Truck Festival (Take 4)

Nearing the end of festival season in the UK, it is probably about time I got round to posting my annual Truck Festival piece.

2018 marked my fourth year attending the Oxford based festival and once again, the weekend was brilliant as ever. If you happen to have read my reflection of Truck Festival 2017 you'll be happy to hear that this year held a lot fewer disasters, and a lot less rain.

Meeting no traffic or queuing upon reaching the festival site, we were in the campsite with our tent pitched by 11 am and, with three hours until the first act that myself and Katherine wished to see was on, there seemed to be only one solution; start drinking.

And the drinking continued all weekend (within limits of course). At times, it appeared all day drinking would be my only solution for my severe tiredness and lack of energy which dancing and lack of sleep had presented me with.

Despite weather worries in the weeks beforehand that this might be the first rainy weekend in what feels like months here in the UK. Thankfully it was only Friday that we saw any rain - even if it was the heaviest downpour I've seen in a while. The rest of the weekend was a scorcher making the number one phrase of the weekend 'it's too hot'. Because it was too hot; too hot to sleep, too hot to sit outside, too hot to stay in the tent, too hot not to exclaim that it was just too hot.

Music wise, prior to doing my own background research following the line up announcement, I had no idea about many of the bands who were due to perform. There would be no Neck Deep, no Creeper, no Slaves - no bands who I have previously been a big fan of. However, the music did not disappoint as I was met by the likes of George Ezra, The Courteeners, The Night Cafe, Nervus, The Amazons, Everything Everything, Tom Walker and The Magic Gang; all of whom performed wonderful sets across the weekend.

There was great food again this year; the return of the Veggie and Vegan van, a noodle bar, a breakfast bar - all helping me to function through the alcohol related and sleep deprived tiredness which clung to me the entire weekend.

I may have burnt on day one and I may have been uncomfortably hot the whole weekend but I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. See you next July Truck.

--- Aimee ---

A Perspective on Perspiration

Growing up with sport at the heart of my family - both myself and my brother were named after sportsperson's - I believe I was always destined to find enjoyment in at least one sport. Fortunately for my family, I didn't stop at one. In eighteen years I found myself taking part in a variety of activities including gymnastics, dance, trampolining, hockey, rounders, badminton and netball.

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In spite of the revolutionary 'This Girl Can' and '#LikeAGirl' campaigns, it appears there is still some overarching stigmas around female participation in sport. This became clear to me while browsing New Look's sale online a few months back, only to come across an item of sportswear carrying the slogan 'I don't sweat I sparkle!'

Okay, I dislike sweat as much as the next person but come on, are you really going to deny that physical activity doesn't make you sweat? Of course it isn't the most pleasant thing in existence but it happens, it happens to us all.

It really is no wonder girls - particularly of secondary school age - fear how they might be seen if not looking their best 24/7 and that, of course, means not participating in sport, not showing their abilities and not exercising as they should.

Just recently in the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, snowboarder Chloe Kim was reported to have 'worked so hard on [her] eyeliner', begging the question as to why females even consider - or feel as though they should consider - applying makeup before taking part in sport. Sport isn't supposed to be about looks, it is supposed to be about ability.

It wouldn't be revolutionary of me to say that society is far too focused on the beauty expectations of women, that is a fact that we already know. But, why must looks even be a factor when it comes to sport? Sport is for you, for your own gain; whether that's winning a match or gaining fitness.

If I don't sweat during a period of exercise I worry. I want to sweat. I want to feel the gain of exercise and to feel good that I am achieving something. But sweating doesn't just come with exercise, it comes with everyday activities making the concept of sweat being gross even more bizarre considering most of us do it most of the time.

In 2018 can we please stop acting like women shouldn't sweat. We do sweat; a lot. Our boobs sweat, our butts sweat, our legs sweat, our faces sweat.

If you want us all to be these absolute goddesses with flat stomachs and toned bodies due to intense gym workouts, I'm sorry to burst your bubble but there will be a lot of sweat involved.

--- Aimee ---

A New Start

With my first semester at university having reached completion last month, now seems a good a time as any to reflect on the wild ride of the short first three months at university.

Well, I say a wild ride but there was very little of my experience that I would personally categorise as 'wild'. So maybe instead I should say that I am about to reflect on the largely tame ride of my university experience.

My tame uni ride began on September 16th when I moved 100 miles across the country to begin a new life with complete strangers. Strangers who soon became my close friends even if our first encounter was perhaps not the best introduction.

So many people around me told me how much they loved and missed home and I really wanted to relate but I found that, for me, being away from home was the best thing I could've done. Adopting an adult form of independence I managed to develop new skills (cooking risotto is a skill right?), make friends and be a different person.

No one at uni needed to know my past (although it probably took me a whole two drinks to tell them all anyway) and I was free to be me, even if I hadn't quite figured out who exactly that was yet.

And I won't lie and say that uni has so far changed my life drastically but little by little it's getting there. I'm being the better me that I've wanted to be for a while and it's given me the clean slate I needed to try new things.

My biggest learning curve since leaving my small town to start university has nothing to do with being homesick or missing my beloved dtap (yes, I really do love that place). Instead, the best lesson I have learnt is that the world is full of a lot of very different people (and some of them are really old - like how am I one of the few 18 year olds I know at uni, this wasn't how it was supposed to be.)


I know that everyone says the best part of uni is the friends you make (or the nightlife. I mean what? who said that?) but it really, truly is. I've had a blast being the best (and worst) version of me and apparently people like me so I must be doing something right.

I've found the most supportive people who enjoy my writing (or so they tell me) and it has helped me, even in the short term, to become a better and more confident writer - something I have aspired to be for a while now.

While Newbury isn't the worst place in the world (sorry Beardy, but I actually like it here), I cannot wait to be back in Canterbury at the weekend, continuing to live my best life with some of my favourite people. Semester two, lets do this.

--- Aimee ---