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Lexi's a lexical ladyLast updated: 23 July 2007

Linguistics student LexiHindley ditches herdissertation - and afterproving she can talk the talkshe's ready to walk the walk...

I've been thinking about a blog for a while now. It makes achange from my dissertation writing, which is oh-so-dry.

Who am I kidding? I just want to be a little bit famous. I'dalso like to be fairer to my dissertation. OK, I'm scared of it.But the subject matter is interesting, and I will be a little bitpleased when I've done it! I'm blogging for the frivolity.Because I get excited about little things; and because I loveBangor and the university. I'm a fan of semicolons too.

My name's Lexi, I'm in my third year of a linguistics degree;and I love it to bits. Love Bangor to bits too. I have to; beenhere five years now. (Had a couple of incidents with pickingthe 'wrong' courses...false starts!)

It's been odd though; I've helped first years settle intouniversity life, seen them finish their degrees and moveaway, and I've only just made it to third year now.

The peer guide scheme is one of my favourite things aboutbeing here. My peer guide introduced me to life in Bangor,inspired me to do the same for others after my first year,and now I've reached the lofty heights of peer guide co-ordinator for my department.

Mainly means going to every open day; trying to get otherpeer guides to go too, and extolling the virtues of Bangor. Noproblem. The raison d'etre of a peer guide is to support firstyear students; often after freshers' week the work dries up alittle - the sign of a job well done!

When I'm not being a sickly sweet ever-enthusiasticLinguistics PR machine, I'm a newly-converted library geek.The dissertation demands it; as well as my conscience. Inbetween this and aforementioned spin, I fill my time withpart-time work, voluntary work, being secretary for Seren(the Union's newspaper) - occasionally I might write anarticle if press-ganged, and oops, nearly forgot - dysguCymraeg.

I've got a GCSE! I'm a bit worried that my imminent move toCardiff - the day after graduation - will undo all my hardwork. It's all very unfortunate that there's more chance ofhaving a conversation in French than in Welsh in youraverage shop down there. Worse than that; the lessons will

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have a South Walian slant, and I'm going to have to learndifferent words for things I already know how to say! Sniff.

I'm going to miss the mountains and the sea though. And allmy friends. Why am I leaving?! I just want a change. MaybeI won't like it? Fine, I'll come straight back here.

I'm pulled by the lights; and the shops; the slightly largersize, and let's be honest, that water tower! If I can't scrapesome money together for rent I think I'll put up my tentthere. What? Those hooks connecting the guy ropes won'tbash into concrete?! Prime location anyway. Handy for theAssembly, and all that arty stuff. I'd quite like to get into allthat kind of thing. Only if I don't make it as a subtitler. I'mgoing to give that a good shot first!

This wouldn't be studenty if I didn't mention money, andirresponsible actions. What a disappointment then. All I'll sayon the money front (at least this time around) is that I don'thave enough; mainly as my overdraft has had to cope withfive years of student living; not the usual three or four. Asfor irresponsibility - I did all my getting drunk and all thatpreviously. The last time I was so inebriated I temporarilyforgot my name was the night my ex-fiancé dumped me; I'minclined to think it was well-justified!

I'm tempted to rant about politics; student loans; the needto work to stay alive, but I think that's been done already.Living in the 'real world' appeals to me so much these days. Itire of the student sterotype. I long to not have essays roundmy neck (I know; funny place to keep them) and to be ableto buy all the DVDs I want. Among many other things.

It could be worse at the moment. I live in a lovely house -it's not damp and nothing important's broken. Bliss.

Enough for now - wasn't given a word limit, have to use myown judgement; always dangerous.

Ballgowns and bootsLook back in BangorLexi's leavingMortar board at the ready

Sardinia: Cymry yn'ddiogel'

Pontio: Dim prifweithredwr


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Going homeLast updated: 16 April 2007

Bangor student Lexi Hindley goes home for Easter and plansfor her final ball.

Urgh, I wish I hadn't read my last entry. It looks like I wastrying to come across as a geek! Thought writing this wasgoing to be easy, but it's more stressful than I wasexpecting. Mainly because writing about student life in Bangorhas made it even more clear to me that I don't do enough!

I had inspiration on which sparkling topics I would wax lyricalabout, even got up in the middle of the night to write themdown. Left all those pieces of paper at home though. Was toobusy playing Tetris with all the library books I had to getback into my rucksack to notice the reams of witty anecdotesstrewn about the floor. Then again, might even have usedsome of them as bookmarks. Yeah, page 41 of somethingabout code-switching.

Code-switching, now there's a topic! I'm sure this isn't theright forum (oh, I love that phrase) for a discussion on thesubject, but anyway, that's what my dissertation's on. If Idon't use a hyphen in between 'code' and 'switching', thecomputer wants to call it 'codes witching'. That would have tobe the Halloween version of my project. Well, it has been abit of a nightmare. Well, when I say a bit I mean huge, well,when I say huge... Ha ha, the puns and quotes are flowingtonight!

No, really, apart from the moments when I've pondered whyI thought a degree was a good idea, when I've wanted tothrow something heavy at the computer screen (picked up atissue and my momentum was lost), when I couldn't workout what language I was speaking (and that took some doing- I only have two, come on!), when I ate chicken flavouredinstant noodles for every meal for at least two weeks (tosave time) and when I trawled property websites forunaffordable Cardiff Bay-side apartments (needed motivationsomehow), apart from all that, it's been a blast. Honestly.

Went home for over a week (albeit not in one go) which hasto have been a first, at least in the past two years. Bangor isthe place you go to on holiday, rather than Liverpool. Nothingwrong with Liverpool, I don't even really live there - my mumlives on the very, very outskirts. Despite that, I had a greattime, got to spend time with my mum (she's not very well atthe moment, so it's even more important), saw my friends,and got loads of work done. Work goes well at home as thereare fewer (read different) distractions (no internet, but thereis Freeview), but I think it's because I was writing on yellowpaper with a purple pen. Presentation is everything.

Went to Manchester with a friend; twice, to get books from




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the library. Though, we took the books back on the secondtrip. Wow, it was huge. Two exciting things happened there.1. Saw Fizz from Coronation Street (not in the library,though, in the Arndale Centre). 2. The basement of thelibrary caught fire, but as far as I heard, everything was OK.

Also went to Cardiff (Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff - was thisnot an exotic Easter holiday?) to look round some housesand see some new friends. Don't worry; I spent all my timeoff uni feeling guilty about not doing enough work, evenwhen I was doing work.

I've scheduled one night out into my work 'timetable'.Though, the timetable is very simple. Do the work, till it isdone. It's always bad when a night out has been planned.They're never, ever as good as the impromptu ones. I'malmost worried about it.

It'll be a very cheap night; I go out so rarely now I feel tipsyafter one pint! Of vodka, that is. (Ho ho). It's a night to raisemoney for the university newspaper (Seren). My friend iscurrently the editor of this glorious periodical - am I allowedunadulterated plugging?! I'm secretary and occasionally Iwrite. Only when it's something I believe though.

For example, wearing trainers to the summer ball! It's theonly way to guarantee your feet won't hurt. Apart from notgoing, but that's beside the point. I wore boots to the balllast year and it was great. I lasted till the end (about5.30am) and I walked to Menai Bridge and back. Not in myball dress.

This year I have an awesome dress, and purple trainers tomatch. Fashion faux-pas? Probably. Do I care? No. Am Igoing to be insufferably happy on the night as my feet won'thurt? Quite likely.

If I'd had an incy-wincy bit more money I was planning ongetting a replica of the dress Ace wore in Ghostlight. Goodthing the student loan people don't make allowances forpeople like me trying too hard to be different! Selling mywetsuit would help a lot. It's the last ball I'll probably ever goto though; I wanted to go all out, as it were.

However, my purple dress is very nice. I think I like purpleas much as I like linguistics. Would have to take them bothto the proverbial desert island.

Right, enough of my ball dress woes and suchlike. It's beensuch a nice day; I've done all my laundry, and dried itoutside. Worn out from a day of nearly constant typing andfour washer-loads of sheets. One problem I've neverencountered before: having so many clean sheets and duvetsI can't fit them in my cupboard!

Lexi Hindley

Lexi's first blog

Tai HanesyddolO blastai crand i ffermyddgwledig, camwch drosdrothwy rhai o dai mwyaf

hanesyddol yr ardal


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Look back in BangorLast updated: 14 May 2007

Linguistics student LexiHindley writes her last essay,prepares for life in the bigwide world - and grapples withher emotions.

It hit me the other day, while I was typing my last essay;that I'm actually going to leave. No more essay writing, textbook reading, living nocturnally (unless I get that kind ofjob!) and getting drunk on weekdays (again, unless I get thatkind of job!). I've said for ages I've been looking forward tojoining the real world, but I think it will definitely involve ahuge change in lifestyle.

Had a good time during my five years here; so many thingshave happened, not all good, but all contributing to whatmakes me who I am. Oh, that was sickly, but true!

I've been such a dabbler while at university. Tried a fewthings, never stuck at anything, well, apart from learningWelsh, but even that's been going down the pan since thirdyear went up a few million gears. It's one thing I refuse to letgo of though...I'll be back clinging on for dear life in a while.

What I tried, and didn't stick at: Octopush (underwater hockey) - a great game, really goodfor you, but I got infuriated with constant kicking of mymask. When the going gets tough, Lexi tries something else.

Rugby - maybe if they played in summer? The best part?Green and yellow striped socks. (I'm starting to sound like awimp now).

Canoeing - I wasn't prepared to devote my heart and soul tothe cause. It seems to be an all or nothing sport.

Too degree-focused, that's my problem. People don't inviteme out now cos they know I won't go. Cue pathetic wails.

Speaking of cues... I went to the BBC Wales roadshow in Colwyn Bay the otherSunday, courtesy of my brilliant friend who drove us! Amongall the other things going on, I met the wonderful web teamfrom Bangor. Hello! (Was going to suck up here, but thoughtbetter of it, I'm bigger than that!).

'Twas an amazing day...saw a dalek, and the tardis, though Iwas too weary to swat small children out of the way to get acloser look. And, and, and...I got to press buttons on RadioWales, only the music beds and sound effects, but it's astart! I've signed up for a radio production workshop...argh,




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it's tomorrow!

They rang me up and said I needed to write something. Eek.Nearly didn't answer the phone...withheld numbers usuallymean one of the parents is checking I'm not deviating fromthe strict work schedule they think I have. Think I shouldcredit them with more intelligence though!

Yeah, so, where was I? Jobs, experience, all that. It's allbecoming so much more important now. Got myself a housesorted in Cardiff, but as yet, no job! Going to tackleapplications after my exams.

I feel so torn at the moment, the realisation that myuniversity days are almost at an end results in one half of mewanting to get super-organised and devote all my energies tojob-hunting and CV polishing. The other half? Only interestedin getting drunk and falling in bushes (only in my owngarden, mind, I'm anything if not considerate) (Winningsmile).

Yeah... so... it's taken me so long to write this, I've been tothe radio production workshop! It was cool; I got to talk to alovely producer for over half an hour, and found that a mediacareer might not be a complete impossibility. Phew, and I'dbeen stressing for over a week!

I keep going off topic. University. Nearly over. Got so manymemories...most of them frivolous. Sliding down corridors insocks, sliding down snow-sprinkled hills on a baking tray,pilgrimages to the chocolate machine at all hours, laughing atsocks tumbling in the tumble dryer...and that was only whatsprang to mind first.

I can't remember why that was funny now. Wow, the vendingmachine thing was odd; all on its own in a small room. It waslike something out of a sci-fi film, you went in and it wasthere just humming and glowing. That sounds more like ourkitchen these days.

What else have I done? Been to three Summer Balls so far,the one coming up will be my fourth, and hopefully the best.Again, planned nights out; bound to go wrong! Even thoughthe Seren night I mentioned last time wasn't a completedisaster. I reckon it was relative.

Drunken nights in, drunken nights out, staying up allnight...this could be anyone. I haven't been all that crazy.Haven't stolen a road sign, or a cone. Though I know peoplewho have! Ha ha, rock and roll.

I don't care that I haven't done all manner of crazy things.I'm going to finish university with a degree I love (theclassification might be another story!), some truly amazingfriends and maybe enough experience and skills to start tomake it in the real world.

Oh, see, look what happens when I write on a wet Sundayevening. I think I want to cry. But finishing university isn'tthe end; "it's only the beginning!" It's so easy to get caught



up in it all being the ultimate. It's merely preparation. And,yes, I think it's obvious that it's only a recent realisation.

Finally, to put this firmly back in frivolous mode - I just madea near-googlewhack, with 'Guernseyais', I took a photographand everything. I should be revising. Some things neverchange. After my exam, I can start stressing aboutgraduation. What a parental logistics nightmare that's goingto be!

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Lexi's leavingLast updated: 12 June 2007

What does the future hold forgraduating Bangor studentLexi - and what happened atthat much-anticipated ball?

This has taken a long time to write. Couldn't think of atheme, and now, the only theme is jobs. Since finishing mydegree, I've swung between previously unfelt feelings withbrief, but significant periods of something which felt likehysteria. Didn't know the end of study would cause suchinternal uproar.

This blog is the closest to something I'm obliged to do! Haha. You'd think the summer ball would feature heavily, afterall the palaver I went through. However, it was subject tothe curse of the night planned too far in advance.

So, despite the significant chunk of my last entry going onabout it, the night was largely uneventful for me. I spentmost of my time lolling soberly against railings or sitting oncold stone; contemplating the pain of unrequited love andwhether Bangor really would implode if I left (someone said itwould happen).

I decided resolutely (quasi-resolutely it turned out) that Iwould surrender my 'dreams' and just go back home. Luresof cheap rent, driving lessons and ready-made friends hadme sold.

Went home last week, just because everything in Bangor wasodd after the ball and the majority of my housemates hadgone.

The first hours at home were mainly taken up by weepingbitterly due to isolation, lack of direction and dislike ofchange (how I cope with the Dr Who concept I don't know!).

Then, I got a phone call from my dad about a letterconfirming a job interview (complicated, I know) and I pickedup my dreams, dusted them off and put them back on themantelpiece.

In my excitement, and due to being in Tesco with my mumat the time, I forgot to weave the usual tangled web of liesabout my whereabouts to my dad (they don't get on). Which... resulted in the letter being forwarded to Bangor, while Iwas planning on being in Merseyside for a week.

Convenient. So, happily, I'm worrying about the minutiaeagain, just the way I like it. I'm more concerned with what




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I'm going to do with three hours on my own in Cardiff(ignoring stone statues as far as possible) than the interview,which I must admit, I'm really looking forward to!

Genuine thanks to my degree now (whatever classification),for recently preparing me perfectly for presentations. Not tomention, an appreciation of alliteration.

An abrupt change of subject. I didn't really take any of mygraduate friends seriously when they said they misseduniversity, and when they emailed for news in Bangor. Iwholeheartedly take back all my derisive mental snorts. Oh,how the mighty have fallen; I thought I'd never leave. Butnow, I'm bereaved, bereft, bemused and over-alliterative.

I want it all back - 9am lectures (I wouldn't complain);opportunities to stay up all night (I'd do it - I wouldn't wimpout at 3am); writing essays (I'd start them earlier) and soon.

The annoying things which drove me wild I would nowembrace with open arms. The stupid things I shouldn't havedone - I'd do them again, this time with feeling. The stupidthings I decided not to do - no, yeah, that was probably agood thing!

But, rejoice, as to every action there is always opposed anequal reaction. I have equal fervour, passion and general joiede whatever (that could be a perfume) vivre for the future.The future's bright; the future's whatever cacophony of colouryou choose to paint it. Though, choices will be dictated bythe repositories I can afford to shop in.

Here's how it's going to be (Sue Townsend list style):Move to Cardiff and get settledRejoin Samaritans Start driving lessonsJoin an orchestraJoin martial arts classVisit Bangor and home(s) every other weekendPractise respeaking for imminent trainee subtitler positionWrite feature articles in spare time and send to newspapers

Here's the real-life version:Move to Cardiff and never unpack completelyJoin a samba band, as the orchestra required an auditionGo to one martial arts classStart volunteering at Samaritans again and get myselfinvolved in anything which may involve having to go to NorthWalesStart driving lessons and be unable to move on from first"genuinely scary" (not my words) experience in front of thewheelNeglect practising respeaking as all trainee subtitler postsappear to be in LondonWrite nothing

The bit of me which secretly wonders about renting a housefurther down my current road in Bangor and holding out for ajob I like round here is slowly losing out to the very smalladventurous part of me.



Egged on by the voices of those who've said to me morethan once that I'll never leave; I'm looking forward to a newcity; finding out where to go, where to not go again, and if aNorthern Soul (and its associates) night exists anywhere inthe Welsh capital. Among other things.

Lexi Hindley

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Mortar board at the readyLast updated: 23 July 2007

Bangor University linguisticsstudent Lexi finally makes itthe graduation ceremony.Introducing Lexi

Graduation day. Thought I'd never get there! Five years ofheartache, confusion and hard work.

I'm having problems keeping to the level of flippancymaintained throughout my other blog entries. It was such a*sniff* lovely *sniff* day! My father was relatively well-behaved; he even let my mother be in a photo. It sounds likenothing, but, believe me, I was impressed. (*Patronisingsigh* - I'm so proud of him)!

Everything started typically - I got up late, took ages doingmy hair, and forgot to print out my reference number forgown collection. I would hate it if things were simple.Straightforward? What's that?

I arrived late (all my fault, I don't mind admitting), the buffetwas stressful - not only was it not at all worth the price perhead, but my parents meeting my tutors was just, odd.

I was so nervous, I could only manage a girly handful ofcucumber and carrot sticks. That is, sticks of cucumber, andsticks of carrot, not some amalgamation of the two.

After that uncomfortable experience, I threw caution to thewind, left both parents and sister to their own devices andset about finding my gown.

I can be resourceful at times and I'm glad I storeinnumberable numbers (it does make sense in context!) inmy mobile for possible, if unlikely, future reference. I found aquietish corner, rang the gown hire people and managed toscribble my reference number down on my hand.

Bad habits die hard, I was happy I was going to myceremony with pen all over my hand. To me, it was symbolicof my commitment to detail, still 'working', even on the daycelebrating the end of it all.

To everyone else reading this, I'm just a sad, sad case. Youknow what? I'm not bothered. I didn't believe any of thateither, so I scrubbed it off in the toilets after I'd been 'robed'.

Wow, it was just so exciting! The actual gown was heavierthan I'd thought, but the hood was more beautiful than I'dimagined. A lovely turquoisey colour (the official description




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for the Bachelor of Arts hood is 'mazarin blue shot withgreen', but you tell me which one you can picture!) And oh,did it look good with my purple blouse (thank you M&S). Iwas determined to wear purple, regardless of a possiblecolour calamity.

Yeah, anyway, I'll cut to the point! The ceremony wasincredible; all flowers and harps and important looking robes,and processions. Reminiscent of eisteddfodau, but different -there weren't any trumpets.

I loved every minute, though my strongest memories are ofall the linguistics graduates giggling like primary school kidsevery time the cameras panned over us, or, quite frequently,zoomed onto one of us.

Truly, we were digitally picked on! But wow, graduation liveon the web - awesome! I love technology. Chips under theskin, iris scanning, clap on clap off lights... bring it! What'sthat? Clap on clap off lights have been around for ages? Oh.

I got distracted again! I was always a bit disappointed thatwe didn't actually receive our certificates on the day, but Isoon forgot about that. Too nervous.

We had to line up outside the hall, and one of the uni nursesmade sure we weren't about to fall apart. She was reallygood at tugging our gowns into place, it was amazing howquickly everything could just fall out of place and look slightlyridiculous.

I was slightly smug; I'd had my 'ordinary square hat' forweeks already and had been wearing it around the house(but only to make the washing up that little bit more spicy). Iwas au fait with the criitical angles at which my head couldtilt before it would fall, or worse, sit rakishly.

No really, the whole thing was nerve-wracking. I was terrifiedI was going to fall over, how hard was walking halfwayacross a stage, shaking the hands of two enormouslyeminent men and walking back to my seat, via some steps?

At least I didn't rest my hand on the rail and catch my gownunexpectedly. That comes from being preoccupied withtripping down the steps, I'm sure of it. I was jumpythroughout the ceremony - a combination of being fuelledpurely by Haribo, aforementioned sticks and nerves. I'mpretty sure I needed the loo too.

All that meant I was in no mood to go out after; I think I'ddiscovered new heights of headache hell. Due to parentallogistics, they both went their separate ways shortly after theceremony. I elected to stay, faffed for a significant period oftime (having pictures taken, throwing our hats in the rain),had one drink at the Gazelle with my closest friends, wentback to my boyfriend's house, dropped pizza down my purpletop, and was asleep before 11pm.

Introducing Lexi

Tai HanesyddolO blastai crand i ffermyddgwledig, camwch drosdrothwy rhai o dai mwyaf

hanesyddol yr ardal

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