A Year of 2017: Summary

I can't complain too much about 2017 as its been enjoyable for the most of the time but also stressful. I'm not feeling all too deeply reflective as I wanted to today, to be able to write properly about how it has been as a whole. Uni work and college stuff took up a good chunk, even during the holidays and one thing I know for certain is that this year has been key. I feel like it was the right time for myself just over two years ago to make the decision to get back into education. I'm probably reflecting back further than I need to, but had I not been away from it all I don't think I would have valued going back as much. I do still have an ounce of regret for not continuing my studies when I was younger for many reasons, included in which is the mucking around and having to potentially search elsewhere for my BA, which reminds me I still need to sort out my UCAS. Urgh. I hope they have updated their website.

For the most, I feel like I've learnt a lot. Admittedly, there are still things I'm pretty shit at but some things that I've learnt are still very new to me. Recording is the easy job, mixing is a bastard and yes, I'm still salty about my grading before Christmas but at least I know what to improve.

I'm still continuing to develop my little home studio. I brought myself a new pre amp at the beginning of December. I'm hoping to pick up some new monitors before we reach Spring, but I'm trying to build a pedalboard as well. My latest toy is the Boss DD-500. I still need to play with it properly and without a doubt it will be used in-band now we are functional again. There is nothing to hide. We had a small conflict between us which lead to an unnecessary argument, cancellation of gigs but mostly just a delay of everything. We were all stressed and needed a break and we have learnt and grown from it. We have experienced a lot in the short time we have been together. Name change, three gigs, recording, part-break-up, reformation and now we are stable again, ready for the new year.

In other news, I have been enjoying this Christmas break a little too much and have not started on any written stuff due it the week after we go back. They're nothing big so I'm not particularly worried. I will start them this week though at some point, I'm just trying to save myself some stress. Its been a nice break and I can already sense that January will be hard. Not only with deadlines, but getting out of the do-nothing habit. The January blues will hit hard as soon as I'm back in college. This year will not be the same as the last.

Last year had it's fair share of hard times and at these times when things were bad, they were made better by being reunited with old friends I had before now, lost contact with. I'm also thankful for all of my new friends I gained last year, some of which have become amazing, supportive friendships but what I'm mostly thankful for in my Uni experience on a whole. Okay, it wasn't a brilliant start and things were a bit shaky at the beginning but I got through it and my overall grades show how much I have progressed.

I achieved most my goals from last year with ease because I'm such a good student but that doesn't mean everything was easy. I managed to balance my Uni workload with work somehow. I naturally ended up collaborating with other students to help with their assignments, then there was also the dub project more recently and there was and still will be The Nottingham Improvisation Club. All of last years events are cherished and I will let them savour in my memory. I passed the first year of my course with pretty decent grades and now I'm into the second year, I'm not sure how I will feel when I finish this year as everything seems different and I have some big decisions ahead of me. I'm glad I finished this year with a bang!

My resolutions for this year are a little more simplistic than last year, with my main one being simply to eat a little healthier. My college being sited right next to a Lidl store has given me bad habits to live off their doughnuts for the last few months so I'm going to try to cut down on sugar mostly and start going to the gym regularly again to remove some puppy fat.

And Finally, for those that were a part of 2017 and my readers, thank you and Happy New Year!!