2015

Yep. I'm being that person. Returning to blogging just to write about new years. Do I give a shiny shit? Nope. It's basically so I can write a bit more than Facebook/Twitter/Instagram allows. Nobody wants to read a 500 word Facebook status.

21 LIFE LESSONS

An alternate title for this post could be "the cringiest list ever written on the internet". I don't really care, chica likes a little cheese. For a long time I've been wanting to get back into blogging, since I read so many of other people's, so here we go. Last week I turned 21 and for some reason it still holds significance as a 'big birthday' because it supposedly means the beginning of adulthood. I mean I moved to Norwich on my own in 2012 and to Alicante on my own in 2014, but no, it was turning 21 in 2015 which made me a fully fledged adult. What a load of bollocks. 

A MONTH ON MEDS

Okay I know this is technically my year abroad blog and I'm no longer on a year abroad but I find writing therapeutic so deal with it losers. Today marks four weeks since I went to the doctors and got diagnosed and prescribed my antidepressants so I thought I'd write a little bit more on that experience and also how I've got on with the medication because I was always looking for posts like this before I plucked up the courage to go so maybe other people are looking too.

ADIOS ESPAÑA (AND WHY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO WRITE THIS)

Okay so I am the worst year abroad blogger because the best posts are always the end of posts and I didn't write mine (for reasons we'll come to later) despite leaving Alicante over a month ago so here we go.

MY WEEK IN HELL*

And by Hell I most definitely mean friendship heaven. My pals will understand the title though. Anyway, because I didn't write a post about last time I went to Norwich because I am bad bad bad, I'm doing one for this time. Enjoooooooy.

A MONTH?!

I have a month left in Spain. Like. NOOOOO
Although if you follow me on Twitter you'll be like "eh what Katy shut up man all you ever do is whinge about wanting to be home"
Which is also true

TEMPORARY

I've probably written about this a billion times but I'm gonna do it again because I'm struggling with it again. In the last month I've flown six times and been in multiples cities and just felt like I've never sat down and it's driving me nuts.

THIS GIRL CAN

Following on the theme of self care and inspiration and running and all that stuff, I thought I'd share one of the main things that inspires me and potentially one of the best advertising campaigns I've seen in a very long time.

WUNDERLIST

Wunderlist is the best app ever. Well for to do lists anyway.

TWO MONTHS

So today is the 14th of April. I leave Spain on the 14th of June. Absolute madness.

I LEFT MY HEART IN BARCELONA

This past weekend was the best weekend of my year abroad, and potentially one of the best weekends of my whole life. Barcelona is now sitting pretty as my second favourite city in the whole world, losing out only to Newcastle (obviously). 

CANCELLED CLASSES

Semester two of my year abroad here in Spain. I think by the end of this term I will only have attended 4 weeks of full classes. And that's not even because of 'Erasmus yolo let's skip woohoo!' I swear.

YEAR ABROAD SELF CARE

It's not really a secret that I seem to be struggling with my year abroad but I think that's probably because of other issues, on top of the massive amount of stress that comes with being uprooted. However, we are fortunate enough to be living in a time where mental health is becoming less and less of a taboo as days go by. At least not in the circles I'm in, both on and offline. A thing I see quite often online is the idea of self care - either things you prepare for your down days or things you do regularly to help yourself. So obviously me being me I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and write about what helps me out. Maybe if you're on a year abroad and also having a shitty time this could help.

UEA IS IN SIGHT

This morning (after a bit of drama and a flurry of emails) I picked my last ever undergraduate modules for my degree at UEA. I don't know if they'll be my last ever UEA modules because I'm considering a master's but more on that later on when I can make up my mind.

FILM RECOMMENDATIONS

As one of my new year resolutions, I wanted to start watching more films, and more decent films. I've been noting down everything I've watched so I thought I'd pick the best ones for anyone looking for something to watch.

C25K GRADUATION - WEEKS 6-9

I really did mean to post weeks 6&7 together but kind of forgot so here you are, a month's worth of run diaries. Today I completed the c25k programme and I genuinely don't think I've ever been more proud of myself. To think this started because I joked about doing the Great North Run and now I'm starting training to hopefully take part next year. Incredible.

ERASMUS YOLO

A certain attitude seems to have developed between myself and my friends. "ERASMUS YOLO" basically entails not caring about things being hard or stressful or annoying because we're on erasmus and yolo. 

GUEST POST: NEW GIRL IN TOON

The lovely Chloe over at New Girl in Toon invited me to write a lil something on her blog all about my love for the north east so if you're interested, head over here!

T MINUS 100

I have 98 days left of my year abroad. Except I don't. I'm spending 17 of those in England so I actually have 81 days left of my year abroad in Spain. I'm struggling to come to terms with the fact that this thing is almost over.

VALENCIAAAAA

Oh my god I actually did a real Erasmus year abroad activity?!?! What???? Yesterday I visited the beaut city of Valencia to go to the Oceanografic aquarium with las chicas alicantinas and I had such a great time that I thought I should blog about it.

LITTLE DIPS

I've been back in Spain, what, four(?) weeks now and can honestly say they've been some of my happiest weeks. It's not that anything that amazing has happened, it's just a long time in a very very long time I've felt consistently happy for a long period of time.

SEMESTER TWO

Semester 2 has begun! 3 week down, 13 to go. So so ridiculous that we're over halfway through the year abroad and we only have four months left. Makes all the worrying I did in semester one seem a bit pointless but hey ho, we live and learn. I knew all throughout last year I'd regret the sadness and anxiety and overwhelming desire to go home so I'm not beating myself up about it. Onwards and upwards!

C25K - WEEKS FOUR & FIVE

Here we go again! Decided to write the two weeks together so my year abroad blog wouldn't become my running blog and also because I got tired and forgot hahaha. Starting to feel more like I'm actually running and less like a tortoise doing one minute at a time, yaaaaay!

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

Given that we're into the second month 2015 (what the efffff) I thought it might be nice to check up on how my resolutions/goals are coming along. 

C25K - WEEK THREE

So, as promised, a round up of week 3 of the Couch to 5k programme. Overwhelmed with support from my last post so thank you thank you.

C25K DIARY

So hello again pals! I feel like this is something I should write about on my blog since I've actually stuck to it. Obviously at the start of the year a lot of people take up new diets/fitness regimes/crazy coke challenges and I am one of those people. I was joking with one of my friends about doing the Great North Run but that is so out of the question it's ridiculous. However, the conversation lead to me downloading the NHS 'Couch to 5k' app, so thanks for taking the mick out of me, Cameron :-)

HELLO 2015

I think this might be the longest I've not blogged for. I won't apologise for being away because that's how so many blog posts start. Let's just consider this as my welcome back to blogging! How is everyone? Good start to 2015? I've had a great time.