After arriving at Uni at 9am and spending 5 hours staring at a computer screen today I feel surprisingly good. Although I will probably need to spend most of the next week at Uni as well, I feel like I am finally making progress. With two assignments nearly completed, writing for the multimedia and culture of the glossy, it's just the last and probably most tedious unit to finish magazine design.
It's caused me many tantrums, much stress and a few headaches but I finally know what I am doing. I am now however, regretting the decisions I made last term most Tuesday mornings when I woke up, most probably hungover and facing 2 hours of magazine design, to then roll over and go back to sleep. "It's nothing important, only practicing using Quark for our final double page spread," I would think. (Quark is the extremely tedious software program that we have to use to build a double page spread for a story we have written.) Nothing Important? Oh how wrong I was. I thought I could just download the 3 month trial from the internet and teach myself how to use it. All well in good if you don't muck up the download the first time and then not be aloud to try again. I'm so clever.
This is a prime example of why staying in bed is not the best decision. Anyway, I finally know what I am doing - a week before deadline, excellent. I surprised myself a little today, and found that once I got in to it, it's surprisingly easy. I stopped thinking about what all my flat mates were up to, (probably asleep at 9am anyway) about the sunshine, spending my loan and getting drunk and instead I zoned everyone and everything out. I got quite in to building all these double paged spreads, I didn't mention that not only did I have to do my own spread I still had to do all the practice ones we'd been doing every week for 5 weeks to show our progress in our scrap books. I hadn't done any of them.
So, pretty pleased at what I have finally managed to achieve today, I definitely think I deserve a night out tonight so I am therefore forgetting about Quark and looking forward to a bit of Oceana.
Wednesday, 4 May 2011
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Ralph Lauren Romance
I literally cannot get enough of this advertisement for Ralph Lauren Romance Fragrance for Women. It makes me want go out and buy it straight away, exactly what an advert aims to do I suppose. I came across it in the Hello Magazine I bought a couple of days ago (which just so happened to be a royal wedding souvenir copy) I pulled it out and it now takes pride place on my pin board directly above my mac. Not sure if this is really the best place for it, as I sit here trying to finish my essay I find myself gazing pointlessly at the advert. I love it, it's such a perfect picture.
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Looking back at the Royal Wedding
Finally, I have got round to blogging about the wedding. It was absolutely beautiful, Kate looked amazing and the day was perfect. I forced myself out of bed to watch it on Friday morning, and I am so glad I did.
I tuned in, in time to watch most of the family members make their way along the route from Buckingham palace, Calarence House and Goring hotel where Kate stayed to Westminster Abbey. I feel priviledged to have been able to watch such a beautiful royal wedding, in forty or however many years time I will be able to say: "I watched the King and Queen's wedding from my tiny student room in Southampton!"
It gave me goose pimples when Prince William turned to Kate in the church and said what looked like: "You look beautiful." And of course she did. Watching them together, exchanging smiles, grins and of course that first kiss upon the balcony reminded me that although they are part of the royal family, they are still human, they have feelings they do normal things like getting married. Not to say however, that the wedding was normal - not with that many people watching anyway!
Having said this however, the wedding surprised me a little at how ordinary and simple it was. Not negatively but realistically. Obviously it was this crazy massive wedding that everyone who is anyone knew about but it still had the beautiful white wedding dress, a church and two people that love each other. I'm not quite sure what else I was expecting from it but the traditional simplicity is why I liked it so much.
After watching Kate and Will on the balcony of Buckingham Palace looking truly happy and perfect i felt good and excited for the wedding celebrations that afternoon in Southampton. We went to a street party on Newcombe Road (ironically the road I will be living on next year), I'm not sure what I was expecting from it but it certainly wasn't what I saw when I turned the corner. There were hundreds of students filling the entire road from one end to the other, burger vans, massive speakers in several front gardens, dancing, alcohol and honestly happy people. The sun was shining and I don't think it could have been more perfect. I spent the afternoon with my friends celebrating the special day. Who cares if we don't actually know Will & Kate, it was a beautiful wedding and gave everyone a reason to be happy and to celebrate. It was a good day.
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Blogging Challenge
Returning to Uni after Easter, celebrating the royal wedding, final Uni assignments and going to Spain, I have quite possibly chosen the worst month to chose to take on the blogging challenge. With this in mind I am going to put the challenge on hold because there are plenty of other things I need to be concentrating on, this is not to say however the blogging itself will be put on hold.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Day 3// Call To Action
So with call to action being the idea for day 3 of the blogging challenge I wasn't too sure what I was going to write about to begin with. I decided however my call to action is to ask the people that do read my blog to get more people reading it by sharing it around a little.
I blog about all sorts of things, whether they are funny, serious, sad or silly I will write about it and some turn out really well and some not so but after all the whole idea of my blog is to improve and learn a little. No ones brilliant to start with at anything, and as the saying goes practice makes perfect. I'm still relatively knew to the blogging world and therefore I'm still finding my feet a little.
So my call to action, if you read my blog and you like it I want you to share it with other people. It's easy to do this on my blog as there is a gadget on the right hand side and at the very bottom offering several methods of sharing it such as facebook and twitter. All you have to do is chose the one you want to use and click on it - simple as that. By sharing it around, your creating a wider audience and increasing the number and variety of people that might stumble across my blog and read it.
As well, if you read anything you like, agree with, disagree with or don't like I want people to leave comments on my blog posts and tell me what your thinking and why. The whole idea of this is to get people reading what I write and creating a reaction, that's what a journalist aims to do isn't it? Things aren't written just for the sake of it, there's a reason why it's written. Even if you have something negative to say, a bit of constructive criticism never hurt anyone now did it. My point is, I want to know that people are reading my blog and I want to know what you think.
You might ask why? What's the point? Let me tell you...
It's pretty simple, I am doing a degree in journalism after all because I want people to see what I write and this seems like a perfect starting point to me. So that's my call to action to help me out. If you ignore it then that's entirely up to you but if you don't then I definitely owe you a massive thankyou!
I blog about all sorts of things, whether they are funny, serious, sad or silly I will write about it and some turn out really well and some not so but after all the whole idea of my blog is to improve and learn a little. No ones brilliant to start with at anything, and as the saying goes practice makes perfect. I'm still relatively knew to the blogging world and therefore I'm still finding my feet a little.
So my call to action, if you read my blog and you like it I want you to share it with other people. It's easy to do this on my blog as there is a gadget on the right hand side and at the very bottom offering several methods of sharing it such as facebook and twitter. All you have to do is chose the one you want to use and click on it - simple as that. By sharing it around, your creating a wider audience and increasing the number and variety of people that might stumble across my blog and read it.
As well, if you read anything you like, agree with, disagree with or don't like I want people to leave comments on my blog posts and tell me what your thinking and why. The whole idea of this is to get people reading what I write and creating a reaction, that's what a journalist aims to do isn't it? Things aren't written just for the sake of it, there's a reason why it's written. Even if you have something negative to say, a bit of constructive criticism never hurt anyone now did it. My point is, I want to know that people are reading my blog and I want to know what you think.
You might ask why? What's the point? Let me tell you...
It's pretty simple, I am doing a degree in journalism after all because I want people to see what I write and this seems like a perfect starting point to me. So that's my call to action to help me out. If you ignore it then that's entirely up to you but if you don't then I definitely owe you a massive thankyou!
Monday, 25 April 2011
Day 2// Tips
The second day of the blogging challenge is TIPS. I was thinking to myself what do I know a lot about to warrant me giving tips on it. Then I realised, what is really fresh in my mind is my first year at University, which is rapidly coming to an end. Before I started University, I was constantly reading guides, tips and lists published by students on forums and blogs about going to Uni. Now however, I know for myself. I know that I should have not shared my saucepans with my flat mates so they get incredibly scratched and unusable and I know that the vegetable streamer I thought would be very useful, really isn't - I have never used it.
So here are my top 10 tips for starting University. (In no particular order.)
1. Don't try and take EVERYTHING
Any typical girl has loads of clothes, which is fair enough but believe me, your Uni room will not have space for your entire wardrobe. There's no point in trying to take everything with you, I sent back a couple of boxes of things with my parents, there simply wasn't the room. Plus half of what I did keep I haven't even used or worn.
2. Don't hide in your room on the first night
So you’re scared, alone and nervous. You don't know these strange people that your parents have left you with. Well funnily enough, everyone is in the same boat and the best way to solve this is to get out in the kitchen or communal space and get chatting. On my first night, I was shattered and all set for an early night but it's really important you make the effort with your new flat mates because they may or may not become your closest friends at Uni. Once I got chatting to my flat mates, we went to the student union, got drunk, went to a club, got a bit more drunk and the rest is history.
3. Take plenty of photos and home comforts.
Being in a strange place, and moving away from home for the first time can be extremely daunting. Personally, I found having cushions from home, photographs and pictures very comforting and made settling in much easier. That’s why it’s also important to unpack and settle in to your room as soon as possible. If you do it before your parents leave, they’ll help you. My mum hung up and folded all my clothes for me –excellent!
4. Take essentials like oven gloves.
As obvious as this may sound, it's amazing how easily people forget things like this. When it comes to getting the pizza out the oven, you suddenly remember what the answer was when your parents ask you: "Is there anything you've forgotten?"
5. Save all your lose change.
Every time it came to having to wash my clothes I never had any change to use in the machines. This made the whole having to do my own washing a whole lot more annoying in the fact I had to go all the way to the shop to change up a note before being able to actually start. The worst part of living on your own: Having to wash your clothes - and pay for it!
6. Take a doorstop.
Ages before I even thought about what to take to Uni with me, people told me I would need a doorstop. As un-exciting as that sounds it's proved very useful. Most of the doors in Halls of Residence close behind you. This is all well and good when you want some time to yourself but also very un-social. For the first few weeks I propped my door open and that way it was much easier to get to know everyone. It's a lot easier to approach an open door than an un-open door. Besides who wants to get ready for a night out on their own?
7. Buy cheap glasses, plates, mugs etc.
Nothing lasts very long in a halls of residence kitchen, I can tell you. I have probably been through about 10 different glasses and I know for a fact I have one less plate - and I know whom to blame! I never really care when things get broken because I bought it all cheap, if you take anything valuable in terms of kitchen stuff, I guarantee it will be broken at some point. Lets face it, everyone gets little bit drunk now and then and knocks things flying, it's been done a lot in my kitchen.
8. Don't try and do EVERYTHING in fresher’s week.
Fresher’s week is amazing and I wont deny that, the first week or fortnight are the most important for getting to know people and places but it is also extremely tiring and overwhelming. A lot of people will try and do everything, go to every social event and get drunk every night - there seems to be that emphasis on fresher’s week but there is a lot more to in than that. Personally I went out about 3 times the first week and the other nights I spent with my flat mates socializing in halls, you get to know people a lot better that way and you don't embarrass yourself with your drunk habits straight away. You know what I mean, the emotional bit, the disappearing act, the violent stage and the paralytic ending.
9. Get involved with groups, societies and clubs.
If there is one thing I regret not doing, it's failing to join a club. Universities provide all sorts of social activities other than drinking (though that usually comes in to it one way or another.) It's a brilliant way to meet people and when you are sick of being in the flat it gives you something to do and somewhere to go maybe a couple of nights a week.
10. Be prepared to have your sleeping pattern ruined.
For some reason students find it a good idea to sit up to all hours, chatting, drinking and watching really pointless crap on the Internet. Why going to bed every night at 2am seems like a good idea I will never know but it seems to be the way it goes. Even when you do manage an early night, there is plenty of noise around to ruin that for you. That’s halls for you! So if you like your sleep you’d better be prepared to have to wear earplugs.
So here are my top 10 tips for starting University. (In no particular order.)
1. Don't try and take EVERYTHING
Any typical girl has loads of clothes, which is fair enough but believe me, your Uni room will not have space for your entire wardrobe. There's no point in trying to take everything with you, I sent back a couple of boxes of things with my parents, there simply wasn't the room. Plus half of what I did keep I haven't even used or worn.
2. Don't hide in your room on the first night
So you’re scared, alone and nervous. You don't know these strange people that your parents have left you with. Well funnily enough, everyone is in the same boat and the best way to solve this is to get out in the kitchen or communal space and get chatting. On my first night, I was shattered and all set for an early night but it's really important you make the effort with your new flat mates because they may or may not become your closest friends at Uni. Once I got chatting to my flat mates, we went to the student union, got drunk, went to a club, got a bit more drunk and the rest is history.
3. Take plenty of photos and home comforts.
Being in a strange place, and moving away from home for the first time can be extremely daunting. Personally, I found having cushions from home, photographs and pictures very comforting and made settling in much easier. That’s why it’s also important to unpack and settle in to your room as soon as possible. If you do it before your parents leave, they’ll help you. My mum hung up and folded all my clothes for me –excellent!
4. Take essentials like oven gloves.
As obvious as this may sound, it's amazing how easily people forget things like this. When it comes to getting the pizza out the oven, you suddenly remember what the answer was when your parents ask you: "Is there anything you've forgotten?"
5. Save all your lose change.
Every time it came to having to wash my clothes I never had any change to use in the machines. This made the whole having to do my own washing a whole lot more annoying in the fact I had to go all the way to the shop to change up a note before being able to actually start. The worst part of living on your own: Having to wash your clothes - and pay for it!
6. Take a doorstop.
Ages before I even thought about what to take to Uni with me, people told me I would need a doorstop. As un-exciting as that sounds it's proved very useful. Most of the doors in Halls of Residence close behind you. This is all well and good when you want some time to yourself but also very un-social. For the first few weeks I propped my door open and that way it was much easier to get to know everyone. It's a lot easier to approach an open door than an un-open door. Besides who wants to get ready for a night out on their own?
7. Buy cheap glasses, plates, mugs etc.
Nothing lasts very long in a halls of residence kitchen, I can tell you. I have probably been through about 10 different glasses and I know for a fact I have one less plate - and I know whom to blame! I never really care when things get broken because I bought it all cheap, if you take anything valuable in terms of kitchen stuff, I guarantee it will be broken at some point. Lets face it, everyone gets little bit drunk now and then and knocks things flying, it's been done a lot in my kitchen.
8. Don't try and do EVERYTHING in fresher’s week.
Fresher’s week is amazing and I wont deny that, the first week or fortnight are the most important for getting to know people and places but it is also extremely tiring and overwhelming. A lot of people will try and do everything, go to every social event and get drunk every night - there seems to be that emphasis on fresher’s week but there is a lot more to in than that. Personally I went out about 3 times the first week and the other nights I spent with my flat mates socializing in halls, you get to know people a lot better that way and you don't embarrass yourself with your drunk habits straight away. You know what I mean, the emotional bit, the disappearing act, the violent stage and the paralytic ending.
9. Get involved with groups, societies and clubs.
If there is one thing I regret not doing, it's failing to join a club. Universities provide all sorts of social activities other than drinking (though that usually comes in to it one way or another.) It's a brilliant way to meet people and when you are sick of being in the flat it gives you something to do and somewhere to go maybe a couple of nights a week.
10. Be prepared to have your sleeping pattern ruined.
For some reason students find it a good idea to sit up to all hours, chatting, drinking and watching really pointless crap on the Internet. Why going to bed every night at 2am seems like a good idea I will never know but it seems to be the way it goes. Even when you do manage an early night, there is plenty of noise around to ruin that for you. That’s halls for you! So if you like your sleep you’d better be prepared to have to wear earplugs.
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Day 1// Topical Blogging - The Royal Wedding.
For Day 1 of the blogging challenge the topic was something that is currently in the news, instantly I though of one event which for one reason or another is continuously cropping up in the News, The Royal Wedding.
The royal wedding is less that a week away now. Did you know that? Of course you did, If you listen to the radio, watch television, use the internet via computer, blackberry or Iphone or read magazines and newspapers then you would definitely know.
Lets be honest now, the whole royal wedding palaver has sent everyone a little bit crazy. I will admit, I'm completely obsessed with the whole thing, yet I'm not quite sure why? I would love to say Wills is a friend of the family and I go shopping with Kate on a regular basis, but that would be a lie.Yet every day, I find my self thinking about their wedding.
I literally cannot wait to see Kate's dress, and see how many bridesmaids have to stop it from dragging along the floor, miles behind her. Just think, the money that has been thrown at this event and how utterly glamorous, gorgeous and perfect it's going to be, and also the pressure there is to make sure it is just as it should be.
In my slight obsession with the whole thing I Googled it, just to see how the schedule looks. I can't believe how complex it is. Any regular wedding and the schedule would mention, the people directly involved wouldn't you think. You know, the two people getting married and their families. Not when your the son of the Prince of Wales, your wedding then involves a couple of hundred other people you probably don't know the names of.
The schedule starts between 8.15am and 9.45am with, the general congregation arriving at the Great North Door of Westminster Abbey. From 9.50am Governors-general and prime ministers of realm countries, the diplomatic corps and other distinguished guests arrive at the Abbey. Who are these people?
The schedule gets as exact as 10.38 when The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall leave Clarence House for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.42am. What I want to know is what happens if unexpectedly The Duchess of Cornwall's heel breaks and she has to change her shoes? Or if Prince Charles forgets the camera? (Yes - I realise there will be a very expensive professional photographer, but you get my point.) That would ruin the schedule a little wouldn't it?
What I like about the marriage is that Kate is like any other girl. Well, maybe I should rephrase that. She was like any other girl, until Prince William proposed to her and offered her a marriage that the entire country and probably many others will be watching. From what I have seen of her and read about her, she does seem so normal, so natural and so lovely. That doesn't stop a lot of the girls in this country thinking: "Bitch!" She does get to marry the prince and have an absolutely extraordinary wedding, and a whole day where all eyes will just be on her.
Exciting as that may sound, think of the pressure? The pressure to look amazing, get the vows right, not be late, not to trip over anything or get drunk and take the piss out of the Queens Corgi or something. She's marrying in to the royal family for goodness sakes, better stay away from the champagne.
Anyway, the wedding is on Friday and I'm pretty sure the country will be celebrating in style. It's been announced as a public holiday so for me that's an excuse to have a damn good party. I will definitely be watching the royal wedding, I can't wait to see if anything goes wrong, anyone falls over or a car breaks down or something. I'm pretty sure however, with the amount of money that will have gone in to this day, mistakes like that will not be happening.
The royal wedding is less that a week away now. Did you know that? Of course you did, If you listen to the radio, watch television, use the internet via computer, blackberry or Iphone or read magazines and newspapers then you would definitely know.
Lets be honest now, the whole royal wedding palaver has sent everyone a little bit crazy. I will admit, I'm completely obsessed with the whole thing, yet I'm not quite sure why? I would love to say Wills is a friend of the family and I go shopping with Kate on a regular basis, but that would be a lie.Yet every day, I find my self thinking about their wedding.
I literally cannot wait to see Kate's dress, and see how many bridesmaids have to stop it from dragging along the floor, miles behind her. Just think, the money that has been thrown at this event and how utterly glamorous, gorgeous and perfect it's going to be, and also the pressure there is to make sure it is just as it should be.
In my slight obsession with the whole thing I Googled it, just to see how the schedule looks. I can't believe how complex it is. Any regular wedding and the schedule would mention, the people directly involved wouldn't you think. You know, the two people getting married and their families. Not when your the son of the Prince of Wales, your wedding then involves a couple of hundred other people you probably don't know the names of.
The schedule starts between 8.15am and 9.45am with, the general congregation arriving at the Great North Door of Westminster Abbey. From 9.50am Governors-general and prime ministers of realm countries, the diplomatic corps and other distinguished guests arrive at the Abbey. Who are these people?
The schedule gets as exact as 10.38 when The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall leave Clarence House for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.42am. What I want to know is what happens if unexpectedly The Duchess of Cornwall's heel breaks and she has to change her shoes? Or if Prince Charles forgets the camera? (Yes - I realise there will be a very expensive professional photographer, but you get my point.) That would ruin the schedule a little wouldn't it?
What I like about the marriage is that Kate is like any other girl. Well, maybe I should rephrase that. She was like any other girl, until Prince William proposed to her and offered her a marriage that the entire country and probably many others will be watching. From what I have seen of her and read about her, she does seem so normal, so natural and so lovely. That doesn't stop a lot of the girls in this country thinking: "Bitch!" She does get to marry the prince and have an absolutely extraordinary wedding, and a whole day where all eyes will just be on her.
Exciting as that may sound, think of the pressure? The pressure to look amazing, get the vows right, not be late, not to trip over anything or get drunk and take the piss out of the Queens Corgi or something. She's marrying in to the royal family for goodness sakes, better stay away from the champagne.
Anyway, the wedding is on Friday and I'm pretty sure the country will be celebrating in style. It's been announced as a public holiday so for me that's an excuse to have a damn good party. I will definitely be watching the royal wedding, I can't wait to see if anything goes wrong, anyone falls over or a car breaks down or something. I'm pretty sure however, with the amount of money that will have gone in to this day, mistakes like that will not be happening.
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