Just say it – 5 Fab Gals

This isn’t a real blog post. This is a like a glorified shout out, all for very legitimate reasons. In short, I’m a huge advocate for telling people what you think. I think life is too brief to think someone or something is awesome without shouting it everywhere. But I’ve been discovering that people can be a little hesitant to express their praise… feeling it’s not cool, or doesn’t fit their aesthetic, or that simply thinking it was fab is enough without telling the person.

Scenario: I come across an article on Twitter, posted by one of my favourite sites. It mentions the author’s handle. I read the article, agree 100%, think it’s fab. I promptly follow the author on Twitter to read more of her stuff. With me so far?

I then discover she’s a fellow UoB student. And, although I don’t know her, we have a few mutual friends. I think ‘Wow she must be so proud’ and go back to my studies. And yet… I find myself thinking about that article again. It was brilliantly well written and really got to the heart of a difficult subject. So, without another thought, I message the girl on Facebook to say a) I don’t know you but b) we are fellow students and c) your article was beyond pleasing to read. Is this weird?

I shouldn’t be writing this post because I don’t have the time right now to wash my hair let alone play around on my blog. My room is currently covered in feathers from a last minute DIY and it looks it will stay that way for the next few weeks. I wrote the necessary letter to close my French bank account and yet STILL haven’t managed to post it.

So in order to justify this time to myself, this isn’t a real blog post. This is like a glorified shout out to other people – bloggers, writers, people who’s articles I’ve recently read and adored – so you can go check them out for yourselves. Here’s a brief list of 5 fabulous things I’ve recently come across by 5 wonderful women – because I liked them so now I’m shouting it loud and proud.

Giulia’s Dressing Down of the Dress Code

If you read recently about an American high school offering ‘modesty ponchos’ to female attendees who didn’t adhere to their dress-code, you were probably fuming. I raged. I read the articles and then considered throwing my phone away in anger. And then, I read Giulia’s perfect response. Her blog post is controlled in its fury and yet clearly explains why a high school should be leading with education rather than shaming students for their (natural!) bodies. “In schools, through restriction, girls are taught that they are the one responsible for their safety and shall always look out for potential harm from their gender-opposite classmates”

Ruth’s fight for the Arts

Ok but seriously if you do one thing today, read this article by Ruth on the real value of an arts degree. Telling friends and family my degree plans 4 years ago was an exciting, positive experience… but the question of ‘what job?’ popped up from most conversations. Apparently, spending thousands on tuition fees and a few years of your life learning about a subject isn’t very useful to some people unless it links *directly* to a dream job or career. I won’t go into why choosing a degree based solely on the graduate salary afterwards is utterly moronic but I will say Ruth’s article brilliantly articulates why narrow perspectives on the Arts desperately need to change.

Lucy’s Real Deal

I’ve followed Lucy for a while and stalk her Instagram fitness page on the regular. She’s beautifully candid about her fitness journey and although I don’t think I’ll ever look like her, her honesty is a little shining beacon of happiness on my timeline. She recently posted a photo which might be my favourite photo of 2018…

 

(You can find Lucy’s photo here)

I never thought a photo of glorious cellulite would make me so happy. Thank you, Lucy, times a million. She’s the perfect breath of fresh air as we approach all those ‘are you summer body ready?’ weeks…

Liv’s Museum Space

I’ve loved Liv’s writing since studying with her at UoB – there’s something incredibly accessible in her tone which always made even the most obscure Art themes seem interesting and clear. She’s now been applying this knowledge to her blog and yep, it’s been one of my favourite ways to procrastinate recently. Book reviews, gallery guides and one of her recent pieces explaining brilliantly the challenges (and joys) of an Art History degree. If you want to learn a little more about art exhibitions, Museum Space is one of the best places to start!

Iesha’s Dip in The Pool

If you want to know the article that led to my harmless stalking, it was this one by Iesha. Written to highlight the staggering levels of students struggling with mental health issues whilst at University, alongside the lack of funding and general stigma to boot, Iesha’s article stuck with me long after I read it. And I’m pleased to add, Iesha was absolutely lovely and very gracious regarding my overexcited message request…

I also happen to think nearly everything published on The Pool is wonderful and I’d pretty much love to graduate and walk into a job there… pretty please?

Final Countdown

See? Not a real blog post and it definitely didn’t take up any of my precious revision time. The exams are going… well, they’re going. I’ve reached the point of no return and as long as my local supermarket keeps stocking chocolate fingers and dried mango (don’t judge my revision snack cravings) then we’re all good.

If you’re also procrastinating by reading this then I hope this is at least inspiring. And, if you read something or came across someone’s work that you really thought was interesting or well done or thought-provoking – let them know! They’ll more than likely be flattered. Life is too short not to say something and I’m proud to admit that I’ll continue sending excited message requests or following people online to let them know how much I enjoyed their work.