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19 things 2019 taught me

From such a chaotic Year surely I must have learnt something? hmm….

  1. Some people are arses and that my friend is their problem, not yours.
  2. You can completely disagree with someone’s opinion & beliefs but still love/like them
  3. Sometimes it’s necessary to take a breather from people & places
  4. Being/doing things alone is great – having an identity independent of anyone else is really important
  5. Don’t take criticism from people that you wouldn’t ask for advice
  6. Planning is important, but you can’t plan everything – some of the best things (especially nights out) occur when you don’t expect them
  7. Always carry a coat – being ill without your mum is not great
  8. Blue hair is a nightmare to get rid of – I recommend red food colouring in conditioner
  9. My dad was right, walking is low-key kind of fun
  10. Some people will go their entire Uni lives without cleaning or tidying up after themselves
  11. Don’t have just one type of friend – have the hard-workers, the laughers, the kind, the sarcastic.
  12. Fake tan with a kitchen sponge if mitts are in short supply
  13. Be realistic – is it actually an issue or am I blowing it out of proportion?
  14. Your parents can learn things from you too
  15. Within reason, do things that scare you
  16. Let yourself not be okay
  17. There is power in silence
  18. Don’t drink on an empty stomach
  19. Second Year is a motivation vacuum

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Dear Me in Five Years,

Right now you’re surely surrounded by a handful of sausage dogs in a flat with fifty windows, about to leave to go to work at a publication you adore; that makes people’s lives a little lighter with their work.

What are my hopes for you? You should still be surrounded by good people, those that supported and elevated you. You’re good at spotting the kind ones, that have you laughing until you’re in pain. However, perhaps by now you’ve left behind those silent allies, the ones that come to you when it suits them.

I’m optimistic that you’ve gained confidence in your abilities, putting aside the fear of being seen as disagreeable. Instead, write with pure intent and purpose.

Are you giving back to those that gave so much to you? Like Mum and Dad, the friends that let you confide in them at 3 am or the memorable teachers who always preached about your potential.

You’ve always been your harshest critic, I expect you’re finally making yourself proud. Continuing to build the life for yourself you’ve always talked about. Nevertheless, let’s hope you’ve dropped worrying about things that are out of your control.

If you’ve ended up not doing everything your 19-year-old brain envisaged that’s alright, maybe your tastes and ambitions changed. Perhaps life got in the way, as long as you’re moving forward in some way that’s all that matters.

Love, Mimi

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The Whole Spine Yards

It might be that you’re interested in having a nose about why I’ve got a titanium rod in my spine, or maybe you’re in the 2-3% of people who actually have Scoliosis; if that is you then I hope at least to provide you with some reassurance. 

In November, it will have been five years since I had my ‘spinal fusion’ surgery, in which a lot of complex and confusing things were done to my spine whilst I was in a heavily sedated nap.

In hospital chit chat, this involves ‘two or more vertebrae’ being ‘joined together to stabilise, strengthen and straighten the spine.’ Sounds like good fun doesn’t it!

13-year-old Mimi was absolutely terrified, what seemed to have started as just classic symptoms of a growing teenager worsened into much more. 

Small twinges developed into overly prominent shoulder blades, a crooked back and an unaligned body. Shooting pains down my spine and shortness of breath really popped the cherry on top of an already body-conscious teenage girl’s cake. 

Everyone around me was fantastic, taking me to see countless doctors, nurses and specialists; but frustratingly no solution seemed to be materialising. 

We began to understand this was more than the poor posture of a lazy 13-year-old girl. My mum was left feeling “helpless and frightened” in the absence of a diagnosis. 

Thinking back to that experience, I feel a bit heartbroken for little Mimi remembering how hideous I felt. The cycle of repeatedly having to undress for doctors, to just hear ‘umm’ and ‘ah’ over my wonky bod. Actively choosing to wear baggier clothes to avoid questions or comments.

After a painstaking amount of time, along came Doctor Davies. He provided us with an answer to all our questions, I had ‘scoliosis’ defined as an ‘abnormal lateral curvature of the spine.’ Refreshingly he was a man with a plan, which entailed the recommendation of an operation shortly after that consultation. 

Whilst it was explained what this could encompass, I naturally feared the worst. I created a little bubble of hysteria around myself. A ridiculous Google search continued to fuel the fear, the sort of search that would have a person with a headache thinking their head was about to momentarily fall off. 

If this wasn’t feeding the fear enough, I began to watch YouTube vlogs from people undergoing the same operation. 

Tension around the Op began to build as they consistently moved in back in the calendar. However, they did apologies by placing me in Southampton Spire, a private hospital in which I must have been the youngest patient by about 30 years. 

The day came – upon arrival, I was changed into a rather glamorous backless number. I was given cannulas, checked over and given a mandatory pregnancy test. 

The last part of that day I recall was being put to sleep, chatting away to the anaesthetist. Mum remembers everything about that day, “Her dad and I took her down to theatre. We held her hands while she slipped into sleep. We both left crying, she held her cuddly toy tight.”

“It was a long wait. The waiting hurt. When we saw her next she was unconscious in Intensive Care, pale, gowned up, tubes everywhere. She was very sick from the anaesthetic.” 

That day is a complete blur in my mind, however, the week that followed is etched in my memory. It was f*cking horrible. 

Everything had gone swimmingly but the pain was unimaginable, as the correction had been so intense my body was fighting to keep up and adapt. 

Without sounding like a small baby, the process of recovering included sitting up, then standing and finally walking. All which took far longer than expected, even keeping food down was a challenge which is laughable if you know me. 

In true Mimi fashion, I’d packed an entire suitcase of outfits to wear for the duration of my stay, which remained untouched. Those around me couldn’t believe how straight I looked, but I couldn’t quite un-see my old self just yet. 

The new Mimi had a huge scar down her back, had to be held up in the shower and taken to the toilet by her mum. 

I thought I had a newly found hatred for my back in the aftermath of it all, but in hindsight, I think I just associated it with a temporary loss of independence. 

As days turned into weeks and weeks morphed into months, I got back to being as healthy as possible. In the midst of puberty, a dodgy spine was one bodily change I would have happily done without. 

Now I’ve got a pretty lovely back, that creaks when it gets cold. I was naïve to think an operation would eradicate all the negative ways I felt about my body. But five years on, I love my scar.


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The Four Stages of University

My apologies I’ve been M.I.A recently, truth be told I’ve been in a bit of a slump. You’ll know the one, in which doing anything feels like it’s going to drain all your energy. I’ve been living in a constant rotation of working, sleeping and trying to enjoy the beginning of my summer, somewhere in between it all. My parents will tell you I’m a big one for beating myself up when, unsurprisingly, I fail to juggle every aspect of my life. However, this time around I’m starting to understand no one really has their shit together.

At some point in the middle of your 10th bout of hysteria of the day, you’ve got to just stop, take a breath and cut yourself some slack. I’m under no illusion that being a student is the most stressful or challenging time you can experience in your life, but it’s definitely a shock to the old system. Whilst I’d allowed the loathing I felt towards A-Levels to seep into my expectations, in reality, Uni has made me realise that I’m not limited to a lifetime of academic averageness after all.

There are Four Stages of University that most, if not all, students will experience. These emotions stirred up by this big life adjustment can happen at any time, in any order and occasionally all at the same time. These stages are anxiousness, happiness, feeling homesick and residing in limbo.

The months building up to receiving your A-Level results and moving into your new home are concealed by a thin layer of anxiety. The looming fear of failed exams, horrible flatmates and not having your parents around when you’re cooking spag bol for the first time. In some instances, your anxious thoughts will befit what follows. You may end up living with people that don’t do their share of the cleaning, those that leave their dirty dishes strewn across the counters; or those that have been so spoon fed by their doting parents that the word ‘cleaning’ is bordering on a foreign language.

These initial waves of anxiety subside and are replaced by a staggering sense of happiness. This is probably your first solo mission, an opportunity for a fresh start. You’ll go to some great, good and awful places with new friends and inevitably spend more of your student loan than you should. As a person that deeply enjoys planning her life out, this was the first time I had no choice but to go with the flow. It would be impossible to meticulously organise something that involves that many people, it’s weirdly freeing.

Whether you choose to admit it or not, I believe everyone gets homesick. Even if it’s for the physical house you lived in, the people you lived with, or some kind of pet. There’s always something that will make you miss where you were born and bred.

Next you’re about to enter limbo. You’re going to live between your childhood and the looming reality of adult life, the invisible pressure of learning how to survive in the world; when you really just want to know why you’re learning to live in a world that will be barely recognisable after Brexit.

In this limbo you’ll learn about interests you didn’t know you had, you’ll discover your truest friends and you’ll realise all the adults around you really had no clue what was going on. You’ll struggle to say goodbye to the little you that left mud pies around the house and did Easter egg hunts in the garden. Now it’s official, you’re a grown-up.

I’ve painted a rather traumatic picture, but in reality it’s not. Moving to Bristol was the best decision I’ve made to date. I have made friends for life, produced work I’m proud of and I am slowly learning who I am as a solo entity.

So, thanks First Year you’ve been great.

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19 things I’ve learnt in 19 years

Besides learning the obvious things that every functioning human being should know, these are 19 more obscure things I’ve learnt in 19 years.

1.Do not beat yourself up over things you didn’t do as well as you’d hoped or shouldn’t have done at all. Being angry at yourself will not change anything, just embrace the mistake and learn from it.

2. There is more to life than other people’s opinions.

3. Do not speak to yourself in a way that you would not accept from others. You are the only person you have to spend the rest of your life with, so why don’t you start loving yourself in such a way that other people know what you expect from them.  In the words of the great RuPaul, “If you can’t love yourself how the hell you gonna love somebody else.”

4. Not everyone suits the education system and that’s okay. Don’t let this stop you from harnassing your potential, you’ll find your place. 

5.Hold on to good friends, whilst continuing to make new ones. The people you surround yourself with is so important, they’ll either tear you down or give you the push you need. Same goes for romantic relationships, be with someone that supports your ambitions.

6.Days off are necessary – we’re blood and bones, not cogs and circuit boards. Sometimes what you need is to put your work away, have a nap and go for a walk. 

7. Tell the people you love, regularly that you love them. Our family has had its fair share of health scares, life is very unpredictable so appreciate people whilst you have them.

8. Stroke all dogs, every single one (Unless otherwise instructed by the owner).

9. Your appearance does not equate to your capabilities in other areas of your life. If you don’t want to wear make up, don’t. 

10. Cry often by yourself, with other people, at films – It doesn’t matter just empty those tear ducts. 

11. Laugh loudly at least once a day. 

12. Compliment others

13.Be in the moment, it is easy to become swept up in life. But when you hone in and focus on just being present, you’ll be living in that moment whilst you make it a memory. 

14. If everyone likes you then you’re doing something wrong.

15. Leap at opportunities, if not you’ll remain stagnant.

16.Be inquisitive – Always question everything. In a world where we tend to take everything at face value, it’s important we get down to the nitty-gritty truth of matters. But also, ask people silly questions. 

17. Gin is good for you – health wise maybe not but I’ve always had a great time when gin has been consumed.

18.Making yourself proud is important  – celebrate big and small achievements. 

19. Take photos of everything.

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Why is colourful hair good for the soul?

Women and men are growing tired of the stale and outdated ideals of attractiveness. Increasing numbers of people are deciding to give societal beauty norms the middle finger, by the means of peroxide power. To me coloured hair and piercings are too often equated to a persons intelligence or capability.

I get a weird sense of satisfaction when I’m underestimated on the basis of my looks, it drives me to work harder. In an odd way, I feel bad for those that would not employ, be friends with or have a relationship with someone on the premise of external appearance. You’re limiting yourself to a lifetime of beige.

In 2015, Returnofkings.com wrote a painfully inaccurate article. Illuminating their readers to “5 Reasons Why You Should Never Date A Girl With Dyed Hair”. Laughably, these reasons included 1) ‘They’re attention whores’ 2) ‘They’re impulsive’ 3) ‘They’re ugly’ 4) ‘They’re useless’ 5) ‘They’re degenerate leftists’.

“You need to think of your employment prospects.”

” Coloured hair is a turnoff. I prefer women to have a more natural look.”

” Why’d you do that to your poor hair?”

Meg Moore

“Coloured hair is exciting because it changes how you look, especially as I have blue eyes I feel like the colours I choose definitely bring them out. I feel confident being able to control these things and that I am able to make myself stand out visually how I choose to. I think in a small way it is a rebellion, not against my parents or anything but in an attitude because I am being different from the norm, even though lots of people have coloured hair.

Meg Moore @megmoor_e

I don’t like being looked at particularly but I think it makes me feel like by looking at me people know that I like difference and that by me having something different about me, I could be more accepting of others difference. I’ve become more aware of the disadvantages since having to think about a job and that something so trivial may affect my chances which is silly as I am still equally as capable but I think it’s still revealing my privilege bc some people don’t get jobs based on hair or looks that they can’t change such as colour of skin. On the other hand it’s just sick to have vibrant hair.” – Meg Moore, Basingstoke

Kila Caprani @kilagcaprani

“Basically for me having coloured hair is another way that I can express myself and feel more confident – and I find when I’m confident in myself I become so much more sure of myself and project my whole personality to people which I think is 100% good for the soul. Makes self love a much easier thing to aim for when you know you’re giving your truest self to people and that they love you for it! ” – Kila Caprani, Hull

“Colour runs through us, through mundane everyday tasks, through every journey you take and every decision you make. From the colour of the background on your phone screen, to the constant argument with your partner about the ideal colour of a cup of tea. Whether it’s through clothing, home decor or the shade of your hair, colour is one of the most obvious forms of self expression.

Ellie Martin @effiej

The colours we chose allow us to express who we are, tell our own personal stories and allow us to access our inner creativity. Every human is an artist in their own right and every artist has a story to tell. Changing up your hair once in a while with a colour that you feel really represents you, might give you the confidence you need to make other more serious life changes or simply just to hold your head up high as you walk down the street. 

I know it worked for me and as five wise women (and a whole lot of song writers) once said, ‘spice up your life’, you might enjoy it.” Ellie Martin, Salisbury

Ebony Palmer @_ebonypalmer

“Coloured hair is good for the soul because it made me the most confident I had ever felt, I felt radiant in colour, I didn’t want to feel like a plain Jane.” Ebony Palmer, Bournemouth

Milly Struthers @millystruthers1

“Coloured hair is good for the soul as it regenerates it, when ever I’m having a bad time I usually change my hair up for a fresh start and to get over with the problem I’m dealing with.” Milly Struthers, Poole

“I feel coloured hair is good for the soul because its another avenue in which allows you to express yourself. People experiment with hair colours for many reasons but personally I enjoy the freedom it gives me and the fact that it indirectly forces me to change my style I.e clothing from time to time in order to fit which ever colour I’ve chosen. People always have something to say about someone’s appearance so I think dying your hair, like other avenues of identity, is just another way of being yourself and sticking it to everyone else” Tiger Broughton, Brighton

Tiger Broughton @_tigerrose

Dear Returnofkings, 1) We’re not looking for anyones attention, we’re trying to love ourselves. 2) Yes, perhaps impulsive but why is that a problem? 3) None of us asked you to find us attractive 4) Are we useless? We’re artists, lawyers, dancers, doctors and students. 5) That my friends is a colossal assumption, founded on the basis of what information? Our political allegiances are none of your concern.