Rambling post #2: Summer.

Without a doubt summer has always been my favourite season.
The hot, sunny weather seems to just bring good moods out of people and it just generally feels like such a happy time of year.
This summer in particular is a very exciting one. On the 6th August I will officially be a grown up - I turn 21! It's actually quite scary. I never wanted to turn 19 or 20 and now i'm going to be 21 it just feels like the years are going too fast.
I'm also going to Mallorca with my family and boyfriend yet again. We all absolutely love the villa we stay in and every year we go back it just feels like home. I'm so excited to go back.
Then in September (this isn't exciting for anyone else), I go back to University after my year placement. I'm actually missing it a lot and I can't wait to see all of my friends again.
I don't really know the point in this post. I'm just generally excited for summer as always. I think i'm actually craving heat and sunshine now.
Winter, do one.

𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕒𝕓𝕖𝕝

2014!

I want to try and explain 2014 in a few words to you.

But to be perfectly honest,

I can't.

The best way for me to explain how my 2014 was is to skip back a few years.

Summer 2012

I discovered that I hadn't got into University, which was something I have wanted to do since I was a titch. This was the day before my family went on holiday without me for the first time. At the time I was working at my first job. My boss was a typical hot headed Italian; very passionate about his work. This meant that if you did anything slightly wrong then he would let you know about it. On the day my family went away, I went to work. I was feeling so down I just kept making silly mistakes, resulting in me getting a good telling off.

It doesn't sound that bad to anyone else, but for me, this was definitely the lowest point in my life so far. I felt like a failure for not getting into University then because I felt like I couldn't function without my family, I felt like even more of a failure.

And the cherry on top of the cake: I had just had my braces put on.

2013

My braces come off. My boyfriend, James and I go to Mexico. I go see my absolute number ones at Manchester Arena: ARCTIC MONKEYS. I also decide that this year I will rejoin my family on holiday to Mallorca.

I had re applied to University and had only recieved one offer from Leeds Metropolitan University for Events Management. However, the course requirements were 300 UCAS points.

I had 200.

'Here we go again' I thought. 'Another failed and wasted year'. 

I left it. And eventually forgot all about University and carried on working at the restaurant.

On results day, the day before I went to Mallorca, I see everyone's happy statuses on Facebook about going to University. So I logged on to UCAS to get the closure that I wouldn't be getting in yet again, and I see;

'Congratulations! Your application to study Events Management at Leeds Metropolitan University has been accepted!'

WHAT.

I hadn't done my student finance application. I hadn't planned for this in anyway whatsoever.

So naturally, I ran upstairs to my mum (who was still asleep as it was only 8am) and practically screamed in her face.

I suddenly felt so proud of myself and so incredibly happy. Like I had finally achieved something.

So after stressing about my student finance and getting my head around it all, we jetted off to sunny Mallorca the next day and when I came back, started a whole new adventure.

2014

I finish first year with a 2:1 overall. I go see my most favourite comedian, Lee Evans perform live. 12 year old me buzzes with excitement as I also go to see McBusted live. I land myself my first retail job where I meet some of my most favourite people in the world. Northern School of Contemporary Dance hire me as their Events and Marketing Intern for my placement year. I go to Salou, and I also go on my family holiday to Mallorca again - but this time James comes with us. I get drunk so many times and make an absolute fool of myself in the process as I celebrate so many different things and meet so many new people on the way, 2012 is completely forgotten.

All in all, I know this post is a bit lengthy just to tell you how good 2014 was, but it just goes to show what a difference a year can make. Summer 2013 is when everything kicked off for me and it just keeps getting better. I'm excited to see what 2015 brings - I wonder where I'm at this time next year!

Post holiday blues.

I had such an amazing week in Mallorca. It was the first time I had been away with my boyfriend and my family together so it was quite exciting!

We stay in the same villa every year and it feels like home every time we go back. My mum, dad, sister Emma, Gramps John, Auntie Alex, Uncle Simon, and cousins Anya, Natasha and Katrina left a week before me and my boyfriend James joined them.

During their first week they went on a yacht trip that went into the evening and they told us all about how they saw the sunset over the horizon.

A week after they left, it was mine and James' turn. When we arrived at the villa, only my Dad was aware that we had arrived (we had told everyone else our flight was delayed). Whilst my Dad took our shoes and suitcases inside, James and I ran around the side of the villa, shouted 'HI GUYS!' and jumped in the pool fully clothed.

We got an amazing reaction and it was so great to see everyone.

One night I was walking back to the villa with my cousin and it was dark. There were few street lamps so it was difficult to see, and for some reason I had completely forgotten about the bright light on my iPhone. But whilst we were speed walking (we were late), my hand hit a cactus that was sticking out of someone's front garden. 

My hand ended up like this;

Natasha had to get a pair of tweezers to pry them from my fingers!

We visited the Cala Egos market which arrives every thursday evening on the main street of Cala Egos. It's perfect because our favourite restaurant is just at the bottom of the street so on our way back to the villa from the meal, we'll mooch our way up slowly looking at all the cute little trinkets and gifts.

It was so cute.

Meet Gary.

He came to say hello one evening whilst my cousins and I were making our way up to bed.

He was tiny!

Halfway through our week, we met our family friends Sharon, Scott and their kids Hannah and Luke at Cala d'Or beach and went on the pedalos. Our mob of 14 people took over the Mediterranean. Needless to say, it was a bit frantic. At one point I ended up underneath a pedalo, fell off another and almost caught my foot in the wheel that powers the boat underneath. The rest of our rabble enjoyed diving off the top of the ladders on the slides, swimming through the fish, bombing off the boats and belly-flopping their way into the crystal blue sea.

One evening whilst making the most of the limited Wifi in a restaurant, I logged on to Facebook and after looking at my notifications I regretted this instantly.

I had been nominated for an ALS ice bucket challenge.

My first thoughts; 'aw crap'.

Second thoughts; 'make the most of the 30 degree heat!'

So here is a screen shot of James pouring icy water over my head.

I nominated James and Emma, so later that after noon they completed their challenges. Emma nominated Katrina, who nominated my Mum, who nominated my Auntie and Uncle. Natasha had also been nominated by one of her friends back home so it was a holiday full of ice buckets!

My favourite point of the holiday, the absolute cherry on the cake, was successfully smack-camming my sister with shaving foam. Here's the video for your enjoyment;

Now I can't wait to see what next year brings.