Back to School: Everything You Need to Know!

Hey my lovelies,

 Komal here today, talking all things back 2 school...

  I know, I know no one wants to start school and wake up super early, especially after late nights and having summer break where you either slept a lot, partied all day every day or you were just at a holiday…

…BUT…

 School doesn't always have to be boring because you might be seeing your friends, teachers, classmates after a long time and that's cool. Time to catch up on everything with them.

 New challenges, new you, new attitude and a new school year!

Embrace your school experiences as it all either makes you happy or stronger in the future, even the negatives can sometimes change you and your life for the better.

For example, if you're bullied or you get low grades, that all adds up so make negatives turn into positives. Don't let it break you down instead rise above it and succeed, work your butt off or laugh it off, it kills anyone else that is spreading negative thoughts and vibes to you or around you. I assure you. Been there, done that!

Wake up early morning and be grateful to have an amazing opportunity to learn, to experience life make friends do whatever makes you happy. Join clubs, channel your inner beauty inner peace and follow that.

Buy cute stationary supplies, buy cute clothes for school (if you have no uniform that is otherwise try and custom your uniform somehow), buy that cute water bottle. Basically, anything that will make you feel better about school. Cute planner... okay I’m going to stop now!

 

 Watch back 2 school videos such as morning routine/ night routine etc for more ideas. It helps me and my sister when starting school college or university wherever you're going. (My sister is starting year 8 this week, and by the time this post is uploaded it'll be her 3rd day back) and she’s very happy to see her friends and teachers etc and she loves learning like I do ❤️

After school food and what to do?     

I got you covered, don't you worry! 😉

I don't know about you but when I used to come back from school, I used feel so hungry! 😋 I could eat the whole fridge, which isn't healthy, I know! Even though I'd have had breakfast and lunch, I'd be hungry so I would grab the crap such crisps etc. NOW if I'm hungry after school then I'll either have my dinner early, then just eat cereal or fruits later on if I'm still hungry. Alternatively, I now grab a banana, make a fruit bowl or sandwich and then have dinner with my family later on.

 

 Okay, enough of the food talk. Let's talk after school routine. Come home, chill out for some time. I'd chill for 1 -2 hours depending on if I have homework or not. Otherwise I’d be scrolling through social media, YouTube or watching TV while I eat a snack or my early dinner.  Afterwards, I'd go upstairs, change into PJs or lounge wear. Then I get my planner, my pencil case, my homework out and start doing my homework according to what is due first or according to what is hard for do so I do that first. That way, at least I know that I've done this so now I can carry on with easier or less complicated work then I'm less likely to stress over it.  I would do two more homeworks if I'm feeling productive; that way let's say Monday and Tuesday's work is complete then on next day I'll do the other 1-2 homework etc because I used to leave everything last minute so I'd do it all together then at least I'm not stressing out!

 

Now that chill time, homework time, snack time is done ✅ you can have dinner if you haven't already, do any chores you have to do, then relax, watch TV or a film. Now that you're done with your tasks for that day, goodnight sweet dreams 💤😴 and repeat the next day!

 

~ Komal

Top 4 Ways to Keep a Healthy Relationship

Hello, everybody!

Today we are going to discuss the top ways to keep a healthy relationship. Note that these can be used on any relationship you will ever have in your life!

Let’s dive right in to the top 4 ways that you can keep a healthy relationship with your partner of choice (meaning any relationship you have in your life as this can be applied to all of them.)

1)      Communication

This is one of the most important ways to keep a healthy relationship or friendship. Being able to be mature enough to communicate verbally how you feel about certain situations or issues is the best thing ever… or not, if you communicate it in the wrong way. There is a certain way you should communicate this with your partner of choice, but this works both ways which is why it is a bit of a tricky one. Your partner of choice should also be mature enough to listen to what you point out to them and be willing to better the situation so that the same problem doesn’t occur again. If they don’t really listen to you or get offended then it will be difficult for you to be willing to open up to them.

If the roles were reversed, it can be difficult to accept when someone raises an issue. The way to overcome this is to deal with it maturely by listening to what they are saying and looking at the negative side of the situation and essentially, finding what went wrong. Then work towards fixing what went wrong. This step has to include both people otherwise one will be putting in more effort than the other, which means that it won’t work.  Once this skill is mastered, you will find you are keeping relationships for longer rather than simply disconnecting from someone because of something they did wrong.

2)      Effort & Appreciation

Occasionally, it’s worth going out of your way for someone to make them smile or to make their life easier. For example, you know your sister has a long day at work so you prepare dinner for her by the time she comes home so she can have a good meal. This will be beneficial to her because she won’t have to make her own dinner, especially if she is already tired from work. This is a small act of kindness which will make her happy and make her life easier. Being kind and showing random acts of kindness will go a long way if your partner appreciates them. They should be able to see that you did something for them and be appreciative and grateful. This makes you more motivated to do your 'random cute things' more often. Then, they are also likely to do random nice things for you. If the roles were reversed, make sure to always notice what someone else is doing for you, even though sometimes it can be hard to think about these things because we are so used to them that we take them for granted. Think as if you are in their place and imagine what their thought process must have been when they decided to do something for you. This way you can learn to be grateful and appreciative of even the smallest kind actions.

3)      Loyalty & Honesty

Do not say unkind things about your partner of choice behind their back, I repeat, do not say unkind things about your partner of choice! Refer to the quote at the top of this post. That applies to every relationship you will ever have in your life. Be loyal to them. Do not get involved in back chatting about them with someone else as that will only cause drama. If you have a problem with something they have done then follow step one: communication. Also, just be honest, I know it’s easier said than done, but it is the best option in the long term.

4)      Respecting each other & Having fun

There is a fine line between having fun whilst maintaining that respect for your partner. Make sure to identify that line and use it as a guide, just so you don’t cross it. Once you get to know a person, you will begin to identify the things that tick them off, you will learn everything about them eventually. This is when you will begin to understand that there are certain things that you may say or do which annoys the other person, or sometimes can upset them too. To make improvements, you could try not to say/do those things. This way the peace will be kept between the pair of you. Now to keep the relationship healthy, you must sprinkle a bit of fun in there too. Do things you both enjoy together, such as going on a walk or going bike riding. It’s good to keep some banter in the relationship too, just to make each other laugh. Bare in mind, the line… don’t cross it!

Now that you have the top 4 simple tips on keeping a healthy relationship… what are you waiting for? Go try them out! Share your experiences in the comments below or on our social media sites (@toobasicblog). Let me know if you found these helpful or if you have any questions.

As always, thanks for reading! I will see you here again next Monday with a new blog!

~ Prabhpreet

Pampering yourself!

Hi my lovelies,

This week's topic is pampering... so my post will feature jacuzzi/bath & sauna and their benefits so let's get relaxing 😎, shall we?

Jacuzzi is used for aromatherapy, relaxation and pleasure but it can also be used for massage purposes too. I personally love jacuzzi for its massage purposes and relaxation.

Bath is for mental and physical therapy, aromatherapy, relaxing the muscles and mind, for some quiet "me time", I personally love bath time for some quality "me time" and a time to reflect and relax my body and mind.

Sauna is for sweating and blocked nose as it opens up the breathing system, mental health, cures Alzheimer's and other diseases according to Wikipedia but you can ask a doctor about that. I love sauna because I can sweat more and it's great for breathing better too. It also makes your skin better!

Sauna = water bottle, towel, quiet time and breathing exercises

So if I'm having a jacuzzi then I love lots of bubbles and aromatic scents and having a window open, my water bottle near me while listening to music on my playlist depending on my mood and having the lights off so I can relax.

When it's bath time then I'll pour a mixture of hot and cold water, Epsom salt, bath gels that bubble up, have the window open, music playing, lights off and have water to hydrate the soul. That "me time" is surely something I love to have once or twice a week in order to relax and rejuvenate my mind, body and soul. Whether that's by having a bath, sauna, jacuzzi, reading, walking, socialising or anything else.


Now that I wrote all this, it's definitely time for relaxation and peace and quiet so I'm off to do just that as well as being productive and you should be doing the same! What are you waiting for? Go on, pamper yourself whilst being productive too! We all need it once a week, else we work like robots, but we're human beings, not robots, okay?

Be active, be productive, be yourself, be prepared, be honest, be happy, be pampered! 

~Komal

How to Reduce Stress

Hello, everyone! Happy Monday. I hope this blog helps you to have a great week!

Yes, I read your mind… you are stressed about something. We live in a day and age where there is always one thing or another haunting our mind. There is so much going on our lives that we constantly have something to worry about or to think about. The whole world is running, it doesn’t stop for a minute, not to wait for anyone… and you seem to be stuck in the middle of the race, trying to keep up. I know exactly how that feels!

Having a lot on your mind can leave you knackered before you even begin to be productive. It increases your cortisol levels which isn’t beneficial for the body. To reduce your stress levels, you will have to carry out both physical and mental activities. Remember that these can be linked, for example, yoga calms your mind while also working on stretching your muscles and helping your body relax.

What are some of the ways that you can reduce your stress levels? These methods will reduce your stress, giving you more room for happiness and productivity!

Meditation- this will help to reduce your stress as you are calming your mind and that causes it to slow down. Slowing down your mind can help you to make better plans, think more efficiently and be more productive, whereas a racing mind will only slow you down. A common misconception is that meditation has to be religious, but it really doesn’t have to be. You can simply listen to

Colouring- using adult colouring books (or even kids colouring books, I’m not judging) to colour can be a very calming process for some people. In this time, people do whatever they know will help them to destress. For example, some people like to have a self-talk session, where they discuss things with themselves, analyse things and come up to conclusions.

Bathing- sitting in a bath tub, soaking in warm water is the most effective way to soothe aching muscles. This is also calming to the mind as in that time you can forget everything and just relax. This is also time for book lovers to whip out a book they haven’t got around to reading yet and read it in a calm and quiet atmosphere. If you’re not a big fan of reading, then it’s also great to just close your eyes, sit back and relax. Another soothing and relaxing element of baths is aromatherapy. This comes from essential oils, Epsom salts, bath soaks and candles. My personal favourites are Radox Bath soaks and candles as they are both relaxing and smell great!

Take a nap- sometimes the only solution is to simply put everything away, go to sleep and wake up feeling more refreshed than you were before. This can help some people to be more productive as when we are tired, our brain literally starts lagging. This means that even if we are pushing ourselves to stay awake and finish whatever it is that we are doing, we may not be giving our 100%. So, isn’t it just better to curl up cosy in bed and sleep, then wake up ready to take over the world? Come on, I know you want to…

Down time- as much as we may love those around us, every once in a while, it is healthy to have some alone time. I like to call this ‘me time’ because this is when I can stay in solitude and enjoy my own company. Mind you, there are some people who don’t like to be alone and that’s simply because they haven’t learnt the difference between being alone and being lonely. Sometimes, it really is essential to learn to enjoy your own company because, despite everything, you need to know yourself. Yes, there are people in our lives that we dearly love and simply can’t go a day without, so don’t you want to be the best version of yourself for them. This happens if you invest time in yourself and make it happen, and that will happen in ‘me time’. However, spending time with friends and family can also be destressing as you can do fun things like watching movies or talking. This can also be inspirational because everyone has something to offer that you could learn from.

Nature- the most calming places in the world is a place where there are plenty of trees to provide quality air for your lungs. This is healthy for both your mind and your body. When you sit in nature, you will automatically feel the calmness overtake you, try it!

These are just some of the ways that you can reduce your stress levels. I have only recommended the methods that I have tried and tested, and trust me, they work. But at the end of the day everyone is different in their own way so these methods may work for some people but may not work for others. You have to try and test methods before you know which ones work best for you.

Comment below;

Have you already tried any of the above methods and what were your experiences?

Are you going to try these methods? If so, let me know which ones work best for you.

Are there any methods that I have missed out that you find work great?

Share your experiences below and let’s build this community! Share this post with those who you think might need help to reduce their stress levels.

Thank you for reading, especially if you’ve made it this far (comment a heart emoji if you read all the way to the end.)

~ Prabhpreet

Apprenticeship VS University

Hi my lovelies,

Let's talk about and discuss on this Thursday's topic; Apprenticeship vs University!

So, depending on where you live it may or may not be mandatory to finish until high school, but here in the UK and in most places nowadays (I think) you have to finish high school first  then you decide whether to go for higher education, further education or straight to a job.

I did primary school, high school, 2 years in college; doing 2 of my subjects that are beauty and media and NOW I'm looking for a level 3 apprenticeship preferably or a job either in media (preferably again) or customer service instead of going to University like everyone else. That's a little background information on my education.

So now without any delays let's get the discussion started!

1) Apprenticeship: you earn money while you learn the skills and have the work experience and hopefully by the end of your apprenticeship you move up in levels or have a secure place within the field you do your apprenticeship in (same company or workshop) or both! However, in University you learn the required skills for your course or field of work then look for a job.

2) Apprenticeship can vary in duration; years, timing etc. because, again, depending on the level you’re at and whether you want to do another year BUT at a  higher level whereas in University, it's normally 3-4 years depending on your course chosen plus extra for more qualifications and work.

3) Apprenticeship you work your way up and get more confidence, connections with other people and industry etc. University you can also work your way up if desired and are more range of degrees to go for depending on course and university choices.

4) Apprenticeship: coursework and theory work, practical, hands-on work majority of the time but in university it's all theoretical work unless your course requires practical work.

5) Apprenticeship; if you don't like exams or  feel you aren’t not good at it then apprenticeship is best for you; majority of the times whereas if you're good at exams, theory and complex stuff then university may suit you better!

6) Apprenticeship; more flexibility and more creative. You learn in a few different areas such as class rooms, workshop or company place etc. University it's at a lecture room normally and it's more logical.

Take home tip (if you like); just because your friends or family members went university or did an apprenticeship doesn't mean you have to! Do what suits you and if you're unsure then choose and look for an opportunity that you like the sound and requirements of and you can drop out if you really don't like it rather than focusing yourself into doing something you dislike!

That take home advice I'm using right now. Everyone I know went university or are going university but not me because 1) -6) apply to me so that's what I'll do. So what if I'm not following the crowd?

You can comment below or on @toobasicblog social media sites letting us know which suits you, what are your current and future plans and why. Let me know whether you agree with me today or not and share your thoughts. We'll love to hear from you and look forward to replying to you.

~ Komal

Success Mentality

Do you ever think yourself to have such great ideas but don’t know exactly how to elevate them into a life size project? Do you have too much going on in your mind that you can't make sense of it all?

Well, you’ve come to the right place!

I have had many ideas over the years, but been unable to elevate them, simply because I didn’t know HOW. How to start, how to make it last, how to make it grow and how to develop it. Sometimes, we think so much that there seems to be a mess in our brains. That is just our creativity being let out in the wrong way.

The first thing you need to do is to use that creativity in the right way. Whatever your method may be, from mind-maps to talking it out with a friend; use it! You need to get your brain out of the muddle that it is in, and to do so you must organise your thoughts. Your ideas need an outlet for you to be able to make sense of them. This way, you can also be focused on specific short terms goals for the meantime to help you to get started and continue through. So, what are you waiting for? Whip out those coloured pens and A3 papers and get started on that wonderful mind-map! Or, you know, you could be boring and call a friend or something…

The second step is one that helps me a lot. This is to only listen and engage with positive people. Be friends with people who will help elevate you as a human being. Those with a positive mentality, those who can see the good in bad situations and their most reassuring advice is “it happened because it was meant to.” Be friends with those who help without expecting anything in return. Those who get happy to see you rising, not those who find pleasure in seeing you fall. But before that, make sure you have all these qualities within yourself so that you get what you give out.

This last step is one that is the most important of all. You need to have the right mentality. You need to be happy within yourself and focused on your goals. You need to work hard on your ideas, whether it be to start a blog (aye!), or to start a YouTube channel. Anything you want to do, you won’t be able to do unless you love it so much that you WANT to do it, and you WANT to invest your precious time into it. How can I do that, you may ask. Well, one of the ways that I have adapted is to listen to great people and watch their videos to help me. You need to be constantly learning. I get this from some YouTubers such as iiSuperwomanii (especially her vlogs) and Infinite Waters. I enjoy their videos because they promote positive mind-sets and share their ideas of how to improve yourself as a human being which is something I appreciate a lot.

To finish off, I need to mention that to be in the right mentality you need to keep yourself mentally healthy. This means to pamper yourself from time to time, enjoy new experiences and make memories with loved ones. Most importantly, work on making yourself a better person than you were before and working on making your mind-set great because, at the end of the day, mind-set really is everything. You attract the sort of energy you give out so if your mind-set is good, you will attract people with similar mind-sets. This isn't just for work related projects, but also for day to day life.

Hope you enjoyed this blog and will take something away from it! Leave me a comment below letting me know what your thoughts are and let's discuss this further! You can also share your opinions on our Instagram & Twitter; @toobasicblog

Finally, good luck to all those who are receiving their A Level results today! Just remember to that everything happens for a reason!

See you next time, here on TooBasicBlog

~ Prabhpreet

Introduction

Good morning (except if it’s not morning where you are, in that case adapt the greeting to your suitability.)  

We are Prabhpreet and Komal from TooBasicBlog and this is our introductionary post.

We are both at the age of 18, have studied in secondary school together and have become very close friends since then. However, we have had our fair share of ups and downs, we often have different styles and opinions and we can’t wait to share them with you!

Komal describes Prabhpreet as a “tom boy who is not too tom boy” LOL! She is someone who isn’t that much into fashion and make-up, but does value things such as religion, traditions and genuine life experiences. She is straightforward, gets down to business and doesn’t mess around, although this can be misinterpreted, as you will soon find out how by continuing to read our blogs! 

On the other hand, Komal is the complete opposite. She indulges in all things hair and beauty. She loves to share daily aspects of her life such as reviews, day trips and thoughts. She is a girly-girl who likes pink things!

Together we are a fun combination! On this blog, you can expect a wide range of topics. From make-up looks to poetry. From outfits to lifestyle tips. From pampering yourself to working your butt off!

We are so excited to share our creativity and experiences with y’all so make sure you subscribe by email or follow this blog so you can stay up to date. In this blog, you've learnt a bit about us but now we want to learn a bit about you! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and leave comments for what kind of blogs you would like, what sort of advice you seek and any questions you have!

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