The Last Three Months

My darling beloved readers,

Hello and how are you?

I realise that I have disappeared from here for the past three months but all for a good reason. I have missed writing these blogs so much. Writing this and sharing my journey with you always gives me immense pleasure. So you may be wondering where on earth have I been and what have I been doing with myself? So let me tell you. When exams were over I truly believed that I would fail and have to retake again but fortunately the stars were shining down on me and I passed J (*woooo hooooo) So when I found out about passing I realised that now was the time to buckle down and begin hunting for a real job in the big outside world and let me tell you now as you already probably know that is no easy feat. Finding a job, applying and then securing a job is one of the toughest things ever. Some people don’t want you because you are too young and inexperienced and other people don’t want you because you are over qualified with your fabulous degree. Most likely those that do want you just want free labour out of you but not all of us can do this. How is one meant to pay bills, rent, food, travel etc working for free? On the other hand if one lands a really good work experience/internship the benefits are immense.

After graduation I was approached by the Graduate Internship Programme. This consisted of five training days and then was secured by a month of internship with an organisation in your chosen field. At the time of applying for this I had also come across another advert which was more local to me but for a period of three months within a law field. Both were voluntary positions. No other applications I had made for paid work had been successful and this was mainly down to me being lacking in experience, so with no other alternative options I began looking at voluntary work. Even applying for retail positions I would be rejected due to my degree. So coming back to my two options I decided to apply for the three month internship and see where fate would take me. Luckily the law firm I applied to offered me an interview the day after the Graduate Internship started so to keep my options I went to GIP and in all honesty I was not very impressed with some of the things I was hearing and on top of that they could not even confirm with me that I would be placed within a law field. I thought it would be best to wait and see what would happen at the interview with the law firm.

The next day I went to the interview which was relatively relaxed. It is a small and young firm. After a ten-fifteen minute chat I was given a tour of the building and went on my merry way being informed that they would get in touch with me to inform me whether or not I had been successful. Surely enough within two days I was contacted and told that I start on Monday at ten. I faced a dilemma whether or not to go for the GIP which was a shorter period of internship or take a risk and give up three months to work for free within a real law firm that was conveniently local. After a great debate I decided to take the plunge and commit to the three months.

It has now been more than three months and it has been such an experience nothing I have ever done can come to this. I have loved every single minute of it! There have been plenty of times where there has been office drama but hey no matter where you go you will always face such nonsense. People will gossip and complain and twist things to make other people look bad or to make themselves look better. People will be masked in a sheep’s clothing whilst inside they are really a wolf. But as you know my darlings that is life and I have experienced a lot of this type of nonsense. I share my journey with you so that I can inspire and advise.

Despite the silly gossiping/moany people it really has been wonderful. At this firm I have learnt so much. I have been trained right from scratch and also thrown into the deep end but learnt to swim and survive quickly and as you all know I am a survivor. Now in my fourth month I have taken on my own cases and have also be given a full time working contract. There is a lot to learn but the wonderful thing about is that everything you learn you put into practise  But this is not as easy as you think. Procedures take ages, gathering evidence and case files and dossiers take ages. Furthermore, having clients constantly on your back wanting an update all the time is hard work more so when you have them lying to you about what is happening on their side.

So you’re probably wondering where it is I've landed this fabulous internship, well, the firm is called Nieko Solicitors, and yours truly (Me – that is) is learning all about prison law. Fun stuff! It is probably more difficult doing this than having done the LLB. Learning whilst on the job is tough. Mistakes will be made, and the work will take long because the majority of time you are lost in a world of paperwork and procedure. The first three months were ok, it was easy learning and straight forward but as time goes on and we enter the next phase of work which includes investigations, written representations and a tonne of procedure it becomes more and more confusing. But like I always say nothing is ever easy and hopefully in time the procedures will become clearer. Working in a close knit environment is not easy with some people only out for themselves. This makes learning a difficult task indeed. Prison law is not exactly what I had in mind when I graduated. I had applied to many teaching assistant positions to embark on a teaching career but all to no avail. Teaching and mentoring whilst I was a Student Ambassador was extremely rewarding. This particular field I have now found myself in is not that rewarding. The cases, the clients are exactly what you’d imagine them to be. It is everything you read and hear on the news. It is dark, threatening, dismal, horrific and one must have a skin made out of rubber to withstand all the information one receives.

The timescale to learn is short, you must be quick thinking and even quicker to put things into action. I am surrounded by fellow colleagues who have done their LPC and completed the Bar and to be honest compared to them I just feel dumb and inadequate to do the job. Now how many times have you heard that one before? Learning procedure is not something they teach you on your degree it is something you have to research and learn all by yourself. Like everything else it is not easy but anything that is difficult requires that extra bit of effort.

There are no coffee making moments here, there are of course routine photocopying, faxing etc but that is a minuscule part of the job. Undertaking fee earning work has great benefits, I have my own clients and I am embarking on specialising within specific areas of prison law. For me this has been a once in a lifetime opportunity. I can say confidently that no other work experience has given me such a vast amount of knowledge, such responsibility in such a short amount of time.

Best of luck everyone xxx

Graduation

Hello my beloved readers!

It has been a while since graduation has passed and I’ve just been basking in that wonderful knowledge and feeling of finally becoming a graduate. In my hearts of hearts I really did not think I would make it but hard work and perseverance has seen me through it. Without the support of close loved one and the support and belief of my tutors I could not have done it. There are so many people to thank for believing in me and helping me with this process. 

I’ve shared my journey with you to show you that even if you are alone like I have been, to have faced so many hurdles at every turn and been kicked to the streets, sheer hard work and determination got me through. The fears were a plenty, tears even more, pillows soaked with tears and blood flowing, heart aching always thinking I could never make it but finally my time came and when I walked into that Chapel, when I heard those speeches most of all when they called “Graduants” and we rose to take our applause nothing can compare to the uproar which shattered through that hall. It reverberated off the walls, ricocheted from all the corners of our uni and rebounded back into our hearts. Nothing can compare to that uplifting moment. It is for no one but yourself, in a group we may stand but it is so unique to each and every individual.

Although my journey has been waded through alone my crowning moment in glory I am more than happy to share with my beloved readers. This is for me, for you, for us. To show you that despite the countless moments of doubt and desperate urge to drop out and escape the wretched routine when you put your mind to it, “you can use your head to do what your heart wants”.

Keep The Hope Alive

Much Love Naz

xx

Welcome and Some Advice

My beloved readers...

Sometimes it is very difficult to do something you really don’t want to do for example at the beginning of my placement during the first few weeks I really did not like it, i wanted so much to change my modules and do something else. However, deep inside I knew that this was a once in a life time opportunity and that after I would reap the benefits and this knowledge alone was enough to make me determined to see it through. With the right guidance you will get through these tough and murky times. Doing something that is difficult and you do not enjoy is enough reason to give up on it but one must not forget its benefit and so coining a phrase from a movie always “do the right thing”.

Some of you will be freshers and so a very hearty welcome to you and others who continue their journey welcome back. The load you will carry in the next few months will be hefty indeed and you need to put the hours in, remember you can’t sow maize and expect to reap wheat. The hours need to be put in and yes that does include countless sleepless nights and millions of re-drafting of numerous essays but hard work pays off. Believe in honesty and hard work, determination and the rewards will come naturally.

More CVs and Cover Letters

My dearest readers, it has been a very long while since the last blog that is mainly because not much has been happening in the world of me. The job applications are a plenty and can’t complain about anything else.

In the next month I shall finally be graduating from university. It has been an incredible journey but a new one is fast starting up. For those of you beginning the same journey as me do not be disheartened I have had many people telling me of their journey taking up to a year. A lot of the times it boils down to one thing: lack of experience. So get as much in as possible. Try a few days or even a few hours a week of voluntary work. Yes, I know most times this can be time and money consuming but in the long run it will help with not only experience but also confidence boosting and enhance your skills.

In my applications one of the many problems I have come across is the way I write my cover letters and my CV, most that just being wordy without actually saying anything useful and productive. My tip: avoid useless phrases such great communication/interpersonal skills without giving examples.

Also for you fellow Greenwich students out there make sure you make full use of all the on line facilities that Moodle/Get Job Shop have to offer because there is ample of fantastic tips and examples of how to build your CV from scratch and how to compile cover letters and personal statements. It is all about the research that you put not only into the company you are applying to but also into yourself and your own skills and experience.

Also, do not underestimate yourself, your abilities or most importantly your potential. It takes a lot to get through university so just apply everything you’ve learnt in the last three or four years and put it to use on your CV/Cover letter. You’ve learnt how to write essays think of it as writing a mini essay on yourself.

Best of luck

xx

CVs and Cover letters

Hi everyone!

How are your summer holidays going?

Thought I would give a quick update on my situation which at the moment I am pulling my hair out at the moment. I think one of the most dreadful things one has to do are job applications and filling in nonsense skills sections over and over again. I see no point in having to write the same thing out three different times in three separate places. Once being a quick summary in your cover letter, of course in your CV and then in some random section asking for your key skills because oh wait the reader can’t be bothered to read your CV/cover letter. Talk about annoying.

Too much reliance are placed on computers instead of the good old days where applications were solely done via post nowadays you have to write the same thing a million times over.  It is more annoying, more frustrating than writing an essay.

Aside from the annoying aspects of writing a CV/cover letter and all things in between the university is offering help and guidance on how to job hunt and apply for jobs consistently. Those of you who want to make full use of this course which also has the benefit of being completely on line thus saving you the trip all the way to Greenwich can find it on the portal and it is called “GET Summer Online Training Programme”. There are videos and book summaries and ideas and tips on sending daily applications.

Best of luck guys xx

Update on Not Much

Still a few days have passed from when I got my results... that feeling that yes finally I’ve done still hasn’t left me.

Those endless days and nights convincing myself that I couldn’t do it, giving up not having the energy to continue believing. For you my readers I kept up the facade maintained the encouragement and the strong words but deep inside all the strength had completely ebbed away. The lack of hope had broken my heart. The betrayal from all around had taken its toll. In January it was my intention to just leave completely without looking back and as you probably know my tutors convinced me to just stay for a few weeks to see how I feel after a few weeks, I could not escape the coursework’s nor the need to revise. Somehow the consistency, the strength of my beautiful friends and my wonderful tutors, all my loved ones kept me up.

My beating heart had lost all hope. I gave you a glimpse into me, shared with you the raw emotions and the brutal history and truth from which I came. Sure it is not that bad and it could be worse but this is my story to tell, my journey that I am sharing with you.

The days now pass by with as you guessed, job hunting, not much else to say on that front. Quite boring and tedious but still fun and exciting too knowing that soon I shall be out in the real world with a full time job.

On the baking front my silly camera has now died L It fell so horribly on to the floor and the zoomy thingy is stuck and won’t retract back. So now I am on a mission to find a new and better camera, suggestions are very welcome J

To those of you who may not have done so well and are still on your journey at uni I say keep your hearts firm and your heads in the books. Enjoy this moment for soon it shall be over...

Results Letter

The letter...

Hello my beautiful readers!!

I have been waiting for this day ever since my last exam finished. You can guess what I am talking about... Results!!

To be completely honest with you I actually found out my results on the 4^th July, a day I will never ever forget. A marked day in my calendar. During those many dark moments I truly believed it could never happen, that for me this moment would never come but you are now reading the blog of not just a law student but of a law graduate!! :-D

After all that struggle, all those endless nights, those caffeine hydrated days, the non existence of sleep and lack of food the hard work has been wonderfully paid off and I could not be more happier. Your degree when you come to finish it will be yours completely and no one will be able to take that away from you, nothing can diminish just how valuable that is.

After all the obstacles, the constant flow of people letting me down, after the sordid past, the betrayal, patience and perseverance and sheer determination the tears finally paid off.

One day a day shall come where the days of crying over your notes and your text books will finally come to an end and the only tears you will be shedding then are tears of joy. For me this will always be a momentous occasion, nothing will take that away.

It’s a part of luck, loss and labour

Add a part of devotion, hope and talent

All put together is the secret of success...

Sitting on a street corner gossiping 
it’s a time of happy days my friend
desiring for success at an adolescent 
WE FAILED MISERABLY 
we took the wrong route to find the right route
MISTAKES ARE THE SECRET OF SUCCESS
we ran away to discover this world
i realised to toil for her (him)
LOVE IS THE SECRET OF SUCCESS...

PAIN IS THE SECRET OF SUCCESS

We fight, toil hard, lose but I’m sure

Secret to success, shortcut to success

Its honesty... its honesty only

- Tamil Movie "Boys" –

Music AR Rahman
Lyrics by Vaali and Blaaze

Books, Chocolates and Cakes!

Hello my darling readers!

How are you all??

It has been a while since my last blog and much of my days have been filled with reading a lot of books so far the only decent book I’ve read that I really enjoyed is called “Welcome to Rosie Hopkins Sweet Shop of Dreams”, by Jenny Colgan, quite a recent publication I think. The beauty of this book is that it is filled with great little goodies about different types of confectionary, years in the famous Mars bar was released and several recipes for different types of candy such as the beautiful delicious coconut ice and the tooth crunching yet highly addictive peanut brittle. This book will definitely take you back to childhood days where penny sweets were widely available in your local sweet shop. The famous local around my old school was aptly named “Chocolate Box”.

My Harlan Coben collection is increasing hehe I have now acquired:

• One False Move
• Gone for Good
• Promise me
• Miracle Cure and
• Final Detail

I absolutely adore his books and love the story liners involving Myron Bolitar! Well worth a read! Most of the books I got from a market cheaper than the retail price :-D

In the world of my baking I’ve recently attempted a genoise sponge which is a difficult mixture to attain because of the sheer amount of whisking involved. I who is without an electric whisk was up at one o’ clock in the morning whisking egg whites over the stove for around one hour and thirty minutes. Don’t ask why I decided to cook so late hehe. However, below you see the result of my labour which was individually sized portions of genoise sponge covered in strawberry jam, vanilla pastry cream and then covered in a stabilised whipped cream J

The other pictures are of my home made truffles which actually came out right but me thinks that was a fluke hehe.

Enjoy!

Distance Day 1

My heart aches with the knowledge that so far from you I shall be away

Yet no distance and time from you can my love be kept at bay

Surely with faith and durance we shall find a way

To be in your arms there’ll be no delay

Yes, the distance such painful frustration

But no amount of separation can challenge my devotion

Even though my heart is filled with tormented emotion

You will remain my one and only destination

The many goodbyes such bittersweet misery

Yet never do they put our hearts out of harmony

Hands entwined they make such beautiful symphony

Only reality to pull us back with such forceful gravity

So many a time we have been tested

Nevertheless love’s vow we have whole heartedly heeded

A complete realisation that it is you I’ve always ever needed

So trust in you is truly fully vested

To carry on, to breathe... how shall I face each day?

My sight blurred by all things grey

To return to your arms I constantly pray

Admiration for you that no one can weigh

Each moment bringing a new sense of realisation

Of an utter horrid sensation

In your calm safe embrace is my only salvation

Your presence my only anticipation...

On a completely different note below are some of the cake projects I have been working on: Chocolate Cupcake with a chocolate frosting and the other is a rich three layer chocolate cake filled and decorated with chocolate ganache and butter cream frosting and also my very first butter cream rose. 

The Beauty of Law

Hello my darling readers, how are you all? How have you found our journey so far?

There has been many up’s and down’s over the period from which I first began writing these blogs. Most times I have had so many difficulties over studying and revising and completing coursework’s and I have focused on how difficult this was. However, despite the difficulties and the desire to dramatically change my career path, Law as you know is something I have always wanted to study but whilst having one’s head buried deep within the books it is so very difficult to appreciate the beauty of the Law, of the text that one reads, so difficult whilst trying to decipher the intricate and detailed language of the Law one cannot appreciate the beauty of the language. And despite occasionally my frustration at exams and the course itself I do realise just how lucky I am to have been able to study such a prestigious course, to have been accepted at this university and to have made it so far, that in itself is a major accomplishment. Thinking of the very fact that I have spent the last four years of my life completing a Law degree hehe... Woooooooooooooohooooo J

I hope you enjoyed last week’s picture of the Victoria Sponge. I wanted to explain because I failed to do so in the last blog what I meant by “modern”. Apparently traditionally a Victoria sponge cake would only have a jam filling and would in fact be dusted with caster sugar and not icing sugar as is usually done today. The icing sugar and cream addition is fabulous though. This week is a coffee and walnut cake with a coffee walnut butter cream topped with the same butter cream and extra chopped walnuts. Here’s something I’m not even that big a fan of coffee cake J

The End Of Exams

Hey all!

How is everyone doing?

I’m sorry for the lack of blogs and not catching you up more regularly unlike last year this year I haven’t put down my entire journey of the examination period but as you probably already know it has been a hectic time indeed. This week Monday I finished my very last exam ever wooooooooooooooooo! That was Equity and Trusts and in fact probably the most hardest topic I have ever faced not only because of the topic itself but also because of the fact that it was my last exam ever, the sheer thought of that was overwhelming enough. Nights were endless and my diet consisted mainly red bull and coffee, not the healthiest thing to do but during those excruciating moments you lose your appetite and anything you do eat just makes you feel so sick. Believe me, every time I woke up I felt horribly ill.

Patience and endurance.

The next hard part is waiting for results and finding work in a field I like. The world is now my oyster! As I mentioned after uni I want to explore baking and patisserie classes so to mark the beginning of that journey I baked a modern day Victoria sponge cake with raspberry jam and a whipped cream filling :-D

My Exams

So here I am trying to revise for my first exam which is on Company law and I just cannot get over how useless exams actually are. I mean we all think it but here is me putting it out there in my way. In the grand scheme of life there is very rarely an occasion where one will use the skills learnt in exam in real life. Perhaps the only time you will under such a time constraint is most obviously when you are cooking and the only other example I can think of is perhaps a bomb squad.

Writing up four essays in three hours does not give me any merits rather it gives me and perhaps most other people out there a really big head ache and multiple mini heart attacks. It does not teach me and help me to develop my writing skills, it puts me under immense pressure to write as much gibberish as possible with the worst possible handwriting I could ever conjure up.

Out in the real world we will, of course, have many deadlines to meet so why most courses carry a bigger weighting for exams i.e. law 70% exam is beyond me!

I move to suggest that exams should be minimised and greater weighting given to coursework’s. This of course probably emanating from the frustration revision gives you.

15^th May 2012

For Company I decided to tackle the corporate veil and directors duties yet again, then s.172 which states that a director has a duty to promote the success of a company but must have regard to certain factors and finally articles of association which is basically the company’s constitution. That is correct Company and Partnership Law four big questions for one to complete in a matter of 3 hours and 15 minutes and even though I thought I couldn’t manage it I at least answered my four chosen questions. For Company is over.

The Beginning of the End

A very big hello to all my dearest readers!

That time of year is upon us again. Exam time! Last year I shared with you my journey throughout revision and this year has been slightly different as I have begun to share with you my own history and the roots from which I come. I know that there are so  many people that will be in a similar situation to me that have had continuous hardships and obstacles thrown in their way. Trust me the amount of problems and skeletons that keep cropping up it is a wonder I did not drop out.

The Christmas period for me was yet another pivotal point in my life that turned everything around and made me realise (though I don’t need this lesson from life, I’ve had quite enough thank you very much) that nothing will ever be as it seems. Lies and secrets uncovered that damaged my image of those most closest to me when in numbers they are so few.

If you have read the last two blogs perhaps you would have by now put the pieces together and realised that during the summer of 2010 I was kicked out on to the streets with nowhere to go. The kindest of friends took me in and put a roof over my head without one shred of hesitation. That was an emotional period and it still is what with a continuous stream of problems emanating from that one event. However, despite all of that I am finally coming to an end of my time at university. Whether I succeed in this next of the journey shall remain to be seen but again the message here is perseverance and determination.

It’s not easy and many times there have been times where I just wanted to give up on university but my tutors told me to stick at it for a few weeks and then see how I feel then a few weeks went by and coursework was handed out and before I realised I was handing in all the assignments. Even in lectures it was emotional discussions of domestic violence and abuse or formulating a will made me cry endlessly most times right in the middle of the lecture room. Placements constantly reminded me of how unfaithful (not only partners but cousins aunts and uncles etc) some people can be. Having said that there are many people that are willing to help and there are plenty of places where people in similar situations can get advice.

I end by letting you know that if you are having housing issues like mine and are in need of some expert advice then I strongly recommend contacting Streetwise Community Law Centre (based in Beckenham), a quick Google search will provide you with all the relevant contact details but they currently do not have their own website.

For now the very best of luck for exams

Much Love

Naz

xx

Raw

Now living life like a corpse, no trust in any one, no faith in goodness, no belief left in happiness and that’s not the depression talking.

Imagine a childhood surrounded in death, nothing else surrounds you.

Then those that took you in were fake. They were lies.

Those people that put a roof over your head, that put the clothes on your back well they kept tabs on everything, on every little penny they spent on you they wanted back. Those people who claimed to have your best at heart they beat you till you bled, till your lips cracked open and bloated, till your eyes turned black and you had to cover your face with your hair. Any utterance of from you would be met with criticism and then you would learn not to speak.

There were no angels looking out for you, those that died were not protecting you from up above and no prince charming came, there was no light at the end of the tunnel, no saving grace.

Any good you did was called evil, any chore was replied with you being called lazy. Get down on the ground and wipe the floor clean with a bucket and sponge. Cinderella but no prince charming.

Your hunger secondary, your tears primary. Sleepless nights filled with fear but then what would it matter, better to die free then live in cowardice.

Then you learnt to “keep the peace”, say nothing and suffer in silence. Trapped in your own skin, your soul suffocates. Days go by and you learn to pick up a blade but not to those who are slowly killing you but to your own awaiting flesh.

Counting the days to when you would one day be killed or die.

Time going by and the realisation that no one, no one would ever come to save you. No one had the courage and no one could care less.

So through the beats and through the fear you learnt to take it, take all forms of abuse, endure it because nothing can be done without enduring pain. Others had sleep over’s, friends to go shopping with, went to a park but you learnt to stand up through the beats, you learnt to speak against the lies, you learnt to realise the fake, realise what’s real.

But they still entered your head, infiltrated your mind, your thoughts, made you feel worthless, made that small child feel obligated to do anything and everything and so we did. It was never enough.

And they kept using you till one day they realised how much you had grown, till slowly they realised just how much strength you had in you and what once they made cower with fear, what they made crawl into a tiny little corner they now feared.

Did they not realise that the small child they beat would one day grow up? That it would be stronger? Wiser?

Living corpse, inside they destroyed your soul. Shattered belief in anything good. 

A Small Glimpse Into Me

I ask myself so many times. Is that the way life really used to be like? Looking at me you would never know, you could never guess the darkness from which I have emerged. Writing in third person comes so naturally it is a way to detach from what is, what was reality. Time at university is running out and soon these blogs from me shall also cease. Certain things trigger ones memory. And perhaps one has to face those shadows at some point too.

Two years ago life was so different. When I began uni this journey was so different, never in a million years could I have guessed all that would occur.

Freedom comes at a price, a very hefty one. Once upon a time I had no freedom, everything was under strict control, under what seemed like to be an unbreakable lock. Any sort of speech was forbidden, any unauthorised movement would be met with harsh chastisement, deep wounds and blood loss. Looking at me who would know?

The only way out is to fight. To swallow your fear, to take the beatings, stay awake throughout the nights to make sure no one tries to steal your life, make sure no one tries to harm you but all the vigilance goes to waste. Fight your fear.

Skip to the future:

All around you you’re surrounded by so many people who have so much more than you. Yeah, they have a nice home, they have nice cars, they have better clothes, they appear smarter but they never had any one use them or rinse them dry, take them for all they have and then kick then kick them to the curb and make them bleed mercilessly. What would they know?

The day we were kicked out:

Think Annie. A suit case, a back pack and as many plastic bags as we could carry. Anything valuable was stolen, anything memorable was burnt. That was last year. 

Placement Essay

So it’s about three thirty a.m in the morning and I’m high on caffeine and excitement, believe it or not, at writing up my placement coursework. The long 4,000 word family piece has been handed in and it was also quite fun to write. This one is almost as good as the other and is 5,000 words.

My question focuses on how legal aid cuts will affect young people and their rights to access to justice, a favourite reoccurring theme and probably the only time one can actually get heated up and discuss the more philosophical side to whether justice in our society is actually attainable. Me thinks...  unfortunate shades of grey...

In a nutshell no one will have access to justice if legal aid cuts are implemented and why??? Because legal aid isn’t there to help rich people who can afford rich expensive barristers but rather for those who can afford no legal representation and cannot afford to pay for expert advice. Legal aid cuts as I have mentioned before will be highly detrimental to our current state of affairs in relation to litigation as it will encourage what is known as litigants in person... in Layman’s terms people representing themselves at court with no legal knowledge or experience.

During the last few days I have spent hours and hours upon studying different articles and reports on legal aid, social welfare and the potential impacts of the legal aid cuts on young people. The more I read the stronger my dislike for the proposed cuts become, legal aid is there to help society’s most disadvantaged people if cuts are made to such vital aspects of society than democracy and Dicey’s rule of law shall surely and rapidly disappear.

Below is a report conducted by Youth Access which provides valuable insight into the affects legal aid cuts will have upon young people and also gives insight into the benefits which law centres and CAB’s provide for young people in need of professional help and advice.

What is your view on legal aid cuts?

http://www.baringfoundation.org.uk/YouthAccessValue.pdf

Late Night Coursework

So again with the late nights and so much lack of sleep. Currently staying up till the break of dawn only to nap and be on the coffee and Red Bull all day long.

Family coursework though it remains an interesting topic gets more and more difficult to write and at each moment that I think I am getting somewhere I look at how many words I have only to be knocked back again but I preserve nonetheless.

I also have a 5,000 word essay looming so horribly over my head like a dark grey cloud that refuses to budge. How easy it is to write 100 words for this blog but so difficult to even begin an essay but as usual starting is always the hardest step once you breach that the rest is slightly easier. Coffee becomes more and more addictive and being on an automatic mode becomes the norm just keep typing and reading until it is all done.

Exams of course are only a few weeks ahead. I have three to look forward to: Company, Family and Equity. Wish me luck because I certainly need it. This is the last hurdle and despite the many times I have wanted to drop out I have somehow been coerced into remaining at university and in all honesty I don’t even know if I am happy about that or not. It usually fluctuates. We’ll see what happens.

Anyhow on a completely different and more positive note I recently got back my mark for company law coursework and got a nice 60% J

If love had a song EN rmx

If love had a sound it would sound like you

It would flow so melodiously

It would reach in and stay permanently

If I could put a rhythm to the beats of my heart

Then to yours it would tap in tune

If I could compose such beats it would be a work of art

Surely even this simple note cannot compare to au clair de la lune 

If I could strum a love song then it would be this

And when you are to listen it’d be eternal bliss

If my heart could make a sound

It’d show how to you I am so bound

If love had a song it would make us fly

It’d seep deep inside

And even time would no longer be denied

It is fear that would go and hide

It is obstacles that would halt and grind

If love had a song it would never die

Its octaves, its harmony could never lie

The muse hearing its tone from it would inspire
its beauty to your ears and addictive desire

If love had a song it would be number one
since love is something that is fun
and neither one of us is a nun
everything can be said and done

If love had a song it would be raw

Even the cherubim’s would look in awe

Even God would say there is no flaw

Seraphim will fly no more

If the song was for love It would be written in red
it would encapture all the words that were said
it would lead to wedding bells ringing around our head
it would mean that we’d both get the morning bread

If love had a song it would be metal
so much noise no need to settle
with no intentions of taking a break put on the kettle
always keep going even with the falling of petals

if love had a reason to sing it would be
coming to life to gather you and me
to open our eyes so that one another we would see
to capture our hearts and throw away the key

If love had a song it would be me and you
never again will we bid each other adieu

Knowing full well what each has been through
life is too hard to go on without you

If my body was moving to a song of love
it would dance slowly it would push and shove
and my eyes will glance eagerly to stars above
let the night sky be filled with freed doves

With Special Thanks Going to http://eazee-complications.blogspot.co.uk/ Who Constructed The Last Half Of The Poem

Natural Parent Presumption

So we have another week off which is really nice I guess although my days are just blighted with the joy of coursework. Two left to be precise. First, there is family coursework which I am finding really interesting and it is actually much harder than I first thought it would be. This piece focuses on the natural parent presumption which is the view that biological parents have an automatic right to bring up their child without regard to what is in the child’s best interest. I, for one, whole heartedly disagree with this presumption but what is your opinion? Of course my own view is shrouded by my life’s personal and bitter experiences but I do see why one would argue otherwise. Thankfully, recent case law has seen a change in the natural parent presumption whereby it has been clarified that any discussions of presumptions of the rights of child to be brought up by their biological parent is wrong and that the first and paramount consideration is the child’s welfare. In my opinion genetics play an insignificant role in determining who should bring up a child. One must consider the psychological implications of separating a child from its psychological parent i.e. the case of Re G (Children) [2006] UKHL 43.

Check out our lecturer’s article “Are Some parents more natural than others?” by Lucy Yeatman and Kim Everett. A detailed but easy to read article on the natural parent presumption.

Mehendis and Weddings

It is long overdue for a blog update!

Over the last two weeks I have been busy not with revision but rather with shopping for my best friend’s wedding and what an experience that was! This was the first Asian Bengali wedding/mehendi I have ever experienced and apart from a few hiccups it was really nice. The mehendi night had the biggest problem ever. For those of you who don’t know mehendi also known as henna usually happens a day or few days before the wedding and is actually a plant that when crushed produces a dye that can be used on the body to create patterns etc. So on the mehendi night the lady who was meant to put the henna on the bride to be cancelled at the last minute which meant that I and the rest of the family were frantically searching for another henna artist to do the patterns that night. We were able to find a few who were willing to do it although the one chosen was not the best. But all in all it was a beautiful fun night with a few special dance performances by family members.

The wedding itself was filled with colour and one would think it was a fashion competition! With everyone dressed in the best and most glamorous and colourful outfits. A huge hall decked with a red and white theme, a stage for the wonderful bride and groom. The vows exchanged once everyone had arrived it is the start of something completely new, it was an exhilarating feeling for even me. When I saw her walking out it brought tears to my eyes. Decked out a gold, green and maroon dress, she was breath taking. A simple and soft spoken make up but yet so outstanding. The most beautiful bride I have seen J