It might have just been Easter Break, but life as a sixth former never stops! It feels like two minutes since I was last off college, however the break will not be unappreciated.
I have spent the first couple of days of the holiday just lounging about to be honest, which has been very relaxing and probably much needed. The days have been filled with rewatching Stranger Things (which if you haven’t watched yet, what are you doing?), going on walks in the unexpected sunshine, spending time with my family, as well as working my way through my long list of films I want to watch, of which there are many. If you know me, you would know how much I’ve always loved watching movies, and because I am a huge nerd, I have compiled a list of all the classics from the last century that I’ve still not seen, and I aim to watch them all. I live life on the edge I know.
During the beginning of this break, I have also started to paint again. I used to paint with my mum quite a lot a couple of years ago, but as I got older, life just started to get in the way, and I didn’t paint for ages. But my mum asked me a few days ago whether I would like to join her, and I’m so happy that I did! I forgot how therapeutic painting can be, that time you can spend just messing about, enjoying the peace and quiet, diverting your mind away from any worries or stresses, whilst creating your masterpiece (or trying to, in my case).
Painting also draws you away from your phone, and the mindless scrolling on TikTok, that can end up consuming hours of your day without you even realising it. This has been a big positive for me, as recently I have been spending way too much time on my phone, and I know I have, but I just can’t seem to stop. Social media and apps like TikTok are genuinely so addictive, and also just draining! So, Iam going to make an effort to drastically reduce my screen time, and when I have a spare minute or two, try to pick up my book instead, or just try to do something productive, instead of wasting my life scrolling!
Another aspect of painting that has also been a bonus, is the time spent with my mum. I have thought about this a bit recently, that when people make plans to see their friends or family, they are always so focused on what they will actually be doing with them, whether it be going shopping, or going for a meal, that they almost lose sight of the most important part, which is just spending quality time with that other person. For me anyway, I have come to realise that just being in the presence of my friends or family, even if we are not really doing anything, is so beneficial to me. Just that knowledge that I am surrounded by people that I care about, and who care about me, can boost my mood considerably, and help me to feel less lonely, which I can struggle with sometimes.
Anyway, enough about painting, I’ve got my gig coming up on the 12th of April, and I won’t lie, I’m a little bit nervous. My nerves aren’t helped by the fact that I am massively procrastinating about practising my songs! I will do it though, I’m going to force myself! There is also a question of what I am going to wear, which as a teenage girl, is obviously one of my biggest concerns. I’m actually thinking whether to do an outfit change mid show…
Other things on my to do list for this half term are as follows: 1. Revise for my driving theory test! Which I should probably get started on soon considering I’ve not even opened the Highway Code. 2. Finish some of the books I’ve started for my wider reading for PPE, as I am cursed with this annoying tendency of starting, but never finishing a book! 3. Go down to Bristol and Exeter University to have a look around, as well as seeing my cousins whilst being down there. 4. REVISE! 5. Finally, just. Chill. Out.
