University Goodies

I move out in less than two weeks to head to the University of St Andrews! I'm beyond excited. I'm staying in self-catered halls so I have to buy all my own kitchen stuff as well as bathroom things for my ensuite and of course stuff for my bed room. Also don't forget stationary! I thought I'd make up a wee post about my favourite purchases so far.

Red satchel (St James Shopping Centre, Edinburgh)

First up we have this gorgeous red satchel. I bought this at least 6 months ago for £20 from a stall in St James' shopping centre in Edinburgh. I love satchels and, although red isn't my normal go to colour, I love the vibrancy it brings to this bag. It has several little pockets and fits my laptop! The perfect bag for uni. I took it up to Aberdeen to visit my boyfriend and his flat mates loved it so it's also student approved! 

Blue drinks 'can' (ASDA) Red and white polka dot mug (Charity Shop)

I have a slight obsession with buying different things to hold drinks in at the moment. This brilliant little drink 'can' is from ASDA. You simply screw off the top and fill it with a beverage of your choice then slide the clip to open and close the gap. Genius. It also has a two layer system to help keep the drink cool while looking cute, simple and awesome all at once. My grandparents bought me a set of 4 of these lovely red and white polka dot mugs from a charity shop. What a great idea?! I work in Oxfam and honestly the things you can find in charity shops are brilliant. Only things that are in good condition are put out for sale so you don't have to worry about getting broken or ruined items. Buying basic things like these mugs for uni from charity shops is ingenious because it keeps down costs (we all know university costs a fortune anyway) and it won't matter if you break or lose it because you didn't spend £25 on some mugs. Besides, aren't they just adorable?

Honey Bear (American Supermarkets e.g. Walmart)

Isn't the way honey is packaged in America just wonderful? I saw this little cutie when I was on holiday in California and instantly had to buy him to add to my uni cupboard. Honey like this can be found in general supermarkets over there, Americans are so lucky! 

Red and black pasta bowl (ASDA)

ASDA is the place to go to buy things for uni kitchens, I swear. The items are affordable but also really good quality and actually nice. I've been trying to go for a red, black and white theme for my kitchen stuff so, of course, this bowl had to be added to the trolley. I love the unique square shape and the classy use of both colours. A stylish addition, I feel. It's also a great size so I can fit a big portion of pasta in there!

Dream catcher (Monument Valley Visitor Centre)

I love dream catchers. I really believe they work and I have a lovely one with lots of feathers in my bedroom from Spain. However, I didn't want to move that one so treated myself to this gorgeous one when I was visiting Monument Valley in Arizona. It was made by the American Indians or at least in the style of one. Blue is my favourite colour so I was drawn to the blue beads and gem stone weaved into the web. Dream catchers should have 8 points according to an old folk tale about a spider which I would recommend looking up because, to me anyway, it's very interesting.

New York City Taxi (Empire State Building Gift Shop)

Obviously I'm going to need a key for my uni accomodation so while in New York I started looking for key rings specifically for this purpose. While browsing in the Empire State Building gift shop I came across this little guy. He's not too big but is plush and cute. He was added to my basket immediately and every time I use my accommodation keys, I'll be reminded of my wonderful holiday with my family in America.  

Pencil Case (Tesco)

A necessity. Pencil cases are friends and Tesco is the place to go! A small one is brilliant for just carrying the simple things like pens and pencils rather than the one I lugged around school which held my calculator, highlighters, ruler and even a glue stick. This neon orange is just something a bit different and will also be easy to find in my bag!

Spud Dude - peeler (ASDA)

Isn't this great?! Oh my goodness, I found this hilarious. "This dude peels to perfection." Everyone needs a peeler and why not add some joy and hilarity to cooking? Well done, ASDA, I applaud you. 

Notebooks and Diary (Paperchase)

Stationary. Oh, stationary. Stationary is the love of my life and Paperchase is heaven on earth. These beauties, although rather expensive for notepads, have a lovely unique design and are very thick with plenty of lined paper inside which also has different coloured boarders. After using a planner/homework diary for my whole 13 years of school prior to uni, I felt I really needed this wee diary just to keep track of the mountain of work I'm going to get. It's cute, has a lovely layout and could fit in your pocket!

Ring binder (Paperchase)

Ring binders are key to organisation. Organisation is key to good studying (in my humble opinion). How can you study well if you can't find the right notes? Also, being organised doesn't mean your notes have to look horrible. Find pretty ring binders like this to jazz up those awful notes that you really don't want to have to cram into your head.  

Laundry Bag (ASDA)

I am terrified about the washing aspect of uni. I have no idea how to work a washing machine. However, at least I'll be able to carry my clothes easily to the laundry room. I've been told this a rather essential purchase. No one wants to be running with their arms full of clothes and leaving a trail of socks and underwear. A bargain from ASDA - only £1! It's big and the material seems sturdy enough, after all, how heavy can clothes really be? 

Lunchbox (Urban Outfitters)

Finally, this adorable lunch box from Urban Outfitters. I love to browse through the homeware and book section of Urban Outfitters. The style is so unique and quirky and I love it. This box is just brilliant to take care of my "brain food" and I can wait to cram it full of wraps and sandwiches and snacks!

Anyone else got any ideas for university necessities? 

Speak soon, Alice x 

Giant Coat

Sooo, I've been super busy recently with my new part time job waitressing at the local hotel for the rest of the summer ooooh, getting things ready for uni (26 days, not that I'm counting or anything...) and seeing my gorgeous friends. Ever feel like you've got so many ideas buzzing around inside your head but you never actually manage to do any of them because you have no time? I really want to try making a dress but also want to make bags to sell online and read a huge stack of books and, on top of that, decide all the different things I want to get involved in at uni. It's crazy.

Anyway, recently I went to see an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz with my friend at the Edinburgh Fringe! The Edinburgh Fringe is a fantastic festival with so many shows of all kinds to go and see. The tickets are very cheap (only a fiver to see the show I went to) and many are also free! This adaptation of The Wizard of Oz was put on by the American High School Theatre Festival and was honestly fantastic. It viewed the story as though it was all in Dorothy's head. It was set in a mental hospital and Dorothy was imagining the other patients and the staff as the characters in the story of The Wizard of Oz. It was so cleverly done with a very simplistic stage and small cast. Honestly would recommend it, and Edinburgh Fringe in general, to anyone. 

Finally, on to clothes. This is what I wore to this show!

Coat (Oxfam) Dress (Primark) Bag (Mum's) Shoes (New Look)

I volunteer in an Oxfam shop and during every shift I have to stop myself from purchasing something. However, I couldn't resist this jacket. I love the style and the colour and have been wanting a jacket like this since last winter. The size was a slight issue due to it being a size 20 so it was rather larger than my normal size 8/10 but I usually get jackets a couple of sizes bigger because it means you can add more layers! Also because it's so big it's easy to wrap it around myself and I also like to think it gives me a sort of casual French look (ooh lala) Turns out it was only  £5.99 and that sealed the deal. I would recommend buying winter jackets in charity shops or in sales before winter because you will save a fortune and will have one before there is a mad rush to obtain one and therefore actually get one you like!

This cute little tartan dress is actually another Primark gem. I love tartan, especially the more subtle darker tartans like this rather than the bright red ones that are very in your face. It has gorgeous detail with a little white collar and a floppy black bow tie. I feel it's old fashioned but cute and quaint. I would normally wear it casually and can easily be worn with tights if the weather is colder.

This is probably my favourite bag ever. I found it when I was digging in my mum's wardrobe once and had to nab it. It has such intricate detail with rich colours that make it a fantastic accessory. It is a tad small but can fit my purse, phone and keys at a push. Also has the handy feature of a mirror inside! Hunt charity shops and market stalls for gems like this because I've never seen anything like this on the high street. 

I love these brogue style shoes. I bought them for school and they are ridiculously comfy. They're adorable and everyone should own a pair. Being black, they also go with absolutely everything!

Speak soon! Love, alice