It's been a while hasn't it? It's no secret that many of us have felt our lives resume to their usual what feels like hundred miles per hour speed since the easing of lockdown here in England, myself included. Following my switch to more analytical and informative content, I'm not overly sure as to how many people are still interested in posts like these. That being said, it's a bit like grabbing a coffee with a friend and talking about both nothing and everything at the same time; we all like a casual catch-up every now and then, am I right? However, before we can dive into this catch-up, I wanted to draw your attention to the explosion that recently took place in the Lebanese capital of Beirut. This recent explosion has left many dead, injured or homeless and has caused a devastating impact, adding to the strain of an economic crisis and a global pandemic. If you can donate, I urge you to do so (you can find some suggested organisations here) and if not, have a look at this Instagram graphic to understand the deep-rooted nature of the matter. Thank you.
​G x 

'Cancel Culture': a twenty-first century social media phenomenon seeking the mass boycott of public figures or companies following "objectionable or offensive" actions (Dictionary.com). Born on and popularised by Black Twitter in the mid-2010s, 'Cancel Culture' aims to hold those in positions of power accountable for their misdemeanours - predominantly acts of discrimination and racism - by taking away their public platform. In lieu of recent events, what with some of YouTube's largest creators having some rather questionable remarks dug up and laid bare for all to see, I thought now would be a more pertinent time than ever before to ask ourselves just how effective 'Cancel Culture' is. 

Sixth Form: two words that quite possibly evoke the entire spectrum of human emotions. As I begin to reflect on the wild and eventful rollercoaster ride that was my A-Level experience, I thought it may be worth compiling a few things that I wish had known prior to starting the journey - for I know that I was Googling left, right and centre for any more information to squeeze out on the topic! Today, I would suggest taking a look at the challenges faced by Indigenous people in Latin America - I found this documentary by The New York Times particularly fascinating. 
G x

Those that know me personally will know that I have been going a little Depop/eBay crazy as of late, having both a large clear-out of my own as well as finding a few unique pieces to add to my wardrobe. Admittedly, I'm no professional when it comes to these two platforms but, what with business gaining a fair amount of traction at the moment, I thought it may be helpful to compile a few tips from an average Sally's perspective. Today's educational recommendation is The Guardian's "Today in Focus" podcast, which can be found on Spotify. I must say, I have really been enjoying getting a concise news round-up that lends itself to discussion and debate, thinking about the wider picture than the information we receive at face-value. Without further ado, I hope you find this post informative and be sure to let me know if there is something that I have missed in the comments section below. 
G x 

In this month's instalment of the MFL Book Club, I will be focusing on Fernando Fernán Gómez's Las Bicicletas Son Para El Verano. I must say, this book has a special place in my heart as it is not only the first Spanish book that I read on my teacher's recommendation, but also the book that I chose to analyse for my IRP Project as a part of my A-Level. If you are interested in learning more about the Spanish Civil War and its impact on the everyman, this book is for you! Today's recommendation of a medium through which to educate yourself about current issues affecting us is this video from Vox, "Protests aren't what they look like on TV" - particularly important in wake of this week's events. 
​G x 

Before we delve into today's post, there are a few matters that I wanted to address since my blog is arguably the platform that I have the greatest influence on. I am sure that all those reading are perfectly aware of what has been happening recently, what with the murder of George Floyd and the demonstrations that are taking place all over the world in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight against the racism that pervades in our society. It truly saddens me that this is an issue that continues to prevail in our society but the truth of the matter is that it's not enough to be saddened, for this alone is not going to change anything. We need to speak up, we need to sign petitions that will invoke constitutional reform, we need to donate to help various campaigns and organisations out if we have the means to do so and we need to continue educating ourselves and those around us. Recently on my Instagram, I spoke about doing one thing a day to better your life situation in a week, a month or a year's time. I still stand by that mantra, but I also challenge you to now do one thing (and preferably more) each day to improve such issues worldwide; knowledge is power after all, am I right? My personal recommendations so far include the books "The Hate U Give" and "Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race", as well as this blog post by Brit Bennett. Let me know if you would like to me to begin including a recommendation about a book, documentary or podcast challenging social issues in every introduction from now on. 

Who would have thought that, at the time I'm writing this post, it would have been well over a month since my A-Level French speaking exam? That may seem like a rather odd comment to make, but funnily enough it was in that exam that I was due to present my knowledge and have a discussion about regional languages in France. You see, prior to starting my research, I didn't even know that regional languages existed in France at all! Now, it would be quite a shame to waste all that newfound knowledge and so, inspired by the 'A Very Short Introduction' book series, I thought I would post my own little take here today. Let me know if you are interested in posts like these and be sure to let me know if I have missed anything out.
​G x 

Those who have read my recent blog post about The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Solution will be aware that one of my major resolutions for this year was to both invest more in and take better care of my skin. Granted, there’s not necessarily an awful lot that can be done about my hormonal acne without professional consultancy, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t work to be done when it comes to my dry skin and prevention of premature ageing. As a result, following a little bit of research, I decided to purchase some new products and I thought that I would feedback to you today about what was worth the money and what wasn’t. Of course, I am no dermatologist myself, but I do believe there is a certain value to product reviews from the average Sally! As per usual, let me know your thoughts and recommendations in the comments section below!
G x

“Modern foreign languages are not in crisis. It’s worse than that.” It was around this time last year that, prior to the arrival of this health fiasco which now dominates our headlines, a surge in such articles could be seen following the publication of a report published by the Higher Education Policy Institute. In summary, this report concluded that British language skills are significantly below par when compared to our European counterparts, with only 32% of 16 to 30 year-olds feeling confident reading and writing in another language, compared to a 89% average in the European Union. That begs the question, why are we Brits so bad at learning other languages? A question which I, of course, intend to explore in this post. As per usual, let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. ​

There was one quotation in particular that stood out to me when I read Ruiz Zafón's La Sombra Del Viento last summer: "There's no such thing as dead languages, only dormant minds" ("No hay lenguas muertas, sino cerebros aletargados"). For those of you who may not know, my recent quarantine undertaking just so happens to be learning a fifth language: Latin. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this very undertaking of mine was many-a-time faced with the age-old question: "Why Latin? It's a dead language." Granted, Latin may no longer be an official language or widely spoken, but is it really dead? What even constitutes a 'dead' language? Truth be told, I'm no expert in the matter - but there's no harm in doing a bit of research and sparking up a conversation as I do so. As usual, be sure to let me know your thoughts in the comments down below. Any sources that I have used will be listed at the bottom of this post if you are interested in wider reading. 
​G x 

Isn't this something a little different? Truth be told, this is yet another one of the blog post ideas that have lurked around in my drafts folder for longer than I'd perhaps like to admit; quite frankly, I just never felt as if it was my place to be giving this sort of advice and, in more ways than one, it still doesn't - I'm far from being any sort of fashion guru, after all. That being said, in my personal journey moving away from a trend based wardrobe to something a little more elegant and personal to me, I have picked up a few tips that I thought may be of use. This is not intended to be a rule book of sorts and the following tips are, of course, based on nothing but my own personal opinion - though that's exactly what fashion is all about, so let's not take life too seriously and dive straight into this post!
​G x