Why One Tree Hill is SO Under-rated.

Over the years there have been many US TV shows that creep their way into worldwide viewing; Friends, Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars. And the launch of Netflix made these shows so much more accessible especially for UK viewers and have even brought back classics to re-live our teens. One show that has been majorly overlooked however until now is One Tree Hill.

I can guarantee at least a handful of people reading this will have to Google the show to know what I'm on about because for such an iconic and successful series, I mean there were 9 seasons for goodness sake, you can't even say it was rubbish, the demand was clearly there, it is not as readily available to re-watch (Unlike Friends or The Big Bang Theory which are genius yet heavily overplayed!).

Now, here's a little overview of what it's all about. The first 4 seasons were focused on the main character's journeys through their Junior and Senior year of High School. Although this could be categorised as your stereotypical teen series with Nathan being captain of the basketball team who falls for his brainiac tutor Haley, who is best friends with Lucas who is Nathan's half-brother and enemy, who wants to get with Peyton, who is Nathan's girlfriend and her best friend Brooke wants to be with Lucas but i swear, it's so much more than that!

S04 Picture Of You
"People are going to label you, it's how you overcome those labels."

As the seasons progress the gang have to deal with psychos who pretend to be your long lost brother, a hostage held by a fellow student that results in shooting himself and a major whodunnit storyline of 'who killed Keith', a teenage pregnancy, a teenage marriage, multiple affairs, a heart disease and Haley pursuing a career in music. So all in all, not your average few years at school ey? Then season 5 fast forwards 4 years as the group struggle to adapt to adulthood and end up returning to Tree Hill and we then follow their journey for 4 more seasons which again involves psycho nanny's, kidnaps, and Brooke's mother dubbed as "Bitch-toria" so a whole rollercoaster of drama and emotions from the outset and throughout.

Okay, so joking aside. OTH actually helped me alot during my teenage years and every episode had a quote or inspiring message behind it that I know every single viewer took to heart. Whether it was realising what truly matters in life, encouraging you to take your life in your hands and do what YOU want to do, or just accepting that essentially shit happens but it's how you move on from it that counts. One Tree Hill was almost like a friend or supporter you never had. I know it sounds completely corny but if you ask any fan of the show, majority of the time it's the message or quote behind each episode that they will remember, not the drama that made good telly and honestly, I think that's what gave the show longevity.

People invested into these characters lives and although non-fans may have thought 'really another season?' if you took the time to watch it, your opinion will change and you will realise that actually, it ended at the right time before it got too far-fetched and stemmed away from it's true purpose as a series.

Even years after it's final season, North Carolina where it is filmed, host conventions dedicated to One Tree Hill for fans to enjoy and reminisce alongside the actors who make a guest appearance.

Now try and tell me it's not under-rated!

Note: One Tree Hill will be available on Hulu from 1st February 2018, yassss.

Katie x

Organisation Is Key.

Do you know my favourite thing about a new year beginning? The excuse to buy a diary. Now I don't know if it's just me but I must buy at least 10 notebooks throughout a calendar year and matching stationary in an attempt to look like I've got my shit together but in reality I soon lose interest and I just end up with a pile of half used bits of paper and pens coming out my ears. 

I always have the ideal scenario in my head aswell that when I'm out and about, on a train or bus that I'd be sat jotting down ideas whether it's for blogposts, planning appointments or shopping lists when the majority of the time I have my headphones in trying to conceal my inner Beyonce. 

But here's Take 235 of organising Katie Pook's life and this is how I'm going to do it.

Buying an visually pleasing Diary. The obvious first step but as someone who loves colours and pretty things, these bog standard doctors appointment style books just does not cut it. It does not give me the motivation to plan at all however on the other hand I'm too coward to spend too much just incase I don't stick to my word and add to my unwanted collection. I was delighted when I found this cute diary in Poundland with a pink and teal palm tree design. What's great about this is the plastic overlay too because this weather defintiely isn't paper friendly and in the past my notebooks have gotten water damage when the heavens open and who wants soggy notes? Eurgh.

Being aware of significant dates. Birthdays, Anniversaries, Working Hours. Keeping an actual record of these instead of guessing or relying on Facebook will allow me to not only plan for these days but also give the illusion I'm well prepared without worrying last minute and having to send a Moon Pig card or rushing to get to work. It is so easy to lose track of days working in a seasonal job so it will just give me a bit of a reality check. I've written in upcoming breaks to also mentally prepare myself what level of work I'll be doing. 

Having things to look forward to. Scheduling in compulsary days like above will leave space for freetime and although I love having my downtime, nothing compares to the feeling when you know an event is coming up that you're excited for. Currently other than my birthday, I have no plans for 2018 but I think it's vital especially in the type of career I am in, to take a break, go on holiday, go to a festival. This is a major motivational tool to have something to work towards, counting down the days. As much as you don't want to wish your life away, sometimes that excitement can get you through the toughest times. And of course, a more exciting life means more exciting content to post about!

Discover Inspiration. As corny as it sounds, in terms of blogging there is inspiration all around us and my goal is to know how to utilise that in my favour. Whether it's a guest who has made an impact in my day, a product I've come across, a distinctive smell perhaps? I need to open my mind a little more as I love blogging but can get caught in a rut pretty fast. I need to stop feeling so anxious about expressing my passion.

I want this year to count. I want to make an impact. I want to make myself proud and being organised is just the first hurdle.

Love, Katie x

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RECREATE HER STYLE: Millie Bobby Brown

When I was 13 years old, I was struggling through year 8, adjusting to my evergrowing boobs and getting compared to Fran from Dodgeball (not even an exaggeration, I was not a looker and I had not heard of tweezers) and I'm pretty sure we were all doing that weren't we? Well, not Millie Bobby Brown. This is one 13 year old girl's life I do envy; starring in one of the biggest Netflix shows of the moment Stranger Things, being invited to every red carpet event going and rubbing shoulders with Drake! 

I have a confession to make though, I haven't watched a single episode of Stranger Things but that in itself shows how internationally known she actually is for a teenager. Also, to top it off, her red carpet style is KILLING it this year. Both at the Golden Globes and the SAG awards she has made quite an impression and eventhough I am 10 years older than the girl, she has given me the inspiration to recreate these looks. Millie is sporting bun-style 'dos at both events however vibing completely contrasting looks.

Millie's make-up is not very complex at all but her elegance at the Golden Globes was effortless. As you may or may not know, at the awards all women wore black in aid of the Times Up campaign supporting those who have come forward about sexual harrassment so she complimented the black with a winged eyeliner. I used Rimmel's Glam Eyes Liquid Liner just to frame my eyes and Rimmel's Stay Matte Liquid Lipcolour in Latte To Go mixed with L'Oreal Lip Paint in Nude-ist to create that perfect natural lip shade.

As for hair, it was quite difficult for myself to dupe this as at the moment my hair is quite short however the simplest way to create the plait effect was to seperate my hair into a half-up, half-down style and then seperate the down part into two sections. Although Millie actually has 3 plaits I just made two by simply making two seperate plaits and pinning them to the back of my head. With the rest of my hair I put into a simple high bun and that was it. Really straightforward and it would be easier if your hair is a little longer so you don't have to use a million hair grips like myself.

The SAG awards were on the weekend and I was obsessed with Millie's look, it was super girly and if you know me, I live for space buns! They just look so put together and keeps your hair out of your face, win-win. Completely the look with black bows to contrast the very pink vibes just adds that something extra. She even wore Converse for goodness sake, this girl slays.

Again, make-up wise was pretty simple with just glittery shadow on the lids, chizzled cheeks and a pink lip. Although I don't have a silver glitter shadow I just used the Princess shade in Jeffree Starr's Beauty Killer Palette along with a white shadow to make it less pink and for cheeks I use the Kate Moss Sculpting Palette. Finally I completed the look with Maybelline's Colour Sensational Lipstick in Smoky Rose.

I surprisingly had so much fun recreating these red carpet looks and may make this a trend when I am really vibing someone's style. I really hope you liked it too. 

Until next time.

Katie x

Entering 2018 Confidently.

Hey boos,

What a busy end of the year I had and definitely one year to put behind me. 2017 was a rollercoaster that by the end I was contemplating just jumping off before it finished it's course. But after 2 weeks off to relax at home with my family celebrating a very delayed Christmas, things are definitely beginning to look up. I've cut ties with anything toxic jeopardising my happiness, my progression in my job is just about to start and my best friend is one step close to moving up and working alongside me in the very near future. Let's just pray this level of positivity remains eh?

Along with positivity is confidence and 2018 is the time where I'm putting this into practice alot more and bringing back the Katie Pook that at 21 thought she could conquer the world. In 2 weeks I'm turning 23 and it's perfect opportunity to adjust back into that mindset and set myself up for the future. There's no better time than the present!

First things first I want to feel more comfortable in my own skin. I aim to take more selfies and post to Instagram daily. It may came across self-obsessed and vain and appearance isn't the key to confidence but it's 2018, social media is at it's prime and yes, I may be completely hung up on it but I'm only human and honestly It has (so far) made a difference.

Completely contrasting the heavily filtered, fake reality of Instagram, I have also taken a break from the gruelling chore of make-up and allowing my skin to breathe. Now, in the past the thought of channeling my bare-face in public without a hint of concealer freaked me out however, in a roundabout way it is evidently improving my skin with the help of moisturiser to keep my face hydrated. Again, this may not seem a big deal to many but after suffering from chickenpox 22 years late last year, noticable scars were left and my confidence plummeted, but just like everything else, it is part of who I am and it's my chance to embrace it.

Anyway enough self-love for one day. Let's make 2018 a year to remember, who's with me??