What the girls are on about 36

Full disclosure: I have had tonsillitis again so I have been working at a tenth of my usual energy this week. Does anyone know at what point the NHS will take my tonsils out? Do I have to ask them? I get this at least twice a year, every year and I’m so sick of it (literally).

What’s your screentime? Tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine. I tend to pick up a lot of grandma hobbies, but increasingly my friends are joining me. I just offloaded a ton of wool and needles on a friend who’s taken up knitting (and has already made herself a triangle scarf!!!), my other friends are tending to their plants or taking up running, but one thing remains consistent: we are all trying to fight our screentime. I spend my entire day at a laptop, so at 6pm I shut my screen, leave my phone aside and cook something from scratch. This week I spent evenings after dinner reading Yesteryear. I hated it, but at least it was a page turner.

Counter productive to point 1, but my one of my friends has finally convinced me to enter the greatest cause of screentime ever: gaming. Like many 90s babies, I have fond memories of going over to friends’ houses between the ages of 8 and 16 and spending hours playing Harvest Moon on their playstation. We only had a game cube at home, but my sister Steph and I spent hours playing SSX snowboarding. Occasionally, we’d throw a harry potter game in the mix. A few months ago I remembered about an old HP computer game we had, and Angus found a download of it somewhere on the internet so I could play it again. My new plan: become a gaming streamer where I just play old, discontinued games. Watch this space, I’m ready to set up a twitch account.

A few months ago homesickness hit me for the first time in seven years. The only other time I’ve felt homesick since moving to Scotland in 2018 was January 2019, when I came back to Scotland after my Christmas holidays. I cried on that airplane like someone had died (to be fair, in the three months I’d lived here before Christmas, my grandpa and my dog died). It was a mix of homesickness and also coming to terms with the end of my youth and the necessity to ‘make it on my own’. Since meeting Angus and making friends over here, I’ve never ever felt the itch to go home — until a few months ago.

But, I don’t really want to go home home. I always knew I wasn’t going to live in Thunder Bay, where I grew up, forever. Instead, I assumed Toronto was the final destination. Toronto, where I went every summer to see my extended family. Where I spent reading weeks in uni, visiting all the ‘it’ hotspots, and where I went to any time I wanted to catch a concert. Toronto, where my cousin lives, near where most of my extended family and one of my sisters live. Earlier this year I realised there’s only a six month wait between me and British citizenship, which means I can actually, really move to Toronto if I want. And I do!

After my bout of homesickness I decided it was worth spending £1200 on flights back to Canada to go to my friend Kara’s wedding. Kara moved to Scotland with me in 2018, did her Masters, and then moved back home. In the seven extra years I’ve stayed, the cost for a flight home to Thunder Bay has more than doubled (I used to spend as little as £400 on a flight!!!!). Flights from Toronto to Thunder Bay are less frequent, so for this trip — you guessed it — I’m going to Toronto. Then Thunder Bay. Then Winnipeg. Then Toronto/Hamilton. The full tour!

A week before I go, my friend Lauren is going to Toronto with her family. So, I’m in full planning mode, which these days means I’m on TikTok. Saving, scrolling, saving. There are some places I know and love in Toronto, but it’s changed a lot over the last eight years! I’m learning about so many new areas, shops, cafes, restaurants — oh the restaurants!!!!! The cuisine!!!!! The diversity!!!!! Anyways, the quality of TikToks made about Toronto is way better than anything I’ve seen for Edinburgh. I’ve made my Toronto list public so if you want to see it, head to my TikTok.

1. My owala tumbler water bottle; I gotta stay hydrated and also I’m taking antibiotics like every 5 hours so big shoutout to my trusty water bottle

2. manucurist nail polish; they sent me this stuff (I was desperate to try it tho!!) and I love the subtle little sparkle I get with it. Use the link to get 15% off. Don’t think I get commission, they just send me free stuff every once in awhile lol.

3. tan suede mango tote; I bought this in the sale a month or so ago and absolutely looooove it! great slouchy bag. sold out in the tan at most retailers, but next still has it - not on sale tho :(

4. uniqlo mens xl boxers as pjs; this is a life hack ok. they’re so big. they’re so comfy. they are the perfect summer jammy bottoms.

5. uniqlo socks; while we’re at it, they have the best socks too

6. aldi dupes; dry shampoo and body spray

7. nike shoes; i bought the juniors size so that they were a fraction of the price and omg i love them so much

8. banila co cushion; one of my k beauty finds from yesstyle, this is so smooth. it looks so even on, and no amount of sweat (sorry, gross) makes it melt off.

1. A really good mousse - anyone have a rec? I suddenly find myself with very wavy hair and I don’t want to do the whole thing you know, but I want a mousse so it holds a little bit better

2. A tarnish proof pair of classic hoops. Small, but not too small. And they have to be properly tarnish proof.

3. A gameboy colour. All the gaming chat has me missing pokemon. The one we had growing up was green, so naturally I’m partial to that.