Introducing Hazel Anne Coleman, B.A....

Ladies and gentlemen, my time as a university student is officially over.
 

 

I've sung my last song and had my last hurrah, as a week ago I attended my graduation in the almighty Winchester Cathedral. It was one of the best days of my life, filled with a few tears, plenty of laughter, and as the day turned to night, many fabulous drunken selfies. Plus I can now officially call myself Hazel Anne Coleman, B.A.

 

 

The ceremony itself was surreal. I was the second person to go up, and the whole thing was a blur. Alan Titchmarsh, who is the Chancellor at my university, was there to shake hands with us all and congratulate each person who nervously stumbled across the stage (several in some very shaky, but equally glamourous heels). When it was my turn, I honestly cannot accurately remember a single word that exchanged between us. I assume there was some form of congrats and thanks, but I pray to God I didn't tell him that my mum loves him, or that I've enjoyed many reruns of Ground Force whilst hungover. Later on in the evening, I attended the Graduation Ball in Winchester Guildhall with the girls on my course. It was such a wonderful and drunken way to celebrate the end of this chapter in my life, and to let my hair down with some of the best people I've met at uni.
 

 

I think I must have hundreds of pictures from my graduation, with friends, family and lecturers. I'm so grateful for every single person who has helped me through my degree in every which way possible in Winchester. From those I lived with, worked with, or studied with, I couldn't be more grateful for their support over the three years. Sure I've met people I will happily never see again, but this is overwhelmingly outnumbered by the many people I will now treasure as friends. I've had the best time getting to know everyone, and I miss being in Winchester so much.

 

Highlight of the day? This picture at Graduation Ball, which is clearly an indication that my true calling in life is to be model. (This is now the picture I will be using for almost everything; first book, headstone, missing posters, whatever is required really.)

 

 

Aaaaaaand finally, a little spam of pictures to summarise the occasion.
 

 

 

Much love  ♥

Chapter 22...

In the words of Taylor Swift...

 

 

So on Saturday, I turned the grand old age of 22. The first age where people seem to stop celebrating, you get told you're too old for cake and presents, and you sadly realise that the next time you'll see your age on a card is when you turn 30. I now begin a slow and steady crawl into the depths of my twenties, the decade where 'my life falls miraculously in place and everything ends well'. But is this really the case anymore?

 

(I protested until I got cake, and yes, I got an electric toothbrush and an electric blanket because I'm an old lady now and that's what old ladies ask for on their birthdays)

 

Being in my twenties has made me realise that when I was younger, I was under the false illusion that by this point I should be in my dream job, engaged, thinking about children, and happily set up for the rest of my life. I'm now beginning to look upon my twenties as my formative years. These are the years where I have to put in the legwork, and push like hell for the finish line. These are the years where I need to make some serious life changes, and think about what will make me happier and healthier. These are the years I'll look back on and realise I worked damn hard for everything I have. Looking ahead, it seems that being in your thirties is the new twenties, as this will be the time I'll be able to settle down and enjoy everything I have set in place now. Or maybe I'm just making excuses for myself, and pushing my goals even further into the future.

 

I have genuinely no idea what it is I want to do with the rest of my life yet, something I thought I would have figured out years ago. But maybe this is the best place to be. I'm comfortably swanning along at the moment, and I'm honestly perfectly content with my life. I'm enjoying the journey of wherever it is I'll end up, because I know I'll have to end up somewhere.

 

Chapter 22 begins of my life, and I'm excited to find out where this one will take me.

 

Much love ♥