Second Year Achievements

Heyo!

As many are aware, the new term is starting soon for university students. Freshers are heading into halls and meeting their flat/housemates and trying to find their footing in their new cities and second and third years are most likely already dreading the new year. I am heading into my third and final year of my degree, and I am half excited, half nervous in all honesty. 

I am so excited to start my modules as they all seem really interesting, but I am doing my dissertation-alternative and spending the year as an Editorial Assistant for the Irish Studies Review. It's not a standard dissertation, so it's kind of scary, but I think it's the better option for me as experience in the publishing industry is vital if you want to get a job quicker and don't want to be at the very bottom of the ladder!

Coffees on campus were a staple this year, especially the infamous 'crisis coffee' sessions with Bronte

Anyways, the main focus of this post is an update and a reflection of everything I succeeded in and achieved in the last academic year, and you are now indeed updated, so let us reflect on the great things I did!

I want to start this bit by saying loud and proud that there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to share your achievements with people. It doesn't make you look big-headed or pompous, it actually shows more often than not that you're really proud of something, and it does deserve every ounce of recognition it gets because it's most likely just as great as you are! If you told me at the beginning of second year I would be doing this post I would've laughed, but I'm more confident now and I'm really learning to love myself more and everything I do. So should you! So without further ado here's what I am most proud of doing last year at university!

*If you want to just see my year at university, scroll to the bottom for (often low-quality android) pictures of some of my favourite and fondest memories*

New courses and modules

I started new modules, and the things I did this year went into my final grade for my degree, so it was time to pull myself together and get things in order ready to kick the year in the butt! There were far more books and secondary criticisms to read in all formats (pdfs, books, chapters, excerpts, papers and theories) and lots more notes and ideas in order to enrich my essays and own opinions on the texts and subjects studied. I loved it all, and I thought although it took me a couple of weeks to get into the second-year mindset, when I did, I did really well! Yes, I did sometimes fall a bit behind with work and essay prep, but I did not miss a single deadline and my work was done to the highest standard possible (except a silly mistake where I handed in a draft of an essay not the final edit, cure you Turnitin and your inability to allow me to re-upload DAYS before submission)

I felt I coped with the newer and more challenging modules really well, and finished the year with a very high 2:1, actually getting firsts in my two exams I had, so I am thrilled with how well I did and know I am so ready to tackle third year now!

Clarissa.

I'm not too sure how much to say about this, because if it ends up reading as long as a page of Clarissa feels, then I'm so so sorry to those of you who have suffered this. But, I need to emphasise how awfully challenging and obnoxiously long this book really is! It was originally printed and sold in seven different volumes, but Penguin published it all as one story, at a staggering £25 for the spine to crack instantly and also for pages to fall out, and the book being incapable of supporting itself. I had to buy a bookstand for this book, it hurt my arms to read this and just made me sad as to how large, heavy and awkward it is to carry. I now use my copy as a tofu press to drain it ready for cooking. This book made me pull out my hair, for the characters are flawed, and also just so bloody annoying! I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, but reading this twice, that's right, twice is one of the biggest achievements of the last academic year. I will never read it again, but I don't want to get rid of it, because it'll be the perfect doorstop one day.

New friends/house!

I started the year with my pals close to hand, and I was able to better develop these friendships and I can now honestly say I have friends that I will be keeping for life. I moved into a second year house with five of my favourite people on this planet, and it was great to get to see them on a daily basis! My days spent with Trey watching TV and making mad snacks and treating ourselves to things we didn't need were glorious. The chats I had with Jamie made me smile, and he always asked how I was, he's just a great bean and I hope to see more of him next year. Alice would have nice girly chats with me and help me get ready for a night out so I looked really pretty as opposed to my natural beauty I know I have, not arrogant, just confident enough to know my own beauty. Ollie would always be telling stories in the lounge and making sure we were all okay. Overall, then house was full of noise, people and brilliant memories, but also fleas so pros and cons am I right?

To my old friends, I thank you for yet another brilliant year. You were all so supportive, kind, caring and exceptionally awesome in every aspect, and I cannot wait for the next year of memories we can all build and share together! I was so worried that at uni I would miss my family so much, but you guys have become a second family to me, there for me when I need you and it's mutual incase you ever forget and need someone! You are all such great people and I am so lucky to have you in my life.

To my new pals I made this year, thank you so much for enriching my life and becoming a part of my university experience. Whether we don't talk much, or have become new best friends, you are all so important to me and deserve to have the best year possible! You brilliant, beautiful beans made my year extra special and I now cannot picture things without you all!

Health

The last year really challenged mentally and physically, and I feel I've been pretty open about this both on my blog and with my friends and family. I have somehow managed to get a balance, and although sometimes I slipped, stumbled and fell down, I always had people and my own will power to help me get back up and keep on going. My physical health seems to be trying to keep me down too, but again due to an amazing support network of brilliant people in my life I know I can tackle this head on and try to prevent it stopping me from doing what I want to do.

I've also been going to the gym this year, and have lost nearly two whole stone since January (I've not got on a crash diet or anything, I've cut down on some food and snacks and this combined with exercise and fairly regular gym sessions meant I could do this - go me!) I am so proud of myself for doing this, and I am looking forward to getting to a point where I fully love my body. I have a better relationship with my body now, especially my body image, and I am very excited to see this improve even more and to see even more benefits!

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Nights out with Ruby and Alice

Publishing with these two beauties made the whole year fly by

Drunken Beckie and Tasmin are staples on all of my social media, no regrets

I met my Brighton babies this year and saw them for the fifth time, bliss

Pub trip featuring the beautiful Shannon

We made a magazine this year in publishing and it was amazing, thanks T for cover art x

I tried to get a good picture - this was the result

I didn't get a good picture of me and T this year, so have this

Bath at Christmas when Robyn came and visited and we saw The Fratellis

Beautiful Bath

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Overall, I feel I've done very well this last academic year, and if I can continue this progress into the next year of university I'll be a better person and I will boss this year. 

Thank you to everyone that's been a part of my life this last year, you've been brilliant and I look forward to seeing what happens next and also what I can achieve in the next 10-12 months.

Until then,

B x