Sunday 27 December 2015

Sugababes, Santa and 'Is it a school day?'

Hiya!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I had a fab day with my family and I'm now super excited for New Year (and my 19th birthday woohoo).

I'm currently sat in my family's new holiday cottage in Wales and listening to The Sugababes (and reminiscing when I saw them live in Derby when I was at Primary School..what a time to be alive). I'm also attempting to get an essay done, but as you can probably tell I am getting a little distracted. Just a bit. 

I've been home for over a week now! After I transported my stuff back from Uni in a mere 20 bags (my step-dad counted), I finally made it back. I haven't actually spent much time at home yet though...I went to London with my friend for a few days, where we had a lovely Christmassy time. Then I was home for three days over Christmas, and on Boxing Day we traveled to Wales (through a lot of rain). My family only bought the cottage a few months ago so there is a lot of work to be done...I've spent today painting (very badly...at one point I accidentally sat in the pot of paint) and learning how to lay carpets. All fun.




I was warned about this, but it is really strange settling back in to life at home. But...at the same time, it feels normal and it's strange to think that I'm actually at Uni. If that makes any sense. For example when my little sister woke me up on Christmas morning (at 7....Grrr), I randomly had it in my head that it was a 'school day' and it wasn't until I heard "ANNA SANTA HAS BEEN" that I realised that I'm not even at school any more. How strange. I feel like I can settle back in to being at home really easily, but it might be a tad harder when I'm going back to Uni. I am missing Corp Wednesday's though. A lot. (If you are unsure about this phenomenon, please google, and then get to Sheffield for a top notch night out. You won't regret it).

I've got four exams in January which I'm trying not to think about at the moment. I know a a month off seems like AGES but I haven't yet managed to schedule any revision in to my time off. *Thinks about something else*

I think that's about all the updates I have! I hope you are all having a relaxing, well-deserved break.

Anna x

P.s December's Blogger of the Month comp is coming to an end, but you can still vote for me here until the end of the month :)

P.p.s I thought I would share with you my little sister's reaction when she realised that Santa had also visited the cottage in Wales....She really is emotionally invested in the whole Christmas thing.




Tuesday 15 December 2015

Six ways to survive your First Semester

Hey!

I'M FREEEEE...By that I mean my deadlines are in the distant past and consequently I woke up at 12 today. Bliss. I'm not home yet though as I've still got a week left of shorthand (yay). 

I spent Sunday recovering from a stressful week of deadlines and serving endless Christmas dinners...by going to see the Coca Cola truck in true Christmas spirit. We also had our Flat Christmas meal on Sunday which was lavely.


Happy days in F2

Anyway...

I thought I would write a little post on what I have learnt since I have been at University, about general life...and myself too. I am a big believer that making mistakes isn't ALWAYS a bad thing- the lessons that you can learn from that mistake will shape you as a person, and make you a better human being. So here goes.

1) IT IS AMAZING
I've had the BEST time since coming to Uni. I've done things I never thought I would do, made friends with people who I never saw myself with, seen so many new places and become a more independent and rounded person (as odd as that sounds).

2) Don't worry about being worried
I haven't met anyone who wasn't worried about going to Uni. One of my flatmates almost didn't come because she was so nervous about it. BUT you've got to remember that it's natural to worry...but at the end of the day you'll be fine and I can pretty much guarantee that you'll love it. Also I've met people who said that they were so worried because they were more of an introverted person and found it hard to fit in. But out of all the people going to Uni, you will be sure to find someone who's just like you.

3) Homesickness is (pretty much) inevitable
Maybe. It was for me anyway. But you'll get used to it eventually...and at the end of the day 'home' will always be home. If that makes any sense. And now I'm SUPER excited to go back for a whole month and spend time with my friends and family for the MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAAAAR (I hope you sang that too.) At the same time though it's going to be very odd going home....I'm going to miss my Uni friends so much, and it will be strange fitting back in to my life at home (where I can't get in at 5am and eat cereal from the box whilst discussing politics with my flatmates. Not that we do that...)

4) Try everything you can 
What I mean by this is throw yourself in to whatever you can. In my first week I got kind of delirious and started talking to EVERYONE and making EVERY FRIEND POSSIBLE. Maybe this was a bit too extreme...but basically don't be scared to try new things. You wont regret it!

5) The Midlands is South to Northerners and North to Southerners.
The question "Are you from the North or the South" is up there with "What's your name, what course do you do?" and all those other small talk questions which everybody asks when you get to Uni. And if you're from the Midlands, expect to receive a confused look followed by "But if you HAD to choose North or South....." Extremely annoying.

6) You think you'll join a million societies, exercise everyday and be super productive. But in reality you'll sleep in and miss lectures, stay out too late and think "First Year doesn't count, so it's okay right???".
I feel like this sums up what Uni has been like for most First Year students thus far. (Sorry to generalise all the students who have not felt this way. Well done you.) To be fair I've only missed one lecture....and a few shorthand sessions....they're at 9am, who can blame me.

Overall I've had a BRILL first semester. What a whirlwind it has been...Next time I post I'll be back in Derby!

I hope this post has been helpful/relatable:)

Anna x

P.s, if you want to vote for me for Blogger of the Month, you can do so here :)

P.p.s I will leave you with this...



Thursday 10 December 2015

The End of the Very Christmas-y Tunnel

Hello!

Hope everyone is all good and looking forward to CHRISTMAAAAS! I certainly am. My Christmas spotify playlist is in FULL SWING. Mariah can't get enough of my singing. Or the other way round.

I was super stressed at the start of the week because I have a presentation to do tomorrow in front of my seminar group, a Spanish project thing (WHICH COUNTS FOR NOTHING. Don't get me started.) and a Spanish speaking exam- which we have to record ourselves, making sure our face can be seen so we can't cheat and read it :( But I've got most of it done now Y A Y.

I can now see the light at the end of the very Christmas-y tunnel.

I spent last weekend at home putting the Christmas tree up with the fam which was FAB but I didn't get much work done. Obvs. 



Also saw one of my besties from home at the weekend and introduced her to the night-life in Sheff...and went to work the next day. Not a good idea.




Yesterday I saw my Auntie who's home from South Africa, and my cousin Josh! I was a very bad tour guide but we had a BRILL day.


I hope you're all having a good last few weeks of Uni! How fast a semester has gone eh. I will most likely do another very nostalgic post about how fast everything is going next week. I am so predictable....

P.s You can vote for me to be Blogger of the Month here! Muchas Gracias :)

Anna x