#MondayMemories

So rather than the usual #MondayMotivation or #throwbackthursday, I want to offer up my own version in the form of #MondayMemories. 

I want to start attempting to document so many of the amazing memories that I have had during my time as an undergraduate and before I moved away from home. I find it so easy to forget some of the amazing opportunities I have had, especially when I'm struggling or worrying. By sharing those memories here I'm hoping it will remind me to be grateful and content with what I have. 

Without further ado, for my very first #MondayMemories, I would like to share photos from my graduation day last week. The weather was overcast and, yes, it rained all morning but, y'know, I made it. I completed my degree. I got to share the day with my family and with some of my closest friends who were graduating too, all of whom I am super proud of.

                                                                 

Graduation and Future Plans

Hey guys!

Almost an entire year after my last post (apologies!), I'm back to share some great news. I GRADUATED! On Monday. In an amazing Cathedral with some of the best people I have ever met. I am so proud of my achievements in my final year but am disappointed that my blog got put on the back burner whilst I really focussed on my studies.

Monday 20th July 2015: Outside Truro Cathedral

Summer Time

With the approach of August (it's tomorrow, eek!), I genuinely can't believe how quickly the summer is passing me by. This is potentially my final full summer in Falmouth which makes me incredibly sad because it feels as though I definitely haven't made the most of it. As a university student, I have had the longest breaks that I will probably ever have in my lifetime, and I spend most of them sleeping haha. 

One of my favourite summer activities is evenings at the beach. I went over to Gwithian a couple of days ago with my housemate for a walk and some swimming. Here are the accompanying photographs of our little adventure to the north coast. 

          

Gwithian is located across the bay from St Ives and is mainly pebbles when the tide is in...

           

...But when the tide is out it has miles of beautiful golden sands. 

           

We also got to watch the sun set while we were there. It was a really beautiful evening. 

Thanks for reading,

K xo

Graduation 2014

And so another year of graduations has drawn to a close... This year I worked the University of Exeter's Graduation day in Cornwall for the second year running. This year I managed to get this cheeky snapshot of Truro Cathedral in all its glory on Graduation. Stunning, right?!

        

It was a brilliant day with some fantastic speeches from the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the university and smiles all day from graduates and their families. A momentous occassion to complete their time in Cornwall. 

However, as I'm going into my third year now, attending graduation day was an unsettling wake-up call that this will be me this time next year. I really can't get over how quickly my time at university has flown, clearly I'm having fun! It's also very daunting to realise that this time next year I will be starting a job. To earn real money. For real life. No more government funding. Maybe a little bit more parental funding (please, dad!) if I'm lucky. It is scary to think that each year a whole bunch of students are pushed into the big wide world quite suddenly but it's also exciting to consider that from the moment I started my degree I was gaining skills and carving out my path in life. 

Congratulations to all Exeter graduates, especially those that have been so lovely to me over the past two years. You will be missed!

K xo

On Living Away from Home

For university, I decided to move over 300 miles south and live in a little place called Falmouth in Cornwall. It really is the most enchanting place but a stark contrast to Derby (where I was born and lived for all of my life until this point) and a huge decision to make at the age of 18. I chose to move away from most of my friends and my entire family, of course I'd see them all again but I knew that it would be very difficult to see them as often as I might like to. 

A week before I was due to move down to Cornwall I got cold feet and suddenly decided that I didn't want to leave my little bubble in Derby that I knew so well. It was the biggest upheaval of my entire life but I didn't realise until this point and started to panic a little. I was worried about not being able to cope with university life and not having the support around me that I was used to. 

As it goes, I moved to Cornwall. I've completed my first year of uni and can't wait to get back down there tomorrow after only a week at home. Now that I've tasted what another place can offer me I get bored of my hometown very quickly. I'll always come back to see my friends and family, I can't go THAT long without seeing them and I love a good catch up but I know now that they'll always be there to support me, no matter how far I go.

This year away has taught me that I am capable of doing things outside of my comfort zone and pushing those limits can open up a whole wealth of opportunities. Although living away from home has been hard at times (running out of money, missing home, etc.) it has been the best experience of my life. So to all those on the brink of university life, relish the feeling of the unknown and embrace the amazing experiences coming your way.

K xo