Elusive Sleuth

I’ve had this on my cork board (just above my desk) for a little while now. I add to it/update it occasionally :)

It helps me keep the wider picture in mind while I plan my day-to-day things :)

It feels like far too long since I have written on here! I’d like to make a return to more frequent entry-writing but I need to make sure that my own life is sorted on a day-to-day basis before I look too closely at my longer term goals. I like 43things because I have this list that I can refer back to and I think it keeps me grounded, while at the same time I have this list of smaller goals pinned to my corkboard that confront me daily and help keep me focused :)

So why have I been gone?
All manner of reasons! Last semester at uni was a bit of a learning experience for me in terms of what I can and cannot cope with. For the first time in my life I felt so incredibly overwhelmed, and so exhausted from everything going on around me. I have never really reached my limit before, and always said yes to taking on commitments and up unti last semester I had loved it. Having lots to do was a real driver for me, and I loved to challenge myself. But I had to take it to far in order to understand what ‘too far’ was. I hit my limit and was grateful to have some supportive friends who were there to help out. I guess you can say I did it to myself, but it’s all part of the learning experience (and in a sense, part of getting to know myself).

This semester I have taken on less commitments and have generally had a bit more free time than before. It has been quite nice – I have more time to spend with friends, more time to visit family and more time to do things that I enjoy without the pressure of a million and one things to do. I am in my last semester at university and am also trying to keep my grades high, so it is nice that I don’t feel incredibly short of time and pressured with study.

That said, a lot has happened since i’ve been away. I am still processing it and may write about it here as and when I am ready. I have come a long way and made a lot of progress with my goals. Despite being away my goals are a part of who I am, and just because i’m not writing regular updates does not mean that I am in any way disconnected from what I want to achieve. Looking back over the last few months I have increased my self awareness, challenged myself, invested time into relationships, stuck to my values and principles (steadfastly!) and most of all – I have lived actively.

I hope to write more frequently from now on, as I see the need. I have been on this site for almost 6 years now (hard to believe sometimes!) and even though many people I started with are not active anymore, I still feel like I am talking to the 43things community.

^{Also, I haven’t posted any photos for awhile, so here is some photographic proof of me ‘living actively’ :)}

Week 11. Almost there. Just this week and then one more and then i’m done. Classes are almost over. I can do this. I seem to have reached a point of serenity in my study. I need to monitor the situation as it could go two ways: either I keep studying in a relaxed, confident manner, and I achieve a lot, or it all falls apart while I quietly make peace with the consequences.

I choose option one! :)
Here we go:

• Spanish assignment: finish, proof-read, hand-in.
• listening practice for Spanish test
• sit Spanish listening test
• read and summarise a Spanish article write a speech about it for the oral test next week (Tuesday 12pm) _turns out that this was at 11am…oops. Managed to sit the test at 11:30 :)
• Spanish grammar test: break down into parts, focus on grammar structures we have studied in class, revise grammar, answer questions, check progress
• Test on bilingualism next friday (revise lecture notes, review course readings) study with Alex on Thursday

• hold it together
• eat
• sleep 9.5 hours on Thursday and 10 hours last night!

• family visit this weekend Extended family and I survived!
• celebratory drink with A on hold as i’m having a month without alcohol.
• complete and hand in form to VC office
• reduce my sugar intake (kind of hard considering the pressure i’m under! I am currently snacking on a packet of bite sized chocolate bits. Mm yum :)) update: went to the supermarket for ice-cream, came home with ice-cream and chocolate…
• exam (not for almost 3 weeks, and I have a week free to study for it later).

Phew!