Blogruary Day 1: The Survey Man

The MA degree that I am studying is supposed to prepare us for our first full-time, proper, real life job. I say that because we have classes from 9-5 every day. That is apart from Friday, which we have off.

The Catch Up Blog

I should start off this blog with an apology, having not posted in nearly four weeks.

In that time I ushered in 2013 in a tiny, empty and run-down pub in Kingston watching the fireworks on television having not made it in time to get into a livelier, hipper pub.

The beginning of the year also saw me endure daily hour-long journeys into London to have a useful two-week work experience placement with The Sunday Times Travel Magazine. Whilst I will probably now suffer the consequences of not going to a local paper to fill my portfolio further, the opportunity to work at News International can only look good on my CV. I hope...

Since that placement finished, I have enjoyed not having to suffer a daily commute and I began what I call 'Homework Club' with my remaining friends at home. It's been a semi-productive two-weeks where the highlight has been writing 1/3rd of an essay due in for the end of May.

I've been studying my timetable for the coming term of my degree and I decided that it is best if I agree to just write off my life for the next three months. It is that busy, but I still hold out hope that this MA will be worth in in the long run.

As I realised that I perhaps didn't write enough last term, I have decided to write every day from February 1st. So in February, I will blog every single day. It will be termed 'Blogruary'.

So make sure to subscribe to the blog. I will see you in February.

The New Year's Resolutions

Another year has passed by and we are soon to welcome in 2013. The world didn't end and the Olympic Games went off quite well which makes this year a qualified success in the eyes of many people.

However, 2012 has been a very mixed year on a personal level.

I graduated from university with a very respectable 2:1 degree and I began an MA degree which will hopefully lead to a job that I will enjoy.

In a way though, 2012 has been a year of endings as my university experience at Reading and enjoyable, independent lifestyle came crashing to a halt.

It is at this time of the year that I would usually be desperately creating a New Year's Resolution which would usually result in 'I will not bite my nails'. That itself always fails mere minutes into the new year.

This year though, I feel like I actually have resolutions which are do-able and genuinely life-improving.

I hope that this year I can actually stick to the challenges that I've set myself, and trust me I've set myself a long-list for the coming 365 days.

Let's hope 2013 is a good year, and I wish you all the best.

Follow me on Twitter @Alex_Harris1991

The Post-Christmas Blog

Don't you just hate that four day period between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve? You know, that run of days on the 27th to the 30th where not much happens? 

People are back at work, some are still with their family in far-flung destinations and most are too full from Christmas food to get up out of their chairs. 

So we are consigned to spending most of these days indoors. To make things ever worse, the top-quality television is over and replaced by some sub-par films such as Princess Diaries 2 and happy Christmas songs have been axed from radio playlists. 

I think I've cracked what these days are to be used for. They are to be enjoyed through the eating of more food, the drinking of more soft-drinks and alcohol and playing with those recently received presents. 

I'm testing out my new laptop cooler, how exciting! 

What did you get for Christmas? How will you spend this period of four pointless days?

The Christmas Blog

Its Chrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiistmaaaaaaasssssss!

That's right. T'is the season to be jolly.

I know that it is still three weeks until Christmas but I am very much in the festive mood this year. Since the age of about 14, Christmas has become less exciting as the priorities of the day have shifted away from receiving presents.

However, this year seems to be a different kettle of fish. I attended Kingston's Christmas light switch-on for the first time in ages and I brought a hot chocolate from Starbucks the other day and it came in those lovely festive red cups.

Upon finishing university on Monday, I walked into Kingston town centre to purchase a present and card for my Dad's birthday and I decided it would be wise to begin my Christmas shopping.

I went into HMV and, after much searching, I brought Rihanna's new album for my sister. I expected the shop to be empty at 5pm but I ended up queueing for around ten minutes. And they say that we're in dire economic straits...

In addition to these exciting events, it also snowed in the UK today which really emphasised that Christmas is just around the corner.

Excitement is building, I have my MA Journalism Christmas party on Monday and a big friends of the family meal next Sunday.

Christmas should be celebrated in a jolly manner, so be merry and pleasant over the coming weeks.

Follow me on Twitter @Alex_Harris1991

The Time When I Fell Off A Chair

It was a simple Wednesday afternoon at university. I had finished my Public Affairs class after an interesting, if relatively dull, trip to Surrey County Council.

I had just found out that there was a branch of Subway on campus, and in an attempt to cure my hunger, I headed over to the fast-food outlet.

After walking back to the postgraduate cafe to devour my Italian BMT, I waited for some people to leave their seats so I could sit near my friends.

I confidently strode over to the now vacant chair with a sense of urgency and a wanting to eat this warm and juicy 6 inch sub.

I sat down and subsequently tumbled onto the floor. The floor gave way like a flimsy piece of paper.

Embarrassed and humiliated, I looked at the broken chair on the floor with a look of puzzlement to give off an air of control over the situation. I hoped my face looked like one of passing the blame onto the chair.

My friends were laughing like hyenas and I stood in a passive-aggressive manner. The chair had let me down like a disappointed father.

The manager of the cafe gave me the e-mail address of the university cafe manager to complain, yet I have still to do this and tell of my anger.

Whenever I go to sit on a chair, I now have to check time and time again to ensure my safe sitting can ensue.

The Run

I'm standing in the hallway of my house and I’m putting on my old, battered Nike trainers. I select an appropriate and energetic song on my iPhone, pop my earphones in and then I head outside to face the full force of this cold and crisp November day.

Today I am no ordinary student, I am student who is about to go running through the mean streets of Kingston.

It is at this point that I should probably explain. I have taken part in numerous sports throughout my life yet I’ve never gone jogging in Kingston, despite the fact I used to compete for my secondary school in athletics and cross-country events. I reasoned that it was probably time to become of those people you see pounding the pavement.

For my debut running adventure I rationed that it was probably wise to run a route that I was familiar with. I decided to head in the direction of university. Despite the chilly conditions, I began jogging down my road and through Green Lane Park. As someone who is afraid of dogs, I knew I had made a tactical error by running through a park full of the four-legged creatures. I plotted a course well away from any dogs and proceeded through.

During my athletics days I was always paranoid about setting off at too quick a pace. By the time I had reached the alley-way by Berrylands train station I began to suspect that I was sprinting. This must have made me look slightly strange, so I eased off the pace and tried to maintain a gentle speed.

After passing the sewage works and cemetery that have become regular sights on my daily walk to university, I reached the houses on Lower Marsh Lane. It was at this point that I passed a scruffy looking man carrying a plastic bag which looked to be containing cans of Special Brew. It wasn’t even Midday. I began to suspect that he wasn’t likely to join me in taking up running.

After passing the man, it struck me that the Royal Borough of Kingston is a wonderfully varied place. In the space of roughly ten minutes I had passed through a park, past a pub, through a winding alley and jogged by a cemetery, a Sikh temple and then a potential morning drinker.

Once this thought cleared, I had reached Villiers Road. I was faced by an important decision, which way to go? I could either head left taking the shorter route through Berrylands, albeit up a hill, or I could turn right and run the lengthy distance back home via Kingston town centre.

I opted left but the hill proved one step too far. Near the top I reached a conveniently placed bench which I proceeded to sit at for a while. I took stock of my run and gave myself a B- for effort. My report card would read – “Could do better but an encouraging first try.”

I walked the rest of the way home and began searching for running apps on my phone to aid my future endeavours. It’s probably better if I leave the selection of a route to technology next time.