1. When I was about 5 or 6, I had a recurring dream in which a tall women dressed head-to-toe in a peach ‘Princess Jasmine’ outfit, with matching peach talons and a peach toy helicopter on her head would chase me relentlessly around the playground. Every week we’d be marched ‘en crocodile’ to the village library for group reading, and my friend and I would discuss this horrible woman and how she had kept us both up at night. I cried when I found out my friend had been lying to impress me, she really had no idea what I’d been talking about, I was so disappointed I don’t think I ever really spoke to her again.

2. I have only recently discovered how wonderful the thesaurus is. This holiday I found my mum’s copy from 1974, it says Sharon Pringle in it, meaning it must be old because she hadn’t even met my dad, and I wasn’t even a twinkle in anyone’s eye. I just love the preface in which it explains ‘How to Use this Book’. ‘It is assumed you have an idea or meaning to express but cannot think of a satisfactory word for it, therefore desiring access to a wider range of vocabulary which may contain or suggest the word you are looking for. You turn to your Thesaurus.’ How very true and very splendid.

3. (re. No2) Splendid, sublime, superb, fine, excellent, grand, noble, rich, gorgeous, florid, bright, resplendent, dazzling, radiating, glossy, polished, magnificent, specious, showy, ornate, wonderful..etc etc..all of these significantly more ‘dazzling’ than a simple, plain ‘nice’.

4. I love to walk. Everywhere. And sometimes measure distance by how many songs I can listen to on my iPod. Although it is really just a way of covering up not knowing how many yards are in a mile etc. It is on average 6 songs from my halls to my uni.

5. I can think reasonably intelligent things in my head, but find it hard to express them by means of paper or discussion, often making them well kept little secrets.

6. I am very sentimental and keep everything. Cinema tickets, letters, photos, doodles on scrap bits of paper. You name it, it will be safely stored in a box somewhere in my room.

7. I hate meanness. The thought of people talking behind my back makes me nervous and frustrated. I try really hard to not bear any grudges and be indifferent. Usually it works quite well I think/hope.

8. I love supermarket shopping. Any excuse. Seriously.

9. I also love comfort foods, the best thing about the winter is soup, fish pie, tea and muffins, tea and toast, hot cross buns. Anything that makes you feel warm.

10. Going for coffee is one of my favourite things to do even if you have to drive 20 minutes to do so, it’s always worth the effort.

11. I have read The Great Gatsby at least 4 times, every time I can find something new that I love to underline and try to remember. It is my ‘in between books’ book, and I love everything about it.

12. Last year I travelled through South-East Asia and South America by myself. When people ask me why I went on my own, I still don’t really know the answer, it seemed like a good idea and it really was, I always recommend travelling alone, but can never really support my reasoning. I guess I just like to be alone. I definitely did not ‘find myself’-worst nightmare=people being caught up in gap year lifestyle, becoming ‘hippies’ before returning home and back to their usual selves. Not cool.

13. I got my first pair of glasses when I was four. I still have them and they still are so big they frame not only my eyes, but also my eyebrows. Mum says they were fashionable, but I think she just always wanted geeky children.

14. I love the post office. I am quite anal about wrapping, writing little letters, buying stamps, and posting things. I genuinely believe it will be a good day when any form of post is waiting for me.

15. I let someone else pick my university, my halls and my course for me. This has led me to only ever want to make decisions for myself, and is definitely something I have learned from.

16. I always sleep during the day. I don’t consider it unproductive, I think of it as decadent. I just love it, with someone or on my own, for 10 minutes or 2 hours, I always wake up satisfied. I believe I am aging before my time.