As a psychology research assistant...

As a psychology research assistant,

I get to meet a lot of different people.

Students, faculty, general public.

I've been running a study these past few weeks as an employee of the university (instead of just as a student dissertation) and I thought I'd share with you some *hashtag* 'psychologist problems', quotes, and general hilarious moments that I've encountered through this experiment.

1. Participant enters room wearing 'University Judo Team' jersey.

Participant is 65 years old.

2. I ask a participant if they are right or left handed.

Participant replies 'both - I'm a, what do you call it, dextrose'.

3. When getting ice for the experiment this morning from the chemistry wet lab, I enter to find a lone, bearded chemist holding a conical flask and flicking through a sheet headed 'Laboratory Practice'. Making conversation, I ask if he's calibrating the volumetric glassware, and express what a bore that job is. 

He looks at me as if I just killed his cat, clearly in disbelief that someone of my gender and with my hair colour could possibly understand the role of a lab technician, and says '...umm, no, I was just looking at the pictures'. 

4. Woman runs for the lift, which I have just entered with a huge, but apparently invisible ice cooler (complete with pull handle and wheels...its BIG). 

She just makes it to the lift as the doors are about to shut, when she realises theres a huge cooler in the space she wants to stand, and she proceeds to do what can only be described as the most ballet-like U-Turn I have ever seen, and just as the doors close, I witness her face meet the floor. Sorry, love!

5. Me: Are you going to buy anything nice? 

(Participants get paid £8 for taking part)

Participant: Probably some cider. And some new socks. 

6. A participant emails me to say she's going to be late for her 

appointment. She's already 7 minutes late, so 

I start to set up the experiment again (ice has melted, etc). 

However, I look out the window to see what the noise below is, and see her

playing frisbee with her student friends outside. As luck would have it,

the frisbee flies in my direction and lands, no word of a lie, right outside my window. Did she see me? She didn't have much to say when she finally turned up! (I tried to take a photo but it fell off the ledge before I could grab my phone).

Welcome to the world of research....

Sister, Sister

Can you believe this used to be a t-shirt?!

My sister is a dab hand with a needle and cotton, and can turn

any t-shirt into a baby-grow. This is one of our old work tops for the ice rink that we work in. Our supervisor is pregnant and this is a present for her little one.

She's also made blocks, taggies, cloth nappies, cloth nappie covers, clothes (to fit over cloth nappy bums)...

Here's one of the blocks she made in the style of a VW camper van.

It has a rattle inside, and all the rattle parts are double wrapped inside,

just in case baby decides to eat his/her way through :P

Head on over to her recently started blog and say hi! 

x

Sunday Social 26/05/13

Hi all!

Today's questions are all about summer which seems appropriate

seeing that its super sunny today! 

For some reason, blogger won't let me upload the photos to go with the post,

so I'll try and add them at a later date :)

1. What is your best summer memory as a kid?

 Every summer was the same, we'd finish school and go on holiday. When we were little, we went to Majorca, Lanzarote, Turkey, Cyprus and Paris, but as we got to know Turkey more, we'd alternate Turkey and Greece until we finally just went to Turkey every year.

After our holiday, we spent the holidays making tree houses and dens at the park,

and spent loads of time at my grandparents, painting, going to the park, all sorts of things grandparents do :) And of course, we spent a whole lotta time at the beach.

So I don't have just one favourite memory. My whole childhood of summers was amazing :)

2. What is your favorite summer drink?

Iced tea and green tea. I love making a pitcher of ice tea infused with cucumber,

mint and lemon, over loads of ice. 

Iced tea always reminds me of being on holiday. 

3. What is your favorite summer TV show?

This summer, I'm looking forward to the final series of Dexter, but in all honesty, we don't watch a lot of tv in the summer because we're usually out enjoying the weather!

I'm hoping for a new series of Bondi Rescue, though ;)

4. What is the best outdoor summer activity?

Picnics and walking the dog. 

5. What are your summer vacation essentials?

Flip flops, gorgeous summer dresses,

ambre solaire hydrating aftersun lotion, and a pair of aviators ;)

Your turn! Answer the questions, grab the button, and link up!

Next week's questions

1. What is your favorite social media outlet?

2. Do you subscribe to any daily new reads? If so, which ones?

3. What is your favorite magazine to have by the pool?

4. What is your favorite summertime song?

5. What is the best summer concert you've been to?

I MADE IT!!!!

I can't believe I can finally type the words...

I'VE FINISHED MY DEGREE!!!!

After 2 really confident exams, one not so great, and one

I haven't a clue how I did in, I had my final one today. I must

admit, even though I had revised, I didn't feel confident sat there waiting, but the second I turned the paper over and saw the two questions I wanted, I left out a little squeal! (I actually got told off for that, but who cares!)

Anyway, I came out beaming, and me and Frankie got celebratory lattes' and like the 5 year olds we once were, covered them in sprinkles.

So that's it. 3 years of my life gone, and in just over a month,

I'll find out if it paid off. Watch this space for July 5th - results day! 

Now to crack open the bottle of Desperados make a cup of tea,

sit down and relax, and enjoy some time with my favourite boys :)

(Oh, and a massive thank you to everyone who helped me through this degree. My Mum for always believing in me, my sister for letting me drivel on about child development to her, and ultimately to my incredible boyfriend for 3 years of constant click click click on the computer behind him, paper stuck to every wall for revision month, and for proof reading 60 pages of dissertation, twice! I love you!) 

 

Does anyone else get freaked out...

...by other people's pregnant bellys? 
If it was my own, I'd be fine, but watching my Nephew
reenact a scene from Alien kinda freaked me out a little!

Sunday Social 19/05/13

Week 50 is all kinds of random, just how we like it!

Don't forget to link up.

1. What is your favorite kind of surprise?

Ones that I have been wanting for a long time, then just about
to give up on, and ta-daaa!

2. Flowers or chocolate?

Flowers, please. Flowers say I love you, chocolate says I'm sorry.

3. What is your favorite summertime activity?

It always used to be walking Kip at Cadover bridge or Plym bridge,
and of course having BBQ's! I think I love summer for the holiday we go on (although we missed out last year) and just getting some vitamin D!

4. Do you have any vacations planned this summer?

We're off to Oludeniz, of course! 
It falls just before hubs' 33rd birthday, so we're planning
to do something special whilst we're there.

5. Favorite summer holiday?

I have so many great memories (in amongst some not so great ones) from the 3 months we spent in Turkey in '09.

6. What is your dream vacation?

Bora Bora!

One day...

Next week's questions

1. What is your best summer memory as a kid?

2. What is your favorite summer drink?

3. What is your favorite summer TV show?

4. What is the best outdoor summer activity?

5. What are your summer vacation essentials?

Sunday Social 12/05/13

Here we are again! 

My page views are getting higher now, so thanks to all you regular and new 

readers :) don't be a stranger, say hi!

1. 1 year ago I was doing...

 

We'd just come back from a weekend away in London at Thorpe Park

(and seeing Jeff Dunham live). This day last year, it was really sunny,

so we had a BBQ at my parents house.  

I was just doing my exams for stage 2 and about  to embark on the third year of uni.

2. 5 years ago I was doing...

2008...uhr... I had finished a year off, the ONLY year I've ever taken out of education since I was 4 years old. (Aww!) I was working fulltime at the Theatre Royal Plymouth (which would be the place I met the man I fell in love with, but didnt realise until way after we left). I had just signed up to study a degree in Forensic Science which I was really excited for. :)

On - set at the panto.

Little did I know, next month I was about to lose the most amazing man ever to have been a part of my life - my Grandad.

A heart of gold. I miss him terribly. 

 

3. 10 years ago I was doing...

In 2003, I was in year 10 of High School,

doing my GCSEs.

 

We went to Turkey during the summer.

School photo with an awful filter on it.

4. 1 year from now I'll be doing...

I'll have been working in my new job for a year, and I'll have graduated (hopefully!)

from this degree that I'm about to finish in 2 weeks time.

I'm hoping that we'll have our mortgage by then, and start to plan for babies,

but there's no rush :)

5. 5 years from now I'll be doing...

Definitely in 5 years time, when I'm 30 (!!!!) we will have our home,

we will be married, and we will have babies. I hope that by then, I'll also

have completed the 3 year Doctorate - fingers crossed!!!!

6. 10 years from now I'll be doing...

I'll be living a great life and being totally nervous about getting dangerously close to 40 :)

Omg, the realisation just hit! Haha! 

Your turn! Answer the questions, grab our button, and link up with the girls! 

Next week's questions

1. What is your favorite kind of surprise?

2. Flowers or chocolate?

3. What is your favorite summertime activity?

4. Do you have any vacations planned this summer?

5. Favorite summer holiday?

6. What is your dream vacation?

 

Sunday Social 05/05/13

Hi!

Today's questions are all about 4s'!

~

1. 4 favorite things to do on a weekend

1. Sleep in! Zzzzz

2. Pin and Blog

3. Cook a roast with hubs

4. Snuggle with my pets

2. 4 favorite things about your best friend

1. He loves me for me and vice versa.

2. He is gorgeous.

3. He supports me in anything I do.

4. He warms my pj's before I get home from work at night :)

3. 4 things you would do with $100,000

1. Buy a house 

2. Holiday to Bora Bora

3. Buy a new car

4. Pay off student loan

4. 4 favorite books you've ever read

1. Tell No One - Harlan Coben

2. What your Doctor may not tell you about 

childhood vaccines - Dr. Stephanie Cave

3. Bad Pharma - Ben Goldacre

4. Bad Science - Ben Goldacre

I don't read a lot of fiction, being a student.

It's all about the text books! 

5. 4 favorite snack foods

1. Chopped pear and apple

2. Tesco stem ginger cookies

3. Greek yogurt

4. Gluten-free chocolate coated rice cakes

6. 4 things that you must do daily

1. Check my email

2. Brush my teeth

3. Read the news

4. At the moment... revise!!!!

Don't forget to check in at Ashley's blog

and link-up! 

Saira xo