This year's Summer Ball was a lot different to the previous two. In fact, I just read over the two blogs posts I wrote (in 2013, and in 2014) and it's so strange to see how different they will be from this one.
For one thing, Tom wasn't there and we didn't spend it in one big group like previous years. I was ill for a big portion of the day and so remained pretty sober for the whole thing. We left before the end, since Anna would be starting her journey home the next day, and Meryn and I wanted to actually attempt to make it to the after party for once. And my evening didn't end with a Domino's (it ended with a McDonalds, instead).
But don't start thinking that different means worse.
I realised when I got home at 2am-ish and put my tired feet under the covers, that apart from Tom, there was no one else in the world I could have wanted to spend the day with than Meryn and Anna (and Leigh!). That, despite being ill, they had made the day way more than just fun and a big part of the reason I was able to still go out was because they had me laughing away the pain (quite literally - I stopped feeling ill some time around my third laughing fit).
That's the main thing I remember thinking back over the day - how much we laughed. The pure enjoyment of just being in each other's company, and making the most of our last event in University.
We mainly spent our time wandering around the different areas, enjoying the sunshine and the way it made everything seem golden and nostalgic and fun, in the best kind of summery way. We couldn't make it a few steps without one of us bumping into someone we knew, especially once Rag and Benj joined us. That is definitely one of the best feelings - when you realise how many people you know and like, and how many people know and like the friends you are with. It makes you feel connected to everything, you know?
This is also the first year I've made a proper attempt at making it to the after party. I've always been so tired/drunk/ready for bed by the time I make it home that the idea of going out to Wind Street makes me want to curl up and cry. Not this year though! Meryn and I walked into town, armed with our wristbands and the knowledge that we would probably only end up staying for 15/30 minutes before we ended up heading home again. As long as we made it into the club though, we were counting it as a win so we soldiered on. We ended up walking straight past Fiction because of the severe lack of a queue - we both started to doubt the existence of an after party and didn't want to appear stupid to the bouncers outside. Facebook came to the rescue and proved there was indeed an after party so we swallowed our pride, showed our IDs and made it in (once we had basically walked around the whole of Wind Street, debating). We were then greeted by a someone asking for £5 entry.
"Oh no, we have the 5-Day All Star cruise bands? The one that gets us into the events leading up to the Ball."
"It's £5 on top of them."
"Ooooh." *We look at each other, nod, and immediately turn around and walk back outside*
As much as we wanted to go to the after party.. no way was it worth £5 when we were both basically asleep on our feet. What followed was the slowest, most achey walk either of us has made back from town. I could not have been more glad to fall in to bed when I eventually made it back.
And it was when I was back and had time to properly think over the day that I fully appreciated just how much I had enjoyed it.
That it fell short of perfect simply because Tom was being stupid and cycling through the Alps.
That I was so lucky to have the people in my life that I did, and that once again, Summer Ball reminded me just how much I love (and have loved) the experiences I've had in Swansea. 
What a day!
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