New Year's Resolutions

Resolution No. 1 - Start using this blog again.

Totally clichéd I know, but I'm quite honestly appalled at how much I've neglected this outlet for the past six months or so. It's not that I just can't be bothered (oh alright, SOMETIMES it is), but I really haven't had the time and I didn't want to warble on about something totally irrelevant just for the sake of it.

So, since I'm supposedly starting the whole 'New Year, New Me' thing tomorrow by obviously losing weight, never ever procrastinating, looking after my skin more etc etc, I figured it was as good a time as ever to make some sort of non-spectacular comeback and talk about that thing that looms over everyone's head as December draws near.

Yep, I'm talking NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS.

Highlight from 2014 - MALTA

Originally, this was going to be some sort of self-indulgent post about all the resolutions I've made for 2015, how I'm totally going to succeed and how it's going to be the best year ever. Of course. But once I got talking to one of my closest friends about what the heck I was going to write it, she made me realise two things.

Firstly, the fact that aside from losing weight and procrastinating less, I really had made NO resolutions. And secondly, why should I feel so pressured to turn over a new leaf in 2015?

In fact, pressure's probably the reason I can't think to particularly change about myself this year. Sure, I've got things I want to achieve - driving, goals in work etc etc. But why should we feel like we HAVE to find something to change/achieve/do JUST because we're told we're should. If you feel passionate about doing something and changing for the better then I'm right behind you of course, I wish you all the best and I hope you can stick to it and achieve it this year. Insert some sort of encouraging emoji here.

However, if you're choosing to 'try' something just because somewhere, someone or some website has told you to, then are you REALLY going to stick to it? Do you really WANT to do it? Are you doing it just to please someone other than yourself?

Cool kids in Majorca

My friend made a really good point when I was still procrastinating over whether to do this. She questioned why we all wait until the New Year to make a change. If we put on a little weight from indulging in exotic foods and/or chips on holiday, we don't make a 'holiday resolution' to lose weight. We either choose to do it when we come home or we don't. Simples.

Life is far too short to be making resolutions and feeling completely guilty when we break them. Good luck if you're really determined to do something, but don't feel like you need to have a list as long as your arm of things you need to do this year. Just take it as it comes and live in the moment. My friend told me "resolutions are aspirations that people have that should come about in their lives." I like that.

Here's to more nights out with the best lot of friends I could ask for. CHEESY.

Sorry this got a bit deep, but I couldn't come back with any old crap could I? If you need me, I'll probably be here tomorrow afternoon, ruining my resolution as I stuff my face full of chocolate.

NEW YEAR NEW ME x

Day Six - (Slightly Premature) University Lessons #1

Even though I technically have another 5 weeks left of essay/dissertation/exam-free university life (cue daily posts about how I vow to never drink again, and how my bed is my new best friend... not that I ever get drunk. EVER. Hi Mum and Dad), I thought now was a good a time as ever to think about the lessons I've learnt in my 3 years at Reading. I was going to do them all in one post, but it turns out the first lesson (living with boys) became pretty long, so to save boring you all, I'll spread these out into different posts, and I may edit this at a later date. If that makes sense.

After spending my first year in a predominantly male flat, and second year being outnumbered 3:1 in a house of boys (HI GUYS), I definitely learnt the joys of living with girls. It's been a peaceful year, away from having my room trashed on a daily basis, and being locked outside of my bedroom.

Ahh the joys of university boys. Not. Strangely, the second year in particularly, was definitely not as gross and dirty as I expected, and I'm pretty sure I was the owner of the messiest room on several occasions. Not surprisingly, there was a healthy daily dose of BAN-TAR ("you look like you've been dragged through a bush backwards" and the vandalism seen below)...

...but if you can cope with that, you're onto a winner. They may not be the best allies when you're ill (thanks again for the lovely dinner when I had mumps...oh.), and they may sometimes drive you completely insane (see writing all over my stuff, my brand new mirror in particular...NOT FUNNY, and taking off my bathroom door...)

...and they can sometimes be the most infuriating, aggravating and rude species ever, but they make great cock-blockers, and will look after you when the sweat starts dripping from the ceiling in Sakura (great club, great club), or when you throw yourself into a bush after a particularly heavy Carnage (again, hello parents). I'll keep my dignity by saving those photos for private viewing. 

The top tip from living with boys? ALWAYS LOCK YOUR LAPTOP IF YOU LEAVE IT. ALWAYS. If you don't, you will get fraped. Badly. Unfortunately you can't lock TVs, meaning they can make it look like you've been watching Gay Rabbit. I wasn't.