Highlights of 2020 for Forever-Hibernating

 A worldwide pandemic? Couldn't have predicted that!

There's no escaping covid-19 news. The new norm of face masks, social distancing and an abundance of hand sanitisers has made 2020 a year of practicing strict levels of hygiene. It would be a strange and memorable time to reflect back on in 20 years time- unless we are hit by another pandemic.

Lockdown has presented itself as a challenge for various aspects of life from wellbeing to mental health, from careers to education. Yet- there are a couple of things that deserve a notable mention. I feel like the dynamic of society has unconsciously shifted where people have become more caring and making that extra effort. The transition to working from home has pushed the concept of flexible working a reality. It has built a society more resilient to change, adapt and mindful of others. 

 1st Class graduate

A personal success of 2020 is that I have graduated with a 1st class Marketing Management degree from the University of Lincoln. It's weird, I cannot pinpoint when my education journey ended- it was a random Wednesday. Graduation ceremony still pending. 

Travel | The One Day That I Was In The Louvre

It was truly a beautiful day to be in Paris.

I was in Paris for one day- exactly one day- so I had to compact everything that I wanted to do into the constraints.

Once in Paris, everything had its own flawless quirk. Traveller's chasing the famous Parisian lifestyle that they had dreamed about and has an entire interest board to represent and immerse themselves.
Minute flaws seem to dwarf itself against the beautiful attractions where each individual is mentally ticking things off on their 'to see list' and documenting their time.

Things That Make Me Happy #1

There's too much negativity in the world. Here are a few small things that make me happy and to remind you to find happiness in unexpected places. 

1). Unexpected beauty 
2) Surpassing expectations whether it be in others or yourself. 
3) The perfect cuppa tea where the fine balance of tea and milk is harmonised. 
4) Potatoes. I am here to announce that potatoes are underrated and need more appreciation for the work they do. 
5) Experiences with friends. 
6) Buildings which are aesthetically pleasing. 
7) Trying on something that fits you so perfectly that it instantly spikes your confidence. 
8) Stroking random dogs whilst on a walk. 
9)When my foundations melts seamlessly into my face. 
10) Memes thrown unexpectedly into conversation .
11) A hot meal for dinner.                                  

An Investment into My Future Career

When we talk about investment, the 2 critical words is whether we are making a profit or a loss. Are we making an investment in the short term or the long term? What's the level of certainty that we'll get a return? 

At 20, I am experience first-hand how daunting planning and strategising on how I am going to achieve my dream career. It has made me realise that careers are a tricky investment, there are peaks, lows, risks and opportunities. Where you as an individual, will influence how it pans out in the future. At times, certain risks like agreeing to a job that may need you to sacrifice time or money which can be seen as a loss, may lead to another profit like connections in life in the long term. Over this summer, I had to debate whether to prioritise experience or money- and I would say the latter. After obtaining several work experiences and a job, it has demonstrated that it is an interconnected cycle where one directly feeds another. 

So the question is, are all losses unprofitable? 

Your distant close friend.

'You okay?'
'No- I'm struggling to come to terms on being independent and spending time on my own. I feel like you're forgetting me and I'm having a hard time coping with that. Yes I'm cool lol'

University is a time where you may really struggle with mental health and emotions that brew within the mysterious mind- and it may hit a time when the concoction turns sour.

Mine finally spoilt.

Unlike the times when the overwhelming stress of finishing a deadline in the last few days before the assignment is due, I become the unsuspecting victim suffocating in the tsunami of loneliness.

The funny thing is that physically all my main friendship groups are the closest they have ever been but also, the furthest that I have felt from them. For a couple of months, I was prioritising work and summer placements, I was slaving endless hours scouring the internet for my entry into the world of work. Was sacrificing socialising for productivity worth it in my futile placement search? S l o w l y but surely, I was being left behind- forgotten, a distant friend.

The bus journey.

It's been rough. 

The exhaust of the bus shakily breathes. 

In unison, I shakily breathe. 

It was approaching midnight,

the darkness drowned out the noise where my crystal clear reflection stared back.

A single tear- slowly traced the length of my face. 

Eyes swelled, face hardened and the reflection distorted

I cannot recognise the sad girl who entered 2019. 

It was 1am in Hong Kong- walking and taking in the foreign country where no one knows who I am,

yet a place so familiar

The tears broke, the hard steel wall broke. 

LIFE | Happy Belated 20th Birthday to Carmen

I may be more than a couple of weeks late to my birthday post which should have been posted on the 28th September but let's just pretend I did.

It's weird to think I have already reached another milestone in life. The vehicle of life that I am riding is accelerating at rates unfathomable to myself with times of gentle lulling, unexpected traffic jams and uncontrollable diverted roads. 

Recently, a cauldron of emotions have been brewing inside my head. A sprinkle of stress, a dashing of university and a whole lot of growing up. I have a feeling you will be seeing me more on here.

Entering my 20's was very intimidating and daunting. This is the phase in life where things can change the most drastically. Big changes occur and transitions will cement the paths that will be taken and decisions upon whether the you actually progress on that road is a mystery. The lifestyle stage between being in your early 20s where your are in education and trying to find a job would progress to the expectation, that you would be in a stable job, saving up to buy a house and that you are somewhat in control of your life. 

I am still trying to find what is truly me. Some individuals have settled into themselves as soon as they start university, but i'm still struggling to determine who 'Carmen' is. There are still many moments where the awkward teen with no social skills peek out into the world; would I miss her if she goes completely? 

I guess... I am scared. 

Travel | Meet Me At The Cascada Monumental

The best way to start posting about my holiday adventure is to start off with my favourite picture that I took after 6 weeks of travelling.

This picture was taken in Barcelona, a city overflowing with beautiful sculptures and landscapes, rightly so because its the birthplace of the famous architect Gauldi. It was designed by a Catailan architect Josep Fontserè with contributions from young Gauldi, it is located at the Ciutadella Park.

The picture above, was taken at the top of the fountain where the cascading waters start its descent. Unlike the front of the monument, I wouldn't say that with one look it would leave you awestruck but it gives a sense of rawness with the sharp edges that juts out in all different directions and appreciate the level of care that was put into this beautiful fountain. The shadows casted from the sculpture created a beautiful dynamic between the warmth of the sun and the material.

Travel | Cats of Thailand

'Cats' and 'Thailand' are two separate nouns that I have never thought would be worthy of a blog post but here I am, making the unlikely happen.

Travel | A New York Fairytale

Long overdue travel post of my not-so recent trip to New York with my business studies class for an 'educational' trip- that's what they always say. 

Days were fully packed and schedule so we used our time most efficiently so there was little time to truly explore since we were there for education however, here are a few touristy pics that I was able to snap up.  

Jetlag, excitement and awe was experienced at this moment. We arrived at night so we could hardly appreciate the concrete jungle but after a night of resting, I was eager to open the curtains for New York to welcome us so I scrambled to the window with my camera in hand- waiting for this moment. Even though this photo isn't the most beautifully taken or the best quality or has the best composition, it is one of my favourite image from the trip because of this moment. 

Travel | Finding Your Zen In Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden

As a frequent visitor of Hong Kong, I am ashamed to say that it was my first time visiting Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden however, from now on I am determined to visit this place every time I visit HK because it's an absolute gem and perfect for any instragram shots or any photography as  everything is worth capturing. Best of all, this is absolutely free!

The following photos were taken in summer so all the plants were blooming with different hues of green blending into one another surrounding a magnificent koi pond . A complete contrast from the hustling live of Hong Kong, instead, a serene a peaceful gem creating a form of escapism from the stressful daily lives. 

Forever Hibernating 2017- The Reversal

Hi... I guess I'm back?!

If you're reading this and you're unfamiliar with who I am, I shall introduce myself as Carmen.

A lactose intolerant who loves all things dairy. Marketing Management undergraduate who hasn't gotten food poisoning...yet! Crisps addict with a weakness for potato products because potatoes are the god of all vegetables. Chopsticks are the superior utensil of all kitchen utensils. Bilingual in English and Cantonese but apparently I have a strong British accent in my Cantonese- who knows anymore?

I hope you get a better picture of who I am :)  

I'm ready to return to return to this blog after taking multiple breaks throughout the year due to different changes in my life like a-levels, travelling and university. I can officially say I'm back to working on this blog as my creative outlet but this blog definitely needs a rebrand because as I've grown older, my interests have inevitably change so I want this blog to correlate this. 

Korean Travel 2016 | A few hours at Seoraksan National Park

Guess who's back after a mini hiatus after each post which seems to be a trend on this blog but I recently transferred my holiday photos onto the computer and I'm getting reminiscent of this trip already.

When you think of Korea, people often think about the hustle and bustle of Seoul with it's booming beauty and fashion trends where a shopping-lover would mistake it for paradise or a foodie may get overwhelmed with all the different streetfoods and eating culture where everything is instagram-worthy but I often think the natural face of Korea is neglected. Through this small snippet of my trip, I was able to appreciate nature and where my tour guide said it would be a 'cleansing experiencing'.

A Korean Makeup Haul and some more 2016

This summer I had the opportunity to go to Korea for 5 days. I assure you a travel diary is coming soon but, I've just been too lazy with all things school and ucas! 

I'm going to keep this post relatively brief with the product descriptions and whatnot as I'm planning to do the reviews on separate posts once I have tested out over a longer period of time:)

It would be daft of me not to buy the infamous BB cushions from where they were first invented so I bought a few. 

Brighton 2016 Photo Diary

'I shall dismiss you row by row, starting with row C'. I don't know whether I should be thankful that my exam is over or terrified because my exam is over. As soon as we scurried pass the daunting door at the end of the hall; it was officially holiday season- even if it's only a few days.

Brighton was a blissful 2hr journey away and contrary to my expectation, it was a lot more fun than I had thought. I've never really understood the appeal of travelling on trains by themselves. I find it relatively depressing and melancholy where a smile may be considered endangered in the morning crowds.

From London Kings Cross we pushed our way through the crowds some striding with intent whilst others are greedily observing the surroundings with their darting eyes filled with both adrenaline and worry. A sandwich in one hand and crisps in the other, I was content, as content as the elderly lady who sat next to me knitting with thick grey wool.

Dear Series | An Introduction

Happy Friday!

This is a short post to introduce you to a new series which I will occasionally be write about which is the 'Dear' series.

To tell you where this idea had come from, I would say I got inspired by the author Jenny Han who writes captivating books like the 'summer' series, despite reading it years ago, it still remains as one of my favourite books. I would definitely recommend this anyone who is looking for a good summer romance where the author makes you fall in love effortlessly as well as any of her other books as her writing does not disappoint.

However, to be specifically clear where the inspiration sparked its the 2 book series 'To All The Boys I Loved Before'. The idea of writing letters to people, recording all your thoughts and feelings where things may have been left unsaid attracted me to it and here I am, writing this post lol.

As a person, I wouldn't say I'm vocal about my feelings and thoughts but since writing this blog, I've started to realise that I enjoy expressing myself through the medium of words moreover than voicing my own as I feel awkward and embarrassed. Hopefully through this series I would be able to convey my inner thoughts which clouds my mind at night and write some letters to them.

I hope you enjoyed my little introduction to this series and I'm looking forward to writing these letters in the future:)

Life Update #1 | Work, work, work...

The plague of exams are spreading and there are countless victims of teens and young adults trying to cram as much information into their brain possible and trying not to combust whilst inhaling caffeine like there's no tomorrow. 

Over the last few months I've pushed blogging to the back of my mind as the onslaught of exams are coming at full force and sadly, I'm not immune to them. As a result, I've been spending a lot of time procrastinating revising in hopes that I would have a longer memory span than a goldfish. 

A Little Motivational Speech From A Movie

Nowadays, I've been more acquainted with disappointment than ever before. So, more often than not, I need to get a little pep talk and some motivation to carry on.

Before sixth form, I've never really met the harsh and hostile reality of disappointment. Yeah, I've encountered it before but more in the terms of my favourite character dying on a tv show therefore when I got a couple of Us in my end of topic tests I just wasn't prepared for how shocking and affecting disappointment can be. At times like these I really need to motivate myself to strive for better however, it's a lot easier said than done. Disappointment has resulted to me becoming in a stupid stump leaving me dejected and wanting to avoid confrontation with the fact that I am not succeeding.

Whenever somebody needs a little kick up their backside to help them start pursuing again they may have a go-to quote, others may even keep a recording of Kid President's speeches on their phones and mine? A movie called Accepted.

The Not So Little Pimples of Insecurity

Even the most confident of people have bundles of insecurity wedged deep deep inside themselves. It's just that they don't show it to the world.

At school, I'm probably the most smiley person you would meet and I rarely let anything get to me aside from the usual Monday blues. But during the more quieter times like the morning, when I'm brushing my teeth and when I look in the mirror, I just want to hide.

4 Types of Makeup Users

1. The Perfectionist
This person is an individual that makes us all turn into the green-eyed monster. They have the perfect winged eyeliner and their eyebrows are on fleek 99.9% of the time. Sometimes you may even get lost staring at their flawless makeup.