sunflowerdaisy.: Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Tips for Better Sleep

For many working class people, sleep is a luxury. Many people in the world choose to work overtime or take on multiple jobs to survive instead of getting enough rest.

However, sleep affects our mood. Short or interrupted sleep may cause irritability and make us unproductive during the day. To help you sleep faster and get better-quality sleep, here are some easy yet helpful steps you can follow.

1. Have a relaxing bath or shower

Washing away the day’s stress can help you prepare your mind for sleep. Nothing also beats the feeling of laying on your bed after having done your entire nighttime routine and having only sleep on your agenda.

Scientifically, these also help condition the body for sleep. According to Discover Magazine, taking a warm bath or a shower an hour or two before going to bed aids the body’s natural flow into sleep by lowering your body temperature.

2. Use essential oils

Introducing essential oils to your nighttime routine is an economical and convenient form of therapy. Certain scents can put the body in a calm state and prepare it for sleep. According to The Sleep Doctor, this is due to the emotions and memories we associate these scents with.

Vanilla, lavender, jasmine, rose, citrus, and sandalwood are only a few examples of scents used to induce better sleep. To use these, you can add a few drops to your bath, apply a diluted solution directly to your body, put it in a diffuser, or use it as a linen spray.

3. Turn off your electronics

Blue light emitted by electronic devices causes the brain to think that it is still daytime, making it reduce the amount of melatonin it produces and keeping you from sleeping.

For this, you should turn off your television as well as other sources of bright light two hours before bed. If this can’t be helped, you can also install apps that put a blue light filter on your screen, such as f.lux for your desktop or laptop.

4. Make yourself comfortable

Sometimes, an uncomfortable sleeping space is actually what makes it hard for people to sleep. A comfortable mattress is a great investment that improves your day-to-day wellbeing. Some people even go as far as to buy weighted blankets for the feeling of security during sleep. However, if you’re on a budget, clean beddings should be enough.

For people who wake up feeling too hot at night, it may also be helpful to check if your air conditioner or fan is working as well as it should. To get uninterrupted sleep, have your cooling device checked by a professional repairman. Regular maintenance check-ups help appliances work better and last longer, say the experts at Ceiling Fan Repair Singapore.

5. Check with a doctor

If your difficulty in sleeping lasts for weeks at a time, it is best to go to a doctor to see if you have insomnia. They can prescribe you a melatonin supplement for you to fall asleep faster and have better sleep quality.

If you snore loudly, wake up several times at night, and you are easily fatigued in the morning, ENT Doctor Singapore suggests you may have obstructive sleep apnea instead. This needs urgent medical action, so see a specialist right away.

Anyway, these are only a few quick ways to sleep faster and without interruption. If you’d like to improve your sleeping quality for the long term, however, there are also permanent lifestyle changes you could do such as exercising and eating better.

Easy & Healthy Binge-Watching Snacks

Since we’ve been stuck in our homes due to the pandemic, binge-watching movies or series has turned into the only escape from reality for most of us. And if you’re like any regular person, you may have food beside you as you watch 80% of the time.

Unfortunately, a lot of our favorite binge-watching snacks are unhealthy. They are packed with carbs, sodium, and, ultimately, junk. This, plus the fact that we may be sitting in front of our screens for a long time isn’t good for our bodies.

This is not to say that you shouldn’t indulge in some good films from time to time. However, to go easier on your body, you may want to go for healthier binge-watching snacks like the ones in the list below.

1. Fruits and nuts

There is not much preparation needed for fruits and nuts. You can just eat them as they are, provided that you’ve bought pre-roasted nuts at the market. In case you mistakenly bought raw nuts, you can still easily roast them on your stove for a few minutes. If you’re not fond of certain fruits or nuts, you can even mix and match based on your preference.

If you don’t want to go through any hassle at all, there are also ready-made trail mixes of dried fruits and assorted nuts available at grocery stores. These are just as easy to grab as your regular junk food.

2. Vegetable sticks

Trick yourself into eating your veggies by munching on vegetable sticks as you catch up on your favorite series. The chances are, you’ll be too focused on what you’re watching to even realize how many carrot sticks you have eaten.

For this, you can have any vegetable that can be eaten raw. Cucumber, celery, and carrots are the most common. If you find these too bland by themselves, Healthline suggests having them with easy dips such as Greek yoghurt, hummus, and mashed peas.

3. Yoghurt bowl

If you’re planning on starting your binge-watching in the morning, a yoghurt bowl can be a nutritious breakfast option that still allows you to mix and match the ingredients as you like.

You can opt to use any yoghurt you prefer and add fruits, granola, nuts, seeds, and other toppings, such as cinnamon and toasted coconut flakes. However, it is better to research the benefits of these health foods to personalize your yoghurt bowl to suit your body’s needs.

For instance, a high-fiber yoghurt bowl with antioxidant fruits and seeds can help people with slow metabolism, say the experts at Gastroenterologist Singapore. You just have to identify your health goals and come up with a recipe based on which foods help you achieve those goals.

This healthy binge-watching snack option can also be prepared the night before your Netflix marathon, by the way, which makes it all the more convenient.

And if you’re not into yoghurt bowls, you may find fruit and yoghurt popsicles more enjoyable! To make this, simply put your fruit and yoghurt mixture into a popsicle mold, then freeze overnight.

4. Fries

Yes, you read it right. You can still enjoy one of your go-to binge-watching snacks. There are just a few tweaks you need to do to make it healthier.

For this, you have to air fry your sliced potatoes. Air frying with little to no oil instead of deep frying cuts back on calories and fat, instantly making your food healthier than normal.

Once it’s cooked, put little salt on your fries. This doesn’t mean you can’t put other spices on your fries for flavor. If you’re a fan of Cajun seasoning, Davita has a salt-free recipe you can easily make at home. There are also other salt-free seasoning recipes you can find on the Internet.

5. Fresh fruit juices

Instead of consuming unhealthy amounts of sugar with soda, go for fresh fruit juices. Watermelon and orange are some of the fruits that can give you the most juice. If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, you can also mix and match fruits and even add some greens.

Some people also enjoy fruit smoothies, which are just as simple to prepare. It’s just like making fruit juice, but instead of juicing, you blend ingredients with ice and milk, yoghurt, or low-fat ice cream.

If you don’t own a juicer or a blender or if you are simply too busy to make an effort, coconut water is a good example of a healthy drink you can find in stores.

As a final note, keep in mind that it’s usually best to only make as much of these snacks as you can feasibly finish in one sitting. If you make a mistake and whip up a little too much of any recipe, pop it in the fridge immediately!

Specifically, the ones with milk and yoghurt can spoil easily. You have to keep them around temperatures of 1 to 2 degrees Celsius.

Here’s a hot tip we got from our fridge repairman from Fridge Repair Singapore on this topic, by the way. We called him in to ask why our milk was always spoiling even with the fridge on: you have to ensure your fridge is set at the right temp and keep milk/yoghurt towards the back of the fridge, to combat what happens when you open your fridge door a lot!

Anyway, that wraps up our post for today. Remember, staying healthy doesn’t always mean going hard on a diet and a workout. At times like this, doing the best we can is already commendable -- so feel free to binge-watch and snack, as long as you snack healthy.

Tips for a Comfortable Quarantine Life

Life hasn’t been anywhere near normal this year, with an ongoing global pandemic. Movement control orders are still being given each time the number of cases rises in an area. No matter how much we want to live our normal lives, we have to follow restrictions to keep ourselves and others safe.

The coronavirus has taken away a lot of important people, experiences, and milestones from us. However, there are still many ways to stay sane in the comfort of our homes.

That’s what we’ll talk about here. Below are some tips for a comfortable home life in quarantine.

1. Stock up on food you need

Stock up on two weeks’ to a month’s worth of groceries to avoid going back and forth to your local supermarket. If you haven’t been able to have home cooked meals before, now is the time to explore. Buy various meats of different cuts, a variety of vegetables, and fruits you have never before tried.

To change up your menu every now and then, you can also browse recipes online for easy-to-cook food from different cuisines.

2. Have basic medicine at hand

Nowadays, it could be difficult to go outdoors even when you need it the most, so this tip is especially important if you’re living alone. Besides basic supplies for cuts and burns, Mayo Clinic suggests having the following medicines in your first aid kit:

Pain relievers
Cough and cold medications
Antihistamine
Antacids
Anti-diarrhea medication
Laxative
Hydrocortisone cream

You can also personalize your medicine kit depending on your health concerns.

3. Make sure home appliances are in tip-top shape

Under lockdown, we are obligated to stay home for the majority of the time. When your life is restricted to your home, chores can feel duller than ever.

Luckily, various home appliances exist to make house chores much easier. For a seamless home life, it is important to make sure that home appliances are working as they should.

The moment you notice something going awry with an appliance, get it seen to as well. That’s because repair costs tend to balloon after an issue has already worsened… and home repair appointments are now harder to book than ever due to rising demand, say the experts at Washing Machine Repair Singapore.

4. Connect

Technology has become even more valuable these days. Because of our devices and the Internet, we get to connect with our loved ones even from halfway across the globe.

Since the pandemic is keeping us from seeing our friends and family, virtual get-togethers are our best option. You can make virtual hangouts fun by playing online games with friends or having a movie night with family.

5. Disconnect

Although technology is extremely useful during these times, being online 24/7, working from home, and seeing the news can also be very emotionally draining. To prevent a burnout, unplug your WiFi once in a while.

Some alternative activities you can do offline are reading, bullet journaling, and yoga. If you’re not into very slow activities, you can also simply turn off your work-related apps and play games or watch a movie on your TV, the staff at TV Repair Singapore suggest.

It can certainly be challenging to live a rich, healthy home life under quarantine. But with a little self-control and respect for your own personal time, many things can be done to make the lockdown a lot easier to manage.

First Time Trying MyeongDong Topokki!

I always love Korean food! The only legit Korean restaurents in Malaysia that I have tried before are Sopoong. By legit, I mean, like real authentic Korean food restaurant. I have tried other Korean restaurants like Kfry, Kyochon, and Chicken Plus, but those are like Korean chicken kind of restaurant, which is different. You get me?

Last week, I finally get to try another Korean restaurant which is MyeongDong Topokki! I've heard of it multiple times already, I also watched Syedot ASMR and Isaac Osman mukbang videos where they try the food from this restaurant (yes, I love wathing mukbangs and ASMRs). I was craving for it so bad.

How I Spent My Holiday Break

It's the 3rd week of my semester break! As I said in one of my previous posts, I legit spent my 1st week of holiday by sleeping and sleeping. I didn't even try to do anything else. I was... tired. Anyway, starting from the 2nd week, I'm back being a bit energized! That's why y'all are seeing me updating this blog. Lol.

Unboxing My 2019 Planner

Yay! I'm on a holiday again. Our break starts a day earlier since UM is in WP Kuala Lumpur, and, today is Hari Wilayah. This is probably the last holiday for us this semester. There are SO FREAKING MANY big events coming soon. This semester would be a 100 times more hectic than the first one.

Since this semester is going to be even more packed, I decided to start using a planner this year. I can't even remember when was the last time I actually had one. Lol! I've actually received this planner weeks ago, earlier in January. The pictures here have been taken ever since that time. It's just me who didn't have time to update about it.

Ways to Relax After A Long Day

Hello, 2nd Semester! So far, so good. Well, that's literally because it's the first week. The schedule is still quite flexible, only for this week. The real struggle is starting soon. For now, I'm trying to enjoy these free time I have since there are no practicals, quizzes, presentations, and assignments yet. Next week onwards are going to be hectic!

Whether you're working or studying, sometimes it can be so tiring, right? No matter what type of job you have or what course you're taking, seriously. A long day can be very exhausting. I've been there. Gosh, this is making me miss my high school years so bad. High school years were very fun, and obviously not as hard as this current life I'm having.

1st Semester wasn't that bad because I managed to handle my stress quite well. There were those tiring days where I felt like screaming and crying. It's normal, I guess. I've learned to be more chill and relax! This is very important for our health, physically and mentally. I feel like sharing these ways on how should we relax after a very long day.

Take a long, hot shower
I don't know about you guys, but I'm that kind of person who takes a very loooong shower. Probably around 15 minutes, at least. I love it, no matter what the temperature is. And obviously, it would be even more satisfying after a tiring day. Hot shower is even better. Definitely one of the best ways to freshen yourself up!

Some music can help!
What are your favorite music genres? Well, I seriously don't have any specific ones that I like. Listening to music is a good way to relax. I know it's better to listen to the ones that are more calming but for me, any type of songs that I enjoy can really help me to escape from my mind, even just for a little while. If I'm a bit stressed, I would literally karaoke out loud and guess what, it really works! Hahaha.

Go offline
Sometimes, it's better to have some 'me-time' without any gadgets. Talk to your family, have some snacks or read a book. Turn off your smartphones and laptops! They will just remind you about all the assignments and workload you have. No, I'm not telling you to procrastinate, it's just, you need to at least have some good rest before you start doing any of those tasks back. Don't push yourself too much.

A cup of coffee?
Hot coffee during the night is so refreshing. My favorite is Nescafe Caramel Latte. Since I'm living in my college, those 3in1 packets are very useful! I enjoy drinking these rather than Milo. But if coffee can cause you insomnia, drink something else like hot chocolate and please, avoid coffee! You will lose sleep and feel very tired during the next day. For me, since I've had lots of coffee throughout my life, 1 cup of it has no effect on me anymore. Lol! Kinda sounds weird, I know.

Deep breathing (Meditate)
One of the simplest and easiest way to relax. Take a moment to sit on your couch, close your eyes and breath in deeply and slowly. If it's not enough, go outside and breath in some fresher air instead! Do this for at least 2 minutes. It is not only going to help you to relax but also very good for your health. After a long and rushed day, taking some deep breath can be very important.

Just sleep!
Okay, I know this one it's pretty obvious. What I'm trying to say here is you need to get ENOUGH sleep. Don't stay up too long until late night doing your work. Manage your work and time properly, as long as you're getting enough sleep then that's fine. Another option is to sleep early and wake up early if you still have not finished your work yet. It is better than staying up and try to push yourself when you're already tired.

So, these some of my opinion of ways on how I relax after a very tiring day. I don't know if they suit you guys but I really hope I've helped! Whatever it is, chill lah, okay? As I've mentioned earlier, don't push yourself too much! Relax!

HOW DO YOU RELAX AFTER A LONG DAY?

Top 5 Favourite Spots to Eat

I LOVE FOOD. FOOD IS LIFE. I literally don't even mind spending all my money on food. I would do some food hunting at least once a month, maybe? Seriously. This is exactly the reason why I become broke by the end of every single month and keep on gaining weight instead. My bad!

Bak kata pepatah, "bab makanan jangan berkira", eh?

Seafood dinner! Sweet & sour fish, kailan ikan masin, butter prawn, sotong goreng tepung and rice packed in the shape of a heart! Lol.

But of course, there are a few places that I would consider MY FAVOURITE SPOTS TO EAT! These are the places I think I would never get bored or feel sick of. These places have the food I will continuously crave for! And of course, from my point of view, they definitely worth the money.

Here you go, my top 5 favourite places to fill my hungry stomach! Nyum!

1. Sushi King

SUSHI can never go wrong. There are so many other sushi restaurants here in Malaysia but I've only tried Sushi King, hehe. I don't know why I'm not even bothered to try the others. Oh, I've tried Empire Sushi as well. Empire Sushi is more to like an express, take-away sushi store. What I love about Sushi King are not just the sushi, but the other menus as well! The bento box, oh my god, so freaking good. The sad thing is that I'm the only one who eats sushi in my family! So, I will either go with my friends or alone. Yes, this is like the only restaurant I wouldn't mind eating alone because ugh, I just can't resist sushi!

2. Jombali

Jombali has like the most varied menu I've ever seen. It's one of the restaurants I would take a bit longer time staring at the menu as there are so many choices that I sometimes just don't know what to eat! From Malay to Western, name it. Another thing is, although this restaurant is quite expensive, I think it's worth it because of the food portion. The portion is damn huge guys, legit. You will definitely walk out of the restaurant with a hella full stomach! One of my favourite things to order here is the Mac & Cheese. Very delicious, guys. Highly recommended!

3. Family Mart

Oh hell yeah, everyone knows this! It's quite famous here in Malaysia. Family Mart is a convenience store based in Japan. It's like their version of 7-Eleven. What's so special about this store is they sell Oden! Oden is a Japanese one-pot dish consisting of several ingredients such as boiled eggs, fish balls, crab sticks, and fishcakes stewed in a light, soy-flavoured dashi broth or tom yum. I recommend everyone to give it a try! They're very rare and of course, tasty! Another thing that is very famous here is the Matcha Ice Cream. It's a must whenever I go to Family Mart. I love it so much!

4. IKEA Restaurant

Mentioning IKEA, you guys would probably be thinking of the meatballs, right? Yeap! Those Swedish Meatballs are very mouth-watering. What differs this meatball dish with others is that it is served with lingonberry jam! It might sound weird but trust me, they're such a perfect combination. Oh, there are many other choices of food too! You don't always have to eat the meatballs. The pasta, salad, fried chicken, and many more are so, so good! I've tried them and for me, all of IKEA's food is worth the long wait in line. The prices are quite affordable too!

5. Boat Noodle

Thai food! Who doesn't love them? Boat Noodle is popular because of the way they serve and the way we eat the noodles. They serve them in small bowls and we would stack them up once we finish eating! The noodles are tasty too, unique flavour all the way from Thailand. Other than the noodles, you guys should try the other dishes such as pad thai, which is also very good! I love pad thai, one of my favourite Thai food. Boat Noodle also sells streamed kaya buns. The buns are extremely soft, served with sweet kaya dip. MUST TRY.

There are a variety of other places to eat around here in our country, but those are my top 5 favourites! Do you guys know that Malaysia is the fattest country in Asia? Seriously! I'm quite shocked but at the same time not that shocked since it's pretty obvious how we have TOO MANY types of restaurants, selling different types of food from all around the world. Malaysia itself has lots of unique food, right?

What are your favourite spots to eat?

P.s. : Sorry for not having proper flat lay photos. My bad.

P.s.s. : My giveaway is still going on, guys! A huge one, 5 mystery boxes to be won! Don't miss this amazing chance, CLICK HERE to join!

Hello 2017: New Years Resolutions

It's 2017! Yay or nay? I don't really feel anything. All I think about was my new room and my senior year in high school. As you know, I just moved in, and I finally got a new room! My theme is purplish pink with dark brown furniture. Once my room is 100% done, I'll do a room tour post. Insya'Allah, hehe.

How did you celebrate this New Year? Am I the only one who didn't do anything? The only thing I do was watching fireworks from my room's window. My family and I were too tired to even celebrate it. Even on this last day of school holiday, I believe that everyone else is busy preparing for school, and here I am, still unpacking my things. Pray for me.

I can't even believe that I'm a Form 5 student now. My heart aches every time I think about it. I still feel like I was just in Form 2 (Form 2 is the best for me), and now I'll be sitting for SPM in 10 months. Time is flying too freaking fast! And honestly, I'm not ready for school at all. I'm too busy to even prepare for it. I need help. Plus, I have tuition class tonight. Ahhh, I swear I'm not in the mood!

Okay, Liyana, stop it. I'm getting too far. Let's continue about 2017. Actually, I wanted to publish this post yesterday on the first day of this year, but I haven't got any time. Now, I finally get to sit in front of my computer and run my fingers on this keyboard. I've been thinking about my new year's resolutions, so I decided to share them with you guys!

Be extra hardworking

Of course, as an SPM candidate this year, I have to be more and more hardworking. Alhamdulillah, my Form 4 year results was more than enough and I'm very grateful. Now, I have to maintain and also improve my study skills to be better each day. My parents are hoping for me to get good results, and I want to make them proud. Study smart, dear self! #roadtospm2k17

Get organised

As I've mentioned before, I regretted not using a planner and wanted to start using one this year. I've bought one at Popular, it's a daily planner. I've already started using it and so far so good! I also have a Bullet Journal. I don't know how to explain this, but it's basically like a DIY planner + journal. I've been watching videos on YouTube about bujo, and I wanted to give it a try. I hope I'll be very organised now! Hehe.

Become tidier

I've finally had a new, own room, so I have to be tidier. I used to have a not-so-tidy room as it was also my dad's home office at first. It's not even an actual room. That's why I'm so damn happy when I got a new one. So, of course, I'm going to keep it clean and clear! I've designed the room, and I don't want to ruin it.

Facing my fears

I'm a scaredy cat. I don't like horror movies, haunted houses, and anything related to ghosts. I'm ashamed of myself, to be honest. When I went to Sunway Lagoon with my friends last year, I was the only one who was terrified to go into the haunted house. All my friends were excited about it except me. I hate myself for being like that. I want to overcome my fears this year!

Stop procrastinating

This is my same new year's resolution each year. I procrastinate a lot, and I know I have to change myself as this is also a part of keeping myself organised and hard working. I'm not going to talk much about this as I've already had a specific post about it, click here to read it!

Save money

I get pocket money for school every school day, so I did save some money last year. But it didn't work out that well as in the end, I'd always use them. I have so many things to buy and food to taste, even my mum always counsel me to stop being wasteful. So, this year, I'm really going to save some money. And I may create a bank account and asked my mum to keep the card for me. Lol, I don't know. Whatever it is, I'm saving extra money this year as I have things to buy for my blog too!

I have many books that I haven't finish or even start reading, so I have to read more. Not only novels but textbooks and revision books as well. It's sad to leave books unread, right? I feel bad every time I look at those unread books on my shelf, so I'll try to read more this year.

Reduce my time on TV, computer and social media

This is going to be hard as they're my source of entertainment, but I'll try my best to spend less time on the TV, computer and social media. To focus on my studies, I have to do this. I don't know how I'm going to achieve this but wish me luck! Goodbye, Korean dramas. Lol, just kidding. I'm still going to watch them, maybe one or two. Hehe.

Blog more and more

Although I'm avoiding to be too much on my computer, I still want to be active in blogging. Blogging is my passion, and I don't want to leave my blog again like what I did back then. I'm still going to update my blog at least once a week, insya'Allah. I'll try to stay active; I'm only going to be on hiatus for maybe 2 to 3 months before SPM.

Eat healthier and be more active

During this whole month of school holiday, I eat a lot. I don't have many things to do except for being in front of my computer this holiday. By that, I'd eat, be online, and sleep. Pretty much. I haven't weight myself yet, but I can feel my weight increasing. I'm so going to eat healthily and keep my body active by going for a jog or something. Lol.

Learn to bake and cook

I love baking so much. In my family, my mum would do the cooking, and I'd do the baking. This is one of my hobbies. It's not like I'll bake often or something, I know you guys will be like "focus on your SPM pls". Well, this is my activity after SPM! After my school life is over, I've planned with my mum to have fun in the kitchen. I'll learn to cook and bake more delicious food. Yay!

Teach myself to be grateful

This is also my every year new year's resolution. I'm very grateful for everything I went through in 2016. All the ups and downs, twist and turns, and thick and thin. I'm hoping for a better 2017, With more happiness and less stress. I'll teach myself to be more patience, grateful, and positive! Cheers for 2017!

I have so much more resolutions but here are all the ones that I'm very looking forward too. Overall, my primary goal is to study hard and study smart for SPM. This is my last year in highschool, and I'm so going to do my best. Wish me luck for SPM 2017, guys! Hehe, thank you.

I hope all of you had a great new year. Now, let's get ourselves together and accomplish our goals and resolutions this year! Let 2016 sink in and rock our 2017. Whatever you're doing, I wish you guys a year full of happiness and blessings!

What are your new year's resolutions?

Happy New Year, guys!

Big Bad Wolf Preview Sale 2016 | Book Haul

Fun fact, I love places with books. Bookstores, book sales, libraries, anything! I think I got this from my dad. In my family, my dad and I are the only ones who love books. Every time we went to any mall that has bookstores, we will definitely drop by them. My dad is an ultimate bookworm. He has tonnes and tonnes of books, and he reads every single day. Books are his life, especially religious books. Every time there's a book sale nearby, we would go together and shop our heart out.

Okay, let's talk about me. After almost a year waiting, the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale is finally here! Going to this sale is a must for me. It's one of the places I call 'heaven on earth'. With 75% to 95% discounts, how can you even resist that? I love book sales such as Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair and Pesta Buku Selangor, but none of them can beat my love towards Big Bad Wolf Book Sale. I would go to the other book fairs with my dad, but for BBW, I'd go with my friends as they also enjoy it.

This year, for the first time in forever, I got a Preview Pass. As I said in my previous post, I pledged to Stop Buying, Start Reading on BBW's website, and luckily, I won one of the Preview Passes as they gave them out to 10 people for every 100 pledges. If you don't know, the Preview Pass lets you come to the sale one day before it officially starts. It started yesterday on December 9th, but I went there on the 8th. The pass admits 2 adults. I wasn't expecting it, but, Alhamdulillah, I was so damn happy when I received the email!

The BBW Preview Sale was lit. By the time I arrived, the cue was already so long. People were like camping outside the hall. But let me tell you, it was such a heaven. There are lots of great books, and the prices are more than affordable. I totally understand why there are people who stood in front of the main door by 7 AM.

Now let's move on to the books. I've bought a total of 11 books ~~only~~. Yeap, only. Lots of people had their baskets and trolleys loaded with books, and I believe that those are more than 20 to 30 books. I mean, at Big Bad Wolf Book Sale, that's absolutely normal. My parents didn't let me buy that much because they want me to concentrate on my studies more by next year. Of course, I agreed. Well, honestly, 11 books are already a lot for me. I'm grateful enough.

Gosh, I talk too much. Let's get straight to the book haul. I picked up 9 fiction books, a non-fiction book and a notebook. The fictions that I got are mostly from the Romance, Young Adult and General Fiction sections. The non-fiction is from the Self-Help section, and the notebook is from the Arts section.

• The Geography Of You And Me by Jennifer E. Smith [link]

📚 Genre: Young Adult

💸 BBW Price: RM12

😄 Comment: My friend read the series and she said they were great! The titles are just so cute, and the synopses too! So I decided to grab them. These are the 2 books from the Young Adult section. This is the #3 book of the series and it is hard-covered.

• This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E Smith [link]

📚 Genre: Young Adult

💸 BBW Price: RM10

😄 Comment: This is the #2 book. I couldn't find the #1 one, which is The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. I believe that there are more books in this series, but let me read these two first and make sure to enjoy them before I get the others. Plus, this one is not hard-covered like the other one.

• Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell [link]

📚 Genre: Romance

💸 BBW Price: RM10

😄 Comment: Here's the great Eleanor & Park. I saw lots of reviews for this book and everyone was saying that it's an amazing love story. I was so happy as this is one of the books I was looking for! I read this before, but only three to four pages, it was my friend's. By that, I bought this to finish where I stopped (or maybe just start all over again).

• Carry On by Rainbow Rowell [link]

📚 Genre: General Fiction

💸 BBW Price: RM12

😄 Comment: Another book by Rainbow Rowell! I wanted to get Landline as well, but I was too late. I actually saw it, hold it and read the synopsis, but I didn't take it and just walked away (how stupid). I thought I took it, but after a while, I checked what's in my basket and I noticed that I forgot to take it. When I came back, it was sold out. Fangirl wasn't there too.

• The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes [link]

📚 Genre: Romance

💸 BBW Price: RM12 / RM10 (for Wolf Pack Members)

😄 Comment: The first thing I thought when I walked into the hall was Jojo Moyes. I really enjoy the movie Me Before You, so I wanted to get her books as she's excellent with romance stories, but I only could find this one, and it is a hardcover book. There was actually One Plus One too, my friend got it, but it was sold out when I went to get it. Oh well, can't wait to read this one!

• To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han [link]

📚 Genre: Romance

💸 BBW Price: RM10

😄 Comment: Ahhh, I can't believe I got this! This book of Jenny Han has been all around the media if you've ever noticed. This was the last one. Luckily, the guy who actually took it, put it back, so I quickly grabbed it. The #2 book, P.S. I Still Love You and #3 book, Always and Forever, Lara Jean wasn't there. Guess I have to get them at a regular bookstore then. Whatever, I'm still excited to read this one!

• All She Wants by Jonathan Harvey [link]

📚 Genre: Romance

💸 BBW Price: RM10

😄 Comment: I chose to start with this one first out of all these books I got from this year's BBW Book Sale. This is what I'm currently reading, and so far, it's so good! Jonathan Harvey is an award-winning comedy writer, and trust me, this book is hilarious! I will really buy more of her books if I enjoy this one.

• You Had Me At Hello by Mhairi McFarlane [link]

📚 Genre: Romance

💸 BBW Price: RM10

😄 Comment: This was also recommended by my friend! The synopsis is quite interesting. In fact, other than Young Adult, I also enjoy reading Romance books. At first, I wanted to read this one first, but I went for Harvey's book instead. This is the next book I'm going to read after I finish All She Wants!

• Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah [link]

📚 Genre: General Fiction

💸 BBW Price: RM10

😄 Comment: Finally, I've been looking for this book! This is the #1 one of the series. I bought this because I already had the #2 book entitled Fly Away. I bought it at last year's BBW Book Sale, check it out here. I actually haven't read it yet because I'm waiting to buy this one. Can't wait to start!

• Get Sh*t Done by Lauris Liberts [link]

📚 Genre: Self-Help

💸 BBW Price: RM8

😄 Comment: This is the self-help book I'm talking about. It's full of good and motivational quotes! I love this kind of books, and I swear there were lots of books with great quotes. I don't really visit every section of genres at the BBW Book Sale, but the self-help section is a must.

• Life Canvas: My Life - Pop Art by Parragon Books [link]

📚 Genre: Art

💸 BBW Price: RM5.30

😄 Comment: This is the notebook that I bought. I love it! It is a tabbed notebook with sections for Notes, To-dos, Ideas, and The Best for categories such as music, books, movies, websites, restaurants, shops and miscellaneous. This is the perfect notebook for me, and I can't wait to start using it!

These are all the books I've bought! 😍

That's that! Those are all the 11 books that I got at Big Bad Wolf Preview Sale 2016. Overall, the sale was as marvellous as always. If you haven't been there yet, please don't miss the chance! The sale is damn crazy! The prices are 101% worth it rather than buying at a regular book store. The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale starts from December 9th until December 19th, opens 24 hours non-stop (254 hours in a total)! It's located at Malaysia International Exhibition & Convention Centre (MIECC) @ The Mines in Seri Kembangan, Selangor.

There goes my first experience attending the Preview Sale, and I hope to be there again next year, insya'Allah! Big thanks to Mr Black Paw, The Wolf who has selected me to win a Preview Pass. If you want a chance to win the pass next year, don't forget to stay in touch with the Big Bad Wolf by signing up for the Wolf Pack Membership and also, follow their social accounts!

🐺 Official Website: Big Bad Wolf Books 🐺

🐺 Facebook: Big Bad Wolf Books 🐺

🐺 Twitter: The Big Bad Wolf 🐺

🐺 Instagram: B. B. Wolf 🐺

P.s; Sorry for the low quality pictures. I tried my best.

How Did I Start Blogging?

Every blogger must have their story on how did the start blogging. Today, I feel like sharing with you guys on how did I start my blogging journey. It's been a while since I had this blog, and I would love to share this story.

How? My friend, Ameera started a blog first. I love reading her blog, so I decided to create one for myself, and here it is. I started this blog in 2012 when I was 12. Yeap, four years ago. It wasn't that great; I can barely remember how it looked like. But I still remember my first header that I made using Photoshop. It was hideous and colourful, and I even got my face on it.

I was so active until I started high school. I was still active when I was in Form 1(2013), but then I stopped for a year and a half. I came back in 2015, deleted all my posts, changed my template, URL, and others. I changed everything. I restarted my blog. As you can see from my Archive widget, my posts only start from 2015 because I deleted all my old, funny posts from 2012 until 2013. Then, I stopped again for half a year as my Form 4 life was quite hard and busy. Then, again, I came back. And now here I am, writing this post for you guys.

I edit my blog a lot. I follow lots of tutorials, especially the tutorials by Lyssa. I've used blogskins, I learned reading and editing codes just by blogging. Then, I switch back to denim template because blogskins are hard to edit as it is 100% coding. And now, I'm using a free responsive template. It is still hard to edit and requires code editing, but it's not as hard as blogskins. I want to buy a template, but I'm not sure if my mom would let me. I'm currently joining a template giveaway by Erin Azmir, Click here if you want to join!

My first ever URL was my name, http://liyanajasmi.blogspot.com and I love it. Then, I don't know why, but I changed it. My second URL was http://stxr-light.blogspot.com. This was my Tumblr URL, so I decided to use it for my blog too. I love my first URL, but I swear I don't know why I changed it. I want it back, but sadly someone else took it. Moving on to my third URL which was http://leeyawner.blogspot.com, this is my previous one. This is my name in my friend's way of spelling. I know it sounds weird. My friend spelt my name like that once before, and I kind of liked it. I thought it would be great as a blog URL so I changed to it. Then here comes my current URL which is http://liyanajay.blogspot.com. Jay is my dad, Jasmi bin Ali bin Yaakub. I wanted to change back to liyanajasmi, but as I said, it is taken.

I've always wanted to have my own domain. I will try to get one, soon. I'm not sure when but maybe after SPM? And maybe my own laptop too, so I can blog anytime and anywhere.

I've always loved blogging, especially when it comes to editing the blog. I can stay up until 5 am editing my blog without feeling tired. I wish I have more time for my blog. I will try to be more active from now on. I already have a list of post ideas, and I just don't have much time and of course, Writer's Block. Don't worry; I will try my best to be more active. Maybe at least one post every week. Yayyy!

So, that is that about my blogging life. Oh, and by the way, I still have one week of exams, six papers left. Gosh, I really can't wait for it to be over. I miss eating Maggi so much!

Thank you for reading, do leave your words down there. Have a beautiful day! xx

The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale 2015

Last week, I went to this huge book sale called The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale with a few of my friends. Who doesn't know about this? BBW is the biggest book sale ever in the world. It's an annual event, at least twice in a year.

It's a 24 hours non-stop book sale. Total semua 257 hours tau! This event is amazing, especially for bookworms tho. Yana ni bukanlah bookworm sangat pun hahahahaha but other than blogs, I also do enjoy reading books.

The venue is so damn huge. Kalau nak pusing satu hall tu memang boleh sampai setengah hari. Yana sampai sakit kaki jalan! Hahahahahah. There are millions of books there. Rambang mata lah datang sini, banyak gila buku best! Fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels and children books. English ada Malay ada. Ehh, non-books pun ada tau! Contohnya posters, stationary, board games and others. Semua murah-murah.

The best thing about this book sale are the discounts. Buku harga RM20+ pun boleh jadi RM8 je! Ehhh tapi ada yang lagi murah, buku RM1 pun ada guys. Memang rugi gila lah kalau tak pergi. Another great thing you can do here is donate books for childrens. Ada satu section dalam hall tu under Astro Kasih. Dekat situ korang boleh pilih mana-mana buku dan bayar, lepas tu buku-buku tu akan didermakan kepada kanak-kanak. Haaa sambil shopping tu boleh lah beramal sekali, kan?

If you're going, don't forget to bring lots of money ya. Memang la buku semua murah but there's a lot of choices of books, kalau boleh nak borong habis habis. Yana tak bawak banyak sangat time tu so tak dapat lah borong gila. Dah sampai limit budget haaa Yana terus pergi kaunter and bayar. Takleh duduk situ lama-lama sebab ada je buku best yang Yana nak, nafsu betul! Tapi duit dah habis hahaahahahah. Next time memang kena bawak duit lebih.

These are the books that I've bought. Sikit je ni, selalunya orang datang BBW borong sampai berpuluh buku! 😭

Kalau tak sempat pergi, don't worry. Next year ada lagi! Awal tahun ada, akhir tahun ada. Tak silap Yana, pertengahan tahun pun kadang-kadang ada. So jangan lepaskan peluang ni! Discount habis-habisan, memang rugi kalau tak pergi. Semua jenis buku untuk semua golongan umur ada. So, everyone is invited!

And there's me. Banyak pulak buku dalam troli tu ya.

Haaaa tu semua campur sekali dengan buku kawan-kawan Yana.

That's that. Event ni dah habis dah, sorry for the late update about this. No worries, siapa yang tek pergi lagi tu haaa next year make sure pergi tau! Selalunya memang kat tempat sama je, Mines International Exhibition & Convention Centre (MIECC).

Keep yourself updated about this event by following BBW's social sites, okay?

Official Website: http://www.bigbadwolfbooks.com/

Facebook: Big Bad Wolf Books

Twitter: The Big Bad Wolf

Instagram: B. B. Wolf