It was my birthday last week and it feels like only yesterday I wrote about leaving my teens behind and becoming a 20-year-old. I can’t believe a whole year has passed since and now I’m 21! Does that mean I have to start behaving like an adult now? Should I learn how to use the washing machine? Is that a grey hair?
Back in summer I wrote the 21 things to do before I’m 21 blog post. I didn’t manage to complete the list, but I’m proud of the ones I did! This time, I’m giving myself a whole year (as opposed to six months), to complete my 22 before 22. You ready for my bucketlist?
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Go to New York
Mine and Jake’s trip to New York is all paid off and I am so excited! We are going at the beginning of February and come home on our three year anniversary. Next job is to create a bucketlist of things to do whilst we are there! Send me your Big Apple suggestions in the comments!
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Graduate from university
I have less than six months left at University! My Journalism degree is almost over and I am so ready for this final push before it’s over forever. I’ve got very mixed feelings about graduation. I’m ready to go out and get a job I love, but at the same time, my time at University has been incredible and I wish I could stay forever.
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Apply for and secure a job I love
In 2019 I will actively be looking for a role in journalism, PR or magazines. Don’t worry, I’ll still be running Beffshuff on the side! I can’t wait to see what opportunities are out there for me and hopefully secure my first full-time job!
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Go to a wildlife park
I’ve always wanted to feed penguins at a zoo or be a keeper for the day. Peak Wildlife Park in the Peak District have a little penguin colony that come right up to you and I would love to go and see them in the spring!
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Donate to Animal Lifeline
Phoebe and Frank are both from Animal Lifeline, so I had wanted to do something for the charity to say thank you for giving us two furry babies. Just before Christmas I donated some food, and set up a Facebook fundraiser. When I took the food to the kennels, I went and saw Frank’s dad, Winston, who has still not been rehomed. After giving him a big cuddle and nearly sobbing on him, I decided I would keep donating to the charity where I can.
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Get back into dancing
I danced from the age of 2 until I was 18. Being honest, I wasn’t in a very good place and the atmosphere at the studio was pretty toxic. I had to leave, since it was making me hate a hobby I had loved since I was a toddler. Earlier this year, I took two heels classes with a new dance school, who have invited me to enrol next year to be in their showcase! I’ll be putting the heels on every week and who knows, maybe I’ll even carry on after the show!
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Reach 5k Instagram followers
I recently reached my end of 2018 goal of 3.5k Instagram followers, so now my end of 2019 target is 5k!
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Make my own gin
I am desperate to do this! Gin is my favourite spirit for how versatile it is. There are so many gin flavours, tonics and garnishes that you can always find something you love. I’m hoping to make a blog post on this, so keep your eyes peeled.
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Have an article published in a publication I don’t already write for
In 2019 I am going to start pitching articles to other publications in the hopes of getting my name out there a little more. I already write for StaffsLive, but I want to try and get at least one article in another publication with my byline on it.
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Have my own home office
This was meant to happen before Christmas but the spare room basically turned into an elf workshop and got filled with all the Christmas presents. This year, it will happen. I refuse for my IKEA desk to sit in the box, still flatpacked, any longer. There’s only so long I can leave my diary and notebooks strewn across my drawers!
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Add £1500 to my savings
I’m slowly but steadily building up a little safety pot for those ‘just in case’ times or drastic emergency. It’s mostly my unspent student loan, or bits and bobs here and there that I am just popping away for a rainy day.
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Have a spa day
With the stress of my final year at university, I think I’ll deserve one.
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Attempt a ninja warrior assault course
There is a new ninja warrior inspired course that has opened in Stoke and I would love to get the family together for a day out and a good old giggle. I’d be blooming dreadful at it, since my upper body strength is non-existent, but I think it would make such a fun day!
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Buy a power outfit
You know those outfits that just make you feel like you can take on the world? The ones that make you feel confident and sassy? I want one. I want to build up a strong, powerful work wardrobe and pick up some statement fashion pieces too.
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Read at least five good books
I have a pretty lengthy books-to-read list. This year I really enjoyed The Life Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k and The Little Black Book, so I am hoping to read more books like these in 2019. I’d like to read more than five, but I didn’t want to be over-ambitious.
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Become more eco-conscious
I’m already a lot more aware of my plastic usage and consumption. Like when I forget a carrier bag, or use a facewipe, or forget to say no the a straw, there’s a pit of guilt in my stomach. I really want to cut down on my waste by using reusable bags, stop using disposable facewipes and cotton pads and find a reusable alternative, and remember to carry my metal straw everywhere. Leah just bought me a bamboo travel mug so that I can save the planet, and save money on my hot drinks!
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Finish a lipstick before losing it
I am, so so close to finishing my MAC Velvet Teddy lipstick. It’s been lost a couple of times but I usually find it in the depths of my handbag, under my bed or in the pocket of a coat I wore two months ago! Maybe this year will be the year I finally get to the bottom of a lippy.
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Book a tattoo sitting
I’d like to get my Bowie tattoo flashed over and just straightened up. I love the art, but I think it could have been done better so for my birthday my Dad is paying for me to book in during the New Year to have it done.
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Take time to self-care once a week
Whether it’s a bubble bath, a face mask or painting my nails, I want to take half an hour out of the week to wind-down and do something for myself.
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Get a bra fitting
Because I am sick to death of a. not knowing my bra size and b. wearing uncomfortable bras. I went to a fitting at Ann Summers and was treated so badly that I just walked straight back out, half embarrassed, half irritated.
21. Visit three more places in the UK
Last year I visited York, Sheffield and Manchester, so this year I would like to take trips to three other UK areas. I’m thinking London, Cumbria and Liverpool this year!
22. Create more video content
On New Years’ Eve I uploaded my fist ever styling video to my Instagram and it received some great feedback which has motivated me to continue to try new ideas and create different types of content. I really enjoyed creating it and would love to add the variety into my feed. These short time-lapse videos are low effort and fun, and perfect for people like me who don’t have much confidence speaking on-camera. Hopefully this will build my confidence in order to create IGTV or Youtube videos and tutorials in the future, too, but hey, let’s start small.
So there we have my 22 things to do before I turn 22 and I have a little under 12 months in which to complete them. I am so excited to take on this challenge and tick off all of my achievements! What goals have you set yourself before your next birthday?
I love this idea, I hope you manage to tick everything off!
Author
me too! I’m trying my best!
The book thing is one of my goals this year xx
Author
i would love to hear your recommendations!
Ohh NYC is on my bucket list.
You’ve got so many great things listed to do this year
http://littlemissmelanie.com
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I’m so excited to go! so much i want to do x
OMG you had me a New York! That’s the one thing I want to do this year! I hope you get to do all of these! xx
Author
making my way through it!!
Loved this although now I feel so old I need to weep in a corner!
I hope you tick all these off! I want to get some more tattoos this year, my mum got her first tattoo in new york on her 50th birthday!
Alicia XO