February // Birthdays, early screenings & the dreaded reading slump

Where January proved to be the longest month in existence, February flashed by quicker than a blink (as I’m sure everyone has determined by now).

Honestly, it’s kind of a struggle thinking back over what happened this month, since it went by so quickly I barely had time to think. Or rather, I only had time to think about essays, which is a pretty standard thing by now. Despite working on things nonstop anyway, upcoming deadlines are always my cue to go into a sort of frenzy, not allowing myself to have a moment’s respite – which I know, is bad. But it can’t be helped. Even now as I’m writing this, my brain is gnawing away at itself with thoughts of “how DARE you not be doing uni work!”, thoughts that won’t be satisfied until I inevitably pick up some of my work after publishing this post. Still, at least I enjoy what I learn.

The coming deadlines also brought on a reading slump through February, though.

It very, very rarely happens to me. So when it does, it’s almost like my world tilts because what on earth do I do with my time?? I don’t spend my spare time reading, and all of my other hobbies revolve around the books I read so…what?

I’m not even sure I have an answer. Where my time went, I don’t know. Luckily, I think I’m gradually coming out of the slump now – short books are really helping in that respect – but even if not, I’m not going to fret about it too much. After all, I’ve got one heck of a long summer ahead of me (about 4, nearly 5 months) and the daunting prospect of spending most of that time stuck at home alone, so I’m sure reading will be my saviour during those long days.

Something exciting that DID happen though, was me managing to get free tickets to an early screening of Love, Simon – the film adaptation of Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda! It was completely on a whim, a tweet I saw offering the free tickets and my not-so-hopeful check through the locations proving fruitful as I found a cinema nearby. I took a friend with me to go and see it, and can confirm that both of us enjoyed it immensely. I always convince myself that I’m a hard-hearted gal who has no time for soppy love stories, but ohhh this film thoroughly shattered that idea. We both left the cinema in a bubble of joy.

And since this is a monthly recap, it only seems right to mention the small fact that February is my birthday month. So uh, yeah – I aged. Wow.

I spent the majority of my birthday visiting the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth, which I’ve written a full post about here, if you fancy having a peep into that day. Stepping into Haworth honestly felt like stepping into another climate, the wind was so bitterly cold, but it was well worth the frozen fingers and many cups of tea in recovery. I also got a fair few books over the course of the month, my birthday being one of the main reasons why, so you can be sure to see a book haul going up on my channel sometime soon.

Speaking of which, in a lovely turn of events… I hit 2,000 subscribers on my booktube channel on my birthday! How lovely a coincidence is that?

I’m honestly so so surprised my channel has come this far, and with no intentions of stopping anytime soon, it just makes me so excited for what’s to come. Thank you all so much for your support ❤ My days revolve around chatting to you all about books, and I couldn’t be happier about it!

And so now we’ve reached March, a month that only throws me deeper into deadlines (who’d have guessed?). Whether I’ll kick the reading slump for good is yet to be seen, but I’m sure it won’t stop me incessantly chattering away about books nonetheless. I only wish snowy England would cease to be a thing, and let March be the *slightly warmer* spring season it ought to be.

 

Until next time…