Being one step ahead of the game

Mar 13, 2014Leave a comment

If there’s one thing you can always count on me for is being ahead of the game when possible. I’m almost always crazy busy these days and looking to get ahead in my studies. The way my brain works is ‘Ok I can read this book now, I know that ones next so I’ll take a quick look at the synopsis while I finish’. I know the rough guidelines for next years module guides, I scan the house hunt pages every day and I’ve been talking to my lecturers about my plans to continue on with a masters and the small fund I have set up.

Tonight has been my first ‘day off’ in about 2 weeks, some quality time I wanted to spend with Ali. It was nice with the sunshine but we decided we wanted to just be alone for once, shut out everyone else and once it got dar ksit and catch up on tv we had missed. We’re both stressed at the moment, as of September we’ll be officially moving in together and that is a big deal! People think because we’ve been together so long we don’t get nervous about things like this, we definately do. We have the same disagreements as everyone else, where do we live, how much do we want to pay, do you have to bring that piece of furniture (me to him), do you have to bring so many books (him to me), what colours do we want thing to be (I’m still rooting for this one, bright colours for the win!).

There is one thing many of you don’t know. Without Ali I wouldn’t be writing this blog, I wouldn’t be at university and I’d probably be a lot more depressed. I’m not going to get mushy and gushy but he saved me, he picked me up more times than he needed to and I will be eternally grateful. So everything I’m achieving, Student Ambassador, KUTalent award nomination, the band, this blog in some wayy relates back to him. So when people ask if I mind that I go to his more than he goes to mine, no not at all we have something very strong which brings be back to the point of being one step ahead. I can’t do that with Ali and believe me that’s a good thing!

He’s very supportive of my decision to save up and continue on to a masters at the end of my degree and has very kindly said he will help to support me if I need it (seriously one of a kind). So after being so, so happy tonight curled up and just relaxing for once I got back and continued to try and get on top of things. Then I strayed to masters sights after reading an article on Young Adult fiction. So I googled masters in this area just to be nosy. Cambridge came up to my surprise, I read on and was intrigued. Could I go to Cambridge? The only thought I’d had was back in year 9 when I got invited to a gifted and talented day at the college and they spoke to us about univeristy, ah nieve 14 year old me put up a right fuss and said that plenty of jobs don’t need a degree, I want to be a musician and why pay £3000 a year. I ended up being friends with one of the speakers and going on holiday with her, paying £8750 a year for a degree but I still want to be a musician. Anyway I was browsing through thinking this might be possible and then I read this lovely quote on the website

The University does not allow students to undertake paid work outside the University or a college while they are studying full-time, and you should not expect to accrue additional income in this way. However, academic-related work – especially teaching undergraduates – can provide postgraduate students with valuable transferable skills, and a limited amount of this type of work is encouraged, provided it does not interfere with your studies.

Right, ok then well that leaves me and anyone else who isn’t rich buggered then. No Student Ambassadors for Cambridge. I was shocked, outraged and realised I was right all those years ago to dismiss an idea like Oxford or Cambridge.I thought these restrictions were something of a myth! I knew then and know now I wouldn’t have fit in and so I’ll stick with Kingston for my masters, hopefully. I love this uni, I love that I can be myself and it’s accepted even my struggles. I’m going to apply for a masters scholarship in my 3rd year for definite. Cambridge can keep their masters programme because although Kingston might not be top of the tables, they sure know how to make a girl feel like she can achieve.

Being looked after

Oct 12, 2013Oct 28, 2013Leave a comment

Ali and I this weekend…not our best picture

As you all know I’ve been pretty poorly lately with my kidneys. After making the decision to come back to Kingston Ali has been incredible and I honestly needed it. I’m making this a blog about the whole weekend because the two days were very similar. I was cuddled a lot, kept an eye on and fed. Ali knows about kidneys so I was under his watchful eye for three and a half days, which really makes him a saint as I’m not the easiest person to deal with especially when I am sick and stressed. The up side was that I was able to sleep properly at Kingston Hill and although I was upset and didn’t want to leave on Sunday night.

You have to understand that Ali and I have been together for over five years now so it’s odd living 20 minutes apart and having new lives and new friends. I hope this will make us stronger and more independent but it is hard being in a relationship at uni, even the same one! Either way I’m so greatful I had someone to look after me up here, Ali really is one of a kind.

Paramore, Paramore, PARAMORE

Sep 27, 2013Oct 9, 2013Leave a comment

Ali and I at Paramore 2013, Wembley Arena!

Three years ago a self conscious redhead headed to the O2 Arena to see Paramore for the first time with her lovely boyfriend. They had just released their third album ‘Brand New Eyes’ and I was hooked. I first got into Paramore at the age of 13 (just before I met Ali actually!) and from the first time I listened to ‘Riot’ I was hooked. For some reason Hayley’s lyrics spoke to me and as cheesy as it sounds every album has helped me through various stages of my life. I wasn’t lucky enough to know about them when ‘All We Know’ was released, although I do still relate to those songs. For me ‘Riot’ was something else, here was a girl with beautiful orange hair (I’d always been a fan of gingers) who could kick ass and write great songs and as for the musicians? I couldn’t get those riffs out of my freaking head. I wanted to be in a band and partly that was because of Paramore. It wasn’t until ‘Brand New Eyes’ was released I could see them live, as a present my Mum ended up buying me and Ali tickets, I don’t remember specifics but the night was amazing and it made me love them even more. I came back from that concert with no voice what so ever, this time I thought I’d make the same mistake.

Now I was skeptical about this concert. I had read so many interviews that were Hayley based and seen videos where she was the center of attention, was this the Paramore I knew and loved? No it wasn’t I loved knowing about all five of them and I was worried that since the Farro’s left the show might feel empty. After running for multiple trains (damn busses again!) we finally arrived at Wembley (finally calm after my mum phoned ahead to check we weren’t going to miss them, we got there in plenty of time in the end) got our T-Shirts and waited for Paramore to begin. Before this was a support act called Charli XCX who in my opinion didn’t fit in with what we had paid to see. I began getting excited, all they had to do was put Hayley’s box saying ‘Paramore’ on the stage for the whole arena to start screaming and chanting. I turned into a fan girl. All my worries melted away as soon as they came on to new song ‘Grow Up’, a personal favorite of mine. Ok so the stage looked like there was a little too much room as the three of them ran about and Hayley’s new look was..different. As the show carried on you could see why people had made such a big deal. Hayley spoke with open honesty and you felt like they all cared about you. You could see how much the fans meant to them and how much fun they were having and they didn’t shy away from what had happened. I’m not ashamed to say I cried because this was music that had got me through so much and here was my idol telling us what they really meant. There was nothing lacking in ‘Paramore’ if anything you could feel how much they had grown up and together, especially in the little snippets where they played Ukulele it was damn adorable.

Three of my heroes, they’ve still got it

I will always be a ‘Parawhore’

My favorite part of the show? It’s not every night you see Wembley Arena transformed into the night sky by fans who feel like your family. ‘The Only Exception’ was incredible and even Hayley, Jeremy and Taylor were clearly shocked and grateful for the response. The song had meaning for me because I was standing with the man I loved again to the same song and more in love than ever. I couldn’t see Paramore without Ali it’s just become our thing really. We laughed, we danced, we got all sweaty and I don’t know if I can speak for Ali but I got that breath of fresh air in me that made me ready to record. As Hayley said ‘What ever you are going through, you’ll get through it. If we’re standing up here, you can get through whatever it is’ and I believed her, For All That Goes may be over but be damn sure you’ll be hearing about No People Club the new songs are amazing. I hold on to the feeling that music can transform your entire life. So here it is Paramore, I want to say thank you in advance.