Last minute shenanigans

It is now truly the very final countdown with only 2 sleeps to go and to prove to you how organised I am, I have even written a 'what to take' list and I've pretty much got everything minus a few bits and bobs. It's also strange in the fact that my backpack looks like it is going to be pretty much empty and for those who know me you will know that this is not the norm, I usually totally over pack and end up wearing barely anything I've brought. 

I officially moved home to Wokingham on Monday after work and  i think it's safe to say, I have consumed a ridiculous amount of stuff from the past four years. The floor of my room was not visible and I had to complete a rather testing trek to make it to my bed, however two days on, three bin bags of rubbish and 5 bin bags of stuff for a car boot sale in August later and my room now resembles a very tidy pig sty. 

At the moment I don't feel sad to leave Cheltenham but I think that's because it hasn't really sunk in just yet and the fact that it was myself and Debbie as the last men standing, it wasn't as though we all left together because I think that would have been a whole different ball game. Cheltenham has been so amazing and I have loved living there the past three years. I love how everything is so close by and that we could walk anywhere, I definitely think I will be visiting again and not just for graduation.

So now being back in Wokingham, I feel like I have gone back to 4 years ago and i'm 18 again which isn't so much of a back thing (oh to be young again) but this time away from home has made me realise that I think I have actually grown up and I'm ready to fly the nest (literally), but no on a serious note I have started to really look forward to saving for my own place and buy house-related things and get some sort of a job. However I still have a year of travel-related fun to look forward to before I get genuinely serious and proper grown-up as I'm sure the girls would not yet put me in this category. 

Anyway enough of this nonsense, 2 MORE SLEEPS!!!!! 

It's the final countdown

I think the title of this post says it all. It is now 2 weeks to this day until I leave, in fact this time in 2 weeks I will be on route Gatwick Airport with Nathan and I can't wait.

This week so far I have been super organised and managed to get my travel insurance sorted as well as applying for my travel money cards, ordering my South-East Asia guide book (geek) and booking a doctors appointment to get my Malaria tablets prescription. This is me in a nutshell, major last minute organiser.

So as well as packing in all this organising I also went to Clifton in Bristol to visit my dear friend Steph. Steph has lived with me for the past year in Cheltenham and has recently got herself a cracking new job in HR along with the most beautiful house ever. To say I'm a proud old girl is an understatement, well done pal.

Today, I also traveled to Herefordshire and once past the M5 the scenery was beautiful and there were so many quaint little pubs, I would definitely recommend I visit, if not for the nice, scenic drive for a good pub lunch or a country walk. So anyway, I was in this area for an interview. Now you may be wondering whether I'd got myself a graduate interview, but no it's a bit more exciting than that. I got myself an interview with a ski company to work a ski season this coming winter. Hopefully I will find out shortly whether I got myself a job, but I'll keep you updated. Fingers and toes and limbs crossed please!!!

I'm getting myself so excited for everything to come, I want it to come sooner but at the same time I know it's going to go so quickly and before I know it, I will have to start getting myself a proper job!!

Lastly, in keeping with my super busy schedule I spent the last weekend in Bournemouth for the 7s festival and it was insane. It was so good. I went with Nath and stayed with his friend Vaughan but it was crazy how many people from university and home I saw there, it was basically a reunion. It was lovely because I got to see Tash too, which was the best surprise!!

Enjoy my pictures

Night time reading...

Hi everyone,

Melissa (mentioned in previous blogs, if you are a regular reader of my blog) is currently in Sri Lanka volunteering before meeting me, Nath and Phoebe in Bangkok. She has her own blog and has written a few posts since being there, please all have a read. If not just for some great night time reading, a way to inspire yourselves to look at life in a new perspective and become grateful for the lives you live and maybe even encourage you to volunteer yourselves. 

This is her blog, follow her journey http://theglasshalf-full.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Thank you xx

End of an Era, Goodbye University

This time last week I handed in my dissertation, which was my final assignment of my university career. To be honest it was a bit of an anti-climax, but still the best day.

We were lucky because we had incredible weather (24 degrees) and everyone managed to catch some sun. We spent the early afternoon on our university field with a few pints and then headed over to the boys house for an evening of BBQ food, beers, comedy and a masterclass of DJing (special thanks to J-Rob).

My dissertation !!!

MAC Class 2009-13

BBQ at Hermitage Street

DJ Loop and DJ Scratch (inspired by Spring Breakers)

So, I only had one week left with Mel and Wenna before they both left, so we headed to Oxford for a spot of punting. As they say, 'when in Rome...!'

Oxford is such a beautiful city, a mix between Richmond (London) and Cheltenham. And, the amount of bikes in that city is crazy. I feel that I would fit in a treat. Literally bikes are almost as important as cars, a special kind of appreciation over there. If you have the chance, I would definitely visit and go punting. 

Magdalen Bridge Boathouse.

£18 for an hour for 5 people to self-navigate the boat, £25 for a guided-tour and open until late at night! 

Learning how to 'punt', Wenna is less than impressed

Whilst Mel directed us under a tree

'Pro-punter'

Punting fwends 

Wenna enjoying oaring 

Natural on the water

Sport's Awards 2013

Biggest night of the university year and I only went and got Full Colours for tennis. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Me with my Full Colours for Tennis

University of Gloucestershire Tennis Club 2012/13

The Tennis girls

Thank you Deb for your dress

Me and my beautiful housemates Debbie and Melissa

Summer Ball

So as I said in yesterday's post, I had the University of Gloucestershire's Summer Ball to look forward to. It is now the afternoon after the night before and I'm a very tired little girl, but myself and Morwenna have managed to drag ourselves to the library. However, the work we have done so far may not be that productive, but as a friend once said 'doing little work is better than doing no work'.

Back to the Summer Ball, preparations started around 12 where we started on make-up, hair, nails and fake tan and we were ready in record time as we me, Wenna and Debs left the house at 13.30 to meet friends in the Exmouth Arms for a lunch to line the stomach. We had a mixture of steaks and ducks to eat and a few bottles of wine, we then went home to meet Melissa and touch up our make-up before heading to The Retreat for a glass of prosecco... In between all this eating and drinking we took about a zillian photos, some of which, I mean a select few of which I will post on here. We then went to another bar, Apres and then onto Copa, where we meet tons of people and finally onto our penultimate stop of Revs, where the majority of the students were... By this point, our feet are starting to hurt and one person had already stacked it.

We then got to Summer Ball, which was at Cheltenham Racecourse!! We went on Dodgems, Ferris Wheel, ate hot dogs and drank Magners and then finally Grimmy from Radio 1 arrived, then we saw Mikill Pane and lastly Professor Green and it was quite exciting because Lily Allen turned up!! It was incredible to say the least but it all got a bit much and little Kate, was a tired little Kate so I went home!! 

Hope you enjoy the pictures!!!

See ya x

Debbie, Morwenna and myself outself Montpellier 

Emily, Tom and Helena for a brief moment whilst the sun was out

Me and Nath at Copa

Girls at Copa

Morwenna, Melissa, Deborah and myself in our lounge

Life in the fast lane..

I have let myself down, I have neglected the blogosphere.

Update

University work is taking a full hold on my life, I don't even know what a social life is any more, how do I even get one?

Since I last blogged, I made another incredible cake for my little brother's 18th....

However, although it looks so fantastical and magical, my mum went to cut it and removed the ribbon..... Smarties and chocolate fingers EVERYWHERE. Although this sounds like a disaster, my cake was polished and no one in my family managed to get a slice. For those interested, this is just a basic cake recipe with chocolate butter icing (not too buttery) on the top and in the middle (made by Mum) and then I added the fingers around the outside, make 
sure you get yourself a helper or two (thanks Mum and Dad) and add a ribbon of your choice around the outside and then add as many normal sized and mini smarties as humanly possible. Try not to eat as you go along, save yourself for the actual cake and licking the bowl.

Happy 18th Adrian!!

And that's about it apart from working two jobs, completing a presentation, handing in a 4000 word group report, a 1500 word individual assignment and getting a hold on my dissertation. It is now the 10 day count now and to say i'm becoming excited is an understatement....

So today is a Saturday and I woke up at 8am and have been working on my dissertation, but actually today is also the Summer Ball day, so it will be so perfect having a night off.. Summer Ball is pretty much an all day event, starting around lunch time and ending in the early hours, when I have removed my heels and have my flip flops on, and all the make up I put on around lunch is pretty much gone but I can't wait. It takes place at Cheltenham Racecourse and there is a Ferris Wheel and Dodgems, there used to be a ride called the Swizzler, which is where I spent all night but they appear to not be using it, I guess Dodgems will do!!

And finally, the aim is to complete my dissertation by Tuesday with a few changes to make Wednesday and Thursday, then hand in Friday... Please cross all your fingers and toes for me!!

Bye x