Eating, Baking and Running a Mile

Hello!

A dear friend of mine from school (can find her blog here) has been creating a list for the past two years of things she wants to complete/do that year, so I decided to give it a go myself!

Some of the things on the list are so silly but are things I've possibly wanted to do for a long time:

1. Make someone smile

2. Run a complete mile

3. Make a meal with friends

4. Visit an art gallery

5. Blog more

6. Cook my family a meal

7. Read Game of Thrones

8. Have a confident jumping lesson

9. Try a new food

10. Have someone draw me

11. Start a new hobby

12. Visit a new Kentish town

13. Celebrate my 21st

14. Catch up with the gals

15. Buy a lottery ticket

16. Donate money

17. Take a dance lesson

18. Meet someone new

19. Have a friend come stay with me in Kent

20. Finish the Harry Potter series

21. Have a successful Marrow recruitment

22. Binge watch Friends

23. Make a pasta sauce from scratch

24. Try a new sport

25. Take more pictures

26. Bake a cake

27. Make a romantic meal for T

28. Take up French again

29. Bake a loaf of bread

Number 1 - This was possible one of the easiest things on my list, one I completed as soon as II completed the list as I showed it to Tal and he smiled just by some of the things on it! But if we don't count that one, one of my housemates was having an incredibly difficult time during the exam period so I just sat down and had a chat with her, she cried and I told her to think of fat cats; my way of dealing with people crying is changing the subject to something funny and just patting them...I am so bad with emotions and people!

Number 2 - I really wanted to get back into shape after barely any exercise and comfort food during the exam period, I decided to take up running again. This is quite a small one for many other people but I did it and I am so proud of myself for being able to complete this one, and in such a short period of time! I only started running again last week!

Number 6 - I completed this one on my second day home this term. I did do it with my brother but we made breakfast and lunch for the family because it was Father's Day. We made eggs and toast fr breakfast (we are incredible chefs) and a sausage casserole for lunch. It really went down a treat!

Number 9 - Dan and Kirsty decided that they were going to have a 'burger off' one night. Tal and I volunteered to be the judges (so glad that we did!) to see who would have made the best burger.

Dad made a proper man's burger with bacon and cheese which was to die for, I really did enjoy it. Kirsty opted for a gourmet burger with garlic, green pepper and my new food avocado. I really did enjoy this different burger as it's not something I would have picked for myself at all but the added avocado was lovely and the flavour was great! Yes the burgers were just between slices of toast but I can assure you that they were still very yummy!

Number 16 - I feel that it's always a great thing to give to charity, whether it be money or volunteering, and I always try to if I can, sometimes (especially when around campus this year) I don't actually carry any money with me and I always feel terrible for not giving... But I did get the opportunity to give to charity last term through the UKC Mental Health Group. They hosted various de-stress with dogs days with lots of lovely little Pets as Therapy (PAT) dogs. I was very lucky to actually get a slot with the adorable Maurice after donating money for PATs animals. If you'd like to find out more about PAT dogs and cats then click here!

He looked far too cute in his little jacket and even gave me kisses!

Number 18 - I was introduced to two lovely gals called Meg and Cristina by not only my housemate but one of my course mates/marrow buddies who is living with them both next year. They are both such lovely girls and I got to spend a really nice evening at a fancy bar called The Pound in Canterbury with them before the end of term.

Cristina, me, Meg and Elena before heading to The Pound

These are just a number of the things I'd like to do this year, no doubt I will have other this added on to the list over the next few months. It's an incredibly random list with something seeming very simple but they do say it's the simple things in life that make you the most happy!

Until the next time,

Catherine xxx

Song of the day: Defying Gravity from Wicked

Reflection

Good evening readers!

I got very bad at the whole blogging thing...which then got worse...so I'm terribly sorry about that, I've had exams and work that comes along with being a university student. But thankfully all exams are over (whoopie!) and I have returned to the homeland: beautiful Northern Ireland.

The past two months since my last post have really just been filled with revision, lovely dining with Tal, and exams. We had the pleasure of additionally attending a company dinner for the University of London Officer Training Corps held in the Cathedral Lodge. We had such a great time with some lovely people, yummy food and most importantly, lots of wine! But before I get started on the wine chat, let's get down to business; I thought I'd take this blog post to reflect on my first year at university.

After an unexpected gap year in 2013, I never thought that I would get into university. My hopes of further education seemed incredibly bleak. After a few exam retakes and applying yet again through UCAS (and you thought it was bad doing it the once!), I had submitted all my choices for Biomedical Science. On results day I was terrified. What if I didn't get into university for a second year? What would I do then? To my complete surprise, University of Kent had given me an unconditional offer. I was going to university!! The shock and excitement was something else, I just couldn't believe that it was finally happening!

September came and it was time to head off to Canterbury for the next three years. I have been so very lucky with the people I live with on campus, I couldn't have asked for a nicer bunch of people! The biomed course has been better than I could have expected, well, with the exception of the chemistry module! Being able to get back into the labs, not having to worry about learning about plants and being surrounded by science students on a daily basis has been amazing.

Outside lectures and practicals I have had such a great time volunteering with Kent RaG and Kent Marrow. I have been so lucky to have met some amazing people through both and have had the great opportunity to be part of the committee for Kent Marrow for 2015/16 as recruitment co-coordinator. 

The year itself has been extremely challenging. Within a number of weeks of starting I received the news from home that my incredibly fit grandfather had had a stroke and had been hospitilised. As I was always close to all my grandparents I had the horrible decision to either stay and carry on with my course or to go home and more than likely pull out until he got better. After quite an in depth chat with my parents, it was decided that I would stay at uni. I received the devastating news on Thursday the 20th of November that my grandfather had passed away. I am completely and will continue to be heartbroken at the death of my granda Tommy, one of my most important role models. It's never easy to deal with the loss of a loved one, but even harder to not have been there for them. My granda would want me to hold my head up high and get cracking on with my course, so that's what I did. I got my head down and got to it for my granda. 

The course got even better (if that was even possible!) and everyone was so supportive of me in what I have been doing that it really had me on such a high. I then about two months ago found out that my paternal grandmother was diagnosed with lymphoma, cancer of the lymph nodes. Thankfully she is in no pain and is in high spirits. It was so lovely to be able to see both her and my other granda this afternoon to catch up and keep them updated on what I had been up to and how exams went.

All in all this year has been an incredibly difficult one but I am eternally grateful to have got onto my course and to have so much support from my family, friends and my right hand man Tal. I have so much love for these amazing people!

Until the next time

Catherine xxx

Song of the day: Pure Imagination from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory