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Enjoy x
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
I'm still here...
It's certainly been a while since I have even visited my blog let alone updated it. I put it down to the busy five weeks that I have been back at Uni. Yes, that's right we are already five weeks in to the first semester of the second year. Personally, I can't quite get my head around that but what I do know is that it hasn't been an easy five weeks.
I admit, it's the nature of Journalism and it's why I am here but every week I've had to produce fully researched features with interviews. I have struggled and I am still struggling, I guess it's something that comes with experience but it's been tough to prepare these features, carry out interviews, write them up, make them sound good as well as working and actually going to University. It might not sound that difficult but there honestly isn't enough hours in the day. I also have to feed myself, sleep and generally have some time to gain my sanity.
I don't want it to sound like I am moaning about the industry that I am heading towards because that is not at all what I am doing. I enjoy having the freedom at long last to write things that will be read, it's what I've always wanted to do but it's not the only thing that I have to do right now and if that's one thing I struggle with it's fitting everything in. Today however I had a tutorial with my course leader and she gave me some positive feedback and told me there is no need to stress everything is as it should be and just that in itself gives me a little bit more confidence to realise that actually, it's not all that bad.
The next few weeks I am hoping I'll be working less and have more time to really get my teeth in to these features, my law essay and I might even find some time to go home and see my friends and family. If there's one thing I want to do right now it's to go back to Devon and sit in front of the fire with my mum, dad the dog and the cats and soak up a bit of the country side! There's no where like home, a saying that really makes sense when you're feeling a little bit down.
Apart from the stress and the pressure I haven't actually got anything to complain about. Lets face it life is good and this time next month I will be in New York taking in the sights and experiencing a brand new city and America for the first time ever, I'm pretty excited about this.
I admit, it's the nature of Journalism and it's why I am here but every week I've had to produce fully researched features with interviews. I have struggled and I am still struggling, I guess it's something that comes with experience but it's been tough to prepare these features, carry out interviews, write them up, make them sound good as well as working and actually going to University. It might not sound that difficult but there honestly isn't enough hours in the day. I also have to feed myself, sleep and generally have some time to gain my sanity.
I don't want it to sound like I am moaning about the industry that I am heading towards because that is not at all what I am doing. I enjoy having the freedom at long last to write things that will be read, it's what I've always wanted to do but it's not the only thing that I have to do right now and if that's one thing I struggle with it's fitting everything in. Today however I had a tutorial with my course leader and she gave me some positive feedback and told me there is no need to stress everything is as it should be and just that in itself gives me a little bit more confidence to realise that actually, it's not all that bad.
The next few weeks I am hoping I'll be working less and have more time to really get my teeth in to these features, my law essay and I might even find some time to go home and see my friends and family. If there's one thing I want to do right now it's to go back to Devon and sit in front of the fire with my mum, dad the dog and the cats and soak up a bit of the country side! There's no where like home, a saying that really makes sense when you're feeling a little bit down.
Apart from the stress and the pressure I haven't actually got anything to complain about. Lets face it life is good and this time next month I will be in New York taking in the sights and experiencing a brand new city and America for the first time ever, I'm pretty excited about this.
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
You know that sinking feeling...
You know that feeling, like when you’ve got to the check out in a super market after doing your weekly shop and you realise you’ve left your purse at home? You know that sinking feeling, well something similar just happened to me on the train. I handed my wad of tickets to the ticket inspector quite innocently and he says in an irritated voice: “Do you have the ticket for this leg of the journey?” I looked at him, a little confused and said gormlessly: “Is it not there?” Well obviously. He told me to have a look for it and he would come back, that sinking feeling hit me. I started to panic, oh my god oh my god I’m going to be kicked off the train, an hour from home, in the dark and the pouring rain with only 80p in my pocket.
I pulled out my pockets, and emptied the contents of my bag! It wasn’t there! I racked my brains desperately to try and work out what I had done with it. To be honest I’d probably not even taken it out of the machine when I collected them or I’d left it on the previous train or something, either way I did not have it and this was a bit of problem. Hoping the guy would forget about me I settled back down to read my magazine but no. I soon saw him marching back through the carriage with purpose. “I’m really sorry, I haven’t got it, I must have lost it or left it on another train or something, but I’ve definitely paid. Here’s my booking confirmation!” I spluttered helplessly, producing my blackberry to show him the confirmation email. He looked over my tickets once again and then lectured me a little bit about being careful in the future and making sure I have everything required for my journey as sometimes people hand tickets to other people for parts of the journey (I’d never thought of doing this!) Then he walked away, he didn’t kick me off or fine me so I was safe and maybe I had over reacted a little but there I decided to share this with everyone that reads my blog.
Although I am currently on a train with no Internet I will post this when I reach my destination – which if you were wondering is home, my proper home in little old Devon with my family. I’m taking a few chilled days there before the mayhem of fresher’s and the start of my second year at University. Crazy stuff!
Monday, 5 September 2011
Pushy & Proud: Pamper Parlour Mums
I'm sitting here watching this new series on Sky Living and to be honest I'm a little bit disgusted by it. A princess parlor? Wearing makeup at 3 years old? Spray tan at 4? Eyebrow waxing at 12, a mother that spends £200 a month on clothes and treatment to keep her daughter looking good? Are you serious? At 3 years old I was playing with plastic farm yard animals and running around the garden getting muddy, at 4 not much had probably changed and at 12, I definitely wasn't thinking about having anything waxed.
It's totally bizarre to me, children shouldn't be wearing makeup and receiving beauty treatments. They need to be taught that they don't HAVE to wear makeup to look good because other wise they will grow up under the impression that it is a necessity in life. Surely it will effect their confidence? They'll always think that they need a face full of makeup to hide behind. What about natural beauty? I've always regretted starting to wear makeup, I'm pretty sure I didn't need to at the time but I did it because as a young teenager that's what everyone did, and now I can't go without makeup. That was a decision I made myself whilst growing up, but this program is showing mothers dressing their little girls like barbies. I don't see anything right about that, do you?
As a child you still have your innocence, how can you rob that from a toddler and exploit them in such a way. They have the rest of their lives ahead of them to do all the grown up pampering things. That's what becoming an adult is all about. Yeah, as a teenager you start discovering all that's available to you to make yourself look and feel good which is brilliant but I'm watching little girls on this program being smothered in makeup and fake tan.
I appreciate that the mothers featured on this program aim to prevent their children feeling bad about themselves and providing them with confidence but the reality is, that they are actually putting these ideas in their head. I never cared what I looked like as a child, I was too busy playing games and running around. There are things that adults do and there are things that children do and to be honest I think that's the way it should be kept. I know that in some cases it's just a little bit of nail varnish or glitter, which as a little girl is great. It's exciting to be treated as a princess now and then but that's what it should be - now and then, for a party or as a treat! Children are vulnerable and impressionable they need to be shown that it's not all about how you look, they need to know that they are beautiful the way that they are and they need to grow up knowing that!
It's totally bizarre to me, children shouldn't be wearing makeup and receiving beauty treatments. They need to be taught that they don't HAVE to wear makeup to look good because other wise they will grow up under the impression that it is a necessity in life. Surely it will effect their confidence? They'll always think that they need a face full of makeup to hide behind. What about natural beauty? I've always regretted starting to wear makeup, I'm pretty sure I didn't need to at the time but I did it because as a young teenager that's what everyone did, and now I can't go without makeup. That was a decision I made myself whilst growing up, but this program is showing mothers dressing their little girls like barbies. I don't see anything right about that, do you?
As a child you still have your innocence, how can you rob that from a toddler and exploit them in such a way. They have the rest of their lives ahead of them to do all the grown up pampering things. That's what becoming an adult is all about. Yeah, as a teenager you start discovering all that's available to you to make yourself look and feel good which is brilliant but I'm watching little girls on this program being smothered in makeup and fake tan.
I appreciate that the mothers featured on this program aim to prevent their children feeling bad about themselves and providing them with confidence but the reality is, that they are actually putting these ideas in their head. I never cared what I looked like as a child, I was too busy playing games and running around. There are things that adults do and there are things that children do and to be honest I think that's the way it should be kept. I know that in some cases it's just a little bit of nail varnish or glitter, which as a little girl is great. It's exciting to be treated as a princess now and then but that's what it should be - now and then, for a party or as a treat! Children are vulnerable and impressionable they need to be shown that it's not all about how you look, they need to know that they are beautiful the way that they are and they need to grow up knowing that!
Review: One Day
A week or so ago I went to see One Day at the cinema, I came out crying.
The film revolves around the lives of two main characters Dexter Mayhew played by Jim Sturgess and Emma Morley played by Anne Hathaway who met on July 15th 1988, Graduation day and St Swithins day. The film documents key moments of their friendship for 20 years showing them on the 15th of July of each of those years. Emma is a typical good girl with morals eager to make a difference in the world and Dexter is a rich boy who just wants to have fun in life and live on the wild side a little bit, he doesn't have ambitions and dreams the way that Emma does. From the day they met they fell in love but neither of them really realised and as they went about their lives there were arguments, tears, fun and laughter and many missed opportunities at life together.
I was glued to the screen at the cinema, longing them to wrap their arms around each other and hold on forever, to notice that the person they were waiting for had been there for 20 years! I don't want to tell you what happens in case you are planning to go and see the film anytime soon, but as I said - I came out in tears. I always try and hold it in at cinema, for the sake of my makeup but I looked to my friend beside me and we were both weeping like a pair of emotional girls. It certainly sparks a reaction and isn't that what any good film should do?
I did enjoy the film but when I think back to it what I want to know is why the hell did they cast Anne Hathaway as Emma? To start with, the characters are English and Hathaway is American. I realise that as an actress she should be able to sound English when required but clearly she struggled! Her accent seems to change throughout the film there is no consistency and it actually sounds fake, for me that ruined the film a little bit, it was just annoying. Why not use and English actress. I'm not the biggest fan of Anne Hathaway although I love her in Devil Wears Prada.
I loved the story line and therefore I'm willing to forgive the poor English accent and advise you to go and see the film - it's at least worth a watch of a orange Wednesdays!
The film revolves around the lives of two main characters Dexter Mayhew played by Jim Sturgess and Emma Morley played by Anne Hathaway who met on July 15th 1988, Graduation day and St Swithins day. The film documents key moments of their friendship for 20 years showing them on the 15th of July of each of those years. Emma is a typical good girl with morals eager to make a difference in the world and Dexter is a rich boy who just wants to have fun in life and live on the wild side a little bit, he doesn't have ambitions and dreams the way that Emma does. From the day they met they fell in love but neither of them really realised and as they went about their lives there were arguments, tears, fun and laughter and many missed opportunities at life together.
I was glued to the screen at the cinema, longing them to wrap their arms around each other and hold on forever, to notice that the person they were waiting for had been there for 20 years! I don't want to tell you what happens in case you are planning to go and see the film anytime soon, but as I said - I came out in tears. I always try and hold it in at cinema, for the sake of my makeup but I looked to my friend beside me and we were both weeping like a pair of emotional girls. It certainly sparks a reaction and isn't that what any good film should do?
I did enjoy the film but when I think back to it what I want to know is why the hell did they cast Anne Hathaway as Emma? To start with, the characters are English and Hathaway is American. I realise that as an actress she should be able to sound English when required but clearly she struggled! Her accent seems to change throughout the film there is no consistency and it actually sounds fake, for me that ruined the film a little bit, it was just annoying. Why not use and English actress. I'm not the biggest fan of Anne Hathaway although I love her in Devil Wears Prada.
I loved the story line and therefore I'm willing to forgive the poor English accent and advise you to go and see the film - it's at least worth a watch of a orange Wednesdays!
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Southampton Solent Food & Dining Society
One of my house mate's, Kaylee, is setting up a new food society at University this year, she's been busy making arrangements the past couple of weeks and now plans are coming together. I'm excited to be involved with the plans and over the next few weeks in the run up to freshers we will be launching a food society blog which is going to be my responsibility. At Southampton Solent University there is a range of different societies available for it's students to join ranging from cheerleading to photography to football. However the biggest range of societies are naturally sports societies but what happens if you aren't in to sports and you just want to learn some new things whilst meeting people and enjoying your self? Well what happens is, you join the new food society.
Everyone loves eating and drinking right? The food society is going to hold cooking classes held by professionals for it's member to attend, linking with healthy eating and organic growing. There will be various exciting trips (details of the first trip are being looked in to) and every month the group will meet for a meal at different restaurants around Southampton and will review their experience and the food during their visit, the review will then be written up and published on the societies blog. As well as this the society will have a partnership with one of the local bars where they will hold a social every week and receive discounted drinks and food and enjoy a great night out!
The society is still in it's early days of planning and arrangements are being sorted for our stall at the freshers sports and societies fair where we will be recruiting new members on September 29th in the Quad at Solent University. If you think you might be interested then take a look at the facebook group and the event page for the fair and keep checking for any updates. It's going to be very exciting and we hope to get involved with loads of different things so make sure you get to the sports and society fair during freshers.
Saturday, 3 September 2011
Birthday Fun
It's official, I am no longer a teenager! On Tuesday I turned 20 - where have all the years gone? Spending it away from home was certainly different, and a complete change from the previous two years which I spent in the comfort of my home in Devon with my mum and dad. This year my house mates spoiled me rotten, in Southampton.
It started with a drunken night out Sunday night, a free fish bowl at 90 degrees, £1 shots at Vodka Revs, a pointless taxi journey to Wahoo, and back again. We finally ended up in UNIT for a silent disco! I don't know if you've ever been to a silent disco but if not let me explain. Basically everyone wears headphones with a couple of different channels on and the music from the DJ plays through the headphones so everyone hears the same music only it's not out loud. The best bit is, if you take your headphones off all you can hear is the terrible drunken singing of all the people around you and the faint murmur of music. It's hilarious! It's safe to say Sunday night was a drunken one, which to be fair is the only way to be on your birthday night out.
Myself drinking wine before going out.
Myself, Kaylee and James at the silent disco.
Birthday Presents!
Birthday message on the mirror.
It was half past seven when I woke up with an excited feeling like you get when your a kid but you have to wait for your parents to get up before you can open your presents. In fact it actually was a bit like that, even my boyfriend didn't budge after I continuously poked him. Didn't he know he had to do everything I say on my birthday? After getting bored of poking I got up and made a cup of tea and before long I'd been joined by my lovely house mates. I honestly felt like a little kid as Kaylee handed me present at a time and everyone watched as I ripped excitedly in to the wrapping paper. I may be twenty but I certainly don't feel like it.
If there's one thing most people know about me is that since I was a baby I've had an obsession with cups of tea, I drink it all day every day and I go through milk like it's going out of fashion. Even as a baby my mum would fill my beaker with warm milky tea. When I started University my flat mates soon picked up on how much I drank the stuff every day and now that we are in the house myself and Emily are as bad as each other with the amount we go through. All this is in mind my house mates bought me a cute little tea pot, cups and saucers and leaf tea from Whittards! It's so cute! As well as this they gave me some chocolates, bath stuff from Lush and a scented candle. My boyfriend gave me Calvin Klein Perfume - Euphoria and a gorgeous necklace. My parents bought a subscription for Company Magazine which is exciting, some pretty shabby chic hooks and they are bringing something else with them when they visit next week. I was well and truly spoiled!
My teapot and cups and saucers.
After a lush breakfast we caught the train to Brighton where we went vintage shopping in the lanes! Surprisingly I didn't buy very much while I was there but I had such a brilliant day. We had lunch at Wagamamas and a mocha with loads of cream at no other than Starbucks. When we'd had enough of walking around the shops we headed to the Pier and played a little in the arcade and went on a couple of rides one of which was the worst ghost train in the world but we found it pretty funny to be honest! After that we had doughnuts and watched a seagull literally take an ice cream out of a guys hand which amused us a little too much.
Alex and I on the pier.
Kaylee and I at the end of the pier.
Alex and I at the end of the pier.
With a couple of hours to kill before our train we went to Vodka Revolutions for a couple of cocktails. Now call us light weights but as we headed towards the station we were definitely slightly drunk. The voices got loud, the conversation got ridiculous and any regard for the people around us was totally gone. I still don't really know how we came to the decision to buy McDonalds and two bottles of Rose wine for the journey home but it certainly made the journey go quickly and by the time we stepped of the train we were off our trolleys. With plans to head out as soon as we'd dropped our shopping home tiredness hit me and the thought of leaving the house again was not welcomed and therefore a nice cup of tea on the sofa with my Uni family rounded off a perfect birthday!
It started with a drunken night out Sunday night, a free fish bowl at 90 degrees, £1 shots at Vodka Revs, a pointless taxi journey to Wahoo, and back again. We finally ended up in UNIT for a silent disco! I don't know if you've ever been to a silent disco but if not let me explain. Basically everyone wears headphones with a couple of different channels on and the music from the DJ plays through the headphones so everyone hears the same music only it's not out loud. The best bit is, if you take your headphones off all you can hear is the terrible drunken singing of all the people around you and the faint murmur of music. It's hilarious! It's safe to say Sunday night was a drunken one, which to be fair is the only way to be on your birthday night out.
Monday night they took me for a meal at a Caribbean restaurant called Turtle Bay for a bit of jerk chicken - lush! Followed by a few more cocktails at Vodka Revolutions and then home with my pink helium balloons for the count down to midnight and then off to bed ready for an exciting day on my actual birthday which had all been kept secret. Before I headed to bed however, my housemates displayed my birthday presents on the cabinet in the living room, just to tempt me. They even told me to open something but I have always figured it isn't actually my birthday until I go to sleep and wake up the next morning, it might be midnight but it still feels like the same day, so off to bed I went.
It was half past seven when I woke up with an excited feeling like you get when your a kid but you have to wait for your parents to get up before you can open your presents. In fact it actually was a bit like that, even my boyfriend didn't budge after I continuously poked him. Didn't he know he had to do everything I say on my birthday? After getting bored of poking I got up and made a cup of tea and before long I'd been joined by my lovely house mates. I honestly felt like a little kid as Kaylee handed me present at a time and everyone watched as I ripped excitedly in to the wrapping paper. I may be twenty but I certainly don't feel like it.
If there's one thing most people know about me is that since I was a baby I've had an obsession with cups of tea, I drink it all day every day and I go through milk like it's going out of fashion. Even as a baby my mum would fill my beaker with warm milky tea. When I started University my flat mates soon picked up on how much I drank the stuff every day and now that we are in the house myself and Emily are as bad as each other with the amount we go through. All this is in mind my house mates bought me a cute little tea pot, cups and saucers and leaf tea from Whittards! It's so cute! As well as this they gave me some chocolates, bath stuff from Lush and a scented candle. My boyfriend gave me Calvin Klein Perfume - Euphoria and a gorgeous necklace. My parents bought a subscription for Company Magazine which is exciting, some pretty shabby chic hooks and they are bringing something else with them when they visit next week. I was well and truly spoiled!
After a lush breakfast we caught the train to Brighton where we went vintage shopping in the lanes! Surprisingly I didn't buy very much while I was there but I had such a brilliant day. We had lunch at Wagamamas and a mocha with loads of cream at no other than Starbucks. When we'd had enough of walking around the shops we headed to the Pier and played a little in the arcade and went on a couple of rides one of which was the worst ghost train in the world but we found it pretty funny to be honest! After that we had doughnuts and watched a seagull literally take an ice cream out of a guys hand which amused us a little too much.
With a couple of hours to kill before our train we went to Vodka Revolutions for a couple of cocktails. Now call us light weights but as we headed towards the station we were definitely slightly drunk. The voices got loud, the conversation got ridiculous and any regard for the people around us was totally gone. I still don't really know how we came to the decision to buy McDonalds and two bottles of Rose wine for the journey home but it certainly made the journey go quickly and by the time we stepped of the train we were off our trolleys. With plans to head out as soon as we'd dropped our shopping home tiredness hit me and the thought of leaving the house again was not welcomed and therefore a nice cup of tea on the sofa with my Uni family rounded off a perfect birthday!
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