2018: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

We’ll talk about where I’ve been for a month and a bit in the next post, because before I truly start 2019 off on the blog I want to look back. I get weird and nostalgic at this time of year and tend to tweet too much and post too many pictures of what’s happened throughout my year. I thought the best way to relaunch my site would be to write about all of that, crazy emotions, highlights and lowlights included

The year started not with a bang, but a whimper. The lovely Alex hosted a fantastic New Year’s Eve celebration, before I went back to working for the rest of Christmas break. In January I got my second ever tattoo and saw my first ever premiership rugby game. My return to Durham included snow, Burns Night formal, and more Friday night Klute (if you know you know).

 

Burns Night Formal

New year, new ink

February was a very low month. It mostly consisted of walking miles and miles in hopes that I’d fix the mess in my head and generally struggling a lot. On the plus side The Feast of St Cuthbert happened, so I got a nice break from myself with added black tie, and spent a weekend seeing both Dead! and Marmozets.

March began with a breakup, and for some reason running back to the very hometown that was so intrinsically central to that old relationship in a snowstorm so bad that I almost got stranded. Looking back is so strange now, because I honestly think it was for the best and that I’ve grown exponentially as a person as a result, but it was obviously a difficult time. Anyway…. despite the sadness most of March turned out ok. I planned summer holidays with my friends, threw myself into Durham life, finally saw Moose Blood live and went to France on my final ever exchange. Before that trip I was struggling a lot with being back home and my identity, but after a social media break, immersing myself in French and meeting some fantastic new friends I began to stand a little taller once again. That was probably helped in part by starting therapy, and in part by starting to exercise and focus on myself again.

 

Lovely French pal

Still don’t think I’ve ever looked better

The last term of first year soon rolled around, a term essentially of two halves. To begin with obviously it was exam season, and whilst the exams themselves weren’t overly terrible I had periods of real low mood and spent a lot of time crying or sleeping. Not pretty, but it taught me that recovery is a process rather than a solution. In Durham we all stay around for a little while after exams, and I had such a great time! I had probably one of the best nights of my life at a college Eurovision party, saw Twin Atlantic, went to my first ever pride, visited Edinburgh, Cuth’s Day happened, we went to the seaside and I had visits from home friends. I also started this blog back then, something I’ve loved working on and being creative with ever since. On the last morning of term in June myself and my flatmates woke up at 4am to watch the sunrise together and it was everything.

 

Cuth’s Day

Finally saw the angel!

This summer was chaotic, at times crazy, but downright fabulous. It all began with travelling to Berlin, Prague and Budapest with the best team I could ever hope for. After a week straight of work after landing back in the UK I headed down to Dorset to hang out with the same great pals. We enjoyed some rare British sunshine by the sea for a few days, and then headed up to Oxfordshire for Truck Festival. It was a bit of a beer-infused blur but I saw some amazing bands and got a questionable tan. I came home, got a recovery themed tattoo and went fully vegetarian because I’m a walking stereotype. I also climbed High Spy & Catbells, went on a good few nights out and took a trip to York.

 

Berlin

Truck Festival with the bois

We went to the pub once or twice

My brief love affair with hiking

I moved into my second year house in Durham a little earlier than most at the start of September, and I won’t lie, it was quite lonely. To solve that problem I quite literally ran away to Italy. I went to Milan for a few days on my own, and genuinely really enjoyed seeing a new city from the perspective of being a solo traveller. I also visited my school friend in Edinburgh (again) and went down to Manchester to finally see Halestorm live, after a lot of years of waiting. These trips were a good approach to feeling better in the short term, but my overwhelming memory of September is that of depression. Luckily, it didn’t last long.

 

Italy looking pretty

Edinburgh looking pretty

Not long after I returned from Italy I started second year, and oh man it’s been good. I adore (most of) what I study this year, get to live with my best friends and love my city. I got involved in student politics for the first time this term, being elected LGBT+ officer of the Labour Club and helping with an NUS delegate elections campaign team, which has brought me a whole group of lovely new friends. I saw countless gigs, meaning I spent a lot of weekends in Manchester and nights driving to Newcastle and back. This term has definitely been the best one yet, and I honestly can’t wait to go back to Durham.

 

A formal I guess? I forget what for

LGBT+ caucus vs the fees

My first time canvassing!

Since coming home between working and studying I haven’t really been up to all that much. I had a lovely quiet Christmas with all of my family and I just feel very lucky at the moment. I’m properly excited about what I do, (mostly) healthy, (mostly) happy, and (mostly) living my best life.

So apologies for the very long post, but 2018 has been a huge year for me. It’s had some highlights that I’d even consider life highlights, but at the same time has been a hard year in many respects. I feel like it’s been a year to progress, deal with things, and prepare for making 2019 the most kick-ass year ever.

-Megan, listening to Placebo (and wondering why I haven’t listened to them in a long while!)