Her Guide To Life

It's 2017. Donald Trump is President-Elect of the United States. Britain are leaving the EU. The far right has risen up once more. Last year, Ed Balls performed on Strictly Come Dancing. Everything, basically, has gone to shit. But in the midst of all of this big political fuckery, everyday life still goes on. Hearts are broken. Job applications are fretted over. Bank cards are lost, laundry is forgotten and buses are missed.

If, like me, you're in your early twenties, have just bagged your first permanent grad job, rented your first apartment and actually had to trust yourself to haul your own arse out of bed to get to work in the morning without relying on your Mum to wake you up, you'll know that being a fully fledged, functional 'adult' is hard. Really hard. So, hi, if you consider yourself in this group of people. Firstly, let's be friends. Secondly - you need this book - HOW TO BE A GROWN UP, by Daisy Buchanan - in your life.

I DID, GEORGINA, I DID

This. Book. Is. Great. It's basically exactly what it says on the cover - it's a guidebook on how to be a grown up. But not the kind of grown up that you looked at your parents as when you were tiny. More like today's grown up, who, yes, might still be living at home because they can't afford to move out after university, but doesn't engage in Twitter wars with trolls, manages to call their childhood best friend at least once a month, and remembers to take the recycling out on the right day. These things are all huge, huge achievements, and Daisy reminds us to celebrate every time we do something like this... and not to beat ourselves up if we don't.

The book is split into chapters each covering a specific part of life: health, friends, love, the Internet, fashion (or 'How to dress yourself'), money, and more. This genius means that if you're having a certain prob in life, you can flick through to the right section and hear Daisy's words of wisdom on the subject. She covers so many topics that are so relevant and predominant right now. Things like rape culture, body insecurity, the grad job/student debt struggles, dealing with anxiety and panic attacks, being trolled on social media... Basically, if you've cried about it in the last six months, it's in this book somewhere, along with some pretty good advice from someone who's been there and got the (vomit-stained) T-shirt.

And trust me, this gal is wise. She's fabulous and funny and if you don't follow her on Twitter, you definitely should do that right now. Each chapter is a mix of Daisy's anecdotes about her life and past and some actually seriously decent life hacks, including an AMAZING part about how to wash your hair properly that will have you grabbing the Head and Shoulders and dashing off to the bathroom as soon as poss.

I love, love love, the fact that the cover (the actual cover, not the pretty pink proof cover) has the words 'HOW TO BE A GROWN UP' in glitter, because that's exactly what this book is - every sentence is glittery and sparkly and funny and pithy and so, so spot on. It's pretty much like carrying a friend around with you in your handbag.

Feeling a bit crap because you don't own any tights without holes in them? Don't - just buy this book.
Blithely ignoring your bank balance? Buy this book.
Hating your first job out of uni? Buy this book.
Love straight-talking feminists like Caitlin Moran, but feel like you're honestly a *bit* more like Bridget Jones? Buy this book.

Trust me, you'll laugh out loud a lot, and realise that we're actually doing this whole adult thing pretty damn well, too.

BUY THIS BOOK!*

(*For reals though, it comes out on April 6th, and you can buy it from Waterstones here.)

Feature image © Her Guide To Life

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Sunday, 12 March 2017

Review: HOW TO BE A GROWN UP by Daisy Buchanan