The Pretty City Girl: October 2016

October 31, 2016 No comments

October 30, 2016 No comments

October 28, 2016 No comments

I thought of jotting down my routine as I intern (and study) simultaneously. I always enjoy knowing what people do; so for those who enjoy reading something similar, welcome here.

In this post you'll find all that I do, from snoozing the alarm in morning to setting the alarm at night.

When there's college:

6:00 am
The lecture on weekdays starts at 8:30 am. For that, I wake up at 6:00. The alarm goes on and after snoozing it for fifteen minutes, I decide to wake up. We don't have lectures regularly now, so I'm pretty chilled.

6:30 am
It usually is 6:30 until I get out of the bed. I brush, drink water, and mom gets tea for me. If there's breakfast, I have that too. I hit the bathroom and then wear clothes. After that, makeup, and then I pick my bag, food, water, and leave for station.

7:15 am
It's almost 7:15-7:20 when I leave. I take rickshaw in the morning as I don't want to miss my train.

7:30 am
I reach station and then wait for the train, which is 15 minutes late usually.

8:10 am
I meet my best friend in train and then we just don't have the record of time. We talk and talk, and talk and talk. We get down at our destination.

8:40 am
We reach the classroom by 8:40; yes, late. But the professors are not in the class by then. Even if they are, more than half of the class hasn't reached yet. Everybody's settling down as we reach.

9:50 am
I keep my eye on the clock as I have to go to office too. Initially, I used to leave from college at 9:30, but now I leave at 9:50. The lecture gets over at 10:30, but I leave earlier!

10:05 am

I try my best to sign the attendance register, but then the traffic makes me late. When there's a lecture, usually I have to sign the late comers' attendance register. But that's no fuss, as I write 'college' under the reason column.

When there's no college:

6:45 am

From Monday to Friday, my alarm is set at 6:45 am. Though this is not the exact time I wake up, I have intentionally set it at this time. I like the extra sleep I get after hitting snooze. I sleep for half-hour more, that is, I finally dismiss the alarm at 7:15 am.

7:15 am

This is like the deadline. My parents are pretty chilled until it's 7:15. At 7:15, they make sure I'm awake. I usually don't crib because like I mentioned earlier, this is the deadline.

7:35 am

After checking the notifications, brushing teeth, and drinking water, my mom gets tea. Mom, me and my father have tea together with few biscuits. (Surprisingly, I don't feel hungry even after eating 'almost nothing' for breakfast.)

7:45 am

I rush to the bathroom for shower. I usually come out in 10 minutes. I keep the hair-washing for the night.

7:55 am

I somehow rush out of the bathroom and start getting ready. As I pick outfit at night, I don't have to waste time looking for one. I wear clothes and now's the time for makeup. I've been recently putting makeup. Initially, it used to only be kohl and concealer, but now I put lot of things. Makeup takes good 5 to 10 minutes.

8:12 am

I revisit the loo before leaving the house. My parents have made and packed food and water for me. I put the lunchbox, apple, water (and now buttermilk) in my bag and get going.

8:30 am

My train leaves around this time. I usually have my colleague Shweta with me in train, so I don't need earphones or book as I'm quite entertained. (And nowadays I don't carry a book because I feel like my exams are approaching and that I don't want to feel guilty by reading a book. Totally pointless. I absolutely know!)

9:30 am

We almost reach around this time and start walking to office. 99% of the days we've walked. It's a good exercise, since I don't have time for my fitness routine,

9:48 am

We reach office and then I just drink water, switch on the laptop, look out for any tasks-to-do, and settle down.

Rest of the day:

10:00 am

For a month, I used to start working as soon as I reached office, which means fifteen minutes before time, but now, I start only after 10:00.

12:00 pm

By 11:30-12:00, my tummy starts growling. I either drink coffee or if I have carried anything for the 'second' breakfast, I eat that.

13:15 pm

Lunch time! I eat lunch with my two colleagues--Prerna and Orianne. I enjoy having lunch with them and I'm gonna miss them after my internship.

15:00 pm

After lunch, by 15:00 pm, I ask the server Subhash to make me green tea. As I use green tea leaves, he has to make for me. I ask him to make two cups from one bunch of leaves--one for me, one for Orianne. (The leaves are over. Yesterday was the last serving. I must figure out a way.)

16:30 pm

Again I start feeling hungry. If I've not had coffee in the morning, I have it at 4:30. Otherwise, I either have an apple or probably order a sandwich. I've ordered sandwich only three times in two months.

18:00 pm

By 6, I start being impatient. I really wanna go home as soon as it's 6. If I don't have work, I ask my boss if I can leave. Sometimes she grants me permission, sometimes she asks me to wait back. I always hope she grants me permission though.

18:30 pm

If she says yes, I start packing bag for home. I switch off laptop, arrange stuff properly, visit the loo, and then leave for station.

18:50 pm

I typically reach the station by 7. I catch a train. Most of the days I get a seat.

19:50 pm

I reach my home station. Happy to finally be there.

20:15 pm

I walk up to my home. If my colleague is with me, she drops me on way in a rickshaw.

20:30 pm

I'm home--tired, yet delighted to see the neighbour's 1 year old in my mom's arms. I change into fresh set of clothes, and take the baby girl in my arms. My mom gets food for me till then.

I enjoy this time the most. Happy to see my parents, happy to see the cute baby, happy to have dinner.

22:00 pm

I pass time and then by 10, I start picking outfit for next day. I also pick what undergarments to wear, as women might know this problem. We have to wear different inners depending on what we're wearing. So I take them out too. Along with that, I choose which handbag to carry, and transfer stuff if needed. I also keep out makeup that I'm gonna use.

23:10 pm

I hit the bed by 11, and don't sleep until it's 11:45 pm at least.

What's your typical routine?

xoxo

October 26, 2016 No comments

I was using this for highlighting until I got the one by The Body Shop. This one's a cool highlighter, where you can simply rub the product on to the areas you wanna highlight. This range also include peachy and darker shaded domes.

PACKAGING

The packaging is cute, tub-like, and definitely worth showing off. The highlighter comes in a dome shape and the body is stunning, where the colour is that of honey. The dome is covered with a plastic cap and has the brand's name written on it in gold. I love to carry this baby around.

APPLICATION

The application is super easy. You just have to rub the dome against the areas you wanna highlight and if needed, blend with your finger. It's a no-mess procedure.

I'll be uploading a tutorial of this Makeup Look soon; so stay tuned with me.

LOOK & LASTING POWER

You get shimmery highlighted areas. As this colour almost matches my skin tone, there's nothing much to talk about the colour of the product. The shimmery effect lasts until the end of the day, however, while retouching your face, don't forget to reapply this too. Because if you put on a compact powder, the shimmer might fade. But, there's no doubt that at the end of the day, you'll find the highlighter still having the sparkly hold on your face. I loved its effect on my cheeks.

PROS

- Super easy application

- Classy packaging

- Sheer, shimmery glow

- Lasts for a good amount of time

- Travel friendly

CONS

- Expensive

- Once the dome is no longer a dome, application could be challenging

- Availability could be an issue

CONCLUSION

If you want to have a shimmery glow on your cheeks and nose, this product does the job. It's expensive for those who don't invest much in makeup, but if you want to give it a try, I would recommend it; I would recommend it for the adorable glow and the sexy packaging. (But if you can give it a miss, you might as well give it a miss.)

EXTRA DETAILS

WEIGHT: 6.5 g

SHADE: 01

PRICE: Rs. 1,195

FROM: www.thebodyshop.in

Which highlighter do you use?

xoxo

October 23, 2016 No comments

The internship goes beautifully until you have your exam timetable out. You start worrying and there's only one thing you can probably do--study at office during free time.

Luckily, my place is shifted to a much quieter place and so there are no friendly colleagues around. I always work on my stuff when I don't have any jobs to do. Since few days, I've not been having too many jobs and so I'm having a relaxing time. Instead of wasting it, I study. I finished 60% of one subject, which is a lot for someone who's interning full-time.

There are few essentials you must carry to office to ensure you have a peaceful study time.

NOTES

A night before, look at what is to be studied and pack notes. If you have the option of carrying lesser notes (that is, if you have loose notes), carry the thinner bunch. Too much of study material in office looks like a mess.

QUESTION BANK

If at all you have the syllabus or a question bank given by your uni/professors, carry it too. You can tick off the questions as and when you complete them. You get an overview of how much is done and how much is yet to do. (Plus, more the number of ticks, the better you feel!)

WRITING SUPPLIES

Carry a pencil, an eraser, blue pen, and a coloured pen so that you will have everything properly written. Make sure you use pencil to underline. All those directional words you write while studying, for example, IMPORTANT, READ AGAIN, ASK, etc., write them in a coloured pen.

ORGANIZING SUPPLIES

Also, carry supplies for organizing your notes. Highlighter to highlight the topics in notes, binder clips to bind notes together, sticky notes for flagging important questions, etc.

You can use a cute pouch to store writing and organizing supplies at your desk. You don't need to carry these everyday. It is better to keep them in office.

PLANNER

In order to keep a track of what you're studying, carrying a planner is important. You can write down things you want from home, things to study next day, etc.

What do you carry?

xoxo

October 20, 2016 No comments

No matter where you live or how safe you think the locality is, never underestimate the badness of bad men. You never know when you'll have to travel or walk alone. Nights can get really nasty if you don't have a car and if you're alone.

Sometimes, I leave office around 7:45 pm, and though this timing is somewhat 'late in the evening' and not 'at the night', the area where my office is located is dark and quiet. It's not a residential area, and so you won't find any shops or women shopping groceries here. I walk from my office to the station everyday, and I admit I feel slightly unsafe while doing so, if the sun has completely set down.

These are some of the tips I follow. Of course, the basic 'carry a pepper spray or knife' is like an unwritten safety rule, but these are some tips I follow myself.

DON'T WALK ON THE FOOTPATH; WALK ON THE ROAD

Whenever it's dark around, I don't take the footpath; instead, I walk on the road. This way, no crazy man can grab me and take me into a corner. The footpaths can be creepy. I always walk on the road if I feel the footpath is not safe.

DON'T LISTEN TO MUSIC

Ears can be used to sense footsteps or whispers. Spare those eardrums and don't use earphones until you reach a safer place.

PRETEND YOU'RE TALKING ON PHONE (WITH SOMEONE WHO LIVES NEARBY)

I always do this. If at all I'm frightened, I pretend I'm talking on phone. I say something like,"I just crossed your building," or "I think I saw your mom in the car." If you do this, the men would know that you have contacts in the area and that you're not alone.

PRETEND THAT SOMEONE IS COMING TO PICK YOU UP (AND HAS ALMOST REACHED)

I've done this several times. I say something like, "Yes, mom, I'm reaching the signal; where are you guys? I can't spot the car." This works wonders.

CARRY A SCARF OR A PAIR OF LEGGINGS (IF YOUR CLOTHES MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE)

Wanna wear that gorgeous short dress? Oh, you can! Wanna wear that super cute tube top? Of course, what's stopping you? But make sure to carry a scarf (to cover your shoulders) or a pair of leggings (to cover your legs). I don't mean to snatch away your freedom, but sometimes, covering yourself up could be the best solution. (Note: I don't support the 'men rape women because they wear revealing clothes' notion.)

TAKE A KNOWN ROUTE

If you know a route, it's fine. Just make sure the route has 'good' people around. Even if the route is a longer one, take it. Better to walk/pay more than to be sorry.

PRETEND YOU'RE A DUDE AND WALK IN CONFIDENCE (EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE SCARED)

As funny as it sounds, but I do this. Sometimes I chew gum and walk like I'm Salman Khan just to tell people I'm the bhai. It works. Pretend as if you're a tough prey, so that they don't harm you. I love when I'm angry at someone and walking down the road; it just makes me appear violent.

INFORM YOUR PARENTS/SPOUSE/FRIENDS THAT YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY

As soon as I leave the office, I message my family group on WhatsApp saying I have left the office. I feel like they're with me in my loneliness.

INFORM YOUR PARENTS/SPOUSE/FRIENDS ABOUT THE CAB NUMBER

This is a common safety thing vulnerable people do. Send the driver's details to your parents or someone you know would come running straightaway. If your parents do not know about your sneaky night-out, message someone else--like your boyfriend, your brother, or a male friend.

ALWAYS KEEP OLA/UBER APP IN YOUR CELLPHONE

I don't travel by these cabs, but if ever there comes a need, I always have one of these apps in my cellphone. You might have to pay a bomb for getting to your home, but safety is more important, and always should be. It can get too late sometimes and your usual train/bus has already gone. At such times, Ola/Uber cab can be a saviour.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE INTERNET AND BALANCE IN YOUR CELLPHONE

Make sure to have enough talk-time balance to place calls. Also, the internet could be useful. You might need it for directions and messaging your parents or somebody close to you regarding your whereabouts. To certain extent, you can also tweet to a police officer.

MAKE SURE YOU ALWAYS HAVE MONEY

If you know you're going to get late, make sure to have some cash at disposal. During night time, withdrawing money from an ATM could be risky. Also, don't worry about not having enough money for the impromptu cab ride; you can pay the driver on reaching (after borrowing money from your homies), or you can also borrow it before hand, if you live alone in the city.

DON'T LOOK AT THE PASSERSBY, BUT KEEP OTHER SENSES SUPER ACTIVE

If you make an eye contact with these bad men, they might read your fear and throw those "Ooh, kya maal hai" sort of looks. Better is to avoid eye contact, but being extremely cautious of their activities. If you're not sure if the man has crossed you or if he's following you, just pretend that someone you know have just passed by and look behind to know the man's position.

ENSURE YOU HAVE COMFORTABLE SHOES ON

If you're wearing sexy stilettos, don't fail to carry an extra pair of really thin flats. That way, your bag won't be heavy and you'll also be all-ready to run if a situation demands.

THANK THE DRIVERS AFTER REACHING DESTINATION

I do this; if a cabbie has driven me home safe, I always thank him saying how safe I felt. Last time, on my trip to Pune, we'd gone clubbing. After reaching home, I thanked driver saying, "There should be more people like you; we felt safe around you."

Being good with the good cabbies can prove helpful; because, if you're in a trouble and they spot you somewhere, they can always bring you help. More the number of contacts, better the safety.

TRY TO GET SOMEONE TO ACCOMPANY YOU

If someone has the same route as you, don't hesitate to ask that person if you could join them on your way home. You might feel weak and dependent, but so be it. If that person has to leave from the venue immediately, you leave with him/her too. You can always have a "best night" some other night. Don't take safety for granted.

What are your tips?

xoxo

October 19, 2016 No comments

October 15, 2016 No comments

Always wondered how some people get things done? No matter how much you give in, you don't get 100% back. Ever wondered what could be the reason behind it?
Stop worrying as I have listed down top 10 things highly productive people do differently than you do. If you execute these tips, I'm sure you'll get cent percent.

WAKING UP EARLY

If you want to be highly productive, kick-start your day early. If you wake up late, several important hours of your day are lost. If you have lot of tasks in one day, do not hit the snooze button; seize the alarm and get working. Highly productive people ensure they always rise and shine with the cock.

MAKING A PLAN EACH DAY

My bro-entrepreneur does this and I see incredible amount of work done. Every morning, he goes through the tasks he's set in the night and work towards them. I simply love how hard he works. I had even designed a planner exclusively for him. He religiously maintains it. He's not at all an OCD shut-in, so this is something rare. He has two daily to-do books--one that is designed by me and the other on which he frees his mind.

Highly productive people set goals for each day and put together a plan.

PRIORITIZING

These people always prioritize tasks. If a chore is not urgent, they keep it for later. Instead, they concentrate on something based on urgency. Also, they work on stuff delegated by their boss. They give importance to rational chores over personal chores. They ask their work-buddies to spare some time and instead work on the chores assigned by their colleagues.

UTILIZING EVERY HOUR FOR SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE

Got extra time at work? Do something productive. On your way in a train? Read a novel. Don't let a single hour go waste by just looking at people around you. Do something productive. Such people never waste their time. They utilize every minute of the day cleverly.

TAKING POWER BREAKS

Not wasting a single hour does not mean not taking breaks. When you compose a plan, don't forget to schedule breaks too. These people leave the desk and grab a cup of coffee, communicate with colleagues, listen to music, loosen their limbs and free their mind.

JOTTING DOWN TO-DOS

As soon as you come across a crucial task, jot it down. These people take out 5 minutes from their nightly routine for preparing a list of goals--only 5 minutes.

KEEPING DESK CLEAN

A messy desk leads to a messy mind. Highly productive people make sure their desk is clutter-free. They always keep important things on their desk so that they don't waste time asking colleagues for a stapler or a pair of scissors. They have all the supplies at their desk and all the papers aligned in a pile. They throw away the wrappers in the trash and de-clutter their desk.

CARRYING PLANNER (OR NOTEPAD)

Highly productive people do not just set a plan for the day, but also carry their planner/notepad wherever they go. They check tasks from time to time and make sure they're ticked off.

CONCENTRATING ON IMPORTANT THINGS AND NOT GOSSIPING

When highly productive people meet their colleagues, they talk about work and not about how a co-worker is nagging them. Also, whenever they meet their friends, they spend most of the time talking about their goals and not waste their time gossiping about a girl they saw on Instagram.

NOT GIVING UP

Last but not the least, highly productive people do not give up. They keep on trying until the task is done. They surround themselves with good things and have a never say never attitude.

Do you have any of these habits?

xoxo

October 13, 2016 No comments

October 12, 2016 No comments

I don't smoke or drink

This comes as a shocker for most of the people I meet, but that's true. I have neither tried taking a puff nor taken a sip of alcohol, ever. I have never smoked a hookah too.

I catch a cold and a sore throat if exposed to a fragrance for a long time

This sucks for me. My nose is sensitive. If the perfume I'm wearing is strong (especially when I'm lying on the bed before a nap), then I'm sure to get a sore throat the next day. Also, any aromatic hair oil, moisturiser, or a new pillow cover is a total turnoff.

I catch a cold after having too much chocolate

People around me wonder why I don't eat many chocolates. It's because if I consume more chocolate (may it be any flavoured), I'm sure to catch a cold.

My friends and I had sneaked inside a boys' washroom when nobody was in school

After my 7th grade picnic, my girlfriends and I had sneaked inside a boys' washroom to see how it looks like. It was in the evening when the school was empty. It was one of the biggest (and the stinkiest) adventures of my life!

I am a dog person

I prefer dogs over cats any day. I cannot imagine cuddling a cat. But I think kittens are cute!

I had tried tasting chicken on the new year's eve of 2000

This is a funny story. Back in 2000, when I was just six years old, all we kids were planning new year's menu. We were playing carom, I remember and had planned on making bhel for dinner. We divided vegetables-to-bring amongst us. But in the end, the plan was dropped. Instead, I tried chicken at one of my friend's house and sipped on cold coffee. I remember I couldn't chew the chicken, so I'd passed it to my friend!

I lack concentration

I can only read if there's silence around. I tend to repeat the same lines again and again if someone is muttering near me. I cannot tolerate any kind of noise, and it's one of my biggest problems.

I believe that coffee leads to breakouts, so I consume coffee as less as possible

Whenever I consume food that has a lot of heat, like ice-cream, chocolates, coffee, papaya, etc., you can spot a pimple on my face (though that's not the case anymore!). So I drink coffee only when there's no other option or if it's too cold outside.

When I shout and cheer, I can feel my eardrum tear (just like the way speakers tear and make weird noises)

I love to cheer when team India wins, but my ears don't let me to. I had visited an ENT specialist for this, but he said that my ears are perfectly fine. He said that it happens when I open my jaw to its max. I just hate how this happens to me! You guys have no idea how cheerful I get during matches and other events.

I fear the death of my close ones

I get attached to people/things very easily. I don't fear my death as much as I fear the death of my closed ones. I just don't want to write more, or else I might end up imagining scenarios and start crying!

I am an eggetarian

I only happen to eat eggs apart from vegetarian food.

I was an all-rounder in school

I used to get good grades, my books used to be complete all the time, I was good at sports and was always the lead dancer for any dance performance at school!

October 07, 2016 1 comments

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October 03, 2016 No comments

October 01, 2016 No comments

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