I think I might have just passed University... With a 2:1!

Hiya Peeps!

Firstly, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

This is just a really brief (and late) post but I cannot breathe right now and the first thing I thought about doing once I got my result was blogging. I'VE JUST PASSED UNIVERSITY WITH A 2:1! How on earth has this happened?! I honestly never thought in my wildest dreams that I'd ever get anywhere close to a 2:1, let alone actually get one! This is a huge milestone for me, and I'm still looking at my computer screen all teary eyed and mouth wide open in complete shock. 

Thank you to every single person, inside of Uni and out who've been utterly fantastic throughout my degree. This is for everyone who's believed in me over the past three years. And here's a big fat poke in the eye to everyone who said I couldn't do it. Who's laughing now, eh?! 

I'm going to keep it short and sweet but I'm so proud of all of my friends and classmates on what we've all achieved. I'm so lucky to have spent the past three years with all of you and I couldn't have got to where I am without your help. I cannot wait to see each and every one of you at Graduation and we can all celebrate together!

I am the happiest human being in the world right now, I cannot even comprehend the smile on my face and the CRAAAY amount of weird butterfly things in my stomach.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Take care, stay beautiful and DREAM BIG! 

I love you all to the moon and back.

@amyjcollins <3

P.S asdfghjklasdfghjklasdfghjklaaaaaaaah!

Leaving Cardiff Sucks!

Hiya Peeps!

So after three of the most crazy years of my life, today I packed my things and left my house in Cardiff for the last time. I'll be honest with you, for the longest time this is something I thought I'd be completely ecstatic about but leaving today has sort of killed me. My third year at Uni wasn't really the same as my first and second. I got quite tired of the work, the living in student housing and my anxiety also got pretty bad. When it got to Christmas of my final year, I couldn't wait for it all to be over. I couldn't handle the stresses of being a 3rd year student and I was gradually crumbling under the pressure. I definitely couldn't have got through my final year without the support of some amazing friends and lecturers.

It wasn't all bad though. In my final year, the relationships I'd already built got a lot stronger, and I became closer to a huge bunch of new people. Towards the end of the year, my panic attacks became less frequent and I really started to have much more fun! As you'll have probably read in some of my previous blogs, I had an amazing time on Exposure TV and it was such a learning curve for me. I became a lot more confident in myself and realised I could achieve things if I really put my mind to it. Uni got a lot better for me towards the end of the year which I suppose has made leaving a lot tougher than I'd expected. I spent an amazing four weeks doing an internship at a Social Media agency and spent most of my evenings hanging out with friends watching movies, playing parlour games or going to pub quizzes.

I've met some incredible people at Uni, and that's what I'm going to miss the most. Knowing that everyone lives pretty far away from me means that I definitely won't see them as often as I'd like to and it's going to be really hard to adjust to not having them around. 

My mum told me before I went to Uni that the friends I make there will be my friends for life and she was right. I've been really lucky to meet the people that I have, and I hope they stick around for a really long time!

So really I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who has made my three years at Uni so incredible. I know I've probably moaned to each and everyone of you about it, but I'm so upset that it's over and I can't wait to see everyone at Graduation and have a hugeeee party! 

So for now, take care, stay beautiful and dream big. 

Thank you so much for reading; all the love in the world! 

@amyjcollins <3.

50 Facts About Me! @amyjcollins

Hiya Peeps! 

So I guess these are floating around lots of places and I thought I'd give it a go. It was extremely hard for me to think of 50 remotely interesting things about myself so gimme a chance! I'm sorry if I'm really boring. If you do like this post, please subscribe with your email address to get a message every time I post! Thank youuu.

50 Facts About @amyjcollins

1. I've just finished a 3 year degree in Media Production.
2. I'm a Chelsea football club fan and have been since I got my first kit for my 2nd birthday!
3. I think I might have Twitter addiction. I tweet almost as much as I speak. @amyjcollins, gimme a follow!
4. McFly are my favourite band ever; I am a Galaxy Defender. But I also love All Time Low and Take That.
5. I am a Belieber. Here's a photo of me with Justin back in 2009. We look adorable. He kissed me shortly after this.
   
6. I'm also a Directioner.
7. I suffer from panic attacks and anxiety and have done for a large part of my life.
8. I'm single, and very much happy that way. Relationships and commitment scare me.
9. My favourite part of my body is my nose.
10. I am ABSOLUTELY PETRIFIED of Baked Beans.
11. I've only been blogging properly for about 2 months, but I've had a Tumblr since 2008 (I think!) - Although I don't really use it anymore.
12. When I was younger I wanted to be a teacher or a scientist. 
13. I love acting and wish I'd studied it at A Level. I went to a Performing Arts secondary school and got a B in GCSE drama. I would love to be an actress.
14. I ADORE NANDOS.
15. I don't drive.
16. 2 years ago, I left my heart in New York and I cannot wait to go back there. 
17. I often wish that John Travolta was my father. On the first day of Uni, I told this to my whole module group and they thought it was hilarious! I also told a man in Asda once and he believed me. Sorry! 
18. My favourite perfume is 'With Love' by Hilary Duff and it breaks my heart that they don't make it anymore :(. HELLO EBAY.
19. My favourite film is 'Grease'.
20. My sister is my best friend. You can follow her on twitter if you like. @_lucycollins Here's what we look like.
    
21. I should go to the gym much more than I do. I currently resemble a small house and it ain't pretty!
22. I was a Prefect in school. 
23. I once went to a Q & A session with Usher but I was too scared to ask him anything because he is beautiful and I am not worthy
24. I really like guys who can rap.
25. I also really like guys who have big arms.
26. I'm really into big armed musicians who like to travel.
27. I cry really easily.
28. I once jumped off of the back of a boat and into the ocean while on holiday in Portugal. Originally I was more than happy staying on board and being boring but when I saw a sexy boy jump, I thought I'd do the same in the hope of looking cool. 
29. I absolutely LOVE Diet Coke. I'm slightly concerned it's an addiction. I once gave it up for lent and it was the hardest month of my life.
30. I've never had a Valentine.
31. I am quite a fussy eater which probably explains why I'm pretty fat.
32. When I was about four, I gave up dummy because my Mom said I could have a present. I chose a Mark Owen doll and I treasured it with my life... Until I broke his arm off by accident. Sorry Mark!
33. I've only recently got properly into wearing make-up and it's become an obsession. I just want to spend all of my money on make-up brushes. 
34. I bite my nails - sorry! 
35. The first person I ever followed on Twitter was Tom Fletcher from McFly. Yaaay Tom! 
36. When we were younger, me, my sister and our friend Jess were in a band called The Glitter Girls. 
37. We also went on a Caravan holiday one year and the three of us wrote a book. When it came to crediting the book, I was 'the writer', Jess was 'the illustrator' and Lucy was 'the pencil-sharpener'. Sorry kid! 
38. I day dream an awful lot.
39. I am PETRIFIED of the future. 
40. I have extremely low confidence, even though I talk a lot and sometimes come across like I don't.
41. Me and my mum have the same birthday. (8th July, whaaaaat?!)
42. I really want to go on Big Brother.
43. I can play the steel drums. WHAAAAAT!?
44. As much as I moaned about it the whole way through, I'm really going to miss University and all the amazing people I met there :(.
45. I would love to work at a record label doing social media marketing.
46. My most played song on iTunes is - Blizzard - Neckbreaker. 
47. I hate being controlled by other people or being patronised. 
48. I am terrible with money and like to buy lots of food and pointless trinkets that don't mean anything.
49. I am a keeper. I keep lots of useless stuff like birthday cards and gig tickets but they mean a lot to me and remind me of amazing times and people. 
50. I am at my happiest when I'm wearing pyjamas.

 So that's it, 50 (slightly crappy) facts about my life. I hope you feel like you've learned something more about me. 

Remember, take care, stay beautiful and dream big! 

Thanks for stopping by. All the love in the world.

@amyjcollins

<3.

McFly - 10 years until forever.

Hiya Peeps!

So I'm quite surprised in myself that it's taken me this long to even mention McFly on my blog. Now, anyone reading this who is a friend of mine / followers me on Twitter will know the extent of my love for McFly. For those of you who don't know me, I'm going to try and express it all here, which might be the most difficult thing I've done for a long time. There aren't really enough words to describe McFly and I don't suppose any of the ones I do use will really do them justice.

I'm passionate about a lot of things, but music is the thing that stands out above anything else. It's the driving force behind my life and keeps me sane when everything around me could be falling apart. I turn to music before I turn to people, and that's a huge thing. I don't really know where my love for and dependency on music started, but I've always been around it, and it's something that I've been bought up with.

Which brings me to McFly... I was 10 or 11 when McFly first hit our radios and TVs but never did I think my love for them would last this long. I remember watching their first video on TV in my dad's old flat, and I haven't looked back since. I just remember thinking them climbing into a Television was really cool and that if I tried hard enough, I might be able to do it too. It didn't work. I remember my sister, Lucy, being in love with the song 'Obviously' and using her cheerleading pompoms to make up a routine. My real love didn't start until I was 14 and I went to my first McFly gig the same year. Lucy was always too young to go on her own without a parent and I didn't want to experience it without her. We saw them at the Brentwood Leisure Centre back in 2007 on their 'Up Close and Personal' tour. We were proper little fan girls and got there at like 4pm even though the whole show was standing; we even went as far as to buy t-shirts and wear them for the whole show. I don't remember much about it, but I do remember them playing 'Broccoli' from their first album, and not many people in the crowd knew it. Lucy and I sung at the top of our lungs and we felt really important.

It got a little bit crazy after the Brentwood show. We started talking about McFly all the time, and if any music was on in the house, it'd be them. We even drove to France one year and had the Motion in the Ocean album on repeat... the whole way. We didn't become these crazy super fans who followed them around everywhere and practically went on tour with them (although we would have liked to). It was just at the point where whenever they announced a tour, we'd save up all of our money to be there. I haven't worked out how many times I've seen / met them, or how much money I've spent on the band (which would be a completely frightful amount, I imagine), but for me it's not about them. Whether you've seen McFly 3 times or 300 times, if you're a fan, you're a fan. I've seen them quite a few more than 3 times, though!

But beyond anything else, it's about the music. It's about the four boys (who are now men) who have gotten me through so much over the past ten years just with their lyrics and their power to make you smile at any given moment. I've got through my GCSEs, my A Levels and now a degree with the help of McFly. I even got through a migraine on Christmas morning because Lucy came and played their music to me (I'm sure that was psychological, but I'm going with it being the boys). It's the amazing, overwhelming times I've had at their gigs, not to mention the immense amounts of fun and laughter and just the general loving of life at that particular point.

I write this now as I've just finished reading McFly - Unsaid Things... Our Story. I've never cried so much at one book. Not because it's sad (although some parts of it really are) but because I love them so much. I'm so proud of what they've achieved and so happy to be able to say that I've been a part of it since it begun. Not in the sense that I was there with them when they recorded the album or went with them on tour, but I've been there. I've been at the shows, I watched Harry run a Marathon (and met the other boys in a pub) and I've bought all the albums. I know I haven't changed anything for them, but they've changed something for me. If ever I'm having a bad day or need cheering up, I know there's always a McFly song that can fix me. Subsequently, if I'm ever having a good day, I know listening to Star Girl or Surfer Babe will make my mood 10x better!

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I love McFly, and I'm not ready for any of this to be over. Ten years isn't long enough. As the legend (Tom Fletcher) once said, 'It's not always easy, but McFly's here forever'. Well, I certainly hope so, Tom.

Thanks for sticking with me and reading this one. I know it's a bit different and some of you won't like it, but it needed to be said. I was having a McFly moment and I wanted to share it. 

Remember, take care, stay beautiful and dream big! <3.

Thanks for stopping by, all the love in the world. 

@amyjcollins

I'm an intern... Whaaaat?!

Hiya Peeps! 

On a Wednesday morning, a very nervous and slightly over dressed 20 year old called Amy Collins (that’s me!) got on the train at Cardiff Central and headed to Newport for her first day as an intern at Coup Media. 

I didn’t think it was physically possible to be so nervous and so excited about something at once, but apparently it is! When I arrived at the office, I literally had no idea what to expect. I knew the team was small so that made me feel a little more relaxed as there would be less people to impress and, more importantly, less people for me to be scared of! As it happens, the people here aren’t scary at all and I feel like I fit in well. 

I’ve been doing a bunch of different tasks since I got here and I’m really enjoying learning new things and working alongside a team who are as passionate about Social Media as I am. I’ve mainly been supporting the guys in the office and helping them out with extra jobs that need doing. 

The majority of my role had been emailing people and researching. I spent some time working with Steve on the Oi! Conference and emailing people who might be interested in attending, as well as doing some of my own research to find local businesses and bloggers who might benefit from the event. As well as Oi!, I’ve been working with Sadie and helping her with both the KMS and the Internacionale accounts. I’ve been talking to some beauty bloggers about their reviews of the KMS Frizz Fighter Kit and I’ve even had the chance to read a few! I’ve also been doing a lot of work on the Internacionale Pinterest account which I’ve really enjoyed. As well as adding to the boards that they already had, I also added some of my own which made me feel (stupidly) important! I also posted a couple of pictures on their Instagram last week and I got really excited when people started to ‘like‘ them! I’ve also learned quite a bit about Social Bookmarking sites since I got here. I used to go on Stumble Upon quite regularly, but I never realised how and why sites like it are used; I just ‘stumbled’ looking for cute cats or dinner ideas! Because users can tailor what they see, sites like Stumble Upon and Delicious are a great way to get your content out there and seen by a wider audience. All in all, it’s been a great experience so far, and my face has even appeared on the Coup website (gulp!). 

I was also lucky enough to attend the Oi! Conference at the Marriott hotel earlier this week. The day was really great for networking and getting to know people in the industry. I learned so much from all of the speakers, but also from people I met at the event; I even gained a new follower on Twitter! I found the talk from Mark Schaefer most inspiring as he spoke a lot about blogging and how to create spectacular content. As I'm new to blogging, his tips really helped me and I couldn't wait to get home and start writing. 

I’ve found being here at Coup straight after University really beneficial. I’ve not really had time to stop working which has meant I’m in a much better mindset. My brain is still in ‘work mode’ and because I haven’t had a massive break, it doesn’t feel like a struggle doing work, especially when it’s work I’m really enjoying. 

So after 8 cans & 5 bottles of Diet Coke, 16 train journeys and a new addiction Blogger, Pinterest and Stumble Upon, I’ve completed three weeks of an internship at Coup! 

Remember, take care, stay beautiful and dream big! <3.
Thanks for stopping by,
@amyjcollins

Well, I’ve graduated (almost)... Now what?!

Hiya Peeps!

For me, finishing Uni feels like the most daunting thing EVER and I have no idea what I’m going to do with my life. With graduation fast approaching, it feels like everything has come around so quickly and I feel very out of my depth. This is the time for my peers and I to be making some big decisions about our futures, and I’m just not sure if I’m ready yet! 

I’ve been hearing all over the place that, ‘we need a break after uni!’ and ‘this is going to be the best summer’, and people are probably right, but is this really the best thing for us in terms of finding work? While our minds are still in ‘work mode’ I think now is the best time to be proactive and start applying for those all important internships and graduate schemes. 

And if you manage to land a placement or job straight out of University, then you’re one of the lucky ones. Finding work at the best of times is tough, so being a graduate with little experience makes the process even harder. Going straight into work means everything that you’ve spent the last three years learning will be fresh in your brain and you’ll be raring to go! I’ve been lucky enough to land an internship at a Social and Mobile Media agency and I’m loving being back in work so soon after finishing my degree as I feel motivated to work and am ready to move onto the next chapter of my life! 

Like I said before, though, finding work off of the back of University isn’t easy. Here’s a few of my tips of what to do after you’ve graduated...

1. Get Networking! - Having contacts in your field is absolutely key! They’re not only useful for when it comes to finding work and applying for jobs, but they’re also great for advice and motivation while you’re searching for the perfect placement. I made a lot of contacts while at University and the reason I was able to land my internship was thanks to one of my lecturers.
2. Be Proactive! -    Work opportunities won’t just fall into your lap; you’ll have to be actively looking for a job if you want to be employed. Websites like LinkedIn advertise entry level jobs and internships for recent graduates so they’re a great place to start! If you have a clear idea of the industry you want to work in, find details of companies you’d like to work for and contact them direct. They’ll appreciate your enthusiasm and it’ll show your interest.
3. Take Advantage of Opportunities! - If you’re offered a job or information about a work opportunity, TAKE IT! No matter how big or small, at this level, any experience is good experience! If you’re anything like me, you’re not 100% sure where your talent lays, so any work experience will help you to establish this. Any chance at this stage of your career is great because it all adds to the CV, and the fuller your CV, the better.
4. Keep Learning! - Even though you’re not studying anymore, that doesn’t mean that you need to stop learning. Regularly reading things and generally keeping up to date with news in your field will really help you out. It’s good to keep your brain active and regular research will help it!
5. Use your time wisely! - If you do decide you want a break to relax or maybe travel, make sure you use the opportunity to your advantage. While you’re abroad or at home chilling, why not take some time out for a bit of voluntary work. It’s a really good way to stay active and feel like you’re doing something of worth with your time, as well as it looking great on your CV. If you’re taking time off, try to use your evenings and weekends for a part time job while you job hunt as it’ll keep money coming in to tide you over until you find something you want to do long term. 

So whether you’re already doing your dream internship, spending your days searching for a graduate placement or chilling on a beach somewhere, remember that your future starts NOW. 

Remember, take care, stay beautiful and dream BIG!
Thanks for stopping by.
@amyjcollins <3.

Things I'm Loving At The Moment...

Hiya Peeps!

So I've moved over to 'Blogger' and it's really hard to get used to, but I am really liking it. I love that it's linked with Google+ which means I can try and get a bit more savvy at that as well. I know a lot of bloggers are using this platform to post so I thought I'd give it a whirl!

I just wanted to do a little post about 'Things I'm loving at the moment'. It's not necessarily just going to be products or items of clothing that I'm enjoying; I'm going to include things that I'm doing and maybe some people (because I'm massively cheeky!).

Something I'm really loving at the moment is working. Now, I know this sounds completely insane coming from me as I moaned the whole way through my degree about the heavy work load and how much I hated it. I'm currently doing an internship with a Social and Mobile media company (more in Big Life Updates post!) and it's honestly so much fun. I really feel like all the work I did in Uni is starting to pay off and I'm absolutely loving learning more about an industry I think I'd really like to work in. I like the routine of going to work and it keeps me in a much healthier mindset meaning I'm much more motivated to do other things and to actually get up in the morning. I feel important on this internship and feel like my ideas and opinions are being heard. It's a great feeling having a team of people that believe in me and who I really enjoying going to work with! I will be writing a blog / series of blogs about my time with Coup so stay tuned for those if you want to find out what I've been getting up to and any tips I have for those of you looking for internships or who are about to embark on your first internship!

Moving very swiftly on to the rest of the things I've been loving recently. Like I said before, it's a bunch of different types of things and I'm just going to list them and talk about them a bit. Ok, here they are.

I recently came across this really UH-MAZING singer on YouTube called Lewis Mokler. When I first heard him singing it was in the back of another video and I thought it was a new Ed Sheeran track. I went a bit crazy and started Googling lyrics and Shazam-ing the video so I could find out what it was. I can't actually remember how / when I found out who he was, but he's my 'favvy musician of the moment' (that could be a thing?!). If you've got a few spare £££'s, jump onto iTunes NOW and buy some of his music. My favvy's are Pieces, Nutella and The Traveller. He's got a bunch of stuff on YouTube as well so make sure you check him out! https://www.youtube.com/user/LewisMokler?feature=watch

At the moment, I'm really ill and there's literally nothing that makes me happier when I've got a cold than a mug of hot squash. I know what you're thinking... 'Amy, that's so weird', 'OMG, that's so gross, what's wrong with you?!', 'Can't you just have a coffee or something?!'. My response is that yes, it is weird and it's not the norm but it's literally so comforting. I don't like tea, coffee, hot chocolate or any other warm drink that may exist, but sometimes you just need something to soothe your throat when it's all gross and gravelly and a mug of hot blackcurrant sorts me right out. Plus, it reminds me of Brownie Camp when I was younger, and I like that.

I also feel that I need to quickly mention Grilled Cheese sandwiches. Yesterday I was 'stumbling' at work, and I came across this amazing image of a gooey, cheesy toasted sandwich thingy that I literally wanted the eat through the screen. It was so delightful looking that I immediately texted my friend to tell her about the delicacy and we decided to make them that evening. They were delish and you should Google how to make them because they're like heaven.

Moving very quickly into the make-up section of life which I know will shock anyone who knows me because I haven't always been a massive lover of the stuff and only recently started wearing it on a regular basis, but yes. I have been lovinggg the Real Techniques make-up brushes. I recently had the 'Core Collection' kit bought for me after I went on about it for weeks on Twitter and I'm so impressed. They're so soft, are great sizes and even come in a cheeky travel case which is extremely handy. My favvy is definitely the 'Buffing Brush' which I've been using for my liquid foundation. (I think it's very similar to their 'Expert Face Brush' which is also supposed to be good for foundation).

I also recently purchased my first eye primer and I went with the Rimmel Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer. I'm really impressed with this product because it does exactly what it's supposed to and it doesn't feel weird. It's a really light primer, blends really easily on the eyelid and lasts for blooming ages! It keeps my eye shadow on all day, and I absolutely swear by it!

My final make-up product that I'm loving is the Sleek Contouring and Blush palette. I'd seen a lot of reviews of this one going around and thought I'd give it a go. At £9.99, I was a little skeptical as make-up isn't something I'm used to spending a lot of money on, but when I thought about it I was in effect getting three products for the price of one and bought the thing anyway! I'm really glad I did because it's now part of my 'everyday' make-up and I just love it. It doesn't have a weird smell to it and the bronzer and blusher are super pigmented meaning I'm getting exactly what I paid for and what I can see in the palette, YAY! (Bet you're glad that's over!).

HOLY MOLY, this is a long post. I'm sorry guys!

The final thing I'm really loving at the moment though is really just having time. I know that sounds completely odd and everyone's probably reading this like 'Amy, what you on about man? Everyone's got time. Time isn't a thing that you have, whaaat?!' but it's really true. Now that I've finished Uni, it's meant that I've got so much more time to do things that I want to do and not worry about when my next deadline is or when I've next got to go out filming. Having this extra time has meant that I've been able to take an internship (which is great and I can't stop talking about) and it means that my friends and I can just enjoy spending time with each other without work climbing on top of us. Because most of us are going to be leaving Cardiff soon and going back to our home towns, it's nice to have this time together to just relax before we do all go our separate ways. Having this extra time has also meant that I get to have 'Hollyoaks sessions' with my housemate Verity which are usually extremely vocal and end with us screaming at the TV and eating copious amounts of bad food (banana custard and jam doughnuts). I've also started reading for leisure which I'm really pleased about. When you're studying it's really hard to enjoy a good novel because you're worrying about worm so much. I really like getting lost in a good book so I'm glad I've got the time to do it now! Happy days!

AND BREATHE. So that's finally it, guys. I know it's a long one and I'm sorry (but I'm not sorry if you've enjoyed it!). I'm going to try and blog a lot more regularly so I hope that's something you'd want to see. For me, it's kind of like a little diary that I get to keep online and people read if they fancy it (not me).

Take care, stay beautiful and dream BIG!

Thanks for stopping by <3.

@amyjcollins

xox

Big Life Updates - Aaaaah!

28.05.2013

Hiya Peeps!

Okay, so I've been slightly out of touch because I thought finishing University would mean I had all the time in the world on my hands, but it turns out that's not the case. I feel like I've been soooo busy the past two weeks that I've barely had time to breathe, let alone blog!

Basically, in this post I'm just going to share a few of the big updates in my life, and talk about some of the things I've been getting up to, so here it goes.

First update, (probably not that huge), is that I'm finally turning into a girl! Now, don't lets all start spreading rumours that I'm a male and have a hairy chest, but I have started acting more like a girl recently. I've suddenly had this massive burst of interest in all things make-up and I guess I kind of like this. I've never really been a massive fan of make up and always just worn little to nothing on my face, just because I could never be bothered. I started watching some YouTube videos of girls doing make-up and what the best products on the market were and I just decided it was something I wanted to experiment with. It's odd that I haven't had this before because I've worked in a 'drug store' for almost five years now and literally been surrounded by make-up products almost every weekend since I was sixteen. So, yes, that's update no1! If you see me now, I'm probably wearing eye primer and highlighter on my cheeks which sounds completely insane.

Now, probably the biggest update in my life at the moment is that I've finished Uni. I mentioned it at the start of this blog very briefly, but yes, it's now completely done. I don't think it's actually sunk in yet that I don't ever have to go to another lecture (hoorah!) because I've been spending time preparing for our end of year show and just generally being busy with life and stuff. It did kind of hit me today when I went back to the Uni building for the first time in nearly two weeks and it felt very weird. The building was really quiet because obviously most people have finished lectures now, but it sort of felt like I shouldn't have been there. I knowww that sounds completely ridiculous as I've been a student there for three years but I was almost waiting for someone to come and tell me off because I'm not technically a student anymore! I've mentioned a bit about Uni in a couple of my other blogs, and if you follow me on Twitter (@amyjcollins) you'll have probably seen my constant flow of tweets about Uni. It has been three of the toughest years I'll probably ever endure (which is probably why I've moaned so much), but it's also been the most exciting and eye opening experience of my life and I literally recommend it to EVERYONE. I've met the most amazing people over my time at Uni and I've also learned quite a lot as well (gladly!). Living away from home has really taught me A LOT of valuable life lessons and I've spent amazing times with some incredible people I'll never forget. (I would list them all, but I'll probably miss someone and don't want to offend. You all know who you are <3).

Third big life update is that I'm starting work experience tomorrow. I'm going to a Social and Mobile Media agency to learn more about what they do and how they work with high profile clients. I'm obviously blinking nervous about this but I honestly cannot contain my excitement. I'm buzzing to get out there into the world of work and because it's something I'm really keen to learn more about, I'm sure it'll be great fun. Social Media marketing and promotion is, I think, the future of marketing and promotion and it's definitely something I'm interested to get involved in and gain knowledge about.

Next thing, not something directly about me, but what is this weather playing at, eh?! I cannot believe that on Sunday afternoon I was having a barbeque with all my family at my grandparents house, and then today I got completely drenched by the rain walking 10 minutes home from town. It's insane. If there is someone who's borrowed the sun, please could we have it back? I miss it, and my bedroom is very cold because it's disappeared. Cheers.

So that's it really. Those are just some of the things going on in my life at the moment. I'm aware that they're not HUGELY exciting for other people but it's just a little insight into what's going on with me right now.

Thanks for stopping by <3.

@amyjcollins

xox

Last Ever Lecture... Say What?!

03.05.2013

Hiya Peeps!

How on earth was yesterday my last lecture of Uni, EVER?! It literally feels like I arrived in Cardiff yesterday and now it's almost time to leave. It's true what they say that time flies when you're having fun.
The past three years has been a multitude of different emotions, dramas, friendships and late nights and I wouldn't change any of it for the world. I've probably spent 50% of my Uni career laughing, 30% crying and 20% losing my mind with stress about work and deadlines and the sheer panic that hits when you realise a deadline is 9am, not 4pm.

University has taught me a lot about myself, especially in the last few months. In my third year I've worked in a completely different way and I've realised a lot about the career path I want to take. I've loved my degree and it's taught me skills in so many different fields, and I've found that music and social media are where my talent and passion lays. When I came to Uni, I wanted to be Fearne Cotton and spend my mornings in a radio studio in my pyjamas. But now, I feel like I'll succeed better tweeting or vlogging or managing talent or floor managing or being a PA or working in PR. (What that last little sentence has taught me is that I kind of have no idea what I want to do with my life, oops!).

I've met some people that've changed my life, and that I hope will stick by me forever. And there are still new people coming into my life, even now we're so close to the end. Before I came to Uni, my Mom told me, 'University is where you'll meet your life long friends, remember that', and it'll stick with me forever. I more than likely laughed at her when she told me first time around, but she wasn't wrong. There are people here that I can't wait to meet up with in 5 years and still be able to act like a complete fool with and reminisce about the good old days!
I want to thank everyone who's been a part of my University life, and I feel like this is just and easier way to do (and a way that means I won't be crying on literally every person I've mentioned in this post). Whether anyone ever sees this or not doesn't matter. It's for me so I never forget what I learned or achieved during my time here and will always remember the people and the times that made me smile. 

So thank you, The University of Glamorgan (or as it's now known, The University of South Wales), it's been a pleasure, and I'll be honoured if I get to graduate as part of the final Class of Uni Glam. Honestly, thank you to every single person I've met on this journey, you've made me a better, stronger, quieter, happier, more confident, kinder, more proactive, funnier and more positive human being, and for that I'm ever grateful.

THE UNIVERSITY OF GLAMORGAN - CLASS OF 2013 <3.

Take care, stay beautiful and dream big!
All the love in the world,
@amyjcollins <3

Exposure TV: The home of fun, tears and new friendships.

02.05.21013

Hiya Peeps!

Who knew a University project could change a person so much?!

On 15th April 2013, me and a bunch of my University classmates embarked on our biggest project to date; Exposure TV. It was the most petrified I've even been in my life, because I have no idea how to Produce, Direct, Vision Mix and Floor Manage amongst other things and actually be good at it.

It turns out, projects like this actually DO change people. And I'm one of those people. I literally had no idea how I was going to cope during the two weeks and I probably spent at least 60% of the time crying. But during the other 40% of the project, a new 'me' was emerging, and it's a new 'me' that I'm kind of excited about. There's this little thing inside of me that's telling me that I can do things, and I can achieve and I'm actually quite good at some of the things I'm doing.

There's this other great thing about Exposure, too. I haven't just met new colleagues from the Uni through this project, but I've met some new friends who I hope will stick with me for life. When we started working on this thing, never did I think that I'd leave with a whole round of new friends and for that I'm hugely grateful. I also came out of it with stronger bonds with some of my friends and classmates, and built on those relationships that already meant the world to me.

Exposure TV was the most fun I've had in ages, and to think that it's been an academic University project is NUTS. I know I whinged and moaned and cried the whole way through, I can honestly say I loved every minute. I learned things about the industry and achieved things in a working environment that I never thought I could, but I also learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. This experience will stick with me for life, and is something that I know I'll look back on and have absolutely no regrets and memories of fun, laughter and friendship.

Take care, stay beautiful and dream big!
Lots of love,
@amyjcollins <3.