Rowing Camp

   So this weekend we had an intense training camp for rowing. Both days were long, 8am-3pm and 9am-3pm, and it's safe to say they were killer! The whole aim of the weekend was to focus on our technique, so that we can therefore row to a higher standard and continue to do well in races. I've definitely noticed a difference in how I row over the weekend, so hopefully that'll put us in good stead for the race next Saturday!

Saturday 29th November
   Dragging myself out of bed at 6:30am was honestly the worst feeling in the world on a Saturday, the one day of the week I like to lie in! Plus it meant I had to walk to the bus stop in the dark, and anybody who knows me knows I hate walking when it's dark, I like to be able to see things properly!
   When we arrived we were told we were going to be doing various different sessions over the weekend, which would be overlooked by our coach Josh. Our first session was a water session. As there were only 3 of us fresher girls we were put in a boat with 5 seniors, which was really beneficial when it came to pushing ourselves and improving our technique, as we could mirror the seniors. We were lucky enough to be on the water for around 2 hours, compared to the 45 minutes we usually get. Having a longer session was so useful, as we got to put everything we were learning into practice for longer until we got it. Rowing so early in the morning was really peaceful, and it definitely woke me up too! We focused on rowing using just our arms and then building up to a quarter slide and a half slide, so that we could fully understand the order in which our body has to move to give each stroke the most power.
   Our second session was on the urgs. We had to do a power session to get us more used to just how much power we need for races, as well as help us with our recovery. We did 3 reps of 12 minutes with a 4 minute break in between - 2 minutes at rate 15, 2 minutes recovery, 2 minutes at rate 20, 2 minutes recovery, 2 minutes at rate 25 and 2 minutes recovery. By the third rep we were all pretty exhausted, but it really helped us realise how important power is to get the boat moving, and how important recovery is to get you ready for the next stroke or set of strokes at a different rate.
   Our final session was on the play boats, as there wasn't enough of us to do anything too hardcore. The play boats are one man boats, and they looked really confusing! I was feeling a bit queasy, so decided against going in as you are completely in charge of the balance and I knew I'd wobble all over the place! I loved watching everyone else in them though, and I know I'll have a go next time as they'll be good experience and may help my rowing technique even more as I'll have two oars to contend with and not just one!

Sunday 30th November
   Today wasn't quite so bad as we didn't have to be there until 9, so I got to lie in until 7:30 which I definitely appreciated! Once again the day was built up of sessions, however we didn't get a fun session today in the play boats, we had four proper sessions to work on technique and help build our strength.
   Our first session was weights. We had 8 different stations including a dead lift, bench press and plank, and we had a minute and a half to do 10 reps per station, unless of course you were planking in which case you had to plank for the full minute and a half. Once we'd completed a full circuit we had a 2 minute break before doing it again. In total we did it three times and it's safe to say I didn't think you'd sweat doing weights, but we all did! I was actually quite surprised that I could lift any of the weights as well, because for those of you that know me you'll know I'm normally pretty weak... Surprisingly I'm also looking forward to doing more weight sessions as well, as I know it'll make me a much better rower.
   For our second session we spent 20 minutes on core exercises, which has made me decide that I definitely don't have a core... After having already planked for a good four and a half minutes I was nearly in tears at the fact I had to do another two minutes. I definitely think I'm beginning to improve on core exercises however, as I now seem able to hold them for longer than I could during my first circuits session. It's actually quite a nice feeling afterwards and the following morning as well being able to feel that you've really worked them! Again, much as I may moan when I have to do them and much as I really detest having to do core work, I know it'll make me a much stronger and fitter rower, which is obviously exactly what I want to achieve!
   We had a brief break between our second and third session as Agecroft were in training their senior teams, and there aren't enough urgs for all of us! We didn't have to wait too long though as they started during our core work, so it was only around a 10 minute gap. Urg sessions tend to be the most dreaded sessions by everyone, as they're usually the most intense. Today's session was slightly easier than yesterday's. We did 3 reps of 10 minutes with a two minute break in between - 8 minutes at rate 18 and 2 minutes at race rate (I did it rate 28). Similarly to yesterday's urg session, by the time it came round to our third rep we were all pretty knackered, but again it helped us to understand the importance of pacing and recovery.
   Our final session was a water session. Normally I love going out on the water but by this point I was so exhausted I just wanted to go to bed! Instead of properly rowing we focused very heavily on technique compared to yesterday, which I definitely think we all benefited from. We started off with working on our timing, in fours we would all run up the slide and then slap our oar on the water. It took several attempts to get us in time but we got there eventually! We then worked on our posture, making sure we sit up straight and keep our arms straight for as long as possible and our hands level so that we don't unbalance the boat. This instantly made a massive difference as we had a lot more power rowing with the right posture. I got compared to a bull in a china shop at one point, as apparently my recovery up the slide was far too fast and I got told I needed to be a "cocktail waitress" and slow it all down which got a few giggles! Despite the fact we didn't get to do as much actual rowing as yesterday I felt a lot better about my technique when I left as I noticed an improvement in the boat and now I just need to make sure I remember to keep it that way!

   Overall, exhausting as the weekend was I think it was really beneficial to all of us. There's no point being fit and strong if your technique is rubbish, as you simply won't be able to row properly. I've definitely noticed improvements in my technique over the weekend, and hopefully when I next race these will become obvious and I'll become more confident. I also feel a lot fitter after all the weights, core and urg sessions, and I know that the hard work will begin to pay off soon enough!

Diabetes Awareness Month

   I didn't know about this until the other day, but as something that is very close to my heart, I thought I should write a post about my own personal experiences.
   I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes a month before my third birthday. Normally Type 1 is genetic, however I am the first in my family to have it, so it was a bit of a shock to everyone. Having been diagnosed so young I've grown up not remembering life without it at all, which I believe has benefited me compared to people who are diagnosed later on, as they've grown up being able to eat and drink what they want without having to worry about counting their carbohydrates and injecting themselves with insulin accordingly. Similarly, not being able to remember life without it means that I just get on with it, there's nothing I can do to change it, and even if I was given the opportunity to do so I know that I wouldn't take it.
   I was bullied for being diabetic for the majority of my childhood, particularly when I got to secondary school. I was classed as "disgusting" for having to inject myself purely so that I can live. It got to the stage where I used to have my injections in the toilets so that no one would see me take them, despite the fact I can't help having to do them and people really should just learn to deal with it. Due to the bullying, I found it very hard to find friends who were willing to accept me into their friendship groups. For some absurd reason they seemed to think that as they had a phobia of needles I would inject them if ever we argued! Therefore I found it very hard to settle in and make friends, despite the fact I really can't help the fact that my pancreas just ceased working when I was younger.
  However, diabetes hasn't affected my life in as many ways as people seem to assume that it does. For example, I look like a completely normal person and I am a completely normal person, I just have one organ in my body that doesn't work, it doesn't make me an alien! I can eat the same foods as everybody else, I just can't have foods high in sugar very often, and I need to count the carbohydrates in foods so that I can ensure I have the right amount of insulin. I can still drink on nights out, I just need to make sure I have a carbohydrate based meal when I'm back to absorb the sugar in the alcohol. I can still have a normal job like everybody else, I'm just not allowed to be a pilot, bus driver, taxi driver or ferry driver, as I can't risk having a hypo and putting other people's lives at risk. I am still allowed to drive a car, I just have to take blood tests before I go anywhere, and be reassessed every three years due to potential diabetes related problems with circulation and eyesight which may affect how I drive. However, as long as I maintain good control of my diabetes, which I do, I shouldn't have any problems. Basically, I'm exactly the same as everybody else and I can lead a normal life like everybody else, I just have a few extra safety precautions.
   As I've got older I've become more willing to help families whose children have been diagnosed. Being diagnosed so young put my parents under a lot of pressure, as you can't expect a three year old to inject themselves. So my parents had to learn how to handle and cope with the injections, blood tests, carbohydrate counting, hypos and hypers. This in turn allowed them to teach me, meaning by the age of 9 I could do it by myself and was almost completely self-reliant. Helping other families and young people cope with it all gives me a massive sense of satisfaction, as I'm living proof it's not the be all and end all!
   When I was 13 years old I was incredibly lucky to be chosen to represent Kettering constituency at Diabetes UK Childrens' Lobby of Parliament for the Second Reading debate of the Schools (Health Support) Bill in London in April 2009 to raise awareness of diabetes in schools, as in schools all over the country it wasn't properly recognised and supported by staff. As a result of this Bill things have improved a lot since then. I went to London for the day and met with our MP, Philip Hollobone, to talk about diabetes and how it had affected me. I'm fortunate in that my school and surrounding schools in Kettering were aware of diabetes, but other children and families at the event were being treated appallingly and really needed to fight to change things. I had a really lovely afternoon being shown round the House of Commons and the House of Lords and was treated to free cake, I think he may have forgotten I was diabetic by this point...
   Basically, the whole point of this post is to say, yes, I have diabetes, but it doesn't really make me any different from the rest of you, because I can still do exactly the same things as you, I just have to take it into consideration and keep an eye on myself. We're not "disgusting" for having to inject ourselves at all, it's what we have to do to live, and it's human instinct to survive. We're the ones who have to live with it, not you, please remember that.

Manchester Christmas Markets

   Yesterday evening Meesha and I decided to take the bus to the Manchester Christmas Markets to give us both a break from our assignments and also to help us get into the Christmas spirit. I'd never actually heard about the Manchester Christmas Markets before moving up here, but it's safe to say that they are hugely popular, being a major topic of conversation from September, and having people from all over country travel here to take part in them.

   We started in Albert Square, which seems to be the main hub of the market and usually the busiest. The smells were absolutely incredible! The stalls are set up in little wooden huts, and the whole atmosphere is so magical, it honestly doesn't feel like you're in Manchester. Fairy lights are strung between the stalls and around the trees and it just looks so unbelievable by night. The stalls range from hot chocolate and mulled wine, to sweets, meats, cheese, bags, clothes and hot food. My favourite thing about the market was the diversity of all the cultures and food there. There were stalls from Germany, France and Spain all selling their local specialities. 

   When we arrived Meesha and I were absolutely starving, so we headed straight for the food! We were completely spoilt for choice, there was everything from pasta to burgers and we spent ages walking round and deciding what we wanted. In the end I opted for a hot pork roll and with sage and onion stuffing and apple sauce, reasonably priced at £5, while Meesha went for gnocchi served with vegetables, also £5. 

   Neither of us were actually planning on buying anything from the markets yesterday, we went more for the food and to have a look. However, I'm definitely planning on going back to purchase some presents from there closer to Christmas as so many of the stalls had the perfect little gifts for people back home! The market stretches throughout the whole of Manchester City Centre, so everywhere you go there are stalls to entice you in. There were also several brass bands and choirs which helped add to the Christmas atmosphere and just made the whole experience more magical.

   After we'd been looking for about an hour we both decided it was time for pancakes, so we went to Meesha's favourite stall and had mini Dutch pancakes with Nutella, which cost us £4 each. Nothing can beat Nutella and pancakes! What really surprised me was how reasonably priced all the food was, I was expecting to be forking out a lot more money, but I suppose they get a ridiculous amount of customers over the 4 weeks that it is open. Similarly the majority of the stalls are reasonably priced, although I do recommend looking around properly before rushing into buying things, as I saw the same faux fur headband on several different stalls, all offering it at different prices! 

   The market closed at 8 and as we both began to get tired of walking round and the temperature started to get colder we decided it was a respectable time to get ourselves a Bailey's hot chocolate. Over the past few weeks at university this has become my absolute favourite drink, I can't get enough of them! Nearly all the stalls offered hot chocolate with Bailey's or rum, it's definitely a very Christmassy drink! These cost £6, as instead of getting them in takeaway coffee cups you get them in proper little mugs specially designed for the Christmas Market! You can return these afterwards for £2 back, but why wouldn't you want the souvenir and a cute little Christmas mug?! 

   Overall I definitely recommend that anyone considering coming to Manchester for the Christmas Markets does so, because I can assure you that they are well worth it. I'll definitely be going back within the next few weeks to purchase some presents and just throw myself back into that magical atmosphere. If you can't make this year then make sure you come along next year, it's definitely one of those events that you just have to go to, and it appeals to everyone as the stalls are just so diverse with their target demographics. It's a taste of Christmas all over the world, all compacted into Manchester City Centre.

Dirty Dancing With Katie

   Last week I went home for a few days to spend time with my family and have a catchup with a few of my friends. I've recently become very homesick at uni, probably with it coming up to Christmas, so being able to go back for a little while was definitely needed.
   I'd arranged from the beginning that I was going to see Katie again. However, this time, instead of going to the Kino Lounge as we usually do, we decided to have a girlie evening in with a film and ice cream. Katie was absolutely horrified when I told her I'd never seen Dirty Dancing, it's appalling I know, so she decided she was going to take the responsibility to introduce me to it. It's safe to say it is the most beautiful film I have ever seen. Having felt pretty emotional before I even turned up to Katie's, there were plenty of tears whilst watching it, it honestly really pulled my heartstrings! Patrick Swayze is the most incredible actor, and Johnny and Baby's relationship is just so beautiful and it made me all soppy and emotional! Two 18 year old girls, ice cream and a film like that is definitely not a good combination!
   However, I enjoyed the film so much I went and bought my own copy to take back to uni with me, which resulted in me watching it with mum the following evening!

C&D Productions

   Following on from my interview with Katie, this week I decided to interview my friend Chris Lynch, who runs local theatre company C&D Productions. Similarly to Katie's interview, I chose open-ended questions so that Chris could answer them in-depth and give you a proper feel for what C&D Productions is all about, I definitely recommend you go and check them out! 

What inspired you to start C&D Productions?

   I think we wanted to do things differently to how we had seen many local theatre groups or societies do. Having been involved in theatre for four years taught us a lot and gave us a great grounding in the pitfalls we saw first-hand doing other shows. We ultimately wanted to provide a fun, relaxed environment for people to perform and produce good theatre, without all the cliques and drama behind the scenes which we had seen elsewhere. We also wanted to focus on straight acting, so thus far we have performed a mix of classic and contemporary plays. The reason being that the local area is saturated with groups performing musicals (of varying standards) and with a few exceptions it seems they all pick their shows from quite a limited pool of choice. Hairspray for instance will be performed both at amateur and professional levels 4-5 times throughout 2015.

   We also wanted to try and encourage new people to get involved with theatre. In some productions we see the same faces show after show, regardless of whether they all suit or fit the play/musical. In every production we have so far performed we have had 40-50% of the cast members having never been on stage before. This helps local theatre on many levels, it ensures the local performing pool is added to so it doesn't grow stale and stagnant and it will hopefully start to build a new audience for shows locally.

What do you aim to achieve with C&D Productions?

   Obviously I’ve touched on that in the last paragraph, and the easy answer is ‘to be successful’, but that is quite a loose term, it depends on how you measure success. For me, being successful would mean to continue encouraging new people to get involved with us as we've done a lot of good work on that front so far. I would like us to perform more plays on a more frequent basis to ensure chances are always available throughout the year for people on stage and as part of the various production and backstage teams. Touching on something I mentioned earlier, I want to ensure a varied season of theatre year on year to give our audiences a nice mix of dark and light plays, using classic texts/plays and also not being afraid to deal with more contemporary material.

What are your goals for C&D productions in the next 5 years?

   By the end of our first year we will have performed five different plays, both locally and down in London at a fringe festival. I think within the next five years I would like to perform at more fringe festivals, both locally and further afield, and also increase the number of productions we perform a year. This obviously needs to be at a manageable level and has to be sustainable in terms of time, talent and audience attrition, but I feel it is achievable. The other main thing would be to build up our creative and production teams to ensure that there are always fresh views and approaches. In our first year we've had four different directors involved and I would like to see this number increase, along with the different people involved in other areas including technical, props and make-up for example. Keeping things fresh should ensure a vibrant group of people that is always evolving and keep the risks of stagnancy at arm’s length. 

What do you find most challenging about running your own company?

   I think just keeping track of everything, especially as the beginning was quite daunting. Many people when they think of theatre immediately think of the actors, the venue etc. but the sheer amount of things that happen behind the scenes is amazing. You have to sort out scripts, venues for workshops/auditions and get rehearsal schedules planned before anything has even been set! Running up to the show you have to pull everything together so props, set, marketing, backstage crew, front of house people, not to mention all the technical elements such as lighting.

   I have found the whole experience highly rewarding though as there is no better way to learn than on the job. I did pick up lots of bits of advice during my time with other theatre groups and as mentioned saw things almost crumble last minute on occasion due to poor planning, or more likely to bad communication. We have regular production team meetings once the cast of a play has been assembled and we keep dialogue going constantly as it builds the togetherness that is important for any team to succeed and it allows us to identity any potential problems and deal with them as a collective. Ego has no place within our theatre company and making sure everyone feels valued and appreciated is key to building and maintaining the harmony that has been prevalent in our productions to date.

What do you find most rewarding about having your own theatre company?

   The family feel that we've created has to be one of our biggest accomplishments. I can honestly say I have never known anything like it, especially in the local theatre scene. There are no tears, no dejected looks and certainly no one leaving feeling unhappy or undervalued. Theatre is ultimately to the vast majority of those involved a hobby, hobbies as a rule should be fun, enjoyable and fulfilling and I would like to think we've achieved having that feeling really early on. Perhaps because we don’t approach rehearsals or projects with the ‘what can I get out of this?’ attitude, instead I go in with the thought process of ‘how can I encourage and inspire people to realise and even exceed their potential?’, and that isn't just on a performing level, but it’s almost on a personal one. Actors aren't robots, especially at a young age when people are trying to figure out who they are and what they possibly want from life. I'm privileged to have a fantastic group of people around me and I always operate an open door policy, meaning if someone needs to speak to me about absolutely anything, I'm always there.

   I had a great conversation with one of my bright young talents this week where they said they appreciated me being there and that I had made a real difference over the months I have known them. That for me is one of the best compliments someone can give me as it means I have supported them and have become someone they can rely on. I hate reading articles or statuses where people haven’t got anyone they can go to, and I’d like to think my casts, crew and production teams know they can always come to me. Having a positive impact on someone is one of the best feelings in the world and when people go on to the many achievements they will no doubt have in life, I can at least know I helped them get there even if it was in a small way.

How does social media play a part in your company?

   Social media impacts on practically every facet of our group and productions. I honestly don’t think people and businesses realise how much of a great thing social media can be and how it is seamless and relatively cost effective. We have used it to reach out to parts of the local community which were otherwise untouched and have engaged with people to get involved as actors, backstage crew or volunteers in other parts of the theatre company. It has also allowed us to connect with local businesses too to great effect which both improves our profile locally, and also ensures our long-term future. One local business has agreed a four figure sponsorship deal with us to ensure the majority of our running costs are paid for, meaning we can focus on other elements of the theatre company with the peace of mind that our break-even levels are much lower. A lovely restaurant and cocktail bar has also agreed to form a partnership with us, offering discounted rates to cast/crew and to theatre-goers before and after our performances. The key word that relates to all these examples is community, and continuing down this route can only help us build strong relations with other groups and companies, thus helping them in turn.

Who is your favourite theatre company?

   I can’t really pick one single theatre company that I like as there are many that I’ve had great experiences with, or have enjoyed performances of on the professional stage. Instead I’m going to cheat and pick a theatre I love, The Old Vic, in London. As a theatre it has everything from a rich history going back hundreds of years to presenting an exciting schedule of theatre year on year. As a theatre it has been transformed from a near church room which busied itself with science lectures and conducted itself along ‘strict temperance lines, to then dealing heavily in Shakespeare to its modern day offering which saw a brilliant production of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, starring Gillian Anderson. As a theatre it also understands it has a responsibility to the theatre scene and runs umpteen programmes (including Old Vic New Voices) to help young and aspiring actors and directors, as well as doing a ton of community work. 

What's been your favourite production you've put on so far?

   That is a really tough question as they have all left me with great experiences and many happy memories. ‘A Doll’s House’ by Henrik Ibsen was our first production and was really challenging as it presented so many obstacles. Also as it was a debut show it will always have some sentimentality attached to it and was the first of the many steps we've taken since our inception. The two Camden Fringe plays were also an amazing experience, especially as one was my own work and was raising awareness about strokes and Locked-in-Syndrome, with the other which Dan directed presenting me with one of the best characters I've ever played in ‘Death’. My favourite has to be ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley, as it is our biggest production to date, in both scale with cast size and the magnitude of the project as a whole. It confirmed that we could put on productions of varying size and scope, whilst also bringing through quite a few exciting talents who have since stepped up a level to bigger parts in our next production this December, Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’. The team I assembled around me were all really talented and the ability to build a ‘family’ with a cast and crew numbers over 40 is an achievement I feel very proud of. 

What advice would you give to anybody wanting to start up their own theatre company?

   Look around in your local area and see what other groups are doing. You will need to try to find a different angle or ‘take’ on what your group will offer. There are many societies out there that have been going for decades and are pretty set in their bi-yearly offering. Setting up another group offering the same thing isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you don’t want to split audiences or stretch the local talent pool. Instead it’s better in my opinion to find a niche and pursuit it, as we have done by creating an open door straight acting theatre company. No one theatre company that focuses on acting offers this at the moment and I think the reaction we've had from the public and local community reflects this. That isn't to say that groups should be as open as we are, of course if they want to focus on an invite only approach then that is their choice and good luck to them. The same could be said about groups that have a small group of people to cast from and typically cast the same people in the same roles production after production. This could be down to the group’s inability to attract new members or down to vanity and ego, either way I don’t think it is healthy in the long-term.

   The main advice is to have a focus and don’t veer from it without good reason. Start on a smaller scale and gather a close-knit group around you who share the vision and are willing to put the hours in. Also don’t put ego before the project. Looking at the five productions we will have done in our first year, I will have been a lead in only two of our productions and I think having that transparency is vital to show that new people can come in and have a chance at getting any part. Several local groups have problems with some public opinion being that some parts are often pre-cast, this is a nightmare whether it’s true or not as the general consensus can blacken a name and dissuade people from auditioning. Of course, those people cast could well be the best people for the parts, but I think it’s key to have the transparency I spoke of and if you’re directing something, not to take the lead for yourself. It smacks of vanity and suddenly the question of why groups exist boils down to self-promotion, rather than simply ‘putting on good theatre’.

   The other advice I would have is simply to have fun! It is a hobby for most and it should stay an enjoyable endeavour, especially for the cast involved who give up their time to appear in your productions. Hopefully my thoughts and opinions have given a slight insight into the theatre company world, at least in my sphere, and if anyone wants to discuss anything, ask me questions or link up in projects somehow I’d encourage them to email me at chris@cd-productions.co.uk. I’d also ask people regardless of their location to give our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/CDProductions.theatre) a ‘Like’, doing so is a great way to support our theatre making and community work. We will be performing in fringe festivals throughout the UK in 2015, with London, Brighton and Manchester being likely locations. Also if you want to get involved with us in some way then definitely get in touch! Eleanor has recently joined our team, looking after our Twitter account which currently has 800+ followers and that is testament to our policy of helping and encouraging people. I first met Eleanor a couple of years ago when she was 16 and I’m really proud that she’s at uni, doing something she enjoys and giving her opportunities to hone her skills with us. 

--

Chris Lynch
Director
C&D Productions Ltd
www.cd-productions.co.uk
www.facebook.com/CDProductions.theatre

Rowing Welcome Drinks

   After originally having decided not to go, I changed my mind 5 minutes before my friends were due to leave last night, and decided to go to the rowing team's welcome drinks for us freshers. It's tradition that every year the senior team arrange predrinks and a night out for the freshers, and provide a theme, games, forfeits, and lots of drink. It's basically an evening to help us bond with the senior team!
   This years theme was farmers and farm animals. All the seniors had to dress up as farmers, and all the freshers as farm animals. Normally when it comes to fancy dress I like to get really creative, however, since it was such a last minute decision this year, the only costume I had access to was cat ears, so I had to be an incredibly unoriginal farm cat. Abi had gone out for dinner with her stepdad and was getting back later, so I agreed to get a taxi with her so we didn't have to walk in on our own. Unfortunately for us, we both had to do forfeits for being late. Our forfeit was taking a shot, in a glass thank god, out of Matt, the fresher boys captain, belly button... without using our hands... It's safe to say it's the most bizarre, awkward thing I have ever had to do, and I'm determined to be on time for the next rowing social! Other farm animals included chickens, a mouse, sheep dogs, a duck and a penguin... however, it turns out that penguin farms do actually exist as their poo is harvested!
   After a few predrinks we left to go to Fifth in Manchester. Drinks are much cheaper on a Wednesday so everyone went a bit crazy to begin with, Jager Bombs were only 90p! I was pleasantly surprised at how much of the music I liked was in the playlist, as I normally find it's very house music, but perhaps as it was not a Friday they'd gone for something a bit different. It's safe to say I was very happy with Muse, Arctic Monkeys and Two Door Cinema Club! Throughout the night the freshers captains took plenty of photos, and we all just took it as an opportunity to bond properly with one another, which is definitely useful as we'll be seeing a lot of each other over the next year! I can't really remember the last part of the night, but I think that's more down to the fact I was absolutely exhausted rather than being too drunk to remember it. Overall it was such an amazing night, and the rowing team are absolutely lovely. I'm so glad I went, and it's made me more determined to enjoy being a student and go on more nights out with friends.

Katie Wilson

 

   So, after mentioning it in a post last month, I finally got round to interviewing Katie! As a journalism student it was actually quite daunting having to come up with the questions, as I want the interview to interest you and to allow Katie to talk in as much depth as possible about her blog! For my first interview, I'm actually quite pleased with how it went, I think I've managed to let her cover all aspects of her blog as I chose to go for more open-ended questions. Once you've given the interview a read I definitely recommend going and checking out her blog - thekatiewilsonlife.blogspot.co.uk/

What's your blog about?
   Initially I set out to make a fashion blog, I wanted to fill my little space on the internet with all the trends you could imagine, and easy ways to recreate these looks with items on the high street but I soon realised I was limiting myself to just a tiny slice of the massive cake that is blogging! I pretty soon started creating posts on beauty products and at Halloween I actually did my first baking post, which was a little scary because anyone that knows me knows I'm awful in the kitchen! In answer to the question, my blog is just about little bits and pieces, some would criticise that it doesn't have a theme, but the theme is me, it's about my life, and I don't think my life has one theme!

What inspired you? 
   Lots of factors actually contributed to me starting my blog. I was in a weird place in my life when all my friends were moving away and I didn't have a clue what I was doing. I actually explained in my first or second post that I started my blog in order to let my friends know what I was up to while they were off having the time of their life. In the back of my mind I had always fancied it, I'd read other blogs and thought I could give it a go but I had this nagging feeling that no one would read it and it would end as quickly as it had started, that's why it took so long for me to just start it. I was very concerned what other people would think of me and I had to grow out of that first!

What/ who are your inspirations?
   This is difficult because I don't want to sound clichéd. I suppose around 2 years ago I discovered this amazing, almost new breed of people we've come to refer to as YouTubers, who I later came to realise were like a group of evolved bloggers. I discovered blogs belonging to the likes of Tanya Burr and Zoella and the fact that they just blog about anything and everything inspires me. I also love Hannah Maggs, she has an amazing blog. I have recently come across Ella Grace Denton's blog weneedtolivemore.com I'd say she's a pretty big inspiration! A big mix!

What do you aim to achieve?
   At the minute, nothing.  I've achieved what I set out to do, my friends read my blog, they've subscribed via email which is exciting! I've already achieved more than I imagined. For a start I'm still at it, and I absolutely love it. It means I'm not talking my mum or dad or brother or sister's ear off about things they're not interested in. Like I mentioned before I have this little space on the internet now where I can waffle on about everything and if people want to read it then that's great but if they don't they don't have to! The fact that you want to interview me for your blog, I see that as an incredible achievement. Right now I am happy with what I've already achieved so I have no other goals in mind, for the foreseeable future that is!

Would you recommend blogging?
   100%. I think blogging is really for anyone who wants to do it. You can tailor the work load to your specific needs. Right from the word go I decided I wanted to post regularly, more than once a week, not quite anticipating the sheer amount of work that goes into it. However you don't have to have a schedule, you can just update when you've got something to talk about! Despite the time it takes out of day to day life, I can't see myself not blogging now. Obviously there are those days/weeks when you just feel uninspired and as if you can't be bothered but when I get like that I have to remember why I started. All I have to do is think about what my friends would like to see and I've more than likely got 3/4 posts to contend with! You get out what you put in, anyone who can keep that in mind can run a blog.

What do you find most challenging blogging about your topic?
   I think the fact that I don't have a fixed specific topic can sometimes be difficult, I sometimes don't really know where to go next. Fashion and beauty can be difficult because you're shoving your personal preferences right out there, and stuff that I like certainly won't be the same as what the next person likes! I think it would be realistic to say I sometimes try to please everyone, when really my blog is for me and the fact that other people like it is an added bonus. Being a people pleaser is challenging but in general it's the schedule that is often challenging. These past few weeks I've been busy with work and open days and the like, so it can be difficult to regularly update. I feel guilty but I have to remember people would rather see something that's had thought put into it than a quick random update. There I go people pleasing again!

How would you describe your blogging style?
   From a very young age I was always told I wrote like I worked for Hello magazine, which didn't bode well for me in essay writing subjects! Now I think I just write as if you might actually be having a conversation with me, at least that's what I think, it's going to be embarrassing if that's not coming across! I'd say it varies though, depending on which post it is, a haul or a favourites post is perhaps a bit more chatty but perhaps my a/w 14 post sounded a bit more formal. However people read them I always want there to be an element of me in them, so there's probably a lot of bad jokes or me thinking I'm a lot funnier than I am, but if you spoke to me face to face that's exactly what it would be like!

What is your favourite thing about blogging? 
   I get to ramble about things I love without getting on anyone's nerves, well not face to face anyway! Seriously though, I can't describe it, perhaps escapism from day to day life? Not that my daily life is bad, just having a little project for myself that I really love to do. I don't know, I don't think there is one thing about it, I love all of it!

What's your favourite post?
   I liked pucker up because it was the first post I took photos for which was quite exciting! I also loved the iTunes tag because although it went up a long time after I'd written it, I was so proud of myself for getting all those videos on it without putting my fist through the computer, it took a long time! My favourite though has to be A/W 14, I was just so proud of it because it was my first real post and I spent hours refreshing my memory with all the A/W shows doing 'research'. After I'd published the post I actually thought to myself "Oh, OK this is real, I'm going to be a blogger!"

Head Of The Dee 2014

   Yesterday was such an exciting day for me as I had my first ever rowing race! It's safe to say I was stupidly nervous and it was the most tiring but amazing day and such a great experience. The race was in Chester, so we had to leave at 7am to get there on time! There were four different teams racing from Salford, two senior quads and two fresher eights. There were loads of races going on at the same time, but the event organisers split the day into two divisions, with roughly 120 boats in each division, so it's safe to say the river was pretty hectic throughout the day!

   As soon as we arrived, after about an hour's journey, we had to help unpack the trailer and put the eight back together as we had to take it apart the night before in order to be able to fit it onto the trailer. We had to begin by carrying the boat down a muddy slope to find a space before we could put it on the trestles, this took aaaaages as there were so many boats around! Then we had to fit it together, screw it and go about placing and screwing all the riggers and seats in place. Although we all worked quickly and efficiently it still took a fair bit of time as we had to make sure it was perfectly put together so that we didn't have any accidents on the water! 

   The boys were racing at 10am, and originally we were racing at 12noon but this got pushed back to 2pm due to the tide. The race was 4km long, and before we could even start the race we had to get in at the finish and row all the way to the start, so basically it was an 8km race rather than a 4! Us girls had it slightly luckier than the boys, as they had to row against the tide, so they were absolutely exhausted by the finish, whereas, although we were exhausted too, we were rowing with the tide, which made it slightly easier for us to get a fast time. Both teams had to row facing the sun, which was absolutely killer as it was so so hard for anyone to be able to see! Thankfully, we had an amazing cox, Charlie, who was able to tell us exactly what we had to do to avoid any accidents or collisions. 

   Before our own race we went to support the boys eight and the two senior teams, as a little support can really help you keep going when you're so exhausted towards the end. Standing amongst hundreds of supporters all cheering and clapping politely, we did feel a bit common when we saw our three boats and started shouting and screaming "COME ON SALFORD!". However, it seemed to work as we could see our crews smiling and they sped up for the final run.

   When it was finally time for us to enter the water and row to the start it's safe to say we were all absolutely petrified! It was cold and windy and we were all so nervous! There were 5 of us freshers, and 3 senior girls. We all did our best and our captain and cox were both incredibly proud of us, particularly seeing as it was our first race. We managed to do it in 19 minutes! We would have been faster but unfortunately I managed to catch two crabs, meaning we had to stop briefly so I could recover it. I managed to whack myself in the jaw the first time, and I will warn you now, it is painful as hell and the bruise and swelling you get the next day is fabulous! My whole jaw went numb and I was in a ridiculous amount of pain and stupid as it may sound, it did shake me up a fair bit. However, it has made me even more determined to train harder and keep going and pushing myself further and further so that my future races are more successful and we get faster times! It was such an amazing day and such an amazing experience, now the first race is done I know we can only get better and produce amazing results!

My Manchester Recommendations

   Having lived here a month and a half I've managed to do some exploring, perhaps not as much as I'd like, but enough to roughly know Manchester and to be able to get from A to B. Therefore, I thought that it was about time to share my top 5 Manchester hot spots with you, if you're going to find me anywhere in Manchester, it'll probably be in one of these places!

MediaCity UK
   It's safe to say that I absolutely adore MediaCity, having given it a whole blog post to itself not that long ago, honestly, it is the most beautiful place and I am so incredibly lucky to be able to study there. Being surrounded by BBC buildings and knowing you're learning next door to some of the biggest names in journalism is just unbelievable, particularly when you're hoping to break into that industry yourself in the next few years.
   Over the past few years a lot of work, preparation and money has gone into making MediaCity and Salford Quays as appealing as possible, and I definitely think that they've achieved that. Walking round MediaCity by day is amazing, but at night it's unbelievable with all the lights and their reflection on the water. Salford Quays is full of lush places to eat and plenty of outlet stores to make Christmas shopping much easier for us students! The whole area is the perfect place for a family afternoon out as there is so much to take in, and there are nearly always events going on to entertain everyone. A tram line runs between MediaCity and Manchester Picadilly Station, meaning it's easy and convenient to get to all year round.

Lola Lo's

   I've mentioned Lola Lo's in a few of my posts, and as my time at uni has gone on I've realised that it's definitely my favourite club in Manchester. I love the fact you have to dress up and wear heels, and I adore the classy atmosphere it has compared to Northamptonshire clubs. You go there to have a good night and it definitely never fails to give you one. Spread over three different dancefloors there's always room to enjoy yourself and grab a drink, and when it gets too hot you can go outside to the decking overlooking the river, which is stunning at night. Apart from their cocktails, the drinks aren't too expensive, which can be a miracle or a disaster depending on how you handle your drink! Basically, I highly recommend that you go there because it's a fantastic night out and you'll love it! It seems to be our go to place in Manchester, and I can definitely see why.

The Trafford Centre

   I've only actually been to the Trafford Centre once, but I remember how astounded I was when I stepped inside. It's completely unbelievable in there, and so so magical! It's huge, a hell of a lot bigger than I was expecting, and the interior is just insane. It looks so regal and palatial! I definitely want to go Christmas shopping there, I bet it looks incredible with all the Christmas lights and decorations in place.

   It contains just about every single shop you may ever need under one roof! Despite the vast size of the centre, they all seem really close together, so your feet shouldn't hurt too much after a day's shopping! The atmosphere it creates is just so relaxed and exciting, in fact despite going in September I think it had that magical Christmas atmosphere already! It's definitely a centre to add to your Christmas shopping bucket list, you'd be crazy not to give it a visit!

The Arndale Centre
   The Arndale Centre is my go to place when I need a shopping trip, but don't want to go to the Trafford Centre, where I'll be overwhelmed and impulse buy everything! It's another massive centre, but doesn't have the regal feel that the Trafford Centre does, it's much more laid back! Again, it's full of a ridiculous number of shops and restaurants, so you can easily stop off to grab some food or a drink before you carry on shopping. It's perfect for all ages as the range of shops fulfils everyone's personal preferences, and you can get just about everything you need there! It's super easy to get there, you just need to jump on a bus or a tram and you'll be there in about 15 minutes! It tends to be full of students in urgent need of some retail therapy, so it's always buzzing, but it's not horribly crowded like some centres can tend to be. I love taking as many trips there as possible without blowing my student loan!

Manchester Piccadilly Gardens
   My final Manchester recommendation is Manchester Piccadilly Gardens. If you want a bite to eat after a long day's shopping, then you're spoilt for choice. It's just so picturesque, and again, it's reachable by bus or tram. It's a beautiful green park surrounded by restaurants and food places. Although I haven't seen it by night, I imagine it must be pretty spectacular. When you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the Arndale Centre and the surrounding streets then this is the place to go. Although still busy, it has a much more relaxed atmosphere as people are full and content with themselves after a hearty meal, and you can sit and watch the world go by outside.