October 2020 | Monthly Wrap Up

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Friday 30 October 2020

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 It feels like October has been going on for ages, but it’s officially autumn and yes it’s now getting cold and dark but currently the leaves look pretty and deadlines are still a little bit distant. 



Favourite part?


I finally started back at uni! Albeit mostly from the same desk in my bedroom, but it’s good to be back in a learning environment again. All of my lectures are prerecorded, so I only have live seminars at the moment, which means that my time is even more flexible than previous years and I have to make more effort to manage my time and effectively create my own timetable. 

 

It was also my 21st birthday this month! As I’m sure many people have experienced this year, lockdown birthdays are a bit weird, and a bit more understated than we may otherwise have been. However, I still had a really great day and am thankful for my flatmates for that. We had pancakes for breakfast, went out to Tynemouth and North Shields during the day for walks around the parks, beaches and looking around charity shops and Keel Row Bookshop. We had takeaway from Karma Kitchen, a family run vegan Indian restaurant I absolutely adore, and had a great time. 


 

With uni starting, so did society events. I’ve loved the events Feminist Society have run so far this year and was so proud of the first Book Club event I ran with my friend Martha about the book Feminism, Interrupted by Lola Olufemi. I could rave about this book for hours and the discussions we had were so engaging and made me so excited for the rest of the year! I also represented FemSoc at a Gender and Sexuality discussion group with other students from Newcastle and students from University of Pittsburgh. It was a really good discussion and I really enjoyed it! 

 

I’ve also listened to several other talks online, including several about environmental movements, particularly about intersectional environmental movements, about clothes and the garment industry and a talk Lola Olufemi gave through the University of Dundee. 

 

This month has reminded me how cooking really is my meditation. Most of my days look pretty similar: at my desk doing uni work, reading, doing NEST work, etc., and taking time away from screens putting food together is my main source of respite and recharging immediately after I’m done for the day. I’ve also realized how easy it is for me to stay inside for days on end if I don’t force myself to, so I’m taking steps to ensure I’m not in my flat 24/7.



It was also my flatmate’s birthday yesterday, so at the time this post goes up it’s likely I’ll be a bit hungover.

 

Best read?

 

I’ve actually read a bit more this month although it doesn’t really feel like it. With uni starting back again, so does uni reading. I’m currently reading Dracula by Bram Stoker and The Beetle by Richard Marsh for one of my module, which I’m thoroughly enjoying. 

 

I also read Out of Office by Fiona Thomas, which is an incredible guide for anyone who wants to do freelance work and was a really accessible and enjoyable read too.

 

I also read the short satire book New Erotica for Feminists by which I as given as a present last year and finally got around to reading this year. It was funny though at times I thought it was a little bit off. At one page for example I crossed out the words ‘Margaret Thatcher’ and wrote Angela Davis underneath. Apart from that I enjoyed and it was a read to take my mind off other stresses.



Favourite tunes?


I’ve been listening to Taylor Swift’s Red and folklore on repeat, particularly ‘betty’ and ‘last great american dynasty’ as shower songs to lift my mood at the beginning of the day.


Favourite watch?


I’ve been really loving Staged recently. I love the pairing of David Tennant and Michael Sheen, the layout of the show and found the Wales jokes particularly funny. I’m certainly looking forward to the next series! 

 

I finished rewatching Game of Thrones. I still love it as much as ever and the last (two) series still frustrates me as much as ever. I just wish there had been more time given for character development nearer the end…

 

Strictly is back! Even though it’s not as it usually is, it’s definitely a comfort to have something so familiar back on regularly. I am always here for the glitz!

 

I’ve continued to watch more Taskmaster and Bake Off. In fact, I think Bake Off is one of the only things which helps me realise what point in the week we’re at. I’ve also been watching Married at First Sight and First Dates. 

 

I’ve also watched a few films, including the absolute classic that is Flushed Away and the recent adaptation of Rebecca, which I really enjoyed and I am now desperate to read the book!


Source


What did I learn?


9ams aren’t as bad as they seem, even if several of them on the trot isn’t fun, and they're much more manageable when online than in person! I should probably try getting up earlier as I genuinely am more productive and I need the extra time at the moment. 

 

Boundaries work and are there for a reason. It’s noticeable when I don’t follow them. 

 

What’s happening next month?

 

More of the same. I’m continuing with my uni work (I’ve got some of my first assessments), my work with FemSoc and NEST, as well as more writing. I hope to still have some fun time around Newcastle if we’re not in full lockdown!

 

What’s been on my mind?


Healing – how it looks, how it changes and its more of its impacts. I’ve not necessarily been thinking about it in a bad way or from a place of hurt, but more reflective and looking forward. 

 

I’ve also been really trying to keep on top of everything and thinking about what I need to say no to and what I need to prioritise. My final year of uni in a global pandemic isn’t the most relaxed experience (anyone in the same situation to me will be able to tell you that!) but it’s the situation I’m stuck in and need to figure out how best to handle. 

 

Favourite blogger/vlogger?

 

Not specifically just her blog, but I’ve been really loving Victoria/In The Frow’s Instagram, particularly the creativity of her reels – they’re so professional and stunning! I’ve also been enjoying some of her blog posts, especially about how repeating outfits helped her find her style. 

 

And as always, Leena Norms’ videos have been a major comfort to me.

 

Favourite post?


I always enjoy the posts that occur around my birthday. It’s great to look back and reflect on the past year, at how I’ve grown and the things that have shaped me. I did that in two posts this year, my usual Me at… post as well as 21 Things I’ve Learned in 21 Years. 

 

I’m also really proud of my other two posts. I love the images used for my When Harry Met Sally OOTD (thank you to Jude for taking them!) and I think that a younger me would have found What’s So Bad About Fast Fashion? very useful as it compiles so much about the industry it took me years to learn. 


 

Biggest inspiration?

 

Wanting to do the best in my degree now that the end is in sight. Working on improving and maintaining my mental health, happiness and overall wellbeing because I deserve for all of those to be prospering. 

 

Any other favourites?


The app Planta! I downloaded it after my flatmate recommended it and it is a lifesaver. You basically input all of your houseplants, stating which room they’re in with the different light levels etc., and it gives you notifications when you need to water each of them and you can tick those tasks off once you’ve completed them. For any new plant parent, this will help you! 




If you liked this post you might like: September 2020 | Monthly Wrap Up

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What's So Bad About Fast Fashion?

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Wednesday 21 October 2020

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Fast fashion is a hot topic, and one I talk about frequently (on this blog, in other articles, on social media and in real life conversations). The term often gets thrown around without much background discussion into what it actually is, and when people publicly condemn it, the reasoning behind this condemnation is sometimes overlooked, instead simply just calling for boycott without detailed reasoning as for why. So what actually is fast fashion, and what’s so bad about it?



What is Fast Fashion?

 

Fashion Revolution defines fast fashion as ‘cheap clothing, with quick turnover that encourages repurchasing’. Fast fashion encourages us to buy more and use less. This has only increased since the invention of the Internet, with online shopping helping to aid a culture of quick buys and constant newness. Marketing strategies have pushed the idea that we need more items, that new products will solve our problems. And with social media sites designed to get us addicted constantly bombarding us with brightly coloured images of cheap clothes we are told we need to buy, how can we blame consumers for doing as they’re told? 

 

This fast-paced nature of our modern fashion industry is detrimental on a whole number of levels. In this post I will highlight the main offenders, and explain what we mean when we say that fast fashion is unethical and unsustainable, as well as going into a little bit about how many of these brands are problematic even when you take out these factors. 

 

Ethical Issues – Workers’ Rights

 

The treatment of garment workers is the main reason many people (including myself) have a problem with the fast fashion industry. In order to allow fast fashion brands to sell their clothes so cheaply, their suppliers are under pressure to sell them garments for as cheaply as possible. This need to reduce cost leads to a whole range of issues, and undercuts most of the ethical issues found within fast fashion supply chains.

 

The main result of this is that many garment workers are paid less than a living wage and work incredibly long hours. In recent years, Bangladesh, where the garment sector accounts for 80% of its exports, has been gradually increasing its minimum wage, but even then factories are working beneath those requirements and trying to find loopholes where possible. 

 

This is not just an issue in countries in the Global South, (most prominently Bangladesh), it also happens in countries such as the UK, as we have seen with the repeated allegations of sweatshops present in Leicester. The latest report on the factories in Leicester highlighted how suppliers for brands such as Boohoo were paying their workers as little as £3.50/hour, well below the minimum wage, and to work in unsafe conditions, resulting in a spike in coronavirus cases in the area. 

 

Cutting costs also leads to many safety issues in factories. This is includes frequent workplace disasters and injuries. The most famous of these is the Rana Plaza disaster which occurred in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 24 April 2013. Structural instability within the building caused it to collapse, leaving 1,134 people dead and a further 2,500 seriously injured. Before the factory collapsed, workers had protested as they could see large cracks in the walls, increasing day by day. While higher paid people with admin roles had been evacuated days previously, the garment workers were forced to remain working inside the building under threat of losing their jobs, and therefore their livelihoods. While other incidents like this have been happening for years beforehand, and continued afterward (for example at Tazreen Garments in 2012, also in Dhaka), the collapse of Rana Plaza was the biggest of its kind in recent history, and marked a huge change in attitudes toward the fast fashion industry globally. Fashion Revolution, perhaps the most prominent non-profit in this area, was founded in reaction to it, with Fashion Revolution Week now occurring annually to both commemorate the people who died in Rana Plaza and to campaign for change in the industry. Many legislative changes were made in its wake, but despite the global uproar which occurred around Rana Plaza, the problems which led to the disaster weren’t solved. Factory disasters still occur, often as smaller collapses and fires. These issues also link to other major incidents across the world. For example, although in completely different areas and circumstances, I cannot help but see clear links between the Rana Plaza collapse and the fire at Grenfell Tower.



 

The need to rapidly produce garments for Western consumers means that immense pressure is put on suppliers to cut costs and maximize efficiency. As a result of this, garment workers are often denied toilet breaks and paid leave (including maternity leave). They are also exposed to dangerous chemicals and fire escapes are often blocked to prevent them from leaving. There are also many cases of child labour and sexual harassment and abuse, although many cases aren’t known because of the potential consequence of the victim being let go and therefore losing their income. 

 

Factory managers also often threaten to fire workers if they take a day off or if they protest or form unions. This has been seen many times and across different countries. For example, in a recent case in Myanmar, hundreds workers at factories supplying Zara and Primark were fired after they formed a union in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic and brands refusing to pay for orders which had already been made. Some have since been reinstated. 

 

It is important to remember the demographics of these garment workers. According to non-profit Remake, 80% of garment workers worldwide are women aged 18-24, while factory owners and brand owners tend to be men. In factories like the one in Leicester, these women are more likely to be migrants with less English, and therefore more vulnerable to modern slavery and other forms of exploitation. Fast fashion is a feminist issue, and it cannot be treated differently.

 

The dynamics of the fast fashion industry are those of neo-colonialism. Resources are taken from previously colonized and often poorer countries, then transported for use in richer countries who had previously been the colonisers. While the resources may have changed, the same power imbalances remain. This system is dependent on white supremacist patriarchy for survival, and it is also those systems we must aim to eradicate when we’re seeking for change in the fashion industry. 

 

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Remake's #PayUp campaign has been highly publicized in both the traditional media and social media. As a result of closing stores etc., many brands cancelled thousands of orders, many of which had already been completed (or at least partly completed). This was devastating for garment workers, leaving them without pay for potentially months on end and risking starvation. This campaign has resulted in several brands reversing their decisions and paying their suppliers, meaning that so far $22 billion has been recovered. I urge you to sign the latest #PayUp petition and read through the seven demands Remake are asking of brands.


Image credit


Sustainability

 

Fast fashion also brings up a whole load of environmental issues. Frankly, the rate of production many of these brands operate on is just not sustainable in any way. Those with the fasted rates of production include Boohoo, Missguided, Pretty Little Thing, Shein, Fashion Nova, and yes, H&M. In their recent Channel 4 documentary, Missguided CEO Nitin Passi revealed that the company releases over 3,500 new products each month. He also stated how 50% of their stock is less than a month old and 90% is less than 3 months old. That’s a hell of a lot of new clothes, many of which will be made of damaging materials such as polyester (i.e. plastic). This combined with a culture of disposability surrounding clothes is incredibly damaging. Even if they used sustainable materials, this level of production will never be sustainable, simply for the amount of energy and resources it uses. 

 

In an effort to salvage their reputations, many fast fashion brands our now using recycled and other sustainable materials, often releasing their own ‘eco-friendly’ collections (see: H&M Conscious). However, these attempts at sustainability often only amount to greenwashing. What is greenwashing? It’s essentially when a company markets itself to be environmentally friendly when in reality they are anything but. This often includes using buzzwords such as ‘ethical’, ‘sustainable’, ‘vegan’, ‘eco’, and ‘green’ (which aren’t restricted in advertising in anyway) as well as visual imagery like green and neutral colours, etc. to suggest links to nature. 


H&M marketing material


One of the most popular means of being more sustainable is by using recycled materials. Often, garments are only made using a small proportion of recycled material. This can often be as little as 5% to mean they use the term ‘recycled’ on their label, and therefore their marketing. Many brands have used this method, both fast fashion brands and smaller businesses which are more sustainable and ethical all round. However, even though they use materials which are overall less damaging to the environment, their rapid production rates still have a huge impact. If they truly want to have less of an environmental impact, brands should slow down their production rates, otherwise their efforts mean nothing. 

 

The materials are also something which need to be taken into account. It can take 2,700 litres to produce a cotton t-shirt. There are ways of reducing this, as outlined by WWF, for example by using organic cotton. The world’s most commonly used material is polyester, which is essentially a type of plastic and is derived from oil, and takes up 65% of all fibres used in textiles. It is a revolutionary material, being cheap, easy to wash, easy to blend with other fibres, easily dyed as well as having a whole load of different ways it can be used, so it’s easy to see why it’s now so popular. However, it is very damaging to the environment. I would highly recommend looking through the briefing Common Objective did on polyester if you want more detail, but it’s essentially like all other plastics. As garments made of polyester get washed, they shed microplastics which end up in the oceans, being consumed by both humans and animals alike. 

 

The Brands Themselves

 

Then there’s the public image of fast fashion brands themselves. They often use false claims of feminism and ‘girl power’, bandwagoning onto social movements and activism circles when in reality for a marketing ploy. Brands such as Missguided market themselves on their apparent ethos of ‘empowerment’ and body positivity, when in reality their gender pay gaps are at 46% and they are shown to make fatphobic comments in a documentary series which was supposed to be promotional. When you look behind the sparkly smokescreen, the supposed ‘wokeness’ of these brands is nothing but performative. There are so many examples of this, I could go on for ages about brands behaving horrendously. Another repeat offender is Shein, who this year tried to sell Islamic prayer mats as decorative rugs and also used swastikas on necklaces. 

 

In addition to this, these companies turning over hundreds of millions of pounds each year (and often owned by billionaires) are frequently called out for outright copying the designs of small businesses. From M&S (who are generally better on workers’ rights and sustainability, and are generally slower than other high street brands) stealing designs from Stay Wild Swim, to Pretty Little Thing trying to pass off Do Not Subverge’s designs for their own. This happens across the industry, but particularly with brands who are releasing new designs by their thousands each month. These businesses are often a lot more ethical and sustainable than these big name brands, and black-owned businesses are frequently victims of this kind of behaviour. 


In 2017 Missguided were called out for only
stocking a 'feminist' tee in sizes 8-14.


As you can see the problems with fast fashion are extensive, and its domination over the fashion industry is an issue which will not solve itself overnight. To find out more, you can check out the vast amount of information in my Fast Fashion 101 Resource Doc, and if you have any questions, I am always willing to try my best to answer them. 

 

It is important to remember that there is not one solution to this issue, and we should not be blaming consumers. Yes, as consumers we should do as much as we are able to slow down our fashion consumption but it is ultimately the responsibility of the billionaire CEOs who are profiting off exploitation to change it. As they are unlikely to make that decision on their own, we have to hold them to account and lobby for change. One way to directly support garment workers is by becoming a patreon of the Remember Who Made Them campaign, a non-profit which supports garment workers to unionise. They have options for as little as $1 a month. 



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Sustainable OOTD // When Harry Met Sally Inspired

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Wednesday 14 October 2020

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When Harry Met Sally is one of my favourite films of all time. Many people who know me in real life will know that, and I have also talked about it at various points on this blog and on Twitter. It's a massive favourite in my family, I've seen it too many times to count and can practically quote the entire thing word for word. I also happen to think that it's one of Carrie Fisher's best work. It's a comfort film for me. If I'm feeling fragile and need a bit of a cry, the final scene will normally go no wrong. As I mentioned in a previous post about how finding your personal style can help make your wardrobe more sustainable, Meg Ryan's character of Sally Allbright is one of my style icons. So many of her outfits I adore, and would wear myself. This look is my attempt to embody Sally in my day to day life, and is really a direct copy of one of her outfits in the film. I actually bought this jumper because I was obsessed with the one she was wearing in the film! I will always go back to When Harry Met Sally as long as I am able to watch it, and it will always be, to me, the pinnacle of what romcoms and films as a whole can be.





Turtleneck – secondhand fast fashion bought on Depop nearly 2 years ago.
Skirt – fast fashion, owned for 3.5 years.
Boots – secondhand fast fashion bought on Depop from Rebekah Peters at the beginning of the year, repaired once.
Necklace – new from Women in Hebron, a small cooperative which aims to empower Palestinian women by selling the items they create, including necklaces like these. I found out about them when one of their members came to Newcastle with other Palestinians to give a talk a few months ago, and sold some of their items.
Earrings - new from Shop in Colour.






Photos taken by Jude Crook.


If you liked this post you might like: OOTD // Rachel Green Inspired
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21 Things I've Learned in 21 Years

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Monday 12 October 2020

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These posts have been poking around the blogosphere for years, and I’ve never actually done one before. I really enjoy reading them, so a while ago I thought why not do one this year alongside my usual ‘Me at…’ birthday post. Here’s 21 things I’ve learned in 21 years:


1.  Friendships are a two-way street, respect them as much as you would a romantic relationship.

2. The unfollow, block and mute buttons are literal god-sends, use them!

3. Vegetables are AMAZING. Honestly, how could anyone knock them? They’re so much more versatile than any animal product. 

4. If it hurts, it means you cared. That doesn’t necessarily make it any better, but you’re not silly for being sad or in pain.

5. Never be ashamed of crying.

6.  Libraries are the answer to lots of questions, they must be protected at all costs. 

7. Your privilege may make you uncomfortable, but you need to use it effectively, otherwise you're no use to anyone.

 8.  Makeup can be only for you, it’s all about being comfortable in your own skin. 

9. If you’re only reading books by people who all look the same/like you, you’re not well read, no matter how much you try and justify yourself. 

10. The same goes for films (I’m not saying I’m perfect with these, I’m trying).

11. Protests are great, go to more.

12. So is other grassroots work. This cannot be neglected. Activism is multidisciplinary.

13. If you don’t like tofu, you’re probably not cooking it right, or at least haven't found a way to cook it that suits you. It's more versatile than you'd think.

14. Self-care is difficult, but so necessary. 

15. Every system is rigged; you must actively work against them.

16. No one knows what they’re doing, just improvise and stop judging yourself.

17. Clothes are a great way of finding and expressing who you are.

18. You can find most things secondhand if you look hard enough, but that doesn’t mean you should buy absolutely everything secondhand.

19. If you need an instant comfort, a chocolate mug cake and When Harry Met Sally is the answer.

20. Cooking can be a form of meditation.

21. In case of emergency: have a solo dance party. They hardly ever fail.


What have I missed off my list? Let me know in the comments!


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Me at 21

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Friday 9 October 2020

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So now I’m 21 (technically, my birthday’s tomorrow but I don’t post on Saturdays…). Somehow I think turning 21 has had more of an impact on me than 20. 20 is a bit of a trial run, you’re still a bit of a teenager and not a proper 20-something, and 21 is, well, actually 20-something. There’s no pretending now, I am an actual adult and have to deal with that fact. 



It also feels like 20 kind of didn’t happen. 20 started off great, it was amazing for a few months, but then kind of came crashing down around me, even before the pandemic happened. My mental health plummeted in a way it hadn’t done before (even if I’ve always generally been a relatively anxious person) and it made me rethink a lot of things, particularly my boundaries and what effective self-care actually is. It’s taken me what feels like a long time (most of being 20 in fact) to claw my mental health to be back at a reasonable level, and while I’m doing well now – most of the time – I’m also incredibly aware of the effort that maintaining and improving that level of wellbeing is and will be very difficult. 

 

I’ve learned a lot in the past year. I’ve had to do a lot of inner reflection and confronting the ways I’ve internalised certain things I had previously thought I was pretty open and progressive about. But you know what, learning those things is good and allows you to not only improve your own wellbeing and relationship with yourself, but also the relationships you have with others and to make the impact you have on others more positive as a whole. 

 

So 21 is going to be the year of self-care and learning boundaries. While I’m still very busy, maybe just as much as I was this time last year if not more so, I think I’m preparing myself better through setting myself certain restrictions. I’m ignoring those messages about projects I’m involved with that come through at 11:30 on a Wednesday night, and leaving them unopened until at least 9am on the next working morning, something I may have been tempted to answer straight away previously. 

 

I now have Audre Lorde’s quote about self-care being ‘an act of political warfare’ framed on my bedroom wall and am taking it incredibly seriously, especially in terms of the ‘warfare’ aspect. Aggressive self-care is sometimes required and I’m going to have some tough love on myself to effectively look after myself and prosper over this coming year. I can then hopefully just have those things in place or as routines to ensure self-care becomes an actual habit and not a chore or something to do on a whim.



Somehow I’ve got 400 words into this post without even mentioning uni or anything other than my brain, but I guess that goes to show what’s been on my mind lately. 

 

I am now in my final year of my undergrad. Yep, this is my last ‘Me at…’ post as a student (unless I end up doing a panic masters of course but I hope that won’t be the case). Normally, I’d be in the full swing of uni by now, but when this goes up it will be the last day of my induction week. Although I think it is, I’m not entirely sure, I’m kind of confused with what’s happening with uni at the moment. I did get my dissertation deadlines through at the beginning of the week. No communication other than that, so that’s fun for a brain which automatically goes into panic mode. But it’s fine. I’m trying to focus on planning and doing little bits here and there and gradually building up my workload so I don’t overwhelm myself. 

 

I’ve got another week before teaching fully starts and I’m trying to make sure I stick to the boundary goals I’ve set myself. Now that my volunteering time with N.E.S.T is much more flexible (i.e. not on the weekends), I’m hoping to use the weekends as proper downtime and as a chance to make the most of Newcastle and the North East as I don’t know if I’ll be living here this time next year. I’ve got a small list of places to go and things to see, and honestly if 22-year-old me is reading this and hasn’t done a lot of those things I will be disappointed. Come on future me, get your act in gear! 

 

One good thing which has come out of the pandemic for me is having been able to do more campaigning in terms of slow fashion and being able to write more on the topics I love. I was put on furlough for my usual holiday job (eventually being let go in August), so I was effectively paid to educate myself in more detail on the fashion industry and racism, as well as to write for my blog and for other platforms (particularly The Tab), organize projects for N.E.S.T and prep for FemSoc. With my mental health being what it was this year, particularly earlier on, I’m glad that I was able to take things super slowly wherever I wanted but still have some things to do and eventually get me motivated, and I count myself incredibly lucky that I was in such a comfortable situation for lockdown.

 

I am now an ambassador for the organisation Remake, which does amazing work advocating for systemic change within the fashion industry to improve it for both people and planet. I still kind of can’t believe I’m actually officially involved with this organisation. It was a pretty cool moment when I was accepted and I still have to pinch myself a little bit when I’m on group calls with such cool people.


 

While I had dyed my hair a few times when I was 19, 20 really became the year that having red hair became more of a permanent thing for me. I feel so comfortable and confident within myself having my hair red, and I know this may sound cringey, but I do feel more well, ‘me’, when my hair is dyed. Whatever the hell that means… I now only do my hair at home, and haven’t been to the hairdressers since I had my major chop back when I was 18. I mostly do trims by myself (or get my flatmate Jude to have a go) and was really happy with some of the shaping I did at the front a few months ago. Obviously nowhere near professional level but I thought I did a pretty good job. I’ve been getting urges to cut myself a fringe over the past few months too. I’m not sure if it’s lockdown induced, however I would be surprised if I hadn’t succumbed to those temptations before the year was out. 

 

In previous years, I have tried to look after a couple of plants and have completely failed. I killed off Enid, Enid 2.0 and Enid 3.0 in the space of about a year and a half. I’ve now decided to steer clear from cyclamens and go for some hardier plants. In the 6 weeks I’ve been in my new flat, I have acquired 7 new plants. Firstly, a replacement cactus for a pot whose original occupant I had killed over lockdown (yes, I did manage to kill a cactus, leave me alone I was sad). I then got a snake plant called Stevie (after Nicks) and a creeping fig called Billy (after Ocean) who now lives in my bathroom. I also got a succulent my brother decided to call Dennis, a spider plant I named Octavia after an Instagram call out for names, an aloe vera called Brenda (because Brenda Blethin plays Vera. I thought it was hilarious…) and I now have a crocodile fern my brother gave to me as a birthday present and who I’ve named Delilah. Ooh, and I nearly forgot, I have a chive pant I’ve called Clive, who sits on the kitchen windowsill next to my regrown spring onions. I guess that’s really 8 plants. I guess I am now a fully-fledged plant mum, and believe me when I say I am learning a lot more about their needs this time! Who knows, maybe I’ll be brave enough to get an Enid 4.0 at some point in the future!



It’s a bit scary thinking about this time next year. I have some potentials for paths I could take but that’s dependent on many things, and in all honesty I don’t know what my life will look like at 22. For now, I’m just going to focus on looking after myself, completing my degree to the best of my ability, enjoying Newcastle and student life while I can, and trying not to kill any of my plant children. Not too much to ask, surely? 



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