Some things Psychology students want you to know.

I've just finished my first undergraduate degree. I will have a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences under my belt, with many more years of study to go. However, one thing I have learnt while studying, and also working in retail, is that many people have a lot of preconceptions and stereotypes about what it's like to study psychology.

So hear is a list of things that have come up when I talk to others about what I'm studying at uni.

1. "Can you read my mind?" ... No. I can't. Repeat, I can not read your mind. Just because I know a little bit about how the brain works, and understand some human behaviour, does not mean I can automatically see into your brain, and understand exactly how it works. Even the most highly trained psychologists and psychiatrists can't read minds... So save that one for the sci-fi movies.
2. "What condition does (insert name here) have?"  Firstly, one of the most important things we are taught when studying psychology, is that, if we have any ideas about what condition(s) someone we know might have, we are not to diagnose them, because it can create stigmas and make them feel worse, and it might be wrong, and that isn't helpful for anyone. Secondly, even though I now have an undergraduate degree, I am nowhere close to being a psychologist, it takes many more years before you can even start practicing and treating people yourself.
3. "You should treat me for free!" If you knew how much debt I'm going to be in when I finish university, you would not be asking me to treat you for free, that's for sure.
4. "Students these days are never at university. You're always on holidays!" Yes, university does have a long break over the summer, but the rest of the time we work hard. And yes, I may only have two or three days at uni a week,  but that doesn't mean I don't do anything in the downtime. Most students I know work numerous jobs, and study a lot (weekly readings, lectures, assignments...), and try to balance other life things, so you telling us that we're lazy, just puts even more pressure on.
5. "Do you have a real job yet?" You have no idea how much I want to have my qualification already and be working in my dream job, but university takes time. To get into the industry you want, you need a qualification and experience, and that takes a lot of time. So yes, I will still be working at this supermarket for a few years longer to keep myself ticking by.

Being a student isn't all it's cracked up to be! So keep that in mind!

What are the stereotypes that people have of your field?

Beth. x 

Merry Christmas!

Picture: Stuart Milligan Gown: Leiela

As this post is going up on Christmas Day, I thought I'd write a quick message to say Merry Christmas to you all! Thanks for popping by my little space of the internet, and seeing what I'm buying, loving, listening to, and thinking.

Christmas is one of my favourite times of year (apart from the working in retail part... Those of you in retail at this time of year will understand!). But for the most part, I love spoiling my friends and family by choosing gifts that are (hopefully) perfect for them, I love opening the surprises they have for me, I love having a dedicated day to spend with my family, where none of us have to rush off to work, and I especially love belting out my favourite Christmas tunes while watching my favourite TV show of the year, 'Carols By Candlelight,' on Christmas Eve.

So wherever in the world you're reading this, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, and an exciting and successful New Year!

Beth. x

Super Sephora Spending.

As many of you may know Sephora has just landed in Melbourne! (And online too! http://www.sephora.com.au/) And I happened to be in Melbourne the day after it opened, so of course I braved the crowds and had a look. There was literally hundreds of people in the store when I went, which made it not the most enjoyable experience ever, but it is a beautiful store, with so many amazing brands, so I will definitely be going back!

I've been jealous of people who can access Sephora easily for quite a few years now (as materialistic and shallow as that sounds). However, because I've seen so much of what everyone else has bought from Sephora over the years, I knew exactly what I wanted to get!

The main thing I wanted to get was the Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 01. Every blogger who has been to Sephora has bought this and raved about it, so being the red lip lover that I am, I had to pick it up.  And it lives up to the hype! It's long lasting, non-drying, very pigmented, and cheap too (only $17)! It also smells like vanilla.

The next thing I'd heard a lot about and wanted to get was the Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lip Crayon in a purpley plum colour caller Aubergine.  Bite Beauty makes all of it's products with food grade ingredients, which considering we supposedly eat a lot of lipstick in our lives, is probably a good idea!  These are really creamy, an although it wasn't as matte as I would normally like, it still lasts quite a while.

I also picked up the Sephora Pro Brush Flawless Air #56. I haven't used this one yet, but the bristles feel really soft. These brushes were a bit more expensive than I had expected (the one I got was $45), but I've heard they're really good quality.

In the aisle of doom on the way to the checkout (whilst queueing for over half an hour... It was that busy...), I had two impulse buys.
I got the very highly spoken about Elizabeth & James Nirvana White perfume, which is absolutely gorgeous. Elizabeth & James is the Olsen twins perfume brand, and there is a black and white version of Nirvana, with the black one being deeper and stronger smelling.  Nirvana White smells very rosy, and I think it would be perfect for day or night. I will definitely be going to get the full size, next time I'm in store!

And last but not least, I bought the Make Up For Ever Smoothing Primer , which is a really good primer, and makes makeup last all day, but is expensive for what it is ($30 for only 15mL).

What have you recently picked up from Sephora? What do I need to try next?

Beth. x

Natural Harry Goodness.

I stumbled upon Natural Harry about this time last year.  At my favourite place, Barwon Heads, stood their 1950s style caravan selling delicious vegan smoothies and raw desserts. I tried one, and then returned every day after to get my fix.

Fast forward just a year, and Harriet one of the masterminds behind Natural Harry, has written a recipe book! It not only includes recipes for many of the amazing smoothie and raw desserts that appear in the van, but also yummy breakfast and dinner ideas, and recipes for home and body products for good measure!

My attempt at the Skin Glow Smoothie.

I purchased a copy of the book, and as someone who isn't the most keen person in the kitchen, it has really inspired me to get involved and try things out of my comfort zone. I've made many a smoothie, and acai berry powder is now a staple on my shopping list. But I've also got many of the other recipes bookmarked to try on my family and friends!

You can get the book here: (http://naturalharry.com.au/product/natural-harry-recipe-book/), but be quick, because it's been super popular!

Beth. x

Priceline Haul. #feelingspendy

Every time I go into Priceline I seem to come out with something... It's hard not to sometimes! But this time some serious damage was done. So here's the overview of my shopping spree.

Most of this haul were repurchases of products that I love. Firstly, I got another bottle of the Max Factor Facefinity All Day Primer. This primer isn't as siliconey as others I've tried and it feels quite light on the skin. It also really helps to make my base sit nicer on my skin and last much longer. 

Another repurchase was the Maybelline Colour Drama Lipstick in 310 (Berry Much). These are kind of a cheaper version of the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils, but they're a bit creamier, and don't have the same staying power as the Nars ones, but they're a quarter of the price!

Next was the L'Oreal Colour Riche Lip Liner Magique in Transparent. This lip liner is perfect for all lipstick colours, which saves you having to buy a different shade for all of your favourite lipsticks. It has a kind of waxy texture, but it definitely helps stop my lipstick from bleeding, and makes it last longer.

L'Oreal Collection Exclusive Reds in Latitia's Red. These were a limited collection, and I had so many compliments when I wore this dark wine shade, I decided I needed to get a back up before they weren't available anymore! 

This shopping trip was the first time I picked up the Garnier Micellar water, and I was glad that I did! For me, it rivals Bioderma, and is very affordable. And even better, it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin!

The Maybelline Colour Tattoo Eye Shadows are incredibly popular products, so I picked up a couple more shades, from the Metals collection I got Inked in Pink, and from the original collection I picked up Bold Gold. I've tried other shades in this range before, and while they are brilliant eye shadows, I would say the lighter colours, (such as the pink) don't seem to last as long or be as pigmented as the darker shades such as the cult favourite Bad to the Bronze. 

So that'll leave me broke for a while!

What have you picked up from Priceline or the drugstore lately?

Beth. x