Life Update ¦ Graduating, Interns and Further Plans...

Hello Lovelies!

Thought I'd give you all a quick update about my life at the moment.

First of all, I've finished university with a 2:1!

I can't believe how quickly my time at Edge Hill University has gone and I'm so proud of myself and the grade I have received.

My official graduation is set to happen mid-July and I will be posting photographs of the big day and a quick outfit shoot so you can see what I decided to wear for the day.

***

Next, I'm considering hiring a few local interns for the summer holidays as a way of providing more content over the next six weeks.

These interns should be passionate, interested in beauty and fashion and be able to work to deadlines.

I'm really excited to step into the role of editor and add another string to my bow as it were.

***

Finally, I guess you're all wondering what I'm planning on doing now I'm no longer a student. 

Well, I recently received an unconditional offer to study a Master's Degree in Fashion Promotion at Birmingham City University! So I guess I will still be a student for another year. 

Hope you're all having a nice summer! 

Speak soon, 

Joanna xx

Review ¦ Pat Pure Cosmetics

Hello Lovelies!

It's official! I have finished my degree in PR forever and I am back writing for you lovely lot!

So to kick the new posts off, I thought I'd give you my thoughts on some beautiful scents I was gifted by Pat Pure Cosmetics.

Pat Pure Cosmetics is a small company based in London run by Patrick Townsend. The company uses FM (Frederico Mahora) World's renowned beauty products that allow Patrick to profit from them individually. This system allows Pat Pure to exist as an indpendent business sell to their own clients - namely me!

Although Patrick sells a variety of cosmetics and scents for men and women, I was instantly attracted their extensive range of perfumes and perfumed waters in their Luxury Collection.

Not only is this range large with a variety of scents, but it is also more concentrated and will, therefore, last longer than normal eau de toilettes - without breaking the bank!

I will be reviewing two perfumes from the Luxury Collection - FM149 and FM317.

So, without further 'ado, let's get into the perfumes!

FM 149

The Bottle: Beautiful white to green gradient with silver text and logo. Tall yet compact bottle - perfect for the on-the-go girl!

The Scent: This perfume is described by Pat Pure as 'joyful and sensual' and I have to agree. With heady notes of white tea and a vanilla base note this perfume is perfect for one of those sensual date nights or a holiday romance! It made me think about candlelit dinners and smooth jazz with its musky tones. Definitely one I'll be wearing again!

Staying Power: Lasted almost all day when I put it on in the morning. As noted before, it's more of a night perfume and with that in mind it would definitely last!

FM 317

The Bottle: A bit bigger than the previous perfume, square bottle in a pale orange shade. More of a dresser piece than an on-the-go bottle.

The Scent: This perfume is described as 'sensual and seductive' and perfect for women who enjoy fruity scents. The heart notes of this perfume are raspberry and peach - both sweet scents that really shine through. I would say this is perfect for day-to-day wearing as the scent can be manipulated for any occasion.

Staying Power: Lasted all day from when I applied it - smell stayed strong! This perfume was my ultimate favourite so I'm glad it lasted so long!

HOW TO FIND PAT PURE 

If you're interested in trying these delicious perfumes why not visit Patrick's Facebook Page? 

https://www.facebook.com/PatPureCosmetics/ 

Or his page on the FM website?

http://www.membersfm.com/patrick-townsend

Hope you enjoy this post - hopefully will do some more perfume posts soon!

Thanks for reading,

Jx 

My Travel Essentials;

Hello Lovelies!

Since I'm currently always on the move lately, I thought I'd write a post all about my travel essentials.

These things are always with me on long train journeys so I don't get bored and keep occupied throughout the journey.

My Travel List: 

Book
A good book can be the make or break for long train journeys. I chose a classic - The Devil Wears Prada - which is certainly becoming my favourite book. You could even bring your university books to read if you're close to a deadline.

Magazine
Glamour is my personal favourite
Hand Sanitiser
Trains can be dirty and travelling can even make you feel not so fresh. I opt for the orginal scent but you could spice it up with a strawberry laces scent or tutti frutti!

Hand Lotion
My skin is prone to drying when travelling so I always ensure I have a hand lotion on hand. My favourite is the Soap & Glory Hand Food lotion because it smells amazing and keeps my hands super smooth.

Charger
If you're in the iPhone crew like me, you're aware of it's appalling battery life, of course this means that my charger is never too far away. I am a savvy traveler and always request a seat with a plug so I can always give my phone a little extra juice throughout the journey.

Planner 
I love planning - it's an illness I swear, and what better place to sit and plan the week than on a train? I have the Filofax Metropol personal organiser in red and it's my favourite stationary item ever.

Snacks
This is a MUST. Train food is expensive and not that nutritious really so why not pack some quick snacks? I recommend apple and peanut butter, a granola bar or even some chocolate for that little lift!

Purse
Obvious I know, but you don't realise how many times I've forgotten my purse and had to run back for it! Make sure you know where it is at all times and keep emergency money somewhere else on your person in the event of an emergency!

Tickets
Again obvious, but why not include it? Make sure you've got your railcards too - nothing worse than fumbling around looking for things at the last minute.

Dealing With Third Year Stress;

Hello Lovelies!

I know, I know, I've been MIA again and left you all to fend for yourselves!

I'M SORRY OK.

Now, I'm back and I need to talk to you about university, and particularly the stress that comes along with it.

It's not the first time I've discussed uni stress with you, and it probably won't be the last but recently, I have been feeling very stressed regarding my modules. I do not feel like my grades are going to be good enough for next year and I definitely do not feel like continuing into third year most of the time.

I will be perfectly honest and tell you that university is NOT what I expected.

But I have gotten this far and will continue until I get my degree and shout;

"YESSSSSS NEVER AGAIN!"

So sit tight while I tell you how I deal with third year university stress...

CHILL OUT.

This goes without saying, that everyone needs to chill out sometimes. Read a book, drink some tea (or wine!) and don't get bogged down with your work. It will drive you mad.

YOU ARE NUMBER ONE.

This also should go without saying too, but doesn't sadly. You are your number one priority, and if you're feeling stressed, you are going to do yourself more harm than good, trust me. Focus on looking after yourself and then your work will reflect your organised and calm mind.

Also, this counts when working in a group. Don't give your work to other people who are just going to copy you. You won't benefit off of it and they'll just be cheating. NOT COOL.

START EARLY SO YOU CAN BE DONE EARLY.

Start your assessments/revision early. The earlier the better! You more time you have, the less stress you will have! All my assessments are due in May and I started them last week so I have time and don't freak out.

IT'S OKAY TO CRY.

Crying makes you human and it's perfectly natural to have a cry when it all gets too much. I cry over everything and I feel so much better afterwards. Sometimes crying is a welcome break when you're constantly stuck in uni-land and you can't see a way out.


So there's my tips for getting rid of uni stress!

Hope you all find them useful, and let me know if you have anymore!

Thanks for reading,



Jx

Solent Students Are Putting Together Their Own Digital PR Textbook!

Hello Lovelies!

Thought I'd support my fellow PR students today and talk to you about an exciting new opportunity being brought to PR professionals all over the country!

How to choose a dissertation focus;

Hello my lovely, lovely blog!!

You missed me?

I know I've been on a summer hiatus but I am finally back and better than ever!

So just to keep you updated I've got lots of stuff to tell you about;

• I've turned twenty.
• I've gotten myself an internship in fashion journalism (yay!)
• I'm headed back to university to complete my third year.

Now, I'm sure you know that in third year, you have to complete a dissertation. A dissertation is a large piece of work which can be up to 12,000 words long (wow!), and counts for a lot of your final grade. For me, it's the work I have been dreaded since enrolling in first year. 

But recently, since the dreaded module is getting closer and closer, I've really started looking into my topics and have actually chosen one which I reveal later in the year!

So I thought I'd give you some tips on how to choose a focus for your dissertation...

Do your research

Make sure you research your potential topics to make sure there's plenty of material available about the topic. There's nothing worse than getting passionate about an idea and finding out there's no literature to support it.

Make sure you're interested in the topic

Choose something which ideally, has a lot of literature about it AND that you're really passionate about. Your dissertation is your own study and requires a lot of time and effort so ensure you can be interested in the topic for at least eight months - even though you'll probably hate it by the end. 

Speak to your tutors

If you're still stuck on what you should do for your dissertation, try talking to a tutor about your strengths and interests regarding your topic. My tutor was a huge help when choosing my subject, and gave me lots of information about how to shape my study. 

Start early

I cannot stress this enough! If you have to do interviews or your own research, please start early and get yourself sorted so you aren't panicking at each deadline. I've already started my reading for my lit review and suggest you do too. 

Hopefully you'll take my advice and I hope choosing your topic is a breeze!

Thanks for reading, 

Joanna x

I'm a Top 25!!

Hello Lovelies!

I'm taking a quick break from my summer hiatus to tell about my recent credentials...

Yes, Diary of a PR Girl has been featured as part of Personal Income's Top 25 Female PR Career Advice Bloggers at #12!!

I can't believe my little blog has been recognised in a Top 25, I am very honoured and humbled to be even considered!

If you want to see the article yourself please head over to Personal Income's website and give it a read!

http://www.personalincome.org/top-25-female-pr-career-advice-bloggers/

Big thanks to Lewis, the author of the Top 25, and I can't wait to start writing again regularly!

Thanks for reading,


Jx