an update.

I have reached that time of year whereby revision takes over my life. My end of year exams are in 2 weeks and I am stressed. I have paper coming out of my eyeballs, revision posters in the shower, and am trying my hardest to stuff the whole year's course content in my head.

Revision is a draining task, and at the moment, I feel more lifeless than a corpse. The only thing is getting me through is the thought of going home for the three and a half month summer, and my trip to Disneyland with Hollie in 26 days time (which I am unbelievably excited about).

I am really looking forward to summer. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now, and I know that all I have to endure is 2 and a half weeks before I pack up my whole life into boxes, move out of halls, and go home for summer (where food is free and cooked for you!). 

So this is an update in where my life is at at the mo. I am probably not going to blog now until I am back home, as life is too hectic. Good luck to any of you who have exams, and I will see you on the other side in a couple of weeks!

stereotypes.

I am an only child.

Whilst I wouldn't change my family dynamic for the world, there is one thing I would like to change about having no siblings:  the spoilt stereotype.

A lot of people who find out that I am an only child assume I am spoilt. Not only does this stereotype frustrate me, it upsets me a little bit that someone can make a pretty big assumption based on one fact. Yes, my parents like to buy me nice things, and yes, my parents are supporting me through university, but however, I don't demand, or even expect them to do these things, which is what the title "spoilt" implies. I do feel guilty when my parents buy me things, and I feel truly grateful when they do. I think this is how they have brought me up, and I appreciate everything I am given. 

It easy to see why people assume that only children are spoilt. I remember a friend saying to me once that I get a lot more stuff from my parents than she does. But this is only because what I get has to be divided into 2, as she has a sister. Also, as there is only 3 of us in my family, we spend less on things like food as there are less mouths to feed, meaning there is more to spend on treats.

I've had a lot of people (with siblings) tell me that they would love to be an only child, and it does have its perks. You get your parents undivided attention, and there is no annoying brothers or sisters around all the time. However, I don't and probably never will understand the sibling relationship, and having undivided attention can mean also having undivided pressure. While my parents have never pressurised me into doing something I don't want to do, and told me that as long as I do my best then they will be proud of me, I feel my perfectionism and drive to succeed is due to the fact that I am an only child. It makes me feel that if I don't succeed in life, then they have no-one else to be proud of, and their undivided disappointment.

with my amazing mum and dad on holiday in 2010

I do love being an only child, and the special relationship I have with my parents. However, next time you make an assumption of someone based on one small fact, think about how it would make them feel before you share it.

remember my name, FAME

photo taken by Amin Nordin

Last weekend, I performed in "SUPAS presents... FAME the musical!"
I first auditioned back in Novemeber, after seeing a leaflet advertising the auditions lying around the union. It was at the time when I was just getting over my homesickness, and I needed something to do besides studying that I would enjoy. Before coming to uni, I had been doing perfoming arts for many years, so thought it would be good to relight my love of all things song and dance.

I was a member of the chorus, and performed on 2 nights: 25th and 27th of April. Both nights were amazing, Saturday in particular, as we had completely sold out (the box office had even mistakingly double booked seats!) and we received a standing ovation at the end! My friends all came to watch too on Saturday like proud parents.

I am so glad I got involved in SUPAs, as I have made some really good friends, and it felt great to have an amazing show come out of all our "Hard Work".