Tuesday 2 February 2016

2015 in Review

A list of the good stuff that I would like to take away from 2015 :) 
Better late than never!

1.       Started studying Psychology!
For the first time I can say that I finished this year on a very good note and achieved really great results. I enjoyed most of my modules this year and found the content very interesting. There were a few ups and downs along the way, but in the end I am happy with the way that this year went.

2.       Became a Peer Helper and got involved on campus

3.       Got my driver’s licence!
Passing my driver’s test in July 2015 changed my life for the better. It made life much easier for me and my family and allowed me to have more independence.

4.       Great conversations with my mentor.
My mentor is an amazing woman. I have mentioned her here and there in a few of my posts in the past. I am truly grateful for her continued support and encouragement of the past year. We have a monthly Skype session and she always makes an effort to fit me into her busy schedule.

5.       Met interesting new people and made a few great friends.

6.       Started facilitating at Revive and became part of the team.

7.       Started working at a bookstore. 
             My very first formal part-time employment. 

Looking forward to what this year has to offer!

Monday 1 February 2016

Varsity countdown and Holiday Book Buys

It is exactly one more week until varsity starts and I will officially be a 2nd year Psychology student! It feels good to say that. I am really looking forward to this year and am very excited to get back into the swing of things. 

I’ve been on holiday for nearly 10 weeks now; which is not something that I am used to! I spent most of my time working in December, and January. And as tiring and frustrating as it sometimes is, it has been a good thing. It has given me a chance to get out of the house, earn some of my own money, and meet new people. I’ve also had the opportunity to build my interpersonal skills and develop a good work ethic. Holiday jobs are definitely a great way to grow and learn more about yourself too. 

The upside of working in a bookstore is, of course, being around these wonderful and sometimes strange collections of words. And every now and again we are lucky enough to catch a good deal right when it lands!


But the on the other hand, the downside of working in a bookstore is the temptation to keep buying more books... It is a lot harder to resist them calling your name from the overcrowded and lonely shelves, desperately wanting to be rescued. And naturally, being the book-lover that I am, all I want to do is save these poor books and give them a real home. So while I couldn't save them all, I did manage to add these greats to my personal library-in-the-making:


Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
Rising Strong by Brene Brown
Postmortem: The Doctor Who Walked Away by Maria Phalime
Wild at Heart & Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl