writing

I’M FREE

Hola everyone.

I know. I know. I know. Where have I been? Did I get stuck in a hole? Did I decide to disappear for a few weeks and start a new life? I have to say, it’s nothing like that. It’s uni. Or it was. Because two days ago, I finally had my last exams and now I’m free. I’m finally free. Free. Free. Free.

And I can’t even tell you how much I’ve missed posting stuff on here, talking to you guys. But I just couldn’t afford spending my time on anything else than studying and basically existing. That’s what I’ve been doing the past two weeks. And god, it was exhausting. You have no idea. I finally understand why exam week is called week of hell. Because it really feels like hell. But now it’s over and I’m so freaking happy. And I’ve got so many things to tell you guys. So, let’s get right to it.

First of all, the new Fall Out Boy album is out and it’s so damn good, holy moly. At first, due to Young and Menace, I was a little bit worried I’d loose my favorite punk boys. But thank god, I didn’t. The new album is so amazing, seriously. It’s the perfect mixture of punk songs, electronic beats, slow, soulful pieces and amazing guitars and Patricks angelic voice. It gets very close to being perfect, really really really close. Maybe it even is perfect. So I can just strongly recommend it to you guys, please go and have a listen, seriously. If I had to chose, I’d probably say that “Bishops Knife Trick” is my favorite track of the whole album. But let’s be honest, that basically changes after every single listen of the whole album. The songs are just too good. And, in typical FOB manner, the track titles are pretty much the coolest thing ever. I have no idea how they come up with names like “Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea”, but I’m glad they do.

And now, the most important news. Yesterday, in order to end the semester in the most amazing way ever and have a nice party, my mum and I went to a concert, a Nothing But Thieves concert. And holy moly guys, I’m still so damn speechless, it was such a blast. And I know what you’re thinking right now – isn’t that the band I just saw a few weeks ago, two months, to be exact? And yes, indeed it is, you’re a 100 % percent right. You may question now why I would buy tickets to a show I basically went to two months before? And here’s the simple answer: because. And since yesterday, I will always go to see a band I love with all of my heart twice if I can. Because yesterday was easily ten times better than the first show. And I didn’t think that that was even possible.

First of all the venue was like a third of the venue in Vienna. The room was packed with people and it was hot as hell. I have no idea why, but somehow Conor, the lead singer, still decided to wear not only one, but two long sleeved sweaters. I was nearly dying there in the crowd, Price, the drummer, was half naked, and then there was Conor, jumping around cuddled into two sweaters. Such a weirdo, I love it. And due to the size of the venue, we were so close to the stage and, especially pleasant for me, close to Conor. We even had some eye contact going on once in a while. And I just loved it so much, watching him and the boys interact and do their thing, being able to notice all the little details about them.

Also, I don’t even know how, in the matter of the past two months, they got so much better, they even excelled themselves. It was crazy. You could see how comfortable they were on stage and how much they enjoyed it. Conors voice just gets better and better with every single show and just their whole set too. They are such an unbelievably amazing band. And I loved seeing how happy they were. For me, a show gets a hundred times better when you see that the band enjoys it as much as the crowd. If they are happy, I am happy too.

Another highlight was of course the updated setlist which included one of their most amazing songs – Number 13. And god, was it worth it. It’s such a blast live, holy moly. And a new cover of a song called “Be My Husband” replaced the one of “Free Falling”, which was extra special for me, as it was one of the songs Ed covered during the first show I ever saw him. And let’s be honest, Conors voice is just breathtaking. Thankfully I got to film the whole part of the show, even him chatting with the crowd for a while, laughing and joking around. He’s such a damn cutie. Seriously. Having his laugh on tape is literally the best thing.

But, I have to say, my most favorite part of the show has to be when they played “Ban All the Music” and somehow literally everyone went totally apeshit. No joke. I mean, the crowd was amazing throughout the whole show. Jumping around, dancing, crowdsurfing, doing moshpits over and over. Conor even said that it was the best moshpit he had ever seen. But when they played BATM, it got a totally different level of crazy. First of all, the crowd went completely berserk. Then Stu, their tour manager/handy-man, started crowdsurfing out of nowhere. God, I laughed so much. And the boys just followed, jumping around on stage, laughing and joking. At some point Dom, one of the guitarists, even went up to the mic and just screamed a note, while Conor stood next to him, looking at him like “what the hell are you doing???” and laughing his butt off. God, that was such an experience. It wasn’t just a concert, it was so much more.

So yeah guys, there you go. That was last night. I also have to mention that it ended in the coolest way possible, because when we walked out of the venue, we walked past the tour bus and I was like “oh my god, how cool. I’ve never been this close to one of these buses.” And there was this little gap in-between the curtains and I just randomly looked at it and there he was, sitting there, eating I don’t know what – Conor. I can’t really explain why, but somehow that was such a special moment for me. Because it’s something completely different when you see someone on stage, doing what they love and what they are best at, and then off-stage, all calm and relaxed, without the whole star appeal. It just was really special.

For me it was the most perfect way to end my semester and to start my break. And it was the perfect way of rewarding myself for all the exams and hard work. I think it’s important to give back to yourself once in a while. And I’m so happy that my mum enjoyed it as much as I did.

Apart from that, I am just really glad that I get to be at home now for the whole month. And it’s already my last semester of uni. How crazy is that? Time has really flown by. Oh and oh my god guys, tomorrow I’m having my interview with BIMM, you know, the university in Britain I applied for. On the one hand I’m really really really nervous, but on the other hand I’m also so excited. I’ll of course keep you updated. And expect to hear a lot more from me again, I am officially back. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this post and that you’re all doing good. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your comments down below. And of course, thanks for reading. x

My New Years Resolutions

Hola everyone.

The new year is literally just around the corner and in prospect of this I’ve been thinking pretty much about 2017 and what I achieved and what I’d like 2018 to be like and what my goals are.

I have to say that 2017 has been a pretty crazy year for me. I mean, I started off the year with my last month of living in Berlin and then I got back and continued university and recently I found this amazing university course in the UK and just an hour ago I started applying for it. I mean, how crazy is that? And I flew to Zürich to see Ed and then to Amsterdam to see Martijn. And I got to visit three new cities in the UK – Liverpool, Blackpool and Manchester – and flew to Paris with my mum and got a new, unbelievably beautiful tattoo there. I just started writing my first Bachelor thesis and I’ve just got this semester until February and then the last one and then I’ll be already finished with my Bachelor in Vienna. I seriously can’t believe how fast the time has flown by. And apart from all these huge things, I accomplished so much more and made so many more experiences and and and. I met new people, started new friendships, had quite an amount of exams, attended looots of concerts and started a job as a magazine journalist. I cried a lot but laughed even more. Went on many adventures and got out of my comfort zone. And when I look back at it, I don’t think I’d change anything (apart from all the bad stuff that happened and is happening in the world right now, but let’s not get started on that).

But there is a new year coming up and I want it to be a new start, a new beginning. A new year to meet goals, turn dreams into reality and so so much more. So I thought why not make a list of my personal new years resolutions? Let’s go.

I really want to stay the optimist I am – it doesn’t work all the times, but sometimes it’s the only thing that brightens up a shitty day
I want to dive even deeper into the topic of my heart – music.
I want to experience more, learn more, see more, hear more, feel more.
I want to meet new people, new cities, new cultures.
I want to get even more out of my comfort zone. Of course it’s scary, but those are the moments life turns from good to exciting.
I want to stay healthy.
I want laugh louder, cry harder and live every moment to its fullest.
I want to show the people around me that I love them and that they literally mean the world to me, because they all deserve it.
I want to go to as many concerts/festivals as I can – those are my happy places and I’m kind of addicted, so…
I want to read even more books, listen to even more songs and bands and watch even more movies.
I want to meet up with my friends and family as often as I can. I know it’s hard, because we all have our own lives and own tasks and jobs and so on, but when I look back I don’t remember the hours I spent scrolling through twitter on my phone, I remember the evenings I spent with my friends, drinking a Chai Latte and laughing about stories of when we were young.
I want to stop pressuring myself so much. I know I’m a perfectionist and that’s actually something I like about myself, but that changes when I start treating myself badly.
I want to continue working as hard as I do now or even harder (I know this kind of doesn’t go with the resolution above, but I’m sure there is a way to combine those two things).
I want to cuddle even more with my family and my pets.
I want to take even more pictures, cook more meals and maybe find a new fascinating hobby I can be passionate about.
I want to try out new things and new activities, maybe some kind of sport or something like that.
I want to try and start being punctual – this is actually the toughest aspect of this list, I am literally never punctual.
I want to go to sleep earlier and change my sleeping schedule – it’s slightly getting out of hand right now.
I want to be nicer to the people I love, I want to forgive more and stop freaking out because of little, stupid things I will probably have forgotten about an hour later.
I want to finish my Bachelor and try to get the best grades possible.
I want to nail my two Bachelor theses.
I want to keep faith and believe in myself, even when the times are hard and I feel like everything is getting too much (like now, when my to-do-list is literally far too long – I can do it and I know it).
I want to get into BIMM (the university in the UK) and find the cutest little flat ever.
I want to continue being this curious and childish and easily excited and funny.
I want to love more.
I want to continue writing this blog, as I love it so much that I can’t even describe it.

So guys, there you go. Those are my new years resolutions or let’s say those that I can think of right now. I’m pretty sure I could come up with about a hundred more if I had more time. But I want to try and make every single one of them and stick to them. Mostly because they all mean quite a lot to me. And I think this way 2018 can’t be anything but another amazing year.

But guys, what are your new years resolutions? Do you even have some? And do you stick to them? This is actually my very first time of writing them down like this, so wish me luck. And guys, I wish you all a happy new year and I hope you’re all doing good. I wish you all the best. Thank you so much for 2017. It’s been an amazing year and I’m more than thankful that I could spend and share it with all of you. Thank you. And, as always, thanks for reading. Here’s to 2018. x

The Results Are Here

Hola everyone.

I can’t believe I’m really telling you guys this. Guess what? The results of my IELTS exam came and I’m not joking if I say that I cried when I first saw them.

But, first things first. As you all probably know, on the 25th of November, I finally took my IELTS exam. It’s the test that determines your language level in English, which you have to take in order to be able to apply for a university in the UK. And as this is my plan and dream, the exam was a must for me. Generally you need to achieve an overall level of 6.5 or 6 with at least 6 in every single band – listening, reading, writing and speaking. And as I seriously had no idea how strict they would grade the exam, I really did try my best and prepare and study for it. Also, I have to thank IELTS and the British Council for providing such an awesome online learning platform, it really helped me with preparing for the test and I’d recommend it over and over again.

But now the most important part. For me, personally, the exam wasn’t exactly that hard. But also surely because I really did prepare for it. I had the speaking part one day before the written exam and I actually really enjoyed it. It was cool to chat for a few minutes, but of course I was nervous too.

I’d say that the writing part was the hardest one for me. Mainly because I’m just not used to writing in such a business-like style, interpreting graphs and so on. But apart from that it was pretty cool. I mean, I think I never took an exam that was planned to such a detail. I mean, there weren’t even bottles of juice allowed, because there could maybe be something in the bottle. How crazy is that?

But, enough of that. Without further ado, here are my results:

Overall: 8.0

Writing: 7.5

Reading: 9.0

Listening: 8.0

Speaking: 8.0

Guys, I seriously can’t believe it. I can’t even describe how happy I am. I mean, this means that I am now able to apply for university. And this feels so honest and real now and on the one side I’m actually so scared, but on the other side I could cry for hours because I’m so happy. This really means the world to me. And I’m really proud of myself, for achieving those results. Seriously. I’m so happy, oh my god.

So yeah guys, there you go. Here are my results. I’m so happy that I get to share them with you. I can’t wait to apply for university. I hope you enjoyed this post guys and I wish you all an amazing week. And, as always, thanks for reading. x

Quick update

Hola everyone.

You know what? I was just thinking about what to write today and then I thought, it’s been quite some time since I just talked to you guys, about everything and nothing. And I thought the weekend is just around the corner and I’m quite in the chilled mood, so why not chat a little bit today? So, maybe get a cup of tea, put on some good music and enjoy me babbling about things.

First of all I have to say that today started off amazingly – I woke up to Joe (= Joe Sugg) posting literally the cutest videos of Conor on his Instagram site and they just made me so smiley. But that’s no surprise, actually. I mean, what else can I do besides being happy at the look of Conor, smiling widely, wearing a goddamn white shirt? That’s basically the most natural reaction to something like this. And I’m really glad that Conor looks happy again and doing better. Thank god. Seems like the sunny LA is working miracles on him.

And yeah, I just had another exam on Monday, which I gladly aced. It was the last exam of one of my optional courses and I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am that this is finally over. I mean, I literally chose this myself and god, it was so damn boring. I mean, actually the last exam, so this one, was pretty interesting. But all the others ones… Nope, not at all. And if you’re wondering which subject I’m talking about – it was culture anthropology. And I have to say that I expected it to be more on the “this is how cultures work”-side, but no, actually I learned about small tribes in Africa. I’m a hundred percent sure that this could be the most interesting subject ever for other people, but for me, not so much. But yeah, I finally finished it and I’m really glad about that. And it also means that I now have some time to chill and relax until my next exam in December. After nearly two months full of studying and thinking about all the things I still had to do and always feeling bad when I did something else than study, this feels like being on holiday.

Oh and right now I’m actually on my way home. I’ve now been in Vienna for over a week and I seriously can’t wait to get home again, even if it’s just for two days. I think I’ll always be one of those people who just can’t wait to get back home. Pretty paradox if you think about it, as I’m planning to move to the UK next year. Ad speaking of that, I know I always babble about my future and amazing colleges in the UK and I know, I have something new every single time. But this time it’s different. I really found my place to be. It’s a music college where I could study music journalism, including all the PR, marketing and amendment stuff and that’s literally so amazing and exciting. And, yes, I know, I said that I first said that fashion journalism was my dream, then lifestyle journalism and now music journalism. But I’ve noticed something. If I want to get a good job that truly makes me happy, I just need to pick one that I can work with. I mean, I love fashion. I really do. But I noticed that I just don’t spend hours with it every day. It’s not my biggest hobbies. Other than music, which is basically my whole life. Apart from the not-playing-a-musical-instrument-part, I would say I live music. Seriously. I spend hours and hours on and with music. It’s a subject I can work with, which I know I’m good at. And then I found this college and it just made click. So yeah, I’m currently trying my best to get a spot at this amazing college. Wish me luck. Oh and if you’re interested, the college is the British and Irish Modern Music Institute.

And besides that, there hasn’t much happened. Oh, right. Two amazing bands – Coasts and The Hunna – announced a tour together for next year and I can already not wait to see them. They are both bands I got to know through Spotify – thanks Spotify – and I immediately fell for them. And now that they are seriously visiting Vienna, I’m quite shocked to be honest. I pretty much expected them to be two of those bands you always listen to but will never be able to see live as they are just far too unknown in your country. But seemingly I was quite wrong and I’m so glad about that. If you’re interested, here are are one of my favorites from them:

So guys, that’s pretty much it. It makes me really happy that I’m able to talk to you guys and that I get to share all of this with you. And I really really hope you enjoy it too. Oh and please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. I’m really interest in what you’ve been up to. And yeah, until then I wish you all an amazing weekend and, as always, thanks for reading. x

New Music Friday

Hola everyone.

Another beginning of the month, another music list, right? And as it’s just the beginning of November, I thought we’d start this one off together with some amazing music. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

For this month – and this won’t come as a surprise – my music is pretty heavy on the EDM side right now, due to Martijns show and my longing to relive the show over and over again. But of course there’s something for everyone on there – at least I hope so. So, let’s get right to it, shall we?

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Area 21 – Girls

The EDM fans among you will probably know this – Area 21 may not sound like Martijn, but it actually is Martijn together with the singer Maejor. And I don’t know about you but I’m literally addicted to this side of him, no joke. I usually don’t listen to this kind of music, but I could bury myself in this. And don’t even get me started on how amazing this is live. Holy moly.

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Saint Raymond – Nightcrawling

He is back. FINALLY. I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am that Callum is finally back with awesome new music. And I’m still so thankful to Ed for taking Callum on tour with him and introducing me to him in 2014. Thank god.

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Hippo Campus – Monsoon / Tuesday

I found this band through another Spotify list and I’m so happy that I did. Just another reason for me for being so deeply in love with Spotify. And this band, oh my god. And this song. I have to say, when I found this song as a live version, I nearly fell off my chair. Seriously. Like, how is it possible to sound this good live? And there is that part when the upbeat part starts and it always feels like a spark of light lit up in my soul. I love it so much. Goosebumps guaranteed, every single time.

And as one song is far too less for this amazing band, I have of course got another song of theirs to show you. This one is called Tuesday and it’s literally such a calming song. I can’t really tell why, but it just is. And it’s literally the most perfect song to listen to while cooking. Actually all of their songs make the most perfect cooking playlist.

The 1975 – Milk

Yes, that really is the title. I really have no idea why, but somehow The 1975 thought they’d just upload this song again, as it is actually pretty old. But that doesn’t make it any less amazing. And that’s how I found it again. I especially love the guitar in this one. And personally I’d say it’s one of their best songs ever.

Brooks & Grx – Boomerang

And another EDM track – what a surprise. And again Martijn, of course. Yes, he has more than one side projects, here under the name of Grx. I can just say that when I heard this live I freaked out completely and since then I’ve been listening to it every single day and am falling for it more and more. The drop is freaking amazing. What an awesome piece of music.

BØRNS – 10.000 Emerald Pools

Some of you may know this song from the movie “The Space Between Us” – one of my favorite movies ever, just to mention it. To be honest, the first time I heard the song I thought that Børns was a woman. Really. But the fact that he’s a men doesn’t change the awesomeness of the song. I really really really love it and I think it’s truly a one of a kind song.

Zuli – follow you

Another song I found through Spotify. Thanks Spotify. It’s the kind of song that perfectly describes my taste in music. Especially the end of it and the guitar part. What can I say? It’s just a great song that puts you instantly in a good mood.

Tom Rosenthal – Pingu in the Igloo

What other good way to end this list is there then to end it on another amazing piece by Tom Rosenthal. I’ve already introduced my love for this guy and his music to you, so of course I had to include him here too. It’s the perfectly calm song, for a nice evening on the couch, preferably with tea and a comfy blanket.

So there guys, there you go. Here’s a small selection of the songs and music I’ve been listening to the past weeks. I hope you enjoy it. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below. I’m really curious whether you know or like the songs or not. Oh, and yes, that is indeed Martijn in the cover picture. And, yeah, until then I wish you all an amazing weekend and, as always, thanks for reading. x

Hola everybody.

You know, I love writing. I’ve always loved it. Since being a little kid, I’ve dreamed about being an author, earning money by writing stuff. And now that I have my own blog, did actually publish my own book and am now working as a journalist, I kind of thought about how it feels for me to basically write.

People have always told me that I seem to get completely lost when writing. And I think that’s true. I tend to get fully caught up in the idea I have in my head and then the words just keep streaming. It’s crazy. Especially when a topic is very important to me or when I have a lot to say. For example, let me write a text about how I think that YouTube isn’t stupid or a waste of time and you can watch me get lost and write on and on and on.

But apart from all of my blog posts and the articles I write, I think that writing an actual story is the most captivating thing ever. I’m currently working on a story and when I’m writing, every aspect, every little thing about the storyline, the people, just everything, keeps coming up. Things I’ve never thought about before starting to write, before laying my fingers on the keyboard, are suddenly there, in my head. And then on the paper. The whole story forms itself in my head. And I can clearly see it in my mind. Like, the people, the streets, everything how I imagine it to be. And I’m there, watching everything and then writing it down. This may sound crazy to you, but that’s seriously how it is. How incredible is that?

If some of you are writers like me, you’ll probably know what I’m talking about. It seems like I’m not the only one that experiences the writing process like this. Oh and please, if you do, don’t hesitate to leave a comment. And if you don’t, the same. I’m so interested in hearing your opinions and thoughts.

Last weekend we visited my grandmother and I kind of strolled around her house and then found the coolest thing ever – my mums old typewriter. Of course I had to take it with me. It’s now placed on the table in our office and it’s literally the most amazing eye-catcher. It makes me feel like I’m a real author – although I don’t even use it. It just gives me the feeling. Oh, and if you’re interested, I left some pictures down below.

So guys, that’s actually everything I wanted to tell you. I loved the thought of sharing my passion for writing with you and I really hope you enjoyed it. And as already mentioned, please don’t forget to leave your comments down below to. Oh and I won’t be posting anything for the next week as me and my mum will be in Paris for a little mother-daughter trip. I’m already so freaking excited, I can’t wait to get there. And of course I’ll take my camera with me, so stay tuned for some nice pictures. And until then I wish you all a nice weekend and, as always, thanks for reading. x