A year on...

I've spent all afternoon curled up on the sofa reading a range of blogs and then decided it would be a good time to look back at mine. I think it deserves an update...


A year ago, as I finished uni and had to enter the big wide world of work and other adult things, my main concern was being able to support myself financially. It turns out that I needn't have worried too much, as it took me just 3 weeks to find a job (even one in law) and a week Tuesday will mark a whole year since I became a paralegal.

Days spent wandering into uni at any hour, watching TV and discovering the latest bands have become days of drafting transfer deeds and dealing with mortgage lenders. It's fair to say my life now is totally different, but it's pretty much what I expected working life would be.Fun has to be fitted in around housework and sadly, music has very much taken a back seat.

There are new exciting things even a year on though. I've just booked a badminton class with the boyfriend for tomorrow evening so he'll be seeing just how bad I am for the first time. Although I'm appalling at it, I'm really looking forward to giving it a go. I also have a house (albeit rented) that I can fill with things I like. Just yesterday I went shopping and found a photo frame.

The next project will be to take and find enough decent pictures to fill it. I thought it was a bargain for £6. Once I've done that, I intend to find a craft-type project to do. Everyone knows I'm not good at art and am useless with fashion so I've no idea what it'll be or when it'll happen, but I'd like to have something I can aim to complete.

Will I have completed either project by the time I get around to posting again? When will that even be? I've no idea.


Socks: One pale pink with dark pink edging, one black with red spots

The beginning or the end?

I've been wanting to start writing this again for a few months now but I've been so busy with studying for my LPC elective exams that I've just not had chance. Today seems like a good day to do it though.

Today is officially my last day in education. It's the beginning of the rest of my life.

Although I actually finished exams last Wednesday, today is the last day of student discount and the day that my course officially ends. Although I've had a job before, it's only ever been part time so this is where it all changes. Since I started full time education on 16th September 1992 I've learnt and changed so much. On my 5th birthday I could count and read. Now I have 9 1/2 GCSEs, a GNVQ, 2 AS levels, 3 A levels, a law degree and by the end of the year I will have graduated for the second time and received my Postgraduate Diploma. I'm proud of what I've achieved. It's not been easy, but I've survived education, had some amazing times, met some brilliant people and I'm out the other side.

So what next?

Well to start off, this morning I made a claim to go on the dole. Not exactly what I've ever wanted, but if I'm entitled to some money I'm sure as hell going to claim it. I'd be stupid not to. I thoroughly confused the people at the job centre when I told them that I'm moving back home this week and therefore wouldn't actually be signing on in Cardiff, but the person I spoke to last week told me to claim ASAP anyway so tough. Once my claim is processed I'll be taking my place in the most joyous of British institutions, the fortnightly dole queue. It'll never be something to look forward to, but necessary for now.

Although I originally wanted to work in law, I've really enjoyed the financial side of the LPC. I scored 94% in Solicitors' Accounts and got one of the highest marks in the year (of 160). Maybe I always should have gone for a career in accountancy, but I'll never know. I've been doing some research into it and I think it'll suit me. I went to the Careers Centre at uni today for a quick CV check and ended up seeing the business school specialist by accident. She was brilliant and gave me a load of accountancy based leaflets while I was there. She loved my CV too, which was a pleasant surprise. I guess I'm just too hard on myself. I've not ruled out law at all, but law and accountancy are both horribly competitive areas to start a career in. I'm going to apply for both and see what comes up first. I'm just widening my options really. Seeing an accountancy specialist today did help though. She seems to think that accountancy firms would actually really like me. Apparently they love law graduates, plus doing the LPC means that I have experience in bookkeeping, tax, the Financial Services Authority, money laundering and client care. She said that based upon my CV I should apply for the schemes that require a 2:1 even though I got a 2:2, because I have extenuating circumstances and to add to that I have a lot of experience that might just give me the edge against others. I came out of that feeling quite positive.

I hate describing myself as unemployed, and want a job sooner rather than later so I'm pleased that I have a decent idea of what I'm aiming for, but in reality I have pretty much the world open to me now. I could end up anywhere, doing anything and it's really really scary.

Scary, but so so exciting.

Music: The Killers - Mr Brightside
Socks: One blue, one red.

Madness

I've really neglected this. It's been absolutely months since I last made an update. I had very little worth writing. My mind has been in a million places, and able to concentrate on nothing. I've had so much that I've wanted to do, and despite being insanely busy I've achieved virtually nothing. I've had some big losses, yet gained in other ways. My biggest loss is definitely the fact that my Gran died 3 weeks ago, but somehow I think I've gained from that too. Unlike the rest of my family I couldn't be there when she died and have felt really horrible about it, but I'll always know she was proud of me. For being the first in our family to go to uni, for having a dream, for facing some of the things I have overcome, for everything I've ever done. For being me, just because she was, and always will be, my Gran. It's taught me quite a bit though. I now know who I can depend on and who means most to me. Actually, thinking about it, of all the reasons I could have had for not being with her when she died, I'm quite glad it was something she was proud of me for.

I've got just 3 weeks of lectures left before Graduation and I'm seriously scared. I don't have a clue what I'll be doing in a few months time yet, and although I've got some big decisions to make, my future, for now, partly lies in someone else's hands while I wait to see if I've got any offers for next year. I should know in about 2 weeks time.

Things in the more recent future are getting insane. I've now got 2 dance classes a week, with extra rehearsals in the lead up to the show. I'm also modelling in a fashion show on Thursday (EEK!), going to the Networking Dinner on Friday, AU dinner on the 16th and my Dad's wedding on the 26th. Some time before then I've got to find outfits, sort out lecture notes, study for seminars, start coursework etc. It's getting stupid. There's a chance I'm going on holiday on the 27th and I'm going to need it.

I'll miss uni so much when it's over though.

Music: Kyte - Eyes Lose Their Fire ♥
Socks: One orange & stripy, one blue with a teddy sewn on

The "Joys" of Exams

It doesn't seem like 2 minutes ago that I was about to sit my January exams, and now here I am all ready to do it again. Well, maybe not ready...definitely not ready, but either way come 9.30 I'll be sat in Dining Hall C about to start a 2hr paper on the joys of family law in England and Wales.
Topics on this paper cover:

• Family Law Act 1996
• Parenthood and Child Autonomy
• The Legal Response to Private Disputes Over Children
• Child Protection
• Surrogacy

So far I know only surrogacy. The exam starts in almost 9 hours and I can't remember 4/5 of it at all. Oh hell.

Music: Mystery Jets - Metal Soul
Socks: Still wearing flip-flops

Musings...

Why is it that updates are so much easier to do when I have a stupid amount of work to do? Criminal law is one of the more popular areas but it bores the hell out of me. For some reason I'm in the minority and prefer Land/Property. I've noticed that I seem to prefer areas that don't necessarily involve somebody doing something wrong. I like the idea of being able to help people get over an issue or problem in their life. They may not have done anything wrong, but just need help in moving on and reaching another stage in their life, whether that's buying/altering a house, marriage/divorce or having a child. Criminal law is rubbish.

Saturday night was Ice Cream Social. I've been looking forward to it for a long time. The problem with monthly club nights is that it's always clashed in the past. It was the 7th, but only the first I've been able to go to. It was well worth it. Roll on May 24th and ICS8. Ok, so being fairly drunk helped, but I was good drunk, not bad drunk as I can be sometimes, but it was really nice to go out and dance to bands that don't get played at the standard "indie nights". There's no way I could go out on any other night and dance to Vampire Weekend or Los Campesinos! I was in such a good mood and giggly drunk, yet dancing always puts me in an even better mood. It was probably one of the best nights out I've had in a long time.

Roll on Wednesday!

Music: Johnny Foreigner - Suicide Pact, Yeah?
Socks: Well actually, they're tights.

"Oh My God! They match!" - Laura

I rebelled against myself and wore a matching pair of socks. To be honest I was just being lazy. They were a brand new pair, so I took them out the packet and put them straight on. I couldn't be bothered to find another sock when I had brand new ones in my hand.

Last Friday night was my Law Society Networking Dinner. It was more than just a chance to dress up in anything vaguely resembling black tie. It was a chance to freely talk to working lawyers about their paths into a legal career, discover their opinions on key legal issues and for some people, try to get noticed by the right people. Every table had a different legal guest per course, but unfortunately I got mostly Barristers. It wasn't an ideal situation for a table full of future solicitors, but we made the most of it. It was still interesting night. Finding out about the legal professions from those who we were training to one day replace was a good insight into our potential futures. I had been thinking about giving up on law after uni, but it's reignited my desire to become a solicitor. I think I'll always want to become a music journalist more, but for now I'm happy with the path I'm taking. The best bit of the night was the amount of new people I met. Everyone was placed on tables, so I spent several hours with a mix of students from all 3 years. I'd never met any of them before. I also met some of Becky's friends, and friends of friends etc. I ended the night in a cocktail dress and heels with a group of girls I'd never met before, at a rock club. I think that only 2 of them had ever met before that night. It was quite surreal, but the whole night was well worth the £35 ticket. The food was really good too :D

Last night was quite strange too. It started with the idea of a girls trip to the pub. Kayleigh, Brownie and me set off to the Bryn. We hadn't realised that there was a Swansea football match being televised on Sky Sports, so the place was packed. We couldn't get a table, so the three of us decided to stand near the pool tables, in the last little bit of space we could get and talk to randomers. By the end of the night, we'd had a bottle of wine each, and a butterscotch shot (yummy!). The influence of alcohol meant that the three of us headed to Jaks for the roller disco. We didn't get to skate. We hadn't been there too long when Brownie decided that she was too drunk and needed to go home. By morning, she'd nicked 3/4 of my chips despite refusing to eat anything and I'd had to sleep in her bed after the words "GET IN MY BED! NOOOOOOW!" had been screamed at me.

I don't think anyone's ever done that to me before.

Socks : Brand new rainbow ones
Song: The Academy Is... - LAX To O'Hare