Fourth Year – Semester 1: Tick

This semester absolutely smashed me. Quick summary: cried almost every week, completed twenty assignments/exams over 13 weeks, stopped exercising, put on some kg’s and lost my social life. Nooo thank you.

Firstly, I am just an absolute ball of stress. I am a perfectionist, drifting through life placing unachievable standards on myself to achieve that perfect grade, outfit, exam or perception from others. So this clearly makes university fun! Being a Law and Journalism student, it’s super competitive. On the one hand, you’re surrounded by people who are used to being the ‘top of the class’ and ‘straight A students’ vs. a degree that requires creativity and the ability to think outside the box. This semester challenged me mentally, so let’s just look at what I completed –

Semester 1, 2017 (13 Weeks/Fourth Year)

Hours spent at university: 23 hours a week / 299 hours over the semester

Money spent on parking: $26.50 a week / $344.50 over the semester

Hours spent doing readings: roughly 18 hours a week / 234 hours over the semester

Money spent on coffee: $13.20 a week / $171.60 over the semester

My Timetable

(Ha ha at the ‘gym’ parts…)

Okay no wonder I basically cried every week – 41 hours each week I spent focussed on nothing but uni work. Readings. Assignments. Tests. Exams. Seriouuuuusly. And because of this, I sacrificed my mental health.. my physical health.. my social life… oh dear.

My timetable for Semester 2, 2017 is still at 3 days per week, and working two days BUT:

Hours spent at university: 14 hours a week / 182 hours over the semester

Money spent on parking: $16.50 a week / $214.50 over the semester

So, my hours are almost halved! I will be able to go to the gym, catch up with friends, and even take some time out for me.

 

 

Mother’s Day 2017

Mum, I love you more than I could ever describe. You are appreciated, you are loved and please know that will never change. You have and will continue to drop anything and everything to do for this family. You are our angel.

I wish you all the happiness, love, positivity and good health this world has to offer. There is no one more deserving than you to have everything you wish for in this life. If I was in the position now to pay of your mortgage or send you on your dream holiday to the Maldives, but that is what I’m aiming to achieve. I will get there one day. And I will give back to you, well probably not even half of what you (and dad) have ever given me, but I will try.

Happy Mother’s Day mumma, love you too much.

My obsession for stationery

Desk space inspiration 🌿🌻

TICK: 2017 Goal #5

Obtaining a Legal Job!! 
It was my main goal for this year to secure a job with a law firm and I happened to get one in January! ☺️ I’m a fourth year law and journalism student and thought it was time to leave the retail industry and gain a step in the door to my career. I’m technically a receptionist, however they’re aware that I want to gain as much legal experience as possible and are incidentally exposing me to such I.e witnessing wills, writing file notes and observing client interviews.

I’m so excited where this could take me! Bring on 2017 🙏🏼👌🏼🤗

A short view into the future

This may sound ridiculous to some, but here’s a snapshot of my ideal future.

I’m twenty-one years of age. In a few years I will have an absurd HECS debt (double degree at university – $50,000, PLUS college of law – $10,000); my bank account will probably go into the negatives with the amount of travel I plan to do before I graduate; and combined with general living expenses, owning a car, having a social life etc., by the start of 2019, I will most likely still be living at home trying to save ‘my life.’

A girl can still dream, right?

SO, those things aside. Here it goes.

 

2018/2019

2018 is the year my five years at university comes to an end. No more study, no more assessments… definitely kidding. To be admitted as a solicitor, you have to do college of law, which is an extra six months on top of your degree where you complete more assessments, and have to do an 80 day placement with a firm. So, in 2019 with all things going to plan, I will be admitted as a solicitor around June/July, and have hopefully secured a graduate position with a firm. I want to be known for being strong in my professional life.

2020

I will be settling down into my career this year, whatever area of law that is. I’ll most likely be working ridiculous hours and have the crappy office as the ‘newbie’ in the firm. Have to start somewhere. I will be saving SO much money (alongside my boyfriend) to hopefully buy a place together – apartment/house. Two incomes is better than one, right? Especially when you’re both on the same page. I’d love to travel to Europe this year too. I’ve done Europe in winter, so travelling there in Summer would be perfect. Greece, Croatia, Italy, France… yes please.

2021 and onwards

Who knows what is going to happen in the future, honestly. One small decision or action can change your entire path. Yet in saying that, in terms of love, to say you’ve found your soulmate is pretty exciting but serious. And I 100% think I have. I was never really a big believer in love at first sight, until I met him. After that date, I just knew. To travel together, experience life and make memories by each others side, and eventually marry and have kids, there is just so much to look forward to.

 

Some future house inspiration✨👌🏼

Dinner at Opah Restaurant

OPAH RESTAURANT @ CNR KINGSWAY + GERRALE STREET, CRONULLA NSW

This is hands down my favourite restaurant I have ever been to. Its location, upstairs on the corner of the Kingsway and Gerrale Street, gives Opah views of North Cronulla beach and the busy Cronulla streets.

Opah serves (absolutely delicious) Greek cuisine, has a relaxed atmosphere and has an indoor (seats 120), outdoor (seats 40) and bar seating area (seats 50). I would definitely recommend arriving with an empty stomach, ready to leave stuffed but satisfied.

Their $45 Greek Yum Cha menu is worth every cent, offering Greek salads, dips, haloumi,   chicken to spit roast lamb. You could order 5 plates of haloumi if you wanted to – well worth your money. If you go with friends, you can order a variety of entrees as share plates, ranging from dips, fried calamari, bbq octopus, lamb/chicken souvlaki to Greek sausages.

If you do feel like having your own meal, $35 will have you full to capacity. Choose your meat (spit roast lamb – would definitely recommend this, bbq octopus, barramundi to prawns), which is served with a Greek salad, pita bread and your choice of vegetables or chips.

Their cocktail jugs are also delicious – for $25, you can get roughly four and a half cups.

This is a restaurant I go with my boyfriend almost every week and have always had incredible service and amazing food! The staff are relaxed but attentive, the food comes out promptly, and the drinks are delicious. Roughly about $100 for two people.

New Monday / New Week / New Goals

Everyone at some point in their life has said “my diet starts Monday” or “I will start exercising on Monday”. It seems logical to start fresh at the beginning of the week: we have a clearer mindset, we forget all that chocolate or alcohol we had on the weekend because it doesn’t matter as “it’s Monday”, and we also forget the minimal exercise we did last week as it’s time to start fresh.

SO, My 3 goals for this week:

1. Catch up with a friend (social)
   • Life is inevitably a natural rollercoaster, and aside from family, you will always need someone’s support, trust and companionship. As you grow older, you discover that it is quality over quantity. You may have three incredibly close friends, over 15 friends you see every few weeks. But you know those three will always be there for you and that is what’s special. It is so important to maintain that. Effort goes two ways.
2. Go to three classes at the gym (physical)
   • I am a Law and Journalism student, so for most of the year I am either stressed or sitting at my desk! I joined the gym recently to regain the fitness I have lost over the years and to have a break from studying the many hours of the day. I have found I really enjoy ‘body pump’ – it’s a weights-based class that fits in with my schedule.
3. Take time out for you (mental)
   • This is something I also never do. I am so preoccupied with studying or working and never take time out for myself. I stress myself out like crazy over uni work so even if I take 20 minutes to read a book, sit in the sun or go on a walk listening to music, that is a really big step.

Think about this

Surround yourself with people that reflect who you want to be, and how you want to feel – energies are contagious.

This really is something for me to think about in 2017. I want to grow confidently as a person this year. I want to be around people that talk about the future, their dreams or new ideas. People who are positive, ones that encourage you, support you and help you grow.  And hopefully by the end of 2017, I will be that person for someone.