Graduation ceremony

Ciao people,

  As my Brunel story ended I returned to Finland. However I had yet my graduation ceremony to attend. I was accompanied by my Lion and my brother. The ceremony was in middle of July and we decided to stay near the campus for one night and the rest closer to central London. 

The first bump to the road came right away when our hotel was overbooked 

and we were moved to another one. 

For this we received a free breakfast and cab rides back to the other hotel. 

All of this and forgetting some stuff to our room made the schedule real tight. 

But I was on time to pick up my tickets, my gown and even take a pic with a course mate. 

Front row baby.

In the ceremony there were speeches, formalities, hand shaking, clapping, more clapping, music and more hand shaking. As I was walking to the platform and getting nervous weather or not I would fall on my face I remember feeling a mix of happiness and sadness because this great experience had now officially come to an end.  

After the ceremony we headed to get our free drinks and to pick up my dissertation from my schools reception. 

 

On the way I ran into many friends like my dance girl Geri. 

Every Brunel graduate needs to take two pictures. 

This is the first one with the Brunel statue.

The second one is throwing your hat in front of the Brunel poster.

And I wanted one with my brother and Lion.

This is not compulsory

But I would recommend it 

After the ceremony we stayed in central London. 

We went shopping, ate a lot and went to see a movie in the biggest movie theater in Europe. 

The whole trip was really great! 

I am so happy I got to go one last time!

Now I have a bachelor's in psychology. 

Off to new adventures!

Thank you to everyone that made my experience so unforgettable!

Happy Brunel graduate

- Jo

Graduation Ball

Hello,

We are coming closer to the end. I wish I had blogged more actively on my last year but oh well...

So, I told you last time I was doing my dissertation and working hard on it. I seriously don't know how many hour went into it but it was A LOT! Therefore I really crossed my fingers and toes for a good mark. In the end I got an A- and I was thrilled about it! At this point I would like to thank all those who took part and helped me with it!

  Ending our last year called for a big celebration. It was time for something I had been waiting for three years: The Graduation ball!!! I love dresses! Like big dresses! And I got to wear one!
   My dress search took many months of comparing and picking and finally I decided to have one made for me with the money I got as my birthday present from my mom and step dad.
   I also got to go dress hunting with Giada and we found a perfect one for her. Although I hate shopping normally this was the best!
   As the dresses problems were solved all I needed was my Lion. He landed a day before THE DAY and we were only a couple of hair does and fights with eyes lashes away from the night!

We had cabs ordered for us that took us to Radisson Blu Heathrow Hotel where the ball was held.

Giada and I

My dress was custom made after Nina Dobrev's red dress (google). I sewed the ribbon to make it a halterneck myself as I felt the dress was falling without it. My Lion bought me my jewelry. <3

In the lobby we got some group pictures taken. 

Here are all of us girls from our flat. 

Me, Charlotte, Ellie, Laura and Giada. 

And the guys: Gianluca, Jon and my Lion Louis. 

I just have to brag because I have never been so proud of anything in my life (not even my dissertation)! I made this hair do! Doesn't it look amazing?!

In the lobby there was a band playing and it was all very classy. 

Here me with my Lion going to the ceremony. 

In the back you can see a glimpse of the band. 

The party hall. 

We had an amazing three course meal. 

After that there was a little speech. 

Since the theme was night at the races (horse races) people could go back to the lobby and bet money or get caricatures drawn of them. 

We were too busy dancing though! 

I have loads of these and some horrifying pictures we took. 

Also for some reason I spoke Swedish with my Lion for the first time (must be the wine). 

Unfortunately the ribbon resigned half way through the night. 

Probably from too much dancing!

During ''(I've had) the time of my life'' some people were doing some really dangerous looking lifts 

but it was still really impressing. I wish I would have filmed it. 

People were just dancing their hearts out. 

I found out that my Lion can really dance. A skill he has been hiding from me. 

We spent the last hours of the night dancing slow dances in our private area. 

All of it was just so perfect. 

Much love, 

- Joanna 

My last year in Brunel part 2

Hey again sweeties,

  So continuing with the last year.
   Soon after fresher's week everyone had to start working hard for their dissertations. The supervisor I chose specialized in cross-cultural psychology so I decided during summer to research on intercultural relationships and especially linguist differences. My title after many many changes ended up being: Effect of Different Linguistic backgrounds to Communication and Intimacy in Romantic Intercultural Relationships.
   At this point I had some inside knowledge of this kind of relationships. We had been officially dating with my Lion (my boyfriend) from April and I was (and still am) head over heels for him.
   He lives in Stockholm so we are in a long distance relationship for the time being but the day will come when we will finally live together. On any vacation or off days I would escape to Sweden to see him. I traveled a lot between London and Stockholm.

These are some of the first pictures of us. These were taken when I visited him in Stockholm.

  Among my dissertation, lectures, flying between London and Stockholm and dance practice I still had some time to host my girls who came to visit from Finland. I have known most of them since first grade. All of them are really important and close to me! They are the ones I go to when I need advice or help.
   The girls have visited me once each year. Every time on the first day they have to get to Primark (lol) because we don't have one in Finland. But only that one day is not enough. They also go there a second time when I am on my lecture just to check that they looked everything through. xD
  This time I also wanted to show Camden town for the girls as it is my favorite part of London.

Going to Primark. You can see how they are bursting with excitement. :D 

Pole dancing on the way

In Camden town

 Most of the year went working on my dissertations. I seriously don't know how many hours went into it. I loved my topic though! I search for participants online, mostly from facebook and it was so great to see how so many people took interest. In the end I ran into a problem of finding people who had been in a non-cross-cultural relationship which was the opposite of the problem I predicted I would have. But it all went well.

   One of my favorite parts of each year has always been the dance club's annual dance show. This year our theme was the 90's which made it even better. 90's music and clothes. We rehearse for the show for many months and then perform 4 shows. The atmosphere on back stage was always awesome and I made so many new friends. But since this was my last show I was a bit sad though.

Backstreet's back

Pic from back stage

In the last show 

Some of my dancing girlies

 We also did a trip to Thorpe park with my flatmates on last days of uni. We'd been meaning to go there for 3 years and finally did so. We decided we would go on all the roller-coasters. A decisions I came to regret later.

All ready to go. I, Charlotte, Laura and Giada.

Here is a map of the place. There were about 6 big roller-coasters. We saved Stealth the last cause it was the scariest. 

Half way through. I think I faces look a little bit more red. Probably from all the hanging up side down.

Giada and I after the Stealth. It wasn't so bad cause it was over in like 10 seconds.
 It did go up to 120km/h.
You can see it behind us going to the clouds. 

That was part 2. Next time I will post about the graduation ball that I had been waiting for 3 years.
Till next time!

Much love,
- Joanna

My last year in Brunel part 1

Hello everyone,

I am sorry I have been silent all of last year! The reason is purely that I had work up to my neck. But I MADE IT! I have graduated and ended my days in Brunel. I look back to all of it with nostalgia!

But back to where we left off:
We moved away from our house just before summer. I left to Finland to work for the summer.

I worked as an intern in Finnish defense forces in their behavioral department. I did some research work but the results are classified so I can't tell you about that but what I can tell you is that it was super awesome to work there!
   Some days at work I was drowning in paper. On other days I was listening to a German orchestra performing on the front yard.

  During summer my mom, brother, step dad and I went to see Robbie Williams to Tallinn. It has always been my dream to go see Robbie with my mom. The concert was amazing!!! All that I had expected and more! When Angels came I cried and thought how rarely I am together with my mom and brother which made me cry even more! It was a special moment!






 Back to Brunel in autumn. This is my room from last year! Standard room with a bathroom. 8 of us who lived together in the flat on second year moved here (1 left to do his placement year). Also we got 4 new flatmates!

I was supposed to volunteer on fresher's week just as a international contact but I was asked to be head contact as someone had dropped out! I just could not say no! I just love this kind of stuff!
  The year before on fresher's week I was in such a high gear I went to campus 10am and left 4am spending all day promoting, organizing and helping freshers. I just love the atmosphere of the week when everyone are friends with each other and I got to help those who were new and needed guidance.

Me as a head contact with my first aid kit. 

Some Henna I got done

Explaining something utterly important to my contact team. All such great lovely people!

Our head quarters on freshers week. 

Wine tasting night was surprisingly a hit

We took some freshers to London. Here we are playing a game called the bachelor in Trafalgar square. 

This is just so funny I have to post it.
One of our contacts taking one for
the team. 

I want to share this video with you that was made of our teams 

and

 a dance we did during the freshers week. 

It is nice to look back and remember all the great things about Brunel. My three years there were truly amazing and I will always think of with warmth. I will make a couple of more posts about my last year, my graduation ceremony and finally my graduation party here in Finland which is next week. Then my time at Brunel comes to an end officially. 

  If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask if you want to know anything about Brunel or studying in Britain. 

Much love,
- Joanna

Our contact team all ready for the week! Miss you guys!