Thursday, 31 January 2019

January 2019


First month in, and already so much has happened! The year started off wonderfully, and I could not believe how lucky I was. We picked up our new doggy on the 5th of January. He is a rescue dog called Stevie, and I honestly love him with my whole heart. I have always wanted a dog, and as much as I love animals, I didn’t realise how much love you could have for one little four-legged creature until now. I am so happy that him and his waggy tail are there for me when I’m sad or anxious, and taking him for walks is so therapeutic.



              As much as circumstances were brilliant at the beginning of the year, this was tainted by a lot of anxiety. I now only have around 4 months left of school, which is exciting, but also terrifying, as my exams in Summer will determine whether I get into my first choice university or not. I’ve been working my ass off, whilst juggling a lot of anxiety and depression, which has been one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do.
              On the subject of mental health, I actually got my act together a bit. After meaning to for around a year, I finally went to the doctor’s about my mental health, and have been referred for some therapy, which I am so thankful for. I received therapy when I was younger – I actually got discharged exactly three years ago! – and found it very helpful to just talk to someone and have an outsider’s perspective on my life and my troubles. It doesn’t seem to me like a failure to have to go back, I feel proud of myself for being brave enough to do it, and I’m so excited to receive the help I so desperately need.
              In order to take care of myself better and to really work for the grades I need, I made the decision this month to hand in my notice at work. I’ve been in the same job for two years and absolutely love it, but losing a day every week that could be spent sleeping and/or doing school work was causing a lot of stress, which was detrimental to my health. Although I love earning my own money, it’s a sacrifice I’ve had to make for myself, and again, I am proud of myself for being brave enough to do what I know is right for me.
              Excitingly, I turned 18 this month! My friends and family helped make the day super special, and celebrating it with all the people I care about made me feel so lucky. To everyone I saw either on my birthday or at my party, I fucking love you and am glad to have you in my life. Having my birthday slap bang in the middle of the month was actually perfect for me, as it allowed me to get my head off all the things that were worrying or stressing me and just have fun.



              Honestly, this month has been super difficult, and I’ve hit some absolute lows, but luckily, I feel more equipped than I ever have done to cope with my negative thoughts and feelings. Spending time with friends and family, reading, writing and taking Stevie for walks are all things that have made me feel more like myself. 2019 has been rocky so far, and I definitely had some 2018 issues seep through the stroke of midnight which had promised so much change. I’m making changes in my life that have been long overdue, and I’m giving myself the time and love I deserve. Bring on February x

Thursday, 17 January 2019

18 Things I've Learned in 18 Years


18 THINGS I’VE LEARNED IN 18 YEARS
I turned 18 yesterday, so now I feel old, wise, and reflective. I know that being 18 will be filled with alcohol, friends and fun, but being 0-17 taught me a lot of lessons that I’ll bring through this year with me. Here’s 18 things I’ve learned in the past 18 years!

1.       Always trust your gut
This is first and foremost. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it! You don’t need a reason or an explanation, your gut knows some things for you. Likewise, if your gut is telling you to do something, go for it!

2.       Always be kind
You truly never know what’s going on in someone else’s life, and saying something hurtful can be enough to ruin their day, but something kind could be enough to make their day. Kind actions, thoughts and words can go a lot further than you think.

3.       Never diet
Whenever you want to diet, think about who is profiting of your decision, because it definitely isn’t you. Most diets fail, and you’ll out back on the weight you lost. I wouldn’t have developed an eating disorder if I wasn’t introduced to diet culture at such a young age, so now I stay away from conversations and areas of the internet that promote this. No need to diet to be valued and beautiful.

4.       You are your own boss
Even though you will have authority figures in life, you are in charge of the way that you act. This means that you need to motivate yourself to work hard, you need to trust yourself the most, and you need to give yourself breaks. People can guide you, but they aren’t you.

5.       Love yourself
My life would have been so different if I simply started to love myself at a younger age. It’s okay to have a round face or uneven skin or scars. It’s all just part of you, and if you can’t change it, you might as well love it.

6.       Take pictures and make notes
So often I look through pictures or notebooks and come across so many memories that I’d forgotten about till that moment. Life is full of so many precious moments that are worth capturing and keeping. Even things that seem irrelevant now may be so important to you when you’re older.

7.       Do things sooner rather than later
Whether it’s writing an essay or tidying your room, you’ll feel better if you do it straight away. Get all the boring shit done and then give yourself the rest that you need and deserve afterwards.

8.       Take breaks
This is something I literally learnt the importance of in the last month or so. Taking breaks doesn’t just mean going to the toilet and making coffee, it means spending time with your friends and family, watching films and TV, and sometimes taking whole days off without feeling guilty. You’ll feel more relaxed when you get back into things and therefore be way more productive. Taking breaks is just as important as the work itself, and it’s a key part of the cycle of work.

9.       Never settle for less than you deserve
Whether its friends, money or boys, you know what you deserve, so go get it. I wasted so much of my life being scared to speak up for myself or scared to initiate change, when really change is the best thing. Know your worth, and make sure you are treated to that level.

10.   Mother knows best
All of the best advice I’ve ever received has come from my mum. This includes: 1) if you won’t still be worrying about it in a week, then its not worth worrying about now, 2) it doesn’t matter if you can’t get to sleep, as long as you’re resting, and 3) always listen to your mother.

11.   Crying is a great way to heal
And I’m talking about those massive cries that come from the pit of your stomach and the depth of your soul. One of those every now and then really gets a hell of a lot out of you, and afterwards you are good to go.

12.   Always carry lip balm
I learnt this lesson the hard way when I went to Moscow last Winter and the cold made my lips drier than a nun’s vagina. Keep your friends close, and your lip balm closer, seriously.
13.   Everything happens for a reason, so don’t have any regrets.
All the shit things that have happened in my life, I can see exactly know what led up to them, and what they led to. Everything always falls into place, and bad things either teach you important lessons, or lead to good things. Don’t underestimate fate. Every mistake you made felt right in the moment, so don’t be hard on yourself for sometimes making the wrong decisions.

14.   Look out for yourself
People can try their best, but they’ll never be able to look out for you as much as you can for yourself. Make sure you eat, drink water and make time for yourself, because people won’t always be there to do that for you.

15.   Dream big
Set yourself massive goals. I want to get the grades to get into my first choice uni, and so I tell myself every single day that I will do it. Sometimes things are out of your control and don’t happen the way you want, but at least if they fail, you can say that you tried your best.

16.   Keep busy
Whenever times get tough for me, I don’t stop to wallow in self-pity (that much…) because I know that carrying on, putting a smile on my face and sticking to my normal routine will help me emotionally adjust more than anything. I’m not saying you should try and numb yourself to emotion, but know that healing can happen while you get on with your life, so surround yourself with people, go to new places and keep your mind filled with things that inspire you.

17.   Starbucks is good for your mental health, even if it is bad for your bank account
I mean this for a multitude of reasons. When you’re feeling shitty and force yourself into a normal situation, like a coffee shop, you automatically feel more normal and are forced to interact with another human. It’s also a good place to go to take a break – I remember going to Starbucks with my dad during my GCSEs just to get away from the textbooks. Also, it’s just nice to have a coffee and feel re-energised sometimes.

18.   Talk to your friends about the good times and the bad
Talking about the good times makes you appreciate them even more, and sharing your happy experiences can make other people happy too! On the other hand, a problem shared is a problem halved, and talking about the bad times can help to get shit off your chest and get the support you need. Your friends will have your best interests at heart, and know when they have to give you sympathy and love, or sometimes when they just need to tell you to get your shit together.

Now, time to enjoy this year x

Sunday, 30 December 2018

2018 - What The Fuck Was That


It’s time to say goodbye and good riddance to 2018. I took a different approach to this year, knowing I wanted it to be different to the rest. I decided that I would keep track of every time something majorly good or bad happened to me, to see if good periods would follow bad ones, or if any sort of pattern would approach. I wanted to see whether more good or bad things would happen in the year, so I could really determine whether 2018 was a ‘good’ year for me.

              I didn’t get the results I wanted unfortunately - the bad things far outweighed the good, with my only major positives either being academic ones, and passing my driving test. The first difficulty of the year was having a grandparent pass away. Up until this year, I’d never lost a family member, or anyone close to me for that matter. I lost my Nana at the beginning of the year, and then lost my Grandad in Summer. Whilst this is of course sad, I did what I always do to deal with emotion, and just kept busy. The night my Nana died, I went to a concert, and then went into work the next day. I know when someone dies and you have fun, people tell you not to feel bad about having fun because its “what they would have wanted”, but when they passed, I wasn’t thinking of them, I was thinking about myself. I was thinking about what was next for me. It was probably a terrible thing to do, and I’ve probably internalised a lot of emotion, but I’m not a family person and didn’t have many memories of my grandparents that passed, so it honestly didn’t impact me that much. I feel guilty, and like I should have been hurt by this more, but I wasn’t. The thing that made it difficult was my parents being upset. It made for some difficult times in 2018.

              All in all, when I wrote down each thing that happened, whether good or bad, it seemed like such a massive deal at the time, and looking back now, it all seems so irrelevant. I’m no longer hurt by any of the bad things that happened, but also no longer particularly happy about any of the good things that happened either. Maybe it’s good that I’ve learnt to move on from everything, but it seems an awful big shame that I feel entirely neutral to a whole year of my life.

              Saying that, I think if ‘beginning of 2018’ Hannah could see ‘end of 2018’ Hannah, she’d be happy. I’ve got all my university offers and know exactly where I want to be next year. I’ve worked hard and gotten good grades. I have the supportive group of friends that I needed all along. I’ve managed to keep my mental health afloat (just about at times). I’ve learnt to value kindness above anything else in the world, and that if something isn’t right, you need to change it. I've learnt to always trust my gut feeling.  I’m probably more optimistic now that I was at the beginning of the year, and I think that’s what keeps me going. I’m ending 2018 admitting that it wasn’t smooth sailing, but knowing that I had some really fucking happy times. I’m happy now, and I’ve got big plans for 2019.

Thursday, 1 November 2018

OCTOBER – BOOKS, FILMS AND PLACES

BOOKS

ARIEL – SYLVIA PLATH
I have a terrible habit of reading collections of poetry cover to cover in one go, which I’m fairly sure isn’t the way poetry should be read. Maybe I would have enjoyed this more if I would have gone poem by poem, but I didn’t, and I didn’t enjoy it all that much. My favourite poems were ‘Tulips’, ‘The Rival’ and ‘The Munich Mannequins’. The collection does however come across as brave, as Plath writes explicitly about death and suicide. Many write about death, but few go through with it like Plath did. I’d love to read more work by her, but this collection of poems didn’t do it for me. I feel like words either strike and captivate you, or they don’t, and these words really didn’t.

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WHY I’M NO LONGER TALKING TO WHITE PEOPLE ABOUT RACE – RENI EDDO-LODGE
Considering myself an intersectional feminist and always being fascinated with black history I’d be taught in school, I thought a lot of this book would be obvious to me, however it made me reconsider a lot of things that I understood as normalities of society. Whilst this was a read that I wouldn’t say was pleasurable, due to the hard hitting nature of it, it was educational in the best way possible. Whilst I’m still not sure exactly how to talk about race, this booked definitely helped my understanding. This book is so worth reading, for knowledge which is so vital in the society we are living in.

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THE NIGHT IS DARKENING ROUND ME – EMILY BRONTE
Another collection of poetry! This is actually one I’d read before, enjoying the way love, nature and death become so simple within poetry. I actually refer to this collection in my personal statement, and so thought I should probably read it, to rediscover some of my favourite poems. I’m almost always critical of poetry, but this collection I really do love, as the language is so beautiful and the poems are so rhythmic. My favourite poem is ‘Remembrance’, as I feel the relationship between nature and death is explored seamlessly, and the poem is truly captivating.

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ANIMAL FARM – GEORGE ORWELL
I’d say this is a disappointment in a book. It’s obviously so hyped up but it just didn’t do it for me! I felt that the historical references were too obvious and forced, and didn’t really intellectually satisfy me. The only good thing about this book was that its short so I managed to finish it in a day – I wouldn’t have wanted to spend any longer reading it.

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LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER – D.H. LAWRENCE
ICONIC! We stan. I loved every single page – although I did sometimes cringe at the very raunchy bits. This book was obviously so ground-breaking and controversial at the time, and is now just a fucking good book. I loved the characters, especially Lady Chatterley herself, and I love that the book isn’t afraid of detail. So good.

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FILMS
THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS
I was confused about this film, because it really felt like a film for young kids, but it had a 12A rating. Aside from the confusion, this was a cute film that I’d watch when hungover or chilling out. The kids were adorable, and Cate Blanchett is an icon.

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A STAR IS BORN
I’m going to be real, this was the best film I’ve seen in 2018, and possibly my favourite film of all time. I love Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga – although I didn’t before I watched the film to be honest. The characters are so believable, that you do get so caught up in it all. I never cry at films, but this one had my tensing my jaw and taking deep breaths. I cannot recommend this film enough. I truly loved the music, characters and plot.

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BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
I actually liked this film a lot less than I expected! The trailers were like goosebump level good, and I’m not saying the film wasn’t good, but it wasn’t really what I expected. I really really really enjoyed the musical parts, both the ones onstage and in the recording studio, but the other bits I weren’t so fond of. I was surprised at how negatively Freddie Mercury was portrayed in his relationships, both romantic and with his bandmates. I do however feel that the acting was fucking amazing, so that with the music made the film enjoyable.

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HALLOWEEN
This is another film that wasn’t really was I expected! It was scary, but more in an emotionally disturbing way than a jumpy or psychological way. I enjoyed the pace and anticipation, but at times I felt that the plot was a bit like “here’s some people, now they’re dead, here’s some more people, now they’re dead, and so on, and so on”, so the novelty of it wore off a bit and you learnt to not get emotionally attached to anyone. The methods of killing were however really gruesome, which I actually quite liked because I like gore. I wouldn’t watch it again, but it did get me in the Halloween mood!

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PLACES
THE PLAYHOUSE THEATRE, LONDON
At the beginning of the month I saw ‘The Jungle’, an immersive play based around immigration. I kind of feel like this was one of the best plays I’ve seen in my life, and not just because Ian McKellen (Dumbledore) was on the same row as us. This was done the way immersive plays should be done. Some moments were hilarious and some moments truly broke your heart. I really cannot believe how fucking amazing the writing, the actors and especially the set was. There was not a second of boredom or disappointment. My heart goes out to this play.

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GOOGLE DIGITAL ACADEMY, LONDON
I had the amazing opportunity to talk about mental health at the Google Digital Academy, with my fellow wellbeing ambassadors. As well as playing table tennis and getting a little too excited about the buffet, we were able to start really important conversations. I spoke about my experience with an eating disorder, and there were tears in the room. I’m so grateful that my words and experiences can really mean something to other people, and hopefully help create great change.



SHEFFIELD
I went to look at the University of Sheffield as part of my scary endeavours into the future. I didn’t have expectations too high – and I was so pleasantly surprised. The university is so nice, and has such a lovely feel to it. The English talk was in a Church building, which was absolutely gorgeous. The city is also so lovely, and I had a great time.


BRIGHTON

On Halloween, I went to Brighton with my lovely work friends. We sat by the sea, had pizza at purezza, wandered through the lanes and got donuts. I love Brighton and I love my cute friends.

       

Overall, October was pretty amazing. I hope everyone else had a good October, and especially a good Halloween!

Hannah x
   
           

Sunday, 30 September 2018

September - Books, Films and Places


SEPTEMBER – BOOKS, FILMS AND PLACES

I feel that the older I get, the more sentimental I become. I now keep a memory jar filled with old concert and train tickets. I save ALL my Instagram stories month by month so I can watch back over them. I love keeping memories (especially as my own memory is so shit) and I love writing, so I thought it would be nice to look over my past month. I know this year is going to go extremely quickly and so I don’t want to forget any of it! Without further ado, here is my September books, films and places…

BOOKS:
ANNA KARENINA – LEO TOLSTOY
I’m actually being a bit of a liar by saying I read this in September, as I actually started it waayyy back in July, but I FINALLY finished it in September! This 800 page whopper was not an easy one to get through, but I am so glad I did! If you know me, you’ll know that I love nothing more in a novel than a strong female protagonist, and Anna was everything I could have wanted and more. She could command a room, get away with so much shit and make everyone fall in love with her – basically how I’m trying to be. This is definitely a book I’d like to read again at some point in my life, so it can grow with me. Maybe I’ll read it in 5 years and absolutely hate Anna, but for the meantime, this book is deeply ingrained in my heart.


HUNGER – ROXANE GAY
After taking around 2 months to read Anna Karenina, I feel I redeemed myself by reading this book in a day! I smashed through it on my way to and from Birmingham earlier this month, so if you don’t get car sick, car journeys are a really good time to read! This book detailed sexual assault and weight issues in a way I didn’t think was possible. Having suffered an eating disorder, this book was extremely real to me. Despite dealing with such challenging topics, it was so easy to read. It felt like a conversation with a friend, and opened my eyes to weight issues other than my own that people are forced to deal with on a daily basis. If you’ve had to deal with sexual assault or weight issues in your life, or you’re just open minded and looking to understand other people’s struggles, I’d strongly recommend this book.


THE FEMALE EUNUCH – GERMAINE GREER
This was one of the only books I’ve read in my life that has genuinely shocked me, and so I can only imagine how it must have gone off when it was first published in 1970. Parts are very explicit, and even pornographic, so I was always very conscious of anyone looking over my shoulder while I was reading it on public transport. Whilst I definitely do not agree with a lot of what Greer argues, it helped me to understand my own feminist beliefs a little bit more, and appreciate how far feminism has come. Unfortunately, I didn’t love this book.


CARRIE - STEPHEN KING
I’ve actually read this book before and studied it in quite deep detail as I’m writing about it for my English coursework. The first time I read it I thought it was fucking fabulous, and it really excited me, although I did expect it to be a little more gory and have a slightly more complex plot – I think I liked it so much because it was a very easy read though. This time, it excited me far less, and I think that’s because the shock factor wasn’t there, and I’d researched all of it in such detail that I didn’t feel there were many stones left unturned. It is a very easy read, and you can get through it in a couple hours, so it definitely wasn’t a waste of time going over it once more.



FILMS:
LOVE SIMON
I’d seen this film before, but it has got to be one of my favourites. I love the music, I love Simon (pun not intended) and I love the humour. Sure, its not a cinematic masterpiece, but its cute as hell and just makes you feel good. Definitely a film I could watch 100 times over.

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MAMMA MIA 2
This is a film I have watched 100 times over. That may be an exaggeration, but I did watch it 5 times at the cinema (Cineworld unlimited is the ONE). I’m still not sick of it though, and I’d go so far as to say I like it more than the first film. The songs are EVERYTHING, Lily James is EVERYTHING and Cher really had us all shook. Although I’m pretty sure I know the entire script now, I will never tire of it.

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THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST
If I said I didn’t just want to watch this film because Chloe Moretz was in it, I’d be lying. Whilst this wasn’t the best film I’ve ever seen, it definitely wasn’t the worst. I liked some of the characters and I liked the message of the film. The ending was the biggest let down of the 21st century, but I’d still probably watch this film again.

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THE NUN
Was it scary? No. Was it good? Kinda. Was it interesting and watchable? I’d say so! I definitely feel like more could have been done with it, but considering how shit horror films can be, it wasn’t too bad. Wouldn’t be in a rush to watch it again.

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A SIMPLE FAVOUR
Blake Lively could stab me and I’d say thank you. Remember what I said earlier about loving a strong female protagonist? Blake Lively gave this. Whilst the plot was a little ??? at times, I did enjoy this film. It was kind of similar to Gone Girl, which made me wish I was just watching Gone Girl instead, but it was still good. Blake Lively and Henry Golding have got to be two of the most attractive people on planet earth.

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THE MEG
Well I’m scared of the ocean now. Whilst this film wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea, I still enjoyed it. I was particularly excited to see Ruby Rose in this as I have a MASSIVE crush on her but she was kinda meh. Li Bingbing and Jessica McNamee were fabulous however. I probably wouldn’t watch this film again. Maybe I’ll go swimming with sharks one day though.

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PLACES
LONDON – THE GLOBE THEATRE
My lovely friend Oonagh and I went to the Globe one Friday evening to watch the Taming of the Shrew. I’ve been to the Globe before and I love it, but I didn’t know what to expect from The Taming of the Shrew. Turns out it was brilliant and HILARIOUS – which I definitely didn’t expect. The acting was fabulous and it’s just a great play, and I had a wonderful evening.




MANCHESTER
I embarked on this lovely trip at the beginning of the month with my parents for the day, Tino and Eva (thanks guys). I actually went up to do a speaking competition, which was some scary shit. Despite the fact that I didn’t win, it was a really wonderful experience, and Hannah 3 years ago wouldn’t have believed you if you told her she’d be out doing shit like that. The only bits of Manchester I got to see were the train station and conference centre, but the people were really lovely and I think that says a lot about a city.


BIRMINGHAM
The general life plan is that a year from now I’m going to end up at university, and so off me and my Dad popped to the University of Birmingham. It has an amazing campus and English course, and they have a Starbucks on campus which is just across from the library, so I can definitely see myself feeling at home there.


BRIGHTON
Again, I dragged my Dad along to look at the University of Sussex. I’ve always loved Brighton and so was very excited at the prospect of going to university just outside of that wonderful city. The campus was very small and cosy compared to Birmingham, and so it felt really different, but still felt like it could be a home to me one day. After looking round the campus and eating cake with my wonderful friend Amber (hello if you find your way to this post), Dad and I went into Brighton. We wandered round the lanes and ate vegan ice cream by the beach. The highlight however was DEFINTELY the fucking ridiculously amazing pizza at Purezza. This is seriously the best vegan food I’ve EVER had and I’m VERY happy that they also have a location in London, which I hope to visit ASAP. I had a great time in Brighton, and I’m currently salivating thinking about that goddamn beautiful pizza.



So that’s pretty much my September! I am hoping to write one of these little summaries every month, as it’s always nice to get nostalgic, even if it is about stuff that only happened a few weeks ago. I hope every one else had a lovely September, and like me you’re getting reading for AUTUMN!!!! Lots of love x

Monday, 3 September 2018

My (Traumatic) Experience Learning To Drive

My (Traumatic) Experience Learning To Drive


Learning to drive is definitely the most expensive and time consuming thing I have done in my life, and it is for that exact reason that I’m so happy that after 8 months, 3 instructors and thousands of pounds (may or may not be an exaggeration), I have now passed my driving test!

3 instructors

I was super keen to learn to drive, so I organised my first driving lesson at 9am on my 17th birthday. I initially went with my sister’s driving instructor because she passed first time (with 14 minors lol) and he gave my discount because he’d taught her. As much as he was a lovely man, he was also a very busy man and could only offer me lessons really late at night or really early in the morning, and he had to cancel a few lessons. He offered a couple times to recommend other driving instructors to me, and the second time I had to accept his offer as it just wasn’t working for me. So onto instructor two! Instructor one had recommended some to me and naturally I went with the cheapest one hahahah (I'm so broke someone help). This guy was kinda okay, at first. As time went on, he started cancelling more and more lessons and decided that he couldn’t pick me up from school or my mum’s house, and I spend a hell of a lot of time at school and my mum’s house. He messed me around A LOT so I spent about a month waiting for him to give me another lesson before I finally decided to send him a strongly worded message telling him he’s shit. I didn’t really say that but he was so flaky and messed me a round a lot, and I don’t take shit from nobody. After spending a couple weeks deliberating, I moved on to my THIRD driving instructor, as recommended to me by a friend from work (Hi Chaz). Although slightly more expensive, this guy was nice, more flexible (with times, not stretches), far less flaky than the others and was the one that I stuck with until the day of my test.

Cancelled test

As if having to go through 3 instructors just to get to my test date wasn’t enough, the night before my test, having revised the show me tell me questions until I knew them like the back of my hand, and having watched every single “how to pass your driving test” video on youtube, I was blessed with an email from the DVSA. Upon opening that email, I discovered that they’d had to cancel my test as they didn’t have an examiner available for me. At first I didn’t panic too much as they’d offered me another date. Until I realised the date they’d offered me was 6 weeks after my original date! I was supposed to take my test on my last day of school before summer and ended up taking it at the very end of August. I was angry and heartbroken. I'd say mean things about the DVSA but they havent't sent me my real licence yet so I should probably try n stay in their good books. The next day I rang the DVSA, and politely explained to the woman on the phone that I understood it wasn’t her fault but I was PISSED. She was no help. I spent the next 2 weeks constantly looking for driving test cancellations in the hope that I could get a date at least slightly sooner. Having been unsuccessful, I contacted my driving instructor so I could have some lessons before my test date. Shit got worse though. He told me that he already had a test booked for my delayed date. There weren’t any more tests available till October at this point and I was devastated. Regardless, I booked a lesson with him (didn’t want to forget how to drive or anything). Luckily, on my lesson with him he told me that he’d prioritise my test as I’d booked mine first. Finally things were looking up – a test at the end of August is better than a test in October!

The test

The day before my test, I had a 2 hour lesson booked, but after 1 hour my instructor told me he didn’t think I needed any longer, and I agreed (and also wanted to save money and time lol IM BROKE). This time, I did everything opposite to what I had done last time. I briefly read over the show me tell me questions, didn’t watch any youtube videos or try to overthink it. I just went about my evening as usual and went to bed at a reasonable time. Waking up on test day (at 6:30am fml), I had immediate butterflies. I tried to eat breakfast and failed. I put on my dress and my dangly earrings (gotta look nice so the examiner has a good first impression, and earrings remind you to check your mirrors). I just sort of faffed around until my instructor got to my house at 7:20am, for my test at 8:20am. From here on I don’t actually remember much, up until my examiner said the words “well Hannah, I’m pleased to tell you that you’ve passed”. My tell me question was the one about fog lights and my show me question was washing the rear windscreen. My manoeuvre was a forwards bay park. I really don’t think it could have gone much better – I didn’t have to parallel park, I knew my show me and tell me question, and I didn’t stall. I got 8 minors but whatever, I passed. The actual test wasn’t as nerve-wracking as I thought. My examiner was a nice guy. He didn’t chat to me much, but I was glad about that because I get easily distracted hahah. Once I’d gotten the tell me question out the way, I knew everything else was muscle memory so I got to relax a bit. It did go well and I am happy, but also relieved I never have to go through that again.

MY ADVICE FOR LEARNING TO DRIVE

MONEY

I paid for all my driving lessons myself, which I’m very proud of myself for. But seriously if your parents pay for your lessons you have no idea how lucky you are. I have quite a lot of money saved up that I’d intended to use for lessons, but I didn’t actually end up having to use any of it. I just used money I’d earned from my part time job. A good way to save for driving lessons I found was whenever I happened to have cash, I'd use that for driving lessons and not other things. When I was on my 3rd driving instructor I did start to struggle as he charged more and did 2 hour lessons, so I was using up my hours more quickly. I had to borrow some money from my dad but I’m pleased to say I’ve now paid it all back.

TIME

Learning to drive takes up a hell of a lot of time. Originally I had my lessons early on a Sunday morning, which worked pretty well for me as this was the only day I wouldn’t be at school or work. With my 2nd instructor I usually had my lessons about 5pm on a weekday, which was fine but kind of annoying because it would mean I’d usually have to drop homework I was in the middle of to go and have my lessons. With my 3rd instructor, most of the time he’d pick me up from school, which was good because I could drive myself wherever I needed to be that evening, but it was also kind of shit because I’d always be so tired after school and then I’d have to concentrate for another 2 hours, and I’d always dread driving lessons while I was at school. I’d say I recommend having lessons early in the morning on a day you’re not at school or work as it means you’re not tired from your day, and after the lesson you’re already up and ready for the day. The roads are also pretty quiet early in the morning, but remember to have lessons at busier times and in the dark as you'll have to drive in these conditions IRL.


THE TEST

I’m obviously a pro at tests considering I passed first time (lol my 8 minors would disagree), but my honest advice would be to stay as calm as you can (lol easier said than done). The test goes really quickly and driving examiners literally aren’t allowed to be cunts. The worst case scenario is that you fail, and if you do, you’ve just gotta take the test again. If you’re feeling nervous leading up to the test, I’d say just try and forget about it and distract yourself with other things. If your driving instructor has let you go ahead with your test, it means you’re perfectly able to drive. I’d also say to take your time with manoeuvres and pulling off, because that means you’re less likely to stall and the less time you have to spend actually driving, where there’s more opportunity to fuck up. I also advise LOOKING IN YOUR FUCKING MIRRORS ALL THE DAMN TIME – I felt like I was constantly checking mine and I still got 2 minors for not using my mirrors. My final and most important bit of advice is to NOT look at the examiner’s piece of paper, no matter how tempting it may be. At the beginning of my test, I saw my examiner write on his piece of paper and draw a cross at the top of the page and I was convinced that I’d failed, despite the fact that I hadn’t thought I’d done anything wrong. This got me into a total unnecessary panic. Your examiner has to mark down when you do your manoeuvre and emergency stop and show me question so just because they mark something down doesn’t mean they’re giving you a minor or failing you.

So that’s it! If you haven’t started learning to drive, are currently learning to drive or can drive, I hope you enjoyed being nosy about my trauma. Drive safe x

Tuesday, 21 August 2018

Male Mental Health - Part 2


   Male Mental Health - Part 2

In  my last blog post I shared the set of answers I received for the first 5 questions I asked a group of males on social media concerning male mental health. Here are the answers I received for the final 5 questions.

*most answers have been cut down*




Why do you think suicide is the biggest killer of young men?


“I think because a lot of people can’t see a future where they work. Nothing they do really fits in with the stereotype and being different is incredibly difficult and taxing. For me personally I don’t want to fit in with the normal status quo of working 9-5. However men are told as well as instinctively more likely to want to protect and provide and overstretch themselves to make shit happen. Eventually we break down because we cant talk to anyone.”

“because as less men talk about their feelings, they bottle it up and unless they open up to someone else, it will reflect on themselves”

“because in our society, even now it’s considered unmanly to express your emotions and to keep it bottled up. It’s more masculine to just deal with it and preoccupy your mind with something else. But it’ll catch up on you.”

“I think there’s still more pressure for men to be making money, and economic reasons tie into a lack of support networks for younger men.”

“I think people’s addictions get the better of them. Gambling is a huge issue that isn’t focused on enough I feel. So many guys get themselves into horrible debt in horrible places through gambling, and its easier to end it than talk. My suicidal thoughts came from a sense of worthlessness and the break down of romantic relationships, professional identity at work and financial situations. It became too much and there feels like there’s no way out from it. I think there needs to be more support for people that need help financially. Burying your head in the sand is dangerous, and I feel like a lot of young men do that.”

“I feel like people just expect men to be able to handle everything and so most men suffering with suicidal thoughts feel like they don’t have anyone to go to.”

“because of the connotations associated with masculinity and being “strong” and “manning up””

“because things like that are more commonly taken seriously in women”

“It’s simply because men are too scared about their feelings in an attempt to look strong and show not a single sign of weakness.”

“Men being confused with their identity and lacking direction in life.”

“Many people feel that there is no outlet for what they feel. Their friends think it's all a big joke and people spiral to the point where they feel like they cant take it anymore.”

“I think its because of all the pressure and stress that no one else sees because of the mask that young men adopt for themselves. When it all crashes for them they feel even more isolated as they do not want to give up their masculinity to seek help.”

“I think because girls are more likely to confront their issues openly and realise if they’re feeling really terrible about stuff its something deeper. A male is more likely to suppress the idea of suffering from depression and anxiety, thinking its too rare for him to be suffering from. A guy will deal with the problem by leaving it and torturing himself until he feels there is no other solution.”

“the pressures of masculinity paired with the growing pressure on teens are both things that boys grow up with and are to a certain extent ingrained into who they are and become harder to escape.”

“I think most of it is probably because, whether the stereotype is true or false, men still feel an enormous pressure to at least be capable of providing in life. Young people do stupid things, in combination with the fact that the late teens - young adult age is when people first properly start to think about their place in the world are likely the two largest driving factors.”

 “Men fear amounting to nothing in life, everyone does. Men are also expected to be mental punching bags a lot of the time and there is still a huge stigma to talk publicly about that. This stereotype isn’t objectively bad, a lot of men go through hard times and come out stronger than they were before mentally, but people and men are different in a lot of different ways. Suicide is often seen as a twisted sort of way to take back control or make a difference to someone else’s life and in that way young men could see it as a means to finally amount to something.”

“From my experience, my overall desire to be a man played a part in how I was feeling.”

 What do you think are the stereotypes around men and mental health?


“men don’t have feelings. Nothing bothers us that much. We don’t cry in public so people cant see what is really affecting us. I also think its embarrassing for guys to go to counselling.”

“men shouldn’t talk about mental health and that if you do you’re sensitive and less masculine.”

“the stereotypes are mixed. You can be seen as weak to speak up about your mental health, or you can be seen as just an attention seeker. Because apparently men shouldn’t have emotions as it’s seen as “ladylike””.

“I think there’s a stereotype that only a certain type of man can be mentally unwell. You have to be rich enough to afford the time to be mentally unwell.”

“I honestly feel like male mental health has made a lot of progress. There’s a lot of presence on social media which is great, but I still don’t feel comfortable enough to talk. There is still stereotypes that men should just get on with it and man up, and I think that’s toxic.”

“I feel that some of the stereotypes are that men can just deal with everything placed against them and that men don’t experience major mental health issues, or if they do, they can just deal with it.”

“the obvious stereotype of being a “man” and all the things like “boys cant cry” and “just be a man” and all of that shit”

“men are stronger mentally so can just “get over it””

“A massive stereotype would be that men don’t want to share their feelings because they see mental health problems as a weakness”

“the stereotype is that men do not discuss their mental health issues”

“If you feel anything you’re automatically perceived as weak. You shouldn’t cry. It’s not okay.”

“I think the obvious one is the idea that men do not suffer from mental illnesses.”

“I think the idea of manning up over certain issues is common, which may work for some people suffering from mental health issues but for others it’ll lead to feelings of inferiority and deteriorate their mental health. I think also a male would find it a lot harder to express to a GP feelings of depression etc. and when it came to the meeting would change the subject because he’d feel stupid for believing he could suffer from an issue.”

“men should be able to deal with it on their own without help because being that strong, independent rock is what we are needed to be when raising a family. The stereotype is changing the more it’s challenged.”

“The well-known stereotype that men should be to just deal with their problems is definitely prevalent. I often feel guilty when I talk to people about problems in my personal life because I feel as if I’m forcing someone else to deal with issues that are mine and not theirs, even if they’re happy to help.”


 Do you think masculinity can be toxic? Why?


“Yes. Of course. Fights happen because of it. You lose friends and disappoint people.”

“Masculinity can be toxic, especially the connection between different generations.”

“Masculinity now is completely fragile and toxic. The amount of shaming towards feminine men, how  “oh you don’t act gay” is considered a compliment because being/acting gay is not an accepting thing and in actual fact comes across misogynistic….I was insulted by being called “girly””.

“Masculinity is fragile, because no one is comfortable enough in their own gender or sexuality enough and there’s always a standard that can never be reached because it’s far too demanding of something to create men into monsters who are heartless, careless, hateful and sad.”

“Men who are forced into this box of masculinity are not able to care or feel strongly enough which causes them to burst out either by harm or suicide. They’re not taught how to deal with their feeling properly and it upsets me to see men go through this and them thinking it’s a perfectly normal thing when it’s not.”

“I don’t know if masculinity in itself is toxic, but some masculine traits are.”

“I think toxic masculinity gets really twisted. Toxic masculinity to me is not feeling like I can do or say something because I’m a guy.”

“I wouldn’t say toxic, because there are some parts of masculinity that are good, but I do say that some parts of it can be bad for some.”

“Masculinity is nothing but toxic.”

“No. It’s a natural thing and it’s the people that are toxic, not masculinity or femininity.”

“Definitely. Masculinity can prevent men from opening up which leads them to feeling like they cant talk to anyone. Masculinity dictates men to take control of everything when they aren’t in control, and this can lead to violence.”

“I don’t think masculinity can be toxic, I think masculinity should be embraced as it is a natural part of being human.”

“Definitely. It often makes people feel like they cant fully express themselves. It can lead to unnecessary conflict where male pride gets in the way and people think they cant talk it out an get to the bottom of the emotions of a situation. But it doesn’t always have to be. You can have masculinity but if you don’t let it control you completely then it doesn’t have to cause any issues at all.”


“Masculinity can definitely be toxic for a lot of young men but I personally believe it has a lot of positives for men when they can express it through different outlets like sport. However, there is a massive inbetween for this as a lot of men do need to be masculine mentally to cope, but also need to be able to express stuff, which is considered feminine.”

“I know for a fact masculinity can be toxic because too much of anything is bad a for a person. When it’s a state of mind it is internally and externally detrimental to your wellbeing and the wellbeing of others around you.”

“Masculinity can definitely be toxic because it’s easy for a certain group of people in this case, men, to act on things they have observed, consciously or unconsciously, about another group of people in general, in this case, women which can be and are victims of this. Likewise, femininity can definitely be toxic and in many cases it’s almost or is acceptable for femininity to be just as, if not more toxic. The same could be said for any two groups which society as a whole view to be in opposition because they are based on generalisations. “

“I think toxic masculinity is used as a vague, blanket term and has often been used in a sexist manor. More often than not the person being accused of having “toxic masculinity” is just a toxic person for whatever reason, justified or not. It’s one of many terms which is commonly used to generalise the behaviour of a group of people to hide other issues associated with that group.”





     What do you think can happen to change the way that society views masculinity and male mental health?


“It’s kinda set in stone due to how long its been the same but I know there are helplines dedicated to young men suffering with depression and other mental health issues so that’s a start. I had counselling and none of my friends knew but they knew something had happened because I was feeling 10x better every week.”

“I think it can change as we get older. People could see that being open is okay and should be supported.”

“What we can do is prevent misogyny and misandry to all genders, be more open to express feelings from the inside, stop stigma against mental health, be more accepting of others, love yourself and others around you, know your worth and everyone can live and express everything carefree to help yourself and others. Who knows, maybe you speaking up about mental health can inspire other to open about theirs. It just takes one person to start a movement.”

“it needs to stop being viewed as a sickness suffered by lonely, isolated individuals. People need identity and jobs, they need to feel appreciated and the problem is that the modern world isn’t set up to accommodate that sort of thing. We need better localised support networks, better budgeting for the NHS, active destigmatization of mental health amongst men and we need to move over to a more compassionate care based societal model.”

“I honestly think that no significant progress can be made in the millennial generations and backwards. I think it’s something new that needs to be introduced into the new generations to come.”

“I feel like men’s mental health could be promoted in the media more to remove any stigma surrounding men’s mental health.”

“I can’t see it ever changing. Too many ignorant people who refused to open their minds up to education.”

“make it more mainstream and inform more people that it can affect everyone regardless of gender”

“It must be seen as good for men to share their feelings or problems and that its actually stronger and braver to comfort your problems rather than run away from them and ignore them”

“I think the main thing that needs to change is the idea of working beyond your capacity needs to be stopped but this applies to all genders. I believe overworking is the reason for most people’s unhappiness.”

“I’m honestly not sure. The only thing we can do is teach future generations that they can have emotions and not shut them down or make fun of them when they express themselves. But it is so deeply ingrained in our society that this is going to be a struggle.”

“When more men begin opening up about their mental health, it will become more of the norm which will encourage others to do so. It’s something that will just come eventually I think.”

“I think a lot of mental health charities get men to talk about it by saying there's a manly depression and then there's different depression so men don’t get embarrassed to admit it. I don’t know how positive this is though because I feel like other issues like self harm will always be seen as issues men can’t suffer from and this attitude to get men to talk about it will isolate further those suffering from other issues like anxiety. I feel like other issues like self harm will always be seen as issues men can’t suffer from and this attitude to get men to talk about it will isolate further those suffering from other issues like anxiety which will continue to be seen as female issues.”

“I think there needs to be a greater effort for men to be able to deal with all issues because ultimately feelings of suicide can happen to both sexes and men need to realise it doesn’t have to be a final and they can be suffering from a range of different issues.”

“All that needs to happen is conversation. Challenging a widely held belief can go a long way for yourself and others whether they agree or not.”

“I think the only positive change for views on masculinity is to accept that masculinity means different things to different men. Now, more than ever women have an objectively powerful voice in our society, the idea that masculinity Is something to purely impress women is an idea which seems to have come along with that which, really isn’t the case and, this contributes to this idea of a broad and vague term for “masculinity”. Male mental health problems are mental health problems with that man's meaning of masculinity thrown into the mix so to deal with male mental health problems, it’s important to realise that this man will have his own idea of masculinity and take that into account when helping him as an individual, not just a man.”

      Any final comments?


“A lot of people don’t help themselves which is really sad. We turn to easy options like drinking instead of taking the hard route to fix the problem at the source.”
“You shouldn’t have to be masculine to be a man, just be yourself.”

“Femininity is not something to be ashamed of, be comfortable in yourself, know you’re never alone to express your feelings, you don’t even have to see a fully trained doctor/therapist, even talking to a friend or someone in your family or even a total stranger can help open emotions you never thought you had. The more you speak about it, the easier it’ll get. I know me speaking out on my experiences is helping me now.”

“Only a radical solution will change our current mental health crisis.”

“Masculinity is a myth.”

“This topic needs to be talked about. People are getting hurt because of society’s views on what men should and shouldn’t feel and that’s not okay.”

“The conversation about male mental health is only just starting to open up and needs its own due time to be recognized. Contradictorily, I think the best way to address masculinity and its perceived problems both to men and women is to recognize the people affected as individuals and again, not just men. It’s always the generalisations that cause the problems.”





-Throughout this process, I've discovered that I'm probably guilty of being ignorant towards male mental health, whether that be assuming men have it easy or being frustrated within friendships and relationships. I always knew that male mental health was an issue, but I never realised how until now. The messages I received regarding the topic allowed me to find a level of respect for men that I honestly didn't have before. There is economic and social pressure, as well as pressure in many other walks of life. Many boys feel they have to internalise these feelings in order to appear strong, but we've got our stereotypes and our expectations entirely wrong. It's okay to cry, and it's okay to want change. We all do.