Trains

I love to travel, and I love to travel on the train; but every journey gives me a sudden sense of fear.

"Am I on the right train?" "Is this the right stop?" "I'm never going to make it to the other platform before my next train leaves."

These are only a few of the sudden doubts I have in my own capability as a functioning human being.

I sit on the train waiting for the voice above to state the train's destination with my fingers crossed, praying mine is among those mentioned. Never have I found myself on the wrong train but the panic sets in everytime.

Even sitting here now writing this. I dread the horrors that await me at Birmingham New Street, when boarding the train home. I wish my route from Derby avoided New Street altogether. Everytime someone makes me want to yell: "HELLO!! I am here, clearly you didn't notice my five foot eight build and bright blue suitcase until you knocked me over." The best is, these people then have the nerve to moan about me, even though I tried to avoid the oncoming crowds.

Then more panic; "has the time spent being trampled made me late for my train?" "Have I missed it?" Just the other day a situation similar to this nearly made me miss my connecting service. I sat in the seat by the door absolutely seething, trying to catch my breath before the fear set in that I had to remember when to get off.

I sit and stare at the beautiful countryside scenery flying past the window; noone can see the terror or imagine the whirlwind tearing through my insides. I sit here quietly, I take in everything around me; speak when spoken to, smile when smiled at, but noone can sense the fear.

On a trainful of people I can't be the only one worried about ending up in the wrong destination. It can't just be me.

The Job Market...

It is absolutely impossible to find a job in this day and age, especially if you're a student. Since starting university I have found it impossible. Yet in my local Poundland there are about 6 young people who work for around six weeks to get their benefits. Okay, so it's free staff for Poundland but the kids don't realise they're working for about £1.80 an hour.

Is it not obvious that the reason there are not any jobs is because there are scroungers being forced to work for their peanuts. Yet we have students looking for work because we can't seek benefits and are supposed to live off loans even though we're trying to better ourselves for future careers.

To top all this off, there are thousands of students graduating every year from universities up and down the country;but once graduated only a small percentage get a job in a career which their degree is suitable.

As a budding journalist I plan on not relying on just a degree but on my writing, enthusiasm and perserverance.

The competiveness for the jobs that are out their has made me realise, if I want to get where I want to be then I need to focus now; enter competitions, do as much work experience as I can and just write for the sake of writing.

But until then the search for a summer job continues.

Love or Hate? Music...

It's not very often you find a person who doesn't say that they are passionate about music or don't have a favourite music artist.

I love music as much as the next person but I hate being forced to listen to other people's crap loudly through the wall at stupid o'clock at night. Call me old, call me miserable, I really don't give two hoots. When I'm trying to sleep I don't want to hear your noise. Same goes first thing in the morning. I'm perfectly happy in silence, sipping my morning brew; I do not need someone to either be "blasting the tunes" next door or someone putting the music channels on the TV. If I'm sitting in front of a television set which is off then guess what...that is how I want it, OFF!!! First thing in the morning I do not want to see Rihanna shaking her booty all over my screen and I do not want to hear Akon exclaiming that he just had sex in the early hours of Sunday morning. And do not, I repeat, do not start me on people who blare their music out on the bus. If I don't like your music and the fact I can't, then the same goes for the 60 something lady two seats infront.

I, like thousands of others love a beat to dance to and there is a time and place for that. And it isn't in the quiet of night when normal people are trying to sleep or relax. On a morning I'd invite you to put on the TV if you so wish, just ask first and make sure it's something relaxing and simple, if not just keep it switched off. If you want to listen to your music, keep it to yourself, its why apple created Ipods.

All in all, I love music, but so long as it is what I want to hear, when I want to hear it.