ME #1

1. I live in Holbrook, Derbyshire (with 47 sheep)
2. Ruth Hannah Smith (hence the RHS, incase you were wondering) 
3. 14th December 1993
4. I have been to five schools since turning 4 (16 years ago, cray-zee)
5. I don't eat lamb (not because of the sheep, because it tastes like plastic)
6. My favourite fruit is banana (with lashings, I mean a tablespoon of peanut butter)
7. I love to run (a lot, occasionally, sometimes, in lycra)
8. I am unbelievably organised (you should see my desk right now and my calendar) 
9. I will only drink bottled water when at Uni (theres just something in the water in Stockotn) 
10. My favourite film of all time is Love Actually (and The Holliday, and Notting Hill etc etc) 
11. I am an only child (not a lonely child as Sarah once thought it was, she's one of three) 
12. My aim in life is to achieve a Masters degree, just to get the same qualifications as my father 
13. My obsession for Clinique is frankly unwordable (which isn't even a word... see) 
14. I can't drink caffeine 
15. I don't drink milk, it makes me rather ill, but I will always partake in chocolate 
16. I can rap the words to "Make me proud" by Drake (Don't ask me sober though)
17. I always try and have breakfast in bed (a new thing, I wake up 20 minutes earlier to relax!)
18. I wear glasses to read (+0.5 - is it even worth it?)
19. I am the area champion in Derbyshire for the 800m 4 years running 
20. I have never broken a bone (apart from my nose, but that is not a bone) 
21. Myself, my mother, my grandmother and my great-grandmother all went to all-girls schools 
22. I have never smoked, or taken drugs, you will find me with a bottle of rose occasionally however
23. I have never had anything pierced, ever, anywhere, never will. 
24. My day always begins with solid porridge, keep it in the microwave for 5 minutes, with half the normal amount of milk. Bon Apetit! 
25. My favourite animals are cats, British Blues to be certain, although I love my rabbit Lady Gaga lots
26. I was in New York for my 15th birthday 
27. My biggest fear is illness 
28. My favourite holiday is to the west coast of France, Cognac, La Rochelle area 
29. My lucky number is 4 as it is the only number where the number of letters are the same as the number itself 
30. Are oranges orange because of orange or is orange orange because of oranges? 
31. I love scars, in fact don't get me started
32. Most used nicknames are Ruthie and Rufus (and now Rutilda from my supervisor at work)
33. I support Derby County, have done since I was born, with my dad taking me to the Baseball ground, then the opening of Pride Park
34. Harry Potter over Twilight all the way 
35. I can play the piano (a bit, when I feel like it)
36. My favourite composer is Beethoven, then probably Einaudi
37. My favourite actress EVER is Kiera Knightly, how is anyone that gorgeous? 
38. My favourite actor is Hugh Grant 
39. My favourite boys names are Elliott and George, maybe Morgan too 
40. I love the name Felicity for a girl 
41. I'm not superstitious as I never know what it means when you see a Black Cat and after all my Uncle Stevie Wonder said "superstition aint the way" 
42. I once cycled from London to Derby for Sport Relief and fell off and got bursitis in my shoulder, of which I still have the scars on my elbow from, nearly two years later. 
43. I often sleep talk 
44. As a 5 year old I always wanted a red Porsche boxter - I had one for my Barbie dolls
45. I have never owned a horse 
46. I have driven through Luxembourg in an hour
47. I would rather have fingers for toes than toes for fingers 
48. I am pretty amazing at risottos - ask me to make you one sometime
49. I laugh at everything, or I see the funny/happy side of everything. Every cloud!



I tan like there is no tomorrow

50. My greatest weakness is worrying. I worry about everything. Hence no.49! 



the fam



Ahh Stephenson College, DU



I'm a cat

6 ways to stop procrastinating

I just thought I'd fire out a list of ways to avoid procrastinating, whilst I procrastinate.

v. pro·cras·ti·nat·ed, pro·cras·ti·nat·ing, pro·cras·ti·nates

v.intr.

To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.

There is it, in blue and white, you're lazy and you know it. Ok, not really, we all procrastinate.

I am currently supposed to be writing a Law essay, but I've just come back from the gym and really can't be bothered to start it just yet - I will in 30 minutes.

I've been on Facebook
Checked my blog
Checked my poll - can you please vote, just there, on the left, it takes a second (extra procrastination!)
I've lit a candle
I've had a cup of tea
I have washed up
I have checked my emails, rang my father and spoken to Natalie for 20 minutes all to avoid doing work.

Well, do no work no longer!

My toppest tip (fail for grammar) to avoid procrastination is to plan your week
I print out my week every Sunday evening and attach it to my wall just by my mirror so I can see every morning my horrific black eyes and my day.
I plan when I'm going to the gym to work around seminars and lectures
I then write in each day what I am going to do that day, usually I decide this on Sundays but sometimes my plans change
This was I know I have given myself enough time to complete my tasks

I also try to break down my tasks into smaller pieces. E.g. for an essay, break the load down into researching, reading, planning, drafting, re-reading, editing, drafting etc etc this way you feel like you have achieved much more

Reward yourself with as many biscuits as you can - I tend to have a long break (10-15 minutes) every hour for a cup of tea and a few biscuits (7 as I just informed Natalie) - or get some fresh air to clear your head, or to procrastinate! Use your break to procrastinate, just don't leave it too long!

Get rid of all distractions, be that your boyfriend/girlfriend, dog, window, Facebook, phone anything that may distract you - put your phone where you can't see it but leave it on loud, so you don't have a nervy b when not checking it for an hour!

Tidy tidy tidy! - I find I'm far more productive in a tidy environment, spend 20 minutes of your procrastination time tidying your work area - which will also help to move distractions - open the window to get some fresh air, this will make you feel much more awake and ready to study.

At the end of the day, think about what you have achieved, this will be really motivating, especially if you tell people what you have done, as they will only moan that they have done nothing all day - very satisfying.


Lastly, why are you reading this? Stop procrastinating!!


RHS x 

University secrets II

Here we go again... 

Yes, after the very popular University secrets post, it is time for another.

It has been seven months since I posted that one and all in all not much has changed, apart from the fact we are all out of halls and I occasionally wear a yellow top, emblazoned with my nickname "Mary Poppins", giving out kitkats.

Ahh second year...

"this year actually counts doesn't it"
"we got a 2.2 on an assignment - I'm going to fail in life" 
"remind me again why I signed up to this module... actually just this course in general?!"

"is our lecturer speaking in English?"

We have officially moved on from the start of First year, but that just means more to report on... 

Type "University Secrets" into google and you'll get everyuni.ac.uk telling you how to have a successful University career. Bull.

We know how to get our firsts and our two ones, what no one tells you about is University life, the nitty gritty - I'm not talking about secret spilling, I'm talking about those mad things that the people you live with do, where you wonder what planet some people were born on and the strange behaviours of your fellow colleagues at 3am after four too many sambucas. 

The constant, on going blah at Uni is the North South divide - I wrote a post on what the North taught me (I should have called it what Newcastle has taught me) but that was controversial in itself. I am from Derbyshire, you cannot get more central than central. The middle ground, the all round diplomat, I see good things and bad things about the North and the South. However, this isn't the case of Northerners and Southerners (there are a few exceptions - i.e. those that don't care). In the first week at University it was all about the North vs. the South, in fact if you get the wrong people together the debate still goes on. I'm talking accent throwing, job hunting, money, lifestyle... the list goes on. I personally prefer waking up to a field of sheep that end up packed in Sainsburys. But really, the North/South debate is refereed by the Midlanders. 

Cooking - finding out who can cook and who can't is an interesting time. I'm not talking my mother's definition of cooking which means turning on an oven and baking a potato and opening a can of tuna and being able to grate cheese without cutting a finger and working out how a microwave works. Microwaves, they have been my biggest cause for concern over two years. The people will know that I'm talking about them, I won't name drop. But one time (in Barker block), the place was almost set on fire by a young man trying to cook rice in a metal pan, by placing it in the microwave - lets just say I wasn't best pleased and corrected the cooking technique and then suggested he tries boil in a bag. There have been occasions of putting crisp packets in a microwave after too many beers at 4am - sparks were flying. There are poor souls in this world who don't have microwaves, so when faced with one, it can be quite daunting. Especially when a packet says "Cat E 4 mins, Cat D 5 mins, High Power 2 mins" - note, this does not mean you cook your food for 11 minutes - no no. It means you look at your microwave and check its power and then cook at the specified time. Top tip.

Reppin' -Ahh, becoming a rep, a right of passage that everyone should try. I'd think carefully about what type of rep you want to be, or should I say what you don't mind doing in front of people, because when it comes to hustings, there is no dignity, you have just go crazy to get the votes. Or take a more introvert way and become a welfare rep. I've written loads of posts about the first few weeks of my second year running after freshers and having A&E trips - but it is all part of the experience... although not so when they bring through the defib... awks.
Being a welfare rep also means looking after fresher and ticket reps - thats a non verbally expressed term of the contract (wheyy Business Law) - it is just an assumed thing and it needs to be done.
Rep training week consisted of making up hand shakes and presenting them to the rest of the rep team, participating in very drunken pub golf where many people did not play by the rules and a few mornings hungover.
Then the fresh blood arrived, manic hit.
International students may as well have got on a plane and gone to Mars speaking to Aliens because we were not getting through (Well I certainly wasn't)
Bags were lost at airports, we had to ferry around taxis, coaches and mislaid defrosting bacon.
The home students arrived two days later, more madness. The reps were incredible though, everyone was so hands on and the girls just basically admitted they couldn't lift a fly, so it was obviously the boys' job to take the 50kg suitcases up two flights of stairs - there's equality for you
Female reps were warned to stay away from Fresh girls arriving - as I did, gingerly...
The first night was the launch night - we had to go around our block to motivate everyone to go down and get drunk.
I knocked on one boys door (I don't know his name, probably a good thing), he had a girl on his bed - I thought that was rather soon so just stood there frozen, lost all professionalism and was like errr are you two coming to the launch? To which they looked at me like I'd disturbed their wedding night. Then another rep arrived for me to find out that this guy had been training with DU Rugby over the summer and that it was his girlfriend, whom he was dropping off home that night - phewww, I was thinking that hook-up was one for the record books (sorry for disturbing who ever you are!x).



Strange behaviour/ other randomness not previously stated
I'll just list this 

• Buying a bath for your communal kitchen area was controversial (although I'm sure very fun) the porters weren't best pleased mind. ("Mind"?! who am I?! it just sounded right in the sentence)
• Playing musical instruments at 3am was fairly normal, annoying, but normal, specifically around exam times.
• Going on city trips to relive your freshers year, I will be a fresher again!!! - then ending up almost dying from alcohol poisoning
• Entering into your old block pretending like you still live there and have a block party 
• Never have I ever becomes much more difficult to lie as everyone knows what everyone has done by now 
• Nothing is a secret in second year - no sneaking around corridors at 4am!
• Flat/house parties in the first term are purely for checking out the competition
• Secrets don't remain secrets in year 2, well some do, if you're clever in whom you tell, i.e. your rabbit 200 miles away - Thanks Gaga. 
• Did we ever find out who the Gossip Girl Twitter accounts belonged to?

Be good

RHS x

 

Term 1, Year 2

I went back to University on 20th September, two days before rep training began and the fun started. Freshers arrived sometime after that, then it was Freshers' week, then it was the start of term, 10 lectures and four seminars down for each module down, three KitKat ChitChats (don't ask), one Pub Golf night, one trip to A&E and too many "on a scale of one to ten"'s. The first term has gone and there are five days left till Christmas and my bank balance is at an all time low. So instead of shopping in the ASOS sale I thought I would go through some of the best moments of the first term - in pictures. woohoo! 

Here we go...

Freshersss

We were christened Welfare Reps with our yellow t-shirts - me sporting a very deep tan. Sadly its faded, everyone else having "welfare bombs" consisting of red bull and coke - yum.

The reps got close at Pub Golf - involving downing pints of cider black, me downing a J2O as I can't have alcopops - drama and several TC's and far too many attempts at Zoolander - of which pictures cannot be put up, they are dreadful

The pub golf couples 

I just had to add this photo - Apols. 

Not as easy as you may think! it was rather cold 

Talks were in full swing with one couple about how many children to have. 2?

It was the first house party at the end of Freshers' week and it was safe to say everyone got rather too tipsy, to the point where it was normal to drink out of teapots and read books about "sexual fulfilment" - Natalie and I were far too busy hiding ducks and taking labels of tins to get involved with that. There definitely needs to be more house parties. 

Becca's house party was pretty amazing too. There needs to be a big house with lots of stairs to fit a lot of people in. Our flat party at the end of term got a little crowded with a capacity of only 25 people. 

"I promise you it is only water" 

"smooth drinking"

this picture sums up the sober-ness of everyone

Creeps

 CREEPS! HOW COULD I FORGET CREEPS. Nestled at one end of Middlesbrough is a bar called "Medicine Bar" and the medicine they serve is incredible (just the drinks, of course). Still a place that most people from Durham will refuse to go to because it involves mingling with Teeside University students - but everyone needs to try it once in their life. Natalie and I go as much as we can (that is, when there is a theme that I actually know, Arctic Monkeys sing "chasing cars" right?). We went twice this term, once it was Motown theme, which NEVER fails to disappoint (even with high expectations from February) and the time after that it was 90's theme? - actually I forget what theme but it is incredible, and the cocktails are amazing!

Before the Motown theme - something was funny. 

We always get bombed. 

The second creeps outing - always getting creeped on

Outside Trev's - looking like right tourists - which we were.

The "rep social" that turned into six of us (admittedly the President was ill and had to go home) on a Durham Colleges Bar Crawl - a very interesting night which involved us all trying very strange college drinks (and wishing we hadn't), running from bar to bar before they all shut, not telling anyone we were from Queen's Campus and spending far too long in Castle bar, because, lets be honest it is one of the best, apart from Chad's - that one was very interesting too. With a London Tube map turned into a map of Durham - très clever. 

Halloween

Halloween. Now that was an interesting night - cue me finding a Winnie the Pooh bear in a charity shop and pulling it to pieces, the poor thing. However, it was a great find because it was also a bag! (winning) So I really did look like a walking zombie, or at least something demented. This photo still scares me. Sarah and Natalie looking beautiful, me looking like something off The Purge. 

The Parents vist. 

With the Grandma during her visit. 

This is always a happy time. They take you shopping to buy food, they pay for you to have dinner at nice places and you get to stay in a nice hotel (thanks to my perks from work). We stayed two nights at the Marriott in Durham and got thoroughly spoilt by my mother and grandmother. This photo was taken at Gadd's Town House in Durham - probably the best restaurant there, its incredible (save the pennies to go though! Its not an everyday thing!) 

Winter Ball. 

It was 9pm on a Saturday evening and myself and Natalie had got a Dine in for 2 for £10 from M&S and were watching X Factor when the call came that helped us make our decision to go to the Winter Ball. We were too late to go to the drinks reception but we quickly got changed and went to pre's and had a pretty good night in Middlesbrough and what I was told by Ben was an old cinema... still not sure about that, it was more like a pub. But it had a pool table, a huge dance area and one of those photo booths... which some people didn't realise the photos would be made public the next day. Cue a Masquerade Summer Ball. 

"This used to be an old Cinema" 

The last few nights and turning 20. 

It was time for our first house party. Who am I kidding... we live in a tiny three-bedroom flat. What you can see from this photo is pretty much the extent of the flat. We invited 50 people, only expecting 25 and that was plenty, because after people turned up who we had no idea who they were (Thanks to the flat door being left open) it got quite warm and cosy in there. We had a DJ, Red Bull practically on tap and two of us turning 20. We were celebrating the end of term, the end of teens and the end of the year. 

I cannot believe how quickly this term has gone, or the year. It feels like yesterday that I was writing my candidate number of my Biology A Level exam and now its 18 months later and I'm nearly half way through year two. 

It has been a year of the unexpected and if there is anything I have learnt from Uni is that everyone who I know has left is very jealous. So enjoy it while it lasts! I'm planning my second degree already... or not. 

Now it is two days to Christmas, I'm sat here after taking four days to write this post, watching Christmas films, supposed to be wrapping my Grandma's presents (bird food... and other things, obviously), getting ready for work and praying I don't get blown away when I leave the house. Where is the snow?!

Anyway, I hope however you spend the last week or so of 2013 is pretty amazing and I hope you have a fabulous 2014. 

I will say that at least twice more before the end of the year! But you can't hear it enough!

Love

RHS x 

My two most recent dreams

I have the weirdest dreams, Sarah and Natalie love hearing about them the next morning and saying "Are you ok?" - they sound like really deep, meaning full dreams but I just have an active mind, they don't mean anything! Or do they... I'll write this and have to go and freak out about the "meaning of dreams" - cue Freud. 

Dream One.

My most recent dream was two nights ago, when I decided I was going back to Sixth Form, but not to my actually Sixth Form, to my Secondary School (the confessions of an all Girls' Private School... yeah that one). I left there because I needed a fresh start, but apparently I wanted to go back there for Sixth Form. I'd dropped out of Uni, paid to be let back into Sixth Form, four years after I started and I was determined to get better grades than I did at my actual Sixth Form and I was also determined that I was going to Warwick. If no one is "Geeked-up" on Universities Warwick is THE place to go for Business (They require A*AA and at least a B at AS level) so I needed to up my game if I was going to get into Warwick. It was the strangest thing going back to that crazy mad house. I was in Sixth Form with all the people that were in year 9 when I left and there were boys in year 7, very strange. There were school bells and we had to stand when the head teacher came in - a new one, it was a man. Well odd. 

The rest of that dream continued with me bumping into a friend from Uni (a friend that I'm currently at Uni with, who will remain unnamed, I am yet to tell her this though haha). She told me that to pay for her weekly food shops she was (as she put it) "selling her body for money like the women in Stockton do" - yes. Really, that is what I was told, I highly doubt it's true, intact I know its not because she'd charge a FORTUNE. Funny though, dreams are so amazing. 

Dream Two - it gets better. 

I was getting married. End of NIGHTMARE. No really, I, Me, Ruth Hannah Smith the First was getting married (pause for a moment of confusion). I seemed very excited although it was the oddest experience ever. Firstly, we weren't in a Church - big no no. Secondly, my Dad was some kind of giant (he's only about 5'11'') and he was dragging me down this room to the room I was getting married in. The doors opened in this chateau-type place and I saw loads of people sat on chairs with an isle down the middle, but Dad walked me round the edge to meet my "husband-to-be" - well, I, never. He was about 55, 55 stone, grey haired, just no, basically. I was not impressed. I had basically had my marriage arranged for me. So I was forced into the middle with him and I started mouthing to mum "get me out of here" and she kept shaking her head. So I ran. To the toilets. Standard girl. Mum ran after me and said "you need to be careful of where you run out of" - to which I said I'm not getting married to him. Then I woke up in cold sweats.

Weirdest dream OF MY LIFE. I had to text my mother it was that awful. 

Ok, maybe that one sounded a bit distressing but still quite funny, but not as funny an ending as the first. 

Nevertheless, I may start posting my dreams more, they amuse me somewhat.

Sweet dreams 

RHS x 

zzzzzzz

The Durham Colleges Bar Crawl

Outside Trevs - our first bar

 If you weren't aware that Durham University had colleges, think again. We're just like Oxford and Cambridge, only 10 degrees colder and less up ourselves (well, most people). 

There are 16 college in Durham University, I won't name them all, but I am in George Stephenson college to give it its correct full title or "Stevo" to the local inmates. 

So it was time for a Rep social - the right picture shows the cool kids that actually turned up. Admitted there was every sports' social under the sun taking place on Saturday evening, for example the Football initiation had to dress up as a female singer and sing one of their songs - there was a Miley Cyrus, with a grey fitness ball, I thought that was a good effort. Regardless of whatever socials were on, the rep team consists of nearly 50 people, there were 6 of us. Not the best turn out, but at least its over 10%!

The full social actually started at 1pm in Stevo bar, the idea being to go round all other 13 bars (minus John Snow because, well, its John Snow and their igloo is tiny and seriously lacking in polar bears and Grey's was closed due to the fireworks...) by 11:30pm when they all closed - this involved a one hour bus journey and stopping to eat... anyway... 

With our cocktails in Trev's

It was 18:30 and we (myself and Natalie Brown - thats Brown like the colour) went to catch the X1- now the X1 to non Durham-ers is a bus, not a very good bus as it is never on time, always full, always too hot and the driver is like some boy (or girl - equality) racer. So we got on after several locals with 15 children and endured screaming and shouting for 26 miles to Durham. 

We were hoping to see Grey College's fireworks, as they are supposed to be really really sparkly. Now, as we live in Stockton, who blow half of their yearly budget on their firework display to draw in the charvs from the local area to spend their moulah we had very, very, high expectations. 

We thought we'd missed them (thats the fireworks at Grey by the way). We got off the X1 at 19:25 and began hearing bangs and fizzes. Thankfully, we managed to have a great view of the fireworks which always get me emotional, Guy Fawkes was such a brave guy. There was clearly no safety precautions as we were rained on several times by glittering after-spray (is that the right word... ashes or light bits) - "Make it make it rain make it make it make it rain"- sing this and pretend you're throwing money everywhere, you got it. We made a wish whilst we were being rained on, so cute. 

Anyway, boring emotional part over it was time to go to our first bar to meet "everyone" - this was Trevelyan college "Trevs" where we got lost in all the anarchy of the masses leaving Greys and had to look at the map to find out where Trevs was thinking it was miles away. We got there eventually, after looking like right Stevo tourists (even more so asking posh Durham-ers to take photos of us outside every college sign) to see four others of the rep team (rep team most represented = welfare. Of course, I'm not saying were the best but the President was one of us, so that kind of does make us the best). 

We were greeted with "do not get the Trevs college drink - it tastes like e-numbers" - now to a girl who gets high on smarties this was great news, but it actually tasted like those Panda pops you got at your year 5 disco, or like R.Whites lemonade which had seriously gone out of date. Not nice, so we got a cocktail, we were going to get two Long Island Ice Tea's but then I was sure they didn't have coke in them (no caffeine allowed and all that) so I had a sex on the beach - in a pint glass, lad. 

Mary's had a Toastie bar! - mind = blown. 

We had to down those to keep up with the others - who had already been to about 5 other bars earlier that day, so were a lot of tipsy then ourselves. Next, after an awkward pose outside the entrance it was time for Mary's - the cutest college, ever. Like a Kiera Knightly film I was in love with the grounds. This college used to be an all girls' college. Which I think is lovely, its now President-ed by a boy - how lovely. We don't judge single sex schools. 

Mary's was slightly on the small side, nevertheless they had a good house shot called "the witch" which we were told was lovely, they meant to tell us it was horrible (Thanks Chelcie and Tom), but it was actually delightful - Archers mixed with Bacardi - mm. There we met El Presidente of the whole university, our very own Daniel Slavin (now pronounced Daniel SlaRvin - because he's not ultra posh), he used to be Stevo's president and now runs the whole uni and is loving it I hear!

So he joined us in our continued mission of the college bars - next it was Castle - in a Castle, yes, yawn, you have to hand in your campus card when you get in - after you have broken your back getting through that ridiculously low door, inside is like some wine cellar, with the proper aches are brick walls. Next it was Hatfield - whose college drink I have to say was incredible - I'm keeping the recipe for my own pleasure and refuse to share it with anyone - sorry! - go to Hatfield! We were entertained there with a few pub golfers after realising time was ticking we needed to get round the rest of the bars.

Me and Thee outside the Cath. 

Next was Chad's - like some weird greenhouse upstairs and then a home from home Durham tube-mapped-esque wall of all the "important" places in Durham - quite cool. There we only had time for a shot - Sambuca obviously - go hard or go home (we did shortly go home, we were slightly tipsy. And you know when Natalie is tipsy as she runs and with those knees she doesn't run when sober, so there we go) We legged it to John's college, to find that is was closed, sad face, then the last one was St. Cuth's, which, when we got there was more like an old mans social club, but hey, the drinks were £1.50, so who's complaining?

That concluded our college bar crawl, admittedly myself and Natalie didn't go to all of them, but the state of us after just six was plenty for one night. We then proceeded to head back into the centre of the city in search of some alcohol-soaking food. We all had noodles as Wok-Sup, mm, lavely - although the next day had that food smell on it. Oh my I cannot stand food smells, I have a change of clothes that I cook in to avoid smelling of food. Vile. 

It was then time for we six reps to go home, at about 1am - we were probably going to leave at 10pm, thats how good a night it was -reps you so missed out! The X1 took 20 minutes to get to the bus station, where I proceeded to shout at a fresher that I saw him in the gym earlier, he just looked at me blank as if I was some kind of freak - just because I was in the weights section! - boys are so mean. We also saw second year football boys in superhero outfits and Danielle Britton in a onesie running after the bus. Note to everyone - sitting on the road so the bus can't drive is NEVER a good option, ever. 

I have eaten half a Terry's chocolate orange whilst writing this and it's nearly time for MIC, so thanks for reading because that was a long one! If you didn't get this far, thanks for the view! 

Go to Durham Uni

Love
RHS x 

p.s. Don't choose John Snow 

Boys Creepin'

Creepin' already

Myself and my MOH had out first night out together since being back, we don't spend much time together normally (hmmmmmm) so we decided to go to our unique Thursday spot in Middlesborough - Medicine bar, the night: Creeps. And this week the theme fitted the boys' pulling tactics down to a T. 

There are always more boys than girls there and they are definatley more Natalie's type then my own, but nevertheless they are normally very nice to us, apart from this particular night when we were preyed on in the oddest ways. 

Firstly I had someone grab my bum only for me to slap his hand and push him away for him to say "worth a try" - it really wasn't was my reply. This then happened once more so the boy decided then to try it on Natalie only for me to slap his hand away and protect the poor girl. 

Secondly a boy asked me if I was from Teesside University "God NO!" was my reply to which I think I offended him slightly (I'd still rather be from Teesside than John Snow) he then walked away and came back and said to me "I'm going now, so, good luck! you'll need it", erm, thanks?

Thirdly, this happened to Natalie, she was politely asked if she wanted a drink (I turned away thinking I shouldn't get involved) to which she repplied "No thank you, I've had enough" - brilliant. I laughed, he was offended, Natalie just stood there with her innocent smile that said "but thanks anyway!" and we continued to dance to Annie Lennox. 

Finally there was a group of three boys dancing round us, with us, almost in our private space, awkward when there was two of us so one of them put three fingers to his friends, they all nodded, he then put two fingers up and walked away... so there was just two of them left, neither of blessed with the best looks, but at least they acknowledged the fact there was two of us and three of them, which never works out well does it. #thirdwheel 

It was an 80's night but an Indie 80's night so it was very tied into the venue and the occasional India song was played by bands with names like Stroke My Cat and Emily Loves Kettles and the Cotton Vegans. You get the picture I was swaying like I knew what I was listening to whilst Natalie and the other hundred people were banging the ceiling in delight at the random mysterious music. 

So needless to say,  there wasn't a lot of eye confectionary however its always a good night after several cocktails, raspberry sambuca shots, rosé and gin. 

Get your creep on!

RHS x 

Stevo Rangers

I've been told to keep this short and sweet, I've also been told my blog someone's "guilty pleasure" and they have me on tab (not tap!) - A fast rugby player... but I'm not allowed to say who, I've had four requests to feature in a post and I've heard people are jealous that a picture of others has appeared in a post! - I'm more than flattered. Thanks guys and dolls!

Stevo Rangers - we're a bunch of bear hunters who go and hunt bears to eat them and wear their fur. We also belong to Durham University Stephenson College and last night was the Freshers' week launch. I am a welfare rep (if you didn't know that previously), there are other welfare reps, Fresher reps, ticket reps and the exec and non-exec and it was out job last night to introduce the Freshers into Stephenson college in true Stevo Ranger style - after they caught their first bear they had to complete several challenges set by their block captains - my ideas were very tame and innocent such as "find someone with the same birth place as you" and to tell an exec member that you're interested in mountain climbing and "where is the nearest mountain?" whereas as the night went on I saw Freshers' with several numbers written on their arms, phone numbers? hats were stolen and I mean stolen - naughty, reps were thrown in the air, catwalk walks were done and 'shoe phone' was seen (where did that come from?), Freshers got drunk and Freshers completed their first chant - trying to get 400 Freshers to listen was damn hard mann but oh so worth it. Other challenges included putting a condom on your head (for safe sex obvs) in the fastest time and having a Stemo (VK Cherry, Apple sours shot and Cointreau), the college drink or a Lollipop (yum!, its a non alcoholic drinks to all the t-totallers). It was very interesting (in an abstract psychological, non weird (ok weird) way) to see how the newbies came out of their shells - 6 hours before I had met their parents and their innocent angel faces but oh how things change when the 'rents leave - I'm never having children. 

Bar crawl tonight! - Letting the rabbits, rangers and ravers into a club, after several rounds of drinking games and a formal dinner things could get not messy, but chaotic! - WOOHOO, can't wait. 

//P.S. to all the people I have promised a mention to I will get round to it! I'm just concocting the best post ya see 

Stay safe Fresher! (and reps!) 

RHS x

In which I am christened "Welfare Rep"

I've been back in Stockton now for four days, which is nothing to shout about, apart from that we are living in a flat right on the high street - right next to B&M and Topshop, (only in Stockton). With a broken oven, TV port, microwave, hoover, extractor and no hot water, however we do have Virgin Broadband which is so fast. But I definitely wouldn't recommend Jomast property group.

Moving on from the boring issue of council tax exemption forms and broken flats in general, I am a Welfare rep this year, along with several other slightly incredible people. This involves me being T-total through the majority of my 2nd year and looking after Freshers - not holding back their hair if they are being sick but ensuring no one dies - which would be a bit tragic.

So far we have received our Fresher Rep tops, bright yellow for Welfare - which, lets be honest goes with absolutely no skin tone, but at least we can be seen and at least I have "Mary Poppins" on the bottom of my top as my "Banter name" - hilarious.

So yesterday involved us doing a boat race - to all those innocent young-ens out there you stand in a line and down an alcopop as quick as you can to beat the other team - really healthy, really good for you and you don't get bloated at all. So anyway VK it was which soon turned into a J20 for me as VK has caffeine in it - can you believe?! - J20 is much easier to down, as there are no bubbles!

call me Mary

There were also egg competitions which involved building a tower with newspaper, to support the egg and be the tallest of all the teams - the losers, or anyone who dropped the egg had to down 2 raw eggs - yummy, there ended up being 3 downers of eggy alcopop - all that protein.

Day 2, today - the "serious" stuff, which involved trying to rein-act the handshake from parent trap, only to be bettered by a twin who knew the whole thing, damn, and learning an "interesting fact" about everyone which we had to tell the group the most interesting one we had heard - from no nipples when born to having a rabbitt called Lady Gaga, haha who does that?!

So, the serious stuff, Nightline, the Durham University version of the Samaritans, apart from they aren't religious and can give no advice at all and are just there to listen - we were given example role plays which got so deep you had to hold it together! If anyone needs a good listener I know 50 reps that have been trained! 

Onto tomorrow - filling the Freshers' rooms with welcome packs and calendars, an against smoking course and all for the arrival of the International students. Aww - can't wait!! 

Its gonna be a crackin' Freshers'

Peace out bread bin

RHS

Reminiscing

I got Twitter because someone I "liked" at the time had it and it seemed like a great idea because he never used Facebook (as a 15 year old...). 

I have been through over 3 years worth of Tweets - seen the most depressing tweets ever, sitting my GCSE's, getting into Sixth Form, dealing with boys at school, the amount of injuries I have had (more than the number of exams I've taken!), seen success (and failures... read on...), getting into University, my first nights out, first shifts at work and meeting some crazy mental people (friends?) and overall I can say my Twitter history is very fruitful and has been very interesting to look through!

You should look at yours!! 

So my first Tweet was:

I was clearly using Twitter like Facebook...

Enjoy...

I had a boyfriend?!

Wow I was philosophical at 17

"effing hilar" enough said

Oh how times have changed

HAHAHAHAAH - I can't hack Newcastle!

Preach it

There I go again... Nice quote though!

Everyone tried this ;)

After I ran the Derby 10k for C.R.Y. - Yep, I'm an athlete. Try to be anyway...

No, really... they get me weak at the knees. 

A quote from my sixth form head teacher - really. 

Legend

"TAM" ?!

Oooooh.... who was?!

Standard crazyness

"could"... "get it" - men. 

Still do - still excellent

Revision FREAK

Told you things changed...

Ahh another "athletic" tweet - after I cycled from London to Derbyshire with a team for Sport Relief

Still needs to be sorted out

Idea now has a H at the end...

The awful news of £9000 a year

haha

GIRL POWER!

This tweet I retweeted keeps filling my head!

Ahh the latest work blunder

Have fun looking back at your own tweets!

RHS x