Christmas is nearly here. How wonderful. The weather is abysmal, people are running round town like lunatics trying to do their shopping, Santa is in his grotto, mince pies and festive tunes are making there rounds. And we are all anticipating stuffing ourselves with Christmas dinner, to the point of morbid obsesity only to 'exercise' it off in the New Year. Oh, wait, there is something I've forgotten. Jesus. Yeah, that's it. We have to remember what the 'true' meaning of Christmas is. It's all about Him, supposedly. "I'm not religious/ follow another religion", you say? Just sit in a dimmed corner of the sitting room and read the xmas bumper issue of this week's Heat. It is actually a gospel. Thus, reading it will make you more in touch with Christianity then you ever were before. In this week's issue, Torso of the Week is Steve Jones, Jordan's out on the lash in LA and there's an interview with TOWIE's Lauren Goodger about spliting with Mark. You see, GOSPEL.
In all seriousness, though, I do love Christmas. I like the fact that everyone can find some kind of meaning from it, even if it's not religious, and how that changes over time. Particularly, I remember the Christmas when my mother returned after 6 weeks in America. Upon her arrival, yes I was happy to see her, but I wanted those presents: Polly Pockets, Barbies and a baby (doll). When I opened them, it was a fleeting acknowledgement that they were acceptable, an 'OH WOW' and a move onto the next gift. Like a conveyor belt. I had no soul (or rather, I was too young to attach a real meaning to Christmas.). My sister really was more grateful (she being the older sibling). She got given a 'Olympic' tracksuit, you know, like the American team wore? It had the colours of the flag and 'USA' stitched onto it. Expressing her gratitude through terrible whooping cough or 'whoopers' as me and her termed it, she loved everything about the outfit, even if it was XXXXL large, because it was something given to her by mother (She understood that Santa was not real, by this stage, or at least I hope she did.). I don't know what's happened to it, I think we still do have it or it has been incinerated. Either way, she eventually realised that, even though it was given to her by mum/Santa, she could not wear it out in public without Social Services being alerted.
Still, this Christmas was all about the presents for me and most significantly, not being thankful for them. We whacked on a mix-tape of Christmas tunes. We thought we'd go with the whole Christianity thing, notably 'Gaudete', a sacred 16th Century Christmas carol:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=447ZTXdDODQ
As you get older, I do think it becomes more about family. The gifts are not as important as spending time with loved ones. Now, it's just really nice to be together. Eventhough, this year, it will be just me, dad and my sister with the mother away. This won't deter us from laughing, watching old family videos and, most of all, enjoy eachother's company.
I'm very much looking forward to it all. And yes, we will have that copy of Heat by our side, not to be used in any religious circumstances, but purely for celebrity news and entertainment.
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and New Year!
Steph xxxxx
Tuesday 20 December 2011
Sunday 4 December 2011
World Disability Day 2011
Here's a blog that I've written as part of the World Disability Day coverage on the university website I work for. It's about my personal experiences as a disabled student studying in university. Hope you like it.
As a student, you become accustomed to all that university life has to offer: Your course, meeting new people, hardcore partying and living away from home. However, as a student with a disability, it can seem all the more daunting.
I started at LJMU in 2009 on the Journalism degree course. I have the physical disability Cerebral Palsy which means that I use an electric wheelchair and I stammer. Despite having these impairments, I am one of those people who does not see them as an issue, contrary to what others might think.
In my first year, I really did try and relish the university experience. I had to adjust to life as independent adult, which was difficult at first, because as well as meeting new flatmates, I needed to arrange a personal assistant (which isn’t as glamorous as it sounds!) to help with my physical needs whilst in halls. Once all that was in place, however, I was ready to make some friends and get stuck into my course.
Socialising was one of the main things I was looking
forward to at university. Although, for us, it can seem
harder to approach people and make those connections.
No matter what your impairment, you need to be the one to
participate and actively involve yourself in forming
friendships just like anybody else.
The fruits of my efforts have produced a great, close- knit
group of mates, every one of which I’m happy to say are
genuine friends.
Before university began, I undertook a Needs Assessment
which meant that I would be allocated the relevant required
support. I was given support workers, who assisted me
physically and who acted as notetakers in lectures and
seminars if I needed them and I received mentoring,
which I use even now, to talk through any anxieties I have
about my course.
If I had any additional issues, the Journalism department
was fantastic and very supportive of me, this positive
attitude, I think, is something that can be applied across
the university. Failing this, the Disability Co-ordinator
(DiSCo) was on hand to help. I even started to contribute
to the JMU Journalism website and my efforts were
recognised by Editorial Director John Mathews, who
appointed me as an Entertainment Reporter.
I made the decision to transfer to English at the end of my
first year. It was a difficult choice to make but I knew
personally that it was the right one. I’m now in my second
year and loving it. One of the reasons, I think, I chose to switch, was due to my disability, particularly my stammer and the fact that it was difficult to conduct interviews because of it.
Still, I am pursuing my journalistic ambitions even though I’ve left, as my one-year experience left me with a taste of what I could be. I am gaining work placements, such as the Liverpool Echo, next February.
As a student, you become accustomed to all that university life has to offer: Your course, meeting new people, hardcore partying and living away from home. However, as a student with a disability, it can seem all the more daunting.
I started at LJMU in 2009 on the Journalism degree course. I have the physical disability Cerebral Palsy which means that I use an electric wheelchair and I stammer. Despite having these impairments, I am one of those people who does not see them as an issue, contrary to what others might think.
In my first year, I really did try and relish the university experience. I had to adjust to life as independent adult, which was difficult at first, because as well as meeting new flatmates, I needed to arrange a personal assistant (which isn’t as glamorous as it sounds!) to help with my physical needs whilst in halls. Once all that was in place, however, I was ready to make some friends and get stuck into my course.
Socialising was one of the main things I was looking
forward to at university. Although, for us, it can seem
harder to approach people and make those connections.
No matter what your impairment, you need to be the one to
participate and actively involve yourself in forming
friendships just like anybody else.
The fruits of my efforts have produced a great, close- knit
group of mates, every one of which I’m happy to say are
genuine friends.
Before university began, I undertook a Needs Assessment
which meant that I would be allocated the relevant required
support. I was given support workers, who assisted me
physically and who acted as notetakers in lectures and
seminars if I needed them and I received mentoring,
which I use even now, to talk through any anxieties I have
about my course.
If I had any additional issues, the Journalism department
was fantastic and very supportive of me, this positive
attitude, I think, is something that can be applied across
the university. Failing this, the Disability Co-ordinator
(DiSCo) was on hand to help. I even started to contribute
to the JMU Journalism website and my efforts were
recognised by Editorial Director John Mathews, who
appointed me as an Entertainment Reporter.
I made the decision to transfer to English at the end of my
first year. It was a difficult choice to make but I knew
personally that it was the right one. I’m now in my second
year and loving it. One of the reasons, I think, I chose to switch, was due to my disability, particularly my stammer and the fact that it was difficult to conduct interviews because of it.
Still, I am pursuing my journalistic ambitions even though I’ve left, as my one-year experience left me with a taste of what I could be. I am gaining work placements, such as the Liverpool Echo, next February.
I have continued my role as a reporter on the site because of the team and the invaluable experience it provides. I’m doing this in the hope of doing a postgraduate diploma in Journalism with a view of becoming an established entertainment journalist.
All in all, I think being a disabled student in university is what you make of it. I think what this experience teaches is that it doesn’t matter what your disability is, if you work hard then you can achieve what you set your mind to.
All in all, I think being a disabled student in university is what you make of it. I think what this experience teaches is that it doesn’t matter what your disability is, if you work hard then you can achieve what you set your mind to.
Another lesson I have learnt is that rather than trying to lessen the issue, it is important to be able to become more self-aware. Because, after all, you do have a disability so make sure you get the support that you are entitled to.
And most of all, enjoy it. As I know I have!
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