Tag: kingston

No People Club are awesome.

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No People Club Stoke LiveI’m good at shamelessly plugging my band. Really good at it and I think that’s because I’m so proud of it. We’ve got a good sound, good reception at gigs and we’re going to be playing so many shows soon that I just have to share them all with you. We didn’t win battle of the bands today but we’re still pretty awesome. So come and see us, like us on Facebook and Twitter and stuff. This band really is my baby.

Hannafords Bar – 27th Feb

229, London – 7th March

The Sanctuary, Basingstoke – 14th March

The Green Door Store, Brighton – 25th March

The Fighting Cocks, Kingston – 26th March

RMA Tavern, Southsea (Portsmouth) – 9th April

Sticky Mike’s, Brighton – 28th May

The Star , Guilford – 19th June

More To be announced…

Come and see us!

http://www.nopeopleclub.com

@nopeopleclub

facebook.com/nopeopleclub

Giddy Up! My first time horse riding!

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I’ve never mentioned wanting to go horse riding prior to second year, to be honest I never thought it would be something I could do. So at freshers I signed up with Amy and later Dani. I didn’t hear much after submitting my paper work but suddenly rides became available and they were being snapped up really quickly! I thought about it for all of five minutes and booked my first ride, not nervous it was two weeks away, right?

Flash forward to today when my anxiety raised its ugly head, I went from being nervous to absolutely bloody terrified. How on earth was I going to do this? Horses were absolutely huge, what if I fell off? What if I made a complete idiot of myself or made no friends. I got so nervous and anxious I was nearly in tears but it was the social aspect more than anything else, then the horse. Ali made me calm down, If you don’t like it you don’t have to go back. I got the bus and hoped more than anything I wouldn’t fall off.

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Can you tell how terrified I really was?

The staff were all lovely but seeing the horses and I started to panic a little, how was I going to get on one! So I watched someone else ride for a little bit and Amy being the lovely thing she is waited to watch me. Now Amy, unlike my friend Amy from last year is so, so tall. Apparently her ride earlier in the day was in a huge horse, I thought mine was but apparently she was tiny. My horse, Jemima, was lovely, very beautiful and incredibly well behaved. According to my instructor Kate she’s a horse that calms down nervous people.

Getting on I mouthed ‘fuck’ to Amy (I’d nearly bolted myself earlier being so nervous), it took quite a long time to sort out my stirrups because I have such little legs, but at least I wasn’t put on a tiny pony which was another worry I had. I was really awkward and nervous at first but my instructor knew what to do and calmed me down, I relaxed and Jemima had me at ease. By the end of the lesson I could make her walk, trot, slow down and stop, plus I managed to get the rhythm fairly quickly too (being a musician is good for horse riding apparently).

Will I be going again? Definitely. I feel like it’s going to be hard work but I enjoy it, it’s something new and I’m loving that I’m part of a big group. The people I’ve met from society are all absolutely lovely, I have a social next week and we might all be getting jumpers! I’m part of a group that is actually a sport!

Today was followed by meeting Joe and now I’ve been invited on a night out even though I’m aching from horse riding…hmmmm do I or don’t I?

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Books can open doors

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My signed copy of In Love and War, out now! 

It’s obvious that I love books. They’re piling up my wall as I write this, I’m on a literature degree and I write a review blog so it’s pretty safe to say that I know the magic of what books can do. Another thing they can do is open doors. By talking to people about books, about literature in general, about publishing I’ve had so many doors open for me, tonight being no exception.

I’m getting into the Kingston Writing School, I’ll hopefully be going to Athens as a part of it next year (funds permitting) and so I decided to attend the weekly readings. Tonight I met Alex Preston, as well as a incredible reading and useful tips I also left with a signed copy of the book and a head start on my research for uni. IMG_0588

The night wasn’t all readings I got to mingle with Wine and Olives…a lot of Olives, more than anyone could ever need! I got to meet so many interesting people and all because of literature. Talking about things like this should help me advance through my degree, work experience and even more.

If you use them the right way, books can open doors.

Shoppiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!!!!

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It’s a quick post for you all tonight. I’ve just gotten back from student shopping night at the Bentalls centre with some of the girls, we queued for a fair while and I got there later than I planned due to all the meeting I had again today (no rest for the wicked!). The event was mostly a load of shops doing discount, some freebies (although not nearly enough) and I managed to get a far bit despite not feeling so well. We got adorable photos taken and then I grabbed a cheeky bar of chocolate on the way home. A good night in all.

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Get Set For KU

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I’ve spent the past two days getting up at 6.30am and getting home at gone 8 at night. I’m not complaining in the slightest, especially as I actually woke up before my alarm on both days (proving just how excited I was). I’ve wanted to work a job like this since I became an ambassador so getting the confirmation was incredible. Believe it or not, I was nervous talking to my first attendee.

I became a bit of a match maker over the two days, I wanted the students to make friend at feel at home. I know how nerve racking it is and these students had never even been to Kingston before because they had come through clearing. I was pleased that when they left at the end of the day some of the groups I’d introduced were now friends, with some even looking for houses to share together now.

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Lunch with some of the lads at the event

As well as students I also had the chance, although not planned, to talk to a lot of parents annd had a good chat about university and the worries they had for their children. More than anything I loved talking to people, making them feel better, answering any questions that I could or pointing them to the right services.

The confidence and pride that I felt working this week was overwhelming. I felt good at what I done. Student’s thanked me, my bosses commented on how hard I worked and one of my ‘top tips’ won a student a prize. I got to laugh and make so many more friends with other ambassadors, we really hit it off and I can’t wait to work with them all again. I got especially close to another ambassador, Jo who made my sides ache from laughing so hard.

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Me, Jo and some new students on Campus Tours

As well as that? The food was incredible constant food, snacks, everything. I love my job so much and I can’t wait to get back and do more because this is something I know that I’m good at and it makes me feel incredible. How many people can say that their job makes them feel on top of the world?

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More than anything these past few days gave me what I needed. They reminded me that I am good at my job, that I’m a likeable and good person. I also got the news that I achieved my full grant scholarship, meaning that the likelihood of applying for my masters and being able to afford it is becoming more and more possible and that makes me happy beyond belief.

All in all an amazing few days and a great boost, I can’t wait to book more work now! 🙂

Why I LOVE Kingston

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It’s no surprise to any of you who read this blog regularly that I am absolutely in love with my university. I study there, I live there, I have friends there, I met my band there and I want to stay there. Without sounding cocky after my results came out I could have applied to other places I recieved A*, Distinction *, Distinction *, Distinction and B overall and had a stack of UCAS points I didn’t expect. I worked bloody hard and threw up in my exam, so yes I was proud of myself. This actually let of a fair bit of snobbery, people would ask why I was applying to Kingston with my grades and I’m writing this to explain why I chose Kingston and why I want to choose them again.

Kingston was one of the first places that I felt like I could fit, I was excited as well as terrified but that didn’t stop me. Since I got here it’s been amazing, the support I get, my incredible tutor and lecturers, my mental health team, the student life team, working with the students union, awards and endless opportunities. It is because of all of this I get incredibly angry when we are seen as a number on a league table, spend a year like I have and you’ll realise life is abut more than tables. I didn’t even look at them when I applied! I just wanted to be happy.

Now my first year is over I can say that despite some challenges and my decision to become a full field literature student, I’m happy. I’m so, so happy. I still find people giving me a look when I say where I study because they study somewhere more prestigious, blah, blah, blah. Oxford, Cambridge, UCL I know for a fact none of these places would have been right for me as a person. I’m more than just a brain in a tank. I love that my lecturers treat me as a person and arn’t too busy to have a chat when they have office hours. I love the fact that my tutor hasn’t given up on me despite some really bad anxiety this year.

Most of all I love the fact that I’ve been given a chance and a boost of ambition. I’ll finish my degree in 2 years and start my masters, which will hopefully be at Kingston. This is a post about uni pride because that’s what I feel so strongly. I’m not trying to recruit people (I’ve already done that at Open Day), this is just how proud I am of my uni. I honestly think Kingston has helped me so much in fighting my illness and boosting my confidence so far, for that I’ll always be grateful.

Basingstoke, Kingston, Kingston, Basingstoke

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So I’m lying here, thinking about life and stuff. Yeah now that is original as a start to a blog post isn’t it. It’s been good to be at home fore the past few days I’ve actually been writing a bit as well as driving around, ok driving around a lot. I love being at home but I’m realising as soon as I get to the few days point in Basingstoke I start getting bored and used to it. Like the roads for example I’m used to them now, I know where to go and I’m totally at ease, I can’t wait to drive to Kingston! 

Not all of Basingstoke is boring though, today I got to see my beautiful Goddaughter  and take out my sister and cousin Lola. It was just something simple, a McDonalds and a walk around town but it’s things like this I absolutely love about being home, spending time with the people I love. Although I didn’t get as big a conversation with Lucy (Lexi’s mum) as I wanted because of all the little people running around but it made me smile and wore me out! 

I am missing Kingston though, although I don’t feel as divided any more I just have two homes now and two lives that link sometimes but not all the time. I don’t feel stressed about it any more I’m just hoping that the good spell will carry on. I’m definitely getting more used to things and feeling better! ImageImage

 

 

Works night out!

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Adam and I, I’m sure going to miss this guy! 

Tonight I found myself in the pub again but this time with different friends and making new friends! My job as a Student Ambassador lets me do a lot of things and tonight it was a night out with my fellow KUSAs to say goodbye and goodluck to the thirds years because we’re going to lose them.

I’m really proud of myself because I was so nervous and I really threw myself into the night out and made a lot of new friends. I absolutely loved it and may have had a few more ciders than I planned with dinner but it was all in fun despite the rain! I really love some of the third years and it’s going to be so weird having them leave and being a second year ambassador, I can only hope I can do as much by the time I’m a third year.

So there we are the second night in a row of having fun and actually being out and I’m really enjoying myself! It’s unbelievable how much passing my test has boosted my confidence and made myself feel better!

Being one step ahead of the game

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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. 

A visit from the Mummy Bear!

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Me and Mum.

Today my Mum came up to meet me! She turned up earlier than normal so we ended up getting the uni bus, one of my friends actually thought Mum was a student too which made her day. We spent the day wandering around Kingston and got a fab lunch at the Hungry Horse. After seeing Mum today I’ve decided I want to get away and go home this weekend. There’s nothing really to report, we wondered around, ate and then went back to mine before Mum had to catch her train. All I can say now is that I can’t wait to head on home 🙂

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Buying Mum a pint at lunch!!! No silly wine for us!