#ThisGirlEats

RECIPE: Roast Potatoes in a Chunky, Spicy Tomato Sauce | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This roast potatoes in a chunky, spicy tomato sauce recipe cost me less than 50p per person.
What are the benefits? This dish counts as one of your five a day, is high in fibre and bursting with antioxidants – perfect as flu season approaches!

If you’ve ever vacationed in Spain (or gone into the Tapas Revolution at your local shopping centre) you’ve probably heard of the classic tapas dish, patatas bravas. If not, I’ll give you a quick run down – the “patatas” are crispy fried potato cubes in a “bravas” sauce, usually made from tomatoes with a kick of spice.

This recipe is definitely inspired by the traditional Spanish tapas dish but, as usual, is my own twist on it. Like any self-respecting Brit, I bloody love a roastie – I mean, is there honestly anything better than the perfect roast potato?! Crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle and with just the right amount of seasoning; Y-U-M! I’ll never claim to make the best roast potatoes in the world, but I like to give it a bloomin’ good go.

My take on patatas bravas is pretty much just the humble roast potato, with tin of chopped tomatoes plonked on top – but, y’unno, make it fancy.

INGREDIENTS
2 Large Baking Potatoes, Cubed
1 Onion, Chopped (finely)
400g Tin of Chopped Tomatoes

SEASONING
When the onions first go into the pan, chuck some garlic in there (dried or fresh, whatever you’ve got to hand) to fry off for a couple of minutes. Then, with the tomatoes, add a very, very generous helping of paprika and dried chilli flakes to your taste – but remember, it is meant to be a spicy sauce! You’ll want to add a teaspoon of sugar as well to reduce the acidity of the tomatoes. And, of course, season both the potatoes and the sauce with a pinch of salt and pepper.

HOW TO MAKE ROAST POTATOES IN A CHUNKY, SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

1. Heat the oven to 200°C and cover the base of a large roasting tin with cooking spray or oil, whichever you prefer to use. Throw in the potato cubes, season with salt, pepper and make sure they’re coated in a very small amount of oil to help crisp them up. Cook for 30 – 40 minutes until they’re cooked through and crispy on the outside. Make sure you shuffle them around halfway so they don’t stick!

2. In a large, deep pan, heat up a touch of cooking spray or oil and add the chopped onions. Cook with some garlic for a couple of minutes, then reduce to a low-medium heat.

3. Pour in the tin of chopped tomatoes, throw in a generous dose of paprika, chilli flakes, salt and pepper to season, as well as a teaspoon of sugar, then leave to simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.

4. Remove the potatoes from the oven and pile on the tomato sauce. These make a delicious lunch on their own, or serve on a bed of spring greens (as we did!) to make a fuller meal.

Being Fat Isn’t the Worst Thing a Person Can Be, Y’unno | #ThisGirlEats

There’s a disturbing narrative that exists today, and we just can’t seem to shake it. It’s simple, really: Fat = Bad. It’s everywhere; we see with advertising selling us slimming products, the press fat-shaming celebrities, and people bombarding social media with before vs. after photos. No matter where we might find it, the message is always the same – being fat is the worst thing you can be.

And I’m so sick of it.

My most recent encounter with this was watching the latest TV ad for Weight Watchers. I can’t remember the exact words and, annoyingly, can’t find the advert anywhere online, but I distinctly remember the spokeswoman telling people to sign up on the basis that it will make them a “better version of themselves” – come to think of it, she might’ve even said the best version of yourself.

ww-01 — Weight Watchers: Wellness that Works *(umm…)*

Because apparently, thinner ALWAYS equals better.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight, especially when it’s affecting your health and you think you could be in better shape; hell, I could stand to lose a few pounds myself! But the idea that being slimmer automatically makes you a better person – and, in turn, being bigger somehow detracts from you as an overall human being – is total bullshit.

Not only is it a load of rubbish, but it’s incredibly damaging. Pushing the “fat = bad, thin = good” narrative is bound to have a negative impact, particularly where eating disorders and mental health are concerned. Imagine telling someone with anorexia, for example, that being the thinnest version of themselves makes them the best version of themselves. Or how this could easily recycle that feeling of guilt in someone with bulimia to the point that they experience dangerous symptoms such as binging and purging. It seems so obviously dangerous to me in this context, I’m amazed we allow it to continue.

It’s clearly designed to make us feel terrible about ourselves. Telling us that we’re better when we’re thinner makes those of us whose bodies don’t fit these very particular – and sometimes unobtainable – specifications feel worthless, unattractive and uncomfortable in our own skin. It also strips us of our identities as people; it ignores all other aspects of our personalities and achievements, reducing how we measure up on the “good vs. bad scale” to nothing more than our weight.

I look at photos of myself from a few years back, before I gained the weight I now carry around with me (mostly in my lil’ tummy pooch), and sometimes I’m swept up in that narrative. I look at photos like the one below and think, “Wow, how did I let this version of myself slip away?!” And literally the ONLY reason I think that is because I’m thinner in those photos. That’s it. It’s not based on where I was at that point in my life, or how happy I was, or what I’d achieved. It’s because I was thinner – so I must’ve been better, right?

NO, SAM! Of course not! That’s just such a ridiculous notion, I can’t believe I bought it for even a second! I look at what’s happened in my life since those photos and almost laugh at how absurd I’m being when I think I’m worse off now simply because of my weight. I’ve achieved bucket loads since then; I’m in a happy, committed relationship, moved out, learnt to drive, started (and ended!) my own music publication, created my blog and worked my way up to my dream job. I’m more accomplished, level-headed, hard-working, ambitious, sociable and confident than the person in that photo. I’m more comfortable with my body and appearance than I’ve ever been, regardless of my size.

I’m a better person for so, so many reasons right now, and it all has absolutely zilch to do with my weight.

I’m lucky enough that I can see that, despite falling down the rabbit hole every now and again. But all the while we give into this narrative that being fat is the worst thing you can be, and the only way to make yourself a better person is to lose weight, then this narrative will continue to win and companies like Weight Watchers will keep making these shitty adverts.

What Does the Future Hold for Disneyland Paris? | #ThisGirlEats

After the D23 expo back in August and a few announcements direct from the parks itself since, it seems that Disneyland Paris has cemented even more plans for its future.

More news on Marvel

We’ve known a Marvel expansion is happening at Disneyland Paris for some time now, especially with the new Art of Marvel hotel due to open its doors next year. But now we finally have more details of what the actual land will involve.

Avengers Campus will take over the Walt Disney Studios Park, hopefully in 2021 – but we all know Disneyland Paris has trouble sticking to its deadlines! The land will include a new Spider-Man attraction, which should open with the first phase of the park, and will give riders “superpowers” so that they can sling webs alongside Peter Parker himself. It’s an immersive simulation experience, and we’ll get a sneak peek of the ride as it opens with the land next year in Disneyland California.

Let it go…

We’ve heard rumours that the next stages of Disneyland Paris’ expansion will involve a Frozen land, but much before that we’ll see a Frozen Celebration take place in the park from January 2020.

This latest season – running from 11th January to 3rd May 2020 – will include a new daily show based on Frozen 2 (coming out in November 2019), a new parade float, themed food, drink and merchandise, as well as a new Frozen nighttime show – but this is only taking place on 27th, 29th and 31st January.

To coincide with the film’s sequel, a new attraction will open up a little ahead of the new season to get guests in the festive mood from 17th November. Art of Frozen – or Frozen: A Musical Invitation – has replaced the Art of Animation in the Walt Disney Studios Park. Visitors will step into this interactive attraction to meet characters from the movie and play along with them across its various stages.

Run with the princesses

You might be aware of the runDisney events – races which are held within Disney parks across the world – and Disneyland Paris has announced a brand new one for 2020.

Between 8th to 10th May, guests of all ages can sign up for the Princess Run and take part in races of various lengths and stamina, all taking place throughout the parks. You’ll also get the chance to meet some Disney characters along the way and, we’re guessing from the name of this one, plenty of princesses!

‘Tis the season

Disneyland Paris have also confirmed a huge run of seasons to take place over this coming calendar year. Aside from the usual suspects – Disney’s Enchanted Christmas and New Year’s Eve Party – and the new Frozen Celebration, the park will host Electroland in summer next year and has confirmed that Legends of the Force: A Star Wars Celebration (11th January – 15th March 2020) and the Lion King & Jungle Festival (summer 2020) will both return.

Supermarket Essentials for a Basic Budget Shopping List | #ThisGirlEats

I’ve always shopped on a budget and learnt to create tasty, nutritious meals out of pretty basic ingredients. For many, working out how to feed yourself and your family well when money is tight can be a real nightmare.

I’m going to share which ingredients I’ve always made a beeline for in three of the most essential spots in the supermarket to keep my costs down. Hopefully this will help you in creating a shopping list full of basic, adaptable ingredients for the least amount of money possible!

Tins, glorious tins

Honestly, if your cupboard is fully stocked with tins you can’t go wrong. There’s definitely some kitchen snobbery around tinned food but the fact it’s cheaper, more widely accessible and very convenient for quick, basic cooking.

Just because your food comes out of a tin doesn’t mean you have to miss out on basic nutrition; tins can be a great way to get healthier food into your life without spending lots of money on fresh produce that goes out of date every week. And don’t forget, some of the nation’s favourite foods – soups, baked beans, and even fish – are commonly found in tins!

Chopped tomatoes. The most cost-effective and essential basis of so, so many meals.
Beans. Black beans, kidney beans, baked beans – they all count as one of your five-a-day!
Soup. With a chunk of delicious crusty bread, soup is the perfect winter warmer.
Potatoes. Tinned potatoes are pre-peeled (YAY!) and only take five minutes to cook – stir through some butter and mixed herbs, you’d never know the difference.
Mixed vegetables. The most convenient way to get your five-a-day.
Peaches. Tinned fruit usually sits in syrup which whacks up the sugar, but hey, it’s still fruit! Drain them off and enjoy some sliced peaches for a fraction of the cost.
Lentils. Tinned lentils can be used just like beans to bulk up meals as they’re super filling and nutritious.

81VeKp7EV3L — *Jack Monroe’s ‘Tin Can Cook’ is a great read for inspiring, delicious recipes made from tinned food*

Eat your vegetables

You might want more variety than the tinned aisle can offer, or simply prefer fresh fruit and veggies – and that’s fine! But the problem for many of us is that these ingredients can be more expensive.

However, if you know where to look you’ll find plenty of low-cost options. I’ve picked up some right bargains before, and most fruit and vegetables that regularly make my shopping list are cheap, versatile crowd-pleasers.

With fruit, you can usually find decent-sized bags of apples, pears, bananas, peaches, nectarines and oranges for under £1 but, if you’re trying to save money, you’ll probably want to avoid melons and berries as these are often the most expensive fruits on the shelves.

With vegetables, you can stock up on carrots, onions, lettuce, cucumbers, courgettes, tomatoes, mushrooms, cabbage and parsnips without breaking the bank; however, you might want to think twice about avocados (I know they’re technically a fruit but whatever), celeriac, sweet potatoes and sugar snap peas because of their price tag.

For the carnivores

I don’t eat meat myself anymore – one of the reasons being it’s too expensive! – but it was part of my regular shopping list for years, so I know what it’s like to hunt down the cheapest cuts in the supermarket.

Buying meat does tend to hike up the price of your shop but, for some, it’s part of their diet that does need to be catered for. Unfortunately, most cheaper options are the least healthy, being higher in fat or more “processed”; however, if you look after yourself you can still work these ingredients into a healthy diet.

I always had three main meats that got me through the week and still stayed within my budget.

1. Sausages. A staple of working class diets for donkey’s years, and with good reason. Sausages are reliable family favourites and you can pick up sizable portions for very little – especially if you venture down the frozen aisle.
2. Mince. Is there a more wonderfully versatile thing than a pack of mince? It’s much cheaper than other cuts of beef and can go into endless meals – a winning combo!
3. Chicken thighs. Chicken is one of the UK’s most popular meats, but it can be pricey. Chicken thighs give the best bang for your buck, and are more flavoursome than other cuts too.

Why Kathy Burke’s ‘All Woman’ is a Must-Watch for – Well, All Women! | #ThisGirlEats

I’m currently at home by myself while my boyfriend is ~~living it up and drinking beer~~ touring in Canada and you know what that means – lots and lots of watching telly.

I was scouring the web for things to watch – no, not THAT kind of stuff, you filthy animals – and, because I’m a bit of a nerd, I spent a lot of time looking for new documentaries. I’d watched all my usual suspects like Louis Theroux and Stacey Dooley, and eventually stumbled across a three-part series with Kathy Burke.

For those of you who were born in this millennium, Kathy Burke was very popular in the ’90s for her role in British comedy with shows like Gimme Gimme Gimme, Absolutely Fabulous and French and Saunders. She’s not only known for being funny, but also for being an independent, no-fucks-given woman who don’t need no man (but makes no secret of the fact that she does like to get off with them).

Her latest show, All Woman, is something I absolutely smashed through in a matter of hours and, as a woman, I can safely say that she nailed it with this one.

The episodes touch on three main things – beauty, motherhood and relationships – and really explore these topics from extreme to the other. The whole thing is fascinating from start to finish, but there’s almost definitely at least something in each episode that will really tap into the experiences of so, so many women out there.

It’s just such a personal show, with Kathy herself opening up about feelings that some of us might be too afraid to express ourselves. When she says she doesn’t regret putting her career first, or that she was more hurt when people insulted her intelligence rather than her looks, it’s refreshing and encouraging.

And it’s not only Kathy’s voice that is a welcome relief; we meet a whole range of women in the episodes, including celebrities, from Katherine Ryan and Samantha Morton talking about their experiences as single parents, to Megan Barton-Hanson discussing the double-edged sword – or knife – of plastic surgery, and Caroline Flack opening up about being slut-shamed for her singlehood. It’s not just celebs who open up either – we also meet a great group of women who support each other by getting together to regularly stitch swear words into blankets. We even meet a nun along the way!

It’s a real deep exploration into being a woman, by women, for women. And I’m all for that!

So, ladies, if you’re stuck for something to do, or something to watch, this is my latest recommendation for some supportive, life-affirming girl power. All women should be watching All Woman!

Kathy Burke’s All Woman is available on All 4.

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Finding Your Feet & Fitting In At Work | #ThisGirlEats

We all have times when we feel a little uncomfortable in our own skin. It’s hard to always feel like yourself, especially when you’re environment you aren’t used to with people you don’t know. It happens to some of us more than others, but I think it’s pretty much a universally accepted fact that trying to fit in and find your feet in a new job is always a challenge.

After being yelled at down the phone by strangers every day, I finally decided call centre work just wasn’t for me (although who on earth is it “for”?!) and applied for a few other positions, including one at a big, scary London office that I was well under-qualified for. But I thought, hey, what the hell?!

After that I thought practically nothing of it; I can’t even COUNT the amount of times I’ve sent off job applications and never heard back. It’s like they’d get lost in some sort of internet void as soon as I’d hit the ‘Send’ button. When this application was even acknowledged it was a surprise, so you can imagine my shock when I actually interviewed and then went and got the damn thing!

I was excited, happy and proud of myself but, of course, also anxious and nervous. It sounds mad, but it wasn’t the fact that I had zero experience, loads to learn or even the thought that I might not be very good that worried me about starting a new job; it was the thought of having to try and feel like I belonged all over again.

When you’ve worked somewhere for a long time, it almost becomes your home away from home, right? We often refer to our colleagues as our “work family” and, sadly, many of us spend more time at work than we do anywhere else! You find yourself settling in, you realise who you get on with (and who you don’t!) and you pick up on all the little quirks of the place.

For me, the social cues of every workplace are different, and it’s figuring those out that often make it hard to feel like I fit in. I’m incredibly socially awkward and I get hugely anxious when meeting new people, especially in an office where the social side of things usually comes with so many unspoken rules.

I’ve only ever worked in small teams and casual environments, so moving up to a fancy London office with these equally fancy people was so nerve-wracking for me. There I was, being introduced to these slender, sophisticated women and suited-and-booted men, shuffling around in my Converses and talking about festivals with my skull tattoo creeping out of my sleeve…

I looked different. I felt different.

No matter where you are, whether it’s a corporate head office or a small team out in the sticks, a new job can sometimes feel like a whole new world. It’s still early doors for me so, if I’m honest, I still don’t think I’ve found my place just yet.

All I can do is think back to one of my earlier jobs, when I’d walk around the block at least twice every single day before going inside because I was so nervous about fitting in – and then think about how much I loved them all by the time I left. It takes time, but hopefully one day I’ll look back on how I felt at this point and laugh at myself because, now, it finally feels like home.

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These Are MY Top 12 ‘Friends’ Episodes | #ThisGirlEats

I recently read online that twelve episodes of my favourite ’90s sitcom ‘Friends’ have been picked to be shown on the big screen in cinemas all over the US.

These fan-favourites have been selected to be screened over three nights and include some cracking episodes such as ‘The One With The Blackout’ and ‘The One With The Prom Video’. It sounds like a cool event for those lucky enough to live close to the cinemas. I’m like 98 per cent happy, maybe 2 per cent jealous. And what’s 2 per cent? That’s nothing.

Anyway, I thought as a ‘Friends’ fan who doesn’t live in the US and won’t be able to go to any screenings I’d make my own list of the twelve episodes I’d pick to be shown in cinemas. I mean, I could just watch them at home for the millionth time, but where’s the fun in that?!

1. The One With The Jellyfish

Although Ross and Rachel are really the stars of this episode with the break-up scene providing so many quotable lines, let’s not forget the iconic recounting of the jellyfish story by Monica, Joey and Chandler.

2. The One With Chandler In A Box

Monica absolutely slays everyone in this episode when they judge her for dating Richard’s son (which is kinda weird, I have to admit). But still, she’s brutal and I love it.

3. The One With Ross’s Wedding

Okay, there are three big reasons that this is one of my favourite episodes.
1) It’s in London, baby!
2) The guest stars are awesome. Jennifer Saunders, Fergie, Richard Branson…
3) It’s a huge milestone in the Ross and Rachel story, not to mention it’s the start of Chandler and Monica!

4. The One Where Everybody Finds Out

They don’t know we know they know we know.. it gets confusing, right? I also love watching Phoebe and Chandler essentially play nervous with each other like a couple of school kids at a house party.

5. The One With The Ride Along

I’m sorry, but between Joey risking his life to save his sandwich and Ross being over-dramatic enough to think that a car backfiring is a near-death experience, this episode is an absolute classic in my eyes.

6. The One Where Ross Got High

What’s not to like about this episode?! Custard? Good. Jam? Good. Beef? Good!

7. The One That Could Have Been

I love these flashback-style episodes, and this one in particular because it gives us a totally different narrative for the characters we’ve become so familiar with by season six. Monica’s a 30 year old virgin, Phoebe’s a high-pressure business woman and Rachel’s fan-girling over Joey Tribbiani.

8. The One With Monica’s Thunder

I’ve always identified with Monica, but perhaps never more so than in this episode when she calls off her entire engagement party because she thinks Rachel is stealing her thunder by kissing Ross. I don’t blame her, my petty ass would be mad too!

9. The One With The Videotape

The Europe story is genius, but probably best not to use it on the best friend of the guy who invented it…

10. The One With The Rumour

There are some very, very special guest stars that appear in many episodes of ‘Friends’, going right back to the first season. However, I think Jennifer Aniston’s then-husband Brad Pitt playing Will, Monica’s formerly fat friend and member of the I Hate Rachel Greene Club, has got to be my all time favourite.

11. The One Where The Stripper Cries

I don’t know what I love about this episode more, Danny Devito performing his stripper routine to ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’ or Monica, Chandler and Ross revealing their most embarrassing secrets about each other.

12. The Last One

Okay, okay, I know this might seem like a bit of a cop-out, but the last ‘Friends’ episode really is one of my favourites! I remember we were out the night that the final episode originally aired on TV so my mum videotaped it (yes, I am that old..) and I watched the VHS of that one episode over and over as a kid, years before I got the DVD boxset and definitely before it was all on Netflix! I knew all the lines from this one before any other episode, so it will always have a place in my heart.

Taking a Break: My Social Media Vacation | #ThisGirlEats

Like most people, I’ve come to accept that social media is just part of our lives these days. It’s there all day, every day, right at our fingertips and accessible in seconds, making it hard to take a break from it.

I’m such a sucker for tapping into social media on my phone at any given moment. I scroll through Twitter for my morning news, get updates from my family on Facebook and follow my friends’ lives through Instagram stories. Practically half my life is played out online; it’s just a habit I’ve fallen into and, to be completely honest, never really had any intention of breaking.

That is, until Reading Festival.

*Pale Waves @ BBC Radio 1 Stage at Reading Festival 2019*

I spent five days in a field, surrounded by tents, portaloos and tens of thousands of other people, where my phone was rendered pretty much useless – except for capturing drunken candids on camera and using the torch to avoid tripping over the maze of guy ropes at night. But an internet connection? Forget about it!

I could just about refresh my social medias once a day (usually in a desperate attempt to find secret set rumours!) and reply to a couple of messages that managed to sneak through, but that was basically it. Endless scrolling was completely off the table.

At first I found it quite frustrating, but it ended up being a very welcome break that I didn’t even know I needed. It was so refreshing to not fall back on my phone and, as we were all in the same boat, no-one was glued to a screen and we relied on each other to fill the gaps.

*Smirnoff Waterfall at Reading Festival 2019*

I’m not saying that now I’m back in the world of hot showers and flushing toilets (thank god!) that I won’t go back to my old ways. I’m sure I’ll be tapping away on my morning commute and retweeting before bed as always; in all honesty, I can’t see that changing anytime soon.

But I feel grateful that a real break from social media was forced upon me because it does have its downsides. Whether it’s comparing ourselves to insta-models and their picture-perfect lives or getting wound up by Twitter trolls, there’s always one aspect or another of social media that takes its toll on our mental health. I don’t think we realise when we’re mindlessly tapping into these apps every day just how much that can mess with our heads.

I don’t expect us all to just switch off right here and now, but if you’re going away somewhere – be it a festival, holiday, mini-break or just to some sort of occasion or day out – perhaps consider logging off for a while.

You’ll thank yourself, I promise.

*Foo Fighters @ Main Stage at Reading Festival 2019*

RECIPE: Lean ‘n’ Green Pasta | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 4
How much does it cost? This lean ‘n’ green pasta recipe cost me less than 25p per person.
What are the benefits? This dish is suuuper high in antioxidants, very low in fat and somewhere between two to three of your five a day.

When you’re trying to eat healthier, it’s very easy to get swept up in the diet culture of calorie counting and restrictive eating, and I’ve had to really train myself out of those habits (I still fall off the wagon, believe me).

Nowadays, when I want to eat a little healthier, I just try to think of obvious changes, like making sure you eat your five a day, cutting down on processed food and, of course, eating your greens.

Recently I made a very conscious effort to inject some more “green” into our diets. It’s not my favourite colour to serve up on the plate, but many green veggies are super good for you, full of health benefits and definitely worth making space for. For me, it’s about combining these sorts of ingredients with things I love and eat regularly, like pasta.

That’s how I came up with this lean ‘n’ green pasta recipe, which can be pretty much made up with any leftover greens you’ve got at home, a spoonful of pesto and whatever pasta shape you can find. I’ve used broccoli, peas and kale, but these are totally interchangeable!

INGREDIENTS
300g Dried Pasta
1 Large Onion, Chopped
8 Small Broccoli Florets
50g Curly Kale
300g Garden Peas
2 tbsp Green Pesto
1 Vegetable Stock Cube

SEASONING
I know not everyone is the biggest fan of green veggies and their often unique flavour, so a great way to disguise this is using plenty of garlic (dried or fresh), salt and pepper, as well as the pesto, to season this dish.

HOW TO MAKE LEAN ‘N’ GREEN PASTA

1. Put on a large pan of salted water, bring to the boil, reduce the heat to simmering and cook the pasta according to packet instructions (mine takes around 15 minutes!).

2. In a decent-sized frying pan, throw in the onion and garlic, cook for a couple of minutes until soft and then reduce the heat.

3. Add the broccoli, crumble in the vegetable stock cube and scatter in some salt and pepper. Pour in 200ml (or around one quarter of a standard mug) of water and simmer for around 5 minutes.

4. Throw in the peas and kale and finish cooking for another 5 minutes, or until the liquid dries up.

5. Drain the pasta, combine with the veggies and stir in a couple of spoonfuls of pesto, and that’s that!

Dazed & Confused: Life in Your Mid-Twenties | #ThisGirlEats

Hi. I’m smack-bang in the middle of my twenties, and I have no idea what I want out of life.

When I was little, your mid-twenties was a whole different ballgame. That’s when “stuff” happened, you know? My parents, and most of my friends’ parents, had all us kiddies in their twenties, and pretty much all of them were married to boot. They had houses, proper jobs, big cars and their lives were pretty much sorted. It was work Monday to Friday, dinner on the table by six o’ clock and go to the local pub on the weekends. Lather, rinse, repeat.

But us lot? We’re a whole new generation, and we’re doing things very differently.

Growing up, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted and, more to the point, I thought I knew exactly when it would happen. I’d fall in love with my childhood sweetheart, get a good job, be married and have kids by 25 and live the rest of my days in my three bedroom, semi-detached house with a garden, two cats and a cocker spaniel.

I don’t know when I changed my mind about – well, all of it. Except the cats and cocker spaniel. But here I am, 25 years old, with no childhood sweetheart (my boyfriend is almost six years older than me so that’d be weird..), no house, no plans for kids and only just about to start my first ever job that actually leaves me with a few scraps after rent.

These days, it’s almost frowned upon to do any of those things in your twenties. With most of my social circles, if you’re walking down that aisle or sharing sonograms even at the age of 25 – when most of our parents were doing, or had done, exactly that – you can expect some raised eyebrows at the very least.

The weirdest part is, most of those raised eyebrows are from us! I’m one of the worst, absolutely recoiling at the idea of babies, feeling completely baffled by the world of mortgages, lying awake at night bricking it about having a “proper job”, and getting queasy with anxiety at the mere thought of a marriage proposal.

I think I might want some of those things. Maybe. One day. But the problem is, if I don’t want them now – at the age I always thought I would, and the age our parents did – when will I want them? Unlike my younger self, I’m clueless about what I want. And if I don’t even know what I want, how the hell am I meant to know when it’ll happen?!

I guess the truth is, I don’t. I don’t know when these things will happen, or if they ever will. Our parents think we’re at the age where we should be getting our lives together and they’re expecting those sorts of milestones from us, while our peers think we’re still way too young. It’s very confusing, it’s a lot of pressure, and it leaves me feeling like I know very little about my future.

But what I do know is this: I like my life right now. And for me, for now, that’s enough.