Looking to the future with a few less commitments!

Photo: h.koppdelaney

I've been doing a lot of thinking recently about what I'd like to do with my final year at university. Looking at the calendar, it's a trifle depressing that I am past the half way part of my degree - I only now seem to have adjusted to university life!

One of the harder choices I've had to make is whether to re run for the SU again. This has been an especially difficult choice given how much I have enjoyed myself this year. I can honestly say that being a part of the organisation has been one of the best things to happen to me whilst at university, and I will miss it when I go.

It's little things like being in the know, walking in the office and saying hello to Amanda, having people approach you and helping them out - all of them are things that I love and I will miss it next year.

So why do it? Why leave something I love? If I could stick an extra 5 hours in to every day I would have re-run for elections but I simply don't have the time. I am burdened enough as it is this year, and I'd prefer a year of being a proper student journalist rather than a half assed student journalist with too many other commitments.

I think I will give up writing for Bullet magazine, and instead try out something different - newspaper writing for The Linc. I fancy something a bit serious and gritty. Don't get me wrong - feature writing is fun but I'd rather try out my hands on something else whilst I'm here.

Of course, you can't keep me away from getting involved with stuff. I imagine I'll still have some role to play with the LGBT, I will still attend student council and help the union in any way I can - it's the least I can do for them after all the help and development it's given me.

Crossing another hurdle

Here is a photo of a hurdle, because this seemed appropriate...
Photo: studiocurve

Last night I did something I have never, ever done in my life before. I approached that guy in the bar I couldn't take my eyes off all night.

You know what? It failed misterably. In fact, it failed so much I ended up getting more attention from his female friend. I'm sure he found me weird in the end. Not the result I was aiming for.

Still, I woke up this morning feeling very happy with myself. Whenever I go out, I am cripplingly shy. It's annoying to be honest. I've lost count of the number of times I saw a lovely chap on the dancefloor, but was too shy to do anything about it.

So this morning rather than feeling the usual bad feeling that comes after a night, I woke up a lot happier because I did something I had never done before.

And these things get better with practice right?

Housing mess!

Bleurgh. There's only one word to describe how I'm feeling right now.

Of course it's January and with it the mad scramble to find housing once again. Seeing people look round my house has put the proverbial boot up my backside and now I'm sharing the mindset of the headless chicken. Very panicked and very stressed.

Photo: Lincoln Students' Union

My housing situation this year was...less than what I expected. At the start of the year there was major conflicts with Ellie and I learnt the value of vetting people before deciding to live with them. Those who I spoke to at the time will remember how depressed it got me. Long story short, she moved out and things seem better. Of course, there is an empty room which she has to pay rent on but that's her problem I guess.

Photo: Stefan Scott

Living with Jamie has been an interesting experience. Half of the time I never see him since he's either at Hazels or shut in his room. I don't mind that as much as I used to. I used to feel terribly lonely, but now I'm used to "living alone" as I put it. I've got my gramophone records to fill the house with noise that I like and I can keep myself occupied easily enough.

My favourite gramophone record, a Paul Whiteman picture disc

Given Jamie living with Hazel next year I have unfortunately got to move out of this lovely house which is actually quite sad. This house is a lovely place; I know my neighbours, everything works, the area is OK and I have a large room. It would however be impossible to find two people to fill the vacancies, and in any case viewings on the house have now stopped so I assume that the place is already signed away for the next year.

My problem lies in this: I cannot find people to live with. Nearly everyone I know is a level two student who is happy with where they are living or the people they are living with and are staying put. The option to live alone is one I have considered but it's far too expensive. So I apparently have the options of begging everyone I know to live with them, or being significantly in the red next year.

Photo: Pinprick

I'm not looking forward to next Wednesday's housing fayre, because I know it will be very hard to find anything less than 3 bed properties.


Bummer :-(