Getting involved.

The University of Leeds offers a club or society for pretty much anything your mind could ever possibly imagine. From food to photography, quidditch to skydiving, there is a group out there for literally every single one of you. Being a fresher, the university's Union really pushes and encourages us newbies to sign-up for and join as many different societies as we possibly can, which I for one think is a great attitude to have. After the initial overwhelmingness of all the different clubs, I finally decided upon four, which I think I will have the most fun in and get the most out of.

An important crossroad.

I've had this picture as the background for my phone since my travels began. The past seven days have been be a period in my life that I will forever remember, however not for the reasons that you would initially think. Last Monday I was left alone in foreign city, surrounded by people with obscenely peculiar accents. In such a short space of time, I have experienced one of the biggest learning curves in my life. I was thrown into the deep end, and I feel as though this newly formed independence I have uncovered has kept me afloat.

Home sweet home.

After much anticipation and waiting, yesterday I finally moved into my accommodation in Leeds. I have been more than ready to settle into my room, as I feel that I have been living out of a suitcase for what feels like an eternity. After going around and meeting most of my Devonshire buddies, I can honestly say that their are an overwhelming number of Australian's here. What are the odds. Travel to the other side of the world, and literally everybody surrounding me is Australia. My next door neighbour even goes to the same university as me back home. So without further ado, let me give you the grand tour.

The calm before the storm.

Today I decided to have a look around where I will be living for the next five months. As it's only international students trickling in, the entire campus is extremely quiet and eerie, like some sort of ghost town. However there will only be a few more days of this peace, as before the week end is out, almost all students will have moved in and the campus will be buzzing with life.

Exploring Leeds.

This morning I packed up my bags, for what feels like the millionth time, as today was the day that I was travelling up to my new home for the next five months. After travelling for 2.5 hours from Kings Cross Station, through the picturesque British countryside, I finally arrived to the Leeds station. I decided that in this afternoon I would have a wonder around the city, and I even managed to make it to the University of Leeds, where I will be living and studying at.

Afternoon strolls.

The sun is setting on my first full day in England. I'm back and have arrived safely...so mum you can stop worrying now. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful family who have been very patient with me, with my severe jet lag. I swear, no matter how much sleep you get on a plane, it never seems to be enough. I anticipate that mornings will be when I am most aware and functioning, as I will be waking up early for the next week or two, as I did this morning at 4:30am. This afternoon, my aunty tried her best to keep me awake by going for a lovely stroll through their local parklands.

Nineteen years into two suitcases.

My final goodbyes have been said. Today is my final day in Australia for 2014. 141 days until I will be back home. Waking up this morning I realised that it would be the last time I slept in my own bed for five months. Out of everything I have had to do in order to organise this trip, packing was definitely at the top of my most dreaded list. It's crazy to think that I have to cram my entire life into two suitcases. Nineteen years, everything I own into two suitcases, that's mad. And let me tell you, I've been struggling to to squeeze it in. I thought I would let you have a sneak peak into my bag, so I could show you what I'm taking.

The final preparations.

It's now getting to the pointy end of the countdown, only three sleeps to go. All of my paperwork is (finally) in place, I have had my last shift at work, and I am beginning to say my final goodbyes to family and friends. It doesn't feel real, that in a few days time I will be packing up my life in Brisbane and moving across to the other side of the globe...alone! All that is left to do now is pack. Something that I have been dreading and putting off for a long time. I think the main reason for this is because once I have packed, that means that this is all real and about to happen.

Oat & sultana cookies.

Cookies are just the ultimate snack. They are perfect for when you are running out the door but need a little pick me up, and they go perfectly with a cup of tea in the afternoon. The problem is, they are not the healthiest of treats. But fear not my foodie friends, I have a solution to this ever so concerning conundrum. Let me introduce you to my healthy oat and sultana cookies.