Showing posts with label Aston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aston. Show all posts

University Haul: The Interesting Bits!

Hi guys!

So as many of you will already know, I'm moving to Birmingham THIS WEEK (ahhh!) to start university at Aston. Therefore, I've been collecting a whole bunch of home-ware things to get ready for the big move. I personally love looking at all the different designs, themes and colour schemes of other peoples homes and so I thought I would take you through some of mine - but only the interesting things! Below are the fun, decorating kinds of bits and bobs I have picked up and I have spared you from the boring essentials such as my new washing basket or my new clothes peg rings (you're welcome!) So, without further ado, here is my university haul:


Starting at the back, I bought this AMAZING soft blanket from Dunelm Mill, it is baby blue and literally feels like what the clouds on heaven probably do. I think I have inadvertently made a bit of a baby blue and dusty pink/baby pink themed room which I am totally fine with because I think those colours look so pretty together! The blanket was £14.99 which seems a bit steep but it is actually so huge that I think it's worth the money!

Also blue is the tray I bought just in case I ever want to eat in my room instead of the kitchen. I am naturally a wildly messy person and so I am hoping this will keep my lovely new room and all my possessions free of split dinner and/or any other things I will definitely make a mess with! Again, this was from Dunelm Mill and was £4.99.

The sweet little stone heart was from a shop called The Works and I bought it for only 59p! I thought it would look very cute hanging from my bathroom door. It is just a small but sweet purchase.

Pink desk lamp - Hombase/Habitat - £7

Pink cocktail glasses for wine - Poundland - £1


I absolutely adore this pillows! Again, going with the colour scheme of my room, I have chose one baby blue pillow and one dusty pink pillow. I think these will really brighten up my room and make the space look a lot more homely. They are both from Dunelm Mill and the blue pillow was £7.99 and the pink pillow was on sale for £4.99.


I bought this cute little wooden heart box from The Works for 99p! I think it would look very sweet to put my earrings in and just stand on a shelf in my room.

This decorative little pot is actually supposed to be a sugar bowl and it matches the biscuit tin I showed you guys in a recent post of which I use as a makeup brush holder! I am forever not using things for what they are supposed to be used for! Instead of holding sugar, I thought that I could put some other jewellery here instead. Perhaps my bracelets because I already have a necklace stand. This was £3 in the sale from JOY. 


These lovely picture frames are from Dunelm Mill and cost £1.99 each. I bought two in the gorgeous blue polka dot pattern that matches one of my pillows and one in a lovely vintage floral design. I will be adding in pictures of my family and friends to them and then hanging them from my wall in my room. These are very special to me because I am a scared I will be very homesick and so I cannot wait to hang fun pictures of my family up on my uni wall so I can look at them whenever I feel sad.


Lastly, this is again just a small little purchase that I thought would be a cute touch to my room. This is a small heart-shaped chalk board which I bought from the Works for 99p. I thought it would be nice to jot down any bits I need to buy from the shop or anything I need to remember on this board that will be hanging in my room. I also bought a set of 48 chalks to write on the board with but I have just remembered I need something to be able to clear away all the writing! Do you guys know if I can just use a tissue for that? 

I still need a few bits to make my room feel a bit more homely, for example I would like to get some fairy lights before I move on Saturday. However, I think I am pretty much done now which is so scary!

Have you guys gone to university? Or decorated a home? What was your favourite bit about it?

xxx

Birmingham: Aston University visit

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I will be leaving London to live in Birmingham for four years while I complete my degree. I have firmed my place at Aston university to do a Psychology degree and even thought it sounds really cheesy, I am excited to be able to expand my horizons in a new city and live independently for a few years. 

Getting up at the same time I always do to commute to central London for work on the weekdays, I was quite nervous to get ready to go and visit the place I will be living for four years at the end of September. 

We arrived at Birmingham around half 10 in the morning and starting exploring Aston's campus immediately. The first place we found was the university's sports centre, which is ironic because I am notorious for being crappy at any sport, hand-eye co-ordination or exercise! The sports centre was great though - they had a huge swimming pool and offered the kind of exercise I think I might enjoy, such as yoga and pilates. 



Next, we moved on to exploring the city centre a little more. I was really happy how close my accommodation is to the city centre as it was literally a five minutes walk to the famous 'Bull Ring' shopping centre and surroundings. Which to be honest, might be a little dangerous for me as on the walk down to the main shopping bit, I saw literally all of my favourite places to buy clothes from and there was a huge charity shop on a street corner and anyone who knows me, knows I am a sucker for charity shops. I've got some of my favourite bits and bobs from charity shops! 



After a few minutes of wandering around the Bull Ring, we popped into Browns to have a late breakfast. I forgot to take any pictures of our food but it looked incredible. I had scrambled egg on toast with a side order of baked beans and I was so full by the end of it that I literally couldn't sit up straight! I loved the interior of Browns as well, it was so rustic and unique. Old, black and white pictures ran up and down the walls and there was the most incredibly large clock on the wall that looked like it would have been at home in an old ship. The service was very quick and wonderful - the waiters even took a picture of us on my mum's phone for us. 



I wanted to explore the markets after breakfast, which no one else really fancied but we decided to go for a little bit. I was so happy we did because the markets were so good. You can buy four circles of Camembert for just £1 and a box of about 100 strawberries for a pound as well. The markets are so cheap which I know will come in handy in my student life! Even the others came around to the markets and bought a few things to take back home.

After exploring the markets, we headed to Selfridges in the main shopping centre. I can tell already that this is going to be dangerous for me living in Birmingham as there is a HUGE Selfridge's with MAC, Bobbi Brown, Charlotte Tilbury, Bare Minerals, Yves Saint Laurent and so many more incredible stalls. I think I know where where most of my student money will be going...

Also, on the ground floor of Selfridges, the whole floor is filled with amazing sweets and chocolate etc. There was pieces of art made out of Jelly Babies and I was amazed at how large everything was. 

On the walk back up to the car, we saw some beautiful old buildings which was great because history interests me very much and I can't wait to learn more about where I will be living soon. 



I have to admit, when I first got to Birmingham, I did freak out a little bit. I just couldn't comprehend in my own head that I wouldn't be living at home with my mum and sister anymore and I would be moving to a city I literally just stepped into for the first time in my life. I was wandering around with my boyfriend, just looking at every shop, every street name, every person that walked by, thinking whether the shop would be a local favourite of mine soon or whether a person would become a close friend in a few months. I was really thinking too much into the move and starting to scare myself. However, the breakfast at Browns really helped to calm me down and stop me thinking so quickly. I became a lot more positive after eating and ended up really enjoying my day out in Birmingham, and I can even say now that I can really see myself being happy at the university and I am excited to start now as well!

Does anyone reading this live in Birmingham, or just know the city? Is there any places you would recommend me?

xxx
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