You're here for a good time, not a long time

On the 25th of August I went somewhere that I never thought I would go and I had one of the most amazing weekends of my life. I went to Leeds Festival 2011!

Tents. So many tents.
August 2011

Two of my friends asked if I fancied coming about a week before it started. I applied my thinking of you're only here once and jumped at the chance and I'm so glad I did. It was like nothing else I've ever been to before and it was fantastic. It made me realise that you might as well have fun while you can, because you never get a second chance or a chance to rerun anything in life. It's all first time round or never. With my scans in roughly 6 weeks time I thought I'd take the opportunity to enjoy myself. I haven't really figured out how much I drank but it was an awful lot! 

I saw Muse, Pulp, Tim Minchin, met Ed Sheeran and saw a ton of other bands. It was nice to not be the 'cancer patient' as such, to be treat like normal. Although a few people did see my extremely short/shaven hair and mistake me for a drug dealer (for the final time, no I don't have any ketamine!)

This is what life is about. It's about seeing bands live, having a good time with friends, meeting new people, experiencing new things (no I don't mean taking new drugs!) and generally having fun! If there's one thing I've learnt from being ill, it's that you should take every chance. Tell people what you think, if you love them for goodness sake tell them! If you want to do something go out and do it! Live your dreams each day and if you can't do it then work at it until you can. Nothing is impossible and you'd be surprised what you can do. There's an opportunity in every adversity and even when things seem at there worst, try and take the best from everything. There's a world out there and I aim to see as much of it as I can. 

Many people are alive but not all of them are living.

It was a few weeks following Leeds Festival that I returned to Sixth Form in Hornsea. I was expecting to go back to normal but after my first few weeks I realised that it wasn't. I realised that the place I'd left in July 2010 was gone and although the building and the majority of the people were the same, it wasn't the same to me. Things had changed while I'd been away and because I had missed out a year I would be in the year below, starting my AS levels.

It was hard settling into a new year as I had to get to know people who I hadn't previously talked to. Luckily the majority of them proved to be friendly, although as a few didn't know about me being ill they wondered at why I choose to sport such an unconventional hairstyle! Some were nervous to ask me anything about having cancer but I'd like to make it clear to anyone reading that I'd be more than pleased if anyone has any questions about it! 

It was hard and I struggled but I got on with it as best I could. It was hard going back though and nothing was the same. I felt detached from everyone and was in many ways upset about going back.