The Romantic's Handguide

[the-romantics-guide]

Adding whimsy into my life- 3rd-9th March

• legged it with my friends to get a Wagamama’s click and collect and bubble tea in town, and still made it back for next lesson in college

• became a mother (got given the friend group child for the week, which is a tiny highland cow teddy)

• wore a 50s circle skirt to college just for the giggles (I feel so pretty in it)

• Spent a free period with one of my best friends sat drawing with each other and showing each other music

• Woke up at 4:45 on Thursday to finish animating my EPQ project before the deadline on Friday

• Paid attention to NONE of the special talks we had that day (we had this Progression morning thing) in favour of finishing my EPQ

• Called my friend I mentioned earlier in the evening and I animated while she played music and we sang with each other :) we celebrated when I handed in my EPQ!!!!

• had a picnic outside with that friend on Friday and she did henna on my arm to say goodbye to my glucose monitor- I’m getting a new model next time

• went on Minecraft with my friends instead of doing my art work

• Joined a book club live on TikTok and accidentally got myself interviewed as an indie writer (I’m writing a novel!)

• Went on a sunny walk with my springtime playlist blasting and I charity shopped!

• Had a cheeky Toby Carvery (I nearly passed out cos I was too hot 😻)

• Made shadow boxes for art while making myself go deaf with my music <3

[the-romantics-guide]

Adding whimsy into my life- 24-28th Feb

• Styling my hair into vintage waves for the first day back at college, just because I can

• Screw realism- drawing fairies and storybook illustrations for my art project

• Buying a balloon for my brother and carrying it around all day (on the train, too)

• Sitting in a park when it’s sunny while my friend does henna on all our hands

• Going in a river with friends despite it being February, so my friend can have photos for her art project. Yes it was freezing. Yes it was brilliant. I’ve never felt more alive

• Then curling up under blankets together and playing Minecraft with hot chocolate

[the-romantics-guide]

If anyone is searching for a cosy writer/author tiktok to follow, join us at @winnifred.blythe

<3

I'll be posting visual diaries, writing vlogs, updates about the novel I'm writing, tips and tricks, and so much more. I hope to see you there soon :)

[the-romantics-guide]

On that note I made a character personality quiz. You should totally take it and reblog with who you got <3

Which character are you from my WIP novel?

Take this quiz and find out

[the-romantics-guide]

If anyone is searching for a cosy writer/author tiktok to follow, join us at @winnifred.blythe

<3

I'll be posting visual diaries, writing vlogs, updates about the novel I'm writing, tips and tricks, and so much more. I hope to see you there soon :)

[the-romantics-guide]

So my creative writing teacher was raving about a book and told me I had to read it and that I would love it. He gave me his copy to borrow on Friday. I finished it this morning and OH MY GOODNESS.

‘This Is How You Lose The Time War’ is genuinely one of the best books I have ever read. The epistolary form made it so engaging and of course sapphic romances are everything to me. The world building was insane and I felt so immersed, and the characters felt so real. I was sat there giggling and grinning and crying and my chest was full and empty and WOW.

1 million stars. You have to read this book.

[the-romantics-guide]

Just bought tickets for Gregory Alan Isokov in London. It’s on the fourth anniversary of my chronic illness diagnosis- and his music got me through that initial diagnosis back in 2021. It brought me such comfort and peace that I don’t know if I would be here without it and it feels so poetic that I’ll now be seeing him live, four years exactly on. <3

[the-romantics-guide]

I have been struck down with the plague. I am horrifically ill. However I had been advised to drink plenty of hot drinks.

Here is my tea log from today <3

1. English breakfast

2. White tea, coconut and passion fruit

3. English breakfast

4. Super berries

5. English breakfast

[greateldritchenby]

Breakfast: Earl Grey

Snack: Orange Spice

Lunch: English Breakfast/Jasmine Green Tea

Snack: Passionflower

Dinner: Lapsang souchong

Bedtime: Chamomile

[the-romantics-guide]

Good taste my friend! Keeping up with tradition! We match today with jasmine green tea <3

1. English breakfast

2. English breakfast

3. English breakfast

4. Jasmine green tea

5. English breakfast

6. English breakfast

7. English breakfast

[the-romantics-guide]

Romanticising my sick days off

It’s my third day off college today and although I despise missing my classes, I’m way too sick to go in. Instead, this is how I’ve been keeping my sanity and ensuring I don’t fall behind.

• Soooo many cups of tea. From English breakfast to chamomile and honey to jasmine green tea, as much tea as I can get my hands on

• Taking the time to make myself a cute healthy lunch to stay motivated (and asking my parents to help me make one when I’m too ill to get out of bed)

• Catching up on work while curled up under the blankets. Slowly! I’ve had to take many a break. Remember to be kind to yourself, especially when ill <3

• Always having comfort shows or vlogs on in the background. Darling Desi’s YouTube Channel has been my saviour

• Opening my blinds every morning when I wake up to say hello to the world

• Taking the time to just sit and let myself rest. Remember you’re not resting if you’re worrying about everything you have to do! Take the time to simply look after yourself.

• I have been manically planning my book. Shockingly my best ideas have come from feverish episodes. Probably not the best method but oh well, the hyperfixation must be fed.

• Again with the tea- the noise of the kettle has become my favourite noise.

[the-romantics-guide]

I have been struck down with the plague. I am horrifically ill. However I had been advised to drink plenty of hot drinks.

Here is my tea log from today <3

1. English breakfast

2. White tea, coconut and passion fruit

3. English breakfast

4. Super berries

5. English breakfast

[the-romantics-guide]

I love my lit class because we’re studying Phillip Larkin’s poetry and we occasionally do kahoots. The names do not disappoint. To name a few:

• Freaklip Larkin

• Freaky Larkin

• Winnifreak Arnott

• Phittie Larkin

• Phittie x *classmate’s name*

• Larkin’s Rabbit (and also) Larkin’s Stick (myxomatosis reference)

• Larking 👑

We’re unhinged. I adore it.

[the-romantics-guide]

Chaotic academia in my college week- #1 of 2025

• Spending every free moment in my lit teacher’s classroom with my friends

• Freaking out over my ‘on course for grades’ in graphics and art, and started The Great Lock In Of 2025’

• Neeking out about poetry analysis as usual in my lit class

• Spending a free period with my best friend doing art homework while watching Lego Monkie Kid because we’re both severely hyper fixated

• Finishing all of my graphics homework in lesson due to The Great Lock In. I will be using this phrase a lot I fear.

• Yapping away about how The Secret Garden feels like warm sunlight in our secret book club (ssh)

• My art teacher had to reassure me that my grade will go up and it’s only because it’s the first term, and not to panic.

• Getting way too excited to learn about the 50s in Lit

• Realising just how much animating I have to do on my EPQ and panicking and thus starting even more Great Lock In sessions

• Helping my lit teacher find art of Dracula and Harker kissing (don’t ask)

• Planning a Larkin themed tea party with said lit teacher

• Reading out a poem in our dead poets society! I’m usually too scared to

• Working on my EPQ in my lit teacher’s class during a free because the coffee shop makes me nervous

• GETTING A GIRLFRIEND?!?!?!

• Staying up till one making said girlfriend a playlist

[the-romantics-guide]

A productive day to do list- for the final day before I’m back to college

Health and general:

-Collect new glasses

-Change cannula

-Hair wash

-Journal

-Set schedules

Studies:

-Take photos for art

-Artist analysis

-Animate EPQ

-Update EPQ sketchbook

-Essay Plan

Fun:

-Practice guitar

-Finish the book I’m reading

-Plan book I’m writing

-Write a song

I’ll update later with progress <3

[the-romantics-guide]

03.01.25- a log (a day late)

• Spent the early morning reading and analysing poetry in my pyjamas

• Had wayyyy too many cups of tea. It’s not a problem I swear.

• Spent ages getting ready for a party, declaring I had to look like a ‘rockstar girlfriend’. I officially love dark eyeshadow on myself.

• Paired a formal dress with a leather jacket and absolutely slayed if I do say so myself

• Arrived at the party and panicked in a corner

• My older cousins dragged me to the dance floor and soon enough I too was Macarena-ing the night away

• Was about to eat cake but ABBA came on and I screamed and ran to the dance floor, abandoning said cake

• Accidentally came out to my drunk aunt and gossiped about my love life with her

• My blood sugars went low in the night from too much boogie-ing and I got like no sleep🫶

• Read fanfiction instead of sleeping. The pinnacle of chaotic academia I fear

[the-romantics-guide]

Reading log- 2.01.25

Finished reading Wendy Cope's collected poems. 4/5 stars.

[the-romantics-guide]

You know, sometimes girlhood is taking your younger brother to see Sonic 3 in cinemas just because you wanted an excuse to see it. I'm currently wearing a waistcoat and blazer. Please guys I'm normal 🙏

[the-romantics-guide]

Hello my darlings!

I'm finally back after forgetting this account existed for quite a while. Now it's the new year and I'm most certainly going to be posting more of my nonsense from now on. I'm into a new term at college and of course that promises more chaos. Stay tuned x

[the-romantics-guide]

Watching Dead Poets Society with a cup of tea while doing art homework <3

Also does anyone have any similar movies to recommend? I’m in a movie mood.

[the-self-is-not-static-deactiva]

The Holdovers & Goodwill Hunting are the only ones that I can think of rn, sorry lovely

[the-romantics-guide]

Thank you so much hon! I'll be sure to give them a watch. Goodwill Hunting has been on my list for a while, this is my sign to go for it :)