Moots, mum and mutts.

  The end of term is hours away, and I find myself wondering what the new year is going to bring. So many possibilities: new people to meet, and others to leave behind. But before the new year can begin, the old one must finish and this ending does not quite feel like the one I had hoped for. I had imagined peace of mind: essays written, coursework marked, research well and truly underway, and a placement neatly secured. Instead, the hustle and bustle of real life has taken my Christmas preparation from confident to panicky. Nothing feels complete with only days to go until the big day. There’s no real help on offer, and of course, the ever-increasing mental load. If only Next had delivered my order yesterday as promised. If only I didn’t have a full house and could actually clean it. And if only the threat of Santa not coming were true, terrifying all tenants into submission. This year will be different. For once, we are not hosting Christmas dinner at home, but eating out in a b...

 As part of my Tort Law module, we were given the opportunity to take part in a simulated session in the Hydra Suite at the Glyntaf Campus, USW. The sessions are organised by our module leader, Karen, and run by a dedicated team on campus. I’d heard stories from second-year students last year, so I had some idea of what to expect, but the prospect of dealing with a fictitious client, under timed conditions, in a room with people I didn’t really know still filled me with dread. I understood the subject matter well enough, but having to come up with answers quickly. while being filmed. and trying not to say anything ridiculous on camera had my nerves jangling. On the morning of the session, my second daughter, who is 16 and currently doing her A levels, had no lecture and asked if she could come along. I could take her to school afterwards and we could finish our days together. It felt like a perfect opportunity to boost her confidence, show her a little of what I do at universi...