UPDATE!

Well hello there!

I haven't written on here in ages... oops. I needed a break from everything, to digest what happened last year and of course to settle into uni. That's right, I left my beautiful homeland of Northern Ireland and moved to Sheffield. It's wonderful here and I've met so many beautiful, banterful people. 

My time here hasn't been the easiest so far to say the least. The day my mum left was awful, truly just horrible. I have never cried so much over leaving someone, mum and I were weeping messes in the train station but only 2 more weeks and I'll get to see my parents again and all the people I love at home. YAY! My drink also got spiked the other night, not a great experience as I ended up in hospital the next day but hey ho, learned the hard way didn't I? I spent the night feeling awful and very, very home sick. I cried like a baby and just needed to be hugged by someone close, my flat mates and one of the girls on my course took very good care of me, I've very grateful to have them. It hasn't been easy but, no one ever said it would be. 

The 3 weeks I have spent here though, have had some amazing benefits to me, it hasn't all been hard! The people here are just amazing, very welcoming and kind. I've made so many friends that I would never have met if I didn't move. I'm starting to realise that I did the right thing in taking a gap year and picking Youth and Community Work as I'm really enjoying my course, especially the aspects I thought I wouldn't enjoy. Assignments and assessments are a bit scary but, that comes with the university experience. 

I feel like I'm in the right place to be discovering what comes next. I'm finding out what I really value and want in life, sound really old, but reflecting on my time here so far, I think I've grown a wee bit, taken more independence, responsibility and particularly, grown up a fair bit. Having to take care of yourself when you feel ill is really hard if you haven't done it before! Cooking, every day, doing your own washing and ironing, cleaning dishes, changing bedsheets, cleaning your room and adding a personal touch. It's hard but I've got through it and I'm proud of myself. I've got the drinking out of my system now, I'll go out when my friends are going out but to be honest, I want to remember my nights out. I want to do well in my degree and become a great youth worker - nothing is going to stop me from doing that now, I've got my game face on. Prepare yourselves.