43 Days Later

It's been a while since I updated this blog, but now is a good a time as ever (because I'm meant to be writing my Sociology essay).

Hello again! :)

My last update was in October, and since then I've turned nineteen, which to my friends makes me officially old. I went home for my birthday which was really nice but also pretty weird. It's hard to explain, but after six weeks away I thought I might be a little bit outside of it for a while, but it was the exact opposite. I walked in and everything was so normal, and exactly like I'd never been away. It felt like I'd never been to University. It was really nice to see my family (and Charlotte!) again, and nice to not have to listen to loud people outside my window, but I did miss Bath a little. Or rather, my friends here. The journey was quite an experience. It wasn't so bad on the way home but when I came back I had a bigger suitcase and it was so heavy. The tube and two trains with a huge suitcase is not super fun.

As for my course, we had nothing for about a month and then everything came at one. We had an essay, a lab report and two presentations. The essay was on video games and violence, and I got a 68/95, which was two marks off a first. I thought it was pretty average, but I think I was actually one of the best (at least from what I know) which is really surprising because I didn't think it was a good essay. But it was very reassuring because I was expecting a 50 or something :D. We haven't got our lab report back yet, I think that is on the 6th, but we get set our next one tomorrow. The lab report was on lie detection and we got to use fancy equipment to prove that basically EDA/lie detection isn't that great at telling if someone is lying or not. I'm not sure what our second one will be on, but I will let you know! (I will seriously not take forty three days to update next time, promise!).

And then, like I mentioned, we had two presentations. The first one was in our personal tutor groups. Everyone on the course (and other courses too, I'm sure) has a personal tutor they share with four/five other people. Every group got given a study to do a fifteen minute presentation on from a choice of about six. My group got Rossenhan, which in my opinion was the most interesting study. My group were also super organised, and we had quite a while to get our presentation together and I think we did pretty good. That was on Tuesday and although I am terrified of pubic speaking I didn't shake too badly and remembered what I had to say. The other presentation was on Monday, and we only had two weeks for that, which was stupid because a) it was the day before the other presentation and b) it was twenty minutes. But I was in a group with Rachel, Irem and Paige, so I was pretty happy. I didn't mess up that badly, missed a line or two but it wasn't so  bad and was a little less formal. What I'm pretty annoyed about though is that it was worth 50% of that unit (the essay was the other half) and we had half the time we had for the other presentation which was only worth 25%. Still, all that work is over now and I have to focus on my sociology essay (which is the hardest thing I've had to do so far and is my optional module), my upcoming Spanish tests and, from tomorrow, my second lab report!

Onto news that my dad can skip over if he's reading this: I succeeded in getting Paige and Pete together! Sort of. I can claim at least 50% of the credit. They're super cute together but it also means I'm third wheeling a little, which is okay and not really awkward. I can't remember how much I've said about Paige and Pete here, but they're two of my best friends and it was obvious they liked each other and Pete finally asked her out so hurray! Go me.

Also, I've worked out my housing for next year :D I'm sharing with Naya and Paige (which was obvious from like the second week here) and Rachel, who is on my course and super nice. Yesterday, Paige, me and Rachel had pizza and watched Brave and basically I'm really excited for next year. 

I've also been out a few times, and although I still don't like clubbing really (too many people, I don't drink enough) it was still pretty fun. Pictures below! I also went to the Roman Baths (don't drink the water they offer, it tastes of blood and money) and it was super pretty. Bath is so beautiful and I love it.

I also got paid for the two training days I did and I'm spending it on clothes when I go to Oxford with Paige on Saturday which is a trip the University have organised. I've also been cooking every Thursday with Paige. We had tacos today and we've done enchiladas (SO GOOD) twice, burgers, curry and I'm sure more things. I've also got less nervous about cooking in front of some of my flat mates and am not entirely scared of burning the kitchen down, which is always good. Pizza Sunday is still in effect and my flat are doing secret santa, as well as me, Paige, Pete, Lewis and Naya doing our own separate one. I've already bought the gifts for the second one, and I'm really excited about it!

Also: if anyone remembers me mentioning Wildpacks before, I have decided not to do that as I don't think it's exactly my kind of thing, which means I'm going to hunt for summer jobs soon for experience (and maybe money)!

Finally, the picture at the bottom was from the Superhero night, which I (as you can see) put a lot of effort in. I'm sure there's other things I can talk about but I can't remember them, so I will sign off and hopefully update much sooner!

Paige x

Wild Packs!

Vague speedy update!

Yesterday evening the University sent out an email about a summer camp programme called Wild Packs, which is basically an organisation that has connections to tons of summer camps around the States, and you can apply through them and they try and find you a placement on one of these camps! I have wanted to work at a summer camp for ages, and was thinking of applying for next summer (2015) so I'd have enough money saved, because the one I was looking at, Camp America, was pretty expensive. But Wild Packs is actually cheap - you only pay for flights, they provide food, laundry cost, internet, accommodation, and they also pay you for working there so flights will be refunded basically anyway! Plus, you don't have to pay to submit an application like you do with Camp America.

So, I applied this morning, and you put down things you're interested in or have experience with, so I put down theatre (though obviously I'm not an expert but I've been in quite a few pantomimes which was great fun!), videography and archery (which if my mum is reading this, she'll laugh but I have tried quite a few times and it is fun!).

I actually got a call a few hours later about my application and the lady I spoke to, Kate, was super nice! She talked about what positions that were available and set me some 'homework'. Because the traditional 'camp counsellor' role is really heavily applied for, she suggested maybe going for a teaching thing. Now, she mentioned teaching archery and one of my 'homework assignments' was to do some more archery so I'd feel competent teaching children, and she had a point when she said they wouldn't exactly be experienced and said most of them would only want to try it out because of The Hunger Games. However I'd rather not teach archery because a) I'm not great and b) Being responsible for  kids with bows and arrows is not a happy prospect for  me.

But she mentioned maybe helping in the media department (my homework if I want to do this is submit a video, but although I can do that, I'm not an expert and my editing skills would not be amazing compared to others), or finally I could write about wanting to do a pantomime with the kids at camp because it's not a huge thing in America. This is my favourite option because panto is great for everyone - I'm definitely not a good singer or actor but with panto it doesn't matter! I'd love to be a part of helping kids put on a pantomime, especially if they have no idea what exactly a pantomine is!

Or, alternatively, I could help out at a camp for children with autism, which I would really love to do. I've had quite a lot of experience in this area and it wouldn't involve me being heavily responsible for teaching kids something I'm not amazing at myself!

Either way, I have to complete one of these homework assignments and edit my application, and this is going really fast but I'm super excited! I might not get the placement but the great thing is that you don't have to pay anything until they accept you onto the programme, so it's free to apply!

Hope you're all well and will keep you updated!

Paige :)

Life Update!

HELLO!
I have done a few things since the last post! Have another bullet point list:

• Visited Bath Abbey for a twilight tour (which is BEAUTIFUL) and climbed to the top.
• Went to Nandos!
• We have officially established Pizza Sunday (which is today!)
• Saw Let's Buy Happiness at Moles
• Saw Kitten and Bear, F.U.R.S and San Cisco last night at Theklai in Bristol - which is a BOAT
• Watched two Leonardo DiCaprio movies with Naya, Lewis, Paige and Pete, and had my mind blown by Shutter Island
• Had my first experience of Bubble Tea, which is actually pretty good
• Attended two Amnesty sessions
• Cooked burgers and wedgies with Paige and didn't burn the kitchen down
• Did laundry multiple times with nothing bad happening (yet!!)
• Organised to do an online shop with Naya at some point in the next day (saves money and time! Horray!)

And most importantly:
I had a group interview on Friday (I didn't get the job for the Bath kids club back, by the way, so that transportation money is lost) and I was super nervous about it but I found out four hours later that I got the job!!! :) 300 people applied, 150 were asked for interviews and only 60/70 got offered the job! YAY!

So that's a life update, sorry it isn't detailed or anything - I have a lot of work to do and should probably get back to it!

Hope you are all good!

Paige :) xx

Week One

Hello!

This blog post is probably going to be a bit all over the place, but I'll try and make it coherent!

My timetable is quite empty at the moment, I only have two/three hours a day (except Wednesday where I'm completely free) while most people in my flat have like four or five. Next week I start Spanish so that's something extra but I think Psychology has a lot of hours outside class, as does Sociology which I chose as my optional module. I also joined the University's Amnesty society which I'm really excited about. My lectures are great but a lot of work. I think after so long not doing anything it's a bit of a shock having to do work again that isn't revision, especially because it's quite different at University because it's so much more independent, with reading outside of class and prep before hand. My first sociology lecture was today and it was a lot of information, pretty overwhelming, but really great, and I met a student who is here from Italy who seems really lovely, as well as a few people on my course who also picked Sociology.

Like I mentioned in my previous post, on Monday Pete and Paige and I watched Django Unchained and on Tuesday the Psychology society showed Fight Club. Both were obviously great and I'm glad that clubbing isn't going to be a thing for a while because although Freshers was fun I still don't completely adore it. My flat is actually having a board game night tonight and it sounds so sad but I'm so excited because board games are really fun! I spend most of today on public transport because I had an interview (!!) for a Bath Saturday club for disabled children, but the interview was in their Bristol offices. This meant I had to get:

1. A bus from campus to Bath station
2. A train to the main Bristol station
3. Another train from that station to a smaller station
4. A taxi to the offices
5. A bus back to the station after the interview
6. A direct (thank god) train back to Bath station
7. A bus back to Campus

But this actually went really well. I am now an expert on public transport! I think the interview went really well as well, but it was my first job interview so for all I know it could have been awful. I hope not, and the people were really nice so now I just have to wait for them to get back to me in a week or two. Even if I don't get it the experience was good, though I could have done without so much public transport!

Like I said, tonight  my flat are having a board game night which I am unashamedly excited about, and on Monday the film society is planning a cinema trip which I'm going to with Naya, Pete, Paige and the other people in the society. Not sure what film it is, but if it's How I Live Now then I might cry with happiness because the film society get cheap tickets and I realllly want to see it! Then on Tuesday is a pub quiz (basically I am super excited that clubbing isn't on the horizon any time soon and I am fully aware how sad that makes me sound) with Lucy, Laura, Naya, Pete, Paige and whoever else wants to come with. I was planning on relaxing this weekend but I have a lot of Psychology reading to do so that might not work out as well as I hope...

Enjoy the rest of your week! :) 

Paige x

Fresher's Week 2013: Pictures

If you wanted to see some pictures from Fresher's (though most you will have seen them on Facebook because I'm fairly sure only people I know are reading this!), here you are  (in no order at all):

Fresher's Week 2013

Can we pretend I updated regularly throughout Fresher's Week? 

To everyone reading this (basically Georgia and my mum), I'm sorry I didn't update! But I'm doing it now! Hello!

Basically I am lazy and can't be bothered to type up the entirety of what I did this week because it was really super busy and it would take ages, so you can go here to check out all the videos the media page posted of Fresher's! 

So, here is a bullet point list of things of stuff that's happened that I want to mention/let you guys know about and so tips for upcoming Freshers, should they ever need them!:

• It really is easy to make friends. Before I came to University I was terrified that everyone would think I was weird or nobody would talk to me or I wouldn't like who I moved in with, and although it's part luck that everyone in my halls is lovely, it's also just normal. Everyone is in the same position, everyone wants friends, so just say hi and talk to people and it's easy! So if you're going to University soon (if for some reason you're reading this in 2014), then try not to!
• Washing is super simple! I have used the washing machines on campus twice and the dryer once, and I was scared something would go wrong and it went perfectly all three times, yay! I'm becoming independent!
• On Tuesday there was a Ben and Jerry's van with FREE ICE CREAM!!! I got peanut butter cup which is one of my favourite flavours :)
• Again, if this is 2014 and you somehow found your way here: Make friends with people on your course! I was really lucky about this one, because Naya is in my halls and doing Psych, but I also have friends on my courses like another Paige who is really nice, and I can walk to lectures with them and talk to them about it so if I want to ask someone something, I can without emailing lecturers!
• There were two test fire alarms, though the second wasn't a planned on, I think someone accidentally set it off cooking. Both times I was in PJs, and pretty much everyone else too. So that was fun.
• Yesterday night my flat ordered pizza and it was awesome! That's all I have to say for this one.
• On Friday the Psychology department ordered 35 pizza for all the first years and there were probably around 50 of us that turned up, so we had a lot of pizza to eat!
• I have joined the film society, BAPS (the Psychology society), the volunteering society and the equality society! Tonight there's a showing of Django I'm going to with Pete in my halls and Paige.
• I had my first lecture today and it was really fun! I obviously love Psychology and this was an introduction to the Mind and Behaviour module and it was great! I have a seminar later on today which I think is a smaller group of us, maybe around seven, but I'm not entirely sure what we're doing in that!

And that's all I can think of right now! I doubt I'll be as busy as I was during Freshers, so I'll probably update again with much less stuff to say, but for now I hope everyone is well and that you didn't find this post super boring.

Lots of love!

Paige :)

Fresher's Day #1

I'm suprisingly on top of this updating thing!

It's currently Tuesday afternoon and I have an hour to kill so I might as well update my blog to avoid a hugggge blog post later on. On Monday morning we had a Uni Smart lecture which was, to say the least, pretty weird. We had the Vice Chancellor (I still don't know exactly what that is) do the cliché of 'well done for getting here we're a really good University', then get attacked by a wasp, then say 'well at least I know I'm attractive' in a monotone. Then we had a talk from the Student's Union - and then it got a bit weird. A psychologist was introduced from Harvard who did a study called the Blood Alcohol Levels Study and he talked a bit out how he did this study showing moderate alcohol intake increased grades, and then he goes right into the mic: "but the study has a pretty long name, so we call it by its acronym - BALLS!" and then there was stripper music and I was convinced that he was actually going to strip, but he just took off his disguise and reverted back to his original accent, which was New Zealand. And then he gave a talk about "making the most of Uni life" which was okay but obviously written by adults trying a little too hard to be cool. But it went super quick, and then my halls went back and had lunch, and then straight away we went to do the campus challenge.

I don't have any pictures, but our block of Solsbury basically went around the campus (in our attractive yellow t-shirts) doing challenges (surprised) for a few of the societies. RAGS did a challenge on how many people could fit on a pile of balloons and we got like twenty people on them, and we got full marks out of 100! There was also Jitsu, which did a fruit ninja game where we threw sponges at someone while they tried to hit them with a stick. Then there was guess the tune played on the kazoo, catching and throwing eggs for the kickboxing society (hand eye coordination practise apparently) and a bunch of other things like a bouncy castle obstacle course.

After that we went back to the halls and relaxed for a while before dinner, and then we started ring of fire (sorry, mum!) and played that before a few other people in Solsbury came in an we had a mini kitchen pre-drinks party. Then my friend, her boyfriend and I went to the main 'show your colours' party, in our yellow t-shirts from before. I had zero experience of clubbing before University, but I had the most amazing time. This video should probably sum it up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZrgUKmMDXg&feature=youtu.be&noredirect=1

But it was amazing, they had a really good band and it was so fun!

As for today, we've started inductions and things. I went to register, forgot my ID, had to go all the way back across Campus and back, and in twenty minutes I'm going to get my programme handbook before going to a BBQ (free food!) and then a city tour at 5:30, then a pub quiz and finally the carnival night!

I'll keep you updated, of course, and whether you're at Uni or not, I hope you''re having a great week!

(P.S - there's  building works opposite my room and it woke me up at 8am this morning after I fell asleep at 3:30am - yay!)

Paige :) xx

Moving in weekend!

HELLO.

I promised a blog post and here it is! Even though it's only been two days there's a lot to talk about, so I'll try my best to update you (mostly my mum, who I think is now reading this) on everything that's been going on! It's currently almost 1am but I'm not tired at all, so I might a well type this up while I have the time as Fresher's officially starts next weekend and it's going to be manic and probably quite insane so. Firstly, here is my dorm room:

I avoided the desk because it's pretty messy right now, and my bed isn't exactly stunning in that picture either, but there you go! I need to organize the books too but for now they're all stacked on top of one another without any order at all. I arrived on Saturday at about 2:00ish - they journey was meant to be three and a half hours but the traffic was pretty bad in Bath, so it was just over. The halls I'm in has seven people, and only one was there when I arrived, but three arrived almost exactly when I did. The two other guys arrived today, and I'm so happy that everyone is super nice. I always expect the worst in a lot of situations but all six of my 'flatmates' are nice and so are the five I've met from the halls next door - two of their people arrived today as well but I haven't met them yet! Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time with my parents shopping for kitchen stuff, but when I got back around 7:30 my halls and the halls next to us ordered pizza, which I didn't eat because I already ate with my parents. We went to the club pretty early, 10pm and that was a good decision because it got so, so busy that the five of us made the collective decision to leave and go back to the flat. We stayed in the kitchen and talked for an hour or so, which was really nice, and then went to bed. I didn't sleep that well, probably first night nerves, but it was pretty funny to hear the completely trashed people outside.

I woke up pretty early this morning (though it feels like yesterday, this day went super fast but because I did so much it feels like two days rather than one), so I could meet up with my parents before they left for home. I joined the others in the kitchen for breakfast and again, really nice people which is great, and then met my parents around 10:30. More shopping and then saying goodbye, which actually went pretty well. I miss them, but I'm already feeling quite settled which is really nice. I was expecting to cry but so far I haven't - mum got a bit teary though - but I think we were all expecting that!

I got back around 2:00 and at 3:30 the new guys moved in, and (repetitive) they were nice too. I missed the accommodation induction the day before so I went at 4:30 with one of the new guys (the other went out with his parent, I think) and we collected our library cards together too. Once I got back, one of the girls in my halls and I went to meet some people who had joined a book club group on Facebook for the Fresher's, and there were ten of us that turned up. It was really nice to meet people other than the ones in my accommodation and they were really friendly too! We ended up in a cafe and talked for almost two hours about Uni, our courses and books, and decided that we would each pick one of the six books from the Man Booker shortlist and meet up to discuss them at a later date.

This blog post is getting really long and also pretty boring so I'm sorry for that! Anyway, after we got back I had some dinner, rang home for a quick catch up and we went to a party at 8 (yeah, I know, super early) that was in the halls of a block further down where we stayed for a hour and a bit talking before we headed to a different party hosted by some Welsh people. As a result of this, they said we could only enter if we had sheep drawn on our arms. As a result:

The 'India' came from a guy who wanted to brand everyone with his home country, while the bright blue Wales came from a different Welsh girl in the halls. After we stayed there for a bit me and two others from my halls headed to the club, and after that we met up with another girl in our hall, came home (I just typed home subconsiously! This is my home now for the next year!), repeated yesterday's 'talking in the kitchen' and now here I am, finishing up this blog post and listening to the last two people come in. We came in almost an hour later than yesterday, but starting next week the main events are in a much bigger hall and it's going to be even more fun! So even though I haven't drunken much at all I still had a great time clubbing, even though I'd hardly ever been before now.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT. Arrivals weekend over and done with. Bring on Freshers!

Speak soon and thanks for reading this huge blog post! :)

Paige x

One day to go!

Since my last blogpost I have had my accomodation confirmed, signed up for extra credit Spanish, decided I want to pick Sociology as my second course option because I am not going anywhere near Biology or Neuroscience, convinced my mum to buy me new clothes and looked at and tried to decipher the most confusing timetable I have ever seen.

In short, a lot has happened.

One of the most important things is that the events of Fresher's have been confirmed, and there are themes for every night that are:

Monday - Show Your Colours (free T-Shirt depending on your halls!)

Tuesday - Carinval

Wednesday - Safari

Thursday - Full Moon Party

Friday - Back To School

Saturday - Toga Party (with Nick Grimshaw DJing!)

Obviously those are the main events and between them there are awesome things like a BBQ, film night's (which I am unashamedly excited about because they're showing Startrek: Into Darkness and Life of Pi) city tours and the mandatory department induction things I have to attend.

I bought a wristband to guarantee entry to these events and avoid both queuing and paying at the door, which was a little expensive. But I'm sure it'll make it cheaper in the long run, so I shouldn't complain. At least, if anything, it means I won't have to stand outside in the freezing cold for too long, which is an obvious bonus.

I'm a little terrified about Fresher's because clubbing isn't exactly my idea of the best time, but I'm going along with it and hopefully there won't be too many embarrassing pictures on Facebook at the end of it. And obviously it isn't just clubbing, either, so I'm hoping I'll be fine.

I mentioned in my last post (I think) that I was really scared about making friends, but since I confirmed my place at Bath I joined the Fresher's page on Facebook for my halls and also for my course and have met quite a few people and everyone seems really nice. I've met a girl who I have a lot in common with and who is only two dorms down from me (+ doing Psychology as well!) and it's a lot less scary when you've talked to people before you're there and can reassure yourself that everyone is in the same position. So, if you're reading this and preparing for University/not sure where to start, one of the best things you can do is to join groups on Facebook for your University - your halls, your course and the Fresher's page in general. It really helps and everyone is asking the questions you're probably worrying about too!

Before today, I wasn't that nervous because it didn't really feel like I was going away. But this morning I woke up a little terrified because I'm actually leaving tomorrow. My parents are with me for the weekend (they're staying up on Saturday night at a hotel) but after that, I'm thrown into University life without much of a clue on how to wash clothes properly without shrinking and/or dying them pink and very basic cooking skills. And not quite sure how to actually make friends during Fresher's without looking like a socially awkward idiot. Hopefully I can bribe people with tea or something.

Hopefully I'll post a few times during Fresher's, and if not I'll definitely make a blog post when I'm crashing next Sunday from exhaustion. Hope this wasn't too boring to read!

See you soon and good luck to anyone reading this (ha) who is about to experience Fresher's or already is right in the middle of it.

(I'm just kidding, nobody reads this blog)

Paige :) x

Grades and Confirmations

Hi!

So, my first post is actually before I've enrolled properly at Bath, or am even in Bath. That happens on the 21st and 22nd September, and right now it's the 15th August. But this blog is for me to document my first year at University and that all starts with today, because today is the day I actually got confirmed into Bath (!!!) for my Psychology course. The next four years of my life have been decided and I'm really, really happy even though it hasn't really sunk in yet. My accommodation hasn't been confirmed, I don't know what halls I'm in and I don't know my timetable - but that's all to come in the next few weeks and right now I'm just super excited to have accomplished something I didn't think was possible.

I wanted to make this blog for a few reasons. One is obviously for me, to use it as a journal so I can remember my first (and maybe second, third and fourth) years at University, but the second is to maybe help other people who are going through or will be going through what I will be in the next year of my life. To be honest, I'm really scared as well as excited. The longest I've ever been away from my family is eights days, and this is a huge step for me, one that I'm already nervous about. I'll have to be completely independent and maybe this blog can help people who are also scared about University or want to go through it with someone. That sounds a little stupid (or a lot stupid) but I'm being honest from the start :)

So! This is my first entry to say I got into Bath, which I wasn't expecting AT ALL, and I'll post more when I know more, really.

Congratulations to everyone who got results today, whatever they were. I look forward to sharing the next year of my life with you guys :)

Love,

Paige.