7 Years In Brighton

31st October 2018 was not only Hallowe’en, it also marked the 7th year anniversary of my move to Brighton so, what better way to celebrate than to look back at my 7 years here? πŸ˜€

In 2011, I was still living at home with my mum and dad on the good old Isle of Wight.Β  After a bad breakup and a solo trip to the US, one of my friends invited me to stay in Brighton for a weekend and I fell in love with the beautiful vibrant city.Β  I spent the next 5 months regularly making the 6 hour round trip as often as I could!Β  It soon became clear that leaving each time was getting harder, so at the end of August, I chatted to my friends about the possibility of crashing at theirs until I could find a job and move out into own my place.Β  Thankfully, they agreed!!Β  I then handed my notice in at my lovely job at a doctor’s surgery and waited a month for the job to end.

On 31st October, I packed my car and drove the 69 miles to my new “home”.Β  It was such a surreal feeling and definitely didn’t sink in for a couple of weeks.Β  I couldn’t find a job straight away so I ended up having to claim benefits and, as one of my flatmates was also unemployed, we spent a lot of our time playing video games together.

At Christmas I did manage to get a 2 week stint as an elf, but it wasn’t until April 2012 that I found myself a full-time job in a school.Β  So, 7 months after I’d moved, I finally moved out and into a flatshare with 3 other girls that I knew via friends.Β  I was so excited to have my own place but, to be honest the less said about my time living there, the better.Β  I was given Mr Bear while I was there though, so I’ll always be grateful for that.Β  (I’m reading that back in a Forrest Gump voice, I don’t know why.)

In 2013 I moved again, this time to a two bedroom flat in Kemptown, with one of the girls from the previous flatshare.Β  I spent a year living there but moved out in April 2014 to move in with J, where I’ve lived ever since β™₯

My time in Brighton has been a massive roller-coaster but I’m still glad I made the move.Β  Since moving to Brighton, I:

  • found a lovely boyfriend (J, obviously) and moved in with a man for the first time in my life (again, J)

  • started blogging and made loads of new friends and have been to loads of incredible events πŸ˜€

  • got two new piercings; my septum and tragus. Fun story, I got my tragus pierced in 2013 but it only healed properly this year. I had loads of issues with it but didn’t want to take it out. I used Tea Tree oil from The Body Shop on it and it healed up a treat πŸ˜€

  • got a tattoo, had several sessions of laser removal on the tattoo, had a cover-up done and then got another tattoo! I’m now booked in next year to have two more; one on my thigh and one to cover up my holly tattoo on my back!!

  • went on a few disastrous dates including one with a guy I found out was only 19 (I was 27 at the time) although he did take me to the Chilli Pickle and paid for dinner!! Plus a date with a guy who talked a lot about the changes to his local supermarket shopping basket and how the Flake (a single one, not three pack, he was very specific) he put in his basket kept falling through the holes and the lady behind him kept picking it up #qualitybants
  • started gardening again

  • turned 30, which wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be πŸ˜€
  • dyed my hair several different colours including; blue, pink and red

  • got a Christmas job as an elf, yes there are photos, no I’m not sharing them πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚
  • had to give up my beloved Corsa because I couldn’t afford to run it and the electrics were a bit dodgy πŸ™ but I now share a Toyota with J, which is nice
  • got my very own cat, Mr Bear, who I’ve had to look after and pay for on my own
  • learnt how to cook properly πŸ˜ƒ

  • finally got someone to sort out my eyebrows and learnt how to do winged eyeliner!!

  • took up pole fitness and loved it, but I had to give it up as I get vertigo πŸ™
  • got two moles removed off my back that annoyed me for years (they were itchy and used to catch on my clothes) πŸ™

Have you ever moved miles away from home?Β  How did you find it?Β  Let me know in the comments below πŸ™‚ x

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10 Comments

  1. Holly, I love you took the balls to move and start a life for yourself. I’m really wanting to move to Bournemouth but yet to make the move due to family commitments. the last 7 years read like a chick lit story, i love that! I wish you the best for the future and give Bear a little hug for me! xx

    1. Awwww, I really hope you make it to Bournemouth one day!! Thank you, I’m really glad you liked it and I’ll definitely give Bear a hug from you xx

  2. This was a lovely post. It’s great to hear you love your time living in Brighton even if it did start a little rocky (jobless and what sounds like an awful first flatshare!). Love the photos – red hair definitely suits you and of course I caught your ‘Faith’ tattoo in the one photo! 😁

    1. Thanks you πŸ™‚ I’m just glad it got better or I’d have probably gone back to the Isle of Wight!! I loved my red hair too but so hard to maintain! Yeah, I got that tattoo when I was 17 πŸ˜€

  3. This is such a lovely post Holly. πŸ™‚ And not just because it features a pic of yours truly. πŸ˜›

    1. Thanks πŸ™‚ Also though, did I put a photo up of you because you’re one of my good friends or one of the shit ones? 🀣🀣

  4. I studied abroad at Sussex University in my undergraduate degree and loved it here, so I came back over a year ago for my Master’s, but my visa is due to expire soon and I don’t want to leave this wonderful place.

    Rachel | anotherstationanothermile.com

  5. Reading this felt like such a Carrie Bradshaw diary entry, giving up pretty much everything to move away was incredibly brave but must have also been so exciting! I’ve never been to Brighton but I know for sure how much I’m missing out 😭 x x
    Ellis || http:www.elliswoolley.co.uk

    1. Awww thanks πŸ™‚ It was very exciting and I had no idea if it was going to work out! You definitely have to visit at some point πŸ™‚ xx

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