Huddled in groups of fast-made friends, casting fearful looks at the older students, clutching NUS cards and accommodation keys, the Freshers are self-concious, but present. I'm glad. Freshers Fayre was as enjoyable for me this year as it was last year, scavenging just as much free food, the sunshine, playing with my Dixie band and having first-years clamouring to sign up for Ultimate Frisbee made it a wonderful day. Before this week I was proud that my recruit count for frisbee was already at 1, grace having become a faithful disciple after just two training sessions. I hadn't realised just how much of a precedent this was, until a further 200 students wanted to attend a training session...
A lot of my New Year's Resolutions were to do with worries I had before term was even due to start, and I am pleased to divulge that I have had some measure of success. Resolutions 1, 2, 3 and 4 are very much achieved, and lots of cycling plus a small portion of frisbee ensures resolution 8 is under-way too. My freshers week included both the first BOP! of the year, and pub golf for my frisbee captain's Birthday; I can tick off number 5 also.
With just resolutions 6 and 7 left to achieve, it means that it's time for real-life to resume. Freshers was fun, but I'm settled, I've got used to my house and lazing around in it, I'm ready for lectures to begin. (Possibly because I was lucky enough to have just one 9am a week). Completely new modules have me interested, and I might even have partaken in some course-related reading already... Here's hoping my new-found enthusiasm for work lasts, I'll be updating with new resolutions soon.
Blue is back.
It's not uncommon for many requests of an explanation to come my way as to why I indulge in this insanity, so I thought I could try to explain. Returning to my favourite xkcd may clarify my reasoning.
Everyone has creative tendencies, even those who claim to be 'bad at art'. I was terrible at the subject of art at school, but it was always painfully restrictive, and it's no wonder that the people who never received 'proper' training are often the most successful (Van Morrison an excellent example on the music side of things).
I digress. It's healthy for you to express yourself, through clothing, speech, interests, hair colour... Everyone has a need to do so, and there's no point watering down your ideas, your desires of how to behave, to try to conform, or to please people of higher status than you, or for any reason at all. As I said in my last post, if everyone was accepting of each other, everyone would be a lot happier. I think because it would allow complete freedom of expression.
In short, I dye my hair blue because I like to. It's not necessarily my favourite colour, I'm not just trying to draw attention to myself, I just like my hair to be blue. It's that simple. I think the first time I did it back in March it might have been a small test for myself. I'd never dyed my hair, and it was something I had been curious about for quite a while.
The experience has taught me not to second-guess a way I know I want my appearance to change. Do you want to try a new hair cut or colour? Item or colour of clothing you 'know' (think) you can't pull off? My advice is to just go ahead, don't even think about it, and don't look back. For certain, the person who will notice the biggest difference in appearance is you, your peers will be far more interested in your increase in confidence. Living spontaneously makes life so much more interesting. As xkcd points out, we can't just go on living our lives in a pattern, repeating the same behaviours over and over again. Try something different, something you've always wanted to do. Maybe do it tomorrow? Trust me, go for it.
It has happened. I am moved in. Why is this for certain now and not three days ago when I arrived? Because, quoting The Incredibles here, I've finally unpacked the last box! I adored my uni accommodation room. It was a good size, only 2 years old, and always seemed so clean. There was a giant pin-board and a full-length mirror and an ensuite, and it was lovely. It does not compare to this. I barely decorated my room last year, it didn't feel enough like my space to go batty with it. This year, all change! This year, my room is MINE. As previously posted, it is gloriously tiny, with no free space making it look big and empty. The walls are covered, and I mean covered, with my posters (Van Gogh Cherry Blossoms, Alex and his Droogs, Plan of the Ghibli Museum, and Flight of the Conchords) photos of all the fabulous people I've met and places I have been in my life, a pin-board overflowing onto the walls with tickets and postcards and letters from my friends, and with all my necklaces hanging from pins. A giant flag with every flag in the world on the ceiling, and Chinese lantern fairy lights and hand-made bunting hanging around. A panda rug covers the only floor space left, and I have a plan for the remaining ceiling space too...
How full my room is should accurately depict just how in love with it I am. My real home will always be in the village where I grew up, but, boy does this place come close. The house-mates are slowly filtering in too, making it seem so much more like home. Just two more of them to move in, and I can't wait until we're all here. The six of us would very often go out as a group together in first year, and for one thing it'll be so much easier logistically when we're all together! The dressing-up box is ready and waiting in the front room for the first BOP!s...
Happy bustling is still going on, so life in Uni Town won't grow static before term starts. Cupboards are being shared out, hot water being understood, and a couple of nights out have happened already. So speaking of which, there's a fridge which needs cleaning of mould...
It has recently occurred to me just how much can be learned about someone from the pages they have bookmarked. So, in case you wanted to learn a little more about Yours Truly, these are the pages I consider worthy enough to be bookmarked...
My favourite xkcd comic ('Dreams', in case you're interested)
A live stream of kittens. Especially entertaining as they're in a separate time-zone. I could watch kittens sleep forever.
5 different pages about Stockholm, Sweden. Including information about a free walking tour, the best youth hostel, and the museum where you can listen to stories by the fireside at Christmastime. This one's very current, the destination on this section of the bookmark bar changes depending on where I'm headed next.
A website which sells PERMANENT blue hair dye.
Some more live-streamed kittens. Except these ones are named after SCIENTISTS.
I feel like the bookmark bar tag should be a thing.
