Travel Anxiety

In 3 weeks I leave not-so-sunny England for New Zealand (via 3 days in Hong Kong) for 9 months! As I told my mother "Some have a baby, I chose a gap year" *cue uncomfortable laughter*.
As the time gets nearer, it is becoming more real. I'm having to save a lot of money (much to the detriment of my current account), make a list of things to pack and struggle through choosing travel insurance. Plus parents/friends are starting to get all quiet when I mention how long it is until I go away, which is kind of sad (apart from one of my aunties who is really excited for me, since she backpacked around Africa via lorry when she was my age.)
The scariest thing that is starting to sink in is that I will be alone. There is no guarantee that I will make firm friends on my BUNAC group flight, or in hostels. I need to find a job and a place to live pretty quickly otherwise my money might run out....

Anyway, I've been having some really weird other anxieties about my life in NZ so.... enjoy.

• There aren't any Costa Coffees. This shouldn't be such a worry but I love Costa because it reminds me of lovely chats with my best friend, so it could cure my homesickness. 
• I'm not sure they celebrate Halloween?? I lovelovelove Halloween, and it would be kind of weird not celebrating it.
• I am scared of spending Christmas alone. I envisage a very sad looking me with a veggie Christmas dinner for one, wearing my L.E.D jumper and reindeer skirt. Oh, and its sunny not snowing outside.
• Do they have Heinz Spaghetti?
• Will there be sufficient WiFi? I've read in some places that NZ has some shocking WiFi.

So yeah basically I'm entering mad panic mode!! Its starting to dawn on me how big and scary this trip is, and that I'm doing it alone. Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited. But terrified. 

The next 3 weeks are going to be weird, and I'll sure as hell be turning to this blog to vent some feelings! 

Thanks for reading,

Kitty x

How to Miss Your Best Friend

My best friend Darcy has been gone for 3 days now and I'm bored. I want her to leave university and come and play with me. So far, my attempts to miss her have been poor and have yet to guilt trip her into coming home so I have thought have some more inventive ways to do this.
If you also have a best friend who has selfishly gone to uni without you etc, feel free to read and get them to love you again.

Write a blog post about them- this shows that they are on your mind and will distract you from missing them so much.

Stalk them on all forms on social media- make sure that you get notifications every time they blog something on Tumblr, tweet, do anything on Facebook or put a picture on Instagram.

Find a way to slip them into every conversation that you have with someone who isn't them. For example, "What do you want for dinner" "Haha speaking of dinner Darcy went food shopping for uni! I miss her."

Mark your territory (not in that way)- Warn all their new friends that you are top dog and nobody else will even get close to your friend without passing a written test and a practical.

When you visit them, leave bits of your hair in their room.

Re-name pets after them.

Send them Snapchat videos of you serenading them.

Go to their parents' house and have a group cry about how much you miss them.


Okay I think that's enough. In all seriousness, its okay to miss your best friend. Just give them some space to settle in and stuff. Don't worry, they probably still love you.
Darcy if you're reading this, I hope you are both laughing and crying.
(Sorry about the lack of blog posts, I've been busy getting ready to leave for New Zealand!)

Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

Results Day

Today is, and always will be, one of the most nerve wracking and important days in my life so far. Today, I found out what grades I got for my a-levels which will determine my place at university.
Firstly, I want to make it clear that I am post my A-level results because this is my blog for myself; my thoughts, feelings and experiences. I am not doing it to boast or whatever.
Anyway.....
I got:
History- B
Psychology- C
Human Biology- B
General Studies- B

So I'm able to go to Manchester University to study Adult Nursing in 2015!

I'm really really really pleased with my results. The past year has been super super hard and I'm so glad it's finally over.

If you've received your results today, I hope you're okay and stay strong!!
If you have any questions or queries, comment/tweet/message me on tumblr cause i'm gonna go celebrate.
Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

A Practical Guide To Festival'ing

Festivals- the best way to get drunk, muddy and listen to some fab bands. This year was my 5th year at the lovely Y Not Festival and I had a super great time. So as a self-proclaimed festival guru, I shall provide my festival wisdom to prepare you for your festival adventure!

Only bring a tent that you can erect and dismantle. It's all very well being able to do it sober when you arrive but on the morning that you leave, you may actually be in a semi coma. Make sure you and your tent sharing buddies practice putting up and dismantling the tent (drinking is of course optional during this prep session.)

Bring wellies. If it rains and you don't, there is a strong chance you could get trench foot. Wellies will be your saving grace whether you're dancing to a band or stumbling over tent ropes to go for a drunken wee at 2am.

Plan which bands you have/want to see. I didn't do this one year and consequently missed one of my favourite bands who no longer tour (wah). If you make sure that you have a time telling device and a band timetable- you'll be fine!

Make friends with your neighbors! This year I made some really fab friends because I chatted to people camping near us, so it totally worked.

Don't be that dick who: get muddy and hugs people, throws beer during an act, forces someone to crowd surf or is rude to the Festival volunteers/staff/security.

Scout out the best toilets in order to (try) and avoid the fear factor of finding one not containing 8 diseases. Or, do what I did and just go for a sneaky wee behind the urinals because its quicker and easier than queuing.

Know your hangover cure. Hangovers at festivals are probably the worst (next to being hungover at work). I favour lining my stomach with carbs and taking travel sickness tablets before sleeping.

I hope you're now moderately prepared to spend several days in a field!
Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

Feelings

It's hard, being the only constant in an unstable environment. It's been nearly 2 months since my boyfriend became ill. And when I say ill I don't mean sappy man flu, I mean neurological possibly serious we just don't know kind of ill. I'm the only person who is really there for him, so I'm the one who has to bandage him up when he falls during a dizzy spell, calm him down when he starts to worry about what is wrong with him or remind him things when his memory fails- and that has been hard. On top of that, his illness began right as my exams did, so I've been juggling A2 exams, a job, friends and family and him. Don't get me wrong, I don't resent him for it, not one bit. I love being there for him and, lets face it, it's great practice for my nursing career. But its still hard and it has taken its toll on me. I feel guilty when I'm not there with him and his symptoms are playing up, I feel guilty when I complain about having a hard day at work and I feel guilty for wanting to just switch off and relax. My friends have noticed a change in me, and regularly remind me to look after myself. That's all good and well and thank-you but what I really need is for someone to bear the weight for a bit. Telling me it's okay and that I need to relax doesn't work when there is still nobody there to care for him in my place.
The MRI scan is tomorrow.

Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

Customer Etiquette

I love being a waitress. I love being rushed off my feet and always having something to do, especially after spending the last couple of months sitting and revising. I am (obviously) a big believer in 'the customer is always right' because we are here to serve you after all, it's our job. But I also appreciate politeness and treating staff like human-beings. So there are some things which you, as customers, could do as a big favour to all servers.

Please don't click your fingers at me to ask for something- it's rude and obnoxious and if I clicked my fingers at you to do your job, you wouldn't like it. I am not a dog so don't treat me like one.

If I walk straight past you despite you making obvious eye contact at me, I'm busy. And by that I mean I've been told to do a job by my boss which I need to do immediately- someone else will be over soon I promise.

If your server says they're new, be nice! The early shifts of being a waiter/waitress are scary so be nice customers and a make a happy server.

When I arrive at your table with food, do not snatch the plates off me. Chances are the plates are hot and I don't want you to get hurt.

I don't know what you ordered so please don't ask me.

Don't. Sit. On. Dirty. Tables. - ask someone a member of staff to clean it first!

Follow the restaurant's policy on seating. If it's 'waitress service', don't sit yourself down. It confuses the system and will not make your service any quicker.

If you change your mind about your order, tell an order taker immediately. We don't telepathically realize that you fancied a latté not a tea.

Please don't tell me to smile because it makes me look nicer.

When it gets busy, food takes longer to prepare and serve as there is more to do. You are not the only person waiting so please be patient.

If you are unsatisfied with your service, complain to a Duty Manager/Supervisor.We are always looking to improve!
Equally, please compliment and tip if you liked the service.

Don't move tables without telling anyone. It will slow down your service as everything is based around your table number.

Do not place tips on my person (i.e shirt pocket) and then pat it- I am not a stripper (although that would probably pay better).

I hope this might help all you people confused about customer etiquette! Special thanks to my boyfriend for being my proof reader and adding a couple of items to the list.
Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

City Dreams

As a non city-dweller, it's a novelty to go to cities. The rush of having all these people around you, the smells, the shops, the general vibe is so different; and I love it. I've been to my fair share of cities over the years as they contain museums and art galleries which my parents have dragged me around for many years.
I've decided to compile a list of my favourite cities because it's summer and you might need some ideas. Or you might value my opinion (ha!), who knows.

My all time favourite city is probably Berlin, for obvious reasons (see this blog post). There is loaaads to do, and it's packed full of interesting history from many different periods! They even have a museum island! It's relatively cheap and the people are absolutely lovely. Best piece of advice? Know polite German like please, thank-you etc. It will get you further than you think.

Paris. Ahhh, Paris- the city of love! Paris is a city which will always be in my heart as it's the foreign city I've visited the most. Paris is so pretentious and disgustingly artistic, it's a bit like that awfully laid-back friend that gets good grades without trying. Paris makes you into the kind of person who one day will be wearing Birkenstocks and socks, and the next you'll be head to toe in Chanel. My advice is to do all the touristy sites first, and then explore. It's a city full of little places of gorgeous wonder.

Copenhagen, the typically Scandinavian city in every sense. Everything is clean and ordered and very innovative, it's a bit like being in a Lego city (fact attack- Lego is a Danish product). Just being there makes you feel safe and relaxed. Oh, and there is a massive amusement park/ normal park in the middle of the city which is worth a trip! My advice- Cycle around this city and you will see the sites and fall in love.

New York- I hate myself a little bit for saying this but you simply have to go to New York if you love cities. It's the pinnacle of 'cities you have to visit', and for good reason. Everything is happening there, 24/7. There is simply not a dull moment. You turn a corner, and you recognise where you are. The art galleries and museums are fab! My advice? Don't bother going up the Statue of Liberty. See it via the Staten Island ferry instead.

There are, of course, many more cities which I love but the list cannot go on forever. And if you're looking at this thinking "where are the British cities", I'm sorry. I love my British cities, I really do. They just don't make this list. I guess I'm not promoting British values, sorry Cameron/Gove.
I hope you enjoyed the lack of wisdom and wit of this post.
Thanks for reading,
Kitty x