Winning...

The start of the Season for Solent netball got underway with a successful win against Winchester, winning 32-22. At some points during the game with a mixture of different combinations within the team, we did lose at least two quarters. However, with the starting line-up being the original team from last year, we had a great lead into the second half.
With different combinations throughout the game, I managed to come on as WA for the last quarter. I found it hard to determine where each of the players were going to run through the court, which made it hard for us to get the ball down the court. But when we did, it was very successul and looked very fluent. So a good game played by all.

Last night was the social night for the sports teams, with the netball girls going by the theme of 'ABC' (anything but clothes), so me and Abi walked 15 minutes through the town of Southampton wearing a bed sheet and a pillor case for dresses. Convienently, my bed sheet was very thick, so didn't get too cold! Others dressed in washing baskets and shower curtains, was a great sight!

Lectures 12-2 today, then off to the gym. Going to head into WestQuay to purchasde a pair of scales, so I can kick of this detox! Going to be a chilled day today as I got in at 2.30 this morning, absolutely knackered!!!

A lack of consistency

The last two weeks of staying up late trying to out-do my flat mates in 'who-can-stay-up-the-longest', has finally caught up with me. I managed to sleep for 11 hours the night before last and decided to go out last night, stupid idea! The lack of sleep is messing with my mind, especially when I shock it by sleeping for hours upon end, then to have no hours the next day, I need to introduce some consistency to my sleeping pattern sometime soon, otherwise I may not survive till Christmas!

First Uni netball match against Winchester today (not sure whether it's a college or University?!) But looking forward to it after our first training session of the Season on Sunday. Very complicated set plays were learnt, if I remember them today it will be a miracle! But will report after the match later on!

Apart from that, everything seems to be going well. Going to ask Mum to invest in some scales to weigh myself with, cannot stand not knowing where I am with my diet and weight!!! Another thing that I am lacking in consistency with, as when I was at home, every morning I would be on thse scales, seeing if last night's Walnut Whip had directed itself somewhere between my waist and thighs.

Will report back later, cheerio for now! :)

Emotional reunions!

I've realised since I've been here that the only times I feel homesick are those when other people start talking about going home for the weekend, or when I hear other people beginning to get homesick, it's like a chain reaction- when one starts another ten follow!

Yesterday Mum and Dad visited for the first time since I've been here. Munching our way through cakes, Calzone and even more carbs not only do I feel really guilty about eating so much, but I also realised how much I miss my home comforts! We had a really nice day though, walking the QE2 mile because Mum was intent on knowing where EVERYTHING is in proximity to me!

Today I'm going to venture to Portswood, the area which I have been assigned to for Solent Splash newspaper. So I want to gain contacts within this area, which will ultimately give me a base to start creating news stories fot the newspaper :)
Then it's off to the gym to start burning off the calories overload which I consumed yesterday, then off to thirs round of netball trials, hopefully they will come to a conclusion this time!! So a busy day for me :)

oversized nappies...

£20 pounds lighter, ten of it not even spent and most probably in someone elses pocket, lucky sod. The other half, well I just can't remember! All in all it was the best night I've had since arriving here and personally, one of the drunkest I've had, ever.

The Solent netball team promised for the best night out and they certainly didn't dissapoint. With £4 jugs of cider, 5 Jager-Bombs for £10 and numerous other distasteful concuctions that they had invented I was sure to have a night that I just wouldn't remember.
Along with the girls, they rugby team ventured out onto the freezing streets of Soton, wearing nappies. It was their initiation night and the Freshers fashioned over-sized nappies which were obviously very unconfortable for them, chaffing central! Dummies were being sucked and bibs were soaking up whatever was being missed by their mouths, a very funny sight, especially when they were drinking out of petrol cans.

And after that, I just can't remember....

As for today, one lecture at 12 then I'm off to the gym to sweat out the mind numbing liquid that I intoxicated. Then later on, Student Lock-In at West Quay shopping centre with my flat mates. Up to 30% off in every shop? Yes Please!!

What I think of me....

I would say that I’m just an average eighteen year old girl who is looking to pursue a career in Magazine journalism, but maybe that is why many people describe me as ‘modest’.

However, this task has thrown up quite a few things that could back this description, which I haven’t thought about before. I don’t tend to follow any style, groups or even have a best friend that I have known for years and talk to every day, which many others do.

 

‘Modest’ describes someone who doesn’t boast about their previous accomplishments, but maybe that is because I still don’t have the same level of confidence as other people. This is something I would like to change.

I don’t see myself as someone who is determined to go straight down a one way path; I like to be adventurous in what I plan to do. Taking steps to the left, right and even backwards if I feel like I could have done better in something is the way I go about my life. Maybe that’s another adjective I could use to describe myself as, adventurous.

 

Magazine Journalism at Southampton university, I hope and I know, will offer me experiences that no one else will ever have the chance to take and this thought boosts my confidence by 1% every time I think about it. So by the end of the three gruelling, stressful and unbelievably amazing years I hope to see a different person in the mirror, as to what I see today.

 

I want to change from being ‘Grace Jalowiecka- the modest young girl who went to Southampton to study journalism, to ‘Grace Jalowiecka- the aspiring, young, journalistic talent’.

 

This is the first piece of work I wrote for my course :)

Technical glitch and Freshers Flu

It's not all fun and games at Uni, especially when you want to post on your blog when the internet connection is down in halls, greeeeaaaaaatttt. But I'm back now so all is good!

Today, sitting in lectures/seminars and all the other classes that I can't remember the names of, I realised how 'The Flu' can really travel places, into every nook and cranny of peoples clothing and how saliva droplets can settle on every millimeter of your skin. No wonder 99% of the Mag Journalism students are coughing in unison and after every breath the lecturer makes, so they don't feel guilty about coughing and spluttering over their voice. I would say I'm the ever immune 1% left out of this crowd, however I have already experienced this ever lingering bout of horribleness already. A bit of a chesty cough a few days after arriving, but it's gone now so fingers crossed I won't be infected with anything else that crawls the corridors of my new home. :)

Felt homesick yesterday after hearing my fellow and closest housemate Sammy left after she decided that her course of Sports Coaching and Development wasn't for her, which reminded me of the last time I was at home, with Mum, Dad and Solomon (my cat, and yes I know it's an hilarious and wacky name for a cat, but it wasn't my idea, it was my Mum's!) But luckily I still have 4 other housemates who cheered me up and put the smile back on my face!! (Thank you Sophie and Michael <3)

As for Uni, my course seems to unravel unexpected topics every day. Studying the News and how it develops, to analysing 'what makes a good journalist'? I'm enjoying it so far, but the timetable is hard with two hour breaks inbetween lectures, what am I supposed to do in that time!!?? It will soon find out once I receive my assignments ;)

Going to chill and catch up on TOWIE now, Cheers 'en!!!