Challenge!

Throughout February, I challenged myself to take a photo a day using my digital camera (Canon 1100D) rather than my iPhone. This challenge has turned out to be, ironically, challenging! To be honest, I have been lazy. I haven't taken my camera with me when I go out or I've been too self-conscious to take it out of my bag while I'm around people. I also love taking photos of people but I'm too scared to ask because I worry that they'd laugh at me or wouldn't want their photo taken. I would love to have photos of my flat mates and friends at university. I dreamed of taking hundreds of photos of everyone and everything but that hasn't happened. I tend to take photos for Instagram of either myself or sunrises/sunsets.

While I'm hard on myself for being lazy, I have had a lot of work to do at university. It has been hard this semester because there is just such a large amount of reading to do and weekly essays to write! I admit I have struggled.

Also, I haven't published the photos that I did manage to take because I haven't had the time to edit them. When I do edit them, I tend to want to make them perfect. It's an unachievable goal.

So for the rest of the week I am going to challenge myself to take my camera with me every day. Even if I don't get time to take a photo, at least I've had the equipment with me. Do you ever go out without your camera, see something you like and realise that you've missed a great opportunity? I do this all the time! Now it's going to stop.

Next week is Personal Development Week which means all lectures and seminars are cancelled so that everyone can have one to one tutorials and catch up on assignments. I'm planning to go home towards the end of next week which means I'll hopefully get a chance to go to some new places and take lots of photos. My Step Mum asked me today about a place we went to in 2014. Neither of us remembers where it was because she had taken us on a "Magical Mystery Tour" which we used to do a lot. She'd drive and drive until we ended up somewhere we hadn't been before or to our favourite beach. It didn't matter about the end destination, we would just be enjoying the journey and go wherever the car took us.

That's it for now,

Kazia x

Inspiration!

I have an on-going assignment this semester to write a weekly Study Log but I haven't been motivated to write my entries because I didn't know what I wanted my arguments to be about. A study log is a journal entry that summarises the lecture and seminar of the week and explains further research around the topics. It doesn't sound difficult but I find it hard to explain my ideas concisely. 

Today I finally found my inspiration! I wasn't even expecting it (which is the best time for inspiration to hit you) I was sat in the library, reading a chapter for my next seminar and typing my annotations rather than writing them like I normally do. I don't know why it suddenly occurred to me that I could type my notes and highlight them electronically or why it hadn't occurred to me before. So I went to my seminar with annotated notes in hand, understanding the topic and feeling on top of the world. I could face anything my tutor threw at me!

During the last 30 minutes or so of the seminar, my tutor asked us to think about the study logs we'd written and how we could improve them. She gave us a checklist of things we should be including to get higher grades. I already knew what the checklist included because I'd spoken to her last week and went through my ideas. I had been struggling with where to start because the topics are broad and you could talk about literally anything. My tutor inspired me to start looking at specific things that interested me and still linked to the topic. I found it easier to plan out some more ideas and which direction I wanted to take my argument in.

After today's seminar, I went back to the library. I found a quiet spot on the silent floor where I always sit, plugged in my headphones and began typing. I suddenly couldn't stop and the ideas were flowing faster than I could type them. Finally I was making progress!

I think I found my inspiration because I enjoyed this week's topic "Realism and ways of seeing" I didn't think I would because I missed the lecture and it is a very art-based topic. (As you know I'm studying Film and Television) I had looked at Surrealism in Art during high school so I had some basic knowledge. This knowledge helped when the people around me weren't sure of the answers. 

What they taught me in high school was useful information?! Who knew?

In my other modules, this week and next week's topics are media- and film-based which is really good because that is my comfort zone. I feel confident that I can explain these topics if I was asked to.

Where have you found inspiration this week? Look closely at people/objects around you and try to seek out inspiration from them.

That's it for now,

Kazia x

February Photo-A-Day Challenge!

This challenge came about because I have realised that I don't use my digital camera (Canon 1100D) as much as I use the camera on my phone (iPhone 5C). The main reason for this is convenience; I take my phone with me everywhere, it's smaller than my Canon and with one click it can be edited and uploaded for all my friends and Instagram followers to see.

This challenge is to take (at least) one photo a day using my digital camera. I haven't given myself a specific subject for each day (maybe people could add their ideas in the comments?) but I am just going to take my camera with me every day around campus and see what happens. I definitely want to get some photos of my flat mates because I haven't taken any which is slightly crazy!

I plan to upload a week's worth of photos every Sunday during the month of February so that I have a consist blog post each week and a collection of photographs. Also I don't think it would be so easy and enjoyable if I had to upload every day knowing that I also have assignments for university to do.

That's it for now,

Kazia x

University: Autumn Semester!

So I thought today I'd look back on my first semester at university and share some of the things I hope to do in my second semester!

Believe me when I say "It's gone too fast!"

I have made friends with some amazing people and some that are not so great. . .

I have loved my course so far! I received a 2:1 and two 2:2s which is amazing! The content is really interesting and fun to learn about.

My tips for people hoping to receive their university offers this year:

1. Make friends with others on Facebook that are hoping to go to the same university - you'll be able to talk to some wonderful people that you'll probably stay friends with (That's how I met Cal, Ash, Mattia and so many others!)
2. Don't buy new stuff - specifically things for the kitchen. When we arrived in September, we had 8 sets of cutlery, 8 saucepans, 8 washing up liquids etc. You should either buy second hand or ask family to "donate" their old saucepans/whatever to you instead. It gets expensive and your cutlery will go missing! (Save the special cutlery for second year when you rent a house off campus)
3. Join sports clubs and societies - these are the places where you'll not only find new interests but become friends with people from other courses and other years. I met my friends Alice and Maisy through a newspaper group and they are the loveliest girls I've ever met - Their friendship is #goals! (I hate that phrase but for once it is true)
4. Talk to someone if you are struggling - you get assigned a personal advisor who will be available to talk to you throughout your entire time at university. They will listen to your problems and be able to help you through it.
5. Remember that you don't have to go out clubbing if it's not your thing! I went out twice during Freshers Week (to Freshers events) but I had more fun when I went to a pub with some of my friends from the flat next door. Also remember you don't have to drink loads even though it's what you see in movies. . . it's your choice and your experience; you get to decide and no one is going to force you!

I'm really looking forward to the spring semester! (Week One is over already!) I chose to study "An Introduction to Visual Cultures" and "Literature and the Humanities" which seem really good.

I will update you on how I get on in the spring semester and hopefully I'll share some more photos too!

That's it for now,

Kazia x

Christmas 2015!

Christmas Day was alright. . . it got a bit tense because Dad didn't want to watch Doctor Who with me. I don't get as many presents as I did when I was younger but the presents I get now have more meaning. I got a textbook that was really expensive from my Dad which is going to be so useful next semester at university! I took around 300 photos and these are some of my favourites:

My new Christmas mug that I'm using throughout the Winter months <3

Burning a candle as we said a prayer before our Christmas lunch <3

Daisy (left) and Poppy (right) playing together with their new bunny <3

People say me and my Step Sister look alike. . . do you agree? This is the only nice photo we had together but I like it <3

No real reason for this photo except it looked cute and I LOVE using the setting on my camera (Canon 1100D) where the subject is in focus but the background is blurred <3

My Step Sister's Christmas mug which she is using throughout the winter <3

Overall I enjoyed the day. I'm not sure how I felt about Doctor Who since there wasn't much mention of Christmas, no decorations, no Christmas-related characters etc Also I heard a rumour that Peter Capaldi is leaving! I looked at a list of potential doctors and my favourite is the guy that plays Rumplestiltskin in Once Upon A Time! He's just fabulous!

I haven't really got anymore plans for the Christmas break except reading through my textbook, hoping to get my grades back on my assignments, looking at houses for September, waiting for the reading lists to be published. (Doesn't sound very exciting but I honestly love university so much!)

I have some personal plans/goals for 2016:

More blogging - add photos to each post
YouTube/HopeTube/Hopefully Playing The Uke
More photography
More writing
Keep up better with my pen pals/happy mail/snail mail/pocket letter pals/bullet journal pen pals
More reading (New books in Waterstones - Teen fic section!!!)
Consistent grades
100% attendance
Stay positive
Be healthy - drink more water
Try to go back to trampolining and archery (if possible)
Try yoga and meditation (especially when I get stressed)
Save for house deposit
Save for a holiday with Mum (Disney!!)
Don't spend so much on luxuries
Meet up with Kirsten for movies and crochet
Meet up with Kerry more often
Meet up with Cal and Ash more often
Meet up with Mattia
Review lecture notes straight after class
Spend more time in the library - further reading and research
Research ideas for summer project (3000 words!!)
Bullet Journal every day
Erin Condren every day

That's it for now!

Kazia x

Irrelevant Titles!

When people post on social media (especially YouTube) and use titles that don't relate to the content, it puts me off and I tend not to want to watch it.

I used to watch all my favourite YouTubers as soon as they uploaded a new video even if I didn't like the sound of the title - just because it was that person! But now I look at the title and if I'm uninterested, I won't watch it. It might be a brilliant video but it doesn't matter because they biggest thing that could describe it (the title) is unrelated.

Also, the description box (again on YouTube) People now only put "Follow me on Twitter *insert link*" in the description box rather than whatever the video is actually about so I can't get an idea of what to expect or take away from the video. Tell me what your message is, what will I learn from this three minute video or is it just a waste of three minutes of my life that I could use to make my own content?

Let me know your opinions in the comments! (I hope this post makes sense!)

That's it for now,

Kazia x

HopeTube!

*I am behind already! :( But I will be uploading as soon as I can! :D*

HopeTube is a video "challenge" for people in the Hopeful community to share videos on YouTube with a specific theme. It was created by Dominique and we're all really excited to spread a positive message through YouTube videos.

Information if you want to join in is below

HopeTube Facebook Group

That's it for now,

Kazia x

Schedule:
2 - 8 nov: Disney!
9 - 15 nov: Thing(s) I'm proud of!
16 - 22 nov: Impersonations! (Try to do other people's voices and / or ways of acting)

New here?
Hi! For starters it would be a good idea to make a small introduction video telling about yourself and your motivation for doing this and post it here! That way we know who everyone is. After that, you can follow the weekly themes and challenges and make videos with us!

What to do:
Every week(end) try to upload the video based on the theme or challenge assigned. Interpretation is always free and up to you, if you don't feel like doing it the usual way, give it your twist! You don't have to do it every week if you don't have the time, or you can make loads more. It's all up to you!

Uploading and Channels:
You'll upload it on your own channel, and then you can post the link here so everyone involved can see all the videos.
There's a document in the files tab with all the participating channels, if yours isn't on there yet, add a comment (tag me) or message me!
Try to upload before the end of the week. Not everyone has free time on the same days so try to find your own schedule. If you miss it sometimes, that's fine too! It's all for fun.

Names and Labeling:
To make the videos easier to find, try to put Hopetube in your video titles, descriptions and labels / tags. That way, people can search for Hopetube and they'll easily find all the videos we made together!
If you want to keep the same way of titling as most hopetubers, try using "Hopetube | Title of your video"

Themes and Challenges:
If you have any nice themes or challenges you'd love to do, comment / post it somewhere and if we've haden't had it yet or not for a long while, I'll put it in the scheme!

Important stuff:
Watch out with copyrighted footage and music, if you want to easily find music, try searching for royalty free music, there's loads of it around. Also youtube has a creator studio with loads.