Little Uni Posts: The Build Up To Leaving Home & Moving In Day

Even though I moved away from home and to university around 2 months ago, I thought now is the time where I can put together some posts to display on my blog about university life. This is purely because I have experienced a handful of things since being here, and I thought I could document some university ongoings here on my blog every now and then. What do you think?

So the week building up to moving in day was absolutely terrifying. I'm not going to lie about how I was feeling because at heart I am a home bird, and I love to be surrounded by my family and spend the majority of my time in their presence. So when my mum dragged the box full of kitchen essentials through to my room to start packing away, I did have a little sob at the thought that I wasn't going to see her everyday, and we weren't going to be a part of each others lives everyday like we used to be. Then, my nan surprised me with a bathroom hamper full of cute little things for my bathroom, along with towels, bleach, shampoo & conditioner and other necessities and then I thought "wow, I really am growing up."

So Saturday 20th September came around very very quickly and me, my mum, my nan and my brother all hopped into the jam packed car full of all of my belongings and set off to move to Manchester. The whole journey I felt so ill, because I had thoughts about the people I was going to be living with for the next year, if they were going to like me and what they were generally like as people. Mum kept on crying and my brother kept asking the most random questions but eventually we arrived at my halls and it was time to unpack. 

When I went to the reception area to pick up my keys, my aunty jokingly said to me "I would laugh if you were on the top floor with all of them stairs", and I just brushed off her little comment. Later did I find out I was on the top floor and the stairs were an absolute nightmare to keep on walking up and down to drag all of my stuff into the flat. That day I noticed how unfit I really am! But alas, I got everything set up, tried to work the internet, nearly broke the wardrobe door and then had to say goodbye to everyone. I knew I would have to do this at some point, but I just kept on brushing this off and when it came to face it I 100% was not prepared. My mum and nan were sobbing and my brother looked lost. I have never seen them look like that before, and top tip for you here guys- just hug it all out. I found that hugs bring everything to the surface and tears explode, and that weight that was sitting on your shoulders comes off and you know everything is going to be OK. When they eventually peeled themselves away from me, I didn't know what to do with myself. I sat in my bedroom with the door open eating cashew nuts, and then this little head popped around the door and said 'hi!'. This is Ali and she is the first person I met when I came to uni. We got out the vodka, and then the rest of the night was completely entertaining.

So there is my first little uni post, and there definitely will be more to follow!

Have any of you gone to uni this September? How are you finding it? 

Where Have You Been? | Meeting Special People & Get Togethers

These past couple of months have been some of the most hectic and emotional months of my life- purely because I am settling down into university and trying to come to terms with the fact I am away from family, friends and home.

I thought it would be best if I took a little break from blogging, to try and pull myself together and focus on getting into a pattern of doing the hefty work load and attending lectures/seminars. Although this is what I have been focusing on, I have also been having the time of my life, and I have met so many incredible people and taken part in the best opportunities.

Last night the whole of the block who I live with attended a meal at a Caribbean restaurant for Amie's birthday (girl at the front). It was an incredible night, and it was so lovely for us all to get together and celebrate a special occasion. Even though someone found a bone in their 'boneless chicken wrap' we all made light of the situation. The food was gorgeous and I would definitely go back there.

A few weeks ago it was my friend Gina's birthday and we went out for drinks to celebrate. We all had a really lovely night again- spending it together as a block. The venue wasn't to standard, but we moved on and had a good night somewhere else. People got a bit emotional throughout the night, but we still had fun and made it a night to remember.

When halloween came around, many people had gone home so there was only a few of us left. So what better than to go out? I dressed up as a mermaid (well tried to), and I created a candy skull on my friends face. All i'm going to say is not a lot of that night can be remembered, but doesn't that prove we had a good night?

Sunday night was Carnage night. Carnage is where you go on a bar crawl and get into all of the bars for free if you have a Carnage t-shirt. Again, it proved to be a messy night, but we had fun and made sure Amie's birthday started with a bang. 

Last week was one of the best weeks of my entire life. I attended a couple of things which made me s happy and content with life- I couldn't not share them! 

Firstly I went to see Miranda Sings/ Coleen Ballinger live!! She was incredible and made me laugh none stop. The whole crowd was in awe of her, and I would definitely go and see her again. No doubt.

Secondly... I WENT TO ALFIE DEYES' BOOK SIGNING AND MET HIM AND NATALIE. Words cannot describe how excited and giddy I was that day, and how lovely he is in reality. Some people think that he is only nice behind the camera, but truth is he is genuinely the sweetest person ever. He took time to ask how everyone was doing, gave out compliments and wished everyone a good day. He also allowed photo's to be taken with him, and apologised for the security that kept on rushing us to move on. 

So there are some highlights of my uni experience so far. I am loving every second of it. 

What have you guys been doing over the past couple weeks?

Autumn Tag 2014

Image taken from 'Makeup-Pixi3'

Autumn is upon us, and I can genuinely say that I am so so so excited for this new season. I love autumn and winter purely because of the spicy candle scents, new hot drinks, dark makeup and wrapping up all warm. Oh! And the fact christmas us also upon us.

1. Ok we're talking coffee's- what's your favourite seasonal drink from Starbucks/Costa/Cafe Nero etc?

I only ever seem to drink coffee in the autumn/winter months. I don't know whether this is because I enjoy waiting for the new hot drinks to come out in my local Costa, or whether I just enjoy the warm feeling that they give me. 2 of my favourite seasonal drinks are both from Costa and these are the White Hot Chocolate and the Gingerbread Latte. Both as equally scrumptious, both as sickly, but both as more-ish as one another.

2. Accessories- what do you opt for? Scarf, boots, gloves?

All 3 accessories. I always grab my scarf and gloves and put on a pair of boots if I am going for an autumn walk. This way I feel so snug and put together for the chilly season. 

3. Music- what's your favourite music to listen to during autumn?

I can't really say that I change my music preferences depending on the season if I am honest. I do like to go for a more subtle type of music, like chill out music if I am trying to get things done. I am especially liking Lilly Ahlberg (check her out on YouTube) at the moment, so I think she will be the perfect pick for this autumn. 

4. Perfume- what's your favourite scent for this time of year?

I like musky perfume full of spice and depth. This is because it reminds me of the spicy candle scents you get in supermarkets or home ware shops, and I just think it is a staple scent for this type of year.

5. Candles- what scents will you be burning this autumn?

Anything autumn related will be having a flame taken to it's wick this autumn. I want my room/flat to be full of spicy scents and all of that autumn goodness. 

6. What do you love most about autumn?

It may sound strange, and I promise I do love the sun when it decides to make an appearance in the UK, but I love the dark nights and the slight chill autumn gives. I also love the tree's changing colour and long autumnal walks with family and friends. 

7. Favourite makeup look?

The makeup I wear during autumn is also one I wear quite often on a day-to-day basis. I love to wear a dark eye with a dark lip on pale skin. The products that I have been loving and will be carrying through to autumn are MAC lipsticks in Rebel and Heroine, Revlon Colourstay Foundation in Buff and MAC eyeshadows in Shadow Lady and Satin Taupe. They look beautiful on and are perfect for the autumn season.

8. What are you looking forward to most this autumn?

- Going to university and beginning my first year.

- Meeting all of the new people in my flat.

- Becoming independent.

- Bonfire night (I loveeeee fireworks!)

So there is my autumn tag! I tag anybody to complete this, but If you use the picture Makeup-Pixi3 put together then please reference her!

What do you love about autumn?

University: It Is All Starting To Get Too Real

So when I picked up my A-Level results on 14th August, I never thought time would go as quick as it has done. I thought that time would slow down as moving to university approached, and the apprehension I had/have would go away. But when thinking about moving to university in around 3 weeks, I still have that same apprehension and I do not feel prepared about going. I even thought about differing and taking a year out, but then I realised that knowing me I would never end up going to university and it would have been one big waste of my hard work that I have put in. 

During worrying about moving to university and whether or not I would enjoy my time there, I began to gather some pieces for the flat I will be living in, and for my new room. I don't think that I have got enough things for university, but there have been people that I have been speaking to and they haven't bought anything at all! I have done a lot of research of the different things that I should be buying, but this confused me a lot so I put lists together myself and with the help of my family I have managed to acquire a few different bits.

Kitchen

My mum decided to take on the roll of buying me things for the kitchen at university. Even though there will be appliances etc. in my hall, my mum wanted to make sure that I didn't starve so thought it would be a good idea to purchase some foods which would last for a few months. She knows I am a lover of mayonnaise and pasta so she made sure to buy those for me, and she also bought me tea towels, sugar, tea bags and scissors (I added the shot glasses ha!). There are still some things that I need to buy such as spatulas and things, but I can get them cheap at ASDA. I think my flat has crockery etc. so I will need to make sure before I buy something that I don't end up needing.

Of course I will do my own food shopping whilst I am there, and I won't be relying on my mum or anything to help me do so. I am beginning to learn to have independence on these types of things, but the one thing I need to learn is how to cook! I can cook the simplest of meals but there is a barrier between me and the more complex of meals, so this is something I will be asking my mum for help on! 

Stationary

Oh good old stationary. I feel as though I have been buying stationary for the past 14 years of life none-stop, and I probably will be buying even more of it over the next 4 years! So far I have bought a notebook and a pack of pens. I know that I will need a lot more stationary but I just don't know what to buy! I am definitely a writer and I love to take down as many notes that I can, but I just can't think of what to gather and take with me to university. I also ended up buying a Filofax. Some people may see this as something 'old people' buy to organise their extremely busy lives, but I looked at the content of them and they look so so useful. Inside you can swap and change where everything is, buy new things to put inside, there is a timetable section, an academic diary section alongside a standard 2014 diary, to-do lists and a lot more! I highly recommend one of these if you are venturing to university, because they will be so handy when you rock up to your lectures and have to take down important dates.

Many people I have spoken to are like "well can't you just buy it down there?", and that is a true point but I don't want to put that burden on myself when I will have books etc. to buy. I would rather buy the necessities up here at home, so that I am prepared for the 'Big Move' and breaking away from home. 

Decorations Etc.

This is something I am seriously lacking on. I have bought a vintage style cereal tin and 3 other tins which match together. I have no idea what I am going to use these for- probably not for their purposes but to store random objects and keep my room looking less untidy. I bought them because they looked pretty, and not because I had an idea of what I could use them for. As for the cereal tin, it is unlikely that I will be eating cereal at university so that probably won't have cereal stored in it, but something else like tampons or something shoved in the corner of my room or in the bottom of a draw haha. I want to get some fairy lights because they are cute and who doesn't enjoy fairy lights at night?! 

Bathroom

I have left my nan in charge of this job. Actually she chose to take on this roll, but I think this is down to her love for cleaning and organisation. She loves to buy things for personal hygiene, and cleaning supplies so I gave her the pleasure of stocking up on those for me. I know so far she has bought bleach, toothbrushes, toothpaste, flash, and towels, but I don't know if she has added anything else to the collection as of yet. I know it is only university and I am in halls for a year, but I want to make my bathroom look pretty also. I want to buy bright colourful things to store in there to make it look snazzy and less boring and white.

University Facebook Pages
When I found that my offer at Manchester Metropolitan University had turned to unconditional, I realised that a lot of freshers pages and MMU pages had sent me friends requests. Once I had, had a little nosey at the page I saw that there were little individual ones for the different halls of residents. Having these pages over summer has made life so much easier. I joined the Victoria Hall page and started speaking to a lot of other people who will be in that accommodation too. They all seem so lovely and genuine that it has put my nerves aside for meeting the people at university. Even though I do not know who is in my flat, many members of the group have been so talkative so it doesn't worry me too much (touch wood!).

I also managed to land myself a job at university through Facebook pages, as a club representative and promoter. This excites me because it is completely out of my comfort zone and the job that I do at home. It doesn't stop me from being excited though!

So there we have it! Less than 3 weeks to go is getting even more scarier by the day. Are you going to university? What have you bought so far?

Life Update | Results Day On The Horizon, Kendal Calling & Anxiety

Hello lovelies, I hope that you are well!

These 'life updates' seem to becoming a permanent thing now, and to be honest I love writing them! I love to share with you guys what I have been up to and if I have discovered anything new to inform you on.

So firstly, like many other Year 13's out there, I have absolutely terrified for next Thursday as it is A-Level Results Day. This day determines whether I will be going to university or not, and whether I will be spending my Thursday night celebrating or drowning my sorrows. I become so nervous for days like this because I really am a nervous person, and the slightest thing can make me really ill. Therefore, I will need to calm down a little bit before next Thursday! Are any of you guys collecting your exam results and hoping to go to university in September?

Friday 1st August - 3rd August I went to Kendal Calling. Although the weather was absolutely shocking and it was an utter mud pit, I had one of the best weekends of my entire life. That was down to the people I shared the tent with, the people I camped with and the acts that I went to see. 

These are only a small amount of photo's that I have picked, and it doesn't give the amazing weekend enough justice. I have already decided that I am definitely going again next year!

Whilst at Kendal Calling, my anxiety got the better of my and I became very ill on the Friday night. I have noticed that recently my anxiety is making more of an appearance than I would like it to, and I need to learn to keep it under wraps. I don't know whether this has to do with turbulent friendships, exam results or going to university but it is beginning to get the better of me. My anti-depressants are supposed to help with my anxiety but they are not at all, so if any of you guys have any tips then please leave them in the comments below! Or even if you have any advice on coping with anxiety at university then please feel free to leave comments on that too.

So there is another life update. What have you guys been up to recently?

Are You Going To A Festival For The First Time? | Advice

Even though I have only been to one festival, I definitely caught the festival bug which made me buy another ticket for the sell-out festival Kendal Calling this year. Last year when I ventured to Kendal Calling, I found that I did take too much, but then there was some aspects of my belongings that I really couldn't have done without. Last year, the line up was OK however I found that I didn't really know many of the artists, but this didn't matter because the atmosphere was amazing. Basement Jaxx were there alongside, Kodaline, Primal Scream, The Charlatans, I Am Kloot, Clean Bandit, Nina Nesbitt, The 1975 and lots more. There was a lot to see and do throughout the day, and the food was incredible. I took my own food and drink as well - just to save money- but I did buy things from different stands to eat as well. 

This year the line up is even better. Suede, Frank Turner, Example, Tom Odell, Clean Bandit, Miles Kane, Razorlight, Ella Eyre, Newton Faulkner and many more artists will make an appearance in the fields, and I shall make sure to go and see them all. Now for the advice!

• Take a different phone- Even though there was a stand where you could charge your smart phone, I didn't dare risk taking my iPhone to Kendal Calling. I wasn't scared about the fact that it may lose charge, but I was worried that being the clumsy person I am, it would get broken or stolen. Therefore, I opted for taking a £10 samsung brick and it's battery life didn't budge at all throughout the whole weekend. 
• Pick your tent wisely- Last year, 3 of us stayed in a 6 man tent. 3 of us slept in one compartment whilst we chucked our stuff in the other side of the tent to keep it out of the way. This worked wonders, and it also meant that we weren't sleeping on a camera or a pack of biscuits throughout the night. You want a tent big enough because if it rains, you don't want to be touching the sides otherwise the water will leak in and you will become drenched. Trust me, it is what happened to me last year!
• If you are old enough, take a sufficient amount of alcohol- Alcohol at festivals can be extremely expensive, however you may come across some stands which give away shots etc. for promotion. I made sure to take enough alcohol with me to last the weekend, and I didn't even drink all of it when I was there. I wanted to make sure I had something nice and refreshing for the day e.g. cider, and then I kept spirits e.g. vodka for the night. However, make sure to take water too because you need to keep hydrated!
• Be prepared for any type of weather- Even though we are in the summer season, it still rains and because it is a festival it is likely to rain! Make sure you take shorts etc. for the warm weather but pack wellies and rain coats for when it does end up raining. Kendal Calling was a mud slide last year, so don't be upset if your things get covered in mud because it is expected in the downpour! 
• Pack snacks to much on throughout the festival- You don't want to come into the camping grounds with absolutely nothing to eat, because you may find that the food there is too expensive to keep buying. Last year (and this year) I packed biscuits and crisps, because it is likely that these will satisfy my hunger. I will go on to buy food from stands such as Toastie Heaven (OMG it is incredible), but I want something to keep in my tent to munch on when I need it. 
• Take a small bag on you when going into the arena- This will ensure that you can fit your brick of a mobile, some cash, toilet wipes (the toilets get real nasty) and a camera on you. 

But mostly, remember to enjoy the festival season and make the most of it when you are there. You may even catch the festival bug like I have done!

What festivals have you been to? Do you have any additional tips?

Life Update | Feeling Lost, Family Time & Watching Too Many Movies

Hello lovelies, 

I am here again with another life update because I feel as though I owe some explanation to you as to why I haven't been around as much as I ought to have been. The truth is, I have felt lost over the past couple of weeks with no school to attend, or not having to go to work until the weekend. I feel as though I have been a bit useless and not participated with much, but I just feel overwhelmed with the changes that are occurring and I don't really know how to keep up with them! I'm not really used to change (what with leaving school and moving to a new place in a couple of months) so I feel a little bit dragged under and not knowing what to do with myself at the moment. 

On the plus side, even though I don't really know what to do with myself, I have been enjoying the time I have been able to spend with my mum whilst I have been at home during the day. When I was at school I only really saw her in the morning and when I got home, and because I work on the weekends I only have limited time to spend with her in that aspect too. My auntie who lives in Bury (Manchester) is also up at the moment, so I have ventured to my nans to see her and my auntie. I honestly can't express how much I love to spend time with her and everyone else with my family- it really is one of my all-time favourite past times. I know how much I will miss this once I go to university, so I want to make sure that I get enough family time fit into my schedule before I go. 

Because I don't have a busy schedule I have watched too many movies. I went to the cinema with my friend Abbey to watch 'The Fault In Our Stars' (yes I cried!) and even though I haven't read the book I was truly hooked. I also watched 'Goodnight Mister Tom' for the first time, 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' (I cannot wait for the next one to come out!) 'The Holiday' and a film called 'Heaven Is For Real' which was and is really up my street. I recommend you go and watch these films if you haven't- you really won't be disappointed. 

So there are my ramblings so far, and I'm pretty sure that I will treat you with another life update in the near future, as I have many plans (for once!) and I would love to share them with you all. 

What have you been doing recently?