TURNING 23...

So today is my 23rd birthday and I will have had a half a day at work and gone for afternoon tea with my mum - I am writing like this as this post will have been written in advance! I have to day this is probably the first year I haven't been very excited for my birthday, I guess this is what happens when you're older. My birthday also falls on a Wednesday this year (obviously!) and I just think that is an awful day to do anything! Today's post is going to be all about things I've learnt in my 23 years and the things I'm looking forward to at this age and things I'm not so much.

This year has probably been the one with the biggest changes in my life. If you follow me on my social media you'll know that I graduated from Bournemouth University a week ago today and that signalled the end of my life of a student. It does seem surreal as that has been my life for the past 15+ years and its scary to know I'm probably going to be working for the next 40 years at least, but I'm excited for what is to come.

Another big change in my life has been starting my career. I've been in my graduate job now for 6 months and its flown by so fast. I was lucky in the fact that the company where I did my placement took me back when I finished uni and in a more senior role. I think this made the process of getting my job and settling in so much easier as I was back to working with people I knew and doing a job I knew how to.

I think another achievement for me has been keeping up my blog and growing it a long side a busy final year at uni and now a very busy job. My schedule is to post every other day and so far I think i've kept that up, apart from a few glitches during exam time i've kept it up. If you're a blogger you'll know just how much time blogging takes up and its even more of a struggle now the nights are darker. However, I love writing blog and makeup even more so I'd like to think i'll still be posting in years to come.

Turning 23, graduating and having a full time job has made me finally feel like an adult and it's time to become a proper grown up and part of that for me is owning my own home. I decided that this year once I had started work I would enjoy my wages and buy the things I has missed out on living off a student loan, and lets just say my wages have definitely been enjoyed! However, January will be the time for me to start saving for a house and me and my boyfriend have said we want to open a joint account together for our own home. I've been quite lucky that I have been able to move back home after uni and pay minimal rent (thanks mum & dad!), but I don't want to be living here forever.

Although I am planning to save for a house, one thing I want to continue to do is see the world. I've got quite the travelling bug and spend so many evenings pricing up holidays and dreaming of places to go. Next year i've planned out a few different places I want to go to and i've decided that I need to visit more places in Europe as they are so close and easy to travel to, even if it is a weekend break.

Did anyone else turn 21 and then every birthday after that become boring?! As I said earlier this birthday I just really haven't even gotten excited for it, I guess its the thought of getting old. It feels like only yesterday I was turning 16 and finishing GCSEs and now my next big birthday is going to be 30, please tell me this scares other people?! However, I guess getting old also means getting wiser (cliche), but i've grown up so much over these past 4/5 years.

My second worry is probably me contradicting myself but its having to be financially independent. I said earlier on in this post that I am going to start saving for a house soon, but the scary part is owning that house and having a mortgage, bills etc. to pay every month. I just wish I could spend my life using my wages to buy makeup and clothes but I guess life doesn't work like that and one day i'll be a homeowner - help!!

Do any of you have these same goals or worries about growing up?!

xo