The Endings of Everythings

So yesterday I had the first of my four final university exams, which may be one of the last four exams I ever sit. I now have only 10 days left until my academic life is over, and only 17 until my Ucard expires and I am no longer a student any more. It's a strange feeling, because a lot of things are up in the air at the moment, and I don't yet know what I will be doing in 6 months time, and it's kind of happy and sad. Happy because I get to do something awesome (and as yet unknown) with my life and start being a proper adult. Sad because I will have to say goodbye to some of the people that I have met over my 3 years here, knowing that I might not see them again, and even if I do it won't be the same. I've only got a month left living in my lovely house in Sheffield, before I have to move back home (which is going to be difficult!) so I have to say goodbye to that too.
I've performed in what might just be my last ever USLES show:

Beware The Storybook Wolves!

and I have handed over my USLES Presidency to my successor:

With all the class and sophistication that is expected of me.

so now I am just waiting to get my exams over and done with and then work my final three GIAG shifts and then it's all done. I must say that I have had the best of times here in Sheffield. So much so that I want to stay, as long as I can find me a job that will let me. And I may not be getting a First, but I have had an awesome time and met some truly wonderful people who I will hold in my heart forever, and I think that's just as good really.

And just to keep the melancholy away a little longer, I am going to have the most awesome summer ever!
Including:

-Being IN the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with Two Shades of Blue and some of my favourite people

-Hopefully a holiday somewhere nice with another one

-Going back to see my FAVOURITE show (along with many others, I shouldn't doubt)

-A myriad of other fun things, I should hope. No doubt you will encounter some of my adventures here.


So, for now,
Nearly-Not-A-Student-Jenni signing off.

Tarrah!

I'm Grateful For...

The people in this photograph. Plus HR + RW who aren't.

If any of you know me at all, you will probably have heard me talking about (my) USLES at one point or another-and some of you may have wondered what I was banging on about and some of you may have just ignored me completely. But the reason I bang on about them so much is because they have been my second family since I got to Sheffield Uni, and they are all sorts of wonderful people. At the end of my 2nd year here, I was lucky enough to get voted in as their President, and those guys up there were chosen to stand alongside me on the committee.

To say I couldn't have done it without them is a somewhat redundant statement, because obviously I couldn't have done the jobs of 11 people by myself. But more than that, I really couldn't have done this-been President for a year-without them. They have helped me in so many ways this year-firstly as the USLES committee to help to keep the cogs of the society running and well oiled, but also on a personal level for me. I can think of moments where every one of them has helped me individually, whether it was by giving me confidence in myself as President, giving me the best of advice during committee meetings, making me smile exactly when I needed it most or by wiping shaving foam out of my eyes following this moment: 

Dick Whittington, December 2011
In which I got exuberantly pied in the face. 

along with a thousand other ways. I feel very lucky that I got to work with them on this level, and count them amongst my closest friends at university. They're just a truly amazing bunch.

So guys, if you're reading this, I would just like to say THANK YOU. A million thank yous. You have all done a fantastic job this year and together we have helped USLES be the best it can be. Each and every one of you is wonderful and brilliant, and I am so grateful that you guys were both on the committee and in my life.
Keep on being awesome, please.

Jenni x 

Intro Week 2011

You know, I had forgotten just how much fun you can have in an Intro Week. Sure, they're busybusy times, but I am rather enjoying myself despite this. And although some people will find it hard to believe, I am enjoying it without having had a drop of alcohol, or going out once!

This is Felicity. Isn't she lovely?

I'm enjoying being around people again-I am in a house of brand new housemates, so it feels a bit like Fresher's week all over again as I am still getting to know them all. Not to mention there is 7 of them, so it's a busy house, but a nice one. 

As I mentioned in my coming home post, I enjoy the moving in to a new house experience. I still haven't got everything completely unpacked, mainly due to No More Nails related mishaps, (It doesn't do what it says on the tin.) but my room definitely has my own personal stamp on it and it makes me smile so much to spend time amongst the wonderful things people have given me. When it's completely done, I will take some photos to show it off.

I started my university job this week, working for Give It A Go. So far, it's been pretty good-especially the tour around Sheffield which took me to some places I didn't even know about, and ended with a scrumptious Cream Tea in the Leopold Hotel. Tomorrow I am supervising people racing a simulation of an F1 car, and I am really hoping I get to have a go myself, coz it sounds like it's going to be pretty fun!!

I bought two pairs of jeans for £20 (did I mention I LOVE Student Discount?), and some other bits and pieces and spent a nice afternoon retail therapying without really buying much. I did get a penguin T-Shirt that says Chill Out though, because it makes me jolly.

Today was the Activities Fair, and I was there with my society USLES trying to recruit new members for the coming term. I would say we did fairly well, as at the end of the day there were over a hundred new names on our sign up list. It was massively busy but I had lots of amazing helpers there with me, and I really enjoyed myself, as I always do when in USLES-company. 

This evening was an odd one-an Ann Summers party with the housemates I have barely begun to live with. It could have been very awkward, but ended up being quite fun and silly overall. However, I don't think the day will come where it won't still feel awkward to be encouraged to rub goo on your nipples in front of people, however close friends you may be. 

And so tomorrow rolls around, and I shall be heading straight home after work for a busy busy weekend, that promises to be just as fun as the rest of this week.

For now then,
Goodnight x x

Oh, about the duck. If you look very closely, you will see it says 'Intro Week 2011' on its front. My Union was giving these away for free today. That's how awesome it is. Sheffield SU FTW. And now to bed.

My Life Changing Moments

Inspired by the lovely Amycakes's post, I decided I too wanted to challenge myself to pinpoint the 5 moments that have made me who I am today. I love getting lost in memories from time to time, and whether they be happy or sad they all affect us somehow. But how to choose only 5 that have shaped me into, well, me? I am, after all, only 21, I haven't finished university yet and I don't even consider myself to be a proper 'adult'. Even so, once I thought about it, and really thought about it, I could find those defining moments that put me on the path I am walking today.
So my 5 Life Changing Moments are:

- 7th July 2002
The day before my 12th birthday I had a fairly unique opportunity. Thanks to my drama school Theatretrain, I was standing at the front of the stage of Her Majesty's Theatre, London, belting my heart out at singing 'Do You Hear The People Sing' with 2 other girls. I realised how amazing I felt, and how much I wanted to do this forever. It sparked my desire to be on a stage, and gave me the best feeling in the world-that of being in a spotlight doing what you love. I've been in at least one performance every year since. I have a lot to thank them for.

-5th-19th November 2005
Simply put, I fell in love for the first time. Everyone remembers their first love, the magic, the fireworks, the constant desire to be near them etc etc. It was all that and more, and at the time was all I had ever wanted. It started me off in the right direction to becoming me, but I had a long way to go.

-14th August 2008
This was my A-Level results day, and things didn't quite go as I had wanted them to...That day and the next couple of weeks led to me, one way or another, having a gap year. At first I was a bit upset that I hadn't gone to uni that year, but looking back I am glad I did it, because it made me grow up a lot, in all sorts of ways. A lot of things would be very different now if I had got the grades I had originally wanted.

-7th-25th March 2009
This was a crazy couple of weeks. I learned that I was stronger than I thought and that I could stand on my own, which I hadn't known how to before. I realised that I had gone and fallen in love again, and I was so grateful to find out the feeling was mutual. I realised I wasn't happy, and what I needed to do about it, and most importantly what would make me happy again. What's been making me happy ever since. Best decision I ever made.

-24th September 2009
I was wandering around the Activities Fair on my own, a new university student still a little in awe of everything. I stopped in front of the theatre stalls, and asked what the difference was between the three of them. A strange man with long hair wearing a cape thrust a leaflet at me and began talking very animatedly to me. I liked him straight away, he was honest and funny. And so I joined USLES, and found my home at uni. We have the best of times.

And here I am, better for all of these times. I wouldn't be me without them, and then who would I be?
Can you pick out your five??

Until next time,
Jenni