Swansea Away Match #ComeOnTheBoys

Martyn, Jo, myself and Ruth

As I mentioned in my previous post, Wednesday was going to be a big day. It is now Friday and Wednesday was a big day, a great day. It started off with Tuesday night preparation - a late night session of fake tanning (St Moritz, wouldn't recommend it, only use it because I'm a penniless student), leg hair removal (Veet - the one and only), outfit planning (118 costume for the social) and bag packing.

Bag packing is the most stressful of chores for me, I pretty much have to take something for every eventuality. I will talk you through this. 

• Make up essentials

So make-up essentials in case of blemishes becoming uncovered, rain downpour on my face, when I rub my face in a stressful situation or sweat it off in a dance. These essentials usually include, 2 types of Natural Collection mascara, 1 17 mascara, Estee Lauder foundation (used as concealer), Maybelline mouse and my firm favourite Boujais (not sure how to spell) bronzer. 

• Baby wipes

I ALWAYS take baby wipes, these can be used for a make up faux pas, a spillage, grubby hands etc, however the main reason for bringing these is due to the long journeys and having a bladder the siza of a pea. The Tennis Club have become accustomed to this and take into account road side stops for me.

• iPhone charger

On an away day, this is an absolute necessity. Taking pictures on the dozen  refreshing Twitter constantly, uploading pictures on Facebook, editing pictures on Instagram, texting, calling, checking the items you're selling on eBay and checking student records to see if any results have come up, oh and googling and youtubing random stuff. So obviously you need bring a charger to make sure that you can keep doing this. The charging can be done at services and at the respective tennis centre.

• Packed lunch

This particular occasion, I took a few Tupperwares (from Paperchase, don't hate me Mum). In them they had pesto pasta, blueberries, grapes and a rubbish, tasteless sandwich. Being a student, making food at home to save money is a must. 

• Alcohol 

This is usually some tins of Cider and a Lambrini, this is brought for the return journey where drinking games are played and the main reason I need the loo so much.

• Paracetamol

I am a bit partial to getting headaches, usually because I am either tired or have not drank enough water, so I bring these just in case.

• Other

Glasses, in case I loose a contact lense. I also just had a look in my bag and I have left over in there; a spoon, a fork, earphones, tissues, sewing kit, 2 perfumes, cotton pads, a diary, 3 pens, a hairbrush, mini dry hair shampoo, a highligher, Mini Chedders, some cents and 2 plasters.

The life of a woman!

I think I got carried away with that list. I woke up at 7.15 to wash my hair and put on my face. Then left the house at 9.00 to get to Oxstalls for 9.15, however due to morning rush hour we were a little late. We were finally on our way at around 10.15 to Swansea. Upon arriving in Swansea, Ruth and I noted that there was a shopping centre next to the tennis centre and before we know it, there we were in Topshop (shock). I ended up purchasing a khaki green hoody for £15 and some deep purple demin shorts and got to the till they were marked down from £22 to £7. So all in all, under £20 (bargain hunter).

So after a successful shopping sesh, we headed back to the tennis centre to watch the Men's 1st. They all played well, however didn't quite get the result they hoped for and drew with Swansea university. 

The boys then got themselves some tins and we were heading back to Gloucestershire. We stopped 3 times, which were not even provoked by me and played several university drinking games including; do you think my Mum has ever, Who is most likely to, Black and White etc etc.

I have just realised the time and have to head off to uni for a lecture, but I think you have got the general gist of my day.

Ruth, Joe and me

Happy reading!!

Kate 

ps. When in Wales, take bags for shopping even clothes shopping because you WILL have to pay.   

DAY 2 OF MOTIVATION... Going strong

So.. It's day 2 of the new me and I'm still going strong. I think it's safe to say I am basically a changed woman. 

My view for the next 8 weeks.. Study study study!

It is 11.26 (British time) and I have completed 1,051 words of my Literature review, which was one of my targets for today and not only that but I have also done a white wash, done 10 squats whilst brushing my teeth and 40 lunges whilst flossing... You do not get much better than that for a Tuesday!!

It's quite literally crazy how one job application has done this to me... 

Also the idea of going on an away trip to Swansea with the Men's 1st Tennis Team is probably a strong contributing factor, especially as all the old tennis lot with be returning. BIG DAY is an understatement!!

I now just need to get finishing my first draft of my How Brands Work essay... 

Ahh the life of a final year student.. Living the dream.. hmm

See you.

Kate 

ps. One lasting note, listen if you want your mind to play games... The XX - You Got The Love 

New Beginnings

Today sparked a new excitement in me... I woke up early after a late ish night and a Passion fruit Cosmopolitan at Mai Tai in Cheltenham as the discussion quickly turned to how little time we had left at university and how many assignments each of us has to hand in. I think it gave everybody a well-needed kick up the bum. 


So as I was saying, I woke up around 9, had my daily bowl of Crunchy Nut, got back into bed and got cracking with my dissertation and no sooner had I started, I realised it was lunchtime and I had 17 references for the Lit Review. Now this is unusual for me, as those who know me will know I have the concentration span of a fish, so anyway this was a good start to the day and put me in a positive, motivational mood. I then had a speedy lunch with Harriet whilst catching up on The Gossip from Saturday night and then head right back to bed to start researching Kraft (as part of my diss). 

Anyway I found the website very intriguing and my level of concentration soon swayed towards the careers page. This is where my 'excitement' comes in. So basically this blog is about me travelling and I have always been against wanting a job until I have seen the world, until today. Kraft bought on a nevel level of excitement ... This is probably dragging on a bit now, so anyway I ended applying for a job, the position of 'Category Head Chocolate Sharing and Cadbury Masterbrand' and get this it is based in South Wharf, and for those of you who don't know where this is, it is in Melbourne, Australia!!!! I have NO idea what I would do if I got it, I guess we'll all just have to wait and see.

This has inspired me and as you can see from my picture at the top of the page, I have become super organised and this week IS going to be productive.

I'll keep you updated.

Ciao for now!

Kate

Valentine's Day

Happy belated Valentine's Day all!

Hope you all either enjoyed it with someone special or else had a good time with your friends or family. I never used to like the idea of Valentine's Day, I found the cards, balloons flowers and all the pictures people upload on social networking a massive cringe, however time seems to have changed me.. I mean who doesn't like a nice bunch of flowers or chocolates? 

I spent the day in the library doing group work, then had work work and then I could finally relax and have my Valentine's Day fun. My boyfriend got me lovely chocolate rose (please note, I have actually given up chocolate, sweets, cakes etc for lent. BOYS NEVER LISTEN) and then we made dinner at mine, all in aid of saving money for travelling. A juicy Rump steak from the local butchers with peppercorn sauce, dauphinois potatoes (from Co-op) and baby carrots and green beans. To say it was delicious was an understatement hmmm....

In keeping with the aim of this blog, I will also give you an update of my travel plans. Today I sent my dad my CV and cover letter for my Ski season, so hopefully that will all be processed shortly and I'll be well on my way to getting a contract and then I can relax and get focused on my dissertation FINALLY...

I hope you enjoyed today's post.

Kate 

The start of my adventure

Travelling has always been something of a distant thought until now.. I am finishing university and to me that is going to be my next step in life, forget about a job I just want to eat Papaya Salad in Laos and ride elephants in Chiang Mai. 

I don't think you can put a price on travelling really which is why I like this life quote so much. It's true though, I'm going to become definitely more culturally inept, I'll probably learn some things about myself I didn't know, I will see things I will have never seen, taste things I will have never tasted and sleep places I probably won't want to sleep ever again. And to be honest I can't think of anything I would rather do. 

The start of my adventure will be South-East Asia for around 6 weeks in June, starting in Bangkok, Thailand and then venturing round in a loop to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia and then finishing in the South Thailand Islands for the notorious Full-Moon Party before heading back to England at the beginning of August. 

I will then work night and day to save a ridiculous sum of money to pay for my Australian and New Zealand adventure come 2014 April time, but between this time I will also do a 6 month Ski season in Meribel, France. This doesn't technically count as travelling but it is all part of my adventure and will hopefully show that I didn't bum around for a whole year and help me to gain some sort of common sense!

Before I go off on a complete day dream of seeing the world, I will need to finish my degree and this will require doing some work, so despite it being a rainy Sunday and being hungover I am going to do some of my dissertation.

Happy reading.

Kate 

First Post

Welcome to 'The Elephant Never Forgets' first post.

I'm very new to the blogger world and have no idea how to really start this thing.  So any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have decided to start to blog because my housemates are all doing it, so I guess I'm kind of a sheep but I have never been the one to miss out. Plus I am finishing university in approximately 8 weeks ish and then I plan to travel the world, so it would be good to try and keep my friends and family informed on what I am doing.

So the name of my blog is 'The Elephant Never Forgets', I sort of considered this statement an *oxymoron (if that's the word). Firstly an elephant is by far my favourite animal and for those who know me will know that I don't particularly like animals unless you count *pterodactyls but secondly I see myself as similar to an elephant in terms of its' seemingly laid back approach to life and its' care free attitude, however the statement describes an elephant as never forgetting and I am a pretty forgetful person which is why I have to write in a diary and do a weekly 'to do' list.

So there you go, my first post. 

If you don't like my blog, you don't need to continue reading it but if you do, keep reading.

Kate


*A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.

*Is a type of dinosaur, seen as a flying lizard.