Rambling Post #12: The Final Hurdle.

So here I am.
Sat in my University canteen for what is most likely the last time, eating a sandwich and writing this as an attempt to get my brain to reset before my final ever exam.
It literally feels like yesterday I was on my way to my induction at Everyman cinema back in September 2013, and was handed free coffee on Briggate. Little did I know that the next 4 years were going to be the most unpredictable and rollercoaster-like so far.

There's a lot of things i've experienced but also overcome during my time at Leeds Beckett.
I made friends, I lost them, I got drunk, I made more friends, I split with my long-term boyfriend, Leeds Metropolitan University changed to Leeds Beckett University, I went on a placement year, I moved to Australia, I attended Victoria University, I made more friends, I went on adventures, I got drunk, I came back, I moved house, I got drunk, I got asked to be my good friend's bridesmaid, I was diagnosed and came to terms with anxiety, and as cheesy as it sounds, learnt a lot about myself on the way.

Couldn't have done it without you guys.

Out of everything though, the biggest lesson i've learned during these 4 years is that first impressions really aren't everything. I have been so wrong about a lot of people, and learned to give people a chance, they may surprise you.
Sometimes I look back to the person I was before I came to University and I don't recognise myself. One of my friends, Mary, was telling me only the other day how much i've changed since then.
I'm not usually a massive advocate for change, but this one is good.
I feel somewhat closer to adulthood (don't get me wrong, i'm still miles off).

As it all comes to an end, on one hand, I can't bloody wait. No more stress, no more deadlines hanging over my head and no more watching Netflix wracked with guilt. But on the other hand, I am going to miss it. It's weird thinking I won't be a student anymore and that I need to start looking like i'm getting my life together (so society dictates).

Who knows, I may be back one day. But for now, peace out Beckett.
Annabel

Rambling Post #11: Thoughts On Starting 3rd Year.

Well. It's finally here. Out of my entire 17 years of education, this is the one most likely to give me a mental breakdown. The way I look at it is, i've never really properly worked my ass off at Uni, 6th Form or school, so I kinda feel like I owe it to myself (and future Annabel) to just for once put everything into my education. I mean i'd like to come out with a First, but looking at my track record that's doubtful, but that's still what i'll be aiming for.
It's only been 2 weeks and I already feel like i'm drowning a bit with all of the work and the extra reading and researching for my dissertation and writing my proposal, then on top of that I need to go to all of my classes and get a good nights sleep (and fit in catching up on my favourite TV series') and make sure I eat healthy and go to work and socialise (get drunk) and revise for exams and do some exercise and for some reason someone somewhere believes that this isn't at all too much to do.
I know my first semester is probably going to be the hardest, so i've just got to smash out these next few months and after a few meltdowns I should be able to get through it. Then once my dissertation's handed in in March I only have 2 exams to study for.
Whoever said 6th Form is more difficult than University was a filthy liar.
Rant over!
Annabel

September.

Here it is! 3rd year! I can't believe that i've only got 1 year of education left. Thank god for that. After 17 years of non-stop learning (apart from my "Gap Yah"), it's finally the beginning of the end.

Maybe the biggest thing that happened for me in September was moving into my new house for 3rd year into Headingley. This will make it so much easier to make those early lectures and i'm just excited to live in a house with all girls. Unfortunately because none of us really thought to arrange it earlier, we need to go the first 2 and a half weeks without WIFI or a working TV. I'll be doing a room tour just like the one I did in Aus soon.

A benefit of working for LEGO means you get a free Merlin pass for yourself and another, which means free entry to anything Merlin (Alton Towers, Sealife, Thorpe Park, Legoland...). So my sister and I went for a day out in Manchester where we collected our passes from the LEGO Discovery Centre in Trafford, then went through the attraction and decided to visit Sealife next door too. We then went for a bit of a shop (I actually started my Christmas shopping), which was when Em spotted Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright in Selfridges. Which is really depressing because she had no make up on and she still looked stunning.

Walking around Trafford.

We also had another work get together which went the usual way: getting completely smashed. I don't remember falling asleep, but apparently I crashed pretty early and just wouldn't wake up. Oops.

I decided to get a group picture before the alcohol began to flow...

Towards the end of September I went to London with Viv from work, and we went to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in the Palace Theatre (which coincidentally is on Shaftesbury Avenue, where Harry, Ron & Hermione apparate to in the Deathly Hallows Pt1). No spoilers here, but what I will say is that it was quite possibly the best live experience of my life. I loved it. The way they do the magic on stage is so so clever. We stayed overnight in an AirBNB near Kings Cross and on the day after we wanted to put our Merlin Passes to good use. We went on the London Eye which is something i've been wanting to do for ages - that's now ticked off my Bucket List!. We also visited the London Dungeons and went for a quick walk around London Sealife. Total ticket prices for that day: £0. Winner winner chicken dinner. We then made our way to the coach for our 4 hour journey home.

INSANE. Go see it. NOW.

And of course, i'm now officially in 3rd year. The stress is real, and I already want to pull my hair out. Graduation can not come quick enough!

September was actually a great month as far as gig tickets go. I managed to score Green Day, Russell Howard, Two Door Cinema Club and one more that I can't tell you about yet... They're all in the beginning of next year and i'm so so so excited.
Annabel

Rambling post #4: Writers block.

Here I am attempting to complete my first assignment for my second year at University. It's due in on Monday and I currently have 138 out of 2,500 words written.
Back in 6th Form and even First Year I could whack out a decent essay in 1 or 2 days, this doesn't seem to be the case.
This essay was set in my PR module around 4 weeks ago, which was 2 weeks into the semester at Uni. This raised the question, "how can they expect me to write an essay on a subject I have never before studied in my life?".
As a result, I left it for a couple of weeks until I had been to a few lectures and seminars to familiarise myself with the subject. I'm a little more clued up to the subject, so why am I still sat here with only 138 words of an introduction?
I'm not usually one to stress or get upset about school or Uni work, but theres a first time for everything. This is definitely stressing me out. Big time.
Usually once I have the basic gist figured out and I have something to start on, it just flows out of me. This time i've written and re-written the essay plan at least 6 times, and it's pretty difficult to write about something when you're not even sure what you want to say.
I'm hoping i'll have an epiphany soon or a textbook will fall and open on the exact page that I need for inspiration, but right now, there is absolutely nothing working in my brain.
If anyone has any tips on writers block, it would be greatly appreciated.
Also if you made it this far, thanks for listening to me whinge.
𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕒𝕓𝕖𝕝

Internship!

So as part of my Events Management degree at Leeds Met University (I refuse to call it Beckett), I have to work in a placement for a year in the industry. Those that know me, know my first 6 months weren't the best. The centre where I was working didn't really have the facilities to accommodate me and the other 2 students. We would frequently go home as a result of the lack of jobs they had for us. To any one else, going home early is good news, but when you're in it to gain skills and experience, it's a complete waste of time.
In the end, I decided enough was enough. In the year I was supposed to be experiencing all of these new things in the industry I wanted to work in, I wasn't learning a thing. I needed something that was going to challenge and develop me for a career in events.
Then in December, I applied for an internship at a well known dance school in Leeds. Walking in for my interview felt like I'd stepped inside the Fame movie. Dance students were everywhere. Leaping, jumping, shouting, running around. It was like I was this weird, shy, new kid in a sea of eccentric and overly confident performers. Thankfully, I wasn't kept waiting too long.
Long story short, I got the internship and I started at the beginning of January. In the space of 1 week I had learned a lot more than in the 6 months I spent at my other placement.

     I have my own desk!

Whilst I have painted a pretty bad picture of my first internship, I still met some lovely people and gained 2 good friends from my course who I look forward to seeing again in September when we're back at University.