It's been a while since I wrote a blog, but I decided that now was the appropriate time given the big milestone in my life that I've just passed.
I'm talking of course about handing in my last peice of work at university. That's it. Finished. Another page written in the metaphorical book of my life.
As it stands, there are now three options for me at the moment.
1) Stay at BBC Lincolnshire, help out wherever I can and ask to be paid in a bit. I've already got a regular slot on Howard Leader's Show every Sunday afternoon.
2) Apply for loads of jobs in London
3) If all else fails, move to Sheffield to live with my brother whilst I continue options 1 and 2.
I'm actually quite content with how things are going at the moment. Prospects aren't as bad as they could be. I'm hoping for a job down south, but I will take anything that is offered at the moment.
********
Now, time to reflect on the last three years at university. It'll probably take me a while to write this. I arrived in Lincoln on 20th September 2009, and I can still remember saying goodbye to a tearful mum, shutting the door and thinking "that's it", before heading up to the 3rd floor of my apartment block.
It's fair to say I've changed an awful lot at university. The wide eyed but nervous young man who entered the process leaves a slightly wiser, less nervous adult. Looking back on my experiences, the only thing I wish I would have done differently was just to be more outgoing in my 1st year. It took me a while to get over my social phobias, which were a result of me getting extended freshers flu for a month in my first year here. I also wish I had been less hasty in my relationship choices. The relationship I had with Lee was the only one I ever had at university, but we were so mismatched - I've no idea why I decided to go with him to be honest.
There was also the disastrous time with most of the people I've lived with. In 1st year we argued. In the 2nd year, it was horrendous living with such an emotionally unstable woman, and the other housemate never spoke to me, and in 3rd year, one housemate makes a habit of moving my things without asking, and never talks to me. I don't think I've ever had a situation where I've felt really happy with my housemates, but there's not much you can do about that.
But so many amazing things happened. I became much more confident in myself and my sexuality. I got elected to the Students Union executive board, and helped to establish the Disabled Students Group, winning myself an award in the process, I met some truly amazing people, did some wonderful things as a student journalist, travelled 3,000 miles across the world to America, made a successful Youtube channel with 1,000 hits daily, took up playing the trumpet, met a man who played with Louis Armstrong in the 50s, the man who does the music for Boardwalk Empire, appeared on Japanese state television channel NHK World, made friends 6,000 miles away all because of some shellac discs...and so much more. At times it was tough. I had arguments. I cried, I failed one assessment and had to resubmit it - but each time I came back stronger and with a new lesson learnt. By far, I look back on my time at university and think how much fun it was. I'm an optimistic person, and the positives have definitely outweighed all the negatives in this case.
I wouldn't have done anything differently, and I'm certainly glad I came here. Lincoln has been such a big part of my life - and I've really enjoyed living here. The city has its downsides, but we have so much history on our doorstep, an irritatingly steep hill and lots of swans to pass when you walk to university.
I wouldn't have done anything differently, and I'm certainly glad I came here. Lincoln has been such a big part of my life - and I've really enjoyed living here. The city has its downsides, but we have so much history on our doorstep, an irritatingly steep hill and lots of swans to pass when you walk to university.
And I met some brilliant people. I can't imagine what my life would be like without them. They've been there when I needed them, and they've been there when I was feeling on top of the world. It would be impossible to name them all, because I wouldn't want to upset others if I didn't mention them. I know who they are, and they will always be remembered as a key part of my university experience. It's going to be sad saying goodbye to so many people, knowing full well that I might never see a lot of them again. Of course, I am going to try my best - but without the common factor (i.e. you going to the same university) it will be very difficult.
What is upsetting however, is the divide that seems to have recently opened up between some people who I was really friendly with in the past three years. I promised myself I wasn't going to write about this - as I'd rather have something positive to look back on, but this has really been weighing on my mind recently.
I don't remember nearly as much bitchiness, gossiping or nastiness in the first two years, and it's really saddening. I've come to see a lot of people for what they really are - and I feel somewhat glad that I won't be seeing too much of them around in the future. Every day was a new melodrama, each one seeming to get much worse than the last one, and I just grew tired of subscribing to it all. Sure, I was stressed - we all were. But we deal with it in different ways. Telling the world about it day in, day out isn't a method I prefer. But enough of that...
That's what this part of my life is about now. To jettison all those preconceptions once more, and make a fresh start, with fresh people in a new place - where their opinions of you won't be formed by the past three years of rapid change. I can literally go anywhere, and do anything once again. There is nothing to tie me down. I'm a developed man now. I know what I want, and where I want to be in life.
To that end, I will be sitting down in the coming few days, and writing letters to myself. Inspired by what happened in 2009, and the letter which I rediscovered in 2012 I am planing to do the same. Write letters to myself to be opened on my birthday in 2021, 2031, 2041, 2051, 2061, 2071 and 2081, by which time I will be 90 years old. And I will ask myself - so Jonathan, what have you achieved in that time? Did your life plans come true? And I will think back to that young man, just 21 with so much ambition in his eyes, and so many dreams to fulfill.
So what next for my life? Well I guess I'm about to find out...
What is upsetting however, is the divide that seems to have recently opened up between some people who I was really friendly with in the past three years. I promised myself I wasn't going to write about this - as I'd rather have something positive to look back on, but this has really been weighing on my mind recently.
I don't remember nearly as much bitchiness, gossiping or nastiness in the first two years, and it's really saddening. I've come to see a lot of people for what they really are - and I feel somewhat glad that I won't be seeing too much of them around in the future. Every day was a new melodrama, each one seeming to get much worse than the last one, and I just grew tired of subscribing to it all. Sure, I was stressed - we all were. But we deal with it in different ways. Telling the world about it day in, day out isn't a method I prefer. But enough of that...
That's what this part of my life is about now. To jettison all those preconceptions once more, and make a fresh start, with fresh people in a new place - where their opinions of you won't be formed by the past three years of rapid change. I can literally go anywhere, and do anything once again. There is nothing to tie me down. I'm a developed man now. I know what I want, and where I want to be in life.
To that end, I will be sitting down in the coming few days, and writing letters to myself. Inspired by what happened in 2009, and the letter which I rediscovered in 2012 I am planing to do the same. Write letters to myself to be opened on my birthday in 2021, 2031, 2041, 2051, 2061, 2071 and 2081, by which time I will be 90 years old. And I will ask myself - so Jonathan, what have you achieved in that time? Did your life plans come true? And I will think back to that young man, just 21 with so much ambition in his eyes, and so many dreams to fulfill.
So what next for my life? Well I guess I'm about to find out...
My Birthday, 2010. I'll miss a lot of these people!
