Bonjour! I’m Helena (that’s Heh-leh-nuh, gotta set it straight from the beginning), and I’m the other Freshers’ blogger! You can call me Nelpas, ‘cause that’s been my nickname since I was born, but nobody can remember why. It doesn’t even mean anything, hardly deep and meaningful. I’m from Lancashire, but very close to Manchester, so I’m Lancunian. Isn’t making up words great? That brings me to my course at York: I’ll be studying French and Linguistics. Expect overly extravagant wording, and bits of French à gogo.
On that note, I have started to gather items to decorate my room with (Vanbrugh, comin’ atcha) which show my passion, and make me feel at home. If my home is Paris, that is. Which it is… spiritually. These treasures (see right) are the fruits of me skipping around Asda Living about an hour after getting my place confirmation from York. Yes, I was very overexcited. I still am! Anyway, the ‘Eau de Lavande’ canvas was £2 in the sale, the Paris postcard cushion was £6, and the toothbrush holder and soap dispenser were £3 and £4 respectively – who says being chic has to be expensive? It’s the little things which make a room homely. Great, now I sound like Kirstie Allsopp.
Now to completely ruin what little street cred I had: I am a bit geeky. Not a huge amount, mind, I don’t have a neckbeard or an erotic figurine collection. But I do love my sci-fi, my Tolkien Legendarium, and my mid-90s video game collection. So, I thought I’d inject a little geek chic into my room. These literary design postcards are by a graphic designer friend of me, and were only £1 each. They have silhouettes and quotes from some of my favourite works (L-R): Moby Dick, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Hobbit. Add some cheap (£6 for 3) handmade wooden frames from eBay, and voila! You’ve got some sharp deco. Well, I think so anyway.
The Moby Dick quote is very apt for me starting Uni: ‘I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I’ll go to it laughing’. Being of the great Lancashire people, I’m used to a bit of cheeky Northern charm and hilarity (and a bit of rivalry with Yorkshire… please don’t hurt me). When I got my results, and finally knew I was coming to York, I trawled the internet for ‘What To Expect At Uni’, ’10 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Coming To University’, and other such articles. Some were negative, most were positive, assuring me that I’d have a fab time. Whatever happens, I know I’ll be laughin’ mi kecks off, or sommat. Aye?
Basically, I subscribe to the Rusted Root branch of philosophy: http://youtu.be/IGMabBGydC0 (If you don’t recognise that from Matilda, we can’t be friends.)
reading this made me want to drink bleach