What Sophie Said

Yesterday marked exactly a year since I moved to London. I didn’t think it would ever be a move I would make, but it has led to one of the busiest years of my life and probably the one in which I have changed and learned the most. The move was about breaking out of my comfort zone, and throwing off the comfort blankets I’d surrounded myself with. Without challenging myself, I was never going to overcome a lot of the fears I had built up and learned to live with. The timings suddenly clicked. I was really unhappy in my job, living alone with the flexibility to move, and there was nothing tying me to stay in the same place. When the job hunt began, I was offered a role at a company I’ve admired for years, which sealed the deal and to London I came. It’s been a year of extreme highs and some very real lows, and one year on I can say it’s been one of the biggest learning experiences I’ve had. I’m in a new city, facing ‘fears’ like the tube, living with stranger...

As you'll know by now, on Tuesday I made the move to London. I have moved in temporarily with a family friend as I hunt for a room to rent. Today I thought I‘d share 5 things the moving process taught me:- 1. It’s baffling how much ‘stuff’ you accumulate. I had a huge clear-out before the move, and couldn’t believe how many things I’d acquired through last-minute shopping trips, gifts, and things passed on from family and friends. When you have to pack up everything you own to either move with you or be stored, it forces you to take a critical look at what really matters. Bearing in mind I was moving from a spacious flat to a single room, this stage was much-needed! 2. Never underestimate the value of family (or friends) who are willing to help you. My mum helped shift things out of my flat, and with final bits of cleaning. Dad drove Mum, me and all of my stuff the 4 hours to London. My parents then helped unload the car, before pausing for lunch and turning round to...

Well, today has been a long old day. A 4-hour car journey brought me to my temporary home, a ‘stop-gap’ whilst I find a room to move into. I’m unpacked, I’ve learned the ropes and found the nearest tube station, coffee shop and supermarket. So here we go… New city. New room. New job. New routines. It’s here! And it’s time to get started… Just let me have a good sleep first! Zzzzzz…..

Over the last seven months, there’s been one particular train route I’ve done a lot of. Macclesfield to London Euston. The London trips started with work, and before long I was staying through the weekends too. I’ve taken the train there for work. I’ve taken the train there for fun. For day trips to London Zoo, to Guildford, around Canary Wharf. To watch shows. To see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Book of Mormon, Made in Dagenham. To hear music, specifically an intimate Pixie Lott concert at Pizza Express’ Strand restaurant. To visit Wimbledon. To sit in Centre Court and watch Venus and Serena. Federer. Andy Murray. To spend my 23 rd birthday. To eat. Lots. To meet new friends, and re-connect with old ones. And this week, the train journeys will stop (apart from trips home to see the family!) Because this week I’m moving! London is the venue for the next little chapter in my story, work-wise and in my person...

Hello, August. I feel like you’re going to be a great month this year. I’m moving to London. I’m starting my new job. That’s two pretty huge things. Exciting things. I’ll be making new plans, new memories, settling into new routines. Meeting new people, taking on new responsibilities, learning new things. Exploring new places, visiting new attractions, taking in new sights. Visiting old friends, meeting new ones. Finding my feet in the Big City. Swapping hourly trains for tubes travelling minutes apart. Swapping a quiet town for a bustling city. August, I’m excited.

‘You’re so brave’ 'Now's the time to do it!' ‘That’s so exciting’ ‘Do you know what you’re going to do?’ These four phrases have been repeated at me on a loop for the past few weeks.  I guess you could say I’ve made a couple of ‘BIG DECISIONS’. I’ve left my job, and I’m moving to London.  I don’t know where I’ll live yet. And I don’t have a job yet. Those things are TBC. They’re works in progress. Determining their answers is the purpose of the next couple of weeks. I’ve never really put myself in a position before where I don’t know precisely what is coming next. I take a lot of comfort from having plans, from having dates in the diary and concrete goals I know I can achieve. I didn’t take a gap year. I’ve not been travelling. I feel like I’ve always followed a very safe route, and done what I expected myself to do. But recently I’ve realised those goals were goals I created a few years ago, and actually those goals have changed.  M...

Just a quick post tonight as I'm trying to sort through a lot of things all at the same time, and get some work done for my marketing course. So. Here's what's on my mind. My baby sister is moving to MADRID. Well she's not a baby, she's 18, but that's not really the point... I'm unbelievably hugely excited for her, and she will have the most incredible time... But yesterday dad booked her one-way flight to Madrid for September and I suddenly felt a little bit funny in my tummy. That's a whole other country. You have to go on a plane to get there. Isn't that weird? She's always been in my house, or down the road, or a short train away when I was at university. It's going to take some adjusting, and dad has begun to call her 'Kittypleasedontgo'. She's flying out on Sunday for a month, then coming home for a month, and then it's the big move! She's an adventurer and an explorer and I know she'l...