Uni Panic

This blog is my little space in the world to document my adventures, feelings and emotions! All those things are probably at their height right now; so this is a quickly typed post that I wrote laying in bed last night! No pictures or edits; just simply how I felt at that exact second! 

Tomorrow I am moving to university; to a city for 3 years which ultimately I could not find on a map! I've visited it once; having not even looked in the actual city or in the accommodation I'm staying in. I will no no one and have none of my support network living right next to me when everything goes wrong or I need a little pick me up and to be honest I am now absolutely bricking it! 

I've tried to ignore the reality of moving 2 hours away from home getting fully involved in the excitement of homeware- who doesn't love some good Tupperware! But now, the reality of flying from the nest, is starting to settle in. 

I know this is exactly what I want to do with my life, so in that respect I am very excited! However, that does not prevent the fact that from tomorrow I will have to cook all my own meals, do my own washing and learn how to budget. When previously my biggest budgeting concern was if I could afford to buy another pair of shoes and  my go to meal was boiling pasta! 

It is the fear of the unknown- in a couple of days I could either be having the time of my life in those forthcoming three years or hate every second- which is slightly concerning when you have no back up plan at all! I realise that in absolute terms, moving to university is not a big deal and that in years to come it will be a small event that occurred in my life. But, in relative terms this is probably the biggest step I've taken in my insignificant life and to be honest that is pretty terrifying! How are you all feeling about your next big steps? And what's your way of coping, let me know 

Peace Out My Lovelies xxx

Track of the week: Wanted- Hunter Hayes 

This post is dedicated to one of my best friends and the only one who properly knows about my blog, Jennifer! She will probably be snooping at some point in the future so here's a little hey from me xxx

Summer Dreams #9

Summer 2014: Part-time employment  

I am blue in the face from saying this but, we need to make sure we seize every opportunity that life has to offer. But unfortunately a lot of the time, the thing that prevents us from having fun is a distinct lack of funds and the only way to do this is to get a job *shrieks with fear* 

Now I can sympathise with you guys who are yelling at your screen 'I'm trying to get a job but, nobody is hiring' because I hear you loud and clear! It took me months to find a part-time job even though I live in a town which houses nearly every supermarket chain you could name (Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Asda, Aldi, Iceland, Co-op, Tescos- you name them, we have them!) But my advice would be to not be disheartened because eventually you will find an opening. 

Ok I left the office once and saw this beauty, it's not all hard work 

I'm extremely lucky because as far as a first time job goes I love were I work.  I work in the Welcome Centre of the local Zoo. Now, while that sounds extremely exciting, I never see an animal and instead devote my day to operating a till, answering phones and sending e-mails. So while it's not necessary the job itself that brings me joy throughout the day; it is undeniable that the people I work with are bloody fantastic. The office is full of constant banter and conversation with my colleagues basically just being a little bit mad.  This nice working environment kind of softens the blow that I am earning minimum wage. Meaning until my 18th Birthday I was earning £3.72 an hour and now that I am legally deemed an adult I feel practically a millionaire with the pay rise to £5.03. Now obviously a Zoo is going to be more popular in the school holidays and weekends; making it perfect seasonal employment for a student such as myself because it allows me to earn the most money when I'm spending the most money!! 

Becoming slightly more independent and earning my own money has since allowed me to go on more of the adventures that I want to, as demonstrated in my last Road Trip post. Undeniably it can be annoying being sat at till all day when the sun is blearing or being unable to make every outing with your friends because you have to work, but on the other hand it brings so much more opportunity. It forces you to make plans because you want to embrace the time you have off and make some memories with the well deserved money you have earned. 

As one of my teachers used to say, 'work hard and play harder'! Make sure you let having a job be an opportunity not a burden. I am 95% sure that I turned up to work this week still slightly drunk (not a top tip) but with my best acting and a can of coke I was ready to rock 'n' roll.  Turn up to work a little bit tired or hungover because as long as you can do the work who cares how you do it, put on your best show face and plough your way through the day. You have plenty of time to sleep but only a selected time to adventure so use it!

Peace Out My Lovelies xxx 

Track of the week: All of the Stars- Ed Sheeran (The Fault In Our Stars SoundTrack) 

5 Top Tips: How to Survive Sixth Form

I have just finished two hard years at Sixth Form and have miraculously found my way into a Russell Group University (me. smug? neverr) so I feel I may have some little bits of advice that will ease that transition from GCSE to A-level. 

1.Keep on top of your work
I completely understand if initially you think A-levels should be a walk in the park because you are now only studying 3 or 4 subjects compared to mammoth task of GCSE’s. WRONG! The work load is immensely larger as you begin in-depth studies of these couple of subjects, with teachers not holding back on extra homework or dreaded extra reading. Most tasks won’t be easy 20 minute work sheets; so don’t leave your work to the night before its due in. Be organised and start working on it as soon as you can because otherwise the work will keep piling up. 

2.Use your study periods wisely 
You can have plenty of time to have fun outside school if you work hard in study periods. If you spend these precious hours a week mucking about with your pals it will become increasingly hard to socialise outside of school. Perhaps set aside 1 hour of study period a week were you can have a chat with your friends but, the rest of the time try to hit the books. 

3.Revise throughout the year 
You cannot wing A-levels. You could be the most intelligent human on earth but you will struggle to hit the high grades without some graft. It’s challenging or near impossible to look at your folder for the first time the night before an exam and cram like at GCSE. I would suggest that every time your teacher gives you a little test in class or you finish a unit, start making revision cards, posters or notes; otherwise when it comes to the serious exam season you will be overwhelmed with your endless notes. 

4. Don’t Panic 
It is recognised that it is a massive step from GCSE to A-levels so don’t panic if you’re not hitting the grades straight away because you will eventually build up the knowledge in both the subject and in how to answer the question to be able to succeed. Try to do well at AS because it will reduce your stress at A2 by about 90% and will also mean you won’t have to do any dreaded resists. However, if you’re already an A2 student with poor AS grades again, don’t give up! I know so many people who had to re-sit certain modules- myself included- to get the grade needed for university or work; it is never too late to succeed. 

'We're all in this together' 

5. 'Work hard, play harder'- My Head of Sixth Forms favourite quote  

So far I have made Sixth Form sound like a complete horror but, to be honest despite the hard work it is one of best experiences of your life. It can be an opportunity to make new friends, rule the school and have a more mutual relationship with teachers. It will be a time marked down forever in your life, not just for your final grades, but all the firsts you will experience. It’ll probably be the first time you drink alcohol, learn to drive or experience general freedom. When you have the opportunity to have some fun embrace it with open hands because that is what Sixth Form is all about! 

Peace Out My Lovelies xxx

Track of the week: Rumour Mill- We Are The In Crowd 

Summer Dreams #8

20th- 31st August 2014: Family Fun 

I am blessed to have a super close extended family and this year marked our fifth family holiday together with all my aunts, uncles and cousins. I loved spending 10 days with my nearest and dearest because it meant not only did we catch up about our busy lives but, also got to explore the past and create new memories. I grew up with my cousins from day one; we are all super close in age so our parents would take it in turns baby sitting so they could all work- resulting in some truly horrifying  stories.  

This years trip was to stunning coast of Dalaman Turkey; as the pictures show from the boat trip I took it was honestly breath taking! The sea was so clear and the views stunning. The Hilton Dalaman is honestly the best hotel I have ever stayed in with impeccable service, food and rooms. 

It was a completely chilled holiday; lounging by the pool in the day, then eating and drinking in the evening- the perfect relaxing atmosphere.We had our share of adventure though with midnight swims and something I thought I never would do, cliff jumping!! 

No one is ever going to be as loyal and supportive as your family, so keep them close! As you get older and everyone starts flying the nest it gets harder to keep that connection but, even if its only a day that you can spare for some real family bonding do it because nothing is better than their love and laughter. 

Peace Out My Lovelies xxx 

Track of the week: That's What You Get- Paramore