So I haven't written a blog post since around July I think.
Alot has happened since that (being mid October), and a rather large amount has gone undocumented / blogged about.
Firstly, I have to say that my inner-OCD-ness has prevented me from writing / posting anything, because I wanted to fully complete my Bosnia week-by-week posts. But since I haven't got round to it, and may not do so for some time, if at all - I thought I would just post something else.
Summer 2015 was perhaps the best of my life, and I had beautiful adventures in the Balkans through Bosnia (Brcko, Banja Luka, Trebevic, Sarajevo and Mostar), Serbia (Novi Sad, Belgrade) and Croatia (Zagreb, Orahovica, Vukovar, Osijek).
I also had a week back in the UK during all of this to go to a family wedding in Yorkshire, England on the 22nd of August. So I actually ended up in Scotland (Edinburgh) for 3 days, and England for 3 (Whitby, Yorkshire). (I went back to Bosnia for another 2 and a bit weeks after that)
Once I came back to the UK for good, I settled into my parents' new house just outside Edinburgh (Dalkeith / Eskbank), which - to my surprise - I absolutely love. (They moved in June, when I was already in Bosnia). We went on the new Scottish Borders Railway, which goes from Galashiels in the Borders right into Edinburghs' main station (Waverley), via my new local station - Eskbank.
I came back from Bosnia on the 10th of September (leaving from the airport in Zagreb, Croatia->London->Edinburgh) and went back down to university in London (well, just outside London - Egham, Surrey) on the 21st of September.
I just realised that this was exactly a month ago! (Today is the 21st of October).
I had my induction lecture on the 25th of September, and I have 3 wonderful new housemates - Charlie (a gal, her real name is Charlotte), Hannah, and Tanyel.
Charlie is on the same course as me - Film, Television & Digital production, Hannah is on English and Drama, and Tanyel used to be on English and Drama but has switched to just English.
They are all lovely and I am really happy here.
Charlie is on the same course as me - Film, Television & Digital production, Hannah is on English and Drama, and Tanyel used to be on English and Drama but has switched to just English.
They are all lovely and I am really happy here.
The courses that I am doing this semester are:
Theory:
Modern European Cinema
TV genres
Modern European Cinema
TV genres
Practical:
Documentary
Creative Digital Arts
Documentary
Creative Digital Arts
After Christmas, my practical modules stay the same, but my theory ones change to the course called 'Avant Garde' (which is going to be difficult I think) and another one which is compulsory, something to do with vocational skills for the film industry.
I am enjoying TV genres far more than I thought I would, because there were other modules I would have liked to take more, but the columns didn't work out.
The lecturer actually manages to make the course really interesting and significant in a sociological, political, cultural and philosophical way. He looks as TV as 'ordinary' and the significance / influence of the TV schedule on our daily lives, as well as genre theory and underlying ideological messages in TV shows / genres.
The lecturer actually manages to make the course really interesting and significant in a sociological, political, cultural and philosophical way. He looks as TV as 'ordinary' and the significance / influence of the TV schedule on our daily lives, as well as genre theory and underlying ideological messages in TV shows / genres.
In Modern European Cinema I have already watched 3 films that I might class as top 10 favourite films of all time. (We watched some ones that I hated too though!).
Favourites include - Bicycle Thieves, Une Femme est une Femme, and Le Mepris (I think that's how you spell it). Also a really interesting interview with Jean Luc Godard and Fritz Lang.
Favourites include - Bicycle Thieves, Une Femme est une Femme, and Le Mepris (I think that's how you spell it). Also a really interesting interview with Jean Luc Godard and Fritz Lang.
I am still a bit annoyed that I couldn't take Women's Cinema or Bollywood, but nevermind.
In Documentary - I adore the lecturer! She is fab and has made some really really great documentaries herself. I respect her alot. We have to make short documentaries each week in groups and then over christmas we have to do a 'photo essay' and then we start on our own individual projects. I'm not entirely sure what mine will be yet. But our short film projects have gone really well so far. This week we are doing an observational piece on the guy from the chapel at uni, who happens to have a radio show and ride a motorbike. We thought he would be interesting to film. "Father John: Radio DJ" is what I would like to call it. Ha.
Creative Digital Arts is also really cool. We went on a trip to see some film art installations in London, and will do so again this week. They are the stimulus / inspiration for the group projects that we are doing, and I'm really enthusiastic about my groups' project.
We are going to do an art installation / sculpture / film piece on the theme of belonging and displacement.
We are going to do an art installation / sculpture / film piece on the theme of belonging and displacement.
However, I have also been busy with lots of other things.
Perhaps too busy.
The last few days in particular I have been doubting about what I am doing and why.
Perhaps too busy.
The last few days in particular I have been doubting about what I am doing and why.
The course itself is perfect for me. It's just the extra stuff. Am I actually getting anything out of it?
In my spare time, the extra curriculars are:
-Student radio (Insanity Radio 103.2FM) - presenting The Arts Show (1 hour a week + prep)
-Student radio (Insanity Radio 103.2FM) - Head of Online Content (board meeting 1 hour a week + tech team meeting 1 hour a week + extra hours for tasks + radio filming project)
-Student TV (RhubarbTV) - Head of Outreach (board meeting 1 hour a week + extra hours for tasks + The One Show (The Crumble) project which I am directing+National Student Tv Association stuff)
-Coffee House Sessions project
-Dance - 2 or 3 times a week. (Ballet - 1 hour, Contemporary Competition Team - 2 hours, optional other classes 1 or 2 hours + teaching at the local youth centre 1 hour + prep time) - ALSO WOOOO I MADE IT ON THE TEAM YAY!!!!!
-Challenges Abroad to India - Deputy team leader (a few hours a week recruiting and fundraising)
-Feminist Society - 1 hour a week
-English Teaching to Refugees - around 4 hours a week
-Amnesty International / Left Forum / Debate / Film Society / Reel Music [music video] society / writing for student and national publications - when I have time
- PLUS I need time to actually make my film projects, do my reading for uni and write any articles I want to write.
Also social life.
What is social life?
What is social life?
But actually I have managed to catch up with Kate, who I met in Bosnia, and who lives near London and goes to art school, a couple of times. Once we went to the Tate Modern, and the second time was last Saturday.
This last weekend was wonderful because I saw some of the girls from my old house in Maastricht, The Netherlands (the crazy international one with the 2 Italians, 1 (2 at one point) Chinese girls, 3 Spanish girls (but all had lived in other countries too. One lived in Dubai and Thailand among other places, one had moved to Dublin as a teenager and one has lived in Quatar and a bunch of other places), a South African guy, an English guy, a German Belgian guy, a Brazilian guy, a Peruvian guy, a guy from Mongolia (I think?) and regular visitors / friends from Croatia/Germany, Belgium/Spain, Kosovo, Kazakhstan/Germany and so on...) - I was there from September 2012-June 2013.
Whatever, so I got to meet up with, for the first time in 2 years, Yue (China), Paula (Spain/Ireland) and Leah (Spain/Dubai/everywhere else) in London.
I really want to meet up with them more often.
So that was Friday night.
I brought Nicolas (from Germany, who I met in Bosnia) to meet Yue, Paula, Leah (as well as Leah's boyfriend, Yue's friend and Leah's boyfriends' friend). We had some (korean?) food and then some drinks in a pub in Soho.
And on Saturday Kate (English girl I met in Bosnia, as mentioned above), Nicolas and Kate's friend Sinead went to some cool art installation in East London, and had Turkish food, and then a walk along Embankment.
I really want to meet up with them more often.
So that was Friday night.
I brought Nicolas (from Germany, who I met in Bosnia) to meet Yue, Paula, Leah (as well as Leah's boyfriend, Yue's friend and Leah's boyfriends' friend). We had some (korean?) food and then some drinks in a pub in Soho.
And on Saturday Kate (English girl I met in Bosnia, as mentioned above), Nicolas and Kate's friend Sinead went to some cool art installation in East London, and had Turkish food, and then a walk along Embankment.
It was lovely.
This weekend my parents are coming down from Edinburgh for a visit to London (well, Egham).
It will be really nice too.
It will be really nice too.
But right now I am trying to work out what extra-curriculars I need to drop, what things CAN I drop etc?
I still have so many photos to upload from the Balkans, from the wedding in August, from the first month back at university - and even more than that, I have so many more stories to tell.
If you are still reading this, well, well done - this is a bit of a ramble / stream of consciousness and somehow this is more for myself than for anyone else.
At the moment, I think there is a sortof list in my head of things that I want to do, or want to improve on / get better at / learn, and in a way, alot of it doesn't match up with what I am ACTUALLY doing with my time.
WHAT I WANT TO DO:
Present a radio show + some TV stuff
Make short arty films
Learn languages
Help people
Make Art
Dance
Travel
Relax
Write articles for national newspapers
Have time to look after myself, look nice, have some nice clothes
Blog / Instagram a bit
Have interesting conversations
Play my harp (clarsach)
Learn to play guitar / some other instruments
Get a bit more fit (so that I could maybe try and swim the channel or climb a high mountain?)
Do a bit of political activism
Eat well (healthy, good quality)
Read more (for fun!)
Present a radio show + some TV stuff
Make short arty films
Learn languages
Help people
Make Art
Dance
Travel
Relax
Write articles for national newspapers
Have time to look after myself, look nice, have some nice clothes
Blog / Instagram a bit
Have interesting conversations
Play my harp (clarsach)
Learn to play guitar / some other instruments
Get a bit more fit (so that I could maybe try and swim the channel or climb a high mountain?)
Do a bit of political activism
Eat well (healthy, good quality)
Read more (for fun!)
WHAT I ACTUALLY DO RIGHT NOW:
Present a radio show (but have been skipping it / getting cover for it because I have been so busy)
Make short documentary things for class (some, but not enough)
Go to alot of meetings (8-10 each week. That's about 8-10 hours in meetings each week. On a good week I can get this down to 3 hours. But then it might be more the next week. Most essential meetings are Insanity radio board meeting and Rhubarb TV board meeting)
Dance (I am so so unbelievably happy that I've started this again. And being on the team feels so good. It's great for my confidence but also that sense of being part of something.)
Post alot on Facebook to groups about student radio or TV / other 'official' stuff.
Reply to emails
Not getting to present enough or any student TV (I find myself spending all my time organising stuff so that other people have the opportunity to do so)
Not eating well. (Eating at random times. I am being pretty healthy, but not very economically sensible and not taking enough time to eat. Mostly take away sushi, pizza slices, pasta salads or sandwiches, then lots of ice coffee to go, smoothies and breakfast/ fruit bars supplemented by packets of popcorn. I eat almost all of this while in lectures, meetings, seminars, or while walking somewhere or at a desk.)
Don't read enough of the reading for class
Run around alot
Not reply to old friends via Facebook very well, losing touch with people.
I am starting this English teaching for refugees thing and this dance teaching for the local youth centre - both of which I think will help my sense of well-being.
Get fit (I live further from uni, up a hill + am going to dance classes)
Get jealous of what other people are doing, especially film projects with film society and reel music society.
Don't take enough time to cook, do laundry, look after myself, go out to parties, or meet up with Egham friends. (But have managed to meet up with some London friends including high school friend Lauren, who now lives in Balham, South London).
Not writing enough
Contributing to class (pretty sure I am doing this well / ok! :) )
Present a radio show (but have been skipping it / getting cover for it because I have been so busy)
Make short documentary things for class (some, but not enough)
Go to alot of meetings (8-10 each week. That's about 8-10 hours in meetings each week. On a good week I can get this down to 3 hours. But then it might be more the next week. Most essential meetings are Insanity radio board meeting and Rhubarb TV board meeting)
Dance (I am so so unbelievably happy that I've started this again. And being on the team feels so good. It's great for my confidence but also that sense of being part of something.)
Post alot on Facebook to groups about student radio or TV / other 'official' stuff.
Reply to emails
Not getting to present enough or any student TV (I find myself spending all my time organising stuff so that other people have the opportunity to do so)
Not eating well. (Eating at random times. I am being pretty healthy, but not very economically sensible and not taking enough time to eat. Mostly take away sushi, pizza slices, pasta salads or sandwiches, then lots of ice coffee to go, smoothies and breakfast/ fruit bars supplemented by packets of popcorn. I eat almost all of this while in lectures, meetings, seminars, or while walking somewhere or at a desk.)
Don't read enough of the reading for class
Run around alot
Not reply to old friends via Facebook very well, losing touch with people.
I am starting this English teaching for refugees thing and this dance teaching for the local youth centre - both of which I think will help my sense of well-being.
Get fit (I live further from uni, up a hill + am going to dance classes)
Get jealous of what other people are doing, especially film projects with film society and reel music society.
Don't take enough time to cook, do laundry, look after myself, go out to parties, or meet up with Egham friends. (But have managed to meet up with some London friends including high school friend Lauren, who now lives in Balham, South London).
Not writing enough
Contributing to class (pretty sure I am doing this well / ok! :) )
These weeks have been mad.
For example today I made a documentary, had a CV workshop which also formed part of the application process for the 'prestigious' placement scheme for my department. (Basically like 20 people or less will be chosen to get their placement and it will be like 2-4 weeks or something in summer 2016) and then straight after that I went to the talk by musician 'Example' (Elliot Gleave) who actually went to Royal Holloway (graduated 2003).
Tomorrow I actually volunteered to help out with a psychology experiment (I get paid a little bit) about language learning, where I get an MRI scan of my brain (or something like that). Fun. Then I have a music team meeting for the radio, then a talk from a journalist, then dance training with the team.
Friday I have a class trip to an art exhibition in London (I may have to reschedule this for another day, e.g. next Wed or Thurs - ie. I go alone) and then I have some filming for the documentary (depending whether I go on the trip or not) and then documentary class. Then my parents are here woo!
Tomorrow I actually volunteered to help out with a psychology experiment (I get paid a little bit) about language learning, where I get an MRI scan of my brain (or something like that). Fun. Then I have a music team meeting for the radio, then a talk from a journalist, then dance training with the team.
Friday I have a class trip to an art exhibition in London (I may have to reschedule this for another day, e.g. next Wed or Thurs - ie. I go alone) and then I have some filming for the documentary (depending whether I go on the trip or not) and then documentary class. Then my parents are here woo!
Other things (or more detailed accounts of things) that have happened in London in the last weeks:
A morning in Global Radio HQ Leicester Square, London. They are the big company that owns Capital FM, Smooth Radio, LBC, XFM and so on.
Film art exhibitions in Oxford Circus (Marian Goodman Gallery), Baker St (an installation about free diving in a car park underneath the University of Westminster, and London Bridge / Bermondsey.
Art installation in Manor House called Pallet Paradise.
(I might do reviews of these later)
A dinner with Lauren in Balham - pizza and chat at hers.
Vintage Steam Fun Fair in Englefield Green (Egham) + fireworks.
Mexican food night with my housemates
Got onto the competitive contemporary RHUL competition team. Really happy about this. Means that I haven't lost my technique and that I am getting fitter. Making new friends too!
Went to a party (for Sophia's birthday) at the Ministry of Sound (actually I think it's the only time I've been out since going back to uni).
Got a job with Challenges Abroad (well, not really a job, but gives me a discounted rate on the trip if I go) to India - recruiting a group of Royal Holloway students to work in a youth centre in the Himalayas, and to help everyone fund-raise. I will write another post about this because I am having a bit of a moral dilemma about it.
Actually scratch what I wrote above about Ministry of Sound being my only night out. I did go for dinner at an asian food place in Soho called Taro with Thoma and Saffron, and then Saffron got an amazing bubble tea afterwards from a place across the road which I can't remember the name of and then we met Dom in G.A.Y (the bar / club). But I didn't really drink.
(Will add pics later)
Anyway,
I hope in the next weeks I will sort things out a little.
I plan on:
Doing Bosnia posts
Having posted about some of the nice skin care stuff I got recently
Having posted about a necklace I got sent by a German company
Having uploaded wedding pictures
Having made a portfolio of short documentaries, tv segments and music / arts interviews (both producing and presenting).
Having done the dance competition for Royal Holloway
Having a bunch of podcasts of The Arts Show made
Having made a portfolio of short documentaries, tv segments and music / arts interviews (both producing and presenting).
Having done the dance competition for Royal Holloway
Having a bunch of podcasts of The Arts Show made
Finishing midterm exams (well)
Doing a DJ workshop
Doing some stuff with Reel Music society
Having good contact / possibly a small internship with Coffee House Sessions / Coalition Talent
Taking nice photos
Planning Christmas
I will write more properly and fully, and about more interesting things than just an update on my life, etc.
But maybe it will explain a bit about why I've not been posting so much lately.
Feel free to stalk my Instagram (@catosully) for recent stuffs.
I am considering changing my Twitter to something more professional soon, thoughts?
Maybe to @CatrionaOSullivan if it's available rather than the one that is associated with this blog ( @catrionalenses ).
Not sure, not sure.
Will chat soon
X
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