Work work work!

Hello all! Sorry for the delay in getting this fortnight’s blog to you; I've been trying to catch up with my dissertation work! It’s due March 21^st, but I've set myself a deadline on March 19^th – just to be on the safe side!

As much as I tend to thrive under pressure, I must say I wish I’d done more work sooner :( Most students will say this, and we never seem to learn! Priorities, eh? Well I've finally done my methodology (which should have been done about a month ago :\) and I've got a meeting with my supervisor today, so I’m quite nervous as to what he’ll have to say! I can’t wait to just get this all out of the way!

Hopefully I’ll get this work plus another essay (which I've done half of) done by the 19^th, then I can go out for the first of three of my birthday celebrations on the 20^th, relax and pack on the 21^st, pre-tour party on the 22^nd, then TOURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR on the 23^rd!! :D

I’d like to say I’m excited for tour, but I've just go so much work to do! Once the 19^th rolls around I can finally get on it!! :D I've finalised all the fancy dress outfits (all the sports teams from all the universities dress up each night on tour), so I just need to submit the order later on today :) I hope it all arrives in time!! ><

Ohhh I can’t wait for graduation! My mom’s already started dress-shopping for the occasion! She’s too cute looool :) I've mentioned to her that once I graduate I’d really like this charm for my Links bracelet:

It’s a graduation owl!! How cute!?

At some point I also plan on getting a Star of David for my charm bracelet; I’m convinced I’m part Jewish, y’see :) My dad thinks so too :) My great granddad was from Austria, so it’s certainly a possibility! Even if I’m not part Jew, I’m fascinated by the Holocaust and firmly believe we should never forget the horrors that happened :( I can’t stand prejudice and discrimination and it makes me so sad that it still exists in society today :( I guess this charm will just be a reminder to me to be lovely :)

What else to report? Hmm..ooh cheer has been really fun these past two weeks :) I've been basing for once with one of my best friends – at 4’11.5” I've been too short to base before as no-one else was anywhere near my height. But, Amy is 5’0” so we’re a perfect match!! Last night we based our other best friend, Laura; she’s 6’1”!!

Ta-daaaaaa :D

Unfortunately that’s all for now, folks – hopefully my next blog will be filled with me gushing about finishing my work and having a blasted good time relaxing!! :D

Until next time, au revoir! <3

Panic!

Hello folks!

So, as promised, here is an update on the University of Greenwich Mermaids’ recent cheer competition! We left Avery Hill on Friday 22^nd February at 5:00PM and arrived in Loughborough at around 7:00/8:00PM. We had dinner and got settled into our hotel rooms relatively early as we had to be up on Saturday at 5:00AM! It’s surprising how chirpy some of us were that morning considering the time!! On Saturday our dance group performed, and I can safely say they did us proud! Whilst they came last in their category, the dance was amazing and everybody in the crowd was screaming and cheering them on! :) Our day was done by around 3:00PM and, once back the hotel, I took a lovely nap before dinner :D Here are some photos of our amazing dancers:

Saturday evening was really fun, as we sat doing our nails (navy, white and gold, naturally) and practiced quiffing each other’s hair :D Yet again, it was bed before midnight again for the majority of us, as we had to be up at 4:30AM :( When we arrived at Loughborough University at 6:30AM, the nerves had really started to set in! We were the fourth in our category to perform, and we were very relieved once it was over! In the cheer competitions you get to perform twice, and it’s the higher of the two scores that the judges use to rank you; our second performance of the day was much neater, but some stunts still went a bit wrong :( Alas, WE DIDN’T COME LASSSSSSST!!! AHHAAAAAAA!! For the first time EVER, out of four competitions (dance and cheer) we DIDN’T COME LAST! We came 23^rd out of 24 squads in our category, and whilst that sounds rubbish, we couldn't be more pleased!! :D

Here are some photos from the day:

The coach home took FOREVER!! We were literally on it for over five hours :( I was so pleased when we finally got back to campus!

Now that’s all over, it’s time for me to focus on university work once again; I am so far behind, I am terrified! But, I always seem to pull it out of the bag at the last minute, so I’ll keep you updated on my progress!!

As you already know, I live in Blackheath at the moment in a house with four other girls; I have to move out at the end of May and I’m really quite sad about it :( I get on really well with my housemates, and have grown close to one in particular, and knowing that I’m not going to be seeing them on a daily basis makes me feel sad :( Of course, I’ll be moving back in with my parents so will be saving LOADS of money each month, but I’m certainly going to miss living with friends! :( Oh the qualms of being a third year student! :P

I believe that’s all for this fortnight, my dears! Next time I’ll fill you in on coursework progress, tour preparation (hopefully) and whatever other weird and wonderful things fill my time :)

Adios, amigos! :)

Very Happy Bunny :)

Hello all!! Time for your fortnightly update on my life as a University of Greenwich student :)

First off, let’s talk about the recent cheerleaders’ fund raiser! The night was an absolute success, and we managed to raise around £800! Prior to the fund raiser, the SU agreed that for every £100 we raise ourselves (up to the value of £500), they’ll match, so we now have £1,000 in our development fund!! The rest of the money will probably be spent on some new speakers (girls keep having to bring speakers to practice which is a bit of a pain), tour and Disneyland :)

I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned Disneyland to you before, have I? Well basically there are some girls who didn’t want to go on tour this year, so they’re going to Disneyland Paris instead :) Never let it be said that we (committee) don’t take care of our Mermaids! :D

Anyway, back to the fund raiser :) The night started off well, as the girls did an amazing job of helping me decorate Sparrow’s – I only wish I’d taken some more photos!! We had red velvet curtains at the entrance, black tablecloths scattered with diamonds (albeit fake ones!), top hat and bow tie confetti and pink balloons ^^ The more I type the more annoyed I am that I didn’t take pictures of all of these things! I was in such a panic that night that I didn’t even think!

Well, I certainly got pictures of all of us…here you go:

Besides selling tickets in advance and on the door, we raised money by face painting, pin the tail on the bunny and taking photos of people on a throne surrounded by bunnies :) The throne was a real masterpiece; I went to Secondary school with one of my Mermaids, so I knew she was very creative – I asked her to make me a throne, and boy did she deliver!?? It was AH. MAY. ZING. AMAZING!! No exaggeration!! Here are the before and after photos:

Seeeee!? Genius!

Moving on, our first Cheerleading competition of the year is less than two weeks away!! It’s February 23^rd – 24^th in Loughborough, and I’m terrified! We’re entering two cheer groups (Level One and Two) and one dance group (Hip Hop) and I feel sorry for the girls in all three groups! I’m in the level one and two cheer groups, and remembering all of the stunts, dance moves, tumbling and transitions for those is enough without having to learn another dance routine! I just hope we can all pull it off! As always, I shall keep y’all updated :) For now, here are some photos of our new uniforms; they arrived yesterday!! :D

Ooooooh how could I forget!?? PANCAKE DAY! I hope you all had a yummy day! :) I won’t lie to you, I ate five. FIVE!! Haaaaaa I desperately want that Summer body but food is my LIFE! Okay, well maybe not my liiiife…but I am very passionate about it! Pancakes with sugar and lemon – mm. mm. mmmmmm! Not that I need an excuse to eat pancakes – I had some in Bromley the other day at a restaurant called, “Joe’s Kitchen” :) LOL they came with banana, blueberries, strawberries and maple syrup ^^ What. A. Pig. :D

Here’s a picture of some Skittle-coloured pancakes for your visual pleasure :)

What else is new with me? Hmm…ooh I’m really getting back into reggaeton/Latin music again! Here are a couple of my favourites right now – go have a cheeky listen! :)

- Ai se eu tu pego [Michel Teló] <-- This is in Portugese

- Agua [Osmani Garcia] <-- The guy who sings this is Cuban

 
I hope all of the photos and song suggestions keep you entertained until next time! That’s all for now, folks! See ya later, alligators…x

UoG Mermaids

Hello all! Long time no read!

Apologies, it’s been a busy few weeks! Getting back into the swing of things at university has been quite nice :) After the Christmas break it’s been really nice to see all of my cheerleaders again :) Training has been intense – we now have our standard three hours on a Tuesday, plus two hours on a Sunday afternoon in a gymnasium with a sprung floor. Even will all of this time we’re investing, I’m so nervous for competition and have no idea if we’ll be ready or not!! It’s in three weeks!! ><

What else has been going on? Well, it’s the Cheerleaders’ first ever fund raiser this Monday, which, as Social Secretary, I am organising; oh my life what if nobody comes? What if lots of people turn up and think it’s rubbish!? Owwhhhh I’m terrified! I just want it all to be perfect!! I can’t remember if I've mentioned the fund raiser to you before, so let me give you the low down :)

• It’s Playboy Bunny themed :)
• There’s going to be a raffle, face painting, pin the tail on the bunny, and hopppefully a special something else that I don’t want to reveal yet in case it falls through!
• I’m going try my hardest to make Sparrow’s (my Student Union) look as much like the Playboy mansion as possible with the tiny budget I have!!

Naturally, there’ll be lots of lovely photos for you the next time I blog :) There’s so much stuff to do!! Firstly, to host an event you need to fill in a proposal form and send it off, then once the SU have got back to you approving your event you can start planning :) But then you have to design tickets and posters and send those to the SU to get them approved and printed and laminated! And thennnnn you can start thinking about decorations and props and all that jazz! :) Busy busy bee!! I was up until midnight last night putting posters up all around the Greenwich and Avery Hill campuses ><

I've ordered most of the props now, so it’s just a case of playing the waiting game until they all arrive! I keep saying it but I am so nervous!! Wish me luck ;)

Anyway, onto other news, being so busy is interfering with my workout plans! I was supposed to join the University of Greenwich’s climbing society, but haven’t been to a single climb yet as so many things keep popping up! In addition, I haven’t been boxing half as much as I’d like; there’s too much coursework, work, fund raising and tour planning to do! Whew! I’ve been ill for a while now, and my housemates keep telling me it’s because I do too much :( I think they’re right, but there’s so much I want to achieve! 

OOOOOOH!! Let me tell you about two films I saw recently :) The first one was Les Misérables – I cried alllll the way through!! Honestly, it’s so sad :( I was sat there with two of my housemates, all of us clutching tissues!! I would definitely recommend going for a cheeky view!

The other film I saw was much happier :) It’s called, “Wreck it Ralph” and I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy it! I went with Kelty (find her blog here: http://gre-kelty.blogspot.co.uk/) and another friend from Secondary school, and I grumbled all the way into the cinema! “I’m not going to like it, it’s going to be rubbish, EUGH!” hahahahaha I was wrong :D It’s cute, and funny :) Go have a watch :)

Anyhoo, I’ve gotta run now, folks! So until next time……

:)

Happy New Year!

Guten taaaaag!! :) (That’s German for “Hello” – notice a theme emerging, guys?)

How was everyone’s Christmas and New Year? My Christmas was average…it’s just not as magical or special as it once was, to be honest :( But the break from Uni is nice :) I start back in just over a week so I’m going to have a “study day” with one of my friends tomorrow :) I want to make sure I’m as up to date as I can be for second term!

My New Year was far more interesting – I went to a party, which was fun :) Here are a couple of photos from the night:

I can’t even lie; the fact that I graduate in less than six months is beginning to terrify me! As much as I’ll be glad to be rid of all the work, I’m going to miss this place!! I’m in the middle of looking into running for a full-time Sabbatical position for the year after I graduate; I want to run for VP Student Activities! I shall keep you posted on my progress!! I’m really nervous about it, as whilst I’m sure I’d be great in the role, what is no-one votes for me!?

Ooh, here’s some news: I've taken up boxing!! I've had two one-on-one sessions so far and I LOVE it!! It’s Thai boxing (I think :\), so I kick and knee as well as the standard punching :) I want abs in time for the TOUR!! In the new term I plan on joining the University of Greenwich’s climbing society too :) Have I mentioned that before? Well I've started taking progression photos of my physiiiquuuuue, so if you’re lucky I’ll upload some once I've reached my target!! :)

Of course, as it was Christmas, Beethoven was on the TV – Beethoven, the film about the dog LOL, not a documentary on the composer :P ANYWAY, I've decided I NEED a Saint Bernard in my liiiiife!! :( I used to want a dachshund (because they are tiny like me :)), but now I've found my calling – a huge, fluffy, soppy, BEAUTIFUL Saint Bernard ^^

Owwhhhh loooooook >< One day, eh? :)

Right, so I mentioned in my last blog that I’m a bit of a grammar Nazi; whilst I appreciate the speed and convenience of text-speak (for example, “ I want to go 2 the shop”), there is one recurring thing that has been winding me RIGHT up lately. It is not text speak. It is not slang, nor is it an abbreviation or a conjunction. It is...

PEOPLE WRITING “DEFIANTLY” WHEN THEY MEAN “DEFINITELY” !!

Oh my goodness gracious it gets on my nerrrrrrves!! It’s terrible! Take note, people! If you don’t know the difference, here it is:

Right, well that’s pretty much all the updates for this portion of the month; my festive period has been filled with events, yet there’s not all that much to report! I've overindulged in food, spent lots of time with friends, enjoyed doing nothing productive most days and am now in full preparation mode for the year ahead :) Wish me luck, folks!

Until next time,

Tschüsssssss!!

Mermaid Christmas Social

Привет, friends! (“Привет” is Russian for “Hello”, fyi) :)

Soooo 14/12/12 was the night of the Mermaids’ Christmas Social!! And the theme? FAIRIES!! :D

Think wings, tutus and wands!! And *glitterrrrrrr*Please see pretty pictures below :D

A few days later was the Mermaids’ Christmas Meal!! But not many pictures have been uploaded yet, so I shall have to post some for you later! :)

Right, now all the fun and games are over, it’s back to coursework! I’m really looking forward to breaking up for Christmas this week :) I’ve just submitted my 2,000 word Strategic Management report and my Ethics Form for my Dissertation…now I’m on a mission to complete my 1,500 word Psychology report and  3,000 word Dissertation Literature Review by this Friday! Eeeeek ><

Ooh, I don’t know if you know, but I am a TOTAL grammar Nazi! I know that in my blogs I always use punctuation marks to make faces and I often add extra letters to words for emphasis (Hiiiiiiiiii, for example :P) BUT, in essays, formal conversation and LIFE, I think grammar, spelling and punctuation are SO important!! Nothing gets me more riled up than seeing “Christmas wreath’s for sale” written outside my local florist -.- It frustrates me so much because it’s so simple! Okay, so fully understanding the differences between a hyphen, en dash and em dash may not be of paramount importance, but the difference between “there”, “their” and “they’re” should have been learnt in primary school! OOF!! Little gets me more fuming than poor grammar!! ANYWAY, I am going somewhere with this rant, I promise – the other day whilst browsing online, I stumbled across this wonderful website:

http://www.grammarbook.com/

I LOVE IT! It explains everything the average person ought to know about the grammar of the English language, and you can even buy it in book form!! Christmas is coming, so if any of you lovely people would like to buy me the book I’d be most grateful :D

Speaking of Christmas again, I am very excited! I promise to take as many photos as I can for my next blog :) There will be lots of photos of food, and as usual, I know I’m going to overindulge; food is my life!! In the New Year I plan on joining the University of Greenwich’s climbing society and going swimming one evening a week!! The weight I’ve gained since summer is not seriousssss!! Still, it is winter…HA!

Ooh, so far in my blogs I’ve mentioned a number of the University’s sports clubs and societies; full lists of what the university offers can be found here:

http://www.suug.co.uk/activities/

Hopefully all of my photos updates and links will keep you going until January, but if not, here’s a website I often visit to kill time (as if I have nothing better to do! Ahaaaaa!)  :

http://iwastesomuchtime.com/

Until the New Year, chickens…

Пока! (<<That means “bye!”)

Christmas is nearly here!

¡Hola! ¿Como estas, people? :) 

Can you believe Christmas is less than two weeks away!? When did THAT happen!? Whew! 

Well, I’m quite aware that the majority of my blogs thus far have focused quite a lot on the social side of my university life, so I thought it was high time I gave you all a better insight to my academic life :) I’m currently in the middle of finishing off a 2,000 word Strategic Management report due tomorrow (eek! ><) and once that’s done I have a 1,500 word reflective report for a group activity I did in Psychology (Human Performance in Organisations) due at the end of term (which is a mere week and a half away!) plus my 3,000 word Dissertation Literature Review (also due the end of term!! Busy busy bee!! *buzz buzz* All of that between cheer, celebrating various birthdays, Christmas parties and Christmas meals! When will I rest!? Well, I say that, but when I have nothing to do I go out of my mind! I’m sure by the end of the Christmas break I’ll be desperate to come back to the heavy workload and hustle and bustle of university life! :)

So I've been thinking, why don’t I give you all an insight into what I enjoy the most and least about my course? Business Psychology isn't a very popular degree, so I’d love to generate some interest in any of you potential students who may have stumbled across my blog! Now, please bear in mind that as we are all different, other Business Psychology students may not feel the same way as I do about all aspects of this degree, but I’m hoping to provide you with a first-hand perspective of the types of things to expect :)

Year one: This year was, in terms of psychology, particularly useful to me; I had never studied psychology before, so this was very interesting! However, for students who held A Levels in Psychology, this aspect of the course was more of a recap than a lesson in something new. Similarly, the rest of the course was more of a refresher for me – we covered most of what I had already done in GCSE and A Level Business; whilst this was a little useful as I had taken a gap year, it was arguably a little dull as I didn't feel intellectually challenged.

Year two: This year was far more interesting; the psychology aspect directly linked to the world of business (we looked at, for example, mental health issues in the workplace, management styles and how different childhood experiences could affect the type of personality an adult would have). Two courses I found particularly interesting were Business Ethics in term one and Cross Cultural Management in term two. Both of these courses were very thought-provoking, and often case studies required what I like to call “real thinking” as opposed to just taking the knowledge I’d been fed and applying it to the given situation. One thing I will say: the more you enjoy a topic, the better you are likely to perform on the exams and coursework! 

Year three: So, I’m already a third of the way through this academic year, I can’t say it isn't challenging! The workload is noticeably heavier than in second year, and to compare the workload to first year would be an absolute joke! Still, I’m not complaining – once I have my degree it will all be worth it! I must admit I haven’t found anything but my dissertation especially interesting thus far this year, but I shall keep you posted; next term I’m starting a new psychology module, Mental Health in Adulthood, and I’m really looking forward to that! I think it will make me sad, though :(; as part of the course we’ll be visiting an elderly people’s home to see older adults with conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc. :(

Three years seems like such a long time when you start your degree, but TRUST ME it zooms by so fast!! 

The best piece of advice I would possibly give would be to ENJOY IT!! Prioritise and get your work done, but take some time to stop and really make the most of the experience! No environment compares to that at university, and I honestly feel that joining a sports team is the best decision I ever made since joining. I've made some amazing friends who I never would have met otherwise, and because of them not only do I have the best social life here, but I also have a great support network if I feel down about my course, or if I need people to talk to besides my course mates. A great number of my course mates have never been to the Students’ Union at Avery Hill (Sparrow’s – my playground! :D) and literally only know the people on our programme or programmes we've shared lectures/tutorials with; those individuals, in my opinion, have not truly gotten the most out of their university experience. Yes, they will have a degree, but in addition to my degree I know for a fact I will have gained some wonderful memories and lifelong best friends once I graduate.

Of course, all of the above is just me! Different people want different things out of life, so I’d definitely take the time to read the other student experience blogs to get a more balanced view of student life here at the University of Greenwich :)

I hope you've enjoyed this blog! Until next time, folks - ¡Adiós! ¡Hasta pronto!