Saturday 30 January 2016

Blogging Bae

Hey guys!
This post will be short as I am introducing another lifestyle blog, called Cute Little Teen Blog. It focuses on fun, positivity, beauty and fashion and is great for tweens and teens. I will be posting on there daily too so be sure to head over to my site and have a read. The link is: https://fashionandfunblogger.wordpress.com/ - thank you to anyone who bothers to have a peek.
Love,
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Wednesday 27 January 2016

Challenge

Hey guys!
I am setting you a challenge - let's get my blog to 5000 views before March 1st! If you could do this it would be AMAZING!
Again you may email me at becca.hammett@sky.com to apply for a guest post. Please submit your post with it.
Love
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Tuesday 26 January 2016

Relaxation

Hey guys!
OK, relaxation is super important, especially if you are taking important exams at the moment or are feeling permanently stressed. You should always have a time in the day to relax and take things slowly. If you are looking for a few tips on how to feel more relaxed and ready to tackle the next day, you are in the right place! I will describe the best ways to achieve relaxation in this post, along with three tips for breaking down big tasks and making them seem more manageable. Happy reading!
How to feel more relaxed during the week:
1. I like to cross off the days on a calendar as it means I know which day it is (and also how long it is to the weekend!).
2. Try to do assignments/homework early in the evening or during the lunch hour to maximise time you have in the evening to relax or have fun.
3. If you are feeling super stressed, TALK to someone. Ask a teacher for some support or confide in a friend or parent; they will give you advice and a hug, which always makes me feel better.
4. Make a study timetable and stick to it. However, don't have six hours of revision one night and half an hour the next. Balance it so you do three  hours each day, and make sure you always hand in assignments/homework by the deadline to prevent behaviour marks or detention.
5. Drink lots of water whilst studying/ at school to make sure you stay healthy. Also, eat regularly. These will both keep you relaxed and feeling OK.
6. Have down time after 8:00pm each night. If you have to study, do it before that time and then relax afterwards. Working late at night will make you feel stressed out and tired the next day, so why not save yourself the trouble and do it when you get in?
7. Always know which assignments you are doing each night. Try to keep it a steady two or three so you aren't suddenly faced with nine unfinished pieces to do, or your stress levels will increase dramatically and you won't have any free time. Planning and organisation is key!
8. Take five minutes nightly to think about your day and breathe. This should allow you to think calmly and be reasonable - if not, chat with a parent and ask them for help.
I hope these are useful to you all! I certainly use them a lot and find they help me when I am feeling stressed or anxious. Just remember, everything's going to be OK.
Now, here are my top three tips on breaking down a larger assignment or task into easy sections:
1. If it is a big project, do at least 20 minutes daily until it is done. This allows you to have research days before you actually make a start, and will probably stop you feeling stressed when you realise you have a day to complete a two-month project. Breaking it down into sections also leaves you time for plenty of different tasks, such as write-ups, conclusions, research and design. These are all important aspects of projects or presentations.
2. Think reasonably. It shouldn't take you a few days to finish if it is a two-week homework or assignment, so do it in more detail. Spend time making your writing neat and legible. Make a model or 3D representation to gain a higher level. You could write a conclusion and print it off separately.
3. NEVER LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE! So many people do it and it is really, really not a good idea. Doing this will mean you have mountains of work to do on top of all your daily work! Always work/plan in advance and allow you time to finish the project.
Well, that's it for today - tomorrow I will be posting about your make-up starter kit - happy reading!
Love,
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Saturday 23 January 2016

Life Hacks You Should Know

Hey guys!
This post will be filled with life hacks - including girly secrets and very important tips for school/work! The point of this post is just to have fun and help you have fun, too. Happy reading!
OK, the first thing I want to share is a few very useful life hacks. You know, tips that can be used in life to make it more bearable. So, here they are!
1. Pick out the outfit you want to wear the previous night to stop mad panics when you can't find your favourite skirt or the one top that matches your spotty leggings is in the wash. I find this helpful, especially for school.
2. Don't drink coffee or Coke after 7pm. The caffeine keeps you awake all night and prevents a healthy night's sleep.
3. Relax before you go to bed - I recommend reading or writing, but not any screen time half an hour before you go to sleep. The bright light affects your eyes and prevents you from sleeping well.
4. Buy a phone case. The reason I put this on here was to stop you from dropping (thus smashing) your phone and either having to get a new one or not being able to use it. Very helpful life hack - even a £1 clear protective case will do.
5. Don't keep your phone in your room when you are in bed. EVER. This will simply prevent you from getting the right amount of sleep and will hurt your eyes - don't use bright screens in the dark. It might be hard, but I always leave my phone downstairs when I go to sleep, otherwise I'm too tempted!
6. Get Pinterest. It's absolutely brilliant and allows you to look at the cutest, most adorable animal pictures in the history of the world! Loving Pinterest at the moment - if you want to gain more followers, search keywords relating to your account and follow all the pinners pinning stuff relative to yours.
7. Eat breakfast! I say this a lot, but breakfast is uber important and shouldn't be missed! Always eat at least a piece of fruit in the morning to keep you going - you could even take your breakfast to school and eat it there.
8. Have one handbag in use at one time. Never switch between a couple because, basically, you will end up forgetting where stuff like your Polo mints are or which bag you put your phone in and probably end up losing something (I learnt this the hard way). Instead, keep all your handbag items in one bag - it makes life so much easier!
9. Instead of buying eBooks that are physically explaining a process (such as increasing blog traffic) and spending money on it, look online instead. Google is free and will (probably) provide you of the information you need. This way you end up spending time and money - deal!
10. Keep pens/stationery in jars or tins on your desk instead of in drawers. They are easier to access as well as being displayed prettily, rather than being hidden away (and it minimises the risk of you losing them quite a bit!).
Please comment below if you use any of those - I really do find them helpful! Now I am going to list five of my lifesaver school hacks; enjoy!
1. From the age of eleven up, carry a tampon/sanitary towel around with you in your bag. This way, if you start your period in school, it is easy to fix!
2. We all miss days of school; dentist appointments, sick days, funerals, etc. But what if you missed vital information in class? Well, simply type keywords relating to the lesson in YouTube's search bar and then make notes there! Easy, free, and fun.
3. If you are starting a new school where you don't know anyone, ask for phone numbers on induction day. This way you can text people in your class and get to know them before you all start in September - great!
4. Pay attention in class. Simple, but vital if you want to do well in life.
5. Always carry a bottle of water around with you for emergencies. Water gives your brain energy and prevents dehydration - it's pretty important. Drink regularly throughout the day to keep you healthy whilst at school.
Thank you for reading! Feel free to share this post and my blog to anyone. I'd love to spread the news!
Check out my collab site with Secretgirl (http://secretgirlsblog.blog.com), featuring fashion, lifestyle, beauty and advice by clicking here: http://2bestiesblogging.blogspot.co.uk/ - thank you!
From,
Girl Behind The Screen xx

BOYS!

Hey guys!
The title of this post is in capitals and with an exclamation mark. And yes, it deserves it. Today I am going to write about BOYS.
OK, this post will feature some tips on how to tell if a boy really likes you or not, how to develop a stronger relationship with a friend that happens to be male, and a few tips for those of you currently in a relationship. Happy reading!
Firstly, some tips to tell if a boy is crushing on you or not:
1. Does he act awkwardly around you sometimes? If so, he probably is crushing on you and is just waiting for the perfect moment to ask you out.
2. If he treats you like a friend and calls you 'mate' and lets you hang around with his friends, he probably isn't ready for a relationship and sees you as a friend. Don't worry, though, there may be potential dating material there for later!
3. Is he always surprising you with chocolate, and opening doors for you? Does he spend lots of time with you and choose you over his mates? If so, he likes you. Ask him out!
Don't forget I am not a dating expert and don't know everything about relationships, this is just based on my knowledge.
Now, if you realised the boy you like doesn't fancy you, here are a few tips for building a stronger relationship and becoming closer to him:
1. Be nice and friendly. Don't act like the other girls who flirt and flutter their eyelashes. Try not to show off and just be nice towards him.
2. If you feel like you should tell him you like him, tell him slowly and explain yourself, don't just blurt it out. Boys should respect you if you talk gently and calmly to them.
3. Hang with your girlfriends some of the time and spend time with the boy you are crushing on. Just remember, girlfriends will always have your back!
4. Don't tell anyone because they might, spitefully, tell him and ruin the romance.
5. Try not to act as if you are obviously fancying him; do your best to treat him the same as other boys.
Finally, I want to share some expert pointers with you on how to have a healthy relationship, with a boyfriend and your girlfriends. Enjoy!
1. Spend a balanced amount of time with both your girlfriends and your boyfriend. After all, your girlies will be around forever but who knows how long the boyfriend will last?
2. Don't be too over-excited for dates or time together at school; try not to sound super eager when you reply! However, make sure you reply within a day to show you aren't ignoring him.
3. Try not to talk about him all the time - your friends will get annoyed and upset.
If you liked my post please comment and share - I would love to get more followers and views. Thank you!
Love,
Girl Behind The Screen xx


Positivity Hacks

Hey guys!
I am talking about positivity today - how to feel positive, how to ignore the negative, how to improve your life and how to feel generally happier. Happy reading!
OK, we are just going to give you 3 everyday tips for being positive. They can be used every day, every week, or on and off - it is your choice! I use these as often as I can to ensure I am left feeling happy:
1. Have breakfast! I know this is simple, but many teen girls don't do this. Having breakfast uses up precious time in the morning but it is also really healthy and a good way to start the day. If you don't have time for breakfast on school days, take a piece of fruit or a cereal bar to school and eat it on the way! This means you are feeling healthier, powered up with some high-carbohydrate stuff, and ready to tackle the day. I often have porridge in the morning because it is super nice, very low in sugar and fat, and easy/quick to make. It fills me up and leaves me full of energy for the day ahead!
2. Be nice to others. If you are sending nice texts to your friends and sharing snacks or money the likelihood is they will reply nicely too - and share their food or money. What goes around comes around, as the old saying goes, and it is completely true in this case. Being nice will mean others are nice in return and a sweet text from a close friend ALWAYS brightens up the day.
3. Ignore the haters, as Miranda Sings (YouTube star) would say. They should back off (another of Miranda's favourite sayings) and stop hating on you - you're a great person, and they need to respect that and be nice. People who ignore you, leave nasty comments on a website/blog, spread untrue rumours about you at school or talk about you behind your back aren't worth your time. Grin at them, move away and accept that you can never please everyone. It's OK. You have loads of friends and a great life. They're jealous of you.
That's the first section of this long post! I hope you use these tips - I love focusing on making my day as happy as I can, and frequently I use all three. Up next are two ways to ignore the negatives.
1. Have a certain time in your day, not a long period of time but a relatively short period, to discuss worries or issues. Call it a 'talk time' or a 'worry time' and use it to talk about your feelings with parents, friends or siblings. Doing this should help you lock the negative thoughts away for the rest of the day and it will also allow you to chat with someone and ask them for help. Take advice and tips because it might help - open up and explain your anxiety and fear.
2. If you are a pessimist (I am to a certain level and I understand!) try not to be one. Rip your focus away from bad things and instead think of nice things. For example, when I was younger I would fret and worry and cry at night because I was alone without my family. I would remember all the bad things that have ever happened to me and cry miserably. Now, though, whenever I feel down I go to listen to some funky music or text my bestie (yep, that's Secretgirl) and cheer myself up. Being sad isn't good and you should find away to distract yourself from it.
Finally, I am ending this post with a few starters on how to improve your life and become a happier, healthier person. I use these the most and I have to say...they work! It is not usually I would try tips like these and admit they work, but these are great and should be followed:
1. Smile as often and as much as you can. Smiling releases an endorphin that cheers you up, and you will look ten times prettier if you just SMILE! Life is beautiful.
2. Eat healthy food, such as salad or granola instead of a main meal or cereal. Cereal is full of sugar and main meals can be extremely fatty; salad and granola are both better lifestyle choices. The reason I am telling you to do this is because they will allow your brain more energy, meaning your work will be at a higher standard. The teachers will love you!
3. If you are sad, eat chocolate. This is controversy towards the last pointer, where I told you to eat healthier. But actually, chocolate also includes the endorphin that cheers you up - so when you are sad it is the PERFECT food to eat! (Just don't eat bars and bars of it...)
4. Meet up with friends or family at the weekend instead of staying inside and sleeping in. Fresh air is lovely and calming, so go for a walk in the park or along the canal. It will blow your troubles away!
I hope you take something from this post. Enjoy it! Try to live life to the full, like I do.
I hope you enjoyed this post! Feel free to comment and subscribe below (that would be AMAZING!)
Love,
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Thank you!

Hey guys!
I just checked my new blog, Besties Blogging, and realised over 26 people have seen it in an hour! Thank you so much everyone, it is an amazing feeling and I cannot get over it!
To visit our blog, please visit: http://2bestiesblogging.blogspot.co.uk/ and please comment or share!
Thank you everyone. It means so much to us (I am collabing with Secretgirl).
Love,
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Blogging bezzies!

Hey guys!
OK, today is a very special day; my best friend is guest posting on my blog! To read her super blog, click this link: http://secretgirlsblog.blog.com/, where I guest posted on hers!
Secretgirl will be blogging about her home spa routine just now! Enjoy!
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Hey everybody,
Today I wanted to share with you a quick step-by-step spa routine. Personally, I do these nearly every Friday, to relax after a long week, and celebrate the weekend ahead. I find these really worthwhile and relaxing. I hope you enjoy the post coming up!
1. I always begin with cleansing my face. My favourite cleanser at the moment is the Simple moisturising cleanser. This will help to unclog your pores, without completely striping the moisture from your skin. Whilst doing this, begin to run a bath.
2. Next, I pick a face mask! This is the fun part! I used one from the Japanese brand last night, although I've forgotten the details! It worked really nicely.
3. I dropped a bath melt from lush in my bath, instead of a bath bomb because I find them more relaxing. It was one of the Christmas ones- the glitter gold and white angel. While in the bath, I used my Zoella foam sweet foam shower gel and my Soap and Glory flake away scrub.
4. When you've soaked for long enough, jump  out of the bath, followed with a body butter. Mine was an apricot one from boots. Also, remove your face mask, in order to begin the skin-care!
5. I did a face-scrub, toner and moisturiser. They all left my skin baby-soft! This is a really fun step, and it's super good for your skin!
6. Hop into your onesie and watch a movie on Netflix or your laptop DVD player. I went for Pitch Perfect 2, again! Remember, the main point of an evening spa time is to relax, so a movie fits perfectly!
I hope you all enjoyed my post. Remember to click the link above to check out my main blog! Me and Becca are going to begin a blog together, so stay tuned to both our sites for more detail on that!
Hoping you all check out my site and love it,
Secret Girl xxx

Besties Blogging

Hey guys!
Today I want to introduce my best friend, Secretgirl, who blogs on blog.com. The link to her beauty and fashion and lifestyle blog is: http://secretgirlsblog.blog.com/ . Please check it out it's good!
I am also linking her blog to Pinterest and FaceBook.
We are guest posting on each other's blogs TODAY - please check them out!!!!
Love,
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Friday 22 January 2016

The Importance Of Being Yourself

Hey guys!
Today I am talking about being yourself.
OK, it is uber important to always be yourself. If you're not, you're not being the person you are - but trust me, we've all been there when we see that girl and think, "Oh my God she's so cute I need to be more like her."
No. We don't. Maybe that girl is cute, but is she really nice? Is she nicer than you? Would she give up her seat on the bus to an old lady, or would she fake a sprained ankle just to keep her seat? The point is, she probably won't be as nice as you are, and there isn't any point in trying to be her.
I used to have a really sweet best friend, who we will call A. She was pretty and popular and sweet - but only if she liked you. She could be really mean if she didn't.
And she always seemed to look perfect; her brown-blonde hair was always straight and perfectly brushed, her skin was always smooth and she was always smiling. It seemed so unfair when I was near her because she could be spiteful, yet she was so pretty.
I became sort of jealous; her good looks were annoyingly perfect. I copied her and tried to be exactly like her, striving for perfection, hoping against hope I would be one of the 'cool girls' and be allowed to hang out with A.
But, later on, we had a fight. I had drifted away from her and found a new friend, who we will call B. B wasn't as popular or as perfect, but she was lovely and super fun. B was a lot more like me - we shared the same humour, the exact same height and the same interests. After chatting together one lunchtime we bonded and stuck together like glue. A wasn't happy.
When we had had enough of her trying to pull me away from B, we confronted her. I told her I thought I suited B more than her, as gently as I could. She had been being mean for the whole time whilst I had been spending time with B, and I knew I should have told her about it. So we did. After school.
It didn't work out and everything ended in a huge argument, me and B on one side and A and her friend n the other. It lasted for ages, but B stuck by me the whole time.
What I had realised was that A actually wasn't as nice as she had seemed. I learnt my lesson about judging people on their appearance, and am still best friends with B now.
Basically what I am trying to say is make friends because they are nice, not because they're pretty, and ALWAYS be yourself. You are amazing as you are and shouldn't change for anyone!
I hope you enjoyed this post and if you have any comments or queries for me, please please please contact me or simply leave a comment in the section below!
Thank you so much.
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Tuesday 19 January 2016

Amazing New School Stationery


School Stationery

 

 
Hey guys!
This post will show you my ideal pencil case, as well as some note-writing tips for class! Enjoy!
Please sign up and leave a comment below – I would love to hear from you all. Thank you.
OK, we all know having adorable stationery is the best bit of school – who doesn’t want the cutest new highlighters or a furry pencil case? I’m going to show you my ideal bag, pencil case and stationery, perfect for going back to school after the holidays or just changing your pencil case up a bit. If you do decide to purchase any of them, please comment below if you liked them!
I would chose my pencil case from Blott – my absolute fave is the Two-Colour Zip’N’Skip Pencil Case in Blue – it is super cute, practical and very big for storing all my stationery in there!
Here is a list of the stationery items I would purchase for my pencil case:

1.       Fine liners and Fabulous Felt Tip Pens, again from Blott, because of their amazing colours. You can buy them for £10 in store and come in a practical plastic case, perfect for storing separately on your bag.

2.       Obviously, a cute Notebook for notes and reminders has to be from Paperchase! I prefer the A4 10-Subject Notebook for school stuff and notes and then the Gold Spot A6 Ruled Notebook because it is super pretty and really easy to carry around in your bag.

3.       Highlighters are a must; my favourites are Sharpie Pocket Highlighter Pens – they are so bright and easy to see and are super slim, which means they are great for carrying around in a pencil case.

4.       Uniball Eye Set of Pens, by WHSmith. This is, admittedly, £8.99 and quite expensive but the set includes 2 blue rollerball pens, 2 black rollerballs and a red rollerball. The ink is long-lasting and fade-proof and they are a perfect addition to a pencil case and great for making comments and changing essays or homework.

5.       Wild Heart Swirl Pen from Paperchase. This is super sweet, really easy to hold, and pretty! I love this SO much and makes a great present for girly girls. And it’s only £3! Bargain!

6.       If you love sensible stationery with a cute twist, these spotty gel pens are the thing for you – Polkadot Gel Pen Set includes 5 adorable gel pens with coloured cases, for only £3.50.

7.     Zebra Funky Ballpoint Pens from WHSmith are another necessity, both really pretty and black ink so writing colour isn’t a problem. Amazing deal and really nice presents for any animal-lover.
I think having a comfy bag is really important, so I chose a rucksack that won’t hurt your shoulders when you are walking to school. Also, the pencil case is big enough to fit in all of these super cute pens and highlighters – fab!
After online shopping on several websites, I think the one that stood out for me was  the Grey Crochet Backpack by Claire’s – the design is raelly, really nice! Claire’s bags are usually pretty good quality, and the bag is only £30, so pretty affordable too. Would recommend for any lace-loving girl!
This section is going to give you 5 of my most useful, clever tips for studying:

1.       Take a drink of water and a tasty but nutritious snack up with you before studying. I like to have water, an apple and chocolate – scientists’ studies have shown that chocolate contains ingredients that are good for the brain whilst working.

2.       Wear comfy clothes, preferably leggings/tracksuit bottoms and a sweater or T-shirt. This will stop discomfort and will be super easy to work in.

3.       Do your studying in a quiet location with no distractions. For instance, ensure the windows are closed and you have your phone far away to prevent distraction.

4.       Highlight, underline and make notes with colour-codes or keys. This will separate out information and divide tasks into smaller, more approachable sections that you could do one at a time.

5.       Study in little bursts every day, not for hours once or twice. Also, go over things you have covered until you know them off by heart.
I hope these help – they certainly do for me! Now I am going to give you a few pointers for note-writing:

1.       Make small flashcards and flick through them every day at a certain time. Soon information will become easier and easier to learn.

2.       Use dark colours such as black so you know you will always be able to read them.

3.       Make bullet points or divide up your work to avoid huge paragraphs of senseless words.

4.       If you don’t know what something means, make a note of it and write the definition in to prevent confusion.
That’s all for today! Hope you found this useful – I use it whilst watching YouTube or just catching up on notes for lessons.
Love,
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Monday 18 January 2016

Shopping

Hey, guys!
Today post will be about shopping – I wanted  to share with you a few of the most helpful shopping tips I could find, after 40 minutes of Internet surfing and a few peeps at both Zoella and Sprinkle of Glitter’s blogs. It includes tips for all ages and both genders!
So, here they are!
Tip One: Prepare and plan like crazy. If you are going to a big sale in January or an organised shopping trip that with likely have a load of people there, arrive a few hours in advance and pack a lot of food and drink to nibble whilst waiting. Also, make a list of your budget on a piece of paper and write a shopping list of 1) necessities that you MUST buy and also products you quite like and might buy. Separate these and highlight your favourites, or colour-code them.
Tip Two: Make a plan of which shops you want to visit and what you want from each shop. You could even make a budget for each shop which will help you decide on what you want to buy. Again, I find highlighting really helps!
Tip Three: Take plastic bags – as these are now costing 5p, take a little supply of bags in a corner of your bag to save yourself 30p! It also saves the planet and is very useful as it recycles bags you have stored away.
Tip Four: Always bring an extra £5 to pay for additional costs such as car parking just in case.
Tip Five: If you have a portable phone charger, bring it so as to charge your phone in case of emergency. Alternatively, allow time to charge it fully beforehand so you are able to call or text.
Tip Six: Bring a friend or family. It’s a lot more fun shopping with friends or family and then can often give you excellent advice.
Tip Seven: Be organised and early! If you are running late, chances are you might not enjoy it as much as anticipated, so make sure you catch your train or arrive early and beat the mad panic for the sales.
Tip Eight: If you have access to a laptop, check the shop’s online store before and either bookmark or note down the details of your favourite products. This means you can instantly pay and don’t have to fret about your budget; you know how much it is already! It might also tell you the featured discounts and new in store, which is an added bonus.
Tip Nine: Check the weather forecast! If it says it will rain, bring an umbrella, and if it says hot weather, bring a small tube of sun cream or sunglasses. You will then feel very organised when it starts to rain and you are able to just put up your umbrella!
Tip Ten: Organise eating arrangements before you go. Check the local restaurants, cafes, bars and stalls nearby and maybe look at a map online. This will allow you to fit in time for lunch and maybe bring extra cash to pay. Alternatively, you could check out the nearby smoothie stalls or Costas if you are only going for a few hours!
I hope you enjoyed this handy post – it really helped me when I went shopping with my friend! She was very surprised when I brought out an umbrella as soon as rain began to fall as if I was magic!
Love,
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Sunday 17 January 2016

Support


Hey guys!
This post is very quick, but will be uploading later too – sorry for the annoying short post now! I just wanted to say thank you for the amazing support you guys are giving me – if you would like to see my Facebook page, click on this link: https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.hammett.12.author/ and feel free to like and comment! Thank you to any of you who actually take the time to help me. It will, unfortunately, be giving away my name as I had to give the page a proper name so Girl Behind The Screen Blog is now not so anonymous but I will be posting under the same name, don’t worry.
 I also have an email account on GMX that you can contact me on. My email address is bloggergirl@GMX.com – ask me questions, talk to me and give me suggestions for my blog on there! Thank you SO much!So, that’s it for now and I will be on here later as well, posting a new page so be sure to check that out too!
I also want to say thank you for the support – I’m so appreciative!Finally, if you want to follow me on Pinterest, my account name is called DIY Teen and I pin anything about fashion, beauty, cheer, dance, gymnastics, quotes, and life. Enjoy!
Love,
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Snow White

Hey guys!
I know the title of this blog post might be a bit odd but I want to talk to you about being beautiful today. The reason I have named the title of this post Snow White is because there is snow lying outside, and I think it fits pretty well with the topic. Happy reading!
What with peer pressure and make-up and new trends chopping and changing, girls can find it hard to be fashionable all the time. In America, most schools wear non-uniform and finding a suitable outfit can be hard. In Europe, though, most schools wear a set uniform which is easier because you have no pressure in choosing pretty outfits each day.
I know at my previous school there was pressure in  being cool. Girls who dressed differently were seen as uncool, and there were specific gangs, or squads, of girls that would whisper and make rude remarks. If you have ever been laughed at or picked on for wearing something that others didn't approve of, it wasn't your fault. Girls like that don't often realise, but being different is good. It is a free country and that means your clothing is your choice, not anyone else's. Remember that.
Now, Snow White; reminds you of the Disney film about the sweet little girl and her wicked stepmother and the seven dwarves, right? Well, my blog won't be about her. It's actually about embracing the inner you and being your own person.
This morning, me and my brother, who I will call Monkey, woke up as usual and looked casually out of the window. Everything was white. And we yelled with excitement and rushed through to our parents' room without a second thought. A few hours later, once the sun was up and we had had breakfast, we put on thermals and jumpers and hunted for miscellaneous hats and gloves in the cupboard and in the car. Once we were dressed and ready, we raced out to the garden and threw snowballs at each other and looked at the pond, which had frozen over during the night. Ten minutes later we had got the sledge from the garage and had run over to the park. We sledged and sledged down the hill in the park, trying out various combinations; backwards, forwards, standing, lying, kneeling, sideways, sitting, even in the splits. By the time my thin Christmas pudding gloves were frozen stiff and underneath my fingers glowed red. My tracksuit bottoms with silver sequins were sodden and my fashionable coat was covered in snow. My hair was un-brushed and had specks of white glistening in it.
My point is that fashion and beauty isn't everything. What people think is irrelevant if you are having fun. You don't always need to look good; I love dressing up and practising make-up looks and spending ages flicking through Pinterest and looking at all my favourite teen fashion pins and re-pinned pins (follow me on Pinterest at DIY Teen) and doing my hair, but sometimes you have to enjoy the moment and not care what you look like and just have fun.
The reason I am writing this and spending so much time on it is actually because just the other day I was looking through an old photo album, smiling at memories of snow days in the past and my first holiday abroad to Disneyland. Then, at the age of about eleven, the pictures sort of...changed. I stopped smiling as if I had no worries, and some of the pictures was me, pouting. It made me realise that image is actually not always what it feels like. I mean, the pictures that made me smile were the ones of me, smiling, acting happy and carefree. NOT the ones where I'm pouting or wearing make-up or trying to be someone I'm not.
So, what I am trying to tell you, is being yourself beats being a mirror image of someone else. Believe it - honestly, it's true. Don't care about what you look like because it's not important. Focus on being someone who is nice on the inside.
Thank you for reading - it took a long time for me to write this! I hope you liked it and please comment or follow me if you read my blog a lot.
This is a topic I feel very strongly about, and hope you can all agree and can maybe change your mind about what your personal image should look like. If you don't, leave my site. I don't want this to be negative; I started blogging to have a more positive view on life, and if you can't abide with it, I don't want you reading my thoughts and feelings.
Love,
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Wintry Weather

Hey guys!
As it is, excitingly, snowing today, I thought I would create a post on wintry weather. I hope you enjoy!
There's something about walking in the country, dusted with sugary icing sugar snow, and watching as birds and dogs make mad tracks in the white, like a rollercoaster of footprints. I love everything; the still air, the fresh smell, the look of the snow-lined trees. Everything's beautiful, trapped in time in a white wonderland.
I am sat on the sofa, a blanket cuddled over me in the chilly weather, smiling each time I look out at the white land just outside my window. It's so pretty. The bird feeders are frozen stiff, the birds hopping around below them looking decidedly confused, and the trampoline is covered with a three-centimetre thick lining of frozen water. The plants have been dusted in snow too, leaves tinted bright white. The lawn looks like a blanket. The pond has frozen.
No wind batters the weeping willow dangling its branches into the water. No noise comes from the park over the barrier of conifers. Just silence, hanging in the air, beautiful, still.
My brother leaps up and down like a caged tiger, raring to be let outside into the snow. My parents are asleep, safely tucked in bed above us. Everything is so quiet; I love it.
Hot chocolate and marshmallows are bought from Tesco, as the kettle boils over with rage. We sip steaming soup from flasks, the heat steamy like our breath against the air.
If anyone else loves winter as much as I do, please leave me a comment saying what your favourite bit of winter is.
Thank you for your love and support! You mean the world to me.

Saturday 16 January 2016

Happiness

Hey guys!
Today, I will post about happiness. I want people (both boys and girls of any age) to read this post and think, wow, that has really improved my happiness. I hope to bring smiles to people's faces by sharing my knowledge and helping them gain confidence.
Enjoy my post! Tomorrow I will be blogging about beauty, so be sure to check that out!
Happiness is something you can choose to have. No matter what is happening in your life, you can block out everything else and simply focus on being happy. Think about everything that has ever happened to you - and think how much the positives outweigh the negatives. Close your eyes and just smile. It's OK. You are alright.
It is very important you are happy. Being happy is the key to life, ands learning how to ignore the negatives and simply life with positivity can be tricky, but I want to show you how and allow you to be happy and live your life in joy.
Here are my top five tips for staying positive:
1. Always dwell on nice things, not nasty things. Don't replay your embarrassing mistakes or think about the bad things you have done. No. Instead, fill your mind with happy thoughts and nice visions and you will instantly become more comfortable.
2. If you are struggling, write down a list of 3 things that made you happy in the day before you go to bed each night and read through them as you fall asleep. Think about the nice things people did for you.
3. Smile. Smile all the time, at everyone, even if you don't know them. Smiling is the prettiest thing you can do and people will warm to a friendly face.
4. If a friend or relative is upset, cheer them but don't ask them what's wrong (or if you do, don't focus on it and move on quickly). Dwelling on negatives isn't a good idea if you are hoping to be more positive, and will only make them feel worse.
5. Fill your life with things that make you happy! If you like dance, dance more often. If you like hiking, go out for a hike every week. It will make life a lot more exciting and will hopefully be more fun for you.
Well, that's it! I hope you found these tips useful. Please comment below on which was your favourite and why to get a shout out!
Love,
Girl Behind The Screen xx

Blogging Beauty

Hey guys!
This is the first post of many I would like to share with the world. I am going to keep my identity secret, though, and will be going by the name of Girl Behind The Screen.
I am a teen girl and have interests in writing, fashion, travel, beauty, nature and fun. This blog will be a mix of all of those - have fun reading and please share your thoughts with me by leaving a comment.
Sorry for having such a brief first post - I promise the next will be longer!
Girl Behind The Screen xx