Things That Make Me Happy

 I woke up this morning in a foul mood. Don't know why, but I was all (as the welsh say) cyntachu. There is no translation for that word. Sorry.
I did nothing differently this morning, but nothing seemed to be going right.

So I thought I'd make a list of all the small day-to-day things I am grateful for, and the things that give me pleasure in life:

my favourite shower gel | reading | oboe | playing something right | late night phone calls | cwtches | cute texts | dinner with friends | film nights | exploring new places | tidy rooms | my harry potter t-shirt | listening to music | having me-time | baking | fancy dress | food | knitting | yoga | writing letters | receiving letters | doing right in the world | little victories | family time | travelling | my hair looking good without effort | finding bargains in charity shops | chivalry | tea | smiling | disney | bubble baths | parcels | cinema trips | smell of pages | cats

view from my kitchen

Possibly the coolest cat ever

What makes you happy? :)

Changed for the Better

I'm currently (attempting) to pack up my room, as another year in college is over, and it's soon time for me to move back home for the summer, before embarking on my brand new adventure next year.

Anyways, I can't help but to reflect on the past year. So much has happened, and I really feel like I have grown as a person.

If you knew me this time last year, I was a shell of a person, I was in such an unreachable, dark place. I was having panic attacks every other day, I'd pushed all of my friends away and they thought I was going mental. I laugh about it now.

I have made amazing friends this year, as well as become much closer to some that I already knew. I realised early on that I could hand-pick everyone in my life, which gave me a massive sense of control over those who influenced me. Each and every person in my life right now each has their personal little hand print on my life and the person I am right now. I admire each of them in their own way, whether it being due to their faith, their ability to always pick themselves up, their strength, their ability to always make friends, their infinite amount of wisdom, and the little ways they show they care. I'm not going to name names, but they all hopefully know who they are. I am so blessed to have them in my life, and I wouldn't wish to have it other way.

Also, as I mentioned above, I feel like I've grown so much as a person this year. I am not afraid what others think of me, as I absolutely do not believe in changing myself for other people. My confidence is at an all time high, and I think this has had an affect on my work, playing and relationships with others. I am finally happy for the first time in my life with the way my body looks. I've been looking after it and I've been going to the gym so much more. I think this is the first time in my life I have ever been okay with the way I look, and so it just shows how much my mindset has changed for the better this year.

I am just really happy at the moment, and I am so excited to see where my life takes me. This may be a little ramble-y and not really making much sense, but I just wanted to share with you guys how happy I am with where I am in life. I finally have some sort of direction now, whereas before I was just wandering aimlessly in the giant world. I have a goal that I'm working towards for my post-college life, and although those closest to me know what it is, I'll share with the rest of you at a later date, as it is still something quite personal to me and I'd like to share it when I know more for definite.

There are some things that I'm not currently happy with in my life (a lack of a love life........sigh), but the things that are happening at the moment really make up for it. I do still get little panic attacks, and I have my off days where I just eat chocolate and pig out and cry in front of The Notebook, but that's just normal, right?

Look Up - A Response

This video basically sums up and puts into words how I have been feeling about today's generation. My closest friends already know that I very strongly dislike what technology has done to us as a society.

It bothers me that it is practically a social norm to text Person A while talking face to face with Person B. I personally think it's rude. It's exactly the same as sitting having a cup of coffee with someone and stopping mid-sentence, turning your back on them and start having another conversation with someone else. We all do it, I know I do, but I've recently become concious of when I do it, and now that I'm aware, it makes me uncomfortable when I reply to a text while I should be giving a friend my full attention or vice versa.

Whatever happened to writing letters? I am an avid letter writer. If I have taken the time to sit and write a letter to my friends, why can't they do the same for me? Or I get an acknowledgement of the letter on facebook, but no reply. Not even a long message in reply to my letter. It's not hard, yes it will cost you (at most) 62p for a first class stamp, but it's so much more personal, and think of the smile that you will put on your friend's face when they see that letter for them in the post. I wish people would write more letters. You can keep letters, put them in a special box, or put them up on your wall. You can't do that with facebook messages and texts.

I also don't understand why people feel the need to document their life. I know, ironic, I'm saying this on a blog, for people to read, on the internet.....but when was the last time you went for a day out and didn't take loads of photos with the sole purpose of uploading them straight onto facebook/instagram/twitter when you got home? I upload a lot of photos, I know I do, but I also have lots and lots of photos on my phone that make me smile that I haven't put up. Of course I see the positives of having a facebook profile - networking, keeping in contact with friends that live far away, organising last minute trips etc, but don't you think it's a bit sad when people feel the need to share what they're doing rather than sit back and enjoy the moment they are living and creating new memories?

Here's a funny story: I got a friend request recently, and I was sat around people when I received the request. It was someone a couple of years above me at College. One of my friends genuinely said "oh, you can't reply yet, you'll look too keen." Excuse me? Do people really think into social networking so much that the time taken to accept a friend request was analysed? Did they really think "oh man, that was one fast request, she must be super eager"? I hope not! What does that say about today's generation?

Phone calls? Anyone? Remember them? When was the last time you called someone out of the blue, just for a chat, and not to see where they are, or can they please bring in milk on the way home? Phone calls are not restricted to your Significant Other, as I have noticed that people in relationships spend a lot more time on the phone to each other compared to those who are not involved within the relationship. I'm most definitely not saying spend less time on the phone to them, I'm saying spend all the time on the phone to lots of different people! The other day, I felt down and I called one of my closest friends and she made me feel better. There's no way that she would have been able to make me feel better just by text or over facebook.

I try, every day, to spend an hour away from all things comprising of social media, and in that hour I am itching to check my phone for the first, I don't know, 20 minutes? But after that, it's quite nice, I get things done, I read my book, I listen to music, I sit down and watch an episode of Once Upon A Time. It's so nice to sit and not worry about what other people are doing in their lives. When was the last time you turned your phone off, and just watched something? I genuinely believe that social media websites such as facebook and twitter are making us as a society very antisocial and we are getting twisted and distorted views of other people's way of life. We tend to only post about when we're feeling happy, because if you're feeling sad people might think you're craving attention.

Immerse yourself in the things around you. When you feel bored, and you can feel yourself itching to know what's going on in the world, pick up the newspaper. Or phone a friend you haven't spoken to in a while. Or write a letter or an email. Listen to an audio-book and knit. Tidy your room. Paint. Dance around your room with your friends. And don't snapchat it. Bake some cookies. Seriously, if only one person who reads this does just one of these things, I will be one step closer to making the world a happier and relaxed place.

Romantic Expectations

It has recently come to my attention that I think I may have fairly high expectations of the male gender. You know why this is? Chick flicks. And Disney.

I was sat watching What Happens in Vegas the other day, you know, the one with Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher (who is mighty fine in that film, I'd like to add), and as in every chick flick, darling Ashton upsets Cameron and she goes running off to sit on an island and he goes running after her. I don't think that happens in real life. I've never had Ashton Kutcher come running after me when I'm feeling a little sad.... I WISH. But seriously, every time a boy has upset me, or has broken up with me, there is a little part of me that hopes and dreams and wishes that he will come and do a great big Romantic Gesture. And he never has.

I remember when my first proper boyfriend and I broke up, he told me months later that he regretted the decision as soon as he woke up the next morning, and I told him that there was nothing I wanted more than to hear a knock on the door and to see his face. He told me that there were some days he just wanted to get on a bus to see me and to beg for my forgiveness. But he didn't. (If you're reading this....it's ok, I forgive you!!!!)

Take my sixth-form May Ball for example. I went to an all girls school, but the May Ball was for the students of my school and the boys school down the road. I wasn't particularly close with any of the guys to be honest, but there was still a little part of me that hoped and dreamed that when I arrived at the reception area there'd be a boy standing there with a corsage for me and declaring his undying love. It didn't happen.

Or, you know, everyone has that person who is a friend, but sort of more than a friend, as you can definitely sort of see something maybe happening with them, but you're not really sure how they feel (great English there, Harri). Well, I'm just saying that it would be nice if they announced in a lovely heart-warming manner that they feel the same about you. It will probably never happen.

I don't know why I bring about these expectations and hopes and dreams upon myself, because at the end of the day, no one is going to get hurt except me. Is it too much to ask though, to have one boy to do something really romantic and throw pebbles at my window, or to come find me if I was on holiday in Berlin or somewhere, or even plan out this great big surprise visit with all my friends and when I walk through the door they pick me up and announce that what he did was wrong, and he's sorry etc, like they do in the films.

I'm a complete hopeless romantic, I'm totally in love with the idea of true love, and I believe that my soul mate is walking around right now, maybe thinking these thoughts too. Perhaps I've already met them. That thought is really thrilling. I would be willing to do all of those things that I've listed above, but there's one thing that holds me back. The fear of rejection. Can you imagine, if I went to a lot of trouble to tell someone how I'm feeling and they turned around and said "Harri, I don't feel the same, but I hope we can stay friends". It's as if someone would have stabbed me in the heart, and just twisted the knife around to make sure that it hurt real good. Maybe people have had these thoughts about me, but aren't sure whether to act upon it.

If you have these ideas, or want to tell someone how you feel, then please, just do it. More often than not, the other person will really appreciate it, and they will hopefully reciprocate those feelings.

I don't know, maybe it's me, maybe I've watched one too many films, listened to too many musicals, sang too much Taylor Swift, read too many books and have this unrealistic expectation of men. Or maybe, this is what I'd like to believe - I just haven't met the right boy yet.

(I've also just realised that this may backfire and no boy will ever want anything to do with me ever again because they'll believe that they'll never live up to my expectations. To be honest, unless you're a perfect mix of Harry Potter, Peeta Mellark, Captain Antonio Corelli and Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy, Kristoff from Frozen or Eugene Fitzherbert, you won't, but please don't let that put you off.)

Stalk-ception

You know when you've been stalking someone on facebook for a little too long? (We all do it, don't sit there and pretend that you don't know what I'm talking about.) You've looked through all that person's photos, scrolled down their timeline back to 2008.....ok, maybe I'm exaggurating, but I get a strange....let's call it a revelation...if I've been looking at someone's face for a little bit too long. Especially if I haven't seen or spoken to that person in a while. 

I get a strange thought process that goes through my head. If I were to map it out, it would go something like this: 

• Oh hey, that's a nice photo
• Aww, that's cute
• Oh look a cute kitten
• Their hair looks a little odd, but whatever, they're only human
• Wait, they're human
• Like, this is an actual person
• I used to KNOW this person
• I wonder if they're voice sounds the same
• Oh look, a photo of us....from 2011....
• Like, this is me and them together. WE USED TO KNOW EACHOTHER.
• What are they like now?
• This person isn't just a person in photos, like this is an actual person
• An actual person with feelings
• And an actual life
• Wow
• I wonder if they ever think of me

At this point I tend to have weird-ed myself out and have had to close the facebook tab. I can't even put into words my thought process. It only happens every now and then, and it tends to only happen if I haven't seen them or I am no longer speaking to them. 

I was just wondering if anyone else gets these strange, head-messing, thoughts when looking at someone. No? Just me? Great. 

The Magical World of Harry Potter

On Christmas morning, I was told to open a certain present last. It was envelope shaped, and inside was possibly the best Christmas present any Harry Potter fan could ask for - two tickets for the Harry Potter Studio Tour. I immediately texted Flatty B, knowing she was a massive HP fan too and that she hadn't been before. She said yes, and I promptly booked it.

That day, was yesterday! I was practically crying with excitement all the way down from Manchester to the studios. It was a dream come true. The shuttle bus was possibly the finest decorated bus I'd ever seen, and I believe I actually squealed with excitement when it approached the bus station in Watford Junction.

One of the first things you see when you get in is three of the original giant chess pieces from the first film. I squealed again (there was a lot of squealing going on today, well done to Flatty B for coping), and I went over to have a photo. So many photos were taken, I'm sure my facebook friends thoroughly appreciated the 196 photos I uploaded this morning. 

We arrived a little early, so we went into the shop and had a look around. Memorabilia galore! So many trinkets, hoodies, glasses, mugs, scarves, books and wands! So many wands!

Voldemort's wand!

Anyways, we began to queue, and while you passed the cupboard under the stairs complete with glasses and the little horse toys that Harry plays with at the beginning of the first film. Again, much more squealing. We were taken into a waiting room, then into a cinema. They showed a brief introduction to the tour by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. This gave way to the main doors to the Great Hall. The magical words were said "Welcome to Hogwarts". We were both so excited and bounced into the Great Hall. The amount of detail was absolutely astonishing, and they even had the actual costumes that the actual actors wore! 

We were in here for about 15-20 minutes, before being herded into the back room to make way for the next tour. This room was so very magnificent. It had everything from information on all the directors, to make up, to the gates of Hogwarts, to Dumbledore's office, to troll's armour! 

Educational Decrees!

The Chamber of Secrets has been opened

Flatty B having a cheeky pose

In a little room off of this massive room was the opportunity to have a ride of a broomstick, which of course we jumped to the end of the line. Well, I flew a broomstick, Flatty B didn't want to. She played Mam for the day and held all my stuff. Thank you! But in order to have a go on a broomstick, you got to put on some robes. I was Gryffindor (of course....).

After this, we looked around the rest of the room. We saw the great big statue that was placed in the Ministry of Magic in the later films. You know, the one with the oppression of muggles! Oh, we saw some Death Eater's masks and costumes as well as the original Marauder's Map!! 

After about an hour in this room, it was time to go outside for a lovely refreshing drink of.....Butterbeer! It was very nice, very sweet though. Not what I expected it to taste like. It was like cream soda, caramel and something else that I couldn't put finger on. It was here that you could see the Knight Bus, Privet drive, Godric's Hollow and some more chess pieces. 

The next room we went into was one which was all about the CGI effects and make up. For example, the making of Robbie Coltrane into Hagrid, and we saw dead Dobby in a class case (always a sad moment....), and a werewolf, and the basilisk's head, and Aragog. He was hanging from the ceiling and I hadn't noticed him until Flatty B turned and said "oooh that's not very nice", I jumped and screamed. I don't like spiders at the best of times, let a giant one hanging from the ceiling. Needless to say, I scurried on quickly after that. Into Diagon Alley. The most magical street in the UK. The home of Gringotts Bank, Flourish and Blotts, Olivanders, Madam Malkin's Dress Shop, and of course, the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. This, up to this point, was my favourite place and I really did not want to leave at all. The window displays were so detailed which all these strange gadgets that I really wish were real so I could go in and have a play with them. Amazing. 

The penultimate room we went into was my favourite room of the whole day, it found it quite emotional for some reason. I was so happy and excited that I couldn't contain it. Emotional music was being played, and the tears welled up in my eyes. It was real, standing in front of me, a giant model of Hogwarts. It was so much bigger than I expected, as people had said that it was quite small. As if, they must have seen a different model or something....? 

Apologies for bad quality and lighting, I had to use my ipad as my phone was running out of battery and the lights switched between night and day.

We then went into a room full of wand boxes, and I suddenly remembered something I had read ages ago, that each of the names on the wand boxes were the names of each member of the cast and crew. I told this to Flatty B and one of the workers overheard me, and seemed quite impressed that I knew. (Spot the nerd...).

This lead out into the shop, where I got excited and sad, because I didn't want to have to leave! I bought a big book on how they made the books into the films, and have been flicking through that this morning. There's so much information to take in, I can only read it in little chunks! I also bought a chocolate frog that I munched on the train home. I got the Helga Hufflepuff card! My most exciting purchase was the hardback edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I've never seen it in hardback, and as it's my favourite book, I couldn't resist. It now has pride of place on my bookshelf with all my other copies of the books. I cannot wait to read it.

This day was amazing. As a Harry Potter fan from a really young age, stepping into the world really made it come to life for me. I would happily go down again next week and the week after and the week after that. In the summer I am hopefully going to drag my parents to come with me and see it again. Such an amazing day, and I went to bed with a great big smile on my face. A massive thank you to Flatty B for coming with me, and for coping with my excitement all day, and a super-massive thank you to Mother and Father for giving me this wonderful experience for Christmas.

Lazing on a Sunny Afternoon

Yesterday, I woke up with a feeling of dread - it was the morning of a couple of Exams. (Dictation and group improvisation, in case you wondered.) These are a few of my weakest areas in the study of Music, so naturally, I felt apprehensive. I picked up my iPad, to check any emails I may have received during the night, and found an email from my lecturer saying that he was unwell. No exam! Hooray! I lolled about in bed for a while, deliberating this new freedom I had for the day.

At around 9am I decided to get up and begin the day. It was beautiful outside, the sun was shining and the birds were chirruping. A gorgeous, crisp, spring morning. I wandered into the kitchen where Flatty H was making her breakfast and I announced that there was no exam. She handed me a cup of tea in excitement, and ran up to Flatty B's room to share this fantastic news.

It was here we all wondered what to do with our day. Both Flatties didn't have to be in College until around 4pm, which was when I left for work. It was suggested that we go to the tea and cake shop up the road which we had been meaning to go to since we moved in. It was decided - we must go. It would be a shame to waste such a beautiful day.

I went for a run in the park, did a couple of laps and went home. It was not only sunny, but it was warm. I got home, and for the first time in ages, all three of us had lunch together. Flatty H and I made some sweet potato fries to go with our chicken/fish/veggie pie, and some beans. Yum.

After about an hour of enjoying each other's company, we ambled out into the sun for our Cake Date. Such excitement was bestowed upon us.We wandered into the empty shop and were greeted warmly with the pleasant site of cake, cake and more cake. So many decisions to be made. Cupcake or slice? Brownie or rocky road? Plain or exciting? I settled for a cup of lemon tea and a Malteser cupcake, Flatty B had a blueberry cake and a cookies and cream milkshake, and Flatty H had a giant slice of Red Velvet cake and a hot chocolate.

It was joked that I kept scrounging their cakes/drinks from them, but I couldn't help it - I wanted to try as much as I could! We were there for about an hour, and it most definitely won't be the last time we visit. 

It was a wonderful day spent with Flatties, and days like this are very special and close to my heart as I am blessed with two wonderful friends. It's nice every now and then to take a day off from the day job/College/life and spend it bantering, catching up and enjoying the company of your dear chums. 

Flatties and cakes. (The best things in life)

Much filter, very book, such bricks. (Ironic hipstery)

Rumours

Forgive me, dear friends, for I have not written in over a week. I apologise. Let us move on.

This has been bothering me for a while, something that I fail to understand: why do people go out of their way to make other people miserable?

My friends have often used the word "schadenfreude" when describing me, but I would never plan to make other people sad for my happiness. I just enjoy a bad party so much more if I know that everyone else is having a bad time, and it's not just me. That's not so bad is it? 

I just do not understand. What makes them feel the need to deliberately say something that may or may not be true, and none of their business, about somebody else? What did that other person do to them? Is it to gain popularity? Maybe they dislike someone and would like to make their lives miserable? Who knows.

I can only speak for myself, I enjoy a lovely bit of juicy gossip as much as the next guy, but I would never, ever, slightly exaggerate or even make something up about someone else. It really bothers me that people feel the need to do this. Surely if you dislike someone, wouldn't it be best if you do not get involved with their life and be civil? Do not accuse them of things that are untrue. If you have an issue with one of your friends, speak to them about it. They will appreciate and respect the fact that you had the courage to go and discuss your problems, and hopefully your relationship will be stronger than ever. 

Now back to the reasons why. To gain popularity? Do you really believe that the best way to make friends is to make things up about other people in your life? One day, the things that you have said will come back and (for want of a better phrase) bite you on the arse. Your friends will discover what you have said was untrue, and you will end up being humiliated and your friends will leave you. Do you want that? No, didn't think so. Make friends by finding things in common and being nice. It can get you a long way.

If you dislike someone and want to make their life miserable, put on their shoes for a moment. Think about the words you are saying and how it is having an effect on their life. How would you like it if someone you're not really friends with was saying mean things about you? I can't imagine you'd like it very much. Now imagine if someone you're not really friends with start saying mean things about you to your friends and they believed them? Now there's an issue. This is what happens, and congratulations, you have made their life miserable. What have you gained? Nothing. You will gain more from being civil and will therefore move on and grow as a person.

I would just like everyone to be friends and to be happy, I know that this is unrealistic and is just me living in my happy little world, but I can compromise with people living in harmony. And, finally, in my opinion, people who feel then need to do this kind of thing, they are not fooling anyone. If you are in the situation where people are spreading rumours about you, remember this: they are the ones who have the issues, not you. They are far too cowardly to come and speak to you like a mature person, and until they decide to grow up and face up to what the have done, they are not worth your time. 

Friendships

I find the nature of friendships fascinating. Since I was born I've moved house countless times (there was a time between the ages of 14 and 16 where I joked I was homeless as my family kept moving between 3 houses), and I've moved schools 7 times, including going to College.

I began in nursery in Surrey, then moved to Wales were I attended an all welsh school (being a 4 year old from England, in one of the Welshest part of Wales not being able to speak a word of welsh isn't easy). I stayed here until I was 10, when my parents dragged me out to live in France for 6 months and I attended school here), I moved back to Wales ready for Year 6. Then when it was time for high school, I went to the place where the majority of my class was going; an all welsh high school. I regretted this almost immediately and after a few issues, I convinced my parents to move me for year 8 to a bi-lingual school. I stayed here until 6th form, where I moved to an all-girls boarding school before finally moving to Manchester to go to Music College. Mixed in with the various schools, I've had musical commitments, I attended a Saturday stage school, and was in the Girl Guding family for 10 years.

What I'm trying to say is that I've had many friends over the years. 

But what I find interesting, is how they come and go, and how do you know that you've found a friend for life or if they are what I call a "friend for convenience". I know this isn't the most pleasant way of calling a friend, and I often haven't worked them out until after I've left them. We all have them, the friends that we look back on and think "actually, I was only friends with them because they were there and I saw them every day" and you realised that you never really saw them outside of school or whatnot. 

Friends come and go, we all know that. In my first secondary school, I was bullied pretty bad which was one of the reasons I left. When I did leave, I felt that I had no friends whatsoever in that school, ironically, two of my closest friends went to that school, and I believe (and hope) that they'll both be my friends for life. Granted, one of them did go to my primary school, and there's a running joke between my primary school classmates that we have unusually close relationship. There were 27 of us in the class, and if i saw any one of these in the street we'd exchange an "aright?" as if I saw them yesterday and I was going to see them tomorrow, even if I haven't seen them in about 2 years, because (I only speak for myself here) I feel so comfortable with them that I don't feel I need to say anything more. Don't get me wrong, I love meeting up with them and having a proper catchup, but one of them once said "I think we have a special bond cause we all went to primary together" and I completely agree.

Through having all these changing people in my life, I've come to realise that friendships are often a two-way relationship. It takes equal effort on both parties two make a relationship work. Sometimes, I have lost friends because I realised that it was me making all the effort, and although it always upsets me losing a friend, I have never regretted it. I always try and have people in my life who enrich it, and who want me in their life. 

Others, I've just lost contact as we've both gone away to university, or they've moved country, but I know that if I were to call them up, it would be as if we haven't not spoken at all and we'd yabber on as if no time has passed whatsoever. My best friend and I from sixth form are a bit like this. I can text her the day before and say "can I stay with you tomorrow night?" and it's fine. We text each other the most stupidest things, even if we haven't spoken in weeks, and I can't wait until she comes and visits me in May! 

Weirdly enough, the people I am closest to are the people I don't seem to see every day. I best friend, Cariad, lived in Surrey with me. When I moved to Wales, we pretty much lost contact apart from Christmas and birthday cards and such, until one Christmas. She sent a card when we were 11 with her msn address, so naturally I went and added her straight away. Since then we've spoken non stop and I can tell her everything and anything, and I know I'll have her support no matter what, and I'd do anything for her too. But we also both know that if I had stayed in Surrey, we highly doubt that we'd be as good friends now. 

Walking around College, I see my friends (old and new) and I wonder if those that I fell out with will ever see past what happened (see the Boy Troubles pat below) and I wonder if I'll still talk to my friends in 20 years time. My best friend in College, I don't know what I'd do without her. She's the one person here that will tell me the truth, even if I don't want to hear it. I really do hope that I stay in contact with everyone from College. 

I look at all the people who've been in my life, and it know that I wouldn't be the person I am now if even one of those people hadn't been there. I think of them sometimes and I wonder if they think of me. Each person has helped me become the person I am, and I am so very grateful to each and every one of them. 

Pet Peeves

Everyone has their little pet peeves, you know, the little things that irritate them. I always try to be positive and look on the bright side of life, but some things really do rub me up the wrong way.
I sometimes feel that I may have a little more than others, so I'm going to share some of them with the rest of the world.

Texting
I absolutely cannot stand the sound of phone buttons when people are texting. Blackberries were the worst for this. When I was in sixth form, pretty much everyone had a Blackberry, and so pretty much everyone had the incredibly irritating clicking sound that went with it. Especially when if we were in class, and we were doing some work quietly, there would always be the click click click click of a blackberry. Now that touch screen phones are all the rage, this particular annoyance doesn't appear quite that frequently.

Rudeness
I doubt I'm alone in this one. People who seem to not hold open a door for you even if you're just a step behind, or people who don't say thank you after you've held open the door, or people who are just plain arsey. I know that everyone has bad days and good days, and some people are nicer than others, and I definitely know that sometimes, you say something that can come across quite rudely, but I try not to do it on purpose. I don't understand how people can be so mean and not give a consideration about other people's feelings. I try to go out of my way to be nice, to hold open doors, to let someone through first, to smile and people, always say please and thank you. Its not difficult, and I just like to think that, maybe, I'll be remembered as the person who picked up that something you dropped that one time. Manners cost nothing.

Head-Patting
I hate it when people pat my head. I think it must have something to do with the fact that I'm short. I'm 5ft 3.5, so I'm not tiny, but I've always been the shortest in my group of friends. I also say stupid things sometimes without meaning to, and people would always go "Aw there there" and follow it up with a pat on the head. I find it incredibly irritating and patronising (see what I did there?). But yeah, please don't do it.

Crumbs
I hate crumbs. Crumbs get everywhere. Crumbs in the butter, crumbs in the marmite, crumbs in the fridge, crumbs on the worktop. No matter how many times you clean them up, they come back.

Whispering
Oooooh, the sound of other people whispering really grates on me. Imagine, you're in a lecture in university, it's quite interesting, starting to actually learn something, and suddenly you can hear "pssspshpsspshhphpssh" from behind. The breathy sound of whispering, I swear it's more distracting than actual talking. This leads me straight onto my next one:

People Not Turning Up to Lectures
Although the Whisperers mentioned above are annoying, at least they made the effort to turn up to the lecture. Everyone has skipped a lecture, you wake up and think "nah, I'm really not feeling it today" and so you don't go. But when it's the same people over and over who don't turn up for the lecture and think it's okay? No, its not okay. You have taken out a massive student loan to pay your £9000 tuition fees, you could at least have the decency to turn up to your lectures. We have 5 lectures a week, 7 hours. It's not that hard. Really.

Practice Room Stealers
Well, stealing isn't quite the right word, but in college, we have a practice room booking system, and there are days where all the rooms get booked very quickly. However, some people don't turn up to their room. If you're not going to go, either cancel it, or don't book it in the first place. Do the rest of us who actually want to practice a favour. Thanks.