The winter break is officially over and it
sure went by far too quickly! I’m now back in Southampton and with so many
important events coming up in the next few months, there is a lot to prepare
for but also a lot to look forward to. First up are my end of semester one
exams which begin next week! I can’t say I’m looking forward to writing my
exams but I do look forward to the day they are finished. Because exams start in
less than a week, my days currently consist mostly of sitting and revising
which makes me both restless and exhausted. Luckily, I still have dance classes
and squad rehearsals to get me away from the desk and moving. Also approaching,
in less than a month, is our first dance competition for the year! This is
really exciting but we still have a lot of practicing to do which is why we need
to have rehearsals during exam period. Last year the first competition we
attended was at Bucks New University, however this year, our first competition
will be in Southampton held by us! The pressure is on…
Me
and last year’s jazz squad after placing first at the Bucks New Uni
competition.
Also dance related, are preparations for
our annual Pure Dance show which is in March. This is a huge show consisting of
performances by members from all the different dance societies at the
University of Southampton. The competition squads also perform at the show but
it’s a great opportunity for even beginner dancers to take the stage and show
off what they’ve been working on for the year. You’d be surprised by how much a
person can improve within a year! Because it’s such a huge event it’s really
rewarding to be a part of and it’s a lot of fun too.
Me and
other dancers getting ready for last year’s show.
In spite of being very busy (which I
actually enjoy!) it’s been nice to come back. I will admit that I did feel
horribly homesick for the first couple of days. I always find that I miss my
family the most, right after I have been home to see them. This might seem
strange because I think most people would assume that you’d miss your family
more, the longer it has been since you last saw them. Anyway, I was lucky
enough to be welcomed back to my house in Southampton with a lovely dinner
prepared by one of my housemates. (This was really appreciated because
travelling makes me hungry despite sitting for the majority of the journey.) My
housemates and I started a cooking tradition last year which was inspired by
the UK TV show Come Dine With Me. If you’ve never seen the show, don’t
worry, neither had I before we started. Basically, we take it in turns to cook
a “fancy” meal for each other on the weekends. It’s actually been really enjoyable
and on the Sunday evening I arrived back in Southampton, it gave us a good
chance to catch up on what everyone had been up to over the winter break.
As I
mentioned in my previous post, the winter in Sweden when I was home was
surprisingly warm. Here’s a photo from one of the forests I went for walks in
with my dog. Not a patch of snow!
Since our little reunion, the house has
been relatively quiet compared to how it normally is because my housemates are
also revising for their exams. I’m looking forward to celebrating together once
exam period is over. I’ve also made plans to go and visit the Harry Potter
World in Watford, with a couple of my dance friends, when exams are over. I
have a lot to look forward to but right now the trick is to stay focused for
the next few weeks. At least I enjoy what I’m studying so it makes the long
hours by the desk more bearable. One of my new years resolutions includes the
cliché “be more organised”. I have a lot of commitments but I think that if I
can truly master my organisation and time management skills this year will be
outstanding.
Kristin
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