Did the title remind any else of Game of Thrones? Yes? High five!…No? …okayy then *awkwardly backs away*
Well look what we have here, another random Sunday Status post! For those of you who are new around these parts, this is basically a feature I do every so often where I just give rambly life updates and whatnot – y’know, the kind of thing that covers a few topics that don’t need their own blog posts, but I want to have a ramble about them anyway.
As you might have guessed from the title, a few changes are being made around these parts. And so without further ado…
Let’s have a natter!
First up, the one that you guys may notice the most. I’m thinking of making a few changes to my blog. Nothing major! I just kind of want to make it…more relaxed and personal.
Let me explain.
So I’ve been running the blog for about two years now, and have posted multiple times every single week without fail. And I love it, I really do. But honestly…I’m not sure what to talk about any more, every single week. Especially since most of the bookish ideas are better for my videos, in my opinion.
So I’m making it more relaxed. I’m not going to post if I don’t have anything I deem worth posting. I’m not going to keep a strict schedule. I’m not going to force myself to think of multiple posts to cover every single week. I’ll just…talk when I have something to talk about. Now don’t worry, that’s still likely to be often. Let’s be real, I never shut up.
But also too, there’s going to be a change to WHAT I post. I love reading posts from other bloggers that are more personal – about their experiences with something, or an event/holiday they went to, or even just random thoughts on a topic they’ve seen around. And I figured…why don’t I do that? If I love seeing other people’s, why am I straining myself trying to think of topics *strictly* book related – often debates we’ve already had endless times in the book community – when I could write about something else?
So I am.
Don’t fret! This will still very much be a book blog. I still intend to review every book I read, and the majority of my life is based around books anyway (I’m not joking), so most of the chats will be book related in some way. Just figured I’d broaden it a bit, y’know?
I don’t have many ideas in mind so far – in fact, the only one I have right now is to talk through my experience with college, as I studied a year at A Level and then switched to a Journalism Course, which I ended up hating. This might end up covering two posts, because I want to compare A Levels to BTEC (since BTECS have a huge stigma surrounding them and I struggle with the thought myself!), and also discussing things like why I ended up hating the idea of working in Journalism, etc etc. So if you have any interest in this, or any questions, let me know! Also if there’s anything I’ve ever mentioned – about uni, my life in general, how I came to do certain things – that you want to know about, please let me know if you’d like to see me do a post on it!
So if you have me on twitter or instagram, this may hardly be news to you, since I tweeted (screamed) this lil message to the world…
So, yes! This September I shall finally, at long long last, be studying English Literature at university! I’m staying at home (I can do a blog post as to why I chose to stay home, if you like? Let me know!), and while it’s so so scary to think that in a few months, my life will change massively…I’m also really damn relieved. Everything I’ve worked for since I was about 14/15 years old, possibly younger, has been towards studying English Literature at University. And now, I’m finally about to do so.
Sidenote: Told you my life is based around books. So much so I fully intend to study them and work with them in the future.
And finally, one thing that is sort of random…I want to start a mini project for myself this summer, where I just…learn about the world, I guess?
From the people I follow on social media, it’s become embarrassingly obvious to me that I know next to nothing about the world. Everyone either has or is travelling, or they have interests in certain countries, or know languages, meanwhile I sit here and known absolutely nothing of what they’re talking about.
Honestly, if you gave me a country and told me to point it out on a map, I probably wouldn’t be able to. And I have a map right above my bed.
So I just…somehow want to learn more about the world. I’ve no idea where to start. Probably, by actually looking at that map sometimes, so I can at least have a vague idea of where places are. But there’s also a few projects I used to do that I’d like to start again – like how I used to study constellations, painting them out and finding the stories behind them. I adored it when I could find a constellation in the sky! I still do – I’ve just forgotten basically all of them. So there’s that, as well as trying to pick up another language a fair few times. I’ve tried Spanish 3 times, French twice. I keep getting the urge to try French again, but honestly I don’t think that’ll happen because it’s SO daunting. Like…an entire language? Where do you even begin?
Anyway. This was a long babble to say that basically I’m going to try and teach myself more worldly things – where places are, read into cultures, etc etc. If you have any recommendations of how to do – well, anything – let me know!
So that was my Sunday Status!
Are there any topics you’d like to see me discuss on my blog? Anything at all?
Are you starting university this September? What will you be studying?
If you have anything to comment, let me know down below!
Until next time…
Come and visit me!
A frolic through fiction 
So many congrats on uni, Ashley! ❤ ❤
(and if you want to start French, you should try doing it as if you were in school; even get French schoolbooks)
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Thank you!!
I did actually study two years of French in school, but I remember nothing because there seemed to be no order to it, just a random bunch of words, and only learning how to put them into a sentence every so often ahaha!
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I would LOVE a post about why you no longer like the idea of working in journalism because that field is where I’m currently thinking going, but I’m not as informed in the field as I’d like to be. ❤️
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Okayy great! Thank you for letting me know! Though bare in mind it’s not to say journalism is a crappy industry ahaha, don’t be put off by my not wanting to work there 🙂
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Excited for the more personal content, its my favourite to read. Rambley posts are the best haha!! Well done on uni, I did see it on twitter. I’m staying at home and studying purely because london rent is so expensive and I live only 40 minutes away via train so it’s cheaper for me to commute ❤
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I’m glad to hear that! ❤
Gosh London prices are extortionate, I don't blame you ahaha!
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Congrats again on getting into university!! 🙂
Looking forward to your blog changes too!
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Thank you so so much!! 😀
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First of all congratulations for getting into your first choice and going to University at all! I once enrolled for English and American Studies twice but never went since it was more like a filler for me. Instead I studied Graphic and Media Design and I’m done for 1 1/2 years by now. Time sure flies by and I hope you enjoy your studies! There are going to be harder and easier times but as long as you know that you love it, it’s gonna be worth it! Also I like the direction your blog is going, it’s just a little bit more diverse and you don’t gonna feel like you have to stick with “just” books. From time to time I do it myself, writing about concerts I went to or little experiences. I need that, for more or less as a change. I also written a post about my Florida holiday, but that’s still a little too scary to post yet. I’ve learned French 4 years in school but I’m better at reading it (still not “good”) than speaking it, it’s not an easy language. Easier, I’ve heard, if you studied Latin beforehand, but that’s a whole other chapter.
What I wanna tell in my ramble, since I’m never able to write short posts or comments, do your thing you’re feeling comfortable with, that’s all it matters. It’s your blog, your style and what feels best for you is best for your blog!
xo Annina | Blattzirkus
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Thank you so much dearie!
I’m glad you’re studying what you want to now instead of just going along with the filler!
And yep, I feel like mixing up the topics a bit is much better for me personally, so I’m glad you’re looking forward to it 🙂
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I look forward to your new posts, and congrats on uni! If you want to start learning French, I recommend the app Duolingo. And I’m happy to help if you’d like! 😄❤️
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Thank youuu! I’m happy to hear you’re looking forward to it! 😀
I’ve seen so many people recommend duolingo – I’ll have to check it out if I actually go for it ahaha
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I’m looking forward to your personal posts! Not in a weird way, I promise, but in the way we get to know the people behind the blog. I’ve also been considering a post on staying at home for uni, as I feel like I need to justify my choice. But it could also really help others who are unsure about moving out.
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I know what you mean ahaha! 😀
You don’t have to justify anything! The only reason I’m writing mine is because there’s actually quite a lot of reasons for it now (I’d been thinking through this whole crisis of “omg should I actually move out”) and it keeps rattling round in my head, whereas before it was just “I don’t want to leave” 😆
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I love reading personal posts! I definitely think that you should write what and when you like, otherwise blogging can become a kind of chore!
Also I’d be really interested to read about your college/university journey. I did a BTEC instead of A Levels and there is definitely stigma around that. I don’t feel like I achieved any less by doing a BTEC, it actually required a lot of hard work and I’m proud of what I came out with at the end of college.
Funnily enough I also wanted to study journalism! I applied for three journalism degree courses and one PR & Marketing and chose the latter and I’m glad I made that decision. I believe you should always go with your gut.
If you ever want to chat about uni or anything I can (try to) help! 🙂 x
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Oh definitely, I don’t want it to become a chore!
Thank you for letting me know! The BTECS vs A Levels thing is so odd to me because I feel the stigma against BTECS so hard! But it’s like…from myself too? Even though I know how much work it all is ahaha. It’s an odd one!
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Congrats on Uni! That is amazing! I’d love to read posts about why you wanted to stay at home for uni/and other uni posts!
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Thank you!! And thank you for letting me know! 😀
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Congrats on uni!!!! I recently took a gap year and have just finished year one of uni and love it!! I stay at home too because I just couldn’t bare to leave home (mainly my dogs) and I have a lot of books so leaving those would’ve been hard 😂😂
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Thank you Jemima! Glad to hear you’re loving uni! And literally I’d be the same, I didn’t want to leave my cat or books so 😆
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It’s all worth it though!! You’ll meet a load of amazing people and have so much fun!! I’m literally missing my uni friends so much 😩😩
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Congratulations once again on the results and for getting into the university you wanted – that’s so amazing. 🙂
As for language learning, it’s something I always want to work on too – I studied Spanish for like 8 years of my life at school/university but I still couldn’t hold a conversation in it because I totally lack confidence in my speaking and listening skills. Now I’ve not practiced it for a good 4 years I’d probably feel like I was starting all over again if I tried to pick it back up. It’s something I should work on more for sure because it’s a waste of 8 years to not continue!
As far as language learning goes, Duolingo is an amazing free app that helps to fit bitesize chunks of language learning into any day. It slowly builds up the difficulty of the exercises and has a variety of spoken and written exercises – I’d definitely recommend trying it out if you can. I’d also recommend getting some work books like they have at GCSE/A level because they usually help introduce you to grammar which is what you really need to have a handle on once you get properly into it. I don’t know if it’s the same usefulness but when I was at school the book that saved my life when it came to that aspect of language learning was called “English Grammar for Students of Spanish” (they do an equivalent for Students of French) and it really helps you to break down how the English language works because, after all, if you understand your own language’s grammar, it’s a lot easier to then get a second language’s grammatical system.
Hope you don’t mind the recommendations, I just thought I’d throw in my two cents! 🙂
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Thank you!
And of course I don’t mind the recommendations, I love them! Thank you so much! I don’t yet know if I *will* try picking up French, but I’m definitely looking into textbooks/apps etc etc to make it seem at least a tiny bit more manageable ahaha!
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Congratulations on getting into Uni!!😊 I got into my second year of college, it’s not the same as getting into Uni but I’m excited to see how this year goes! And I’m studying photography!.
I love reading/watching more personal posts/videos so I’m excited to see new stuff from you!😀
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Thank you! Congratulations to you too!
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Congratulations about going to Uni 😊 Wish you the best!
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Thank you!!
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It’s okay if Spanish and French didn’t work out for you. I decided in my last year of Secondary school that I would be continuing on with Spanish after school as I’ve been studying it for so long. I feel that there aren’t many options for languages in schools in Ireland and England? I decided to pick up Korean in 2015 after developing an interest in East Asian culture. I picked up Korean because it has the easiest writing system. I’m kinda grateful that conjugation isn’t such a problem (spanish grammar… *cries*). However, nowadays I’m interested in picking up Mandarin (much later on) because I heard that the grammar is SUPER EASY O.O Or maybe languages aren’t your thing. My younger brother asked me why I liked learning languages. I just really want to know what people are talking about- I mean, I like to see the beauty in other languages ._. Sometimes I lowkey eavesdrop on people who speak the language I’m learning… to see if they’re bad mouthing me or not xD
Are you interested in documentaries on different countries? I watch those from time to time.
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That’s so so interesting! You don’t hear of many people picking up languages like Korean and Mandarin, at least not here in england! There’s definitely not much choice in what we can study – in fact, in my school there were only options for French and German, and we didn’t get to choose, we were just allocated to one! But I’ve started French again and I’m *hoping* to get along with it more this time round – I’m more motivated now! Like you, I just want to know what people are saying ahaha 😆
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I’m returning because I didn’t really give any tips.
Also check out Easy Languages French. Easy languages are basically a continuous series on YouTube where locals are interviewed in all sorts of different languages. They have English subtitles as well!
Also Frenchpod101 to practice your listening skills.
also check out forvo to see how certain french words are pronunciation.
Good luck!
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Thank you so so much!!
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I loved this little Sunday Status post, Ashleigh 🌻
Congratulations on university! I did see your tweet, but I can’t remember if I congratulated you on there or not. I’d be so interested & delighted to read more personal posts from you. Sometimes I feel like we have loads in common even though we don’t communicate that often (I hardly shut up too) so it would be lovely to learn more about your things💛
I can also definitely recommend Duolingo for learning new languages; also I’ve recently seen someone reading Harry Potter in a language their trying to learn.
All the best with everything! I’m sure everything will turn out great 🌻
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Thank you so much Michelle!
I’m glad to hear you’d like the more personal posts 😀 I can’t wait to start them.
I might try duolingo at some point – though I’ve joined memrise and found a good youtube channel to watch at the moment to get me into things. When I’m further into learning, I’m definitely going to try reading books and watching movies in French, to see if I can get the hang of things!
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