2018 Reflections
Looking back on 2018 it feels separated into different sections, there's been ups and downs as I'm sure every year has and will always have. I think 2018 has given me a lot of firsts, and looking back on it now I feel like I've grown up a lot this year, and learnt a lot of important life lessons that I was oblivious to before.
In January 2018, I was bogged down with stress trying to balance my uni work and my home life. I honestly hated living in uni halls, I was lonely, isolated and hated leaving my room. I didn't get on with my flat mates at all, and so my uni room felt like a prison to me. I constantly was up at my boyfriend's flat to get away from halls but then that left me struggling to find time to fit in my work. Needless to say I'm so happy that I decided to stay with my boyfriend this year for uni rather than staying in halls again.
In February 2018 I celebrated Valentines Day and Jack's birthday. I didn't get to see him on Valentines day since he was working, but then he surprised me when he came to pick me up for the weekend by getting me some beautiful flowers. Definitely a highlight of 2018.
At the end of February we went on a spontaneous day out to Skegness, it was lovely and carefree and fun. We bought loads of cheap sweets from the market and went on a long walk down the beach.
In March, I finished my animation I'd been grovelling over for uni. So far I'd say this is the piece of work I've been most proud of myself for making. It took months, I'd never animated anything before let alone even use After Effects, so accomplishing a finished animation with a narrative, illustrations and sound, I was so so happy to say I did it!
^ My showreel of animations I've made so far, including my uni animation 'Could cricket flour be the future?'.
In March I also got to go offroading properly for the first time, Jack took us out in his Rav4 with some friends and it was one of the best nights of my life. It was such a thrill to be crawling up mountains in that car, it seemed like it could go over just about anything, even in the snow! It was such a fun and new experience for me to be sat in my seat, nearly horizontal, looking at the floor out of my window.
In April, I got a new tattoo. Jack carried on his training as a tattooist, and wanted to practice a tattoo, so I let him design me one I've wanted for a while, and he put so much time and effort into drawing it perfectly for me! I look awful in the picture, from lying down and crying like a wuss, but I absolutely love how the tattoo turned out, I can't wait to get more this year!
Me and Jack went on a lot of adventures out in the peak district in April, we found new places and visited old places, but it is always lovely to have such beautiful scenery on our doorstep.
May was full of hot sunny days going out exploring, we had a barbecue with our friends outside sat on a field and it was so lovely to feel like kids again. It was super last minute and we just grabbed a disposable BBQ and some sausages from our local shop and set off to meet everyone, I love spontaneous days like that. In May, me and Jack also started doing up the spare room in his flat so I could have an office room to do my uni work in, since we decided that I would move in instead of staying in uni halls again in September. We bought a big wooden countertop and made a desk, and then painted the room with some yellow paint. It was so nice to work on a project together, and so lovely to see the transformation.
I also got my first ever professional graphic design job over the summer, I had my interview the day before my birthday and managed to get handed the job on the spot. It was really nice to build up my portfolio with some design work that hadn't just come out of my own head. I learnt a lot about working with clients and drafting up designs.
We also finished my office room in June, it was finally fully painted with the desk installed. Rover loves it too.
July was mainly spent working, creating designs for my graphic design internship. One of my highlights of July was going camping with Jack, we bought a load of camping stuff, including a mysteriously cheap bright yellow tent (which turned out to be cheap because it attracts flies like a floodlight), and headed off out into the peaks to camp overnight. We haven't camped since 2016 so it was so nice to get to go out and experience it all again, I loved sleeping out under the stars with the beauty of the peak district around me.
We found out in the middle of the night that we were in a cow field though, and ended up getting scared and nearly chased by a big scary black bull, so that was terrifying.
In August we went on another spontaneous trip to Skegness, had a brilliant time once again, and once again bought lots of cheap sweets! (Anyone would think thats all we go there for...)
I also dyed Jack's hair grey, which ended up looking amazing, despite the fact that it was initially meant to be blue hair dye. I think the grey looks better anyway right? Who needs blue when you can achieve levels of silvery madness that every girl has dreamed of having since 2016?
Another funny moment of August was when we went round to one of Jack's friend's houses, and then when we came out to the car to go home we found that someone had poured all of their McDonalds milkshake down the driver's window of Jack's car. Jack was wounded of course but I was laughing my head off.
Me and Jack also celebrated our two year anniversary on August 17th, I still can't believe we've been together that long, but hey time flies fast when your having fun I suppose?
September was busy. I started back at uni to do my second year of graphic design. I had no idea how much of a difference it would be to first year and immediately got bogged down in work. We started the module with lots of quick one week long briefs and it burnt me out almost immediately.
I also made a lovely cake with my mum for her birthday and it was a highlight of the year, I love spending time with my mum and it brought back so many lovely memories of being a kid and baking with her.
Also in September Jack's car broke down at the side of the road when we hit a chunk of metal that was in the middle of the road on a roundabout - just look how upset I was that we had broke down!
October was awesome. I love October anyway because I adore halloween, but me and Jack really got into the spirit of it all this year, we decorated the flat with skeletons and creepy decorations, carved a pumpkin, and even put a little skeleton in Jack's car. I loved it!
Another highlight of October was winning a poster competition I'd entered for university. I saw they were having a poster competition to create a poster for their upcoming event Arts and Minds, where creatives speak about their experiences with mental health. The topic hit close to home and I entered the competition. It was amazing to win, I loved seeing all my posters up around the uni campus, it made me feel so proud to say I'd designed them.
November was all about bikes. Jack bought us both a new bike for christmas, and we went out on them non stop, I haven't even ridden a bike in years so it was great to feel like a kid again and go out and explore. However at the end of November Jack's bike came off the bike rack on the way to Sherwood forest, popping his tyre and wrecking his bike. So for now, we're down to one bike, but we're planning to get a replacement for Jack in time to go out on them in the summer.
December was amazing too. I felt super festive this year and I loved the build up to christmas. Me and Jack went up to York to see the christmas market and it was a lovely day out, it was so packed at times we couldn't even move, just the whole crowd stood still, but we got some lovely treats and food so it was worth it.
I also managed to finish my work for my deadline (just!) on the 20th, and I'm so happy with how it all turned out, now I've just got to wait to hear my grades!
This year was the first year I've ever made christmas dinner by myself, I even started practicing my making sunday dinners every week building up to christmas, I'm so happy it turned out great and not burnt!
To sum this year up, I've had ups and downs, but overall it's been pretty great. I've done lots of amazing things, and looking back at it all has really shown me that it's not been as shit as I thought it had! Heres to 2019 - wishing everyone an amazing new year!
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