Things I’ve Learnt During the Pandemic

I haven’t written anything for a very long time. That’s probably a weird way to start a piece of writing. Are there any rules anymore? What day is it?

If someone had asked me how I’d spend my 25^th birthday, I wouldn’t have said in lockdown due to a global pandemic. But life works in mysterious and sometimes downright crazy ways.

It’s pretty bleak though, isn’t it? That’s why I thought I’d try my hand at writing again and put together some of the random assortment of thoughts that have been rolling around my head the past three weeks.

Travel: Amsterdam

I’ve been lucky enough to jet off again this year, and around about three weeks ago Luke and I set off on our third trip to Amsterdam. Amsterdam has been our favourite city for a little while now, and we thought it would be wonderful to celebrate five years of being together in such a beautiful city. We got to finally visit in the dutch summertime, after visiting in the winter the past couple times.

Travel: Our Crete Adventure

At the beginning of June, Luke and I were lucky enough to jet away to one of the most beautiful places either of us have ever visited. We decided carefully what kind of hotel we wanted to holiday at this year, and Aquila Elounda Village had everything we were looking for. Stunning scenery, right next to the sea, not too far from local towns, spectacular food, and adults only! As a celebration for finishing university, we splashed out a lil’ more than usual and booked for two weeks all-inclusive in a double room.

Oryx and Crake

If you follow me on Instagram, you will have undoubtedly seen (and been spammed by) photos of my holiday to Aquila Elounda Village in Crete this past two weeks. I’m obsessed with photos, but hey, there’s worse things to be addicted to. I shall be reviewing the hotel, and showcasing my favourite holiday snaps in upcoming blog posts, but the purpose of this one is my love of Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake. Every holiday needs at least one or two great books to read, whilst listening to the sounds of the sea and sipping cocktails. I was extremely blessed to have taken two incredible books with me this year, and Oryx and Crake did not leave my side for the first week.

Goodbye University

I was going to write a book review this week, but there is something much bigger going on in my life right now. I am leaving University, and in almost two months I will receive my final ever grade.

A Tip to Stay Focused During Essay Writing

Another two months seem to have slipped through my fingers since I last wrote a blog post, but at least this time I have a valid excuse. It is the dreaded Exam/Essay season. Now, I’m afraid the title of this may be misleading if you expected some sort of incredible revelation that would cure all your procrastination issues. It’s not that. But it is one way (and my favourite way) to keep focused whilst writing essays or revising.

Five Books You Need To Read

I realised recently that in my three years of studying English Literature, I have read quite a few books. So I thought I would put this new information to some use and compile a list of just five books I believe everyone should read. Because they’re great. Some more than great. Even fantastic. Soul destroying but fantastic.

Good Morning, Midnight

So, I haven’t written a blog post in a while (I’m sorry!) I’ve just been phenomenally swamped with reading for university at the moment. However, I really felt the need to write about this book as it is one of those particular books that haunt you even after you’ve finished it.

If you are familiar with Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, this novel is very similar in style. This prose allows you to enter the protagonists mind as you read their ‘stream of consciousness’. At first this may seem quite inaccessible to the every-day reader, but once you remove the idea that every novel should have a set form it becomes one of the most intimate forms of writing a character. Nothing is hidden from the reader. You delve into the mind of the protagonist, so you partake in her flashes of remembrance and memories.

The Refugees

We’ll be safe, she whispers. No more fighting, no more worry. It’s a promise we all cling to. We’re leaving for the promise land, be that in this world or the next.

 There’s no room for our life that we have to leave behind, all we can bring are our lives. She holds me in her arms and I breathe in the warmth. I can smell the salt of the seaweed, the burning of torches as we step onboard. Mum helps me on because my legs are too small. I am so small.

 We sleep, we wait, we sleep, we wait. Everywhere looks the same, just endless blue until the night and that’s when the sea of dark becomes the sound of sleep. The waves are not our friends.

I miss our home but mum says we’ll be safe, no more fighting, no more worry. We’ll be looked after. The promise land.

 

The waves were never our friend.

 

And I suppose my promised land was never in this world; it was always waiting for me in the next.

The Meaning of Trees

I’ve decided to share this piece I wrote back in winter. Since I was tiny I’ve loved fairies, and at the age of 20 I’m not ashamed to admit I’m still not 100% sure they don’t really exist. Everyone has to have some sort of faith, right? My God just happens to be Walt Disney, and my bible a fairytale.

This piece was inspired by the fairytales my mother and grandma told me to lull my young mind into a sleep.

I hope you enjoy it!

I do believe in fairies! I do! I do! – Peter Pan, J. M. Barrie.