Love Santa x

So one Sunday morning - I say morning, I mean just after midday - was Christmas decorations time for flat 16 and I'm not going to lie... My inner child probably enjoyed herself too much. As she did the weekend seeing J-Stone's 8ft tree! *enter rather jealous girl here*
But its all good as home is decorated to an acceptable standard. Although leaving Mumma and Dadda R to finish the decorations unsupervised probably wasn't the best of ideas. There is now a Christmas patterned cardboard head of a reindeer with tisle looped around its neck in a scarf like fashion... this is one of the first things you see through the front door.
There are no words.
Now so far I have restrained from wearing my Asda brand Christmas glasses... aka, two glitter Christmas trees with holes in the middle for eyes - who ever said 'style does not extend to supermarkets' was quite clearly wrong - although I'm not sure anyone actually said that?! I feel those glasses only add to the (also glittery) Christmas pudding hair grip... If it has glitter and is remotely Christmasy I will buy It #ultimateconsumer
I am now currently eating my way though mince pies in preparation for our secret Santa gift swap later this evening. Only minutes ago did lelliot arrive back with his present after one reminded him that is was actually in an hour. As of yet the two other boys in my flat are still waiting to purchase their gifts - I dispare!
Lastly I shall come to my apology for not blogging for almost a month, one must meet deadlines too, one must also remember to write down which of the now five Google mail accounts that I have in order to sign in...
S

P.S. I have also just noticed that on this wonderful Google blogging site, its very own spell check is telling me 'Google' is not a word... oop's!
P.P.S The boys have just attempted wrapping their secret Santa presents... the amount of laughing coming from their rooms genuinely scares me!!

Herb souffle - yes really

Now, I know I have been promising some lovely fashion inspired blogs - however uni has gone into deadline over drive... I can barely bring myself to look at my laptop, even Facebook and Twitter have lost their draw. But today is the last day before my features deadline - way more exciting to write than a law or mjs (media, journalism and society) essay - or in fact a news piece... not entirely sure news journalism is for me - definitely not enough mentions of the word 'louboutin' in a day ;)
However, I was drawn back to my blog from news on the home front, aka, Sevenoaks. My loving sister sent me a text distracting me from my all hard work - yeah right! With a text of a picture containing something which looked like quite a nice pudding... the caption read "my dinner -.- some herb souffle or something -.-"... my reply "Oh wow... mine is whatever isn't out of date or mouldy in the fridge" #unilife #classicsennockinbehaviour
... Can't wait to go home for Christmas after that!! How I miss Sennockin eating! Or just eating non Asda brand products! It is genuinely painful to walk past all those lovely branded products - although I'm better than my flat mate who recently spent £70 on a food shop - he managed to buy one Asda product... wow. Lucky him, had to call mummy and daddy to tell them he needed more money for the rest of the month! But I'm not complaining I got dinner out of it ;) Powers of persuasion people!
Back to my features assignment - which will become one of my fashion related blogs - see just fashionably late...
S

US Elections #3

Third published article: Exit polls show more republican than in 2008

http://us2012.bujournalism.info/exit-polls-show-more-republican-than-in-2008/

US Elections #2

Second published article: Long lines lead to leaving voters

http://us2012.bujournalism.info/long-lines-lead-to-leaving-voters/

US Elections

I have spent the early hours of this evening reporting on the US Election for the Bournemouth University election coverage!

Here is my first published article: Hight turnouts expected after hurricane Sandy

http://us2012.bujournalism.info/high-turnouts-expected-after-hurricane-sandy/

Opening honey with a screw driver

After not blogging for two-ish weeks, I thought I would enlighten everyone's lives and blog again... you lucky people. I genuinely have a fairly awful excuse for not blogging - sadly not as good as 'the dog ate my homework' or in this case computer. As, well, for starters I don't have a dog on hand for said activity - so I will not be boring you with that. However, I shall be explaining how exactly I got to this blog heading...
And, yes. I did genuinely open my bottle of honey with a screw driver. It has been a long day! I then proceeded to throw my porridge down me so, all in all, a very productive afternoon snack/lunch. But you see being able to write really bad shorthand means it takes forever to complete my unit work, so the activity of 'sensible lunch' never actually happened today. But being the over prepared person I am (that or the fact I found food shopping fun, before I came to uni and had to shop and cook for my self every freaking day) means that in the back of my tiny student cupboard I have instant porridge and honey. Yay me! However, the stupid covering they put on the top of the honey and the fact I painted my nails last night (before you ask - Mavala 244 Ruby and nail diamante - I love my life) meant there was no chance I was getting into my pot of honey. Especially as Dadda R always told me to use a sharp knife for the purpose it was created for, turns out he meant chopping vegetables etc, not opening my latest make-up product with some stupid air-tight wrapping! See this blog is educational as well as simply amazing ;)
Now, I think I have spent enough time admiring my newly painted nails on my keyboard, so I will leave you with the thought of some amazingly fashion based event blogs on the horizon.
S

Because, why not?

Well that was probably one of the most eventful weekends of my life. Not gunna lie it was bloody fun though! Although saying that I am increasingly worried about Mumma R - clearly she is not coping without me (well who would?!) but wow. I have no words! But on the plus side I have reiterated to Dadda R that he can always buy a fancy flat in Bournemouth and move down here (cheep rent me thinks!)
I had decided I needed a long weekend off from doing anything - once again! And so naturally came back to more work that I left with - goodness only knows how that one works - but I am almost up to date! *Model student here*
I would blog about all the interesting and life changing things i have experienced since last blogging but asides from more lectures and way too much shorthand, not gunna lie being able to write in what looks like hieroglyphics does make me kinda feel like I have a super power... you knows it ;) Not much has actually happened unless you count the fact that I attempted to go to lectures this week without caffeine (I spent my food budget for this week on going home - oop's!) The result of my caffeine free week: some amazingly talented doodles on my hand! So there we go if journalism goes out of the window, I just need to get over my fear of needles and become a tattoo artist. Simple.
Very much looking forward to 'The Unexpected' tonight at Hoopers (T.Wells - yes i'm back home again - but B'mouth has me for the next month! Lucky Bournemouth.) I have been informed the Grazia editorial team will be there - yay - you can also 'meet the Radley dogs'. Yes we are all hoping they are actual dogs... In my hoping and dreaming I also decided I would like a new dress for Christmas / New years and seeing as I have all other aspects of Christmas sorted - we are having a flat Christmas too... flat 16 just doesn't know it yet - I feel the time has come for dress shopping. And maybe I might need shoes too. Probably a bag now I think about it. Also, you must always accessorise. I may actually need a new lipstick to match the dress I haven't bought yet... *Meh, I didn't want to eat for the next month anyways!*
S

Breakfast at Tiffany's...

God I wish! But on the upside I had a flask full of home made smoothie (I figured if it keeps hot things hot, it can keep cold things, cold? Correct me if I'm wrong!) I'm overly smug over the whole 'one I prepared earlier' style smoothie - i feel so healthy!! Which I'm not gunna lie, is about time! I have finally gone to the gym and persuaded the wonderful J-stone to write me a gym routine :) (Thank you very much my lovely boyfriend :D) As whilst I may go to the gym, do you really think I actually have sod all idea how to work most of the machines / even know what half of them are meant to do?! And don't even get me started on the fact I am genuinely petrified of the weights section!
No seriously, a major consideration in going for mixed accommodation - there will be a guy who can open any jar or bottle that requires super human strength (well to squash my flat mates' egos - any strength at all!) So now if I could just manage to get my shoes and bags to match or have some kind of co-ordination what-so-ever A) Mini G would be very pleased... co-ordination freak that she is ;) love ya G! And B) i may look as though i have actually got my life together! Yaya me :D phaa who am i kidding?!
Anyhow, after the failings of public transport (Jeezzzz do I miss driving!) I am finally home :) So will be enjoying the company of my family... Dadda R's comment "Yes, its tidy now you don't live here" and Mumma R's (whilst standing on my foot, after a night out with the girls: Oh dear) "ShhhhSSHHshhh, umm oh you are home" Yeah thanks, parenting for you! Therefore, Mini G is my most favourite with "Wow you are skinny!" I have the best little sister ever!! :D
S

'Informal Flat Warning' - That's karma for you!

So its has been an eventful day (well half a day for me) but hey I went to bed at four... I was just being a good student! Although waking up to general chaos in the flat just isn't the way I wanted to start my day off! I'm not going to say people can't party, but please clean upppppp - It was a struggle to make my Cheerios this morning - grumpy S!
But they say what goes around come around, so of course it would be today we receive a flat inspection when sod all had been done to clear up the flat from the night before... clearly the sea of sticky spirits (aka the floor and every surface) and the washing up bowl of vom in the middle of the kitchen floor didn't impress :/ ooop's!  Although I'm not sure what they were more displeased about the general state of the kitchen or the fact we had a fire door propped open... Personally I was a bit more ticked off over the smell! I don't want to be able to smell the kitchen from my room unless its someone cooking garlic!!
But onto brighter notes I'm heading back to sunny Sevenoaks tomorrow for mumma R's birthday! Also looking forward to seeing my girls (namely Gouldmas - there you go I have mentioned you so quit pestering me :P)... and having an Ismail!! Oh the joys of a decent hot chocolate, I know its not hard but I just can't seem to make a decent cup of hot chocolate :( waaa... also maybe being able to cook in a kitchen that isn't resembling a pig sty - or  preferably be cooked for. Hint, hint. Would be nice?
So sitting on my newly tidied (yes I actually tidied) desk there is a nice little pile of media law books, which within the one day they have been in my room for me to read they have been promoted from h/w to a raised platform for my make up mirror to perch on - lucky books! So media law is going well ;)
However on the subject of uni, I took a look through my unit guide for news journalism (I know, there is such a thing as being over prepared) But I kid you not, this is what I found: "Teaching programme: NB - Night club rules apply to this teaching programme. If a better prospect comes up the existing programme will be dumped. You deserve the best." My initial reaction being, well of course... I am the best!! But this way of working still takes some getting used to, I mean 'night club rules apply'... after last night in Bournemouth that is just a scary thought!
S

Product placement much?!

I'm thinking Costa a making freaking loads even with their 'student prices' and literally all my lecturers have the takeaway Costa coffee cups glued to their hands throughout the whole lecture - reminding you to pay attention, because there is that worry that if you are sitting that little bit too close to the front (which I never do - standard cool kid bus rules apply) or the lecturer decides to take a spontaneous walk around the room, you may get covered in flying hot coffee from an over enthusiastic gesture... Hmm appealing.
'Student prices' are amazing not gunna lie. I can even afford the Starbucks on campus... Nommmy chai tea lattes just outside the library. That is why people go to the library... Oh and something called books - but that is why Amazon was invented along with their lovely kindle!
Don't get me wrong I love an actual book just as much as the next technologically illiterate person and hey I'm the one studying to become a journalist, ultimately a magazine journalist and whilst I'm really enjoying my blogging and I think I could really enjoy online journalism, there really is nothing better than an actual magazine to flick through. Especially when your flat mates have got the Xbox on full wack and your phone is just purposely winding you up because it had managed to get signal in this spot two seconds ago and function normally, but now it is impossible it seems!
Lets wack in a bit of unprovoked product placement... My favourites are Grazia, Cosmopolitan, Look, and Elle... Just in case you were wondering or were just considering what to get this poor, poor student for Christmas ;)
#doagooddeedtoday #feedastudent #prefrablyclotheastudent... No seriously i am going crazy only having gone actual shopping one an a half times in the last, almost four weeks... Oh my actual... Almost a whole month :'( no wonder i feel ill - its not freshers flu its withdrawal symptoms from shopping. Duh.
S

Definitely ill.

I am definitely ill. Seriously, I am the most last minute person ever. I'm really not exaggerating. No seriously. Yet today, 9th October 2012, before most stores have even started their Christmas promotions, before most people have even started thinking about Christmas in general, before Halloween (but I'm not 5, so seriously who cares? Fake blood is just creepy! Santa Clause on the other hand 100% totally real and awesome - you heard it here first), before both mumma R's and mini G's birthdays, before anyone thought to tell me there is such a thing as over using commas, before I found out you can zone out whilst writing - not just reading - an uber long list, I wrapped my first Christmas present! (That point was totally worth waiting for) Now all I want to do is go and buy tinsel and go crazy on the flat... I feel some may argue this is slightly OTT... meh, grumpy buggers, Christmas is in less than 100 days! To be precise 87 days aka 11 weeks!
Although saying that, I did decide I had the power to add people to Santa's naughty list this morning, when the bus driver decided at the person in front of me (just as it started to rain) that his bus was too full. Yeah, cause that one went down well - he was just lucky it wasn't a Monday morning. Just going to point out now to anyone that also struggles with the concept of time, "another bus will be along 'in a minute'"does not translate to 'you will have to wait ten to fifteen minutes in the rain for three buses to turn up at once'. Just cause they are very similar concepts. Clearly.
Onto a brighter, non-Christmasy (gasp), note... I managed to cook bacon today and not reduce it to an inedible crisp! However I did manage to burn a pain ou chocolate whilst defrosting it. I am uber talented.
I also completed three hours of shorthand (dark thoughts) without the help of Red Bull and black tea. Cause that's my thing now - black tea, one sugar, well okay I tell a lie, normally two because 'just this once anndddd i'm really tired' #itdoesn'tcountif
Because I'm starved of TV here at uni and therefor TV adverts I have no idea if everyone has already seen this... however if you are a BBC addict or pay enough to be able to fast forward through the adverts #poshpeopleproblems and haven't had the chance to see this - not gunna lie it speaks the truth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK_RMlY0PkA&feature=player_embedded
Enjoy,
S

Buzzing like a bee

In hind sight maybe I should have left the Red Bull in Asda today... I may have got a lot done, but it apparently doesn't have super powers in 'motivation for shorthand'. It's not that much to ask is it?!
On the upside I have figured out how to blog from my mobile! Oh I'm so technologically literate! Well... one day :P
Hmm, so I think a little look at the Boots Christmas catalogue and THEN shorthand... cause technically I've already done two hours today - even though the seminar may not count and the cramming before because I kept putting it off last week... hmmmm, I see no pattern emerging here ;)
Yes, I am getting way too excited over Christmas already... I know it only just October, but Asda have started getting in their Christmas stuff so I have decided that merits me getting excited! For once I am also nice and organised so I figure, why not? This way the various people in my life may actually get decent Christmas presents!
So when is it too early to start decorating the flat...
S

This, That and Costa Coffee Machines

Sooooo, turns out  I am about as good at blogging daily as I am at being on time... ooop's! But on the upside whilst I have... hmm let's put it this way 'taken the weekend off' (because all students need a break from doing crap all) I have actually yet to miss a lecture... and only been late for reasons outside my control! And for those who my constant insistence of lateness - fashionably so - i like to think, this will really wind you up, the lectures have started late anyway because the lecturer was later than me! Karma baby. Lateness is the way forward. Therefore I am just forward thinking. And a genius. Also definitely modest.
For all you grammar... (I think that's what I mean... I am writing this fuelled by a late night snack, well I say snack, what I really mean is devouring a biscuit tin Mumma and Dadda R bought me for 'making friends and sharing with my flat mates' - But in all fairness they won't miss any biscuits they never knew they had!) Any way, back to the point. Anyone out there who is a bit OTT on the whole 'proper usage of grammar' (you know who you are!) I have started many a sentence with 'And' tonight, see earlier the 'fueled by bisuicts' comment - I only have limited brain power tonight I'm afraid. I will however make a conscious effort to get all grammar and spelling right in the next post. Ha... cause that's going to happen. One uses the spell check on ones computer rather more than one would care to admit ;)
This is the point where I think, I could really do with some caffeine as I'm wide awake but sooo sleepy - I mean seriously it's like my body clock hates me or something! Just plain rude! But even thought there is the simplicity of a tea bag (maybe fruit... Strawberry and Mango! Haters gunna hate... but leave me and my fruit tea alone please :) besides there is nadda on the caffeine front so I may get some sleep!) and a kettle in the next room, the allure of the newly found (thanks to J-stone) Costa machine in my halls is rather intriguing - why I am so amused by it, I'll never know! But i do know this If there wasn't a way to get a caffeinated drink per hour on campus I don't know how I would make it through lectures!
I do seem to manage fine in the real  world though... but It turns out my real world is mini/crazy golf with the boyfriend (and I really don't think caffeine is needed for that.) It is rather strange how one can get so over excited and competitive over golf in miniature... and there weren't even any windmills just a variety of weird slops, turns and yes, water jumps! I think for the sake of 'it's not the winning that matters but the taking part', I shall not disclose who won... and boys are stupid ;)
S

Peppermint foot scrub and the rest of lifes wonderful treats

So my idea of blogging daily lasted ohhh, what a few days... so I think a well done me needs to be put out there... hmmm! But lets start as we mean to go on.
Yesterday was an oddly calm day. Not sure whether it was the sheer amount of Lemsip in my system or I had just ran out of things to rant about, but like the awesome student I am, I made it out the door for my 9am lecture! Well done me :) With a cup of tea in a thermos (keeping to my upper middle class - so I'm told. No seriously, this is what the Bournemouth locals like to tell me outside the pub of a weekday night (Turns out I can't just go out for a drink anymore and be ignored, no in Bournemouth total strangers like to engage you in lengthy conversation... so far from home!) - Sennockain roots, no Costa takeaway cups for me... well unless i get up late in which case Costa becomes my new best friend.)
Something is telling me trying to write down my ramblings may just be that little bit confusing for those reading this! I shall try and kerb the bracketing! No promises though ;)
So anyway, as a treat for my zen-ness (yes I did just made that word up) I wacked out the peppermint foot scrub - see you think the headings are just randomly awesome, but they really do have a meaning - and as it turns out peppermint foot scrub is oddly relaxing (I also just like saying, but that's not the point!) So instead I'll just blame the peppermintyness - that one is definately a word too ;) - on me getting absolutely nothing done last night and crashing... I'm really bad at being a fresher!
Onto the rest of life's wonderful treats... me and my flat mates may have enjoyed the goodie bag mumma R left me with a little too much! Okay I digress, I definitely did share, It's not my fault the biscuit tin was closer to me than it was them!! Really its such a good thing I have finally managed to join the gym, the gym which is a fifteen minute walk from halls, so really even more exercise. So that means i can justify the Chinese takeaway and movie night tonight with the girls... and J-stone, he just doesn't know that those are the plans for his evening yet :P I have a feeling I could be loosing my boyfriend to Lellyot tonight...
This blog really is inspiring, talking of the rest of life's wonderful treats - here's one for the children (and parents who have held one to many children's disco birthday parties) of the 90's. 'Hey Micky' by Lolly just came on shuffle... major blast from the past (and maybe a small sing along and dance around my room. Maybe.) But hey, I am attempting to fold and put away my washing! Yes that's right mumma R I said fold ;)
S

Que Sera Sera

What will be, will be... It appears this is the mantra I am living my life by at the moment. One more interesting and unexpected day to add to the books! Once again ready for my bed by eight this evening through sheer exhaustion and probably a heavy dose of fresher’s flu and conjunctivitis - don't you just love being at Uni?? Although my previous statement is so hard to live by when you have just bought yourself and new eye liner and lovely new Clinique mascara, only to be told by a rather sweet chemist that I will actually need to throw it out and buy some more new makeup. Now the prospect of make-up shopping is enough to make any girly girl's day, however when that girly girl is a student and has not budgeted for being ill or her mascara lasting all of almost two weeks (because FYI the 'spiders as eyelashes' look is just awful) she will invariably have a strop all the way from the over sized Asda to her halls. Not gonna lie... the prospect of not being allowed to wear any eye make-up for the next five days makes me not want to get out of bed in the morning - thank goodness for my vintage (or they could be retro - I must confer with Plumskie, my resident studying-for-a-history-of-fashion-degree friend) Raybans!
Okay, horror of horrors! I have left said Raybans back in sunny Sevenoaks. Whilst i may still have some oversized 'bug' sunglasses, it's just not the same! I want to cover up my gammy eye in style!
On the upside I had a wonderful lunch with mumma R and JM :) Seriously amazing fish and chips (totally complimented by the Lemsip. Not.) and its two days until the wonderful J-stone comes to visit! But for now I am falling asleep on my keyboard. Again.
S

Eating my words

So it turns out it took all of three lectures to eat my words... this bodes well ;) Turns out, contrary to popular belief you have to do more than just turn up to pass your first year at uni. So, after a lovely long three month-or-so summer I need to use my brain again - it appears to have gathered many a cobweb...
Today was definitely a long and eventful day - the melodramatics started as soon as i switched on my laptop, having previously decided I now have freshers flu (probably don't and just have a cold, but really, that's not the point!) I felt that, alone in my room, I really was not getting the sympathy I deserved and may have ranted in an e.mail to Mumma and Dadda R, my response "Thank goodness you are in Bournemouth and I didn't get all of that in my ear!"... Feel the love - and resist the urge to get up and dance to Rudimental playing in my head - but on the up side Mumma R and JM are taking me out for a late lunch in Bournemouth tomorrow :) yay me! So I really can't complain ;)
Anyhow, after the beginning of the next three years of my life, I find myself without chocolate and vino, instead with a large mug of good o'll Lemsip and the tendency to nod off on my keyboard... Night!
S

P.s. If you happen to be an elderly resident of Bournemouth who has an interesting first memory to share, I would love to interview you and your story will become part of my portfolio!

Weekend Blues

So the weekend is over... which means so is my freshers is too! Whilst I have been told repeatedly today that I did not go out enough or drink enough... I am willing to disagree as I think my accidental attempt to fit my freshers fortnight into one night was maybe a little bit silly... (The less said about that, the better!) I certainly had a freshers experience to last me a life time! Turns out whilst I do love a good dance with my girls, I might do better down the pub, where there is the luxury of be able to hear the person next to you talk. Who ever knew that there was more to making friends than mouthing "Omg, I loooovvve this song"?!
Not gonna lie, I am ready to start my course... Goodness only knows how much I will miss the lie ins - 9am Monday morning lecture is just heading my way tomorrow. Joy. But (yes I do sound like a geek) I am kinda ready to do some actual thinking and work! Sooo going to be eating those words by the end of the week!
But for now, its a glass of vino and whatever I manage to find and cook for dinner - Well I say cook, I mean whatever will fit in the toaster...
S

A chocolate focused post...

It appears a uni student can find manyways to distract herself from learning shorthand... which includes blogging more than once a day! Technically its still helpful? Although it may only could if written in teeline :/ oop's! But on the upside I now know the teeline alphabet - already doing better than my many years of trying to learn French!
Also, I have decided that one should not be able to purchase a 200g bar of Galaxy chocolate without a valid gym membership #blessingoracurse (yes i did just hashtag elsewhere from twitter... social media suicide?!) But seriously a big bowl of fruit to my left and a big bar or chocolate to my right... i'm right handed - its only logical people!

S

Post Numero Uno

Hey,

 

I'm a student at Bournemouth university, studying Multi-Media Journalism. As of this 'sunny-when-it-wants-to-be' Saturday afternoon, I now have my very own blog... because clearly the Internet needs one more page filled with a student's ramblings! I'm hoping to use this blog to help my writing skills, document my time at uni and most probably vent my feelings to the big wide world of the Internet. But in the interest of those in my life who do not wish to have part of their lives broadcast on the Internet I shall use only coded nicknames... apparently it's the done thing?! So follow my insane ramblings if you wish :)

 

S