2014, My Year

2014, MY YEAR

2014 has been an absolutely crazy, amazing, wonderful year for me. I feel truly blessed for it to have turned out the way it has, because I was lucky enough to have an equally amazing 2013 and 2012 as well. Now I'm not saying life hasn't been without its hiccups, because of course there have been the typical ups and downs to navigate, that are oh so characteristic of life. However in spite of that, I'm now a stronger, wiser person and to put it simply, I'm just happy, and that's a damn good way to feel. This year I've been far more grateful and appreciative of all the little things in life, and I've been lucky enough to experience some really wonderful, wonderful things too. There's no doubt that this year has been all about changes, and all those crazy changes that have happened, along with my life switching resolutely into the fast lane, have changed me as a person. However I know in my heart that all those changes, no matter how big or small, and all the experiences 2014 has given me, have helped me become the best version of myself yet, and I'm so proud of how far I've come. 

So to celebrate a rather awesome year on this planet, here are some of my highlights from over the last twelve months...

JANUARY

The view of London from the top of Alexandra Palace.

-Got my first two university offers after numerous stressful interviews and a mini mid-midlife crisis

-Spent New Years Day in Bristol with my lovely family, kicking off my year with The Sound of Music (aka. best film ever) and the discovering of Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch u babe)

-Went to London with my sis and Ma for the day 

-Did my first waitressing shift at DCFC and didn't drop anything

-Made my first pizza and it was delish!

-Watched the awesome 'American Hustle'

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FEBRUARY

At Slug & Lettuce Nottingham with my gals

-Had the above night out with my besties after a particularly fab day at college, and it was 

seriously one of the best nights ever

-Spent Valentines Day at Weatherspoons with a couple of my friends and on the bus back we 

spoke in Spanish the whole way home, as you do

-Celebrated my friend's 18th at the local pub and did lots of wacky dancing

-Celebrated another friend's 18th at the local Chinese and we all discovered the wonders of Bubble Tea!

-My friend & I made creme egg & chocolate mini egg brownies for the first time (as you can 

imagine they were ridiculously delish)

-Started volunteering at the Stroke Association meeting near where I live (one of the best things I've

ever done!)

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MARCH

At Jamie's Italian Nottingham to celebrate my friend Kiran's 18th

-Had the above night out which was just incredible because of the people I spent it with.

I've honestly never laughed so much in my entire laugh; we didn't stop all evening long.

-Was lucky enough to see the fabulous Miranda (saaach faaaan) in Nottingham Capital FM Arena and witnessed a good 15,000 people dance (and reach) to 'Reach For The Stars' by S Club

-Had my first driving lesson and didn't crash the car or seriously endanger any lives

-Had my interview at University of Manchester and scoffed lots of free cake and tea, and then subsequently spent days worrying over whether I'd got an offer till it came through on March 31st

-Made some seriously awesome cakes judging by my IG feed

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APRIL

View from the train window on our to Birmingham

-Went to London with my friend where we had an amazing day exploring the city, eating lots

of delish food, taking photos, shopping, sightseeing...

-Went to Harvester with the fam for my sister's birthday, and then to Birmingham for the 

evening to watch West Side Story as a surprise 

-Decided I was going to go to University of Manchester to study Speech & Language Therapy

(grades permitting of course, wink wink nudge nudge) and made it my firm choice on UCAS!

-Went to Devon for a week and had the nicest time enjoying the gorgeous views, scenery, fish & chips, ice-cream, walks on the beach,,,

-Donated to Stephen Sutton's fundraising campaign that ended up going viral and raising so much money for the Teenage Cancer Trust

-Started my 15 hour art exam piece...

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MAY

My beloved college bus buddies & I 

-... Finished my 15 hour exam piece

-Left college and said goodbye to all my friends both new and old (and the 10p waffles)

-Had a party in Spanish class where we had sangria and danced to Ricky Martin and 'Gasolina'

-Went to Birmingham again and bought my first pair of headphones from House of Marley!

-Went to London for my 18th birthday and had the most wonderful time. Was lucky enough to 

watch Wicked, eat my fave Mexican restaurant Wahaca and get birthday churros, visit all 

my fave places and see Damian Lewis in the flesh (SAY WAT).

-My friend Laura had the most wonderful party in Nottingham where we all dressed up as

Disney characters and were treated to dinner, cake and free cocktails

-Had my first night out (finally) in Notts which involved chinese takeaway and drinks at

Laura's before heading out to Rock City 

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JUNE

Me meditating on the top of a cliff in Brighton

-Finally finished all my A Level exams and near enough had a mental breakdown

with all the stress (damn u uni) but got through it in the end!

-Discovered Turtle Bay in Notts with my Biology buddies after our last exam, and

drank our worries away

-Went to my bestie's amazing 18th birthday party which involved fancy dresses and suits

and had a great time seeing old friends and dancing like a right idiot (as per usual)

-Was lucky enough to go hostelling in the south of England, visiting Brighton, Eastbourne,

Canterbury and lots of other gorgeous places dotted inbetween

-Saw my sis off to her end of school prom, where she looked like a princess (proud sis moment)

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JULY

The main stage at Optimus Alive Festival, Lisbon

-Began this blog (yaaaaaaay!)

-Had the best time in town with loads of my school/college friends celebrating

one of my bestie's 18th birthday!

-Went to Lisbon, Portugal on holiday and literally had the best time of my life

-Got to go to my first ever festival in Lisbon and was lucky enough to see loads of

my fave artists like Arctic Monkeys, Foster The People, The Black Keys, Sam Smith...

-Revamped my Bluboca online store and created loads of new designs

-Finally had a HSM marathon and twas amaaaaaaazzing

-Celebrated my Nan & Grandad's 50th wedding anniversary at their house

-Had cocktails in town at Revs for the first time and laughed a lot (possibly alcohol induced)

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AUGUST

The beach on Southbank in the evening sunset

-Attempted and successfully made Portuguese Natas

-Got a new phone (a Nokia one that is essentially a brick) whilst Mum got an Iphone

-Worked lots at DCFC (come on you Rams)

-Went to London for the weekend with all the fam to celebrate Nan & Grandad's 50th

Wedding Anniversary, and was lucky enough to watch Mamma Mia, have lunch in St. James'

Park, run down the streets in the pouring rain, discover some gorgeous new places and watch

my Nan & Grandad get blessed in the same church where they were married 

-Watched the Inbetweeners 2 and ate McFlurries with my fam and bezzie to take looming

A Level Results Day off our minds

-Found at that two years of hard work had paid of and I'd got in to University of Manchester!!!

- Celebrated my A Level results at Slug & Lettuce in Notts and then went out to celebrate with my friends at the Rock City Beach Party

-Finished volunteering at the Stroke Association (cry cry cry)

-Went out in Derby with some of my old school friends and had a blast (plus my bestie started

talking in Spanish and Russian for no apparent reason)

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SEPTEMBER

The first photo I took on my very first day of uni

-Had a lovely goodbye meal with my friends before we all left for uni

-Had one last night out in Notts with some of my gals, which involved getting

lost on the bus, lots of pizza, Malibu and dancing

-Started being able to run and not feel like I was dying

-Had the nicest goodbye meal with my oldest and bestest friend at our local pub

-Actually moved to Manchester and into my new home, meeting all my amazing flatmates!

-Started my degree and realised I could actually do it

-Partied the night away with lots of Brazilian people, as you do, explored the Manchester

nightlife (which is awesome) and the gigantanormous Freshers Fair (making the most of 

all the freebies on offer)

-Met so many lovely people and made some fantastic friends on my couse

-Began running weekly and doing Latin & Ballroom dancing (say waaat)

-Got over my homesicknesses and settled in properly

-The weekly flat dinners began....

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OCTOBER

The big wheel in Manchester city centre...

-Got taken on a pub crawl in Derbz...

-Did my first assignment and miraculously didn't fail!

-Had my sis up to stay for the first time and had brownies, watched Princess Diaries,

discovered the wonder that is the Trafford Centre and showed my parents around Manchester

-May or may not have joined the Harry Potter society...

-Went to a Halloween dinner with my face painted like a wolf, as well as a cheese & wine night!

-Had an amazing night out with my flatmate and her nursing friends

-Made three different flavour pies for flat dinner and melt in the middle chocolate pud

-Ran (like actually really ran) 6.5k 

-GOT MY RADIO SHOW AND DID MY FIRST BROADCAST!!!

-Discovered Gotham....

-Had an amazing week at home with my lovely fam where I was literally spoilt rotten

-Cut my hair...

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NOVEMBER

Bonfire night at a local park in Manchester

-Watched the above fireworks show after flat dinner with my flatmates,

and followed it by having brownies and cream and a good ol' movie

-Watched the Christmas lights turn on in Manchester which was a million times better

than Derby (hello I got to see Shayne Ward from X Factor)

-Started having regular brownie, cream & film nights with my flatmate

-Went to York for a lovely weekend with my Daddio

-Had my sis up again and we explored the insane Chrimbo markets, watched 'The Imitation

Game' and Shrek 1 and 2, did a spot of shopping and had coffee at Starbucks

-Helped out with a charity project that involved doing up a uni building and turning it

into a shop (I got a lot of paint on me)

-Had an awesome night out that involved beer pong, The Black Keys, Twister and clubbing

-Explored the xmas markets with some of my course friends, and also discovered Gelato

Passion, where we went for my friend's 20th!

-Had the cutest, loveliest reunion with my two bezzies which involved fajitas!!!

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DECEMBER

My flatmates and I with our lovingly prepared Christmas dinner

-Finally made a curry after living next to the Curry Mile for four months

-Bought the nicest strudel at the Chrimbo market and no regrets were had whatsoever

-Went to a really interesting talk as part of my course which was so inspiring

-Started looking at houses and deciding where to live

-Got my test and assignment results back and turns out I got firsts (which is good I tink)

-Has an absolute blast doing my last radio show of the term

-Went to my bestie's house for an amazing roast and crumble (she needs to go on GBBO)

-Went to the Nottingham Christmas markets with my sis 

-Had the most amazing flat Christmas dinner with my amazing flatmates

-Worked at an incredible Christmas party and met some lovely people and got free food (woo!)

-Went to London for the day with my bestie and family where we had the best time!

-Had the loveliest Chrimbo with my fam and extended family in Bristol 

-Went to the Slug & Lettuce for a great catchup with one of my old friends

-IT ACTUALLY SNOWED AT CHRISTMAS TIME

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I hope you enjoyed the rather lengthy summary of my year! It's been wonderful in

so many different ways, and although things have changed I wouldn't want things to be any different,

because as 2014 draws to a close I'm so happy with where I am now, and I can't wait to see what

happens next year. And I really do hope that you all have had an amazing 2014, and I wish you all the very best for 2015, and hope that it's filled with love, laughter, good times, happiness, and that all your dreams come true. 

<3 <3 <3