Ashley-James Arscott-Stiles: University Life And More..!

This is my first blog post so I hope you like it!

As most of you reading this will already know, I moved to Plymouth, Devon on Saturday 15th September 2012. Just under 7 weeks ago. It has been the most crazy time of my life! So much going on and so many names to remember! The night before I left, was the time I realised what I would be leaving behind. I moan about a lot of things, but I guess it really is true. You don't know what you've got, until it's gone. Even having a room that you can move in, let alone not having to go outside to go to the washing machine and having to pay £6 a week to wash your clothes. (Not including all the detergent tablets, softener, colour catchers and tumble dryers!).

One aspect of my 'old' life, is the colleagues, close friends and family I had. We were all so close and I miss them a lot. Although I am only 3 hours away, it's too far just to 'pop' home when I like and a lot of money.
Here are a few of the gifts that I received from my colleagues at The Co-operative on my last night. They have all come in really useful (except the Prince William mask; that's too precious to use)

Beautiful gifts from Co-op Colleagues

I am living in student accommodation just 5 minutes from the University campus and 10 minutes from the biggest shopping centre and not forgetting the training place of Mr Tom Daley. Apart from the lack of space to keep fresh or frozen food, all is good! Here is my room. (It's tidier and more organised now.) The only thing that still confuses me is that my block of flats is called 'J block' and it's the 5th block, so I assumed that meant I was on the fifth floor. It's actually not, It is only on the second. I had never seen a flat start with floor 4 before!

J505- The day I moved in. It looks different now as my bed faces the window and the printer is out of ink!

The best part about living here, apart from my Uni course being really interesting, is my flat mates. I've heard so many horror stories about people hating the people they were living with but I can honestly say, I don't. I probably wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for a couple of them in Freshers week! haha I am also really glad that we are all 'older than average' university students. We all wash up (most of the time) and rarely have loud music blasting out at 4 am! JOY :D

J5 minus Hannah

I have made some really good friends, especially with Hannah. She's always there for me and is someone I can talk intimately with when I feel sad or homesick. This is Hannah and I outside Oceana in our first week.

I like this picture because I think we look nice :) Hannah has not spent much time in a dress so we went dress shopping and I helped her choose this one. In return, she chose the white top for me. Which I now own in every colour in the collection because I liked it so much. Oops!

Hannah and I

Not only did I meet Hannah and the J5 gang in my first week but I also met someone else... His name is Joe. We met on-line. Let me explain, because whenever someone tells me that, I automatically (and wrongly) judge them for being creepy and not meeting people the 'normal' way. We were talking as friends after he messaged me a very casual "Hi". We started chatting and he seemed really friendly and really together with it. I wasn't wrong. After a while, he mentioned that despite being 18, he had never been drunk and had never been out with friends since starting Uni as he did not live in halls. For a Fresher, this shocked me, and I also felt sorry for him. So I suggested that he met Hannah and I and went for a drink with the rest of J5. We had a really great night. As I had successfully managed to get Joe and myself fairly past tipsy, I suggested he stayed at mine, nothing happened as I could tell he was a bit nervous. We shared a cuddle and our first kiss. We saw each other every weekend after that for about 3 weeks until Uni and his weekend job started to get in the way.

In the following weeks, we went for several meals and nights out together to get to know each other. We had a lovely time. It's annoying though because whenever we would go out for dinner or to the cinema, time would always fly by! we'd be talking for hours and realise we had finished our meal ages ago or that our glasses had been empty for a while. That's when I knew we could be more than friends one day. I share the same connection with all of my closest friends. There is nothing better than when the conversation flows freely without awkwardness.We carried on going on casual dates until the 25th October 2012 when Joseph asked me to be his boyfriend. Obviously, I said "Yes". I remember I could not have been happier at that moment. I knew that he was planning to ask because we had discussed exclusivity before. After he asked me though, he said "I have something for you." He pulled out a hidden gift bag that read:

"Thank you for everything, and for making me happy. Love your Joe XXX" It was the most romantic thing I had ever read. Inside the bag, was a 'Me to You' bear and some Thornton's chocolates! Very cute, and yummy! That was a week ago now and my cheeks are starting to hurt from smiling so much :)

We are really happy and can not believe it took a week to find my prince. I am really looking forward to having him around and meeting his family and him meeting mine very soon.