Closing Time

I realise I haven't really been reviewing the recent episodes of Doctor Who but last night's episode was so good, I feel like I have to!

First of all, I was really excited for this episode purely for the return of Craig. I adore James Corden and he is really good alongside Matt Smith. His character is adorable and he just seems to get the Doctor, he understands him more that the Doctor does himself. Point proven when Craig says 'He needs someone, he just can't admit it'. Craig and his son were adorable, 'not mummy' was hilarious and I actually love that the Doctor can speak baby, it makes his conversation with Craig and Alfie so funny.

The story was good - I feel that the Cybermen aren't as overexposed as the Daleks so I was pleased to see them. The silver rat was gross and scary in a 'holy crap that was fast' kind of way. It was also clever how they were under rather than in the sky.

What else? Oh well, Amy and Rory was really cute, I liked how Amy had moved on and made a name for herself - it was also really cute how the Doctor looked both proud and sad at the headline.

And I think lastly, the ending, the nice little twist that wasn't really a twist - I knew Craig was going to save himself but I didn't think that it would be Alfie crying that would bring him back. And his 'simplistic' explanation was so Disney-esque that it was cute.

Oh, no, the actual ending, with River and eye-patch lady. I think the only thing I can say about that is: weird and somewhat predictable. Come on, we knew River was going to be the astronaut!

Missed anything? Any thoughts? Let me know in the comments... oh wait, that's YouTube. Meh, you know what I mean.

The Poor Student's Life

Before I get too far into this, I think it would be fair to warn you this post will be a bitch and whine about money and university. So, feel free to leave - I can't promise this will interest you but I'm sure I'll manage to entertain you, if only due to be my childish moaning. 

Still with me? Oh, thank you!

I haven't started my second year of university yet, I have another two weeks before I have to go to register and sit through induction talks. However, you would not believe how much money I have forked out* for the start of this year! Trust me to pick what is most likely one of the most expensive courses in higher education! 

You may recall me telling you about the modules I took last year? And did I tell you about the one's this year? I can't remember so I am just going to say that last year I took four modules and this year I am taking five. Not by choice, I may add: each module counts for a certain amount of credits and you need a certain amount of credits to pass the year, thus five modules. Anyway, five modules, yes? And for each module, I have to buy at least four new books. Averaged out, each book probably cost about a fiver, yes? So, five times four times five...? I don't know, maths wasn't and still isn't my strong point. My point is I have only bought about half of the books I need for this year and I spent over one hundred pounds! Get that? £100! And I still need to spend more on the rest of my books! Excuse me while I just mourn for any chance of a social life this year. 

That is not even the end! I also need another student rail card, which is £26 and a bus pass which is £90! Seriously, do they think we are made of money? Add that to the tuition fee and train tickets and food and drinks and clothes and I don't even have to pay rent! 

*Screams into a pillow* Ooh, ok. I'm done. I know I am lucky to have generous parents willing to let me stay at home and feed me (most of the time) but it does not stop it from being frustrating to watch your money slip steadily out of your hands and  not being able to do anything about it. 

So, some advice? If you're planning on attending university or collage, I'm not going to talk you out of it, but definitely listen to financial advice and save your money! Even if you get a loan, you will need to pay it back!   Just, stay money conscious and hopefully you will never have to watch your bank account go into the red... 

Ok, I'm going to stop myself from getting preachy and just thank you if you managed to read all of that.  

*For those unfamiliar with this phrase, 'forking out' means spending money when you don't necessarily want to. 

Hogwarts? No, not really.

I wish I could say I'd been busy getting ready to go to Hogwarts, stuffing my face at the Feast, starting my classes, but I can't. Because as much as I wish I was at Hogwarts, I am not. I appear to have missed the train, as it were. Anyway, I am nineteen, I should have graduated and moved on by now. Actually, I think I would stay on as an apprentice. Maybe Hagrid's. Or Professor Sprout's. Not sure I would have stayed with my Head of House though (Snape, if you're interested).

This leads me onto another subject: Pottermore. As you may or may not remember, I posted about Pottermore when the announcement came out, expressed my excitement and my confusion and left it at that. However excited I was for it, it didn't seem to be nearly the same as some of the others scattered around the internet that I stumbled across. This in itself made me feel somewhat... inadequate, like I was a "true" Harry Potter fan. Stupid, I know; you don't have to be part of every single related thing to be a fan of something. And so I wasn't all too aware of the early entrants for Pottermore - I checked one or two days of that week but again, I missed the train. In fact, I was so late and unaware, I was the last girl stumbling up the steps to the platform as the train had already left and was tooting around the corner. Taking my last chance with it.

Ok, I'm going to stop being so dramatic now.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that while I am happy for everyone who got into Pottermore early (which appears to be everyone, for God's sake!) it is a little annoying for me to see, all over the internet, expressions of joy and happiness unbound for their screen names, their houses, their wands, and all the features that some of us are missing out on! Fine, I admit, I'm jealous!

Huff. Ok, let's change the subject before I throw a full-blown hissy fit. Anyone been watching Doctor Who? I apologise for not writing some sort of review on the first two episodes, it just slipped my mind. I will say that I am glad that River has gone for now, Rory kicks ass, Amy is still as hilarious as ever and the Doctor is amazing. Oh, and those Night Terrors? Ahh, bloody scary or what! I couldn't get to sleep for an hour Saturday night because of those creepy dolls!

So, let me know if anyone is holding a grudge against Pottermore, or if you have any opinions on Doctor Who so far? I, personally, can't wait until James Cordon comes back in episode 11 *sighs dreamily*.

Blog Award?

So, I logged on this afternoon thinking about typing out a quick post as I haven't done one in a few weeks. However, I received a nice little surprise just checking the blogs I follow: Steph of What Am I Even Doing Here? has given me the 'I Dig Your Blog' award, which by the way, I have never heard of. But hey! I'm not one to complain about something like this! So here goes!



Thank the person who gave you this award:
Really, Steph, thank you. We've only "known" each other for about a week on this site and you are already being beyond nice to me!

Reveal 3 random facts about yourself:

1. I'm a worrier.
2. Currently addicted to Minecraft - actually I've been addicted to Minecraft for about a year!
3. I'm a little scared about turning 20 in two months.

Pass on the award:

Ok, I would like to pass this on to:

- Brae of Kitten on the Bookshelf 

- Sophie of So Many Books, So Little Time

- iLikeAcidPops at A Pensieve for Potter

Thank you and goodbye! Much love <3

Timetables and train woes

Good day Blog! It has been another uneventful few days here. But, in the last few hours, something, if not exciting than definitely important, happened: I found my timetable for next year. This means I now know when I will be dragging my lazy butt onto campus for what is most likely to be more difficult seminars and lectures than last year. At least hopefully they will be more exciting next year than last, if only because they were more to choose from; last year, it was more the case of 'Well, that one doesn't look too bad, but that one has this one book that I like. Oh and that one? No, just no.'

The only down side to my new timetable is that I have two 9:00 starts and a 10:00 start. Which means I will have to get the train at half 7 three times a week. This in itself is not that bad - I'm an early riser, so I would be awake anyway. What makes it horrible is that half 7 is the time all the commuters and posh school kids catch the train to work and boarding school.

The scene: the train station. The train still ten minutes away, the platform is already packed with loud teenagers with sports bags and half-awake men and women in suits, carrying briefcases and folders.
Enter our heroine: halfway down the stairs onto the platform, I realise that a) I will never get a seat on the train and b) that I have to squeeze through at least two dozen people before I can even stand on the platform comfortably.
The situation: jostled on the platform, squished even worse in the effort to get onto the train when it does arrive and cramped up to strangers in the gangway on the train because it is that full.
The conclusion? Major awkwardness, as I can't figure out where to look without appearing to be staring, I can't move away from the bag poking me in the back because there is another backpack right in front of me, and I can't even reach into my pocket to get my iPod because I have some real rubbish stuff on there and I am - stupidly - afraid someone will notice me listening to Glee or Britney Spears in a public place. Or even worse, humming along with it without realising!

Imagine my joy of realising I have that to look forward three times a week next year! God, why didn't I just move out? Oh yeah, because I don't know how to work a washing machine!

Slytherin Crest

Slytherin Crest by twitch-the-timegirl featuring a wool shawl

Harry Potter Challenge

So... this is kind of awkward. I feel like I haven't seen you guys (you know, all two of you... if I'm lucky) in quite a while. Not a lot has happened since I went to Deathly Hallows midnight showing. I have caught up with my friends, went on holiday with my family for a week and what I tend to be doing a lot: sitting on my boyfriend's bed with his laptop, watching him yell at the Xbox. Yeah, I lead a fun life. Alright, stop laughing.

Anyway, since I haven't been on this almost forgotten Blog for a while, and I am late for BEDA - which I wasn't going to bother with anyway, my life is too boring - I thought I would share with you this 30 day challenge I found the other day. But you know, most of these questions would be too short for a blog post so what do you say we just spin it out for one long post, yeah? No? Tough, I'm doing it anyway!

Here we go, the Harry Potter 30 Day Challenge!

One - favourite book? I have always considered The Deathly Hallows my favourite book, mostly because it wraps up the storyline and explains everything; all the confusing little plot lines and events suddenly become clear and meaningful!
Two - favourite movie? I think The Prisoner of Azkaban - I love seeing Lupin and Sirius in the flesh and for the most part, its one of the movies that stay true to the book.
Three - which film made you angry? Well! Order of the Phoenix was the one that when I came out of the cinema, I said, 'Was that it?' I feel it misses out too much of what makes that particular book - saying that, I loved seeing Luna in that film.
Four - least favourite female character? Hmm, that's tough. I can't really think of anyone. I just asked The Boyfriend who he doesn't like and he said Umbridge. my response? 'Oh yeah. I kind of forget she's female!' So, yeah, Umbridge is my least favourite female character.
Five - least favourite male character? Although I don't "hate" anyone really strongly, even Voldemort I like in the sense that I think he is a good character, I'm going to go with Filch. He just always appears really creepy and weird to me.
Six - what house would you be in? Slytherin. I am drawn to this house because I am ambitious in getting what I want, I am a good liar, I am cunning and have a sick sense of humour.
Seven - favourite female character? Hermione. Or Luna. Love them both.
Eight - favourite subject at Hogwarts? I want to say Potions because it doesn't involve remembering incantations but I think I would be too squirmy to handle all the ingredients. So I am going to go with ... Care of Magical Creatures.
Nine - favourite male character? Sometimes Ron for his humour. Sometimes Draco or Snape for their snappy retorts.
Ten - horcruxes or Hallows? Hallows. Easy. Horcruxes creep me out.
Eleven - which character do you relate to? I think I relate to Luna most - I am quite weird and wonderful which means quite a few people almost avoid me because of it. Also I was bullied at school, so I can relate to Luna having her stuff stolen. But I was never as brave as her to ask for it back.
Twelve - favourite pairing? I like all the normal ones, you know Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione, even Neville/Luna. However, I have been known to read Hermione/Draco and Hermione/Severus. I can't help it, it's weird but it works!
Thirteen - least favourite movie? Not sure I have a least favourite movie. Like I said, OotP was the movie I was least impressed with, so I'm gonna go with OotP.
Fourteen - Voldemort or Harry? Harry Potter, every time.
Fifteen - who would be your best friend at Hogwarts? Probably Luna. We would go hunting for Nargles together.
Sixteen - favourite Professor? Despite being strict, I think I'd like Professor McGonagall. And I adore Professor Lupin. I think he'd be my teacher crush.
Seventeen - what would your wand be made of? I remember doing a quiz once for this but I can't for the life of me remember what the answer was! So, I'm going to go do another one, be right back. ... Well, I got 8.5", Mahogany, Dragon Heartstring - I can live with that.
Eighteen - least favourite book? I don't think I have a least favourite. I like all of them for different reasons and they all have a good story.
Nineteen - prefer books or films? They both have their benefits but the books were first. It is great having the movies to see your favourite characters embodied though.
Twenty - who would you like to meet from the cast? Emma Watson. And Alan Rickman. And Evanna Lynch. Quite a lot of them actually!
Twenty-one - which character would you bring back to life? First, I was going to say Dobby or Hedwig but thinking about it, I want to bring Lily back. I really like her character and it would be really good for Harry to actually know his mother.
Twenty-two - Harry Potter or Twilight? What kind of stupid question is that? HP for the win!
Twenty-three - Any part of the books/films made you cry? Nearly all the death scenes in both books and films.
Twenty-four - any scene you wished was in the movie? Pretty much anything with Peeves.
Twenty-five - satisfied with the epilogue? Not completely impressed that it appears only Neville has a job but other than that? Yes, very.
Twenty-six - favourite spell? Lumos - I'm afraid of the dark. Or Accio because I'm lazy.
Twenty-seven - which Hallow would you rather own? Ooh, Invisibility Cloak. The Resurrection Stone would make me sad and the Elder Wand comes with way too much power and responsibility.
Twenty-eight - who would be your nemesis at Hogwarts? Either Pansy Parkinson because she is an overall bitch or Draco Malfoy because he is a stuck-up bully.
Twenty-nine - what you like as a job after Hogwarts? I don't know... not in the Ministry that's for sure!
Thirty - how much has Harry Potter affected you and your life? Harry Potter has been a constant in my life since I was eleven. I want to say that I was immediately a fan but I don't think I was. I do remember, for some strange reason, curling up under my desk to read The Philosopher's Stone when I was about twelve. Although I have only become a proper HP nerd in the last few years, The Boy Who Lived has always been there for me to fall back on.

So that was fun! Feel free to steal and have a go yourself - link me if you do, I'd love to read your responses!