Getting into the routine

Dear Diary,

Waking up Sunday morning was hard, my body ached and my eyes felt dry. I decided that going to church was the only thing that would make me feel better so I pulled myself of the bed and into the shared showers. No one was up and the halls were eerily quite as I left with a Collins Street Atlas.

I walk down the streets to the nearest street on the map that had a church street hoping it was a Roman Catholic Church. But it was closed, as in under construction, boarded up and blocked off. I sighed and started turning pages to see where the next church would be but saw none. I contemplated going back to halls, but there was nothing there for me, so I pressed on. As I continued walking, it started drizzling and being in a blue mood I welcomed the fact that nature seemed to share my depression. I often love walking in thr rain when sad, as I dream it is a manifestation of my own tears. It lifts my mood and I slowly start smiling as I realise this feeling like the rain will soon pass. I walk out to the high street and head towards Archway. The first church I reach is Anglican, and I ask one of the parishioners walking in if there is a Catholic Church nearby. She directs me further up the road. As I walk in, I realise it is the ending of Mass and the next one is in an hour and half. I am glad because the quiet time praying and listening will lift my dark mood. I stay on for Mass and once it is over I feel better and inspired and not alone anymore. The main passage is I can do everything through him who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13. It reminds me of God’s presence in my life, his providence, and guidance. I return home via bus ready for the day and my first week at university, with new friends and challenges. The rest of my Sunday is like any other quiet and filled with good food.

Monday, is similarly a quiet day as luckily I have Mondays and Tuesdays off university so I just head in to apply for jobs online and check out the guys on campus. I head back home late on both days. On Tuesday night, Del poops over to tell me about a party at the same club on Wednesday night. I am up for it, I mean what else am I going to do. Wednesday is my first class it’s an early start – it’s Introduction to Financial Instruments it's pretty interesting and most of the things the professor is talking about I know from working at the bank so it is pretty easy to follow. And then he gives us chapters to read before class like three chapters! Since it’s the first week we have no seminar so I head over to the other campus for my next class. I have a two hour wait, so I decide to check out the library and these chapters I have to read. Yes, I know it’s nerdy but there is nothing else I could do. Although there are many people around I don’t know any of them. I sit with the book and take notes as I read and quite soon my alarm goes off for my next class. This class seems even easier than the last, it Academics Skills for Financial Services – it’s basically teaching us to write professionally, research methods, and referencing skills. When I left university, it was late about 6pm and dark – long day I am thinking and although the work was not especially hard I am feeling slightly worn. I perk up cause I am heading out to the bar tonight and a good drink and dancing to some music will set me right. This time I am better prepared I put on a nice top, tight jeans and some make up. Not too much to make it seem like its a big deal, but enough that I look cute. Just like the previous time as I enter Del’s room the picture taking starts and I feel a little better posing for them. Big smile, hands on hips and hugging my new girlfriends. The night is good, I see Ny but just nod as tonite is girls’ night. I have no thoughts as tomorrow class is at 12pm for only one hour! So the night is young, I don’t have to worry about classes in the morning and I wanna have some innocent fun.

Although I have slept in late, I feel a little druggy as I head for class. It’s just about to start and I take a sit close to the front against the wall. I see some of the girls from my first days at uni I smile, and wave. My lecturer is very boring and she talks in a monotone voice for the entire class. It reminds me of that boring teacher from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and sure enough, I fall asleep during the class. I jerk up and see one of the girls, the Chinese one looking at me and smiling I think shit! I hope I wasn’t snoring, but when I look at the teacher she seems none the wiser. After class the Chinese girl comes over and says ‘She majorly boring’ ‘Oh yes I say I couldn’t help but fall asleep.’ She laughs ‘Yeah I noticed’ as I looked worried she read my thoughts and said ‘ Don’t worry you were not snoring .........or dribbling’. ‘Ha Ha, you were so far how would you know.’ 'Next time sit close to me I’ll nudge when you drop off and you could do the same for me’ she says. We both laugh and promise to do just that. I ask her name, its Elana. We both head out of uni both homeward bound me to sleep, and she to – hummmm I did not ask. Next time I think as I get on the underground back home.

Well I am off for now....... tomorrow is another full day from early morning till late in the afternoon full of classes! So tonight I need a full night sleep, plus I need to make up for the lack of sleep I had from Wednesday. Chat soon.x

Brick Lane by Monica Ali is about the life of a Muslim woman from childhood through marriage and then independence. This book is most known for the film of the same name and as part of Oprah's book club. It is set in London's Brick Lane, which is near Whitechapel in the east of London, for those of you looking on a map. It doesn't look at the glamorous city of London that one sees on TV but shows life as an immigrant in the city and how separated, lonely and different it is from native Londoners. This story explores life for Muslim women from a more traditional way (she leaves Bangladesh and her sister for an loveless arranged marriage in London) of life and how she comes to understand herself as a girl, sister, woman, mother and eventually person that has and is entitled to have their own dreams and desires. For me it removed the veil that often obscures Muslim women from the world and I identified with the woman beneath. Although the book goes deeply into the character, which slows the pace for the reader, one should continue to the end, as there is a real treat for those that do. I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Saturday Mornings


Dear Diary,

It’s my first Saturday morning away from home, and I must say it is different. First of all I am still in bed at nine, back home I would have already finished either cleaning the kitchen or been almost done with Saturday lunch just so I could have the day to myself I would have been up hours ago. Here there is none of that.

Here, I could sit watching Saturday morning cartoons – but ophs thinking of it I don’t have a TV ... SHIT! I know I could go downstairs to the common room/bar and watch some cartoons. Out my bed, I jump and head downstairs in my track pants and tee-shirt. As I head down a guy comes puffing up the stairs, slightly red in the face. ‘That’s the last time I log my suitcases and stuff up the stairs.’ I am thinking WHAT is his problem why didn’t he use the elevator? But as I look at him I see he is actually kinda cute, light brown cinnamon like, and nicely built huuummmm this could be interesting. I just smile sweetly and say ‘ Up to the fourth floor hum, impressive but next time use the elevator I’m sure it won’t mind’ (I know not original or even flirtatious but come on my mind was on cartoons). I punch the elevator button and wait for it to come up. He introduces himself as Coby and he’s in room 426. Oh my gosh he’s my neighbour! – ‘I’m in room 427’ I say. ‘Hey we’re neighbours ... cool, so you’re the mystery person going and coming that I’ve heard and not seen he says and smiles. ‘I guess so, do you know everyone else on our section ‘. ‘Yeah and I am the only guy’ he says and smiles mischievous. I laugh and say ‘Lucky you then’ and step into the elevator down to start watching cartoons. He seems nice, I guess I’ll definitely be getting to know him better I think with a smile. As I get down to the common room I hear shouting, cracking the door open I see a room full of guys watch a football match. Crap! I think no cartoons for me then and wander back to upstairs. As I pass the notice broad, I see a day trip for international students to the Greenwich Maritime and decide to go. It’ll be a nice day out I think and hurry on upstairs to get ready as it leaves shortly.

The trip is absolutely great we get to Greenwich Maritime via boat passing, the Palace of Westminster (Big Ben), London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral, Shakespeare's Globe, The Tower of London, Tower Bridge. It is almost as if I’m in a movie about a small town girl hitting New York city and all the shots are spinning with excitment and its all smiles. When we arrive at Greenwich Maritime the vast European architecture and the sprawling green lawns surrounding it take me unexpectedly. As I come off the boat I go aside find a space and write in my diary (not this one another). I spend most of the day alone, as I don’t know anyone in the group and they have all formed their groups. But I don’t mind as I love the space and it gives me time to think and breathe it all in. This place is beautiful and to engage in small chit chat will ruin it.

I reach back on halls around seven and although the day is warmish, my feet are slightly frozen as I wore sandals, but before there is any time to settle down Caribbean guy is knocking. As I open the door and say HI, I am thinking this guy is really persistent. He says it seems I’m never home, that even before yesterday most of the time he knocks on my door I’m not there. I smile, ‘Well there’s a lot of London to see and I have a lot of stuff to prepare for. ‘ He asks, if I’m free now and we head down to the bar for a bit, as it gets later we head to his room. Oh btw way his name is Nyoka, no wonder I couldn’t remember it. I tried the old repeating after he said the name thing to get it but I just couldn’t get, I asked if I could call him Ny and he was ok with it. While we’re in his room, he starts saying how he thinks I’m special. ‘Special like retarded ’ I say but I know what he is trying at. He disregards my attempt at a joke and laughs and pulls me in for a hug. ‘Nah, you’re cute, confident, smart and unlike any of the other girls here.’ How so' I ask .....’ ‘But he doesn’t answer, he just asks if I wanna get together with him, as be his girlfriend. I am like ‘WAT, I have only known you for a few days and I only now know you name today. Plus they are many cute guys on halls and I won’t want to go through the whole breaking up thing.’ I was thinking I only now broke up with my boyfriend back home, whom I still miss and am into. He say’s ‘That’s fine I could wait’. I feel very claustrophobia and decide to call it a night. When I go up to my room I am feeling sick and thoughts of Devlin are going through my mind. I miss him so much and being so close to Ny hearing those things brings it to mind and makes it worst. I decide to go to sleep well at least try to but the tears come and I start missing home, my mom, brothers, Devlin and all my friends back home. Suddenly this dosen’t feel like an adventure anymore but a mistake.

Well I am off for now .... I am sure you don't want to hear about my sleepless night. And you can surely guess it was not fun. Hopefully after a good night's sleep there'd be some sunshine literally and fugitively tomorrow.

N

10 Ways to eat a Malteaser.


If like me you love or are addicted these little balls of chocolate and malt goodness, this will be loads of fun for a night in with a movie or book.

1. Pop in your mouth one at a time.

2. Eat two at a time on either side of side of your mouth

3. Nibble off the chocolate then eat the honeycomb centre

4. Nibble off the chocolate and suck the honeycomb centre until it is gone.

5. Bite the Malteaser in half, then the half in half.

6. Suck the whole Malteaser until melted. (requires patience)

7. Pop the entire contains of the small bag into your mouth (sugar rush!) or see how many you can fit in your mouth.

8. Eat one at a time with chopsticks.

9. Eat off all the chocolate and leave all the honeycomb centres to eat at the end.

10. Melt down the whole pack (microwave or over boiling water) then put it in the freezer you can eat it as a Popsicle or a bar of chocolate.



From other Malteasers fans:
......... balance one on the end of a straw, get someone to blow in the other end and the malteser floats [if you're good at it] then eat the floating malteser....tricky but hilarious
......... make yourself a a nice cup of coffee or hot chocolate and empty a packet of maltesers in to the cup. DELICIOUS
......... I try to peel the chocolate off while it is in my mouth, and then let the malt dissolve. Tea is a great way to wash it down! Yum!

I've Graduated now What!

At this time of year all over the world students are graduating from primary school, secondary schools, and universities both undergraduate and postgraduate and entering into a new experience that could be either frightening or exhilarating. Graduation ceremonies will highlight successes and reminisce about what was learnt and look forward to the future trying to inspire and challenge the ex-students to preserve and strive for greatness. The next steps they take influence their future whether it is for the next nine months or years into the future.

Unfortunately when the flash of cameras, well wishes and pats on the backs have finished these students young or mature face a world that many times they are not totally prepared for. A world of disappointment as letters of rejections are recieved or CV’s are sent off into an unknown voids, where experience is needed and sharks promising guaranteed jobs if you just purchase a book, CD or go to a seminar. Now it is not all dark a number of graduates receive genuine offers quickly out of university and move into the world of work with relatively little hiccups. However, even these still have the hurdles of office politics, and highly competitive jobs and co-workers willing to do anything to get ahead to deal with. At this time, graduates need to draw on their resilience, excitement, and love of their field and persistence in order to get into the job market, and tap into genuine advice centres and hotlines that are available to them. Additionally in this new global village, a very important tool in getting a job is networking.

Going to seminars held by companies is very important and get connected to people already working in the industry. It is vital that a graduate understand the skills, personality type and day-to-day lifestyle of their job choice. The first step is perfecting your CV with you school’s career advisor or with a professional (someone is the HR field is the best choice but an older relative or professional neighbour is good too). Using online recruitment agencies like Reed, Milkround, Monster and Jobsite is very good for keeping a daily check on available jobs. It also helps to go out in person to agencies to hand in CVs, this gives them an opportunity to see you in person, it is important to present yourself as professional and smile. Once you register with an agency keep calling them once a week, in order that you are fresh in the mind of the consultant. Research companies you may be interested in and definitely research those you are going to an interview for. If you are becoming down take some time out, relax, enjoy time with family or friends, and then get back at it. Additionally now is the time to start projects that you may have put off when you were studying – reading, starting a blog, learning to swim, do charity work in your community or within a charity or learn a new language. These all build new skills that will help you in your future job life and may even influence your career choice. Have fun with the time you have now, because when you start working it will be a like the beginning of school all over again. You would be on a new learning curve!


Some hotlines that offer advice

http://www.connexions-direct.com/

http://www.ucas.co.uk/students/nextsteps/advice

http://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/