A ‘Wrap Up’ for Christmas

Greetings University of Leicester students, my mum, and anyone else who stumbles across my blog. This is likely to be my last post before Christmas, so to all those who celebrate I wish you a Merry Christmas. If you don’t celebrate Christmas or any other holiday this time of year, then enjoy the month long break from University!

Since it’s been a while since I wrote a ‘life update’ kind of blog I thought I would update you on a few of the exciting things that have happened in this past semester. At the end of November, after over a year of waiting, I finally got to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in London with my best friend. The stage production was magical and truly took my breath away, I even shed a little tear because there was something about it that made me feel at ‘home’ again in a way I hadn’t since I read the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Although the plot was a bit far-fetched, and I had major issues with some of the characterisation, overall I’m so glad I got to see it.

Later in November I lived up to my true Harry Potter nerd status once more by seeing Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them with an old uni friend. Although extending it to a five-movie franchise seems a little ridiculous, I actually really enjoyed the movie. I’d (of course) read the small spin-off text book the movie was (very loosely) based on and seeing the creatures come to life was *magical*. However, I’m hardly unbiased as I was sold the minute the Warner Brothers logo came on screen and Hedwigs’ Theme played.

I also filled my time with a lot of Quidditch, and attended the ‘Christmas Cup’ in Oxford toward the end of November which was a great time. It was my first experience of a two-day tournament and playing with people from outside the Leicester Thestrals’ and despite not having much quaffle time I could see I’ve improved as a player since the start of the semester and I’m excited to keep improving my fitness and game play when training begins again.

Aside from all that, I’ve also been continuing to work my two jobs and balance being in final year. It’s a lot to juggle but I’m not afraid of hard work and I’ve always kept myself busy. My modules this semester were really interesting, particularly my class about American Borders. Given the rhetoric surrounding Donald Trump’s election it was exciting to be able to discuss the U.S.-Mexico border, among others, through the lenses of literature, film, art, and history. I’ve also been steadily chipping away at the mountain that is my dissertation, and am now so tired of reading The Dallas Morning News that I think the festive break may be time to start writing. I’m planning to draft a chapter a month through until the end of March and then spend the Easter break working on my introduction and conclusion and tying the whole thing together.

As for my plans for Christmas? Returning home to my small family on December 21^st (I’ve hung around in Leicester for work) and then spending about a week of quality time with them before coming back to Leicester on January 3^rd. There’ll be lots of food (I’ve found myself many vegan Christmas treats which I may or may not share), some board games and possibly a cob-web busting walk or two.

I’m interested in how your semesters went and your Christmas plans – doing something extra exciting? Make me jealous in comments!