Blog changes...

This blog is currently shared between Alice and myself (Helena). We've decided, for now, to give this blog a break. In the meantime, I will be posting on my own blog, which you can access here:

www.helenapoppy.blogspot.co.uk

Please have a look if you get the chance and let me know what you think!

Thank you

Selective Storytelling and Social Media

Has anyone else noticed the recent surge of holiday snaps and statuses posted from exotic countries on their social media feeds? Surely I can't be the only one who has been experiencing this. Between the floods of selfies and the classic 'beach leg' photos, the "at ... airport" statuses and the videos of extreme sports, I'm left thinking that maybe my own life is a little bit boring. I suppose all of this shouldn't really come as a surprise, given that it's summer and all that, but at the same time I do question the overall effect that this is having on us, as social media users.

There's no denying that social media has changed the way our generation lead their lives, and I'm not going to condemn that fact. I think that we're extremely privileged to have access to such a powerful tool of communication and expression, and at this point, I can't imagine living my life without it. Nevertheless, there are downsides to social media, risks and flaws which, whilst we probably cannot avoid, we should definitely try to be aware of. For me, one of the most important things to bear in mind is this: social media is a selective storyteller.

When people post their albums on Facebook, they pick their BEST photos- the nicest views, the most fun adventures, the ones where everyone looks good, and happy, and smiling. They don't post the photos from the days it rained, or the day everyone was ill, or miserable. They don't post statuses saying how boring their day was, or how they sat in front of the TV all day and ate fast food (well, ok, I guess SOME people do that).

When people post selfies to Instagram, they don't post the first 3 or 4 failed attempts, where they look stupid or unhappy, or a little fat. They post that 5th attempt, where they looked tanned, and attractive and their smiles look good and their hair looks right.

We tell a selective story on social media- we highlight the best of our lives and we only publish what we want others to see. We don't generally share the times of pain, of sadness or of failure, because they might not be things that we're proud of, and we don't want them to define the way that other people view us. Yet absolutely everyone experiences defeat, unhappiness, awkwardness, shame and loneliness at some point in their lives- no one's life is perfect, even if their social media feeds seem to tell a different story.

I guess what I'm really trying to say here is that you shouldn't judge your own life against what you see of others on the internet. Social media is a lens, and through it we see only a glimpse of other people's lives, a glimpse which tends to highlight the best of somebody, and which ignores a large proportion of the rest of their life. I know from personal experience that browsing through social media can at times make you feel insignificant, boring or maybe even depressed, but these are neither rational nor necessary emotions. Make sure you don't let the limited content you see on social media define the way that you view other people, but perhaps more importantly, make sure don't let it define how you view yourself.

Reality vs. What I chose to post on Instagram:
Bad photos exist too, they just get deleted or are never published to social media...

PS. This was partly inspired by this photo which my friend Arabella posted on Instagram a week ago. Coincidentally you should also DEFINITELY check out her blog which is super interesting and inspiring. Link here.

New Chapter, Same book

I think that different people react very differently to change. One year or so ago, I'd probably have placed myself within the group of people who fear change. I've been quite privileged so far in my life to grow up in an environment of stability and predictability, and as a result, any active alteration in that environment has seemed a scary prospect. I think it's undeniably easier to remain within your comfort zone, without seeking nor desiring change, and to maintain a constant lifestyle, because it seems reassuring and safe- there are fewer doubts, fewer risks. 

Yet at this point in my life I am faced with new and exciting changes, and I find myself no longer dreading them, as I might have expected, but instead accepting them, appreciating them and even searching for them. 

One of the changes I am faced with is the prospect of moving house. After nearly 7 years in my English hometown of Sevenoaks, I have now said goodbye to my old home, and have returned for a while to spend time in my previous house in France (where I spent the first 12 years of my life). This change is not insignificant for me, as I am leaving behind a life and lifestyle that I had grown accustomed to, along with my friends and my home. 

I cannot help but compare it to the one other occasion that I remember moving house- the exact opposite move, in fact, when I came to England from France aged 12. At the time, the uncertainty seemed daunting and for a long time I was very angry and upset at the thought of change, of having to live in a new place, of making new friends and of having to adapt to an entirely new school system in a different language. 

But this time round, an older and hopefully wiser me isn't put off by the thought of change. Of course it's easier this time, since I'm not 12 and I'm returning to somewhere I already know. But, coupled with the other changes occurring in my life right now- such as the process of renting my first house and moving out of halls, I'm excited by what this move will mean for me. As they say, "As one door shuts, another one opens".

I think that is exactly what changes are. They are doorways to new experiences and opportunities, and without them we would remain in the same room forever, without ever getting a chance to explore the world around us. Without change, we only know what is, we don't know what was or what could be. 

I also like to think of big changes as new chapters in the long book of my life. Characters will come and go and settings will change, but all the chapters will remain tightly bound in my memory. Like any good novel, some chapters will be bleaker than others, and some happier.  But without all these chapters in my life, I would have no story. 

Home?

My London Highlights

You may well have grown tired of my incessant ramblings about the great pride and privilege I feel in being able to call London my home, but I'm afraid this is not something that is likely to cease very soon. Over the course of my first year here, I have grown to love so much of the city and I've had the opportunity to explore only some of the many delights that London has to offer, but rather than go on about how lucky I am, I thought I would share on this blog some of the wealth of wisdom I have acquired and tell you a little about some of my favourite places in London I have discovered this year.

1. Bloomsbury

Not a bad place to sit for lunch

Where else to start with but my little Bloomsbury bubble? Of course, I am fully aware of the personal bias here since it is the home of UCL and where I spend the majority of my time, but no one can deny the splendour of the Wilkins building (shown below), nor the grandeur of the Gower Street Waterstones which offers an inexhaustive array of books which make you want to spend hours perusing the shelves (after all, it is "the largest academic bookshop in europe"). Senate House Library is another favourite for books, once I can get over the surrealism of studying whilst looking out over the streets of London; and I've also recently discovered the appeal of sitting in Gordon Square with a little coffee from the kiosk in hand. 

2. Primrose Hill

I'm ashamed that it took me so long to get round to visiting Primrose Hill, but now I've been once I will make sure to be returning very soon. Although the term 'hill' is perhaps a little misleading (it's really more of a mound) the view it offers of London is second to none and I do aim to make it there for sunrise someday. It's also pretty good for cloud watching and deep philosophical discussions. 

3. Charlotte Street Restaurants

If there is one place to go in London for food, it's Charlotte Street. For more expert advice I'd recommend my friend Mallory's blog (here) since she knows what she's talking about more than I do, but my own personal favourite Charlotte Street restaurants are Wahaca, Thai Metro, Italia Uno and Yog, of course, for a bit of fro-yo. And for cheap pizza, there's always Icco's (although Franco Manca's, around the corner on Tottenham Court road is significantly better in my mind- but the "Italian Experience" is not quite as authentic). 

4. Courtauld Gallery

During my post-exam freedom, I've had the chance to explore a few of the museums that I may have slightly neglected during my time here. Everyone knows of the greatness of the British Museum and the National Gallery and the other big museums, but one which impressed me this week was the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House. It's a little more manageable and much less busy than some of the bigger ones which gives you more of a chance to appreciate the visit. The other exhibitions in Somerset House are pretty great as well, and it's all free for students so you can't complain! 

5. Camden and Kentish Town

Camden Market is most definitely not an undiscovered corner of London, but the number of people doesn't seem to detract too much from the general enjoyment that there is to be had here. I love exploring and browsing the stalls, not to mention the photobooth, of course. The rest of Camden is great too, especially for going out in the evenings- my personal recommendation is Bar 55 which serves some pretty delicious ice-cream cocktails. Down the road in Kentish Town there's also quite a few second hand shops which are worth trawling through from time to time, if you enjoy that sort of thing!



These are only a few of the places I've enjoyed visiting this year, but I feel like I have barely scratched the surface of all that London offers...  So for now, my quest to explore London continues- but if you have any suggestions of places I should check out, do make sure you let me know! 

Countdown to Summer

It's strange to think that it's been a whole year since we all left school. Seeing the photos of the current Year 13s' "last day" brings back many memories of my school times- both the good and the bad. This time last year we were feeling the pressure of IB exams, of university offers and the general pressures of just growing up... but thankfully we managed to survive it all (except maybe the growing up part). One year on and I'm finding myself yet again mid-exam season, however this time it's a little more chilled out with only 3 exams spaced out over 3 weeks, nothing like those 8 hours of Chemistry and Spanish I endured in one day during IB. I'm still perplexed by the fact that I didn't pass out by the time we got to Chem Paper 3. But I suppose it was worth it, in the end.

Exams in general tend to represent things coming to an end, and this year that is most definitely the case, maybe even more so that last year, in some ways. I have so many happy memories from my first year at university that the thought of it all coming to an end so quickly is incredibly bittersweet. Very soon we'll be moving out of our beloved Ramsay Hall, which has been a highly entertaining, eventful and generally homely home for the past 9 months, and although I'm really excited to move into a flat with my friends and potentially own a tortoise (the dream), I'm going to miss Ramsay and the people here so much. 

First year has been a whirlwind of new experiences and challenges, and I've grown and changed as a result of it all- I've learnt so much, from coding to plumbing (oh, the delights of engineering); but perhaps more than anything from the friends I've made and the people around me. I'm also now fully capable of navigating around Central London without a map (or an iPhone, as may be the case)- and also around UCL (which is probably just as difficult); I can survive tube strikes and I can cross roads without getting run over... which is definitely a useful life lesson.

We're not quite done yet, luckily, since we still have these exams to get through and then we have the BASc End-of-year Conference, but it now really is starting to feel like we're counting down the days until summer. I know everyone said Year 1 would fly past, but I never thought I'd be quite so sad to be leaving it behind. This time last year I had no idea what to expect from the future, and although that is still very much the case (some things never change!), I've realised that I'm very happy not knowing, since another thing I've learnt this year is that uncertainty brings with it the most wonderful surprises...

Changes

The last few weeks have been quite intense for me here which has come as quite a shock after such a relaxed Christmas. The main change in my routine has come about because I've now 'achieved' my goal to live and work in France. I am a customer assistant at one of the M&S France branches. Currently this means I spend a lot of time hanging up bras and advising people on outfits. The whole experience is helping my French so much and is also a lot of fun.

Cheers, Inception.

Now that I both live and work in France I've realised that I need a new target. Whilst I'm happy to enjoy the moment, I'm a strong believer in having a dream to get you to where you want to be. However currently I'm happy in the knowledge that I've achieved something I've wanted for years. The start of my contract means I am now working or studying for 28 hours a week. This is significantly more than I've been doing since I moved here so I think it will take time to adjust to the early starts and late finishes. But as always I'm doing my best to see it in a positive light. Now I value my free time more.

SU represent.

An example of valuing my spare time could be last night (13th February). A group of people from the Students Union at my university were invited to the British Embassy for a talk on London and Paris. We all dressed up the best we could and had a really interesting evening. Firstly we were greeted the ambassador (!), then we listened and participated in the discussion of Paris and London. Afterwards there was a champagne reception with unlimited drinks and canopés in which we certainly showed our true student colours.

Unfortunately I don't spend every evening at the Embassy (yet). Next week is reading week and I'm looking forward to one of my friends coming down to Paris and also my mum and sister. It's difficult to feel homesick when you have Skype and the Eurostar. I could technically go back to England whenever I wanted (if I had a spare £100+...) What's surprised me is the fact I don't feel like I need to.

Nelson's Valentine's card to our flat

To conclude, I'm feeling pretty happy. I'm surrounded by wonderful people, have easy access to others via the internet and am suddenly getting somewhere! Things are changing but change is one of the only things we can be sure of in life. So, whether you're alone or in a couple this Valentine's, I hope you have had an excellent day.

Alice

Exploring London

"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."

Samuel Johnson

I like going for spontaneous walks around London. These can range from late night strolls down Charlotte Street to get our fro-yo quick-fix to hour-long treks down to the Natural History Museum in Kensington. Wandering through London is like absolutely nothing else: there always seem to be new places to discover and new things to see, and I don't think I could ever get bored of the feeling that comes associated with it.

I'll admit that I probably spend the majority of my time in my little 'Bloomsbury Bubble'; which consists primarily of my halls, my university and Tottenham Court Road, which is conveniently located half-way between the former two. With much practice, I've now become an expert in crossing main roads without getting run over (it's a skill, honestly) and I can now make the whole journey between halls and Uni in a record timing of about 4 minutes. Undoubtedly the identifying landmark of this area is the BT Tower, which provides the "lights that will guide you home"- very literally, in fact. Coldplay actually met in my halls and it is said that this song lyric references the fact that Ramsay is very conveniently located at the foot of the BT Tower, thus providing a "guiding star" for drunken students coming home at 3am.

If I extend my bubble a little further, it also includes Oxford Street and Regents Park, two places which are both overwhelming in their own ways- the former due to the sheer volume of over-eager shoppers and the latter due to the amount of space that you just don't tend to expect in large cities. Oxford Street has become a definite no-go at week-ends, but for a quick mid week pick me up shopping trip it's very nicely situated only ten minutes from my halls; and Regents Park is very nice when I just need a break from the fast paced and hectic London life. I've played Ultimate Frisbee a few times there as well, which is a lot of fun and which I would definitely recommend if you get the chance.Both places are also rather good for name-dropping, if ever the opportunity arises.

There are many other parts of London that I've grown to love since being here. Soho is great for going out in the evenings and also for ice cream (the best is Amorino's, which, coincidentally, you can also find in Paris)- although do watch out as I did get my iPhone stolen in Soho (a distressing experience which made me realise how dependent we have all become on technology- something to leave for another post, maybe). Camden has also provided us with many fun times, perhaps the most memorable of which involved two of us struggling to walk up the high street with about 6 bags each filled with supplies for our corridor Christmas party. And then there's also Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Chinatown and the South Bank which I have always and will always continue to enjoy.

There are so many more parts of London I could write about, and even more which I've still not had the opportunity to visit yet, but I'm making it my mission, from now, to explore new parts of London at least once a week. I was given a fortune cookie on Chinese New Year, which told me "It's never too late to travel the world". I think that's probably right- think of the film Up (which is such an amazing film, just saying). But the truth is, you don't really need to travel the world to experience new and exciting things. Everything is out there right on your doorstep, it's just a matter of looking for it and taking advantage of it.  Before I experience the world, I want to experience home properly. Which is why, right now, I'm going to find a map of London, drop a pin on it, and go and visit the place that is falls on. 

"By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show."