5 reasons why yesterday was so awesome

Yesterday was just one of those days where everything went right. Considering I didn't get home until about 4.30am the night before, I was in a very happy mood! I wasn't that hung over, but usually when I have had a big night like that I am just really tired and grumpy...and usually do nothing all day. But yesterday was the complete opposite of that! For a few reasons:

1. I had a really good time the night before. A whole bunch of us went to a bar for a a surprise birthday party. The birthday boy had no idea and it was pretty funny to see his face when he walked into the bar and saw everybody. I met even more new people and had a really good night. It is so strange to have all these new friends so suddenly!

2. I made a really yummy breakfast and made a flower shape out of the almonds (pictured above). This is not that exciting for anyone else...it isn't even exciting to read about...but everyone knows I love breakfast- and this one was delicious AND pretty!

3. The main reason- THERE WAS A VINTAGE FAIR IN SUNDERLAND! It was run through the Uni for Freshers week and was 'fill-a-bag' and pay by the weight. I wasn't going to go at first, but a friend messaged me saying she wanted to meet there...I am so glad she did! I got some really cool stuff!

It was so busy! A little bit crazy...but people were friendly when it
came to going through the racks..mostly! Girls can get a bit crazy at these things!

The pile of stuff I managed to carry around with me before I could sort through it
and decide what was worth it's weight in vintage goodness!

My purchases: 2 shirts, 1 dress, 2 playsuits, 2 beanies- all for 18pounds!

This is my favourite thing that I bought- It is the most gorgeous yellow playsuit!
I wasn't going to buy it because it looked way too small, but I couldn't just LEAVE it there!
Since I was paying by the weight, I thought it wouldn't hurt to shove it in the bag and give it to someone who
it would fit...

...But when I got home, I tried it on and it DID fit!!! I was so happy. It is a really lovely pastel lemon colour
with detailed buttons at the front. 

4. Despite being pretty tired from the night before, I was determined to not have a lazy day. The vintage fair successfully got me out of bed, but after that I also went to the gym for an hour and a half. I felt so good afterwards!

5. The last reason is because I won a free iPad! A couple of weeks ago I submitted my blog to the Uni marketing team because they were looking for 2 international students to blog about their experiences here. They asked anyone who was interested to send them examples of any previous blogs they had written, and it turns out they liked mine because they chose me! I get a free iPad and I am pretty sure I get tickets to all different things so that I can blog about them. I'm stoked!

Anyway, that is why yesterday was so good. But to be honest I have been happy ever since I got to Sunderland! I have easily slipped into my new lifestyle for the next few months, and I couldn't be happier! 

:)

My first week back studying!

Today is Thursday and almost the end of my first week back studying! So far it has been really cool having a timetable, a routine, new classes, new textbooks...I'm sure I will be thinking a little bit differently in weeks to come when my assignments are due...but for now I am as happy as a pig in mud (or a nerd studying shakespeare, which is what I actually am!)

Last Sunday, before my lessons started on Monday, Beth and I went out and bought some new stationary. Stationary is another one of my obsessions, so I was pretty excited about this, but I was disappointed to find that there was a lack of cute notepads and pens to be found in Sunderland. What we thought would be a quick shopping trip turned into a huge stationary hunt that lasted hours. Beth also shares my passion for cute stationary, so she wasn't going to settle for any old note pad any sooner than I was! Finally we found some good stuff for a reasonable price. I bought my favourite pens and three notepads- one for every subject! People who don't care for stationary won't understand all this fuss (or why I am writing about it on my blog), but if I have to look at a notepad for 5 months, I want it to be pretty!

Anyway, enough about stationary! So far everything has worked out really well for me! I got into all the classes that I wanted and also ended up with a pretty good timetable! I have Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at uni, and Wednesdays and Fridays off...I forgot how good the life of a uni student can be! My subjects are Shakespeare, Studying and Writing about Literature, and Writing Genre Fiction. They are all my elective subjects, which means they are the fun ones- which is awesome! Only thing is, once I get back to Adelaide I will have to do a whole semester of all the remaining boring subjects! Oh well!

It has been nice to have some sort of routine- the one thing I have been craving for weeks! It has been easy to fit in studying, exercising and socialising because all of these things revolve around the uni!

My typical day consists of me walking the 15-20minute walk to uni, going to the gym for about an hour, eating my packed breakfast, going to a lecture, studying in the library and then sometimes going to the gym again on the way home! I really love that the gym is on campus- so convenient! 

I have also been doing other exercise besides the gym. I have been for a few walks and found some really beautiful parks!

But when it is too cold or raining I just go to the gym- it is especially awesome when the football (soccer) is on! The other day Arsenal was playing and I had to message my brother to tell him I was watching them while at the gym (they are his team). It turned out that he was also watching them play on TV all the way from Australia!

And, of course, I had to find the swimming centre! I usually swim twice a week back in Adelaide, and I am planning to swim every Wednesday morning while I am here. It wont be hard to stay motivated to do this with such an amazing pool to swim in! The Sunderland aquatic centre has an Olympic standard pool! Everything is brand new and really clean, so I had a really nice swim yesterday morning. The free uni bus also stops right out the front, so it is super easy for me to get there!

On Wednesday the Uni had a 'clubs day' where you can go and sign up to any of the clubs that they have on offer. I took flyers for the swimming team, the women's football team and a few others, but I am not sure I will join any yet.

Clubs day...so crowded!

I have also been going out a bit, but no huge nights as of yet. I have been sticking to just 1 or 2 beers so that I still feel ok the next day- anyone who knows me can tell you how much I hate hangovers!

On Monday night we discovered that Mondays are a very busy night to go out for Uni students- so busy that we just turned around and went home at the sight of the line (shown above)! It was probably a good thing, because I have started to get a sore throat this week and should take it easy!

AND THE MOST EXCITING NEWS OF ALL: I got my hair done- FINALLY! No more regrowth! It cost a fair bit, but since I was desperate and don't get my hair done very often, I was happy to pay! They did a really good job- my hair is back to being super blonde, and even has a purple rinse that will last a few washes! Loving it!

I LOVE YORK!

A couple of days ago, all the international students (well, those that managed to get tickets) went on a trip to York that the Uni had organised. It was only 20pounds to go, so Beth and I booked tickets weeks ago! 

The bus ride took about an hour and a half and we left pretty early in the morning, so I fell asleep on the way. But what I DID see of the scenery on the way was so beautiful. I was so intrigued by the sheep on the farms we passed- they all had black faces and feet! Different to Australian sheep! 

When we got to York, the Uni staff lead us to the entrance wall of the city and then basically said 'See you back here at 4.30- have fun!' I thought that was really cool, because I really hate guided tours- especially because there was two bus loads of us! So Beth, myself and a couple of girls from Beth's flat stuck together for the day. We started off by having tea in a little English-style tea house. I had a Rooibos tea and a bite of Beth's scone with jam and cream- so very English of us!

Even if I ever went to York and did nothing put walked around the streets, that would be enough for me! The streets are so typically English and so different from Australia. Every street, building and shop was fascinating to me! 

The church in the centre of the town was beautiful. Half of it was under construction so it was hard to get a good photo of it. But it was still truly majestic.

We walked past Clifford Tower, but didn't go in. There were so many things that we didn't get to do,
but Beth and I are already planning our return to York to see the rest of it!

The York Food Festival was on! I always love food/wine festivals and this one
was no exception. It was interesting to see all the different local produce and wines. Plus...free tastings
are always good!

This stall was amazing. I didn't buy anything myself, but I did have a bite
of a Lemon-frosted cookie that one of my friends bought... and I have to say it was the most
life changing cookie I have ever tasted!!

I loved this building- look how wonky it is! So old and full of character!

A better photo of the church- you can see the construction on the left, though.

Another building under construction- the Art Gallery! I was so disappointed that it was closed! It reopens in
November, so I will have to go back then! Any excuse to get back to York!

For majority of the day, our little group walked through the York Castle Museum. It was probably one of the most interesting museums I have ever been to! The North tower was set up to show how people lived in Victorian times- including a fake set of what the streets would have looked like back then! The South tower consisted of an old jail in one section, and then the British 1960's in the other. So we walked through many different eras on that day!

This is the street set. It had sound effects and all different shop windows to look in!

This was my favourite shop- the Milliners! 

Upper-class Victorian family room set

Keen as mustard!

Middle-class Victorian family room

One of my favourite eras- the 50's kitchen!

This is from the 1960's section- flower power! The funny thing was, the clothes that they had
in this section were pretty similar to the clothes I wear now! I would definitely wear those pants!

What my kitchen would be like if I lived in my favourite era of all- the 40's.

Another 60's outfit that I would definitely wear! This was my favourite piece of clothing that I saw

The Singer- a household necessity! 

The old jail section was very interesting. Beth and I share an interest in all the gloomy-doomy aspects
of history, so this was perfect for us! They had projectors displaying all these actors representing different
inmates from the 1800's. It was good because you got an idea of what their life was like in prison and how they eventually died. The projectors were really effective too, because the projections of the actors looked like ghosts.

Beth behind bars!

After spending almost 3 hours in the York Castle Museum, we found that we didn't have that much time left to do anything else! So instead of squeezing in another attraction, we decided to just wander around and have some lunch. 

We found a tea room that had a downstairs section with vintage tea sets! I almost hyperventilated
when I saw the display! When I go back to York I will be having tea there for sure!

This one was my favourite :)

We had such a lovely day, but I didn't get to see even half as much as I wanted to! It is easy to get there, though, so I am sure I will be back there soon enough.

After a sleep on the bus ride home, I was still exhausted after such a long day! Beth and I planned on having a quiet night in...

I am loving being able to prepare my own food! I have been mega healthy since I got here, but just making simple stuff.
When I get more settled I will start doing some real cooking! I miss it!

After a long day, it was nice to come home and find a parcel waiting for me!
My lovely Grumpy and Grandy sent me this cool card and my favourite moisturiser all the
way from Aus! 

I also came home to Clanny Cat sitting outside my apartment! I don't know who owns this cat, but apparently he just lives in the Clanny House complex! I'm not sure what his name is- there are only rumours so far- Garfield, Firetruck, ClannyCat...I have just been calling him ClannyCat! He is the most friendly cat I have ever met, and he often joins in when there is a party going on in one of the flats... It is nice having him around!

....I know I said Beth and I were planning on a quiet night, but we actually did quite the opposite! We were easily convinced and ended up going out until about 4.30am! We had the best time and made some really good new friends! I was happy because although it was a big night, I didn't drink too much so I was still able to get up and go to the gym the next day! After a whole day in York and then a whole night out on the town, it is safe to say Beth and I were happy to stay home and watch TV on her laptop last night!

You know you are amongst the North-England nightlife when your toilet seat is made of gold glitter....