Questions, Questions, Questions!!

I really enjoy answering these questions so I thought I'd do some more that I found on Twitter. I don't know what it is about these posts that I like so much, perhaps it makes me think a bit more about myself? 

Selfie

From just before Christmas, my teeth look so white! 

Full name

Charlotte Rhianne Gill

Age

17 (less than a week till I'm 18 though!)

Birthday

23rd January 1997

Idols

Helen Glover, Malala Yousafzai, Beyonce, Katherine Grainger

Favourite movie

Grown Ups is my favourite comedy movie and (not being original in any way) The Notebook is possibly favourite rom-com. But overall my top top favourite is Perks of Being a Wallflower. 

Favourite TV Show

24 Hours in A&E, Celebrity Juice, Silent Witness or Russell Howard's Good News

Something you hate about yourself

My massive forehead and my voice

Something you love about yourself

My hair (when it cooperates) and I think I'm a kind, caring person

Best friend

I have close friends too but my best friends are probably Emma, Greenie and Sophie 

Someone you hate

I don't know if I actually hate anyone because hate is quite a strong word but I just really don't like rude people, whether I know them or not, I can't stand rudeness

Favourite song

Jubel by Klingande and Stockholm Syndrome & Little Things by One Direction 

Favourite band

I think it's obvious but One Direction

Say sexy you think of:

Confidence, muscles and a nice, friendly smile (height is quite important too!)

Relationship status

I couldn't be more single if I tried

Ever had bf/gf

Nope (cries whilst consuming copious amounts of chocolate)

My idea of a perfect date

Something simple like a nice dinner and then a movie or just chill out at their house! 

Where I want to be right now

Somewhere warm and sunny with blue sky and blue sea like Florida or the Caribbean

Girl crush

Kendall Jenner

I mean just look at her, it's not fair

Boy crush

Harry Styles and Nick Bateman

Need I say more?

Embarassing memory

There are so many I can't remember. I've probably suppressed them in the back of my memory!

Talents

I guess rowing, I'm a good listener and I hope I'm good at writing? 

Someone I miss

The girls from the Welsh team! 

Someone I love

My friends for always being there

Future goals

Row for GB (who knows if that's actually achievable?!) and to be successful

A confession

This is really tricky! Urm.... I really don't know. I don't really have a lot of secrets/confessions and the ones that I do have are VERY secret and will not be exposed any time soon!   

Something I'm addicted to

Music, it is the one thing (apart from human essentials e.g. Water, oxygen and food) that I can't live without

Fave animal

Dolphins and horses (I can't choose between the two!) 

Favourite TV couple

I had to think really hard about TV shows for this one! I think maybe Miranda and Gary from 'Miranda' because they are so well suited and they are together eventually even though they encounter some major hiccups! Also, Chuck and Blair from Gossip Girl, partly for the same reasons but also because their final relationship is so perfect and he treats her like a princess! 

Ships

Janya (Jim Chapman and Tanya Burr) They literally have my relationship goals!

Favourite quote

I'm a sucker for quotes but some of my favourites are 'You never know what's impossible until you try' or 'Winners never quit, quitters never win' or 'The body achieves what the mind believes' 

Lucky number 

I don't believe in lucky numbers so I don't have one!

Biggest wish

To be happy, loved and successful

Bad habits

Nail biting and procrastinating

Food you hate

MUSHROOMS. I think it's partly their awful squishy texture but they also taste so gross. 

Hair colour

Blonde

Eye colour

Blue

Favourite kind of ice cream

Pretty much anything from Ben and Jerry's or a simple Mint Choc Chip!

Any question you'd like: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully either still studying for a masters or working, hopefully in London!

I hope you enjoyed these questions! Feel free to do them yourself, let me know if you do! 

Much Love

Charlotte

XO

FOUR Deluxe Edition Review

I don't quite understand how we're already on the fourth One Direction album but I am so so happy about it. I love getting new music anyway but when it's One Direction and they've written it all themselves it makes it even better. I've decided to review the album track by track because I love it so much and I want to convert everyone to loving it, like I already have with some of my friends (Greenie)!

1. Steal My Girl  
Well this was the first single released (apart from Fireproof) and I love it because it's such a fun song. It;s perfect to dance around your room to or sing in the shower (I of course have done both). I LOVE the video purely for the complete randomness of it and how  different it is to their other videos

2. Ready to Run
 This was one of the tracks released in the week leading up to the album release and it's one of my favourites (I have many). I really like the guitar all the way through and how the song really picks up in the chorus with Harry's beautiful vocals. I love the lyrics too 'wherever you are is the place I belong'. I'm a soppy one I know!

3. Where Do Broken Hearts Go 
Also an early release which is also one of my favourites. It's a song that makes me want to dance and I think all of the vocals are so so good on it. It was written by Harry and none of  the other boys and I know it's one of their favourite tracks which demonstrates Harry's  writing talent (if you haven't heard Ariana Grande's 'Just a Little Bit of Your Heart' listen  to it asap because it is so beautiful and written by Harry).

4. 18 
Written by the wonderful and insanely talented Ed Sheeran I am deeply in love with this song. I think the lyrics are perfect, their vocals are so strong and it's just a perfect song. Good job Ed. This is the kind of song with lyrics that I wish applied to my life if that makes any sense? I listen to it and think 'I want this to happen to me' because it really is a beautiful love song. 

5. Girl Almighty 
I'll admit this isn't one of my top favourites but it is such a fun song to dance to. It's definitely a song that would cheer you up on a bad day. Liam's voice is pretty flawless on this track. 

6. Fool's Gold 
Okay this song is definitely a favourite. It's so calming, especially Niall's voice at the beginning, followed by Harry's as it goes into the chorus. When I first heard it when it was pre-released I listened to it on repeat, non-stop because it is just so pretty. All 5 boys contributed to writing this song which makes it quite special, especially as it is already one of my favourites. 'I'm not done yet, falling for you'

7. Night Changes
WORDS CANNOT EXPLAIN MY LOVE FOR THIS SONG. It's piano, their smooth voices, the beautiful lyrics written by all 5 boys (do you see a trend occurring?), it's just PERFECT. I'm unbelievably excited for the video, as I'm writing this they've released 2 teasers, one of Zayn and another of Louis and the audience is taken on a 'date' by the boys which kind of makes my heart melt a bit (and i haven't even seen Harry's part yet. God help me when I do!). 'It'll never change me and you' 

8. No Control 
Now, just like Girl Almighty I don't know how much I like this one. It's definitely a fun song and I can imagine on the tour that it'll be amazing but there's just something that keeps  making me skip it! It's still a really good song but I think because the others are SO SO  good I like this one a little less. Is that bad? 

9. Fireproof  
This one was released free when the album was announced and I immediately fell in love with it. The guitar really surprised me as there wasn't a great deal of this much guitar on 'Midnight Memories'. The harmonies on this are quite special!

10. Spaces
Yet another beautiful, slow song that I could so easily fall asleep to it's so calming. Like 'Fireproof' the harmonies on this are beautiful (I really need to expand my vocabulary!). The lyrics, written by Louis and Liam, are simply stunning. There are quite a few instances on the album when all the boys are singing and they are sounding so so good together I love it. Bring on the tour!

11. Stockholm Syndrome Written by the wonderful and perfect Mr Styles, I'm 99% sure this is my favourite track of the whole album. The lyrics, their voices, the tune, the guitar, the drums, literally everything I LOVE. This is definitely going to be amazing live, I can already see Harry on stage 'dancing' (or should I say prancing?) around the stage to it. There's little I can say about this other than how much I'm in love with it. 'I fear I'm getting used to being held by you' 

12. Clouds 
I wasn't sure about this one at first but I'm definitely growing to like it more. The chorus is my ultimate favourite part of this one. It's quite a shouty kind of chorus which is probably the best for me as I cannot sing at all, completely tone deaf (honestly ask anyone who knows me!) 'We're never coming back down, Yeah we're looking down on the clouds' 

13.Change Your Ticket 
My first thought was 'OH MY GOD THIS IS LIKE THE 1975'  and I love the 1975. My second thought was 'HARRY PLEASE STOP SINGING ABOUT ME GETTING BACK INTO BED WITH YOU BECAUSE I CANNOT COPE'. Along with Stockholm Syndrome,  Fool's Gold and Night Changes this is one of my top favourites. It was, again, written by all  5 of the boys (definitely a theme here) and I love driving home to it. I don't really know why but it is the perfect song to put on full volume and sing along, having a little dance (driving safely of course). 

14.Illusion 
Ah yes, Illusion, another one of my favourites (I have many okay please don't judge me). The chorus, again!, is so good and (of course) I love the lyrics. It's another one of those songs I want to happen to me. 'I promise falling for me won't be a mistake'

15. Once in a Lifetime 
This album is crammed full of soft, guitar love songs and I'm not complaining. This isn't my favourite out of all of them (shocked? so am I!). But, of course, their harmonies on the chorus are glorious and the lyrics (again I want them to happen to me!) are so pretty, good job Payno. 

16. Act My Age
 I feel I'm in the complete minority when I say I FREAKING LOVE THIS SONG. It's fun, I love the lyrics because it makes me think of Harry with kids (and how could that not make anyone happy?!) and I just want to dance when I hear it. The whistle at the end, which I'm  98% sure is Harry, makes me laugh and I don't even know why. I JUST LOVE IT. 'When  I’m fat and old and my kids think I’m a joke, Cause the stories that I told, I tell again and again, I can count on you after all we got up to. Cause I know that you truly understand' (This needed a lot of lyrics because I couldn't chose my favourites!)

Help pls

Then is the beautiful video of the Behind the Scenes of the photoshoot. Highlights include:

• Harry's appalling basketball 
• Liam getting the basketball in from sitting on a car
• Harry's abundance of hats that make him look glorious
• Narry photos
• The Narry hug 
• Their wonderful outfits 

F L A W L E S S

I realise now this is an extremely long, wordy post but I have a lot to say and nowhere and no one to say it to! 

I really hope you all love the album as much as I do! It's already number 1 in 100 which is actually insane and I'm so so proud of the boys!

Which is your favourite track? Let me know in the comments please!!!! 

Much Love

Charlotte 

XO

Friends are the family you choose...

I love this quote simply because I believe it's so true. You don't have to be friends with anyone. No one is going to make you be friends with them. You aren't forced to spend hours and hours with the same people if you don't want to. You simply choose to. 

You know you're friends with someone when you send them a Snapchat of yourself with no makeup and 3 extra chins, or when you know exactly what they're thinking with just one look or (as I've found out more recently) when you say or need the exact same thing as them at the same time (ehem Emma). There is nothing quite like having a private joke where you can just look at your friend(s) and say one thing and you all burst into fits of laughter with that one memory. 

Friends are there for everything, the good times and the bad, with advice, help and a big hug to make you feel better. Recently I've been so grateful for my friends. I realise that I'm not the easiest person to be friends with, especially when I'm anxious or in a really bad mood (or if I'm extremely tired and hungry!). But despite this my friends stick by me and I'm so grateful for that (thanks gals). 

I think when you are growing up who you are friends with, and who you aren't, helps to shape who you are and make you the person you become. You realise your likes and dislikes, your pet hates and your favourite things, what makes you laugh, what makes you cry. Friends are there when you aren't sure if an outfit suits you or to help you do your hair or make up. To let you copy their homework if you've forgotten to do it and to back you up in an argument.  To go to One Direction concerts with you and dance until your feet hurt, to go to festivals and listen to music until your ears hurt and to go shopping with until your purse is empty. Ultimately they are there to make the memories that shape your life. 

One Direction!!

One of my oldest friends and I 

I personally think that friends are essential in helping you grow and develop, supporting you through challenges you may not have believed possible to succeed in. I have doubted myself so many times, and I still do, but I've always had someone pushing me to do it and believing in me. This is probably most prominent within the rowing club where everyone helps and supports each other. I've had so many deep conversations with some of the rowers and always walked away feeling supported, it's just so nice knowing people care.

The rowers aka best people ever 

I recently had a self-esteem talk in school and we ended up writing our name on a blank piece of paper which we then passed around the room and people wrote anonymous messages about what they thought of you (all positive of course). I'd done this before but it was within my form group which meant we were all quite close. Doing it in a larger group with people you don't know a lot about seemed to have more of an impact on me. I received lovely messages, most of which I didn't know who they were from which made it special. There were people in the room I'd literally only exchanged a few sentences with in the past year yet they still had lovely things to say about me, and me about them. We all left the class with huge Cheshire cat smiles spreading across our face.

I think what I'm trying to say is don't take your friends for granted because they don't have to be your friend, they want to. Don't be someones friend to use them, be their friend because you want to, because it'll make you happier. I think friends are one of the world's greatest things. 

Much Love

Charlotte

XO

One of my favourite photos ever

Keeping It Brief

Being back at school has left me with little time for much else without depriving myself of sleep so this post is just a brief one to keep all my lovely readers interested! Enjoy! 

• Making: progress
• Cooking: healthier
• Drinking: lots of water
• Reading: textbooks
• Wanting: money and peace
• Looking: for a job and someone
• Playing: Fireproof- One Direction
• Deciding: on university choices
• Wishing: people didn't fight
• Enjoying: rowing and being with my friends
• Waiting: for autumn and Christmas!
• Liking: being back with all my friends
• Wondering: too many things
• Loving: my friends
• Pondering: over life and all its options
• Considering: gap year vs uni
• Watching: youtubers!
• Hoping: to do well this year
• Marvelling: Over the beauty of some lyrics 
• Needing: more clothes and make up
• Smelling: Black Opium by YSL 
• Wearing: Training kit and school uniform
• Following: the path ahead
• Noticing: I don't need to care what people think of me
• Knowing: I can do it 
• Thinking: about a lot
• Feeling: pretty darn happy 
• Admiring: beauty 
• Sorting: my life out
• Buying: nothing due to lack of money
• Getting: excited for what lies ahead
• Bookmarking: peoples blogs and furniture 
• Disliking: rude people and boasters 
• Opening: the most recent Rowing&Regatta magazine
• Giggling: with my friends
• Feeling:  excited but nervous for the future! 

Hope this wasn't too boring for you all! I'm loving blogging and i feel so guilty if I don't write anything for a long time! I have got a very exciting post planned which I hope to write this weekend! 

Thanks for reading!

Much Love

Charlotte

XO

Wembley 7th June

Hi everyone! Hope you're all well and have been enjoying this delightful sunshine! On Friday 6th of June I ventured down to the glorious city of London with one of my best friends for a post-exam break and of course to see One Direction and 5 Seconds Of Summer.

Before going to the concert we decided to go to Westfield at White City for some window shopping and glorious food. Being a lover of halloumi and houmous the obvious choice was The Real Greek. We shared a platter and a chicken skewer and it's safe to say we were not disappointed! The meal was rounded off with a dessert that provides many memories of my World Challenge trip, BAKLAVA. Normally I don't like nuts but there is something about the honeyed sweetness of the baklava and the pastry that makes it so heavenly. I then went and bought some more at one of the stalls inside!!

Due to a lack of money the only thing I bought was a new lipstick for the end of year Summer Ball on the 28th June. After scouring for a nice pinky tone I discovered the Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate lipstick in shade 05. It applies smoothly and tastes delightful, perhaps a slightly cherry flavour. I wore it for the concert the next day and it stayed for at least 6 hours so I was very impressed. 

As Saturday loomed we spent the night in the bar of the hotel having a drink and listening to One Direction on repeat..well what else were we supposed to listen to?! We then went up to our room, supposedly to get an early night, instead it was spent dancing around our room to.....you guessed it more 1D and deciding on our outfits. Sleep did not come easily that night. 

Outfit choices! 

We woke on Saturday, had breakfast full of excitement and anticipation and headed to Westfield again, originally to see a film but in the end we decided to shop more, stopping at a chocolate cafe to have an iced chocolate and a free chocolate...heaven! I, regretfully, entered Urban Outfitters and wanted everything inside, the same happened with Topshop (they're on top form at the moment with their clothes) and eventually to my all time favourite bath and shower shop, Rituals. I made a little purchase of the T'ai Chi White Lotus and Green Tea foaming shower gel sensation. It smells heavenly, it had been almost a year since I purchased my last one so I felt it an essential purchase...honest. The way it lathers onto your skin is divine and the smell lingers all day. A quick stop to Nandos was of course vital before leaving. Again, I had halloumi in a chicken pitta with sweet potato mash which I loved and will definitely be having again. On the way out we stopped at HMV and I discovered One Direction tattoos so naturally I had to buy some for us to apply for the concert. 

Some of the tattoos! 

We headed back to the hotel to get ready and apply our tattoos, all whilst listening to One Direction and 5SOS. We arrived at Wembley at 4ish and queued and queued and queued. Inside we made quick necessary merchandise purchases and ran to our standing section which was already quite packed. Waiting seemed endless and crowded but the music kept us going. 5 Seconds of Summer came on around 6;30 (I think, I lost track of time!) and they were INCREDIBLE. I knew from the Take Me Home Tour they were good live but at Wembley they were on fire. So so talented and so so attractive! I felt quite proud of them, from small YouTube videos at home in Australia to Wembley Stadium in a few years is quite an achievement.

Merch!! 

5SOS

Then it was time for what I'd been waiting for for over a year. One Direction came on and I crumbled. The anticipation built as the introduction video played and as soon as I heard the intro to Midnight Memories I screamed louder and more 'girly' than I knew I could! Harry as always looked ridiculously attractive with his chiseled cheek bones, incredible dimples and general being. Liam and Harry were on point with their vocals and Niall was amazing at getting the crowd going and you could tell all 5 of them were loving every moment. Unfortunately my pictures are pretty bad quality but thanks to tumblr  I managed to find many HQ photos of the night. My videos, however, are actually quite good, although I'm yet to watch all of them. I know that the memories of the night will never fade! Twice my phone memory was full so i had to frantically delete numerous pictures and apps, fingers crossed I haven't deleted any important photos! We left the concert in considerable pain from standing continuously for 6 hours combined with jumping and dancing to the music. Being a naturally shy, anxious person I was worried I would let the crowd get the better of me and I wouldn't enjoy it as much but as soon as the music started I forgot there were 79,999 other people in the stadium! I actually spoke to quite a few people which for me is a real achievement!  

Hi Harry! 

Packed! 

Walking back from the concert I had a permanent smile on my face and kept reliving my favourite songs. I teared up a lot in Don't Forget Where You Belong, Moments, Little Things and You&I! I still relive it all now, over a week on! I cannot wait for the next time I see them live, it cements the fact that they are actually real people. That may sound quite strange but to see them 20m in front of you is quite something when you idolise them and dream about what it would be like to meet them. 

The days following the concert I had the boys blasting on full volume to get over the post-concert blues! Now I'm back at school and starting A2 level work which isn't great fun but it's lovely to be back with all my friends! 

I hope you enjoyed this post, apologise for the length again, I really enjoy writing this!! 

Much Love

Charlotte

xo

Now a few photos from the night! 

Nialllll

Cheekbones.....

<3

I loved what he was wearing! 

#Proud

Speechless 

End of the night :( 

May Favourites!

Hello everybody! As we are now into June and supposedly summer (although the weather outside says differently) I thought I would share with you what my favourite things have been throughout the month of May!

Firstly, makeup favourites. I have been loving the RealTechniques Core Collection brushes. Obviously I'm quite late to the bandwagon on this but I adore the pointed foundation brush and the buffing brush. My previous foundation brush always left the foundation feeling thick and heavy on my skin but now with the RealTechniques brush application is a lot lighter.

 For my eyes I decided to try out Rimmel London Scandaleyes Rockin' Curves mascara. I've been in love with the standard Scandaleyes since it came out so I was excited to try the new version. The Rockin' Curves brush is different to the Scandaleyes brush as it is curved (as it's name suggests.....genius) and application is less clumpy and leaves my lashes long and defined with just the right amount of volume. It also works a treat on my bottom lashes, making them appear longer and thicker. I love the thinness of the wand at the tip too as it makes reaching the smaller lashes in the corner of my eyes so much easier without getting mascara all around! I think for my lashes the standard Scandaleyes provides more volume but the Rockin' Curves gives less clumps and considerably longer lashes. 

Rockin' Curves wand

Scandaleyes wand

My favourite nail colour at the moment is from the Barry M Gelly Shine collection in 'Green Berry'. When applied it comes out as a minty/turquoisey green. It is perfect for summer and makes me look slightly more tanned (anything that makes me seem less pale is always a favourite of mine!). Generally I use two coats to get even coverage but once on it really does shine, it is such a pretty, vibrant colour and is definitely my go-to shade for summer! 

Now onto my favourite part....food! I've been really trying to be healthy recently and so I've cut back on chocolate, cookies etc and turned to Jordans Frusli bars. My favourite is currently the apples & sultanas with a hint of cinnamon (I'm a sucker for anything with cinnamon) but I also love the Juicy Red Berries too! They're just the right size to leave me satisfied but with less guilt than a chocolate bar! 

I've eaten out multiple times at Pizza Express last month and each time I had the Pomodoro Pesto with added chicken. To start with I adore pizza but add pesto, chicken and additional Parmesan and it tastes like heaven in my mouth (I'm not even joking!). The Mozzarella and Tomato salad (with pesto) is also so so delicious, I highly recommend it.

 I also had a meal out for the Rowers Ball where I had Goats Cheese crostini which was delightful and followed that with a huge filo basket with beans and vegetables and a gorgeous salad. To finish was lemon cheesecake but it was a little too much and I couldn't finish it! 

The glorious crostini

Cheesecake!

Even though I said I was cutting back on unhealthy foods I did make my heavenly (if I do say so myself) white chocolate and raspberry brownies. They're always popular when I take them to rowing events so naturally I made them (four tins to be exact) for National Schools and they went down a treat. I may do a blog  post on how to make them (if I'm feeling kind and want to share my secrets). 

Don't they look delightful!

Music wise I recently discovered Fred V & Graphics- Major Happy and it has been my go-to song if I've been feeling down as it instantly lifts my mood (hence the name) and it's also perfect for when I workout. Another favourite of mine this month has been Take Me Home by Cash Cash ft Bebe Rexha, like Major Happy it really cheers me up and I have a feeling it will feature heavily on my summer playlist! I'm being 100% serious when I say I had it on repeat for three days solid. THREE DAYS. 

Sam Smith has been one of my favourite artists for a while now and I have fallen in love with 'Make It To Me'. His voice resembles what I can only imagine an heaven might sound like. And of course One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer have been in my top plays this month, not only because I love them both dearly but because I'm going to the Where We Are tour on Saturday (a blog post will definitely follow). 

Due to exams and revision I haven't had a chance to watch a great deal of TV but of course I've been watching Made in Chelsea on catch-up when I've had time. Tyger-Drew Honey's new series about teenage life has been so interesting as it's nice to see things from a male perspective. Often I feel I get wrapped up in how difficult it is being a teenage girl in today's society but I realise it is also challenging to be a boy too (although I think girls still have it harder... No bias there I promise!).

I hope you enjoyed seeing what I loved during May, I'd love to know what you've been loving this past month so let me know in the comments and feel follow me, would be much appreciated and I'll definitely follow back!

Much Love

Charlotte

xo