I still remember the day 9/11 took place. As an eight-year-old, I was horrified that such an act could even occur in the name of religion; a religion that had taught me I could not even harm a spider intentionally. How could these terrorists really label themselves as Muslims when they didn't even know the meaning of the word? Fast forward to several years later, I remember the dread of hearing of another terrorist attack. Not only because so many more innocents had been injured and harmed by another act of horror, but also because of the inevitable blame that would come towards Islam; towards individuals who had no play in such horrors. I can vividly recall stories and memories of the prejudice and fear I and my fellow Muslims have faced because of these events. In all honesty, every time a terrorist attack happens, I have always feared the backlash of what may occur.

Last week that horror came to life when Trump brought chaos to the world. Our worst fears came true. By creating an order to preventing travel to and from seven Muslim nations, Donald Trump specifically attempted to alienate the population based on religion and race, with no factual evidence to back up his claims. Thousands have been affected by the travel band, including Americans themselves who not only have legal right to live in the USA, but have passed all the necessary measures to be citizens of the state. What Trump fails to truly realise is that ISIS and Islam are not unanimous. Muslims are not the problem. Just like Jews were not the problem during the Nazi Hilter reign. In fact, his so-called measures give ISIS more ammunition to recruit in underdeveloped nations, where Education is considered a luxury. I couldn't believe that I was witnessing humanity take a step back into the dark ages.

But then something beautiful and incredible happened. The entire world stood up against Trump and his ideals. Today I've seen so many people standing up injustice. I've seen the world unite to support those affected. Never have I felt more touched and accepted by the entire universe. Seeing the world unite together and defend my fellow Muslims has been one of the most touching experiences of my life. In fact - in these dark times - it gives me hope that we can get through this battle. I'm so proud of humanity. And while the fight against this injustice isn't over, I take comfort in the fact that we are united as one. Thank you humanity. You've not only restored my faith in the universe, but also made me proud to be human. Thank you to every single one of you fighting for equality. I could not be more grateful to be a citizen of this universe. And in some weird twisted way, I would have never been able to witness this without Trump and his crazy antics. Congratulations Trump, you've brought the universe together, and made us realise we all have something in common - our humanity.

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Last year whilst I was surfing across the interwebs, I stumbled across an article by Teen Vogue stating that '48% of millennials believe the American dream is dead'. Now considering the current state of events taking place in 2016 - Trump being elected for President and ruining the universe - it isn't surprising at all of the results. But it got me thinking, what does the American Dream mean in the modern age and our generation? Can its ideals truly exist in our society?

The American Dream signifies a time when people travelled from far and wide across the globe to the promised land. America was the blessed paradise where dreamers could make a name for themselves and secure their families future. Settlers could work hard and create a home in a suburban county, surrounded by a white picket fence. They would work hard and tirelessly towards the opportunity to succeed and stand up for what they believed in. The American Dream is a nostalgic ideal that transcends beyond the nation of its origin. 

Back in the day, things were different. The world was based on national pride. Globalism hadn't conquered the universe yet. In order to be successful, you need to go where success was made. You had to live near where you worked. You would work in an organisation and work your way up the ladder until retirement. That was the norm. Though that principle exists, time has changed. Circumstances have changed. 

People don't dedicate their working lives to one company anymore - they move around and test the waters. Teenagers and millennials alike create careers out of bedroom hobbies, producing videos, written content and audio tracks without the help of the professionals. There are thousands of people who work globally and remotely through the use of technology. We can become the masters of our own invention and sell products directly to an audience, through Etsy, Ebay and other online outlets. The gatekeepers have to prove their value and worth, in a world where access is freely and instantly available at the touch of your fingertips. America is no longer the only go-to for success. Success is not defined by where you came from. It's defined by you and what you value you most in this world. 

Maybe the American Dream is evolving into that we can relate to. It's our generation and the changes we face that determine what that might be. It's evolving into an ideal of what we'd like the world to be. A world where we can live together and also support each other, beyond labels and prejudice hindering our progress. It's a future we hope that we will come to see one day as we continue to fight the circumstances of society. 

So what do you think? What does the American Dream mean to you? Does it still exist? 

Flashback to 10 years ago, I hated reading with a passion. At the time, I thought books were utterly boring and filled with dull characters, random adjectives and poetic devices thrown in for good measure. But then I picked up Twilight for the first time and I saw the light. Finally I found the true pleasure of reading at my fingertips and gosh, it was beautiful. A genre that spoke to my soul ... All I wanted to do was absorb every inch of fictional goodness out there; to truly indulge myself into any book that made me feel alive and inspired.

As time went by, I discovered the online community of book lovers and never looked back. The amount of engaging conversations amazed me. Sharing your thoughts with fellow fangirls and boys across the world has been such a life-changing experience. I found book buddies who loved discussing plot details at length, enthusiastically recommended books to one another and consumed every inch of news concerning new book and squeal releases. Through this all, I absolutely fell in love the book community. The celebration of new book releases and book hype trends has helped me discover so many incredible reads. I have been very thankful for that ... Well until the beginning of the year when I found myself being to think a little differently ...

When I moved to London in January, I was dedicated to working hard at my new job and spending time with friends and family. Between balancing full-time work and social commitments, I was exhausted. The commute was long, and due to other commitments I had, I just didn't have the time to read anymore. It didn't help that I was suffering from a major case of the classic reading slump. I found myself at an impasse. So unintentionally I took a break. A breather from the echoes of hype and written fiction.

It wasn't long until I started to hear about all these books that I needed to read. Squeals. New releases by debut authors. Established and respected authors releasing new books. Between my current TBR and the new releases coming out, it was so overwhelming. The need to catch up was oddly motivational yet completely putting off. So began the spiral staircase. Where would I even start? I felt like I was drowning in a sea of books, and all of a sudden I just didn't want to hear about it anymore. The hype and book trends made me feel claustrophobic. I couldn't help thinking, how did it even get to this?

When I started reading YA, I read for the passion of the story. I read for the pure pleasure of indulging in someone else's mindset. Now I've begun to feel the pressure to keep up with the popular books, so I can be a part of these amazing discussions with fellow book lovers and immerse myself in the book culture. I feel the guilt of not writing reviews when I've finished reading novels. What happened to the pure joy of it all? Lately, I just miss the teenage me who just read for fun. It's hard to find the balance between staying in the loop and pleasure. But maybe it's time to go back to what started the passion; the beauty of fiction as it's own art form.

What are your thoughts on Book Trends? Has the pressure to keep up affected you?
Share your thoughts below!

Remember the days when you had to ask your parents to buy you something you wanted? Back then, I certainly never had to worry one bit about fishing for change in my back pocket. But alas, with independence and adult life comes the bittersweet responsibility of money. At first, you feel pretty powerful looking at your bank account when you get your first proper paycheck or installment of your student loan. But then comes the bills, one after the other. First rent, food and then utilities - the practical trio as I like to call them. Before you know it, that big lump sum you had at the beginning of the month ... well it's starting to shrink fast.

Every penny seriously counts as an adult. Sometimes the difference between one pound or two in your weekly grocery shopping could help you book a holiday far far away later in the year. The idea of saving may seem pretty daunting, but it's well worth doing in the long term. Future you will be very happy you did so! On that note, here are five tips to help you make the most of your pennies.

Over the past several weeks, I've begun to fall in love with so many little aspects of London. From the quaint little pop-up shops in Underground stations to the bright lights of Piccadilly Square, there is always something to do and something to see here. But in order to get anywhere in this bustling city, you need to take the tube a.k.a the most organised form of chaos you have ever seen!


It can be pretty tricky navigating in a new city, especially one with its own etiquette of public transport. I can still distinctly remember stumbling across Euston station for the first time like a lost puppy, while so many Londoners passed by me faster than the wind could carry them. They, of course, knew exactly where they were going, while I had to call up my Google Map Instructions to figure out where the hell I was. The joys of being a tourist! So from my perspective as a Londoner of two and a half months, here's how to take the tube like a natural.