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My 2018 Round Up


I don't think I'm alone in thinking that 2018 has gone freakishly fast. I feel like I've blinked and it's suddenly the end of the year. How did that happen? It's crazy. So I thought I'd end the year with something I've always tried to do here on my blog, and that's reflect.

2018 started stressfully for me. I was coming to the end of my degree and so was rushed off my feet with work. It wasn't the most relaxing start to the year put it that way! February saw us celebrate my brother's 21st birthday. We went for a meal and celebrated with a few drinks, but he didn't want a fuss, which is fair enough.

In March I published a book called '2097', which you can find on Amazon if you're at all interested? Not only that, but I also turned 23 that month, an age I never imagined myself being five years ago. When you're 18, you think your twenties are ages away...well tada, they're not! We went to Bill's for breakfast and then took a walk around Rufford Abbey which was relaxing but very cold!


In May, I completed and handed in my final piece of university work. I could finally breathe a sigh of relief, I could actually chill and sleep and have a social life again! Oh the joys! 


I also started to learn how to drive in May! Something I kept putting off because I really wasn't looking forward to it, but it seems to be a rite of passage so I felt almost obliged to learn.

At the beginning of June, my boyfriend and I went to the Download festival in Donnington. The headlining act was Guns N' Roses, which was why we got tickets primarily. I had never been to a festival that big before, but we weren't far from the front and it was definitely a unique experience. I'm glad we don't go every year, as it is very busy, but it was worth it just to say that I've been, and obviously to see Guns N' Roses for the second time (third time for my boyfriend).


 Later on in June, I was taken to see Ed Sheeran live at Wembley Stadium in London. He was supported by Anne-Marie and Jamie Lawson and it was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. I know everyone has their own tastes in music, but Ed Sheeran really is a very talented man. I have never experienced anything like it before!


After that, because we were in London anyway, we took the opportunity to go on the London Eye and also go for a tour around Madam Tussauds which was something I had always wanted to do, but never got the chance to. It was so much fun! We also managed to squeeze in Kew Gardens, I place I had never been before.


My boyfriend and I went to Twickenham Stadium to see The Rolling Stones, who were also fantastic. They put on quite a show I'll tell you that! At the beginning of July, we went to the O2 Arena in London to see Queen with Adam Lambert and it was just incredible. The atmosphere was like nothing I have ever experienced before. I felt as though Lambert, May and Taylor had us all in the palms of their hands and it was just tantalising to witness such talents. To have seen the original line up of Queen, with front man Freddie Mercury, must have been mind-blowing to say the least.


The next morning, I received my degree classification. My boyfriend and I had just woken up in our hotel room and the first thing I did was check my Emails. I found out I got a 2:1 and I was over the moon! I couldn't wait to get home and tell my parents. It was a truly magnificent moment, one I won't forget, and who better to share the experience with the than one I love!

July saw my graduation from De Montfort University with a 2:1 classification in Creative Writing and English Language (Hons). It was an amazing day, something I shared with just my family and my better half and it was such a special day. It will be an experience I will always remember and rightly so. It fills you with pride and it means so much to see the people you love filled with it too.


August was lovely as it my boyfriend's 24th birthday. We had planned a chilled day basically, going for breakfast in the morning, we went bowling at lunchtime and then ordered a curry in for dinner that night. It was a lovely affair :) We also paid a visit to Cambridge for a short mini-break in celebration. I wrote a three part series that you can read, I'll leave some links below if you're interested. We walked around the universities, walked along the water, ate the world's best cinnamon roll and concluded the trip to the Duxford Imperial War Museum, home to one of the original concordes.
Cambridge Day 1: Computers, Punting & Beer Gardens
Cambridge Day 3: Duxford Imperial War Museum


September was a very special month as my best friend had her first baby, something I will never forget, and he is just the cutest little boy I have ever seen! 

As well as gushing over my friend's new baby, I also spent September prepping for my holiday to the USA in the October. Sorting out a new passport, getting money exchanged, applying for a travel money card, taking out travel insurance and all that other fun stuff! But it was so worth it!

By the time October rolled around, I was so excited for our holiday to Nashville and Memphis. I wrote a post about our trip to Nashville, but I'm yet to publish part 2 of our time spent in Memphis. It was incredible. We visited museums, ate amazing food, listened to wonderful music, we were just soaking up the ambience of the place, as well as a trip to the Jack Daniel's Distillery which was fantastic!

Memphis obviously offered up Graceland, which was such an amazing place. It's definitely something to tick off your bucket list if you haven't been already because it's like nothing I have ever seen before. It's surprisingly humble considering Elvis Presley used to live there. He owned more land than house it seemed. Like I say, you can read all about our time there in an upcoming post, so keep your eyes peeled :)


 

Also in October, my mum and I went to the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham to see 'Rip It Up', a theatre/musical show starring Aston Merrygold from JLS, Harry Judd from McFly and Louis Smith, an Olympic gymnast. It celebrated the music from the 1960s and it was so much fun!


November was busy. The start of the month saw the release of Bohemian Rhapsody, a film based around the life of Freddie Mercury. We highly anticipated the film, being music loves and we weren't left disappointed in the slightest. If you haven't seen it yet, please do, don't listen to the critics, they have no idea what they're talking about! It was a truly triumphant film, one I have now seen three times believe it or not.

16th November saw my little sister turn 19, once again, I can't believe it as I can remember before she was even born, so that's just crazy to me! Shortly after, on the 26th, my boyfriend and I celebrated our anniversary. We went away for a long weekend to Norfolk which was very special to me for personal reasons, so that made the trip even more perfect. It was just me, my boyfriend, long walks and arcade fun. I even had time for a warm glass of mulled wine!

I wrote all about our time in Norfolk in a separate post which I will link below, but I will also include some pictures for you!


 

The very end of November signalled the start of Christmas for our family as we finally sat down and enjoyed our annual Pantomime at the Nottingham Playhouse. It's a tradition for our family that we go to the Pantomime every single Christmas, this year being no different. It was the classic, Robin Hood and Babes in the Wood and I wrote a whole blog post about it :)



Then to my delight, December rocked around. I love Christmas, so I was chuffed to be able to celebrate it once again. As an anniversary present, my boyfriend had booked us both tickets to the BBC Good Food Winter Show, specifically on the day Mary Berry was going to be demonstrating. We got there super early to bag a book and therefore, I ticket to her book signing where I got to meet the lady herself. To say I was happy was an understatement, I couldn't stop smiling. We then got to see her work her foodie magic on stage and it was very good! Informative but also very funny, she's definitely not another boring TV chef. I wrote a post about that if you want to read more!



Soon afterwards, my boyfriend and I went to Birmingham to see Black Stone Cherry. A rock band which are really very good. I enjoy their music, something my boyfriend introduced me to. I'll link their YouTube channel down below, but it was a lovely addition to my December :)

Black Stone Cherry's YouTube Channel


I also passed my driving theory test which I was happy about, so now that's well and truly in the bag, something I can tick off my to-do list. But we celebrated by going for a cute lunch and a coffee. When I say 'we', I mean my family and my boyf :)


Then, before I knew it, it was Christmas Day! How quickly did that roll around though? I'm sad that it's all over, but I'm sure it will come around again as quickly as it always does! If you're interested in what 2019 holds for me, or simply what I do day-to-day, then make sure you're following me on Instagram, where I upload stories pretty much everyday! 

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How was your 2018? Did you have a good one or was it not quite the year you wanted it to be? Did you tick off any of your New Year's Resolutions for 2018 or are you carrying them over to 2019? I'd love to know! I will see you soon with another post :)

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