Sheffield: 100% Me

I always think of Sheffield as my 2nd hometown. And I only lived there for 1 year of my life.

And I think that's because when I moved to Sheffield. That's when I really became, me.

I like to think I'm a pretty outgoing person who's assured of who I am, and this isn't to say that I wasn't myself up until that point, I definitely was and have never to pretend I was anything else but me. But I just think, I didn't fully let out that every single 100% of me, just in case people didn't like it. So I kept a bit of that madness bottled up in a sparkly jar.

I've lived in the same place I grew up in all up until the point I left home and went to Uni.

When I left for Uni, I was absolutely terrified and scared as hell. My friends and family were all I knew, and the thought of not being around the same people that I'd been around for all my life, everyday as I had done, frankly scared the flower embroidered socks off of me.

I ended up depending and finding security in my boyfriend at the time, when I moved to Uni. He was familiar and comforting, and a person and an emotion that I knew. And to be honest, I didn't fully immerse myself in the whole uni life and experience in that time, because I was trying to hold on to THAT part of my life so much. Like a child who won't get off the swings.

Then when we broke up, I kind of did the same with my flatmates. I'd grown to know that and them, and they ended up being my new security blanket I guess.

So when I moved to Sheffield for my postgrad, it was all completely brand-spanking new. I was moving to a new city where I didn't know anyone. There was no-one I was emotionally attached to that I could depend on, and I was going to be moving into a flat with a bunch of strangers. 

And just like a kid who's scared of the 1st day of school, at 21 years old, I was getting ready for my 1st day, and worried I wasn't going to make any friends and have to eat lunch on my own everyday for a year, and hide in my room away from my flat full of people who didn't want to watch Friends with me. The horror.
I even took a ribbon bow out of my hair before I left the flat because I thought no-one would want to go talk to THAT girl.

A year later, it turns out that some people flipping love that girl.

Who'd have thunk it?

I ended up with a whole new bunch of friends who I know will be for life, lived with a bunch of people that went from going to weekly pub quizzes together, to chats until 2am in our kitchen, and met my kindred spirit of a best friend within the first 2 days.

I danced ridiculously at clubs. I let the cackle come out of my life.  I talked to people more honestly. And I was more honest with myself. There were some emotionally hiccups along the way, but by golly Miss.Molly, did they make me be more honest with myself when it came to my feelings when I came out the other side of the tunnel - if you're going to mess me around, then I sure as hell don't want to be around for you to mess with.

And when I watched Lousie from Sprinkle of Glitter talk about what Liverpool means to her, it's exactly the same.

When I think back at what I was like when I moved to Sheffield, to what I was like when I left, I wouldn't say I changed, but I just let more of myself come through. I came into 100% of myself.

And as my bestie said when I told her how much I love and miss Sheffield because of these reasons, she said:
"I think that city was just so suited to your personality, that you just shone."

I couldn't agree with her more.

Sheffield. I love you, you bonkers Northern beauty.
And you'll always have a special place in this equally as bonkers girl's heart.

Stay happy!

Until next time...

A.x

And...breathe again!

So, first of all, my apologies for my lack of presence on here lately. I've had a lot of deadlines for my Masters degree, and what first seemed like a completely manageable amount, turned into this monster of word counts, essays, page designs and colour palettes.

image: WhatOliviaDid

So a week ago on Friday, I finally handed in all my individual work for this degree. That portfolio included my own magazine concept, a business plan and market research into it, designing covers for it, thinking of contents, interviewing for it and not only writing features from our own magazine, but a variety of different features.

I remember one of the first days that I moved to Sheffield, I was sat at this pub with all these new people, and one guy mentioned how it was his birthday in June, and he wasn't sure if people would still be around to celebrate it with him, and it was a big birthday. The big 3-0.

Before i knew it, I was sat at the same pub, with the same people, on that said-guy's birthday, celebrating his birthday and our deadlines. It was kinda poetic in a way.

We went out and celebrated. For all the stress, teas, cups of coffee drank and late nights, it was finally done.

The upcoming week was a mixed bag of emotions. Despite the deadline, there was still an essay to do, but I got a few beers, a gin & tonic here and there, sang along (badly!) to a silent disco and quite lot of dancing in there too...

Since then, I've been getting on top of my life again. My actual life!

That includes doing boring things like banking and posting... But I've also seen my family at my nephew and niece's birthday party (how is my nephew 7 years old already?!), followed my own blog's name and frolicked in the park in the sunshine with ice cream, swang on some swings, laughed at movies and while catching up with Orange is the New Black, and I even got asked on, and went on a date!

It's not until  I've stopped and taken a step back, that I've realized how far I've come, from when I started this course less than a year ago. I'm happy and proud with how much I've learnt, and excited for all that's to come in the future! (I do still have summer project before I finish officially in September, but let's not concentrate on that...)

Regular blogging will resume!
Hope you're all well!
Speak soon,
A.x

Flippin' Heck!

Yesterday was Pancake Day. One of the best days on the calender!

I went round to my friend, Cat's house, and she was the best hostess! 

Since moving into halls for my postgrad course, it was so nice to be in a proper home that felt lived in and loved. It just felt completely calm and homely and after a fragile morning due to a few too many cocktails the night before, it was just what the doctor ordered!

She made tea, she had bacon sizzling away and an assortment of pancake companions laid out ready.

Not only that, but we didn't just cook using your standard frying pan, no siree. She had a mini pancake stove ready and it was the cutest and most fun thing!

I had every combination possible. Nutella. Bacon and syrup. And my favourite which is a classic, lemon and sugar. I think my blood stream is pure pancake batter now! 

With the softest cat I've ever met to cuddle, a pot of tea to keep pouring, and relaxing times with fantastic friends, it was just pure bliss.

What did you do for pancake day? What your favourite topping?

Hoe you're all well,

Speak soon.

A.x

Recently...

Life's been a little but hectic since I've moved to Sheffield. A new city and new course has made time just absolutely fly by! The course is great too but just a lot of work, but thankfully, I've also got some new housemates and friends who are great and I get on with brilliantly :) So I'm sorry my blgging's been a bit on the quiet side! Instead if leaving it high and dry, here's a little update of late via my instagrammed life:

1.) went for a morning tea at Emma Bridgewater with my mum and this polka dot aga is now on my wishlist for my future dream home 

2.) fell head over heels in love for Christopher Bailey's SS'14 collection for Burberry 

3.) I got my craft on and added some sparkle to my Vans trainers 

4.) spots and stripes feeling like a liquorice all-sort

5.) crammed into the car ready to move up to Sheffield 

6.) spending some quality time with my gorgeous nephew 

7.) having some scrummy dim-sum with the family 

8.) settling into my new room with some pretty lights and photos of friends and family 

9.) falling in love with the city of Sheffield 

10.) a killer salad I made for dinner of bacon, chicken and avocado 

11.) unwinding after a day jam-packed of lectures with Breaking Bad, hoc late and a trusty cuppa 

12.) shorthand is taking over my life 

13.) being a fresher for the 4th time 

14.) having after-uni cocktails with Kim 

15.) flat 29C together for a night out for Imogen's birthday 

16.) loving the graffiti at my new local vintage shop

I'm hoping I'll get a bit more time to go back to regular blogging when everything settles down a little and I get a better grasp on my course.

Hope you're all well,

Speak soon, 

A.x