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The calm before the storm (and by calm I mean procrastination)

Judging by the title of my blog and the fact that the background is a picture of a book, I can safely assume that you've already figured out what sort of life this blog'll be documenting. You're probably wondering why, exactly, you're even reading this blog. I'm wondering that as well, actually. Well, seeing as you're here, I might as well attempt to introduce myself.

My name is Mared, I am eighteen years old, I come from North Wales and I can make a rather fantastic impression of Woody Woodpecker for five full seconds before succumbing to a wheezing fit. Not impressed? Well, that's a bit unfortunate, because I've already run out of things to say about me. Here, have a picture of what I currently look like!


Yeah, my webcam isn't very good. That beam of light makes me look as if I have a certain sparkling vampire hiding in my hair. I could probably take a picture of myself with a boiled potato and still get a better-quality image than this one.

Well, now you know who I am and what I vaguely look like, I'll get to the actual blogging part. Almost three weeks have passed since the day I got my results (which was coincidentally the day I turned eighteen). Long story short, I got into my first university choice - Cardiff University. Despite most of my teachers being convinced that I was going to end up failing everything and living the rest of my days as an illiterate tramp living in the rural fields of the Denbigh Moors, I actually managed to pass all three of my subjects (Media Studies, English Literature and Drama). I also passed the Welsh Baccalaureate. "Wait, the Welsh have their own baccaleureate?" Yes, confused reader. We do. Why? Because we can, basically.

Since that day, I've been busy packing, and when I say packing, I actually mean picking up a wok, turning to my mother and asking, "Is this a cooking implement or an instrument of torture?" My mother thinks I'm joking. I'm not. Why on earth would I need a wok and a frying pan? I can't even cook, let alone figure out what the purpose of a wok is.

I've temporarily converted my sister's bedroom into a Room of Things That I May or May Not Be Taking to University With Me Because I am Rather Indecisive. Seriously, the amount of time I've spent staring intensely at that wok is quite astounding. With less than three weeks to go before I'm kicked out of the house and into my hall of residence, I've managed to collect most of the things I'll need - for example, a doorstop to make my bedroom appear friendly and inviting. Needless to say, my bedroom will be the stark opposite of myself. I have a feeling that by the end of my first year, the only time my flatmates will ever see me is when I drag myself out of my room to shove my face into a box of cereal once every few days. But hey, at least this doorstop will disguise my unfriendliness for the first few days!

Okay, okay, that was a slight exaggeration. I'm actually a very friendly and rather charismatic human being, and I like parties and socialising as much as the next guy. I just also happen to like my laptop as well.

I digress! I've spent the past few days sneaking into the kitchen to pinch random long-lasting food - pasta, cereal, a tin of Weight Watchers chicken soup that doesn't reach its sell-by date until the next century, that sort of thing. I'm determined to save as much money as possible, you see. After watching my brother basically fall into financial ruin during his time at university, it'll be a miracle if I spend more than three quid on my weekly food shop. Whenever someone mentions the term 'student loan' I make an unnatural whale-like noise and scuttle into a dark corner, shuddering. Oh, university; thou art an expensive thing.

I've managed to sort out most of my university-related things. I have my student loan (nghyyyyeeeerghhhhhh) and grant (yay!) sorted, and I enrolled via an online application last night. Well, I say last night, but it was actually two in the morning. Yeah, you can already tell what sort of student I'm going to be, huh. After a minor mental breakdown over the fact that I have to pay £3000 by the end of this month, I successfully completed my enrolment and now all I need to do is fill out the health questionnaire. Hoo, this should be fun.

Well, that's the end of this introductory blog! I'll blog again sometime before I leave for Cardiff - probably the night before, when I've packed everything. That's only eighteen days away! Exciting stuff, bro, exciting stuff.

If you managed to read this blog without gouging your eyes out in boredom, go give yourself a high-five.






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