Memories in 2013.

So it's going to be 2014 in a few hours' time. Take this time to reflect back on how your year has been.
I know I've changed a lot this year. I've also learnt a lot, made new friends and even got attached. Did I enjoy 2013? Heck yeah, I did.

1. I am happier and more optimistic now.

 2012 was a really tough year for me, what with living apart from my family for the first time. But I survived and 2013 is even better now! I've learnt that the good things can disappear in the blink of an eye, but so can the bad things. Yes, I've lost my wallet this year which made me super duper sad. But I've also encountered so many events that made me realise how lucky and blessed I am, so I complain less now!

I've also learnt to manage my time, not as well as it should be, but definitely better than before. It's not easy traveling back and forth JB and KL every 2 weeks but I've managed it AND did not neglect my studies! I'm pleased with my results despite the busy schedule, but it can be improved. Joining VUBC definitely played a part in helping me be more active both acamedically, and socially. 

Living alone has also taught me to appreciate time spent alone. Sometimes you'll see me wandering the malls or eating alone at home but that is just the best time to have my thoughts to myself. I'm not a loner k!

2. Knowing how much my family loves me.

There's no family trip overseas this year, but even a simple day trip to Singapore with them can make me happy beyond description. When I used to live at home, I usually just lock myself in the room and stare at the computer. Now that I'm living away from home, I do appreciate the time I get to spend with my family. Yes, I've missed a few family events like the trip to Langkawi and my grandmother's birthday celebration - things I've had to sacrifice for studies, but they never fail to make me feel like I'm there. My parents and sister will constantly update the Whatsapp group chat with photos and my aunts will tag me in photos on Facebook even if I'm not there. And we try to have family gatherings when me or my cousin are back. We are a big family, and you won't believe how close we are!

And.. I realise I'm more open with expressing my feelings now. I don't know about you, but I'm never one to tell my parents I love them. Now, if I'm stressed, I will look to them for advice and encouragement and I think my parents are better at expressing THEIR feelings too.. They reciprocate now if I tell them I love them. XD Good, good. There's still room for improvement. XD

3. Experiencing new things.

Sorry for the bad photo editing, I randomly threw a few photos together. XD 

This year, I got the chance to try out soooo many new things; attending events, trying new food and even organised a school event. These are mainly what compelled me to blog, to share my experiences and joy with anyone who wants to read my blog :) Thank you to my friends and family who has supported my desire to blog.

 I got to experience Sunway Lagoon with my boyfriend and it was really fun even though it's just the both of us. Because we got to spend time together and do something different besides going to the cinemas all the time! Haha.

I lost my "concert virginity" to MTV World Stage and lemme tell you, it was one of the craziest things I've ever done! Ok so you know I'm not very adventurous.. I've never even been clubbing despite living 2 years in KL ok! What's even better is I got to attend the concert with some of my closest friends and it was all our first concert so we definitely had fun.

Attended my first Nuffnang event too; Nuffnang FoodFest! Of course, I'm happy that I got to go with my two housemates and not only the food made us happy, but each others' company generally. <3

VU Night 2013 was probably my second and last prom and it was an honour to be able to work with the amazing VUBC Committee. Actually, they are more like family :) I learnt so much from organising this annual event, I'm sure it will help me a lot in my internship and even future job.

Tried out something new which was ice-skating with the gang! I can rollerblade, but imagine my amazement to find that I can ice-skate too! Soooo fun :D

And of course, the latest event that I attended was the IMAX launch, thanks to Butterfly Project & TGV Cinemas. It's my first time attending a bloggers' event so it was indeed and eye-opener. Plus point is that I've made new friends and we are now working on a few reviews in JB together so that's fun! :D

I have also done my part by donating to victims of Typhoon Haiyan, volunteering at orphanages and old folks' home and helping the Orang Asli. It feels good to help others less fortunate than yourself. Knowing that there are others in the world who need your help and helping them is within your limits, it is definitely worth the effort.

4. Spent time with friends; both old and new.

I've made so many new friends this year; drifted apart with some old friends but got closer to more. 

Living with Eunice and Jie En was seriously the best decision I've made. Somehow when we met each other, we all just clicked. I have to thank them so much for making me feel more at home in KL and for taking care of me, cooking for me and even going shopping with me. All the encouraging texts and sticky notes I'll keep till I'm old, I swear :D I hope I've been a better housemate this year.. My life in KL will suck without you girls! <3

Erica  and I often plan meetups now that I've shifted out and we still gossip when we meet, just like old times. Now that Elyssa has gone to Ireland, we don't really get to meet but when she's back, us three musketeers from college still meet up for Karaoke and it's like she's never left. I appreciate having you girls around because there's never a boring second with you two and for the fact that we can talk about anything and EVERYTHING. <3

Of course, it has been one hell of a year rushing for assignments and attending uni events with the Uni Ohana. It's thanks to this big family in KL that I got to go so many new places and eat so many nice food. It's also my first time going on a trip with friends and I'm glad it was Malacca with you guys. And also it's the first time friends came down to my hometown for a visit, so it was really cool being the host to my Marketing gang. I miss all of you so much, can't wait to meet you when the new sem commences!

5. Finding someone who loves me.

Very cheesy, but it seems obligatory that I have to write this lah... :p

Last but not least, one of the best things to happen to me this year was finding someone who loves me for me. We started off as best friends and slowly got closer. Never did I think this noob fella would be my boyfriend. :p 

Thank you for everything. For chaffeuring me around because I can't drive, for bringing me around JB to explore new cafes, for worrying about me when I'm sick, for finishing my food when I can't finish, for listening to all my rants and complaints, for giving me moral support when I'm stressed, for buying me random stuff, for spending time with my family, for supporting my every decision, for making decisions for me when I'm being fickle-minded, for tolerating my temper and habits, for loving me. :)

Thank you, each and everyone of you for an amazing year. I do have some resolutions for 2014 but it's for me to know only, sorry :p One of it will be to write better though.

Here's to a more fulfilling, more interesting and more amazing 2014. Wishing you all the best and hope that you will give and receive love abundantly!

Love,

Carinn 

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Community: YouthsToday.com

YouthsToday.com is Malaysia's first online youth engagement and rewarding website, established in 2013 in Penang. Their motto is "We are what Social Media Marketing should have been". What is social media marketing? To say it in simple terms, you know how most companies try to engage with their users through Facebook/ Instagram/ Twitter, etc. Someone is behind all these engagement and updates and that's what social media marketing is all about - to gain website traffic and attention through social media sites! As you know, the Internet is a very powerful tool and marketers are very into it lately, and of course, this is how they connect with youngsters. The vision of the company is to take on South East Asia by 2014 and Europe by 2015.

Anyway, I was contacted by Jazz Tan, the 23-year-old founder and CEO of YToday Sdn Bhd to write about their website. She was an Honours Bachelor's of Computer Science from Northumbria University. After a quick chat with her, I find that Jazz is a very enthusiastic and thriving entrepreneur who is not only passionate about her job and is also very super friendly! She has won so many awards, from various companies such as:

• British Council and Guinness Arthur Berhad Social Enterprise Winner 2013

• Prestige Magazine Top 40 Under 40 2013

• Global Student Entrepreneur Award Champion

• New York GSEA Finalist 2011

• Dana Belia RM150,000

• NTV7 and DiGi The Next Level Finalist

• MSC-MDEC Best Business Model

Jazz with a mock cheque during the KFC Youth Jam 2013.

The company has organised a few events in collaboration with youths and brands and event organisers, and one of these events is the KFC Youth Jam on 13th October 2013 at Sunway University (my uni!). Yes, I heard about the event but I did not attend it as I was back in JB that weekend. From my friends' updates, it seemed like they had a lot of fun!

The objective was to launch www.youthstoday.com during the event to allow the public to explore the functionality of the website, as well as engage with youths. The new website currently has over 10,000 youths and serves as a website for event organisers, youths and brands to feature their campaigns and events to gain high exposure and visibility. It is also a platform for brands that targets the youth market to advertise their product and services. As a marketing student, I think this is a brilliant idea. :)

KFC Youth Jam 2013 featured activities like the KFC Big Eat Contest, Running Man Hunt, Talent Search and Incitement Talks and more. As you can guess, these activities are interrelated to what youngsters nowadays are into like the show Running Man. Youths that attended the event will redeem thousands of points which can be exchanged for rewards. Some brands that are in partnership with YToday are KFC, Maxis, Groupon, Sunway Group, Bloomberg, Chatime Malaysia, FlyFM and 8TV, to name a few. All big names!!

How does YouthsToday work?

Simply choose to attend an event, collect your unique code from the organisers when you arrive and get rewarded! SO SIMPLE. Remember the brands that I mentioned? You can redeem your rewards from them!

So, is this incentive enough for you to join YouthsToday.com? Another plus point would be that you not only get to make friends and learn so much at these events, it will also increase your employability too!

Be sure to check their website and Facebook page for regular updates!

Website: http://www.youthstoday.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/youthstoday?ref=ts&fref=ts

Love,

Carinn

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Carinn x OOTD: Sweater Weather

Harlo! I'm back with a quick post!

Who needs to fake eyebags with makeup when you can get natural sleep-deprived ones like mine.

Sweater from H&M

Pleated skirt from Bugis Street

Bowler hat from Bugis Street

Bag from P&Co

T- strap houndstooth shoes from Vincci

Socks from Daiso

Red hot lips earrings from Taiwan

3CE Electro Pink Lip Pigment <3

All photos taken with an iPhone 5. Photo credits to the besties! <3

Because it has been raining lately (or not really..), I decided it's the best time to wear a sweater. You know, to go with the A/W13 trend :p Wearing a sweater in sunny Malaysia doesn't seem quite appropriate, but a sweater doesn't necessarily has to be frumpy! You can make it look girly too!This is more of a Japanese school girl look, no?

I love my oxblood knitted sweater because of its details! Got it last year and wore it to Japan. I hardly wear it but it does come in handy during rainy seasons. Rolled up the sleeves so I don't look so nerdy.

I don't have a black skater skirt, hence I paired it with my SGD10 pleated skirt and I think it pulls the look together. Top it off with my red bowler hat and a detailed sling bag to add a bit more "jazz".

And I seriously adore the T-strap shoes! Been looking for these houndstooth printed clothing since forever and I fell in love with the shoes during the Padini sale and I knew I had to get it!

Wearing socks with flats is weird, isn't it? I was contemplating pulling it up as these are knee-high stockings which I got for Japan trip too but then by scrunching it and leaving the tiny heart pattern at the side looks more casual instead. At least people won't frown at my outfit hmm.

Thank you bf, for the earrings and 3CE! Mad love the colour of my lips!

It is our annual "girlfriend" meeting this evening. Can you believe I have known these girls for more than half my life?! We've been friends since Primary 1 and we can still talk non-stop when we meet! I love you girls so so much, you have no idea :*

The person who took has quite shaky hands huh.. 

My favourite girls :) We like this swing so much!

Single and available, anybody? :p

Single and available too! :p <3

The one who always bullies me. My pretty Cheryl :)

Super smart & adorable Suyi! <3

Photo of the day. AHAHAHAHA

Till we meet again!

If you'd like to see more, you can view my previous Carinn x OOTD post here :)

Love,

Carinn

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Beauty: Shop for Lenses Online with MrLens!

Chapter 4 of Blogging School 101: Butterfly Project x MrLens

If you notice, I've been going backwards with my Blogging School chapters hahaha. Well, I've been busy with my internship lately and I have to complete each post before their respective due date so it explains the backward-ness. Sorry..

Today, I'm going to be reviewing MrLens which is an online contact lens company, their service and the lenses that I have gotten from them. 

Who is MrLens?

A little bit about MrLens' story. MrLens was set up in 2002 in Switzerland So you can guess how reliable they must be after being in business for 11 years now. The company is dedicated to providing the highest quality service and affordably priced trusted brand name contact lenses that are recommended by eye specialists worldwide. Today, they are the largest online contact lens reseller in Switzerland and major parts of Europe and they deliver in various countries too! Good prices doesn't mean services should be skimped. They are prestigious in Asia too and has recently been awarded as a Finalist in the Swiss Economic Award 2008 for excellent service. MrLens is commited and dedicated to bringing reliable, credible and trusted products and services for your benefit.

What other benefits can you get from shopping with MrLens?

1. Nationwide Delivery

Good news for people residing in the Klang Valley! MrLens not only delivers all over Malaysia in a matter of days, they provide FREE DELIVERY within the Klang Valley too! You don't even need to leave your house to choose, order and receive your contact lenses! For other states, delivery fee of RM6 and above apply. 

I am currently in my hometown in JB so I had to pay RM6 for the delivery fee (normal Pos Laju charges) but in my opinion, it is definitely worth it for good service and fast delivery! For more details and fee charges, click here.

2. Convenient and Fast Service

When they say fast, they mean fast. Most people receive their lenses in one or two days within payment. The parcels arrive in good condition. This is because most of their brands are in-stock so if you urgently need new lenses, they will send it to you the next day! Another good thing is that they will email you regarding the current status/ location of your lens so you do not have to worry about your orders not arriving.

However for me, it took about 1-2 weeks to reach my place. I pm-ed the MrLens Facebook page and found out that actually my lenses are out of stock and they told me that they are in the process of ordering new ones for me. Aww.. Ok forgiven since they were so courteous. XD 

With just one click, you can also refill your past orders. MrLens will keep a record of your past orders so you don't have to browse through it again. Just click on this button on the top right corner and you can order your lenses easily! They do provide Lens Pass too for you to print out in case you forget your eye power and you can also set a reminder so that every time your contact lenses are about to expire, MrLens will remind you to to repurchase. How thoughtful is that? *.*

3. Wide Selection

They have any kinds of lenses you can think of; from daily disposable ones to monthly to coloured to multifocal ones; popular brands like Acuvue,  Freshlook and even some which I've never heard of. If you are unsure what to look for, they have a Featured Products section for you to choose from popular brands which are selling at lower prices than in stores. And of course, you'll need contact lens solution to go with your lenses and MrLens sells that too! To view more products, click here.

Not only that, MrLens also carry various Sunglasses and Spectacles! Wowww. It's really your one-stop solution when shopping for optical products. To view more products, click here. 

4. Recommend a Friend and Get Rewarded

This is the first thing you will see once you click into MrLens' website homepage. Curious? It's actually an affliate program that allows you to recommend your friends to MrLens and both you and your friend will be rewarded for it! You can add the MrLens banner on your website and start referring friends! You would have to sign up for it, just like how you sign up for the website. For more details on the affliate program, click here.

5. Secure Payment

Not only will you be able to print out your invoice after payment, you can also pay with all kinds of method such as using credit or debit card or online banking. As an international company, they do accept all kinds of cards. Sooo convenient and their site is secure so you do not have to worry!

Now, enough of gushing over MrLens. Lemme share with you my experience of purchasing from them and how the lenses look like!

Step 1. Log on to MrLens website and sign in to your account. Alternatively, a new member can register for a new account here.

Step 2. Browse the site and choose your favourite lenses. We Butterflies already received an email from Butterfly Ayna to choose two out of four types of sponsored Colorvue lenses. These are what I chose.

Colorvue Big Eyes in Dolly Black.

Colorvue Starburst Coloured Lenses in Starburst Gray.

Please note that lenses are while stock last and the colour or power you want may not be in stock at times. Unfortunately for me, the colours that I wanted are out of stock so I had to settle for Gray when I actually wanted something in Brown (but in the end still out of stock lol!). Oh well, I'm still happy. 

Before choosing, you can read the description of each lens and most of them do come in a wide range of colours, as you can see. You can also read a product review from past users or leave one yourself after you tried out the lenses!

 Step 3. Add your lenses to Cart and proceed to Checkout.

Once you have double checked and are satisfied with your order, you can choose to Create contact lens passport or proceed to Checkout immediately.

Step 4. Follow the consecutive instructions like selecting payment and entering delivery address and you are done! 

Don't forget to enter your voucher/ coupon code if you have one. Butterflies were given a code to key in when we paid for our lenses. Yay!

Step 5. Wait for your lenses to arrive!

Sorry for the bad photo, but my lenses came in perfect condition! Brochures were included to show what other brands are there and they were put in a resealable plastic bag with the lenses so they won't get wet!

Bigger Eyes, Sexy Looks.

It's my first time trying out coloured contact lenses and it's all thanks to The Butterfly Project that I had the chance to do so. I've always thought I'll look bad in coloured lenses which is why I've never had the guts to purchase them before. So you see, the Butterfly community not only gives you a chance to review various products and make new friends, they let you try new things too!

 Dolly Black

Starburst Gray. Is it just me, or do the lenses look slightly greenish?

One thing I have to suggest is that maybe contact lens cases could be sent along with the lenses. I happen to have extra cases at home but not everybody will have extras nor will they be willing to go out and purchase new ones just to store the new lenses.

Dolly Black lenses. looks like wall-e. It has quite a natural pattern that it won't look like you're wearing coloured lenses when you put it on.

Starburst Gray. Slightly grenish with stars and triangular pattern for a more glamorous look. This also has a wider diameter compared to the black pair.

How I look with and without the lenses. As you can see, it makes quite an obvious difference in terms of enlarging my pupils. Due to my original eye colour being a darker brown, the pattern of the black lenses cannot be seen when I put it on, giving me really dark eyes. The gray lenses do make my eyes look bigger but unfortunately, too much iris and too little whites can be seen that I kind of feel like Ju-On. XD The colour and pattern is really pretty though!

Without makeup. I look quite pale without make up when I put the gray lenses on. Like I said, it would be more suited for a night event as it is quite glamorous-looking. The black lenses on the other hand, makes me look more awake!

Starburst Gray - with makeup. Ah, now it looks more grayish. My eyes seriously look more awake with makeup and these lenses on. Yay!

Dolly Black - with makeup on. Not much of a difference, but again, I look so fresh and awake!

I would say that the lenses are quite comfortable when you first put them on and do not feel dry at all throughout the day. However, it could be because I have super sensitive eyes that my eyes do itch a little and when I blink, I can actually see the coloured edges 0.0 The lenses are thinner than my usual lenses and easy to put in and remove, which is an added bonus. On top of that, they are for three-months so I can wear it through CNY and Valentines' Day hehe. It's priced at RM90 each, quite reasonable considering the quality!

Thank you MrLens and Butterfly Project Malaysia for giving me the opportunity to try out new looks with these lenses! <3

This is a project by MrLens in collaboration with The Butterfly Project Malaysia.

For more information, click on the links below.

MrLens

Website: http://www.mrlens.com.my

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrLens.my

The Butterfly Project Malaysia - Beauty Bloggers

Website: http://www.butterflyprojectmalaysia.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ButterflyProjectMalaysia?ref=ts&fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ButterflyMsia

Instagram: http://instagram.com/butterflyprojectmsia


Disclaimer: Even though the products are sponsored, the review is based on my personal thoughts, experiences and preference after trying out the product and services.

Love,

Carinn

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