My top five tips for a healthy and happy relationship

Hi guys!

Today I'm writing about something that's quite important to me and that is relationships. I'm not pretending to be an expert, I know I'm still young, I'm not married and I don't live with my boyfriend but we have been together for 3 and a half years so I'm going to share what I found were the best ways to deal with things.

1. Communication. Obviously, face to face is best but if you have a problem and it's bothering you, tell them immediately be it by text or phone or whatever. The sooner it's off your chest the better because otherwise it builds up and becomes a much bigger problem than at first.

2. Accept that it's not going to be easy. Making a relationship work is hard. You are going to have fights, things will get in your way and people are going to tell you a load of rubbish about your other half. Especially if you're young and still in school. But if you can work it out, it'll make you a stronger person and it'll make you're relationship stronger.

3. Don't cheat. This seams obvious but it's surprising how many people don't get this. Unless you have a mutual (emphasis on the word mutual) agreement that it is one of those relationships where you can have more than one partners then don't do it. Don't even do it if you find out your boyfriend or girlfriend has done it to you, it makes you feel worse afterwards and you're using other people and dragging them in to your drama which is not fair.

4. Learn to listen. If your other half needs to say something, let him/her finish before you reply. If you're having an argument, carefully think about what you're going to say before you say it.

5. Go out on dates. It's important to spend time together just the two of you. Try and go on more original dates too like going for walks or visiting a museum. This will keep your relationship fresh and will also keep your mind off the bad things if you're going through a bit of a rough patch.

A last bonus tip: remember that just because some of their family doesn't like you, doesn't mean you should break up, not everyone is going to like you, that's just life unfortunately.

Those are my top tips to keep your relationship interesting, happy and healthy. I hope you found this helpful!

Passing my driving exam

Hi guys!

Yesterday I passed my driving test! It was my third exam so I failed twice which meant I had to have 6 extra hours of lessons.

I decided to change driving school because I didn't like the one I was at before and discovered that I had only been taught some of the things I needed to pass. For example, I hadn't been told where my bearings were supposed to be when parallel parking.

The actual exam didn't entirely go according to plan either because it was supposed to be at 6h50 in the morning, we started 10 minutes late and I realized it wasn't the same car I'd driven during the lessons. When going through the check up of the driving instructors car (the driving instructor being another one from the one who taught me too) that I was supposed to be driving we discovered the brake lights had failed. He had changed all the lights the day before and they worked perfectly but he had then attached a trailer to the car and it had short-circuited.

The examiner said I couldn't do the exam on that car so they rescheduled to 9h with another car and another instructor. I got there and the car still wasn't the same as the one I was used to driving but it was similar to drive (the pedals being similar) whereas the other one was totally different. The instructor still wasn't the one who taught me but I recognised him from having seen him at the driving school.

The exam was about 40 minutes long and I didn't find it too difficult and I passed! I'm very glad and relieved I won't have to be going through the stress and anxiety of that again.

If you're passing your driving exam soon then top ten tips would be:

1. Go to bed early.

2. Do whatever helps you get to sleep without taking sleeping pills because they could have an effect if they haven't completely worn off.

3. Take lots of deep breaths to calm your nerves.

4. Drive to the test centre if that is aloud in your country. This way you will be warmed up.

5. Make a checklist of important things not to forget. Lights, indicators, foot on the clutch when you start the car (manual cars only of course), lots of looking in all mirrors especially when changing direction.

6. Try and get a test in the morning so that you don't spend your whole day worrying.

7. Get there slightly early but not too early that you're left hanging around for ages.

8. Go out the day before to practice parking and turning around. I found the parking more difficult and it's just a case of practice practice practice.

9. When you go out to practice the day before or just before your test, end it on a good note so you feel more confident.

10. Don't tell everyone when your test is, it piles pressure on for you to pass.

My top 10 tips if you're feeling stressed

I should actually be doing schoolwork right now but I've decided to write this quickly because it's how I'm feeling at the moment. I often feel stressed about this time of year because it's getting close to exam time, I'm planning holidays for summer and realising I spent most of my money on christmas presents, school jumpers, etc. and I still have to pay for everything else coming up. Anyway, enough about that and let's get back to the point.

1. Exercise. This is so important and so many people skip this step. You don't need two hours, you can do 10 minutes. It gives you time to think and sort everything out in your head and you're burning calories. You'll also feel better about yourself which helps when you're stressed. If you don't want to go to the gym, you can always do some yoga, some squats or go for a walk. Walking is really good actually, it's very calming and not too tiring.

2. Pamper yourself. This applies more to girls I suppose but I find it really helps me to relax. It's soothing. There's nothing like a nice face mask to calm you down. Again, you don't need to do it for hours. You could have a full on pamper evening once a week or you could just take 5 minutes to cleanse your face every day. It makes you feel fresh and relaxed.

3. Organise yourself. I find I get stressed when I have a lot of stuff to do. Try and plan it in advance. It gives you more time and it makes you feel like you've accomplished something. You could have a weekly planner or just a to do list for the day, anything that works for you and that you can stick to. Prioritise too. Get the hard things done first and the rest will seem a lot easier and less daunting.

4. Listen to music. A bit of relaxing music or your favourite happy song always makes you feel better. Try and avoid songs that make you sad because it can and probably will just make it worse. Though I do think everyone needs a good cry sometimes, it's best to avoid it.

5. Talk to people. It can be a friend, a boyfriend/girlfriend, a family member, a psychologist, a therapist, whoever you find it easiest to talk to and who will listen. This helps to get everything out of your system but you'll also get support. Some comforting words can make the world of difference.

6. Make a list of all the good things you've got in your life and the things to look forward to. You could pin this on your wall to remind you of it everytime you feel a bit down and it will really help. It puts things into perspective and can calm you down an awful lot.

7. Try and think positive. I know this can be very hard. I'm naturally quite a negative person but I've found that thinking positive will get you past things and probably solve a lot of problems much faster than if you think negative. You can learn how to do this, all it requires is a bit of will power.

8. Take a break. If everything gets too much, stop. If you can't go on a one week holiday that doesn't matter. You can spend 15 minutes doing something else and it will make you feel a lot better. Or, if you have the time, go for a day trip somewhere you like. It doesn't have to be expensive, it can be a long walk in the countryside or a trip to a local town where you can have a wonder.

9. Do something you like. This will instantly make you feel happier. It'll take your mind off things for a bit and sometimes that's all you need. If you get bored of doing what you like you could always find a new hobby which could also make you feel better because you might discover new skills and you're learning something new which will give you a sense of accomplishment.

10. Finally, if all else fails, eat or drink something that makes you feel better. If I've had a long, hard day, I like to drink a very chocolatey hot chocolate. It sooths and relaxes me. But I wouldn't do this too often because, if it's unhealthy food/drink you love, it's not good on a daily basis.

I hope this helps anybody who is feeling a bit overwhelmed by stress and take care!