WE BOUGHT OUR FIRST HOME (TOGETHER)
So if you've been following this blog for the past couple of years, you will know that I purchased my first home in West Yorkshire back in 2016. Fast forward through 2017, I decided to list my apartment on the market back in April and it sold within 12 days of listing at asking price and I couldn't have been happier. Gary and I bought and moved into a gorgeous 4 bedroomed, semi-detached townhouse on the same estate and couldn't be happier!
I GOT A PERMANENT POSITION AT MY CURRENT JOB
I have been working for YPO since June 2017, first taken on through Leeds Beckett University as a graduate. My current role is a Digital and E-Commerce Analyst and I love it! I was made a permanent YPO employee back in April of this year and I was delighted. I work with the best team and have some of the most fun yet challenging projects to work on. Not many people can say that they enjoy their work but I'm lucky that I can.
I COMPLETED MY MASTERS
Oh my goodness! Self-achievement of the century! I managed to pass my masters! I studied for a MSc in Strategic and Digital Marketing part-time with Leeds Beckett University and after two years of stress, tears and lots of late nights, I'm done! My dissertation was around the subject of personalisation in e-commerce and it was extremely fun to research and write about. Working full-time whilst studying part-time was difficult, I'm not going to deny that. Parts of my life suffered because of it, such as my blog - I didn't post once in 2017! It has all paid off in the end though and I cannot wait to graduate with my fantastic cohort next summer.
I STARTED STUDYING FOR A CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF MARKETING DIPLOMA
This might have been a slightly silly manoeuvre from, starting to study something new whilst I was writing my dissertation but hey ho! I currently only have one module left to complete of this diploma then I will have marketing qualifications from both an academic and professional perspective. I passed my first module and I am currently waiting for the results of my metrics module which should be delivered around February time. After this, I'm done with education for a long time!
I TRAVELED
Since 2013 I've been lucky enough to go to America three times. Now we have the bigger house, curbing the spend was needed. Despite this, I still made sure that I could throw a little bit of travelling in 2018. In January, Rachel and I travelled to Prague, Czech Republic and Berlin, Germany to see While She Sleeps and Architects on their European leg of their tour. It was super fun and meant that I had ticked another two countries of the list of those that I have visited.
After a long start to the year, Gary and I also went on holiday in July. It's quite difficult to get a cheap deal for our holidays as Gary works in schools and can only take time off during the school holidays which means that holidays are always stupidly expensive however, we both booked the same week off work and didn't book anything until last minute. A couple of weeks before our time off we went into the travel agents and ended up booking a week in Ibiza, for an all-inclusive 4* resort that really was incredible, for not such a bad price.
Since 2013 I've been lucky enough to go to America three times. Now we have the bigger house, curbing the spend was needed. Despite this, I still made sure that I could throw a little bit of travelling in 2018. In January, Rachel and I travelled to Prague, Czech Republic and Berlin, Germany to see While She Sleeps and Architects on their European leg of their tour. It was super fun and meant that I had ticked another two countries of the list of those that I have visited.
After a long start to the year, Gary and I also went on holiday in July. It's quite difficult to get a cheap deal for our holidays as Gary works in schools and can only take time off during the school holidays which means that holidays are always stupidly expensive however, we both booked the same week off work and didn't book anything until last minute. A couple of weeks before our time off we went into the travel agents and ended up booking a week in Ibiza, for an all-inclusive 4* resort that really was incredible, for not such a bad price.
Already in 2019 I'm travelling to Bilbao, Spain with Rachel for...you guessed it, another Architects tour. Next year, travel will be limited as I really try and get my head into gear with saving money for our future.
17 GIGS, 2 FESTIVALS
Same old story, every single year. However, this year feels veryyyyy tame compared to the past! Below are a list of the gigs and festivals that made up 2018:
January
Paramore, Manchester
Architects, Prague
Architects, Berlin
February
Architects, London
While She Sleeps, Manchester
April
The Wonder Years, Leeds
MayJanuary
Architects, Prague
Architects, Berlin
February
Architects, London
While She Sleeps, Manchester
April
The Wonder Years, Leeds
Lower Than Atlantis, Hull
Ed Sheeran, Manchester
Slam Dunk North
June
Foo Fighters, Manchester
Steps, Scarborough (no apologies from me, at all)
August
Leeds Festival
The Used, Manchester
October
Hands Like Houses, Leeds
October
State Champs, Leeds
November
You Me At Six, Leeds
You Me At Six, Manchester (X2)
December
Enter Shikari, Hull
August Burns Red, Manchester
Bury Tomorrow, Manchester
SPENT QUALITY TIME WITH MY FAVOURITES
It's my absolute favourite thing to do. My besties get me through everything, especially the final year of my masters! I'm so thankful for each and every one of them for being a text or a phone call away for me all of the time. I've had a hell of a lot of fun with this lot in 2018, and here's to making more memories in 2019!
I LOST WEIGHT
I put on a lot of comfort weight during 2017 and the beginning of 2018. In May, I decided to do something about it and joined Slimming World. Since joining I have lost a stone and a half, I'm eating better than ever and I feel the healthiest I have done for a very long time. I'm still two and a half stone away from my target weight but I'm determined to hit that in 2019!
2019 is looking to be another good yet, a little bit more sensible of a year. I really want to get myself into a great financial position before we start a family so here's to a year of being frugal but not losing out on gigs and my social life. Safe to say that I'm excited.
Happy new year everyone - I hope 2019 is exactly what you want it to be!
Happy new year everyone - I hope 2019 is exactly what you want it to be!
