While I've known for a while that I'd be leaving Leicester forever, and not exactly kept it secret, this past couple of days have been about packing everything up and sort of saying goodbye. I have my house here in Leicester until the end of July, but from now I don't have any solid plans to come back and stay in this house, and most of the folks I know here will surely have vanished by July.
It is odd to say that I'll never return though. Leicester has been my home for four years. When I moved into my new place in 2011, I felt such a weird relief that I wouldn't be living at home. I'd finally be able to fend for myself, and not have to put up with my family any longer. It was the start of my new life in the world of media and fun.
Of course, the best part of living in Leicester was Demon Media. For three years I got to be in charge, in one way or another, of Demon TV. I was able to pass on my knowledge and experience of video making to other people and that felt great. I felt part of something. Heck, I remember very distinctly in my third year at the Christmas meal, that for the first time in my life I actually felt part of a family.
There were, of course, low moments as well. I nearly killed myself in exhaustion for 95% of my third year, trying to balance the 60+ hours a week it took to manage Demon TV, and then somehow fit what was supposed to be 40 odd hours in of uni work. If I wanted to socialise or take some time off, then I was basically choosing not to sleep. This was also the year in which I had to constantly fight against the university because they were breaking everything all the time, right before deadlines. Why the fuck would you have essential maintenance on a system that is fundamental to students in deadline week? It's dumb. DMU is dumb.
That said, I made some fantastic friends in Leicester. I got to live with folks who are now some of my best friends, and that's awesome. It was also fantastic to work with these people, going for the same goal of making the best student media in the UK, which we totally won in my second year.
Of course, then came my year of just living here, without free money from the government to give me beer. For the first time ever I had to fend for myself, or just die. Well, maybe not die, but be in crippling debt nonetheless.
The first job I managed to get was in sales, and you all know how that went. It was god damn awful. I quit within two weeks and didn't make a penny.
Back at square one, I made some videos with various folks to make some cash. Then I finally managed to get a job at Argos. That was... Not great. But it kept me alive for three months before I got my job at DMU, which you all know I recently finished. Finding a job was probably the most frustrating part. This year was meant to be easy and fun, but I guess being able to stay alive and pay for that fun is a prerogative. Swings and roundabouts.
So yeah, Leicester has been a great place to live. And it does somewhat sadden me that I'm going to be back in my old, cramped room, which will now have even less space in it thanks to three years of buying my own stuff, but Kettering is where I need to be right now. Many great things are happening now with new projects, and I've finally found someone who makes me smile.
So this is where the next chapter of my life begins. I have no idea what's going to happen or where I'm going, if I'll still be in Kettering a year from now or what. But right now I don't care. Right now I'm happy and that's all that matters.
Here's to the next chapter.
Pete out.
