Degree = Done!

Its slightly odd writing this from my sofa at home, but I thought it was time to finally get around to blogging something to prove I haven't fully forgotten about it!

So really what I want to say is that it finally happened(ish). MY DEGREE IS FINISHED! Done! No more studying chemistry (at least for the time being)! I hope having 6 exams explains my absence from blogging, and I truly hope never having to repeat that ever again, but as I don't get the results for another couple of weeks I don't want to speak too soon.

Studying really did take over the last couple of months but other exciting things have happened, most notably that I am going to be moving to Oxford for the summer to do an internship at the OUP which I am very excited about! There is still a bit to be sorted out which always taints the excitement of moving to a new place but even so I am fully looking forward to working and doing something totally different. But I am quite aware its going to be a fairly steep learning curve and probably quite tough at times! Also on the off chance that someone might know of a room I can rent for a couple of months in Oxford please let me know - I don't want to be homeless! Plus I'll cook for my new housemates!

I also passed my driving theory test over Easter (whoop!), but unfortunately I haven't had many lessons since due to having so much uni work and time just running out. I promise I will start up again soon when I am settled somewhere. I was actually starting to get vaguely okay but even though it goes against all my independent views on life I would to so happy to let someone else drive me everywhere for the rest of my life. There I said it. I actually have no desire to drive. It's far to stressful, I get all in a flap, and it's probably not a good idea for anyone involved! I am much more relaxed and know what I am doing when it comes to public transport...

There was also organising ChemSoc Summer Ball to pass the time during revision which is always so rewarding once you start to enjoy the evening! However I think I know that event planning isn't quite for me, such hard work and late nights!

Me and Luke*

4th years! 

Everyone kept telling me to have to a drink and relax. So I did!

Since finishing exams it's been nice just having some time off, catching up with friends, eating, drinking, dancing and generally just having a lovely time! So for the time being I am sure I will be keeping you all updated through blogging about what I get up to during the summer. I guess I will also be updating on what I will be doing come September, but right now it still feels like I will be heading back to soton in the near future, although that isn't the case, It still doesn't feel read that I am done with uni, such a scary thing to have to write down.

For now though, rather than being overwhelmed by the concept of being a grown up, I have to get back to stripping wallpaper from my bedroom walls to try and get the room all decorated by next weekend. This currently feels very ambitious so wish me luck. Having to sleep in my brothers room is no fun!

Finally to end, a few snaps from the last week or so!

Finally got around to doing some baking! The primrose bakery banana loaf was amazing, and the extra mix was great turned into little muffins! 

The quiz team mascot, the cheeky little onion of knowledge!

If you are ever in Southampton go and have a burger at the Rockstone, It was so good, and I can;t believe it took 4 years to finally make it there for dinner, 

* Probably the only nice photo of Luke and I ever!

More photos than words.

I actually can't be bothered to write much at the moment, but I want to post something about my family's visit to Barcelona a couple of weekends ago. So I thought I will just post some photos instead! I am by no means a photographer (however I do remember when I was younger I would try and take arty photos - such of as the carrot sticks glass at a family dinner....) but I do love to look at photos I have taken, so here are a few of my favs from the few days!

View from park guell across barcelona.

Another! And ad you can see the weather was lovely. Slight
change from what I would expect in Oct. 

Family Selfie 

View of the old Sant Antoni Market from the hotel! 

Food. Yummy Paella at the top of the shopping center which looks out of plaza Espana.

We drank a fair about of vino blanco, 

FRANGELICO TIRAMUSU. BCN girls I am sure you will appreciate this! 

I have posted pictures here before but I always enjoy the magic fountain! 

We went to the Camp New. Want to come back one day to watch a match! 

Another day, another selfie!

Beach - again showing the lovely weather. 

Slightly addicted to cafe con leche. 

Fountain in Parc de Ciuttadella. 

This is just a sample of a few photos. I ate a lot more, but my family judge me for taking to many photos of food so I have to cut back on my habit when I am with them. 

Time is going too quickly here. My flight home is in just over a month now. I finally feel like I am making a 'life' here and getting settled in and I am going to have to leave. 6 months isn't enough. Give it another 6 months and I may have even got to grips with the language,,.. 

Anyway, looking forward and I am excited to be back in Soton in the New year , and obviously to see everyone over Christmas, and a few other British things I am missing. I am already lining up the meals in my head I want when I get back. And also all the things I need to do which I am too scared to here, like getting a hair cut! 

Also I wanted to note how refreshing it is here to only just be seeing xmasy things in the shops. I am hoping it will make December and the lead up to Christmas more special this year as it hasn't been rammed down my throat quite as much as I know it would have been at home!

So what am I doing in Spain?

Okay, so I've never done anything interesting enough in my life to write about in the past but I think now is about time. I have been in Spain for nearly 2 weeks now for my 6 month placement and I thought it was about time I wrote some of it down. 

Firstly, why am I here? 

I have to admit I have asked myself that question more than a couple of times, and if I'm honest I am still trying to work out why I am here! So a few reasons I could come up with are: 

To 'become' Spanish - No! (Although I have been reminded by my friends a few times not to come back Spanish and I ensure you that I like tea and cake too much for that to happen, and otherwise cafe con leche will continue to ruin my sleeping habits) 

To learn to speak Spanish - I hope so. But it is so hard being English and working (and living) with other students who are trying to improve their English. I have been told lots of times already I 'speak such perfect English', but I then have to remind them that it is the only language I can speak so they are already well ahead of me. And also anyone who knows me will understand how untrue this is, and will appreciate I'm avoiding having to say the word microwave at all costs. It is also tricky when a lot of the people I will be working with aren't Spanish either so it is as unnatural to them to speak in Spanish as it is in English. But I am trying, and I hope just being surrounded by it on a day to day basis will at least help me learn a little more than I know now! 

To do Chemistry - I guess at the end of the day this is really why I am here. I am just starting the final year of my degree and the first 6 months require me to complete a research placement and a dissertation. So, I think I am going to have to knuckle down and do some pretty hardcore research and lots of work to have it all done before I go home for Christmas. 

But I think after some reflection what I really want to do is eat some amazing food whilst I am here so that when I go back home I can wow everyone with some dishes I have learnt to cook. The fresh produce here, such as the fruit and veg is amazing, and it’s so easily available. I barely have to walk 5 mins to end up with a number of fruit shops, bakeries and supermarkets to choose from which is great. I have also had the chance to try some food from around the world already which I had never tried before, including Chinese, Romanian and Catalan dishes. 

I am also learning to be a bit more independent whilst I am here. Basically, I knew no one when I got of that plane and this has been the hardest thing for me. I keep asking myself "How can I enjoy such an amazing opportunity when I have no friends to share it with?" I am not on a classic Erasmus scheme in which there are other students in the same situation as me who have time to travel and explore with me. I am also not living in halls with other students around so classic student activities such as nights out and drinking aren't a weekly occurrence. But I think in the long run this will be better for me. I am going to learn to say yes to things maybe I wouldn't have in England, such as seeing a film at the cinema in Spanish (at least I don't think it was in Catalan - but that is a whole new post!) and casually ending up on the edge of Barcelona's gay pride by accident. 

I will keep this blog updates - I promise. And I hope to fill it with everything I do, lots of things I eat and generally keep an online record for myself (selfish I know).

P.S. I REPEAT THAT ALL FRIENDS WHO WANT TO VISIT ARE MORE THAN WELCOME (I've got a comfy sofa you are more than welcome to kip on for a few nights and flights to Barca are pretty cheap!)