24 things I've learned in my 24 years

24. 

I have been alive for 24 years. 

I was / still am not happy about how OLD I AM. 

But there is literally nothing on this earth that I can do to change it. 

I 'celebrated' my birthday and I use this term loosely because instead I mourned the fact that I had aged a whole year with nothing to really show for it.

I often wonder at what age will I loose the feeling like I am wandering around aimlessly looking for the right answers and the right direction. 

I am classified as a young adult. and I couldn't be further from the truth. 

So instead of me rambling on about how sad I am about the fact that I turned 24.

Here are some things that I have realised in my 24 years on this planet. 

1. Self respect is extremely important
2.  Sometimes who you were friends with a year ago,  five years ago,  ten years ago might not be who you are friends with now and it is OKAY. People grow apart.  
3.  Save some sort of money. even if it's only a tenner once a month. 
4.  Surround yourself with people of similar interests because if they don't understand you how do you expect to understand yourself?
5.  If a guy is emotionally, physically or verbally abusive, GET OUT. 
6.  Don't share everything about yourself on social media. 
7.  It is okay to still have no idea what you want to do with your life. 
8.  Travelling is one of the greatest things you will ever get to do. do it more. 
9.  Take photos often and of the things you love. 
10.  Do what you love, screw what anyone thinks of you
11.  staying in doing nothing is the new going out. content AF!
12.  Not everything is meant to work out. Sometimes things end. 
13. Your friends don't always have your best interests at heart 
14. Don't be so hard on yourself. your doing your best.
15. STOP comparing yourself to other people: everyone is at different stages of their lives. 
16. Not every action needs a reaction!
17. Stop planning things around friends, if you want to do something THEN DO IT! 
18. Don't be afraid to make the first move
19. Also delete tinder its not good for you. 
20. Spend time at home, your family is important: don't take it for granted.
21. Appreciate your parents more: they're not here forever.
22. Same goes for your grandparents. Put down your phone and spend time with them.
23.  Make effort with friends who are drifting apart, but also remember it's not all down to you. 
24. and finally stop taking what you have for granted, others would kill to have what you have. 

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Tinder Banter

Tinder for those mere mortals who have no idea what I am talking about, is a 'dating' app (and I use the term dating loosely) It connects to your Facebook profile which allows you to see if you have potential mutual friends with other people. It allows you to set up an age range of 18 to 55+, a distance range of up to 160km, if you prefer men/women or both and allows you to upload six sessy images of yourself. Bobs you uncle, Fannys your aunt and your all set to go Tindering!!

The idea is you look at pictures of people, you can swipe left to say no and right to say yes. Shallow, judgmental YES I know! We don't want to appear to be superficial, but at the end of the day: looks do matter.

As Irish people when Tinder first came around we feared it. 'Online' dating was and still is something that us Irish people don't see as the norm. Usually we are not the forward type and those that are, are deemed as 'creeps'.

I have two group of friends: the ones who have been in over eight year relationships: some are engaged, some have had babies, and some have just gotten into new relationships (RIP to my single ladies......) and then there is my single friends shifting round them like it's going out of fashion.

My friends in those long term relationships won't get tinder. I mention I am going on a date and BOOM this is the guy I will marry. No lads, this is just a free meal and a movie.

Tinder's not going anywhere anytime soon, so lets embrace the awkwardness of it all and swipe to our hearts content while sitting in the comfort of your bed looking so far from what your Tinder profile would appear to be.WINNER.

In my opinion or at least the people I know it that 'we' are apprehensive in saying we are meeting someone off Tinder or other dating apps. But at the end of the day it's all for a bit of craic right?  that and the Sunday night fear of ending up alone forever. But that's a whole other story.

I have been on and off Tinder since it started. I decided when I moved to Limerick I would get it again, new place new faces and that lasted all of 2 months. I got sick of repeating the same story over and over when inevitably it going nowhere. I deleted it for the third time and was forced out into the real world where looks still determined who you would talk to (with the help of a couple of glasses of wine.)

That was until one Sunday night when boredom overtook and I downloaded it again.

Wham bam thank you mam, One week later I was on a date.

My first tinder date.

CUE PANIC STATIONS.

Was I shitting myself? most certainly.
Did it go well? it went...grand.
Did he look like his photos? thankfully, yes.
Did I look like my photos? I looked worse.
Did we meet again? Yes we did. all the usual date type scenarios.bowling, cinema, netflix.
GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER.

Long story short- pun intended. It was short lived but an experience and I got to see a few free movies so I can't complain.

So do I expect to meet the love of my life off tinder? Hell no. I am not the exception to the rule of those Tinder love stories you hear about.

BUT I will continue to furiously swipe right just for the sheer banter and the fear of ending up alone at my best friends wedding next year. HA.ha....ha..............

Unsuccessfully Tindering,

Yours,

Sinéad

    x

21st century Romeos

               

Wishing my life away!

Missguided Bomber Jacket 

They are everywhere at the minute and I need to get my hands on one ASAP!

Cluse Watch 

A Daniel Wellington look a like with half the price tag! A Christmas present that would make my year (hint, hint...)

Topshop Leather Jacket

It will never go out of fashion but for now my Penny's one will have to suffice. 

River Island Boots

I want, I NEED!

Boohoo Bag

I know it can look a bit 'tacky' for everyday use but for a night out it is perfect! Take a peek inside and you'll see why!

Zara Grey Jacket

This jacket.*sigh* I tried it on in the shop and had to be pulled away from it. This picture does not do it justice. If you are in the shop try it on or at least touch it. Pricey but it would last FOREVER. 

Topshop Pinafore 

Tights. Chunky Knit. Chelsea boots. Enough said.

Topshop Denim Jacket 

I'm regretting not keeping the one I had when I was 12.... 

Sligo Favourites

You would swear that I am a thousand miles from home and that I will never be home again.

 But there's nothing like being away for a while to make you appreciate how pretty 'home' looks. 

Some of these photos where taken in the summer so clearly the sunshine helps with how good they look. But Yeats didn't call Sligo 'The Land of Hearts Desire' for nothing....

Strandhill

Keash Caves

Knocknarea Trail 

Benbulen (climbed from the front)

Benbulen (climbed from the back, the proper way!)

 

Slish Wood  

Hazelwood (Lough Gill) 

All photos taken by moi and copyright © thislifediary 

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*insert inspirational quote here*

If I waited until I felt like writing I would never write at all. 

I used to write nearly every day for years. I have a journal. One that I still keep and that features the tales and woes of my teenage years and the some tales of my terrible twenties (the early years, did I mention I am old now. like heading towards mid-twenites old aka my scary age.)
Then writing was every few weeks. Notepads where replaced by floppy discs and then it was on to the laptops. My first laptop I poured my heart and soul into a certain journal-esque word document that unfortunately (or fortunately; I haven't decided) will now never see the light of day thanks to my never ending unlucky streak of bad luck with laptops. But this blog of random ramblings is a nice way to keep all those memories, open for the random people of the internet to read.

 Anyway now writings has become a monthly thing and the fun of it seems to be lost in the every expanding pile of college work that is being laid out in front of us.
I am getting bogged down by a certain area the whole 'pulling news stories' out of my ass sort of area. But I have to keep reminding myself that this is what I always wanted to do.
To be a writer sounds like a stupid dream a 7 year old has after reading too many Roald Dahl books.
 But it is still what I want to be when I grow up. So I purchased a new journal.
That I am going to take with me everywhere, write down every idea, doddle, thought, feeling because there really is no better feeling than looking back and seeing, yes SEEING how you felt at that time.
 Words are like pictures. But they say a hell of a lot more than pictures.
Well would you look at me getting all inspirational and arty farty.
So where was I? YES writing. The window to my the soul. The way to make all the mumble jumble in your head make sense.

I write because I don't know what i think until I read what I say. 

I am not sure where I am going with this post. I think I am just feeling over whelmed with college, work and I haven't been home in 5 weeks so things are just a little strange. 
Unfamiliar but at the same tine I feel quite content.
 So yes this post is literally leading no where so I am off to sleep these 6 am starts are killer on the fabulous bags under my eyes. Bags that concealer just will not hide.

Chat yeah!
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Take every chance. Drop every fear.

If you told me this time last year I would have had my first day as a postgraduate over and done with I would have laughed! I thought I would still be wandering aimlessly through life as a deli girl heading nowhere pretty fast all the while still shacked up in my parents house with no internet yet an endless supply of free food. 

Now fast forward on to the present day and I am part-time deli girl and full time student! Living with four random people in a not so warm house. BUT it is one of the nicer college house's I have experienced (except the one weird housemate but I will leave that for another day!)
Orientation day was a daunting experience but I walked every inch of the University of Limerick campus with 14 other Journalism post grads and a few Law students and it actually went pretty well! The day has been a long time coming and even though I do not know a sin or soul in this college or county it has been a less scarier day than expected! Plus the pints at the end of it all made getting to know the class a bit easier. 

That's not to say I am not already shitting myself about the 15,000 word dissertation that we already have the title of that's due next August or the fact that I might not see my friends or family for a while because I got a part time job in Limerick as *DUN DUN DUN* a deli girl (we're the best kinda girls)

I know Sligo isn't a million miles away ( 138.5 miles to be exact and five and a half hours on a bus I'll have you know) and what really threw it into perspective today was the fact that a girl in my course has moved all the way from RUSSIA ( that is 3759 miles......give or take a mile). And here I am whinging about the bus trek home!!

Having officially had my first day of lectures over with I can say how PETRIFYING it actually was. And I think the lecturers take a slight satisfaction in warning us that this year is going to be SO INTENSE. It's a little shock to the system being back in a lecture, and having to take notes and also realizing half way through your notes that your spelling has deteriorated significantly since your last stint in college.

As if the swamp load of information wasn't enough to send my brain into overdrive the course director asked me to stand up in the middle of the room and answer; 'Where do you see yourself in five years?' To which I not so confidently answered, 'um hopefully writing somewhere as a journalist'.  Now if I just repeat the mantra, 'I am a journalist' twenty times a day hopefully I will start to believe it, and in myself. I've always been the type of person to look around and feel a bit lost while also thinking that ever one else has got it sussed out already. It is time to have confidence and in this type of career it is key.

Now I am off to write a two min radio essay piece on Game of Thrones that is due tomorrow and then to start doing a presentation due Wednesday. Yes first day and we already have work.

Any one else start there first day as a fresher or post grad?

x

Inter-railing Tips

Last year I went inter-railing around Europe for one month.
Three girls, four weeks and endless trains.
Let me tell you it was the best decision that I have ever made and I would be going again this year if I wasn't starting my masters in Limerick this coming September.

 One month, riding around on a train for hours, in countries where you don’t speak the language, lugging around a back pack that weighs more than yourself may not sound like everyone’s cup of tea. But believe me when I say this, it is worth it every sore muscle.

We traveled through many different countries, check out some of my blog posts about them here and here.  

So I thought I would share a few tips that might help other people who have decided to take on the big bad world of inter-railing this summer. I used many blogs for tips before I went so I thought it might come in handy to share my experience.

The Bag:

I thought I would have to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a high tech savvy rucksack that would last me the month. BUT boy was I wrong, check out this back pack.

Lidl’s finest.

Price: 29 euro.

And not one thing broke on it! And this got thrown, sat on, and pulled all over the place.

If that doesn't take your fancy and to save yourself even more dolla, ask around and see if anyone you know has one gathering dust on the top of their wardrobe. Borrow instead of spending a ridiculous about of money on a Bear Gryll's type of rucksack that you might never use again.

Clothes:

So I will be the first to admit that I am the worst packer in the world, and I am sure I am not the only girl out there. I went out on Saturday night to my friend’s house and had to bring a suitcase because I had so much stuff with me, I.e two items of everything ( a girl needs her back up outfit and her back up back up outfit.)  So you can imagine how hard it was for me to pack for a month travelling around thinking not only about comfort but also practicality and style.

In the end I ended up wearing NEARLY everything I brought with me, but if I was going again I would not bring half as many clothes.

The essentials for me would be:

A zip up hoody because even if the country is hot, it does get cold at night (I used mine to cover my pillow at night, some might find this weird but I preferred breathing into my hoody then a pillow used my many many people even with the fresh pillowcases!).

A rain jacket, once again not everywhere is sunshine and lollipops.

One pair of practical trainers, for me it was black converse.Because believe me you don’t want to be running for a train in flipflops or flimsy sandals.  

Two pairs of sandals (feet need sunshine too yanno)

Leggings (light, easy to pack and they go with most things)

A few versatile t shirts, shorts and your good to go.

An adapter

A blowup neck pillow-easy to store and your new best friend for the next month.

   

Money, money, money:

It’s all down to you and your travel buddies where you want to stay when travelling around, you can go for cheap hostels or you can go for expensive hotels. It’s all down to yourself.

People have asked me how much spending money you would need when going for a month and I would HONESTLY say that 2000 euro was what I would have. I know it does sound like a lot of money to spend in a month, but between paying for your hotels (our hostels collectively came to around 500 euro WHICH is not bad for a month) getting buses, taxis, metros, paying for activities and eating out for all our meals, and going out drinking it actually was not THAT much.

Keep in mind you can do it more cheaply. You could go for cheaper hostels, etc etc.
 But each to their own.

Now another tip, I am from Ireland so we use Euro, as do a lot of countries but not ALL the countries we visited used euro so we did have to exchange our currency a few times, thankfully if was only 3 times. SO before you go check out what countries you need to exchange your money in it will save you a lot of hassle.

Another tip would be to buy a bum bag.

Not the most fashionable ones going I KNOW but there were so handy.
We each had one which we used when we were going on trains and for certain day trips, our passports, interrail ticket, money AND phone fit in it perfectly and where easy to hind under clothes. I slept with mine under my pillow at night and believe me you need too as one night the two girls I went with got robbed as they left there’s beside them in the bed. So get one, there easy to conceal as they are so flat, you cant even tell I am wearing mine in this picture

The trains:

I thought that we would get a lot more lost then we did. But in fact every train ride went smoothly for us.  It was all thanks to the interrailing app which is available to download on the app store. It works off line and was so easy to navigate!
It told us how long the train journeys were, the name of each stop and this was important because they don’t let you know when your stop is coming up and if they do it’s in a different language.

The one thing I would say is reserve your seats for your train journeys.  The only time we didn’t was when we were travelling from Warsaw to Berlin and we ended up sitting on the ground for 9 hours.

So when you get to your first destination, go to the train station find out the times the train goes and reserve your seats. The price is not included in your inter-railing ticket but to reserve is only a few euro! So every time we got off the train at our said destination we went to the ticket desk reserved seats and then we were set up for the next train trip. 
It is every man for themselves at train stations and don't forget to ask questions, there are so many people interrailing along similar routes so asking other people can help you get on the right track.
Keep in mind trains do get delayed we had several delayed by a couple of hours and if you have connecting trains it can mess things up. At one stage we had 2 mins to get from one train all the way across the train station to the next train. But thankfully it only happened the once!

Last but not least enjoy every second of it, because the time does fly. Talk to the people in your room at your hostels, you'll meet so many people from different walks of life it will open up your eyes to the rest of the world. Also realize you’re not going to be able to do every single thing in every place that you go, we learnt this the hard way. But we still had a ball!

If anyone has any questions or wants any links to hostels, you can email me on

Sineadhealy5@gmail.com I would be more then happy to help.

 Anyone else have any travelling stories?

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