Uh oh...home sickness

Semester 1 has almost come to an end… and breathe.

Wow.

As a first year I am experiencing living away from home for the first time and truth be told, of course, I regularly get homesick like most other first years.

In many cases I find myself missing my home town, though not even knowing it until someone asks if I’m okay which then actually gets me thinking about my family and friends. This then makes myself feel lonely which can lead to a lack of motivation for my studies… NOT good.

So…

Luckily I live in a flat with 8 others so most of the time I am surrounded by people which stops me thinking about how much I'd love to go back. I try keep myself busy, doing work, house chores...blogging.

Also the change of weather from a warm Autumn breeze to a sudden bitterly wind is a no from me. I feel like hibernating.. which is pretty much what I've done today. I've been in my room working and feeling sorry for myself :').

This first semester is going extremely quick, however, the positive of only having a month worth left of lectures for this year is that we have just over a months worth of holiday. Starting up again in February... A well needed rest. Although I do have hand ins for the beginning of January so I'll most likely drive back up to Cambridge for the day and the be back for the rest of January... Bonus of being able to drive!

Now, back to studying I guess..

Love 

ChristyJane x

Printing photos on a budget! - Free Prints

Recently I've been getting a little homesick living here in Cambridge, missing everyone from my hometown.

Seeing my best friend having got a load of printed photos, I realized I didn't actually have many photos of friends and family so decided to do the same. Though I didn't use the same site as her.

I remembered a while back my friend back in Norfolk used an App to order her printed photos. She also wrote a post about the App here.

The App is called FreePrints

I was able to order 34 photos and only had to pay a small charge of £2 for postage.

WHAT A BARGAIN!

I was so impressed with the quality even at such a low price. Extremely happy with my photos and will definitely be using the FreePrints App again!

Here are some photos I got printed!

I really recommend FreePrints if your looking to print photos on a budget!

Love

ChristyJane x



This is not a paid advertisement. This is all my own opinions and findings.

Halloween (OITNB)

So some of my flat and another came together to be characters from 'Orange Is The New Black'.

Here are the results... who was I and how flattering did I look in an orange boiler suit :')

Didn't even have to try 

Flat

Random cheerleader 

Mendez 

Safe to say we all looked fabulous!

It was an awesome night, however 'Miller' felt very fragile in the morning!

Much love

ChristyJane x

2 weeks into my lectures!

So I'm now 2 weeks into my lectures and it's safe to say I'm thoroughly enjoying them!

One reason being is because I'm only in 3 days a week of which 2 of the lectures begin in the afternoon so I'm getting a good lot of lay ins... Bonus! However, Tuesday is the day I'm not such a fan of. Lectures all day, 9am-5pm.

As I'm doing Sports Science I'm not at all interested in coaching, so having 3 hours of coaching and behavior on a Tuesday morning is not the one. However, luckily, all the other lectures are science based:

• Research Methods
• Exercise physiology
• Anatomy of motion

The reason why my science course has coaching involved is because the coaching course does the same first year as the sport science... so next year will hopefully not involve much to do with coaching at all!

If you can't tell by now I still don't like coaching.

On a higher note I've met some lovely people.

Lets talk reading.

So there is always recommended reading which can be found online but there was a book that I had to by and its just over 1000 pages. Help me. Its so heavy. 

Exercise Physiology

Trust me it looks bigger in person.

To be totally honest this is my favourite subject (second comes anatomy of motion) out of them all, I find it so interesting. I've always found the human body fascinating and now I'm actually able to study it in depth which I'm loving. 

Overall, it's going well so far and hopefully will continue to do so!

Love

ChristyJane x

My University accommodation room!

Now that I've settled into my accommodation, after 2 weeks of being here I would like you show you all what my room has turned to look like. To be honest I am very pleased with what I've done with it. I have made it as homely as I can in a way where it sort of looks like my old room but without the mint green walls which I'm actually glad to get away from, I'm liking the neutral colours.

Yes my room is small, but its comfortable and big enough to do my studying and to possibly fit a friend on a blow up mattress when they come to stay.

I've taken a photo of each area of my room for you to have a little look at... Enjoy!

3/4 sized bed

So let's start with the bed. The size is a 3/4 bed which is smaller than my one at home but I can't tell much of a difference. It's not the best mattress but it will do. Though I have got 2 mattress protectors on to make it extra soft. 

If you are wondering, I got my striped duvet cover and zig zag throw from Dunelm.

Stripe Duvet Cover
The throw was in the sale so no longer on the website, you can always go check out your closest store to see if they have it!
The small grey and flamingo cushion are both from Primark a few months back.

Desk

Opposite my bed is my desk, which is where i'll be doing most of my studying. I keep my kettle in my room so it saves me going to the kitchen to get a green tea in the morning, very handy!
I have a calendar so that I don't forget to pay me next terms rent...very important!

DVD's and Books

Under my window I have a shelf full of my DVD's and a couple of books (student cooking and a toasties recipe book), I have so many more at home but there's not really anywhere I can fit them!

Wardrobe

Good sized wardrobe and draws. However, I've made it better by adding a David Bowie poster to it!

Desk shelf

This shelf is above my desk where I just put random crap but I cleared it up just for you guys. ft a shot glass and a fold up wine glass....oh and cute pictures of friends and family.

Second shelf

I like this shelf a lot as it contains a lot of memories. A jar on inspiration, prom picture with my mum, G's 18th birthday, a card from my brother and very sentimental thing is a rock I collected from the Ardeche in France... always reminds me of what an amazing holiday it was... and a cool pad of sticky notes.

Top shelf 

The top shelf is my favourite as it has many pictures of my friends and family, to look at when I miss home <3

Entrance to my room

Here is the entrance into my room, it looks narrow in the picture but really it;s a tiny bit bigger :').
Ft. my Red Hot Chili Peppers poster. I also added a rug as the carpet isn't the nicest material to walk on!

Now lets enter into the bathroom...without a bath.

Don't worry I have a shower just no bath which I do miss about being at home, being able to relax in a hot bath with candles after a long day.

Bathroom Shelf

Obviously I have quite a few products... just like any girl would! (oh there's more but you don't need to see that)...

Mirror selfie ft. the sink

So that's me, just gotten out of the shower which explains the wet hair and make-up free face. Sink is small and you can't drink the water which means a trip to the kitchen to fill up my kettle!

Shower!

Standard shower, heats up very quickly which a low and the power of it is amazing compared to the one I'm used to back in Norfolk. Will miss this shower during the Christmas holidays when I'm at home :').


That's it! This is my home for the next year. I hope this may have given you some inspiration if you're finding it hard what to put in your new room or simply enjoyed having a snoop :)

Love

ChristyJane x

My first freshers Fair!

As you should know by now I'm studying Sport science at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge campus.

It's freshers week and that means freshers fair! It was today (25/09/2015) and I'm glad to say that a got a bulk load of freebies... including Dominos pizza and cookies!

Nabbing myself 2 free drinking glasses, two bags from the same stall which meant double the stuff, winning some prawn crackers and a load of stuff I probably wont even use :').

This is not everything!

I also signed up for Yoga classes with a couple of my flat mates... Even though i'm a sport student I'm not that flexible, so this will be fun!

Me and my flat mate Sam also got free T-shirts for tweeting a photo of us wearing them...

After 2 weeks of living in Cambridge it is soon to be lecture time. Mine start this coming Tuesday which is very exciting but getting even more real now than when I moved in! I know it's going to be hard and stressful... (I guess the Yoga can help with that!).. finding out we have EXAMS in January, emphasize on the word exam because I haven't taken a proper exam since my GCSE's in High school, so for about 2 and a bit years ago... I hate exams.

Wish me luck for next week!

Love

ChristyJane x

I've moved to Cambridge!

So the time has come where I have moved into my university accommodation!

I was very nervous to say the least, moving into a city, living without my family and being away from some life long friends and splitting with the college squad!

Love them to pieces!

However, this is the start of a brand new chapter in my life. I'm excited to see what these 3 years will bring, good and bad, making amazing memories!

Though, as mentioned i'm living without family, which means no mum, which means having to do EVERYTHING for myself. I was pretty independent while living at home, I was able to cook dinner and small things like that. But now a I have to buy all that food I've got to cook. So far breakfast and lunch is going well but for dinner so far i've managed a pack of BBQ beef super noodles on the first night and shared a pizza on the second... I have a mission to make chilli con carne very soon!... I bought so much rice with me :').

I moved in 2 weeks before lectures start, so I can get to know everything the city, all mt flat mates and get things sorted before the hard work begins!

I unpacked all my stuff on the first day and compared to my other flat mates rooms I have a lot of 'things i don't need but make it homely'.

little messy already!... and loads
of photos :')

Of course I'm going to miss home quite a lot (not forgetting willow my cat with an attitude)

I have 2 trips planned in October to go home for the Norwich Vs Leicester football game in Norwich on the 3rd and also later in October for my Grans birthday.

Yes, i've already been out to town for drinks and a good time but what student doesn't?

Hope this short post was a good little look into the start of my student life, i'm now off to do some food shopping (for meat (protein)).

ChristyJane x

My passion for the sport industry!

My life revolves around sport, always has done and hopefully always will. Since I can remember I've always been interested in the area. From playing outside with my brothers when we were younger, to school sports days, to choosing Btec sport at school and as a college course to studying sport science at university in september.

I can not remember a time that I didn't like sport. I always looked forward to P.E lessons at school... I was how you could put it... 'in my zone'.  

I can't imagine myself doing anything other than being in the sporting industry. Whether it takes me to gym instructing, personal training, sports analysis, coaching, biomechanics and so much more. I love that there are so many things to do, so many paths to follow! 

As friends and family know I'm going to university I now seem to get a NEW question... "What do you want to do after university?".... I dread questions like this because haha once again, like I've said before, I have no idea. It all depends on my final grades, where I end up living etc etc. Like in my blog before my last, you never know where the future is going to take you. 

One thing I know is, whatever I do, it will definitely be sport related.

That's how much I love the industry. 

I know this is such a random post but this is something I am so passionate about so I thought I'd share it with you! 

Once I go to uni I will keep updating my blog on how its all going... Just in case you get curious!

Also, here is a picture of me and Lindsay Keable (England Netball player), showing how happy I was to be guided from her through my favourite sport, netball.

Love

ChristyJane x

Day out in Cambridge (Familiarizing myself with my University)!

Yesterday I had a day out in Cambridge with my mum. She wanted to see where I was staying for my accommodation and where my university was and what it looked like.

We were literally like tourists, pretty much went round the city in a circle, shopping, a bit of sight seeing and went to a couple of cafes.
My accommodation is a 15 minute walk from the university, near the train station, so not too bad for friends who come and visit!

We were walking around the city with my google maps on giving directions of where we wanted to go, hopefully I wont need this as much once I've been living there for a couple of weeks (fingers crossed)!

Here are a few pictures through the day:

The photos aren't the best as they were from my phone but all in all you get the gist. 

Also another awesome thing happened yesterday. 

When I got home from looking at my hopeful accommodation and uni, I got a confirmation email from UCAS saying that I have officially been accepted into my course!

I could not be more excited now, its getting even closer now, about 2 months! I know I keep going on about it but I guess that shows that I really want this. 

Love

ChristyJane x

University is getting closer, I'm so ready for this!

Later back in the year I wrote a post about what I'm looking forward to in 2015
click here for a recap!

So I've been on my college trip to France which was an absolutely amazing holiday, one I will never forget.

However, the other thing I was looking forward to was going to university. When I wrote back in January time I was only just thinking about university.... But now, I'm actually, really , truly going to Anglia Ruskin in Cambridge.

So surreal.

I didn't know if I'd get the grade I needed for the course (sports science) about 5 months ago. Though, about 3/4 weeks ago I finished my 2 Year college course of Level 3 Btec Sport and came out with a higher grade that I needed for uni (and of what I expected)... So I was in no matter what now.

I only have about 2 months until I move out to Cambridge. I'm nervous, scared, excited and just can't wait for the experience as a whole!

Since high school teachers are always like, "are you thinking of going to uni?" Or "do you know what you want to do in the future?" And every time my answer was 'I'm not sure". I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do...except from being in the sport industry.

I think asking so early on was a bit forward and I kind of felt a bit pressured into giving a set answer. I didn't know how my GCSE s would go or my college course so saying something and sticking with it was a bit difficult :').

I only applied for this uni course in January... Emphasis on 'only applied for this uni course'. I only applied for one university on a last minute thing, I was talking about it to a friend and they recommended the uni course, so I applied, just to see what happened. If we didn't have that conversation I wouldn't be writing this post.

I don't think that you or anyone else can plan exactly how your future is going to turn out. I guess you can give yourself a drafted route to walk along but you can't see what's in the distance until you take steps.

I have my finances sorted out. I've made little progress with packing. I've virtually met some of my flat mates. I also have my best friend living on the floor above me for the oncoming year.

Life is a roller coaster.

Love

ChristyJane x

South of France trip 2015!

I recently had a two center college trip in the South of France. The trip was run through PGL, a very popular place for outdoor activities.

We left for France on the morning of Saturday 20th June 2015 at about 9am... for a 22 hour coach trip, what had I let myself in for, considering I get travel sickness!

We made it to Dover at about lunch time, ready for the ferry... Great, another type of travel to make me feel ill.

However, through taking travel sickness pills and wristbands I avoided it... Thankgod!

The longest part of the journey was travelling from Calais to Mimosa, our first center for activities. Saying I ached is only minimal.

We arrived Sunday morming in time for breakfast, got all our cases into our tents and set of to the beach for a chilled morning before going on the Pico boats that afternoon. A long and tiring day to say the least.

I'm not going to go through each day as that can turn to be pretty boring.

So after 3 nights in Mimosa we traveled down to Segries, after spending a few hours at Aqualand water park ofcourse!

Segries is where we canoed for 3 days in a row... I know it sounds a lot of work and how boring, but actually each day was completely different in its own little way. Each Corner you turned down the river was another magnificent view that I had to take a photo of (with my disposable camera (old school)). It was amazing hearing monkeys in the trees right beside us, unfortunately we didn't spot any but it was awesome just the same!

The last day that we canoed we also left to come back home to England!
I seriously did not want to leave... I would happily of stayed there for another week.

A bonus was that I acc tanned a little so I actually don't look like Snow White :').

This was the best holiday since I can remember... It will be one I wont forget, especially as I spend it with some amazing people!

It's sort of sad really though as most of us have now finished our college lives so won't be seeing each other most days. I wish them all good luck in the future!

Here are a few photos from the trip!