food + eco-conscious blog
Hello all! Since becoming vegetarian I’ve been on the hunt for delicious veggie meals in Brum, so I thought I’d collate my favourite spots for anyone unsure of where to get a good plant-based meal. All the places I’ve listed offer vegan alternatives and are places I genuinely love to visit, so why not have … Continue reading my veggie guide to Birmingham
Hello fellow friends. As August sweeps in, we can say goodbye to #nobuyjuly, and hello to a new month of me being able to buy whatever I want. Hoorah. BUT HOW WELL DID NO BUY JULY ACTUALLY GO? If you didn’t read my blog post about No Buy July, you can read it here, but … Continue reading #nobuyjuly debrief
What is the most environmentally friendly way to read books? Having done an English degree, I’ve made it pretty clear to the world that I like to read. My bookshelf is overflowing with books, from texts I’ve read a dozen times to those I just bought because they were classics and have obviously gathered dust … Continue reading Is there an eco-friendly way to read books?
Hello! The sun is out, summer has begun, and now I have finished up all my internships I can officially make my way into the abyss with my newly updated CV in hand and absolutely no-where to go. On Thursday, I’ll be returning to Bristol to move back in with my parents (hopefully not for … Continue reading no buy july 2019
Up until very recently I never gave a second thought to my relationship with ‘fast fashion.’ Shopping was just another fun activity – an opportunity to hang out with friends or have some good ol’ me time. When I got to uni, armed with a hefty student loan and no dress-code to stick to, I … Continue reading how to improve your shopping habits
Hello! It seems you and me haven't caught up in some time. Honestly, I thought when uni ended I'd have all the free time in the world for my blog, but it seems life hasn't turned out that way. In fact, I'm beginning to think all this miraculous free-time is actually all a myth. So … Continue reading tea break: shall we have a catch up?
Cheeky disclaimer: all these items were gifted to me in exchange for a blog post, but all the opinions are my own. Hello all! Today I have a really exciting blog post for you. I received my first ever PR package the other day from… DISNEY! Its insane, I know. The new Aladdin film is … Continue reading GIFTED| Aladdin merchandise and my three wishes.
I love meat. Okay, I said it. I love the taste and texture of meat. It’s juicy and yummy and versatile and… I don’t eat it. Choosing to not eat meat was really hard for me because I am a self-confessed foodie and meat-lover, but being environmentally conscious is very important to me, so here … Continue reading my top tips for going veggie
So, my time at uni has come to an end and I still haven't fully processed it. I’ve had an amazing three years, met some gorgeous humans, learned so much about myself, and really enjoyed my English Lit course. I'm so sad to leave it all behind, but at the same time, I feel ready … Continue reading why I chose the University of Birmingham for my undergraduate degree.
A few days ago, I went to my first gifted event! and it was sooo fun! This is a cute little milestone for my blog and I’m so happy I went along. I was a little anxious about it, but I decided to put myself out there and meet some new people, and I’m so … Continue reading Event| tasting all the mocktails with Bubble Boba, Coventry
Climate change is at the forefront of the news right now and it can feel like you're under pressure to change how you live immediately, leaving you feeling kinda defensive – like suddenly the media is telling you you’re a bad person for buying a plastic packaged item or forgetting your reusable cup. So, it’s … Continue reading will buying less plastic make a difference to climate change?
Since coming to uni I have really gotten into cooking, so today I am sharing two of my favourite vegetarian recipes. The first is a really easy pasta recipe that takes literally 15 minutes and is crazy cheap to make. When I've had a really busy day or I just can't be bothered, this is … Continue reading easy veggie recipes on a budget.
On the 6th April, I hit up Seasonal Market's Cheese Fest in Digbeth. I was lucky enough to get press coverage with Redbrick Food so my entry was free, but I paid for all the extras. Got myself some cheese from The Great British Cheese Co, of course, and some cheesecake from Urban Cheesecake which … Continue reading Cheese Fest Review
When I’m ill or sad all I want to do is stay in bed, eat a ton of shit food, and watch cheesy rom-coms. I always try to watch something new but tend to turn to all my old faves because I know they’ll make me feel better. Now, I have watched my fair share … Continue reading rom-coms for a rainy day
Easter ‘holidays’ are upon us and I am crazily weighed down with work at the moment soooo my blog posts are probably going to few and far between over the next month. Just a warning to ya. I’ve been using Spotify as my music player exclusively for a good while now and I recently found … Continue reading my top 10 most played tracks.
I have three essays and my dissertation all due on May 2nd. That’s 20,000. So, yeah, you could say I’m a tad stressed out… and tired… and maybe, possibly, not as motivated to get it all done as I should be. Today marks the beginning of my last ever week at University. It’s scary but … Continue reading I have (almost) finished uni!
Firstly, hey! I changed my IG and wordpress names and did a slight rebrand, so I am now sophielaurenblogs on the gram and Sophie Lauren here on ma blog. I've been wanting to change for a while now, but it turns out there are quite a few people called Sophie Lauren out there in the … Continue reading five-minute makeup for everyday
So now I’ve hit old age, AKA final year of uni, my friends and I have been trying out some wholesome activities around Birmingham rather than hitting the club. Although I love a good boogie, I absolutely hate the hangover that comes with it. My brain turns to mush the next day and I end … Continue reading a few fun activities in Birmingham.
Hi, hello there, hey. Today is the day we talk about an LGBTQA+ person’s favourite topic – being LGBTQA+. My cute friend Harriet on the left, my nerd-self on the right. I came out as bisexual when I was fifteen, but started identifying as demisexual pretty soon after that. Demisexuality is basically when a person … Continue reading coming out and other queer things
Hello, my name is Sophie and today I will be ranting to you about my degree. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore studying English literature and I love getting to read an amazing array of texts that I otherwise would never have heard of, let alone picked up. But sometimes I wish that I … Continue reading I. Miss. Reading. For. Fun.
Today, I thought I’d have a quick chat about polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), what it is and how you can find out if you’ve got it. I got diagnosed with PCOS a year ago now, and know how freaky it can sound when the only info you have is from the likes of Web MD. … Continue reading polycystic ovary syndrome: a few facts, and my diagnosis
When I first got to uni I was so excited by the prospect of cooking for myself. Growing up in a strictly ‘meat and potatoes’ household left me disenchanted with food and I was so ready to experiment with new recipes. But by the end of first year I found myself in a rut, eating … Continue reading my veggie struggles – why flexitarianism can be a good start to a veggie diet.
I was in Paris recently and loved every second of it! It's a beautiful city with an incredible amount of historical sites, museums and pretty things to see wherever you go. This was my second time visiting. I've wanted to go back ever since leaving the first time, and I was given a bit of … Continue reading paris on a student budget.
NW by Zadie Smith immerses you in London life and guides you through the lives of Leah, Natalie, Felix, and finally Nathan. Each section focuses on each character, and has a different narrative style. 'NW' is taken from the postcode for North West London, and the novel focuses on a fictional area called Caldwell, where … Continue reading NW by Zadie Smith, and the books I want to read next.
Every year I find myself feeling a little less festive.Worrying over spending money on gifts, booking train tickets home, and university deadlines in the new year have left me feeling like a right Grinch. Today I actually told someone I was not looking forward to term ending and they looked disgusted, but honestly, I really … Continue reading A guide to warding off those Christmas blues.
I started a bullet journal when I was doing my A-Levels and realised a rather saddening issue. I am not great at art. Lusting after the pretty pages I saw on Tumblr and Instagram made me want to create something just as arty. In the end, I got caught up in not having the nicest … Continue reading keeping a bullet journal when you’re bad at art.
As you can tell, I'm still clutching onto my birthday even though it was two weeks ago now. Oh well, let's forget about that for a moment. I was really lucky this year to receive some really lovely gifts, so I thought I'd make a little blog about some of the things I got from … Continue reading a few birthday gifts.
So, I'll admit it. I am terrible at finishing books. I'd say about half of the books I start I don't finish, or I have to come back to after a few months just to read the end. The combination of being overwhelmed with uni work and general laziness means I get distracted incredibly easily. … Continue reading four books I never finished (and probably never will)
The first couple of weeks of Uni were incredibly isolating for me. I was spending more time alone than I ever had done before and I didn’t feel like I was making the great friendships I’d been promised. I’d been told to expect so much from Freshers – that everyone would want to be my … Continue reading it’s okay to feel lonely at uni.
So, it’s finally happened. I have started a blog – something I’ve been telling myself to do since before I even began university. But here we are, I’ve finally reached proper (young) adulthood, turned 21, and started a blog. Lucky you guys. I think I'll aim to keep up my book reviews, write about student-life … Continue reading Turning 21 and the inevitable approach of adulthood.
I was recently treated to a complimentary three course festive feast at The Plough and Harrow in Aldridge – my first ever gifted meal! (Please don’t come at me, I am poor graduate) and I was amazed by the value for money. For £27.50, veggie guests can choose from three starters (2 vegetarian, 1 vegan), … Continue reading gifted| The Plough and Harrow
This Facebook post from one of my dad’s friends really frustrated me at first but after a bit of digging, I realised a lot of people do think like this. They don't have bad intentions (not a tory, vegetarian, overall nice person), which made me wonder if I could string together a bit of info … Continue reading will boycotting fast fashion mean fewer jobs for factory workers?
I saw a post from @sustainablylazy a while back about using a safety razor instead of buying disposable ones as a way to cut down on plastic waste. I knew my boyfriend had one, but the idea of changing up my shaving routine still seemed a bit daunting. When you’ve only done something a certain … Continue reading my tips for using a safety razor
As I learn more about climate change and the problems with recycling in the UK, the more I fear using plastic. I don’t believe going completely plastic-free is feasible for 99.9% of people, but I’ve started feeling really guilty when I buy plastic products. All I can think about is how they're going to outlive … Continue reading my eco checklist
In some instances, the rhetoric behind sustainability can be marginalising. @katelunaaa wrote a great post highlighting the problems with the eco-movement, which you can read here. In a similar way, I just wanted to have a little chat about how not implementing certain aspects of eco-living into your lifestyle does not automatically mean you’re being … Continue reading does sustainable living lack accessibility?
*Gifted When summer hit, I thought I’d have so much motivation to improve my blog and put tons of effort into my content. But, in actuality, I lost all motivation altogether. *Cue the violins* Then I got an email from Blogerize, asking if I would let them redesign my blog for me. I was a … Continue reading new blog, new me (hopefully)
sophie lauren 