Hannah Nicklin - Blog

Thank you.

Every year or so- at a point of moving forward or moving on, I have an urge to do a self-portrait- I guess kind of record the moment, and to assess. Right now definitely does feel like a moment to record. I have the wonderful, wonderful opportunity of being funded to study a PhD at Loughborough University. I like Loughborough, as a place it's nice enough, but more importantly when there I am surrounded by friends, I also love Leicester, in general as a city, and also now it has an exciting new theatrical venue, The Curve. Loughborough is near enough to the countryside (and I do need countryside) but Leicester is only 10 minutes away, London an hour and a bit. The proposal I will be working on is one combining my two great loves: theatre, and technology. I will have the chance to combine them both in creative writing - with a chance to look at our new world, our new ways of loving, laughing, communicating - and within ideas of applied theatre - using a combination of the arts and technology to reach out to the disadvantaged and disenfranchised. I have the chance to really make a difference to the world around me; I have time to tell the stories that I think are important, that I think people should hear, and facilitate opportunities for others tell theirs.

I hadn't even allowed myself to hope this might happen, and yet it has. And I'm truly thankful for it - not to any cosmic power - but to my friends and family, for supporting me every step of the way. I'm grateful to my family, for never telling me I couldn't do something, for taking out loans so that I could afford my masters, for always telling me how proud they were of me and for reminding me to take a break occasionally. For friends; putting up with me in my slightly reclusive bouts of ridiculous work ethic, and for being there when I needed to let go and just dance in heat and light and loud music, for telling me constantly that they, at least, had no doubt, and also to new friends, for congratulations via twitter and facebook - to all of you, thank you. This piece of news wasn't complete until I was able to tell you all, to laugh with you, to talk with excitement, to hear and read your congratulations. So thank you. And now: on! I wonder what you think of the drawing? I think I look a lot more grown up there than I feel. (And my hair goes curly like that when I don't straighten it).

Han x