We Cheer and We Lead

This year, I spent Valentine's Day, not with my boyfriend (good job we don't celebrate it normally), but with my Keele Panthers cheer squad! This is because we were competing at Future Cheer, a competition held in Brimingham for university squads.

Since returning from studying abroad in Texas, getting back into cheerleading has been one of the biggest helps, but also a slight hindrance in terms of settling back in. Last year, I was in Level 1 with the rest of my peers and friends, this year I am still in Level 1 while most of them are Level 2. At first it was difficult because I really missed hanging out with them at training, but it's acutally forced me to make new friends which I know really appreciate. The thing I have found most difficult though, is battling myself in terms of fitness and thinking I can still everything how I did 10 months ago, when in fact, I really can't. Luckily, it has been somewhat like riding a bike and my stunt group and I have come on leaps and bounds in the three weeks since I've been back. I genuinely couldn't be prouder of how much we've pulled together and how ridiculously hard we've worked. Having said that, 3 weeks is not at all a long time to prepare yourself for a competition.

Even though Brimingham's only an hour away, it was always going to be a long day, comp days always are. We left Keele at 8:30 am, Level 2 performed at 12:30pm, Level 1 perfomed at 2:30pm and then we had to wait until the evening for results so did not return to Keele until 9:45pm. It was absolutely knackering but oh so worth it. There is literally no other feeling like stepping out onto the mat and having the atmosphere and adrenalin carry you through 2:30 mins of lifting someone else, throwing yourself about, jumping, dancing and smiling like a cheshire cat! It's an incredible moment.

Our 'incredible moment' earned us second place and Level 2's earned them 5th!! The best results we've had at future cheer in recent years - absolutely amazing! We're insanely proud Panthers right now.

I also had a 'proud girlfriend moment' as Alex surprised me with his presence! As I said we're not really the sort of couple that celebrates Valentines Day but we do like to see each other on the day, I never thought he'd take it so literally. Receiving support from people who matter a lot to you is absolutely amazing though, it was the perfect way for him to return my favours of watching him play rugby outside, in the freezing cold and rain every Wednesday. 

When I Spent My Evening with Politicians

I have and always will be a believer in the vote. Everyone deserves a say in who runs the country in which they live. When elections roll around, whether it be on social media such as Twitter, or in conversation, I will usually emit the phrase 'You can't complain if you don't attempt change'. Even if the party you vote for does not gain power, at least you made an effort.

The day before yesterday was 'National Voter Registration Day', and in honour of that, I thought I would write about my evening at a Labour candidate's campaign evening in Wolverhampton at the end of January.

Held at Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club's ground, the Molineux, the evening was pleasant but all I could comment at the end was, 'I've just spent an evening in a room full of politically minded people and not one thing striking or revolutionary was said; I now understand the failing House of Commons'. It was lovely, the food was delicious, the company was pleasant but the conversation was not at all riveting. Yes, policy was shared, policy I find necessary and agree with. Yes, there was a passion for the cause in the air. But I wasn't swept away, I didn't get that rousing feel that I do at the end of Les Mis, even though I had nothing to do with the French Revolution. Yes, the evening was being put on for Labour campaigners so perhaps the need to persuade was not there enough for persuasion to be an aim, but still! I feel that if you genuinely believe in something, it should carry through to every moment possible.

The Samaritans charity came about because, the guy who created it heard an atheist declare that, if he were Christian and he could believe in something so extraordinary as God he would never stop shouting about it. That really spoke to me on a faith level, but I do think it also relates to politics. If you genuinely believe that your party has the best policy for a country, then don't shut up about it! Whether it's at a fancy dinner of your peers or a quick McDonald's breakfast, if you believe in something, promote it. I completely understand about not wanting to alienate people from you, but throwing things into conversation every now again can begin to plant necessary seeds. Conversations need to be had so people can believe in what they vote for, and so people want to vote. So many have died for suffrage, so many are still denied the human right of democracy, don't let their fight be in vain because you're lazy. That's unfair, unjust and unnecessary.

You can't complain if you don't attempt change