My 2017 Round Up and Favourites

Happy New Year all! Every New Year I like to jot down all of the cool stuff (and sometimes not so cool stuff) that happened in my life in the year, as well as some of my favourites of the year. Here is my 2017 round up (prepare for lists!)

January-March

• Recruited and managed my first PAs as an adult
• Moved to Brussels and started volunteering with ENIL
• Attended my first ever demo, for a strong European Accessibility Act
• Wrote and co-presented my first webinar, also on the European Accessibility Act

April-June

• Attended VidCon Europe in Amsterdam where I met Rosianna, Lex, Sanne, Hank Green and Hannah Witton, John Green answered my question at the Vlogbrothers panel, and I saw Carrie Hope Fletcher sing live
• Attend the European Youth Forum Council of Members
• Developed and facilitated an Independent Living workshop at the Annual Conference for Inclusive Growth
• Visited Antwerp, Dworp and Halle
• Joined the Labour Party
• Lost my passport, but got to go to the British Embassy to get an emergency one
• Saw Coldplay in Brussels

July-September

• Had an awesome birthday with family and friends in Brussels
• Got an interview for a job at Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books
• Co-wrote the 2017 Freedom Drive Publication
• Went to my first ever Freedom Drive and successfully organised the British delegation’s activities
• Got elected onto the ENIL Youth Board for 2017-19 as Vice Chair

October-December

• Won the Whizz-Kidz Young Leaders Award for Affecting Change
•  Visited The Hague and Rotterdam for EVS training
• Got a place on the Council of Europe Advisory Council on Youth for 2018-19
• Drafted a fact sheet on Mental Health and Independent Living
• Survived Brussels!
• Moved back home
• Finally met Greg James and Chris Smith after 10 years!
• Got offered my first ever paid job as a Parliamentary Research Intern
• Saw Scouting for Girls for the 10th time on their 10th Anniversary tour and met them
• Went back to Brussels for the European Days of Disabled People
• Surpassed 500 followers on Twitter
• Visited the Scottish Parliament and my new house in Edinburgh
• Went to a preview screening of the Doctor Who Christmas Special
• Saw The Christmasaurus Live on Stage in London

 

Favourite TV Shows (apart from Doctor Who!)

• The Handmaid’s Tale
• Call the Midwife

Favourite Books

• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
• The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
•  Never Say Die (Alex Rider #10) by Anthony Horowitz

Favourite Gig

• Coldplay in Brussels

Favourite Songs

• Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay
• Stay by Zedd and Alessia Cara

Favourite Album

• The Christmasaurus Soundtrack by Tom Fletcher

Favourite Radio Shows (as always)

• Greg James- Radio 1
• The Chris Moyles Show- Radio X

Favourite Podcasts (so many!)

• That’s What He Said- Greg James
• The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X
• Make Out With Him with Lex Croucher and Rosianna Halse Rojas
• Back Row Movies
• Says Who? with Maureen Johnson and Dan Sinker
• Brexitcast- 5 Live

Favourite Youtubers (even more!)

• Tom Fletcher
• Giovanna Fletcher
• Carrie Hope Fletcher
• Rosianna Halse Rojas
• Lex Croucher
• Hannah Witton
• Gary C
• Misshanake

Due to the lack of accessible cinemas in Brussels and my lack of motivation, I only watched 3 new films this year, and I can’t really say one was my favourite! I plan to get back into watching alllll the films in 2018!

Overall, Brussels made 2017 the hardest year of my adult life so far by a mile, but it was also full of incredible experiences and it’s made the challenges I’m going to face in 2018 seem infinitely less scary! It was the year I proved to myself I can live independently away from my family and it’s made me feel as though I could live anywhere and do anything! It was definitely the most transformative year of my life so far and it has made me so excited for what 2018 has in store!

 

 

I’m moving to Edinburgh this month and I’m looking for Personal Assistants. Check out the ad and share it here: https://rebeccafarren.com/2017/12/27/im-recruiting-personal-assistants-in-edinburgh-deadline-extended/