leibster award (about me):

I was tagged for the Leibster Award four times this week by Hannah, Ellay, Emma and Shona, so I thought I’d just get on with it and do it! I randomly picked Hannah’s questions. The aim is to state eleven random facts about yourself, answer eleven questions provided and then state eleven questions for someone to answer themselves. Mine has ended up quite long, so I apologise! 

ELEVEN FACTS:

Sutton Coldfield

ONE: I was born, and have lived for the vast majority of my life in a place called Sutton Coldfield near Birmingham, a town where I can trace my family back for about 400ish years. I’m immensely proud of this and my little town.

TWO: I did my bachelors degree at Cardiff University, in Law and Politics. I couldn’t miss it more (even though I detested Law!).

THREE: I currently study Political Science at Leiden University in the Netherlands, focusing on political behaviour and communication.

FOUR: I don’t appreciate being in the Netherlands enough, largely because it’s been one of the loneliest experience of my life, but occasionally I’ll be cycling on my bike and it’ll all over take me and I can’t quite believe I’m here.

My best friend, posing.

FIVE: I’m best friends with my ex-boyfriend. A lot of people say it’s not possible but I couldn’t disagree more – he’s the best bloke I could ask to be my friend but I couldn’t even conceive of fancying him these days!

SIX: I’ve been pretty much single for about three years. Although I’m sure this is largely because of me, I’m also increasingly aware that I haven’t seen someone I really fancy the pants off for about the same amount of time.

SEVEN: Without sounding like a massive arse, I was diagnosed with EDNOS when I was seventeen and PCOS when I was nineteen and I can honestly say that both have ruined my self confidence in their own special way. 

EIGHT: I am petrified at the thought that I might end up divorced one day, I have no idea why I’m so scared about it!

NINE: I absolutely detest my fringe, it never works the way it’s meant to, ever and yet I look like the girl from the ring without one, so it’s a vicious circle.

Birmingham.

TEN: I hate people that are mean about Birmingham when they’ve never actually been there, I cant even begin to describe how much it pisses me off.

ELEVEN: I went to a boys school for sixth form, which was a very different experience. 

ELEVEN QUESTIONS:

ONE: What is your middle name?

My middle name is Helen, and it must be the most unused name in the world. You know how most parents show how angry they are by using your middle name too? My parents never did because my real name isn’t Annie, so when they were really mad at me they’d just crack out the real name. I don’t feel any association towards it whatsoever. My Mum once said it had been the name of one of my Dad’s mistresses back in the day when I was born, but I have no proof of that whatsoever, and it’s not something I want to go asking about.

TWO: What inspired you to start your blog?

Errr errr errr! I’ve had a Tumblr since my first year of my undergraduate degree and I gathered a lot of followers on there and although it’s a great way to kill time, it’s not much of a creative outlet. I once googled something completely random and found LLYMLRS, and then realised she was real life friends with a friend of mine from Cardiff University, and although that realisation is as far as the connection goes, it was enough to spur me on into looking at starting a blog. I started it, and then didn’t really have much to write about, but moving to the Netherlands in September gave me the added push I needed to make a go of it and I’ve been going ever since.

THREE: Do you have a favourite blog you read?

Basically put, no. I read a lot of different blogs and many have a different purpose. I pretty much love all of the people I follow, I don’t hapharzdly follow people and I don’t follow people just because they ask. If I follow someone, I see it as some sort of commitment to reading their blogs and I’ll unfollow if I find myself not enjoying reading that blog. I also have other favourites like my best friend Tom’s and my best friend William and their Tumblrs, or my cousins Blogspot, because they have a very diary based format and I can nose on what they’re all up to whilst we all live in different countries! I’ll always love postsecret too.

FOUR: What is the best bargain you have ever got?

This is a really difficult question I won’t lie! I have absolutely no idea? I spend my life looking for bargains and try never to spend too much money on one item, but I don’t think I’ve ever managed to get a really great bargain that I’ll remember forever! I’m much better at remembering when I’ve been completely ripped off.

FIVE: What is your favourite food?

Dutch Krokets.

I really don’t think I could ever answer with just one! Typically I love everything that’s bad for me – steak, pate, brownies, praline chocolate, krokets (or basically all Dutch fried food), party food (there's a little section in Tesco, it's great!), generally everything from Iceland (woo!). Pub grub is always perfect, I really miss that!

  

SIX: What are your plans/ambitions for the future?

I don’t really have any! That’s kind of how I’ve ended up doing a Masters degree – indecision! Education has helped me decide on what not to do. My Law and Politics undergraduate degree showed me that you would have to pay me upwards of about £5million a year to be a lawyer, and my Masters degree has shown me that I just don’t have enough of an interest to go for it in the world of politics, which is saying something considering my interest is pretty huge…just turns out there are people in the world who are desperate to be in the political field…I am not! I’d love to work in television, behind the scenes maybe as a researcher for a current events programme, or within social media, but who knows! As for plans, I have a post coming up about my goals for the future so watch out for that!

SEVEN: Would you rather be rich or famous?

I’d rather be rich any day. There are so many places I want to travel to and if I had the money I could just go straight away. If I had the money too I’d probably spend the rest of my life just doing different degrees. Plus money (or lack thereof) is one of those things that always worries me so it would be nice not to have to think about it.

EIGHT: Who inspires you?

Is it bad to say no one really? I think this stems from the fact that I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I think I’m partly inspired by those around me – like my Mum who doesn’t give a shit what people think of her, my Dad who’s always valued intelligence and common sense, my step-mum for her work ethic, my grandparents relationship, my little brother’s selflessness and the way my friends have achieved so much. Soppy much?

NINE: Who is your favourite band/artist?

Brand New.

I suppose some could consider it a cliché answer, but Brand New, forever and always. I started listening to them when I was about fourteen, and I haven’t stopped. I go through periods of listening to them on and off, but I always come back to them and I never tire of their songs. I’ve seen them live four times, and every single time they’ve been amazing. I can listen to every song and recall a memory of spending time with people I love doing something brilliant, and to be honest no other band could probably come close to something like that.

TEN: What would be your ideal holiday?

Without trying to sound like a massive cop out answer, I have two posts scheduled about this, so you’ll just have to wait and see instead of me repeating myself!

ELEVEN: Are you a morning or night person?

I don’t think it’s possible for me to be any more of a night person that I am. I mean, for example, right now I’ve fucked up my sleeping pattern and it’s actually 6am as I write this. I will do anything to make sure I don’t have to get out of bed before midday if I can help it, and my general productivity doesn’t start happening until about 7pm. This will obviously have to change when I become a working woman!

MY QUESTIONS:

1. Do you have any nicknames and how did they come about?
2. Do you have any siblings?
3. What’s your favourite high street store?
4. Other than the country you live in, which country in the world is your favourite?
5. What’s your favourite TV programme?
6. What inspired you to get into blogging (a copied question I admit, but a great one!).
7. Which do you prefer, shopping in “real life” or shopping online?
8. Could you cope without social media?
9. What’s the best band you’ve ever seen live?
10. Describe the shoes you wear the most.
11. If you could only eat one food item for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I’m not going to tag anyone, because it’s 4am and I think it’s probably about time for me to go to bed! However, this was a hell of a lot of fun, and I know I have some followers out there who have under 200 followers themselves, so I urge them to do this post, and I tag them in it! That’s not hollow either, I really recommend that you do! Thanks to everyone who tagged me this week, I've had a lot of fun doing this tag!

Follow me on Twitter // Follow me on Instagram 

If the images aren’t mine, they’re from weheartit and I'll happily credit anyone who asks.