A difficult period of much alcohol consumption, probably contracting some sort of STD and trying your best to come out of 2014 with a slither of dignity.

Tuesday 25 November 2014

Hideous Clothing... is it Really Acceptable?

Having a dress sense which neither includes any 'dresses' nor many 'senses' is a wonderfully odd category to fall into. Wearing baggy pants which could definitely be mistaken for pyjamas (well some of them actually are pyjamas), baggy tshirts on repeat and huge coats often gets me falsely taken for a homeless person... In addition to this wearing bright green cycling shorts and a brightly coloured 5 panel makes my attire match that of Mr. Motivators...

None of which I really mind an awful lot about. But it does pose the question... Is it really acceptable?

In short, no. In the eyes of society/your peers/your Grandma, getting about in outlandish and probably 'hideous' clothing is not really acceptable anywhere bar Vera Wang's Spring/Summer catwalk premiere. But I don't see that as a particularly good reason not to do it.

For me, walking down the street and knowing people are quietly muttering to each other 'what the fuck is that girl wearing' is an absolutely spiffing concept. Baffling the heads of strangers is always fun and it takes the focus off the fact I've not slept properly or brushed my hair in a few days.

On the other side of this though you get those priceless compliments that just make your day ten times over because they're as unsure as you are as to why you're wearing what you're wearing. 'Oh, that shirt is ..... interesting' 'Wow those leggings are brave!' Thanks, I think.

At home the parentals can often ask such a wide variety of questions regarding what I'm wearing, some including 'Why are you a chav?' 'Why do you look like a P.E teacher?' and 'Where the fuck do you even find items of clothing like that?'. My friends come at me with 'Ria mate you can't go out in those' and 'You always look so comfy but stop wearing your pjs in public'.

Referring back to Vera Wang, some of the shit you see on the catwalk these days is absolutely crazy and it is becoming less and less frowned upon to go out in statement items. Probably not when you're just nipping to tesco but hey if you've got it flaunt it (and to the girl I saw today with a bright purple and silver bomber jacket you were certainly flaunting it).

I am the biggest fan of weird clothes, I think if you can pull it off (which I can't, but I like to think I can) and you're enjoying your choices then why does it really matter. Being comfortable in your own skin allows you to have stupendous amounts of fun with your clothing choices, so you might as well do something interesting with it.

Fashion the Hello Kitty socks with pedal pushers and werk werk werk the Willy Wonka style glasses with a head scarf. Each day is a new, hideous, clothing adventure to be embraced with open arms.


Sunday 9 November 2014

52 Days of I'm Not Quite Sure What

52 days since arriving at university... 52 days of becoming the master of procrastination, 52 days of learning how to drink a litre of rum without vomiting, 52 mornings of oversleeping, 52 packets of 9p noodles and 52 days where I've wondered what the fuck is actually going on.

Whoever thought it would be a good idea to let thousands of lets face it, children, live in a huge complex together with absolutely no adult supervision whatsoever must be an absolute fucking nutter. Saying that I'm not one for good ideas and drinking myself into oblivion and turning up to lectures still on the extremely wonky side is 100% my idea of good time.


What my course actually entails I couldn't begin to tell you BUT what I can tell however is how to get a trolley in to a third floor flat without majorly injuring anybody and I can also tell you how entertaining staring at a wall becomes after 10 minutes of a Shakespeare lecture.

All joking aside though, turning up with my suitcase and 'big tesco bag' of worldly possessions all those 52 days ago was definitely slightly daunting and in all honesty it probably wasn't until a few weeks ago I properly settled in. Now my little box room scattered in dirty clothes and the whole selection of kitchenware is what I'd like to call my humble abode.



For any parents out there worried about their 'baby girls' and their 'baby boys' experiencing the harsh realities of the big wide world... Please, please don't worry because this is not even a fraction of the real world and we're all doing just fine. It's basically just a year long sleepover where playing out becomes living at the pub down the road and bedtime stories evolve into everyone crammed into one persons room watching a marathon of some relatively mind-numbing TV series on someones laptop.


Being thrown into such a we're-living-in-each-others-pockets-but-I-don't-really-mind kind of environment with people you've never met before is definitely an odd experience. For me what I've found the most comforting thing to be is how close you actually can become with people in such a short space of time. Within the first day I'd found my own little group and before knew it I was pouring my heart out to them over a portion of chips at the beloved 'Uni Kitchen' and then turning up to their door every morning thereafter for a brew and a ciggy. It is like having your own little family, a very dysfunctional family to say the bare minimum, but a family nonetheless.


Basically I'm trying to say that although my abilities to prioritise are lacking and I base my days around when I've been awake long enough for it to be nap time again, university is fun. And the staying up late to read the 4 novels, 50 poems and 5 Shakespeare plays you're yet to read and panicking about all the work you need to do is all part of the experience. It's okay to be a little behind and to be going out instead of doing your work (maybe) because that's what first year is for and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise clearly hasn't been here before. 

Just gotta pass..... right? 

Wednesday 2 July 2014

The Eventualities of the Upcoming Months

Being an over dramatic, stressed out and absolutely exhausted little pumpkin over the exam period has really sidetracked me from blogging recently. (Okay 6 months is definitely a little more than 'recently' and yes, I am still over dramatic) However, having about 12 half written posts on the likes of UCAS, pre-Summer prep and how to survive exam period without tearing your hair out and pushing your siblings down the stairs, has been frustrating. The amount of times I've sat and really attempted to publish them has been tedious, but now Summer is finally here I feel like the time is right to get back into the swing of things.

Having a whole ONE HUNDRED AND THREE days until I hopefully start my university course is daunting but ridiculously exciting and I'm nearly 103% sure most of you are feeling the same. Everyone sees Summer in a different light, I know for my friends the challenge of 'how many days can you stay awake until you actually pass out' ensues, but for others there's travelling to plan for, Magaluf to tan for and university to prepare for.

So, with all these free days and most likely a limited amount of cash it's important to budget yourself so you don't end up mine-sweeping every single time you go out; throwing yourself at the nearest male/female in an attempt to get an alcoholic beverage is never a classy look. When the weather's not looking great, which we all know it usually isn't, it's easy to just stay inside and eat half the contents of your cupboards whilst watching and reciting every episode of OITNB.


So, here's some tips to avoid becoming a skint little couch potato and make the most of your summer.

TIP 1) If you haven't got a job, get one!

Although my job is the absolute bane of my life, the feeling of 'making it rain on them hoes' on pay day is just smashing and it reminds me that jumping off the first train home and into the doors of Starbucks is sometimes worth it. Job skills are stupidly vital in that thing they call the real world (hello yes I'm being Mother Hen again) and going into work in every state humanly possible has allowed me to master looking semi acceptable when I feel like death warmed up. Not only this but it gets you off your lazy arses and gives you a bit of extra cash.


TIP 2) Make a bucket list

Cheesy, I know. But think of loads of things you really want to do this Summer and aim to actually do them. Gives you some plans anyway, and just a shout out to my friends again, seeing how long you can stay up without passing out does not class as an addition to the bucket list.

TIP 3) Get yourself a hobby

For me, not being able to read/blog/write/breathe over exam period has been restricting to say the least. So finding something you enjoy doing means that when you do get those days when you have got heaps of free time, you've got something productive to fill them with. Buy a book, start drawing, do something that means you're not being a smelly teenager in your room and you never know you might actually find something you're good at.

For the people reading this who wouldn't pick up a book if their life depended on it, I know being a raver is a 24 hour occupation but sometimes (just sometimes) finding something else to do can be good for you.

TIP 4) Explore your own city/town/countryside

If you're like me and you do live near a city, you probably don't realise how lucky you actually are. For me Manchester has always been a mint place to explore, there is always something going on whether it be little workshops in Nexus Art Cafe or Street Fairs in the Northern Quarter. There's no reason to just hop on the train and go! Even if you're strapped for cash, a homemade treat from Eighth Day on Oxford Road never costs more than a fiver. And if you are heading off to uni in September you need to get used to making that money stretch, sadly you can't live off vodka for the whole 3 years you're there!

TIP 5) Explore another city/town/countryside

Hop in a car, on a train or get a lift from that man in Manchester on the skateboard with the bendy legs to anywhere you feel the wind takes you (excluding Scunthorpe and Moss Side). Recently I camped in the back of a car squished in with a few duvets and some longboards and woke up to the sun rising over the beach. Alright, I wasn't awake for sun rise and the car was so sweaty I thought I was in the African rain forest, but the image was nice initially wasn't it? All sweatiness aside adding some spontaneity into your Summer plans can never be a bad idea.


TIP 6) Sunshine means no excuses

 Whether you're skint, tired, hungover, half dead or just a mard arse, if the sun is shining you should be ashamed of yourself if you're not outside enjoying it. It's such a rarity here that the sun actually shines so when it does you probably need to join the rest of the British population by purchasing a can of 'skol' and taking your clothes off in the nearest public place. Although no clothes removal team is present in this picture, this is a clear display of us 'enjoying' the sunshine after a house party. I use the inverted commas due to the fact we hadn't washed, slept or managed to produce a real word since the day previous but there we are
nonetheless smiling through it.


As we've just got a new puppy I've found taking the dog for a walk is a great excuse to get out of the house. Seemingly problems can arise if you don't have a dog to walk BUT after doing some thinking I've worked out that there's many substitutes available including walking any other household pets (although fish prove a little difficult), brothers and sisters and just about any inanimate object with wheels. I mean it is Summer and I can bet most of you get up to weirder things anyway.

TIP 7) Get in touch with old friends/family

We all have that one friend (or list of friends, but we're reluctant to admit it) that we swear to god we'll meet up with soon. It may have been years since you've seen this person and the likelihood is that you probably do really want to see them, but you've been so busy washing your hair and tending to other menial tasks that these plans have never materialised and you've suddenly forgotten what their second name is and what they look like. Now is the time to stop saying you'll go for coffee soon and actually go for coffee.

The same goes for family; I know sometimes wearing a party hat at your Grandma's 60th whilst 'getting down' to some Celine Dion isn't the best way to spend *chants* SUMMER 2014 LADS but family are important and going to see Uncle's and Auntie's and Grandma's and Grandpa's can be a good way to spend your day. (Added tip: don't pick this option for days you're feeling as rough as a bears arse because you yourself won't be smashing company)

Overall, just remember that this is the Summer you've been waiting for for what feels like 4 and a half years so don't fucking waste it! Behave kids (ish). 




About Me

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Aspiring baby journalist, starting with a low key blog, mostly blogging for fun and because my social life depends on funds I do not have.
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