Forward

Haven't had such a shitty day in ages. Most of these shitty days were not by my choice. I would never make them shitty if I had the choice. I hope tomorrow will be a better day, I hope I'll feel better tomorrow. I hope.

It's only when you've given so much that when it's gone you're left with a horribly empty hollow feeling inside. But I'm done.



(All she ever wanted and needed was to be free.)

Exams

First TGIF spent at home in more than a month? And only because all of us in the house are now down to one last exam and we all finish next week! Had curry for dinner and it was really good. 

Can't believe it was only last Friday that I was slogging away in the library for econs T_T Last weekend was such a horrible weekend, had Micro on Thursday, Macro on Monday and Stats on Tuesday so it was literally 3 consecutive papers except I was lucky enough to get the weekend. So far I've had French Oral, which went okay I guess. I didn't manage to finish my presentation, was down to my last point but the examiner told me to conclude so I went straight to the conclusion. When I was timing my presentation it only took 4min30s, but I didn't memorise my presentation word by word this time so I guess I spoke a lot slower during the actual presentation. The questions were quite okay, though I don't know if my answers or preparation were actually sufficient enough or if they addressed the question properly now thinking back about it :( I had one question that was unexpected and I was struggling to give an example and ended up giving the most cliche example of Paris (my topic was on tourism) "je dois donner un example ..." T_T So that was French Oral. Had slightly more than a week (10 days) to study for Micro, and I'm proud to say that I actually (almost) completed all the past year papers!!! Not sure how effective it was because the paper was really hard and I know I had some mistakes ... Was so tired after Micro and I was supposed to study Stats that afternoon but my brain just wasn't working. Dedicated the weekend to Macro and it was terrible because I did Macro right at the start of Easter break but by then I'd forgotten like EVERY SINGLE THING so it was as though I had to study all over again T_T So I didn't manage to touch stats until after the Macro paper. Made quite a few mistakes in Macro as well and didn't manage to finish my essays argh but I really didn't know what to write by then and there wasn't enough time!! I had a blister on my finger after the exam. And I wrote 15 sides. Then it was stats the next day and I couldn't remember the formulas T_T Didn't finish the stats paper, had 25m worth that I didn't have time to finish T_T Just hoping that I pass everything now. French written next week. I think it's good that I started and am ending with French and had Econs in the middle so I didn't have to keep switching subjects to study, though it was quite hard with Econs because Micro was so much math, Macro was more essay and graphs and Stats is just stats ... Okay please just let me pass everything please. :(

In other news I also sprained my ankle for the first time in my life yesterday. Went for a French revision class and missed a step when I was walking down the stairs. Went to the school clinic and the doctor said it was a hyperextension (??) because I basically slid down the stairs on the front of my right foot T_T It wasn't even swollen at first and I could still walk then within an hour it started to swell and now my right ankle is about 1.5 times the size of my left. So annoying and I've been limping about everywhere and I walk so slowly it took me half an hour to get to school today instead of the usual 15min a r g h. And I was supposed to go for the OML sample sale that day!!! And I sprained it right before I was going to leave school ugh.

Anyway there isn't much else exciting happening in my life so I've just been entertaining myself by adding things to my Brandy wishlist. Pinterest is wonderful hahaha but it just makes me want to buy everything o m g and I'm actually really broke right now T_T

Keeping my fingers crossed for French on Tuesday and hoping that my ankle will recover soon!!!!!!

Hello April

Can't believe it's April already - where did my time go?! I realised today that the last time I ticked off my academic wall calendar was 16 Jan, and that was the end of the first week of term 2. Time passed so quickly argh 26 days to my first exam ...

Been spending the past few days in the library, I can't say I've been completely diligent but at least it's slightly better than me staying at home and getting absolutely nothing done. Today I had an interview in the morning, came back and got some stuff and went straight to the library. Spent most of my afternoon watching the French film that I'm presenting on for French oral, so that's still technically work. This is beginning to feel exactly like pre-A Level days, as much as I was hoping for that dark period to never repeat again but what can you do when you're under more or less the same system. I did my filing tonight and finally remembered to set my alarm clock to the right time (completely forgot about daylight savings) and hence am ready to begin April on the right note!!

Also kind of missing last year Easter break, when S was still around. The weather was so much better for one thing, it's so windy and rainy these days but last year I could wear skirts by this time already! And the sunlight hours are getting longer so I'm generally happier. I remember the craze over the kinder eggs last year and how we spent Fridays going to Forever 21 on Oxford Street instead of studying. Such good times and I really don't want time to pass so quickly I want to hold on to the good memories and I don't want to be old.

March

It's been an overwhelming week, with end of term, B going back, spring week, opera, and LKY's passing at the beginning of the week. I've officially completed my classes for my second year at UCL, completed the spring week that I'd been looking forward to, had the last concert with string orchestra 2 weeks ago, and tonight is the last show for the opera and also my last performance with the symphony orchestra. Now that everything has / is coming to an end I actually feel a bit empty inside, but I guess it must be good if time passed so quickly it must meant that I thoroughly enjoyed everything while they lasted.

Meeting Sabrina and Hue for a quick dinner before the show later, gonna squeeze in some time to practise as well. Next week will be relatively easier and I really need to catch up on my sleep and also sort out my stuff. Will probably update more in detail then. x

Sweden: Stockholm Trip

(I really need to start recording my travel experiences, so I'll just start with Stockholm first since it's my most recent trip and while my memories are still fresh. Will include itinerary and tips!!!)

Carissa and I decided to take a weekend trip last weekend (6-8 March) since it was the last free weekend for the both of us for this term. We both had Fridays off, but I was so busy for the entire year I never had the chance to travel on weekends previously. I initially wanted to go to an EU country since the Euro exchange rates are pretty good now, but Carissa's been to most of them and we couldn't find any good deals for the rest as it was quite a last minute decision. So we decided to go to Stockholm, because return tickets were only 60 quid and it's in Scandinavia!!! I love Scandinavian countries.

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Day 1: 6 March, Friday

We took the morning flight to Stockholm from Stansted and arrived at Skavsta Airport at about noon. Upon arrival we discovered there was only one bus that runs from the airport to the city centre, as with all the other airports in Stockholm. A single ticket costed 159 SEK and it would've been only 139 SEK had we bought it online earlier, but we didn't know. So the bus ticket already took 15% of our money as we only brought 1000 SEK each. Never mind. The airport itself was really small, so we got through the borders really quickly and boarded the bus. The bus journey was rather smooth as well, and it took us about 1.5 hours to reach the city centre. We were really hungry by then, but I've always had the habit of bringing food when I travel so I had tons of supplies. Carissa went to the one of the convenient stores at the central station and bought a cream-filled donut which costed 16 SEK. It was called a "vaniljmunk" (pronounced va-ni-li-moon) and it was the only Swedish word I learnt how to pronounce (I asked our Airbnb host).

Here's how a vaniljmunk looks like:

We then got single tickets to travel to Alvik, where we were going to be staying. There was a 24 hour metro pass available, but we didn't know if we were going to be using it a lot so we got single tickets first. Our Airbnb hosts met us at the station to bring us back to the flat. They were really friendly and nice and gave us lots of tips and advice as to how to get around and where to eat and stuff. And it was also how I asked for the name of the cream donut haha. Anyway, the easiest way to get around Stockholm was by metro, or the tunnelbana because the buses apparently have very little routes. So we quickly dropped off our stuff, left the house at about 3pm and went to buy the 24 hour passes. They were quite worth it since we took the metro rather often and it was cheaper than having to buy single tickets for each time we took.

The first stop was obviously Kungsgatan (King's Street), a.k.a. the shopping street. I'd been sure to ask the hosts how to get there and the nearest station is Hötorget. If anything I was determined to visit the SWEDISH Brandy Melville. It didn't take us very long to find. And the store was so nice!!! I was initially a bit regretful of buying so many things at the Oslo store just 2 weeks ago as I didn't know I would be visiting Stockholm then, and it's slightly cheaper due to the NOK/SEK (=1.10) exchange rate, but I was glad afterwards cause none of the stuff that I bought in Oslo were in stock at the store!! Except for the Nana dress, but never mind. I managed to pick up a pair of All Eyes On You Remi shorts that were the last piece on the last chance rack, as well as a burgundy Bobbie Top (also on the last chance rack), a red Sachi Halter, a Kaitlee Skirt (that I'd been eyeing online since forever and finally bought), a black ribbed Genevie Top as well as a black ribbed Donilyn Tank. And they were all cheaper than if I were to buy in the US and pay US taxes. Especially since the USD/SGD is so high now. I did my math and the magic number was 9.2. But yeah, spent an hour at the store. They didn't have much else though, but there was a gorgeous array of scrunchies by the counter. Also they had Stockholm stickers!!! And the Luna ones. I don't know why they don't have them in the London stores.

After we left Brandy, we went to Fjallkanken that was right opposite. C and I were both carrying our Kanken bags in UN Blue on the trip LOL. I really like the baby pink and white ones. Then we started walking in the other direction and couldn't resist not stopping in American Apparel. They were actually having like 70% sale, and I found the Sunflower denim shorts and the floral corduroy skirt in my size!! Also tried on the watermelon shorts but didn't like the colour as much however I am still hesitating. And C also succumbed to the temptations and bought a pair of floral denims hahahaha. But I am really happy with my buys even though AA is still much cheaper in the US.

We took the metro to T-Centralen to get the free shuttle bus to IKEA. The bus stop is along Vasagatan and it comes every half an hour. We caught the 6pm bus so by the time we reached IKEA it was already 6.30pm. Went straight to the restaurant first to eat Swedish meatballs lol (what a thing to do) but the whole meal was probably the cheapest you can get in Stockholm i.e. 50 SEK per person. They were decent, though I honestly can't really tell the difference between the ones in SG and the ones there. Walked around IKEA after that but we only had until 7.30pm to catch the last bus back to city centre. It was really classy though and C bought a cushion and a panda soft toy. It took us forever to navigate to the cashier because the building was so big, and we almost missed the bus cause we were waiting to check out the cushion and the panda. Managed to just catch it and it took us back to T-centralen. Most of the shops were closed by then (8pm) so we went into Ahlens which was this big departmental store that was open until 9pm and just walked around before taking the metro back. So that pretty much concluded the first day, returning back satisfied with all our buys HAHAHA.

- - -

Okay I'm really tired now so I think I'll continue this another day and hopefully post photos!!

School

I've been MIA for so long because I've been so super busy with everything. Supposed to do French now but I think my brain just stops working after midnight but I can't wake up in the morning so I have to finish it now omg .........

Anyway, happy CNY! Not much happening over here. I wish I was back in sg hahaha and I haven't even had time to watch the CNY countdown yet T_T It's a thing which I need to do lol I'll probably replay it this week and like speed through the boring stuff. I am also craving mandarin oranges which they don't sell here so clementines will have to suffice.

Life has been super hectic and packed but exciting! I went to Norway a week ago and spent a week there. Managed to see the aurora borealis twice, and also visited the Brandy Melville store in Oslo and got a ton of stuff - 4 Donilyn tanks + 1 Nadine + 1 Chiyo + 1 Ellie + 1 Genevie + 1 Bobbie and a Nana dress, which is basically the long sleeve version of the Alena dress. Too bad it only comes in black for now :( I was there on Thursday and they had a whole bunch and I hesitated cause it was 330NOK which is like 30GBP/$60?! Then I went back the following Wednesday and it was THE LAST PIECE on the last chance rack and I just couldn't bear to leave it behind LOL. So yeah. I also caved in and finally bought the American Apparel Tennis Skirt in white and am intending to get it in more colours ... New clothes hooray!! Brandy just had a warehouse sale ytd in Cali. I wish I was in Cali.

In other news strings concert and opera are coming up in less than a month, making it 5 more performances this term since the opera runs 4 shows. I'm slightly dreading the thought of having to play for 3 hours non-stop (okay there are breaks in between the acts but still) but it's my first time being involved in something that's not purely orchestral so it's very exciting! We just had the first rehearsal today with the chorus and some of the soloists and they were really good. In addition I've also finally reached the end of SW applications and have spent the past few weeks on apps and interviews. But I'm pretty happy to have came out with 2 offers, so Easter's looking very very busy. Exciting days ahead!!!

And I'm going to quickly finish up my French and sleep asap.

Oversleeping

Wasted my morning oversleeping when I could've gone for French. This sleeping thing is going too far because I can't even wake up to like the fire drill alarm clock now. And I just fall back asleep even if I do wake up on time and then I actually have strange dreams and don't wake up until hours later. So super annoyed with myself these days argh.