Salford Varsity and SUBC 50

   Last Saturday saw the annual boat race take place at Salford Quays between our university boat teams and Manchester's. It's one of the most hyped about events for the university, and its safe to say that we were all pretty nervous when it came round.     Despite plenty of training and early mornings we weren't fortunate enough to win due to the strength of the Manchester crews, but it has made us all the more determined to train even harder to ensure our victory next year. It was still a huge event for the university, and it was lovely to see the amount of people who had come to support us, even though the weather was appalling and there was very little shelter! It definitely reminded us that despite being the underdog university we work incredibly hard, and can only keep striving to achieve what we know we're capable of.    The evening brought with the annual rowing ball, which was particularly important this year as it was the celebration of our club having been running for 50 years. I wasn't sure what to expect at first, but it was a spectacular night and I'm incredibly grateful to have gone. It was a very formal event, and everyone looked incredible, and it definitely made a pleasant change to seeing everyone half asleep in their training gear at 6:30 in the morning! It was an opportunity for us all to celebrate how hard we've all trained over the past nine months, as well as to be able to give something back to the club. It also reminded us of how far we've all come, particularly us freshers, as many of us only started rowing in September, but it's such a huge part of our lives now.     Throughout the night there were various awards, allowing our captains to reward us for all our efforts. I was fortunate enough to get a gift for being part of the senior women's WeHORR crew last month, which is an event I will never forget, for both good and bad reasons!     It's safe to say it was emotional having to say goodbye to a lot of the crew who we've become so close to as they are now graduating, but we all know they'll be there with the supporters at the varsity next year! It was a day and night full of reflection on how far we've come, which is actually a pretty scary thought! It's crazy how huge a part of my life rowing has become, but I definitely wouldn't have it any other way.

Faryl Smith

   So it's been a while since I last managed to get round to writing a new blog post due to the stress of assignment deadlines and January exams! Thankfully that's all out the way now, so I can get back to blogging! I've decided to take a slightly different approach with my blog to make it more blog like, so expect lots of interviews, reviews and my opinion on events happening around the world!
   As my first post in a while, I knew that this one had to be a pretty big one, so therefore I incredibly grateful to be given the chance to interview Faryl Smith! I used to sing with Faryl in Masquerade before she auditioned for Britain's Got Talent, as well as singing in concerts since we got her recording contract and for backing on her first solo album. Therefore I grabbed the chance to ask her about what 2015 is going to bring both for herself and for her career!

Who have been the greatest influences on your singing journey so far?

   Lots of great classical singers gave me valuable advice at the start of my career, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Lesley Garrett and Bryn Terfel. They were all people that I admired and looked up to. They all advised me to take my time with my career and to enjoy myself. 

What is the one thing you hope to achieve above all else?

   I hope to one day have the main role in an opera. It will take a lot of time and hard work, but that would be my final goal. 

Who are your favourite contemporary singers?

   I love all of Beyonce’s songs. Not just her voice but the way she performs because she owns the stage.

Will there be another solo album?

   Not at the moment as I currently want to concentrate and put all of my efforts into developing my voice and performing. However we will see about maybe doing another album in the future!

What advice would you give to young singers hoping to follow in your footsteps?

   I would say try to get as many experiences in performing in front of an audience as you can. Maybe join a choir as it brings out your confidence. It also makes the experience enjoyable as you will make lots of friends.

You were incredibly young when you entered the industry, how did you manage to keep grounded?

   I think having a close family around me at all times made me grounded. My mum definitely made sure that it didn’t affect me in any way.

What’s been the most challenging moment for you so far?

   The most challenging thing was probably trying to balance both my full time career and also GCSE’s & A levels. I thankfully got through everything with good grades, but it was very difficult to balance.

What’s been the most rewarding moment of your career to date?

   I don’t think I would be able to pick just one thing! I have had some amazing experiences that I will never forget. Performing in front of the Queen several times and having the chance to meet her was probably one of the most rewarding moments of my career. 

What would be your advice to anyone hoping to break the industry?

   Always do what you feel is the best thing for you. Enjoy and try to appreciate every experience that you have and make sure that you take lots of pictures. I now have albums full that I love looking back at, as there are so many lovely memories. But most importantly, enjoy it!

What can we expect from you in 2015?

   I have been accepted into several music conservatoires in London and I am currently trying to make the difficult decision of one to choose. I plan to study hard, achieve a degree in music and still perform regularly. I have many events coming up that I am really excited about, for example performing for Royalty and Wembley again.

Infinity Dreams Award

   I haven't really got a clue what this award is all about, but I've been nominated by Olivia, so I'm going to follow the rules and see if someone ever tells me what it actually is! 

The Rules

• Thank and follow the blog that nominated you
• Post 11 facts about yourself
• Answer the 10 questions set by your nominater
• Choose 3-10 nominees and set them 10 questions

11 Facts About Myself

1. I'm diabetic
2. I'm quarter Irish
3. I'm an only child
4. I wanted to be an actress up until the age of 17
5. Singing is my biggest passion
6. My aim is to live in either Chesire or Chelsea when I'm older
7. I aspire to be like Fearne Cotton - her career is my dream!
8. I'm obsessed with American Horror Story and Fresh Meat
9. I've recently become a pescetarian
10. I used to be a hurdler
11. I hope to travel the world

My Nominees

Katie

Orla
Antonia

My 10 Questions

If you could pick 5 guests of your choice who would invite to a dinner party?
   I'd actually probably invite a ridiculous amount of people, so this is pretty difficult having to choose my top 5!

• Alex Turner - I have the most ridiculous crush on me and he could serenade me and it would just be absolutely perfect
• Barak Obama - he reminds me of an overexcited puppy, I just love him!
• Ed Sheeran - he's the most down to earth celebrity ever and he's just so lush! 
• Meryl Streep - she is my absolute live aims and I just find her so so amazing
• Evan Peters - HE IS JUST PERFECT.

Why did you start blogging?

   Originally I started blogging to show people in year 13 or a similar situation to me that you don't need to get into your first choice university to be able to make something of your life and still achieve your dreams. However, nowadays it's become more of a lifestyle blog, and that's the direction I want to take it in. It's also an opportunity for my friends to be able to know what I'm up to, because we're scattered all over the country now! 

If you could only use 3 products on your face at one time what would they be?

• B&B cream - it moisturises and gives foundation coverage so it's a good all-rounder!
• Nars Volumising Mascara - it's my absolute favourite mascara, for someone with dark eyelashes it's perfect!
• MAC Ruby Woo - red lipstick is by far my favourite, and this is by far my favourite one

Do you have any hobbies?

• Singing - like I said in a previous post, I've been doing it since I was 3, properly since I was 7, and it's my biggest passion
• Rowing - a new hobby since going to university, but I absolutely adore it and I've realised surprised myself!

What would you wear if you could only have one outfit for the rest of your life?
    For New Years Eve 2014 I bought a black playsuit from Topshop and it's become my new favourite item of clothing. It can be dressed up or down depending on how I do my make up and what I pair it with, so I'd definitely choose that alongside my black Chelsea boots! It's so simple yet sophisticated and it's a definite all round winner in the style stakes. 

What do you want to achieve from your blog?

   I honestly don't have a clue. I already have achieved more than I ever thought I would - I have so many followers and views and people who are genuinely interested in my blog and what I get up to in my crazy life! I just hope it carries on going up and getting more successful and that I give people various ideas as to what to do about university both before they go and once they get there.

What is your biggest achievement so far?

   My school expedition to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands without a shadow of the doubt. Being 1 of 30 chosen out of over 400 students who applied was just such a surreal experience and it was by far the most amazing and rewarding month of my life to date. It made me realise how much we take for granted back home - seeing the childrens faces when we gave them our old clothes just made you realise how lucky we are to have the security that we do. I'd recommend it to anyone and I'm determined to go back one day. It was a life changing experience.

If you could be any character from any TV show/film who would it be and why?
   Rizzo - Grease. I'm obsessed with the film, knowing all the songs and dance routines and having been in a production of it. I love Rizzo's sass and her no-nonsense attitude, I feel like I should start channelling my inner Rizzo a bit more! Yet she also has a soft side and is ready to admit sometimes that she puts on a bit of a front, she's just such an amazing character! I'd never ever be able to do Stockard Channing justice though! 

What was your first ever make up item?

   I can't even remember when I started wearing make up, let along my first make up item! Knowing my obsession with magazines when I was younger though it was properly a tacky sparkly bright pink free lip gloss. 

What is your favourite fashion trend? 
   My all time favourite fashion trend is a classic block print cocktail dress with black or nude court shoe Louboutins. However, I'm aware that's a rather expensive trend, so if I had to go for a cheaper one I'd probably go for black skinny jeans, chelsea boots and a pretty shirt or blouse.

Questions For My Nominees

1. If you could have a one way ticket anywhere where would it be?
2. If you could meet any famous celebrity of your choice who would it be?
3. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
4. What are your go to shoes?
5. Where is your favourite local place to visit?
6. What do you hope people achieve from reading your blog?
7. Who are your favourite bloggers and why?
8. What's your number one way to relax after a busy day?
9. What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?
10. What is your go to album for long car journeys? 

Well there you go - you now know a little bit more about me! Be sure to talk a look at Olivia's blog seeing as she nominated me! If I nominated you then pop the list in the comments below so I can check out your answers!

Masquerade Choir

   Even since the age of 7 I have been lucky enough to sing with international award winning choir Masquerade. I've been singing, or attempting to since, since the age of 3, and before I moved to Manchester the past 4 years saw me singing 4-5 times a week without fail. Having grown up with a pretty musical family on my mum's side, it was inevitable that I was going to inherit the musical genes. After trying, and failing, to play the violin and the saxophone, I stuck to singing and let them become my passion.

   I've also been a member of Belcanto Ladies Choir, another international award winner, various school choirs, and Stagemasque Theatre Company - but Masquerade is the choir that will also have my heart. Not only have I sung with them in the BBC Children's Choir of the Year, which we only went and won, and various competitions at the international choir awards in Llangollen, I was also lucky enough to have the opportunity to go to California with them for 10 days when I was 13. The trip was packed with singing at various theme parks, including Disneyland California and Universal Studies, as well as chance to shop and enjoy the theme parks.
   Growing up with singing being such a massive part of my life, it was a massive shock coming to university and realising that I couldn't really afford to dedicate 5 evenings a week to it any more. Plus I wanted to try new things, such as rowing, and so I decided that singing could take a bit of a back seat after 12 years of hardcore training. I definitely have missed it ridiculous amounts, but it's nice to have given myself a break because amazingly it can be pretty exhausting after a while, especially in the lead up to competitions!    Spending so much time doing something I enjoy over such a long period of time definitely built strong friendships. I have the closest group of friends at choir, my lil Masquerade family, and it was incredibly difficult having to say goodbye to them. My hardest goodbye was definitely Laura, because she's been my main choir girl since day one! We've grown up together and we're ridiculously close and we have millions of memories together, so having to leave her was so difficult! Last year we got into the routine of having monthly Nandos meals as a chance to relax and have a proper catchup after practices seeing as we're not allowed to talk during rehearsals, so it was difficult having to accept that I wouldn't be doing that as often any more as well!
           
   Therefore when I was home over Christmas it was compulsory that I made the effort to see the girls a few times! We realised that it was going to have to be a major catchup, having not seen each other for 4 months, so the first time we decided to have a night in at Katie's with plenty of snacks, pizza and drink. It was such a lush night catching up and having a laugh together, I think it reminded us all how close we are! Despite the fact it had been such a long time since we were all last together it wasn't at all awkward, it was as if we'd never been apart!    I also decided to go and surprise my choir conductor by turning up at a rehearsal last week. All the choir girls knew but we all agreed to keep it secret from Barry so it would be a massive surprise for him, and it's safe to say he absolutely loved it! It was so amazing being able to see all the girls and Barry again, and of course we went for a Nandos afterwards for old times sake! Going to a rehearsal also worked in my favour, as not only have I been asked to go to Disneyland Paris with Masquerade this August, but I've also been asked if I'll sing at Llangollen with Belcanto! It means my summer will be incredibly hectic but I honestly can't wait for all the training to get me back to singing to that professional standard!     So there you go, you now know all about my second family and my lifelong passion for singing! 

New Year, New Blog!

   Seeing as it's a new year I decided it was about time I started making my blog a bit more professional. However, after playing around for hours trying to get a new theme that I liked, I realised I had absolutely no idea what I was doing and that I should some proper help. Therefore, I recruited the help of Sarah, a blog designer, to create the perfect theme for my blog.
   I would definitely recommend Sarah to anyone wanting their blog revamping - she's so lovely to work with and the end results are amazing! I was in awe of how quickly she took my ideas onboard and created the perfect theme for my blog. Within 24 hours she transformed it from an amateur blog to a much more professional one that I'm proud to show of! The price is so reasonable for the end product, at only £20 you'd be silly not to go for it! Definitely go and check out her website - http://www.trisarahtopssmiles.co.uk/p/home.html - she offers so many different things from blog designs to company card designs, and she can quite literally create anything regardless of how in detail your ideas may be!     For those of you who know me, you'll understand my obsession with elephants and therefore it was key that I had them in my design somewhere, and I honestly think my new blog design represents me well!     Alongside getting a new blog design, I've realised it's time I started being a better blogger and taking more photos, as they liven up posts and it'd be better if I showed you what I was up to rather than just telling you! So I promise that this year there'll be plenty more photographs in my blog posts. I've also realised the importance of social media, so I've now got all the links to my various different social media sites on my blog, so you can easily find me! But just in case I'll pop them below as well.     As the title says - new year, new blog!
Twitter Facebook Google + Instagram Pinterest Bloglovin'

2015

   It's with a huge sigh of relief that I wave goodbye to 2014. It's crazy to think how fast it's gone, but it was full of ups and downs for me, and I think I'd be right in saying I had far more than my fair share of downs. Therefore I couldn't be happier to see 2015, which I am determined to ensure is a much better year for me.
   I always create New Year's Resolutions but I am prone to giving up on them after about three months. However, this year is going to be the year that I follow my resolution through to the end. Usually I go for something stereotypical, like to eat more healthily and lose weight, and although this is part of my resolution, my overall resolution is much more important.

   My best friend sent this to me this morning, and I decided to make it my resolution. To be selfish. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm always worried about upsetting and hurting people, so I let people walk all over me and I apologise for everything in an attempt to keep the peace and to avoid losing people. However the last few months of 2014 made me realise I can't let this happen any more. I can't be expected to take the blame for things that aren't my fault just because the other person doesn't want to have to accept that they're in the wrong themselves. I know this may sound clichéd, but 2015 is 100% going to be my year. I'm going to spend it focusing on myself and developing myself into a healthy, happy, successful 19 year old. Most importantly I'm going to love myself and realise my own self worth. I suppose in a way you could say I'm going to find myself. I've let my confidence be knocked so much that I think I deserve to be treated like rubbish, and no one deserves that! I'm going to become the best version of myself I can be and I won't be letting anyone walk over me or stand in my way. It's a hell of a big resolution, but I know I'm capable of achieving it.
   Thank you for sending me this Beth, here's to 2015!

New Year's Eve Surprise

   For the past few months my parents had planned a surprise day out for the three of us, and despite all my begging they refused to tell me what we were doing. Much as I love surprises, I hate not knowing at the same time! All I was allowed to know was that we were going to London for the day and we were eating two meals out - the rest I was to wait and see when we got there. I only took one photo because I was so absorbed in the day, so apologies for that!

   Our train got in at 11:30am and we headed straight for Covent Garden. The station was absolutely heaving! I've always known that London is an incredibly popular place to go for New Year's Eve due to the fireworks, but seriously it was ridiculous. We were early for our table for lunch so we had a wander through Covent Garden to pass the time. Covent Garden is one of my favourite places to go in London. I love the atmosphere it has with all the stalls and the street performers and just the general hustle and bustle. Everyone was just so excited and happy and it just lush! For lunch we went to Brasserie Blanc. We've been there a few times and I absolutely love it there. The food is amazing, the cocktails are insane and the interior of the restaurant itself is just so classy and sophisticated. For my starter I had roasted butternut squash and pumpkin, which was served with soured cream and toasted almonds. It was absolutely devine! I will definitely be attempting to recreate it at uni, it was so simple yet so tasty! For my main I had fried chicken which was stuffed with herbs of some description, which came with sautéed potatoes and a tomato and vegetable sauce. Again, it was so simple but so delicious! I can't remember what my dessert was called but it was a chocolate sponge filled with rich chocolate mousse, served with coffee custard. For someone who used to be a renowned chocoholic I actually found it a bit too chocolately! If you're never been to Brasserie Blanc I definitely recommend going, the food is unbelievable and you're honestly treated like you're royalty.

   After lunch it was finally time to find out what the big surprise was! Mum and Dad were still refusing to tell me, and kept counting down to how long it would be until I found out. They told me we were working there, and it's safe to say I was absolutely gob smacked when we turned the corner and I found myself standing in front of the Queen's Theatre. I WAS GOING TO SEE LES MISERABLES! I've seen the film twice but never seen the actual musical, and it's one that I've been desperate to see! I honestly can't put in words how unbelievable it was. It was seriously insane. Despite being incredibly sad it's such a beautiful musical, and the sound track is just amazing! It's safe to say I cried a hell of a lot because it pulled on a few heartstrings as all musicals tend to. If you haven't seen it you seriously have to go, it's by far the best musical I have ever seen - and I've seen a lot! 

   On our way to dinner I was on cloud nine. I just couldn't get over how unbelievable Les Mis was! We went to my favourite restaurant, Carluccios, for dinner. I was a creature of habit and had my favourite meal, Penne Alla Luganica, which is pasta with sausage meat in a spicy tomato sauce! I was incredibly lucky to have been treated to such an amazing day with my parents, and it was the perfect way to end 2014. When we got back into Kettering we went to my auntie's to see the New Year in with the rest of the family. It's safe to say this has been a New Year's I will definitely not forget.