50 reasons why living with your college best friends is the greatest

Three weeks ago I started my final year of college and while it may be bitter sweet, I’m already appreciating every little moment. It’s crazy to think that in less than a year it’s all going to be over. Recent antics got me thinking about how much I cherish my housemates. You start college fresh from secondary school eager and excited to meet new people and make new friends. What they don’t tell you about it is how long it can actually take to find good friends, you know your people. Your squad. Your MVPs. (Or in the case of me and one special friend, Your Nigs). Call it whatever you want they’ll eventually become your BFFs.

I went through a lot of shit and drama before I found ‘the ones’. I suppose it’s because you’re surrounded by so many new people. All with different outlooks and opinions. But hang in there, because when you do find your people there’s no turning back! I’m living with 5 of the craziest girls ever. (Not excluding two equally fantastic blow ins, who we unfortunately couldn’t officially house due to the lack of 8bed houses in Limerick Citaaay). Anyway there are certain things about this living situation I wouldn’t change for the world. So naturally I decided to blog about why it’s so great. Here are 50 reasons why living with your college best friends is the greatest thing ever.

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1. You’ll never be lonely. Even if you’re single and dateless, with 5 extras in the house there will always be someone to spoon. Your huns will understand this and embrace it. Even though you all live in the same house sleepovers are frequent and accepted. See below:

2. You’ll never really be stuck for something to wear. With five extra wardrobes you’re bound to find something to sort you out. Whether it’s a pair of tights, a dress for a night out or even a knickers, the gals got you covered. Literally.

3. They’ll never judge you for skipping college and staying in your Pajamas all day. Chances are they’re doing it too so you don’t even have to feel guilty about being a complete waster.

4. It’s completely acceptable to walk into one another’s rooms in just a towel or your underwear. (Or in some cases in the middle of the night covered in your own vomit with a pot on your head…not naming names….)

5. Someone will always have something you need. Be it tan, toothpaste, a hair bobbin, bog roll, milk. They’d hate to see ya stuck.
6. You can tell them anything. And I mean anything. Nothing is too gorey or gruesome for the fam. It also helps if one of your housemates is a nurse and you’re the hypochondriac of the group.
7. Sharing poor life decisions is a weekly, shameful, yet undeniably enjoyable routine.
8. Hangover chats. Every Friday consists of piling into someone’s room and discussing the antics of thirsty Thursday, while simultaneously complaining about how you’re all dying.
9. Ordering massive family meals from your favourite takeaways. You all have the dominos, papa johns and  Chinese meal deals off to a T. So much so that these fine establishments often text you.No RAgrets.

10. The group chat game is strong. It’s Friday you’ve all gone your separate ways for the weekend. It’s only been a couple of hours since you’ve all seen each other, but already the group chat is hopping and stays that way until you’re finally reunited on Sunday.
11. Even though you’re all mutually broke, someone will always have money at any given time, thus supporting the rest of the fam until the favour can be returned.

12. Pre drinks are always the best part of the night. Time to drag up all the dirt you have on each other with a good old fashioned game of never have I ever.
13. There’ll always be at least one voice of reason when you’re deciding whether or not you should “text him”.

14. In all seriousness though they’ll always look out for you and have your back.

15. You’ll see the best and worst of each other. Best being the on point selfies, worst being covered in mascara and crying into a curry chip.

16. They’ll carry you home if you ever get too drunk. Literally. They will carry your ass into the house. Again not naming names…
17. Someone will always have a key. Except in the rare instance where you all lose your sets and decide to go out leaving the door unlocked and propped open with a wheelie bin and a dressing gown…
18. Evenings spent sitting in the siting room discussing life are literally best. Sometimes better than any night out.

19. You’ve all shared advice regarding each other’s love lives. Or lack thereof.
20. You’ve contemplated buying a pet, but decided given your responsibility levels it would be wise not to.
21. Instead you all decide to ‘adopt’ the homeless earless cat that wanders around outside your house.
22. You have a love/hate relationship with your passive aggressive 84 year old neighbour.
23. You’re guaranteed to laugh a lot every day.
24. There’s always a practical one in the group who can change lightbulbs and fix the TV and shit.
25. You’ll soon find you can tell what each other is thinking or communicate with just looks.
26. You know all their parents, siblings, and dogs first names.
27. You feel like extended members of each other’s families.
28. You’ve been to visit each other’s home towns.
29. You know everyone’s pet peeves.
30. You come to accept the annoying living habits about one another.
31. You end up having weird exercise regimes, like that one time you went for a family walk. Or when you went to TRX and then couldn’t bend down for the muffins in aldi the next day.
32. You may have found yourselves discussing the possibility of civil partnerships with one another.

33. You text each other even though you’re literally only a few rooms apart.
34. You’ve probably all heard one another having sex.
35. But you’re okay with that because woo! one of the fam scored.
36. You all have nicknames for each other.
37. You’ve heard each other sing and definitely think you should be the next destiny’s child.
38. You’ve killed it together on the dance floor.
39. You’ve picked one another up when you’ve all drunkenly fallen. Except for that one time one of you fell out of a bus…
40. It’s become completely acceptable to inform the fam when you have to go for a number 2.

41. It is also subsequently acceptable to describe said number 2 often using the Bristol stool chart..
42. You know each other’s PIN numbers and have thus fraped the absolute shit out of one another.
43. You’ve gone on major Facebook/Tinder/Instagram creeps collectively as a fam.

44. You’ve collected some amazing memories together.
45. There will always be someone to collect you the morning after a night out, because the fam doesn’t believe in the walk of shame.
46. You have family trips to the cinema.
47. Drive Thru McFLurries are a frequent treat.
48. You reassure one another that you’re not going to fail college and that it’ll all be grand.
49. Youve discussed all getting jobs in the same place after you graduate so you can live together forever and ever.
50. You love the absolute bones off one another and wouldn’t change a single thing.

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Becky, Susie, Orla, Niamh, Catrina, Saoirse and Megan, thanks for being the most wonderful housemates and friends. Here’s to many more mishaps, mistakes and memories. May the nights be long and the hangovers short!

Why I want to be like my Nan when I’m 78

How to survive a wedding dateless: The Do’s and Dont’s:

So Thursday of last week saw me attend a family wedding solo. Like many of the guests in attendance,   I of course was given a “plus one”.  It’s funny, I remember about a year ago when my auntie was making the invite list she said to me “Ah sure you’ll probably well have someone by then” .  Unfortunately that wasn’t to be. After an arrangement with a fellow single family member fell through *cough* thanks Barry 😂 I was left dejected and dateless. But not to worry I still had my pride..

I approached the situation with an optimistic Facebook campaign:
Which sadly yielded no results.. So I ended up being the only guest who didn’t bring a plus one. (Aside from uncle John who travelled alone from the states, but he’s married so that doesn’t really count).

I mean I could’ve brought a friend, but I decided to brave it alone. What with feminism constantly reminding me that I’m a strong independent woman who don’t need no man, I couldn’t let the sisterhood down 😂 To help my future single ladies out, I decided to compile a little list of Do’s and Dont’s, key to surviving a dateless affair.

Do: drink wine. Lots and lots of wine. It’ll help you relax, and genuinely make you seem like an all round more interesting person when you get a few grigios in you. Plus it’s free at dinner. If you get a sound waitor like I did, he might just fill a bigger glass for you out of sympathy.

Don’t: trip down the stairs with said glass of wine in your hand. And if you do, make sure it’s  only your uncle and his partner that see. (Shout out to uncle Chris and Kate for picking me up and dusting me off). Probably best to avoid carpeted stairs in high heels on any given day.

Do: go all out at dinner. Hey who are you trying to impress? You came alone. Chow down and enjoy..

Don’t: automatically assume that just because you didn’t bring a plus one, that you might somehow get two dinners. You won’t.

Do: make over-compensatory jokes and quips about how great single life is and how happy you are.

Don’t: decide you’re going to try flirt with the barman and then subsequently sneeze in his face. I heard that happened to someone I know at a completely unrelated event………… 

 

Do: spend time chatting to other guests and family members. Just because everybody came in twos doesn’t mean you can’t be an amazing third wheeler! In all seriousness though, be social. 

Don’t: be afraid to bust some moves on the dancefloor. If uncle peter and his new hip can tackle it, so can you. Just be sure to run to the bathroom and hide when the slow set comes on..

Do: take advantage of drunk fathers and family members by getting them to sponsor you a round..

Don’t: take yourself too seriously. Don’t have a date? Draw one..

        

 At the end of the day weddings are a celebration of the bride and groom, and whether you attend the event single or with a plus one in tow, you can still have a great time with friends and family. I know I did 🙋

How to survive festival fomo

So it’s that time of the year again. Thousands all over the country have descended upon Stradbally Co. Laois for the annual Electric Picnic festival. Thousands, except you. Whether it be work commitments, college, or just plain empty pockets you’ve had to count yourself out of the festival shennanigans this year. In my case it came down to both empty pockets and a serious clash with the All Ireland hurling final. Being from Kilkenny there was really no question about it. (This is coming from the girl who took three connecting flights home from Sweden last year just to be there). Nonetheless, that’s not to say I’m not also experiencing some of the festival fomo blues. 

*fomo for those that don’t know is the fear of missing out.

You’re stuck at home feeling sorry for yourself and it seems like festival goers are unavoidable with their never-ending updates of fun. But fear not! Instead of deleting your Facebook, Twitter and snapchat, and disappearing off the face of the earth until it’s over, there are some ways you can combat the fomo. 

The @Ireland Twitter account, which is being curated by Chris Williams @thatbritguyie this week has created the fun and clever little hashtag #EPathome. It’s a fun way for those of us rejects who can’t attend to get involved! Rather than just stare venomnously at our snapchat feeds and the TV coverage we can pretend we are actually there. Twitter has really been embracing it that’s for sure! 
   
    
    
   
Some interesting suggestions there no doubt. Here’s a look at my own attempt: 

Another way to fight off the fomo is to look at the negatives. 

Being squished in a two man tent with 10 other people, or panning out on the comfort of your own couch? Think about it. 

You could also pray to Mother Nature that the heavens open up and saturates all those smug attendees, while you’re within the confines and safety of your electric blanket.. (see what I did there… )

Sorry. 

 Though I realise that kind of thing is a form of extremism. Use at your own risk. 

Aside from that there’s plenty you can do to keep busy. Have a movie night, head out and about for some retail therapy, or you know cheer on the Cats in Croker with me on Sunday 😸 For those at the festival though, I do (however begrudgingly it might seem), hope you all have a memorable time. 

Maybe there’s hope for the rest of us next year! Happy EPing! Whether it be at Stradbally or #EPathome