotes Book (And Why Quotes Books Can Help)

Hi!

I hope you're all well.

For the past few years, whilst life has gotten a little bit more hectic and conflicting, I've found a lot of comfort and hope with quotes. They can be very uplifting and relatable to me sometimes and I feel like they can really boost you.

One of my close friends kindly gifted me a book titled 'Never Give Up' which is basically a small book with a lot of different quotes that are intended to motivate and boost hope and improve wellbeing. As I mentioned, being someone who has taken a lot of comfort in quotes, I really like to find new ones and try and put them into practice in areas of my life when they are needed.

That's why I find this book very interesting and useful because it brings you a new set of quotes and new words to stand by.

I feel like if there's anyone out there who does struggle with life and trouble keeping faith, maybe books like this could provide some help? Obviously they depend on the person, but I feel like light reading like this can definitely bring in some light and hope when it seems like there isn't.

Please have a look on Amazon to see what you can find as there are all kinds of different books catered with quotes.

Claire xxx

Chester Weekend Trip (Meeting The SacconeJolys)

Hi!

Some of you may or may not know, but a couple of months ago I took a weekend trip to Chester, where I stayed with my best friend who is down there for university.
This trip has been long-awaited, as I've always wanted to go down but somehow I suppose my anxiety always got in the way and stopped me. It was always something which got to me.

This time however, was the time to go and visit her and also another special reason too.
We had tickets to meet The SacconeJolys on their book tour! Me and my best friend are both huge fans of The SacconeJolys and I've been watching them for a while now and I just find their videos so entertaining and really relaxing, they have gotten me through some tough times.

I travelled down on the train on Saturday afternoon (nearly missing it because my watch decided to stop and my housemate literally saved my skin by ringing a taxi for me last minute) and arrived around evening time, just in time for a Dominos!

I really enjoyed myself, we went for a night out on the Saturday night which was a lot of fun and one of my favourite nights out I've been on (and thankfully Beyoncé played) and then the next day, being a bit tired, we slept in, caught up on Strictly and watched Moana. She also made me a very tasty roast dinner which was soo good!

Monday was the day I went home but it was also the day we met The SacconeJolys. It was held in WH Smith, in the centre of the city which was great for me as it meant I got to see a bit more of Chester in the day this time! I should have taken more photos as it was my first time in Chester, but we were making sure we got there on time. At the signing, there was the opportunity to get your face painted with one of the dogs, or balloon animals. It was a very chilled event overall. As for Anna and Jonathan themselves, they were absolutely lovely and Jonathan's humour came out even in the short time we saw them. Anna looked so pretty and it was so weird to think that we were standing there beside them after having watched them for so long.

I really enjoyed my weekend down in Chester and I especially felt proud of myself because I know that I managed to throw myself into it and that a year or two ago I wouldn't have been able to do it. Looking back, I still can't believe I did it but I can't express how happy I am that I did. Somehow I managed to control my anxiety for the most and when I look back at the photos and videos, I smile a lot and am grateful for the amazing memories.

I also put together a short vlog featuring a couple of the clips and photos I took over the weekend (not all of them). Enjoy!

Claire xxx

Christmas Gift Ideas: Best Friend

 

Hey everyone!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! And if you still haven't got a plan of what to get your best female friend, take a little look at my gift ideas below:

Unicorn Mug - £10.00 Missguided.co.uk
(You could even get some chocolates or hot chocolate and marshmallows to put inside with the mug for an extra cute gift!

Strawberry Treats Set - £6.00 The Body ShopPerfect for someone who deserves a relaxing and indulging bath, you could team this up with some face masks or a cute shower cap to complete the gift.

Flamingo Wall Print - £3.15 EtsyThis wall print is so cute and would make a great gift for a friend who's into interior and decorating. If you wanted to follow up with something to go with it, you could always buy a reed diffusor or candle.

Cactus Hoodie - £5.69 Amazon.co.ukFor your friend who loves to be cosy and snug, an oversized hoodie would be a very appreciated gift idea. This cactus one is so cute and quirky, as it's from Amazon so you won't see it worn everywhere. You could even pair it with some cosy socks from Primark to make sure the person is extra snug!

Echo Falls Gift Set - £5 TescoWho doesn't love a little beverage around the festive season, (providing you are of legal age)? This Echo Falls gift set is so cute because not only do you receive a small bottle of wine, you get some Lindor chocolate and a sweet little glass to go with it! Pair up with a DVD your friend may like or a new lipstick and you're sorted.

Sleek Solstice Highlighter Palette - £9.99 Superdrug
This highlight palette has caught my eye for a while but it would make a gorgeous gift for a makeup loving best friend, as it's budget friendly and Sleek are a brand which do amazing quality products for their price range. A nail polish or cute brush set would be the perfect partner for this gift idea!

 

Personalised Wall Calendar - £14.99 Boots
Taken loads of selfies with a friend over the past year? A personalised calendar would make a very thoughtful gift and treasured because it's personalised. You could maybe pair a small stationary set to go with it so they can mark on their important dates and let's face it  - who doesn't love some new stationary?

Gold Coloured Shoulder Bag - £8.99 H&M
There's no such thing as having too many handbags, and this one would make a great night out bag as it's small and the gold colour is pretty to stand out in the light. I think it would make a great Christmas present with maybe some gel heels if you're planning on giving it to a mate who's always out in heels! Their feet will be very grateful!

So there's my gift ideas guide for your female best friend, I tried to incooperate some ideas. Ultimately, the decision is yours as to what your best friend likes and her personality, but I hope my ideas have maybe inspired you.

Claire xxx

Making Up For Lost Time

Hi!

This is probably a different kind of post to what I've done so far on this blog however it is a lifestyle blog and writing about topics such as this should be just as valuable as my other posts.

When I joined university I knew there were a lot of new experiences and new things happening, I didn't quite know what to expect as I was not only starting a new section of my life, I was moving away from home, which at the time was a big step for me and definitely a very weird thing to get used to at first. Naturally, although I do like being in my own company and being on my own as well as being social, I do feel like I rely on other people for comfort and for generally making sure I'm doing things right. Even though joining university was at first unsettling, I kept reminding myself that I was building my own little life here and that this is something which if you'd told me about in 2013/2014 I'd have not taken you seriously. What I'm trying to say is that it's a huge achievement for someone like me.

One notable thing about first year however, was that because I was adjusting and settling into this new way of life and dealing with my mental health in a new environment, I didn't quite do as much as I wanted to/maybe should have done. It probably took me a little longer to settle into the new environment than others did and that therefore led me to missing out on making as many memories as I could have done especially in the very early stages of First Year, which I do regret a bit.

Ultimately, even though I did end up making progress and making many memories in first year, I did miss out even then on socialising and making memories. The memories I do have for last year are amazing as my confidence did start growing, but for the first couple of months particularly, I was held back.

Sometimes I do feel like I'm trying to make up for lost time, as especially through secondary school I struggled with anxiety and consequently it made me miss out on a lot of things throughout my teenage years. It still does now to an extent, but university particularly gave me more of a freedom and also more confidence in some ways to have good experiences and make up for time lost and things I don't always get to do. I've been there and looked back on things I wish I could have done but due to lack of confidence or anxiety or something I've not been able to do it.

Anxiety can be difficult and sometimes make you feel extremely unmotivated or unconfident and indeed stop you from socialising and doing the things you want. My advice is to try and push yourself whenever possible to try and do things. One of my ways of pushing myself towards the end of first year, was that I tried to make the most of the time I had left and I wanted to make more memories and didn't want to look back and see I'd done nothing. Try not to put pressure on yourself to do everything, but definitely try and do what you can.

Dealing with mental health struggles can be difficult, but you WILL make progress. It isn't always easy and I still have moments where I can feel myself getting triggered or think 'Shit I can't do this'. But thinking about some of the achievements I've managed over the last year and a half is so surreal so I honestly can say if you're struggling at the moment with any mental health problem, it's going to be okay, keep going and keep taking steps to push yourself. You can do it. I've made a conscious effort to try and do as much as I can and feel comfortable doing, make as many memories as I can, no matter how little they may seem. Because every memory made, is a step of progress.
For more advice and information on mental health, please take the time to visit Mind's website, there you can read other people's stories and find ways of getting help if you need it.
https://www.mind.org.uk/

Claire xxx

My Top Clothing Stores

Hi!

So today I thought I'd share my favourite places to shop for clothes. I don't particularly spend loads on clothes, I try to budget and don't often spend loads on one item, if I spend loads of money on clothes it usually means I've bought a few things!

Boohoo.com
I've definitely become obsessed with Boohoo.com this year. My wishlist is so long and I'm always browsing looking at what they have in. I love the variety of clothes they have and a lot of them are extremely reasonably priced. Especially this season I've found that Boohoo has a lot more nicer stuff than the high street!

Primark
Primark have served me really well over the past few years. I'd be lying if I said the majority of my wardrobe wasn't Primark to be honest! They have such a good selection of clothes and I live for their basic t shirts! They are so easy to throw on for everyday wear and can work under a hoodie or sweatshirt too. They do pretty much everything and I love going there.

New Look
New Look is also another regular shop I visit. They often have a good selection of night time tops, I bought quite a few night out clothes last year from them. At the moment they have some gorgeous bralettes in and some stunning sparkly Christmas dresses if you're looking for anything for party season. Extremely affordable and like Boohoo and Topshop they do student discount.

Topshop
I don't always have the budget for Topshop but they have some really gorgeous clothes. I also particularly like the fact they carry the Ivy Park range. They have a lot to offer.

George @ Asda
Despite what people may think, George at Asda do really good and affordable clothes. Although I don't wear as much from them as I used to, I've been so impressed with some of the pairs of jeans I've bought from there. I usually just shop for jeans here these days because they are very inexpensive but they are great quality!

Sainsburys
Similarly, I mainly use Sainsburys for their jeans/jeggings but they still have some really nice pieces. They are also really affordable and easy to find.

Amazon
I love finding really quirky tops and sweatshirts from Amazon. You will often find really nice and fun clothes that not everyone will be wearing from Amazon and they are often reasonably priced too. I own a Yonce t shirt and a Lemonade sweatshirt from Amazon and they are both impeccable quality and two of my favourite items in my wardrobe.

Romwe
Although I've never bought from Romwe personally, I am guilty of regularly searching the website for cute sweatshirts and hoodies. They look really cosy and I'm so tempted to buy from them to see how they are!

Thank you so much for reading!!

Claire xxx