My Friend's Blogs

Blogging has become a bit of a fad with my friends.

Melissa Strickland's Blog - The Glass Is Always Half Full 

Melissa is a Virgo which means she has an outgoing nature and a flair for communication, but not only that but making decisions is an area which she excels in however she does not jump to conclusions simply to please others. People around her will see her as elegant and tasteful and that's people who know her as well as people that have just met her. She makes a great first impression as she connects so easily with people, making her a great networker in the social and business environment. And lastly, some people may think she must have an ulterior motive because you can deal with so many people at once, but it's really that she absolutely love socialising and partying. She is a real 'people person. 

This is what her star sign says about her, along with a long list of contributory qualities and expert skills and I hate to say it but Melissa is a true Virgo. I thought I would start with her star sign as, as well as blogging it became a bit of a thing in our house the other day and we learnt so much about each other, like the fact I am definitely a Leo by nature. 

Melissa's blog shows her positive and ambitious attitude to life and it will sure take you on a journey. In fact Melissa is the reason I decided to write a blog, you see we are travelling together this summer so the main aim was a travel 'diary' as such, but hers also gives skin/make up advice, funny videos to watch and you can also complete her dissertation survey.

I have known Melissa since the very beginning of university, we lived in halls together and have lived together ever since minus placement year. She is one of the most ambitious people I know and if she wants something she will work her hardest to get there, many people look up to Melissa and find her motivating (me included), she makes me feel guilty not doing work and if you are in a group with her you will want to work your hardest. Not only that but we are complete weirdos together, we constantly create new accents or mimick other accents (Dallas accent at the moment is a favourite) or make up cheerleading dances (have a look on YouTube).

Anyway here is me going on about her, but just take a look at her Blog! 

http://theglasshalf-full.blogspot.co.uk/ 


Natasha Sullivan's Blog - Natasha's Blog

Natasha Sullivan has been my best friend since I moved to where my family live now. We made friends because in Year 5, Tash didn't like the group she was with for DT, so her Mum spoke to Miss Nicholls and asked whether Tash could change and Miss Nicholls asked who she would like to go in a group with and Tash picked me!! And as you could say the rest is history. Throughout primary and secondary school we literally lived in each other's shoes, we had pink themed sleepovers, made Scrapbooks, did photoshoots, went to netball camp, went swimming on Sundays, made cakes, went to afterschool nervous, go in trouble, shopped (ALOT), watched alot of films together. You name it, we did it. 

Similar to Melissa and I, Tash and I feed each others mentalness, I'm starting to realise it may be me that influences people weird antics. We have gone through many stupid nicknames, the first being 'pinky barbies', which our msn names and our email addresses, but the one that stuck the most was 'Carrot' strangely enough. I'm not really sure how it came about, I think we basically just invented a 'Happy Carrot Day' and that was that and up until we left for uni, there was one girl that still called us this. 

Tash's mum once gave me a present, which was a star that I could hang up in my room and it said, 'Friends are like stars, you don't always have to see each other to know you are there'. This is us down to a T, I have seen Tash once since Christmas and we see each other and it's like nothing has changed. These are the friendships I value the most.

Tash's is a fashion blogger, she currently works for Topshop and is the best dressed person I know and she doesn't even spend a lot, eBay works in her favour!! So for tips, advice and just general learning read her blog!!!

http://natashasullivan.blogspot.co.uk/

Gold Cup - Living Life From The Other Side

My amazing bestest friends and my housemates

For the first time in my three university years living in Cheltenham I finally attended Cheltenham Festival's Gold Cup rather than working it as a penniless student. However I still am a penniless student.

We thought we just had to do it, you cannot live in Cheltenham and not! It was amazing and don't get me wrong I do NOT do betting however 'when in rome'! I was only spending a few pounds per race and ended the day up by £16 ish, that is the type of betting which is the favoured. The weather was awful, raining like crazy but we did not let this dampen our spirits. We dressed in fur and heels and fitted right in with the horsey people. 

So for those people who haven't yet been to Cheltenham Festival, I would truly recommend it and if you are a student stay at the YMCA. Now do not judge a book by the cover, it is not just for homeless people. The girls and I stayed there last year on our placement year and you can stay in a 6 bed dorm just for girls or just for boys and it's very clean! Or for those that have a bit more dollar to spend, Cheltenham has plenty of accommodation for you.

Going to the races makes me excited for getting a proper job in the future and being able to do these sort of things. Bring on the future.

Happy Friday!

University of Gloucestershire Ladies Tennis Team

Me, Lucy, Eloise and Jacqs

This Wednesday just gone, I played my last ever university tennis game against Cardiff.

It feels like a bit of an end of an era, like university is finally coming to the end. I never really wanted this to come, I have loved every second of university. I mean obviously there has been incredible times and you know essay writing times (not so good). It's weird but I feel like I'm actually ready to move on, travel, get my own house and a job. 

Tennis has been a huge part of my university life, especially in my final year when I became Ladies Captain. Playing sport in university is a must, if not too make another set of friends to your flatmates but also so you get to dress up in a different fancy dress every Wednesday. I would recommend it to anyone, even if you don't play sport, join a team socially, not only will you have the best university experience but you will also have something to add to your CV.

I hope those who read this, including my brother who have not yet started university, it gives you something to think about before you start!

The Time Consuming App of SNAPCHAT

So, like many of apps that make it to the 'most popular' page on the app store, Snapchat is currently having it's time in the spotlight, it's 50 seconds of fame.

And although I hate to think I am follower (sheep), it has happened, I have been well and truly brainwashed. 

For those of you that are unfortunate enough to have not witnessed its' true geniusness (not a real word) or have a blackberry (Melissa) you are missing out, grab a friend's iPhone, borrow an iPad on your daily commute do anything, because I will tell you now, it is all worth it. 

Snapchat involves you taking a picture or video of something and sending it to your friends, however there's a catch, there is a time limit of 10 seconds and once viewed you can NEVER view again, unless you are a nifty one and manage to take a screenshot. For those of you that haven't yet got involved, this may not sound as exciting as I have made out, but it will become an addiction. I have warned you. 

If this makes you get the app, do not say yes to alerts, you won't do anything else, (including your dissertation) and every few seconds a message will pop up alerting you that someone has sent you a another Snapchat. 

Today I have travelled home via train, and I kid you not I have probably sent a mere 20 Snapchat messages, and for those of you I Snapchat (is this now becoming a verb? sensational), I send the same picture to everyone, I wouldn't want to think you were special and getting a video of me walking through the train station on your own. The videos I send include; gym activities, walking, stupid faces, cooking and frisbee in the kitchen. The pictures include; ugly faces (compulsory 'morning' and 'evening' pictures), food, gym machines and library activities.

Now I could go on about Snapchat all evening, but unfortunately I have to do some university work and thank goodness Snapchat has drained my battery, so there will be no distractions. 

Let me know your thoughts on Snapchat or even (if you know me) add me.

Happy Friday!

Kate

ps. FAILED AT LENT (my belly needs chocolate to much)

It's all go

MY FLIGHTS ARE BOOKED!!!!

Nathan and I fly from London Heathrow on the 14th June, arriving on the 15th June (early morning) in Bangkok, where we will meet Melissa and Phoebe around midday for 6 and a half weeks of true backpacker style travelling.

All that's left to do now, is to get shed loads of immunisations - Typhoid, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Japanese Encephalitis and Malaria tablets. Thank goodness I went on World Challenge to Ecuador and had to get the majority of these, so for me the cost is a lot less, but Mel and Nath have to get the whole shabang. I have an appointment on Friday to get my Hep B and Rabies and then it's all go. 

Then finally, the official route planning will begin. So any of you that have traveled around South-East Asia, in the likes of Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia and have any advice on specific areas to visit, please feel free to comment and help us plan where to go.

So today the countdown begins - 14 weeks and 3 day to go and only a dissertation, 2 presentations, 2 group reports and 2 essays to go. Not that much really!!! Hmmm. As much as I complain, it will all be worth it in the end!!

Enjoy the nice weather today!

Kate 

Problems in the Law Library

So this issue of grimy little first and second years on websites like Facebook, Twitter and Daily Mail and nattering away in the Law Library (quiet area) has truely hit a sore spot for the likes of a super motivated keen library 4th year enthusiast such as myself.

Yesterday I came in (might I add early) to do some of my dissertation and having had a super focused hour of work, in comes some ignorant second years (a guess), there were 3 of them, and all 3 signed into a seperate computer. First thing they go on in social networking sites and the one next to me, the daily mail site. Now don't think I am judging because even I am partial to some Facebook catch ups, but might I add on a short 5 minute break from my work.

From the word go, there was no intention to come in to do work, not one of them took out a memory stick or a book. Then they would see something funny and all crack up and giggle about it and then talk, in not hushed voices about whatever was so funny. Now this went on for a good 45 mins, by which point I had had enough. So being a boffy 4th year, I logged out, packed everything away and left. But not before I made a complaint to the library staff, complaining that I was 'sick and tired' of this and how 'inconsiderate' it was and how they need to employ a 'library monitor'.

Now this brings me to today. Wenna (@WennaSemmens) and myself head down to the library early for a productive day in the very same Law library, we worked solidly for an hour or so, before I got silly and it pains me to admit it but we become those annoying people in the library. Giggling away as Danny Zuko walked past us, literally the identical twin, maybe he was more of a Kenickie. Then, being the pranksters we are, attempting to prank call the Law Library number (I kid you not, I am laughing to myself as I type this), which we thought would be hilarious and then when it rang we would go and answer and pretend we knew who was calling. Now, those of you reading this, may not find this particuarly funny, but I guess it was one of those 'you had to be there' moments.

Anyway now we have become focused again (despite me writing this) and are motivated because we want to go to Pizza Express for lunch.

Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing about it.

Special mention to Morwenna Semmens (my nearest and dearest).

Happy Friday !!!