Freshers Week 2.0

Tomorrow is the day that lectures begin and with that Orientation Week is officially over and what a week it's been. I've already met an amazing group of people and have been able to finally have the Fresher's Week I never had three years ago. From some cheeky cocktails at The Split Crow, to an obligatory round of Ring of Fire to intellectual discussions in Your Father's Moustache. Seriously, the bars here have the weirdest names! It's been a pretty awesome week.

The daytime has been somewhat more tame with me mainly focusing on sorting out bank accounts, registering for classes and of course, catching up on The Great British Bake-off. It's definitely been a little weird being surrounded by all the Freshmen. They are, of course, away from home for the first time, at the very beginning of their University adventure whereas I am three years in and am nearing the end. While I'm excited to be here in Canada, it's a very different excitement to what the Freshmen are experiencing. Besides, even if it was the same, there is no way I would be able to retain the levels of energy, excitement and enthusiasm that the Canadians can without at least a few shots before hand.

I also feel like I've learnt so much already. Most, if not all, of the friends I have made so far are from Europe and for the first time in my entire life I actually feel European. Us Brits have far more in common with the mainland than we think we do. I feel like the shared language with North America helps to disguise what are some fairly significant differences in culture while the language barriers across Europe disguise our similarities. When I found out about all the insanely strict rules about alcohol consumption here, it was my fellow Europeans who empathised. It's also made me want to really try harder at learning German because everyone's English is so impressive even if they themselves try to say it isn't. Hopefully, my Advanced German class should point me in the right direction and maybe not before too long I'll be brave enough to speak German with two of my fellow exchangers, Carolin and Daniel.

As I've already mentioned, tomorrow I start lectures and I shall have to be up bright and early at the crack of 9am. Got to get back into the swing of things for the first time since about May but in actual fact I can't wait to get started. Knowing me, I'll probably end up doing more this year than I did the entire three years in Bangor but either way it doesn't really matter. After a year focussed on my dissertation, the pressure's off. I can just relax and enjoy learning something purely for the sake of learning.

By the way, I will put my hands up and admit that I am really bad for forgetting to take photos but I do promise to try and improve in the future. For my own sake as much as for this blog. For now though, here are a few pictures from my favourite night from the past week.

twitter | youtube | tumblr | bloglovin | instagram | goodreads | pinterest

Exploring Halifax

My first week in Halifax has come to an end as I have now officially moved into my halls of residence at Dalhousie. It's been a long week that has involved a lot of walking but I'm very glad I had the opportunity to explore the city with some moral support from Hannah before being left to fend for myself. I'm now able to navigate the main areas of the city without a map so I don't have to wander aimlessly down various streets looking like a lost puppy.

So far my main impression of Canada is that it lives up to it's stereotype of bring polite. I am yet to meet a rude Canadian in fact many will go above and beyond to help you out. Brits are also meant to be polite but ours is just reflex, we say sorry before we've even realised where as here it seems so much more genuine.

Halifax itself seems to, so far, be a really lovely city, particularly the boardwalk along which I was able to experience my very first snowcone! It was also the best place to get some obligatory Canadian tat. While it's definitely not the most exciting city in the world, it's a city that I think will suit me well. It's not massively overwhelming in terms of it's size which I'm thankful for having spent the past 3 years in Bangor which let's be honest is more of a town than a city.

One negative we did come across this week? Phone plans. They make no sense! It just seemed alien to us that we would have to pay to receive calls and also that emergency calls are standard but instead must be included in your contract. The one thing that truly boggled my mind is what was classified as long distance here which is basically any calls made to phones outside of Halifax, not even Nova Scotia! I don't think my mind can honestly comprehend the size of this country.

Overall it's been a fun week but I'll be glad once I've started lectures and have some sort of routine. However, before that happens there's Orientation Week. Hopefully I'll meet lots of cool people and will start to feel at home a little more.

twitter | youtube | tumblr | bloglovin | instagram | goodreads | pinterest

This Just Got Real!

I'm back! Have you missed me? I really am going to try my hardest to get back into the whole blogging thing this time but the primary focus is going to shift. I'm going to be using my blog to document my year abroad which is fast approaching. In fact, I have just booked my flight! That's right, on the 20th August I shall be on my way to Halifax, Nova Scotia!

The thought is absolutely terrifying. Now, the flight itself doesn't really bother me, primarily because I'm lucky enough to not have to go it completely alone. My sister, Hannah, will be flying out with me and then we'll basically go explore Halifax and have a bit of a holiday before I move into my halls of residence just before she goes home. What is terrifying is that this all sort of cements everything. Not that I thought I would, or even could back out but now I feel like it's a done deal. I'm going to Canada. For a year. Am I crazy?

I am, of course, excited as well. I've never been to Canada before and I can't wait to explore Halifax and get to that point where it feels like home. I'm sure I'm going to meet lots of amazing people from all over the world and will get to experience things that I didn't even know where a thing. I never really made the most of opportunities while at University here so I'm determined to learn from my mistakes and get as stuck in as I can.

Although my flight is booked, there's still a huge amount to get sorted before I leave, not to mention the behemoth task that is condensing my wardrobe into one suitcase. I've also got a very busy few weeks ahead especially in August with various birthday shindigs including my own.

I'm not looking forward to saying all my goodbyes, especially my friends. I was bad enough saying bye to them at the end of Uni. Many tears were shed by yours truly. I dread to think what I'll be like knowing that I won't be seeing them until December at the earliest. I can already tell that Skype and social media will be my best friend while I'm out there, especially when the homesickness hits. For now though, I'm not thinking about that. I'm going to enjoy the rest of my Summer and try and spend as much time with everyone as possible and not try to overthink and panic too much. I can't make any promises though!

twitter | youtube | tumblr | bloglovin | instagram | goodreads | pinterest

I'm Going To CANADA!

It's been a while since I last posted and a lot has happened since then including moving house which I probably shouldn't glaze over quite so nonchalantly but that's not why I'm here. No, instead I want to talk about some recent and very exciting albeit equally terrifying news and if you have yet to work it out from the title of this post, I'm going to CANADA!

Some of you may remember my post at the end last year where I talked about applying to do a year abroad. Well, just over a week ago I had my interview and then on Tuesday, on my way to a Taylor Swift concert, I got the email I'd been waiting for; I'd been accepted and I was going abroad. Only, I wasn't going quite where I was expecting. I'd originally applied to do a year in America with Oregon being my top preference so it was a bit of a shock to find that I would instead be going to Canada, Dalhousie University to be exact.

At the time, I didn't exactly jump for joy, it was all a bit of a shock and somewhat confusing and add in the factor that I'd forgotten my tickets for the aforementioned Taylor Swift concert, my emotions were all a bit up in the air. But the next day, once I'd had a chance to check out the Uni's website and actually have a think about it all, my excitement grew pretty quickly. I'm now at the point where I'm not really sure why I hadn't considered Canada in the first place because, like my Mum says, it may well be the ideal country for me. It's the perfect blend of the States and the UK with a little unique Canadian flare added in. They get all the things that attracted me to America without all the things that didn't. I won't have to worry about health insurance and I'll be able to understand the weather forecasts! Seriously, is 55 degrees Farenheit hot or cold cause to me it sounds toasty!

Going to Canada also means going to somewhere completely new and as terrifying as that is, it's also exciting. I've never really heard anything bad about Canada except the on running joke that they're overly polite but I'm british, Sorry is my middle name so I should get along just fine! My sister got the chance to got to Toronto, Montreal and Quebec about ten years ago and she absolutely loved it and we tend to like the same things so I'm sure it'll be the same with this.

The only thing I'm not overly looking forward to is the snow. I don't do cold very well but I think that also stems from us Brits refusing to really give in to Winter and therefore dress appropriately. A decent coat and some hefty snow boots are definitely at the top of my shopping list. Plus, the whole snow situation was going to be an issue pretty much no matter where I went so either way I'm just going to have to lump. Although at least it's guaranteed that once the snow disappears, summer will come. There is no such guarantee here in the UK.

I've got an exciting 22nd year ahead of me but until then I have a degree to finish so until then I'm going to have to attempt to push Canada to the back of my mind for the time being. Having said that, I have all the thrilling tasks of applying for visas and all that jazz but for now I need to keep my head here in Bangor and not get distracted. No mean feat I tell ya!

twitter | youtube | tumblr | bloglovin | instagram | goodreads | pinterest

Videos Every Weekday!

Any of you who watch my YouTube channel will likely already know this but for those of you that don't (you totally should by the way!), here's some details about the changes I have bought about recently.

So a few weeks a go I decided that I wanted to up the number of video I was making each week and I wondered if I could managed 5 videos a week. It seemed unlikely but I gave it a go anyway a did I trial week where I filmed and edited videos but I didn't upload them. It was a success despite having deadlines and other fun stuff going on that week so I decided to take the plunge and start uploading videos every single weekday.

This new schedule started on my channel two weeks ago so if you haven't checked them out yet, there's already eleven videos for you to feast your eyes on! I thought I'd post a few of my favourites for you here and I would absolutely love it if you could check them out, give them a thumbs up and of course subscribe! 

THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR

My 100% coherent thoughts on the 50th Anniversary Special of Doctor Who.

R.I.P. BRIAN GRIFFIN
Let us come together to remember the life of Brian Griffin.


LIVIN' ON A PRAYER
Why am I not Taylor Swift?!

IT'S DECEMBER
Let's crack out some festive tunes and have a little piece of chocolate for breakfast!



PLEASE DON'T DAY YOU LOVE ME
A cover of one of my favourite Gabrielle Aplin songs.

twitter | youtube | tumblr | bloglovin | instagram | goodreads | pinterest

New York Here I Come (Hopefully)!

Ok let's not get too ahead of ourselves, it's not for definite yet but I have handed in my application to study abroad in the States. Are you proud?

After writing my post a few weeks ago I thought about it all a lot and although I'm still nervous about various aspects of studying abroad, I had to admit to myself that I couldn't not apply. How often does an opportunity to spend a year in America come along? So, I did. It was all made somewhat easier when three of my friends decided to apply too which means even if they aren't in the same city as me, they will be going through it with me.

I still have to have an interview in February for them to decide if I'm a suitable candidate for the Study Abroad programme but fingers crossed they think I am. It's also more stringent for 3rd year applicants because of the fact that we've technically already finished our degree and so could easily drop out of the year abroad without any major consequences which would mean the University would have wasted a lot of money.

I've done the hard bit that could have been so easy for me to not do, to just forget about and move on but I didn't. I handed in my application and now it's out of my hands, it's up to someone else to decide whether I go or not.

The main downside if I don't get accepted is that I would have to decide what I want to do with myself once I graduate so let's hope I get to go so I can procrastinate for a whole year from that dreaded decision.

So this time next year I could be living it up in New York City! Scary but exciting!

twitter | youtube | tumblr | bloglovin | instagram | goodreads | pinterest

Ciaté Advent Calender

It's finally December which means it's that time of the year where we all have a tiny chocolate for breakfast. However, I have been a very lucky girl this year as my Mum treated me to the Ciaté Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar which means as well as my little piece of Cadbury goodness each morning, I get a mini bottle of nail varnish. 

The advent calendar includes 23 mini sized nail varnishes plus one full sized surprise shade. Amongst the mini's there's 4 caviar polishes and 3 exclusive glitter polishes that are only available as part of the advent calendar. I'm definitely intrigued to try the caviar ones as it's not something I'd have bought otherwise.

These retail for in and around £40 which sounds like an extortionate amount of money when compared to the couple of quid you usually spend but as the retail value of the calendar is over £100 it's really not that bad. Plus, you're getting some that lasts much longer than chocolate.

I've already opened the first door and inside was a beautiful glittery topcoat called Snow Globe that almost looks like little flecks of white tinsel. The perfect addition to a Christmas manicure. 

The only fault I have with the calendar is that the colours are shown on the back which I personally find somewhat spoils the fun of finding out what colour is behind each door. I would've prefered to not know at all what colours are coming up.

That aside I still can't wait to open the rest of the doors and count down to Christmas! Anyone else getting ridiculously excited?

twitter | youtube | tumblr | bloglovin | instagram | goodreads | pinterest