Back To Uni…

Uni is… tiring. But it’s excellent to be back. Half of my classes are psychology focused, which is fascinating, and I’ve also made some new friends. One of them is named Mads, so I feel we’ll get along swimmingly.

My 4.30am wake ups are already taking their toll on me, but in time for my break, I found my childhood queen of pop had released her new single. I feel it’s a sign for me to not let the tiredness get me down and enjoy everything instead.

(Also I apologise in advance for infrequent blogging)

Happy Sunday #6

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Hi lovely friends; happy Sunday!

After 6 weeks, it’s finally looking like winter. It’s good that the weather is being normal, but I could go for a long walk and some sunshine right now. This week I’ve…

  • Finished the Heroes of Olympus series.
  • Finalised my timetable for next semester (it involves a fair few early mornings -_-).
  • Had a sisterly bonding park exploration day. We even rolled down giant grassy hills.
  • Learned how to make stickers (I’ll make a how-to when I’ve gotten better at it and can make decent ones).
  • Hopefully cemented a basic understanding of grammar within my tutee.
  • Received a postcard from my best friend who’s on holiday in Germany.

I hope everyone’s had a brilliant week and that next week will be just as great!

P.S. Good luck to everyone starting their next (or first) semester of uni.

Edit: Yes, I am an idiot and posted this on a Saturday.

End of Winter Break

Today is Friday, the last day of my holidays. They have been really enjoyable, and I finished with more money than I started with, which is always a good thing. This is the checklist I made at the beginning:

  • Job hunting/hopefully getting (tutoring!!)
  • Clean my room
  • Sort my wardrobe
  • Get back into running
  • Finish making 1000 paper stars
  • Draw more
  • Watch tv shows and movies in German and French
  • Write to my friends
  • Classic girly sleepovers
  • Watch The Fault in our Stars
  • Take more photographs and experiment
  • Continue knitting
  • Cook a wider variety of food

I have also read a lot more than I thought I would, which I’m mostly happy about.

  • Harry Potter series
  • Anna and the French Kiss
  • Lola and the Boy Next Door
  • Heroes of Olympus series

So that’s… 14 books. Woah.

I also spent a fair amount of time with my sister; we hung out, went for walks, watched movies together, and played at the park. I love that we’re getting so much closer.

Except for one class, I haven’t really checked who I’ll be with at uni, so I hope it goes well.

Here’s to semester two.

Happy Sunday #5

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Hello lovely people; happy Sunday! I hope you’ve all been having a fantastic week. This upcoming one is the last before uni starts again, so I’ll have to make the most of it.

  • I have been drawing. My style is kind of childish, but I like it.
  • I received a tonne of hand-me-downs from my aunt and they are fantastic!
  • I got The Book Thief and two cute handbag/purse things from my cousins.
  • My hair makes me no longer resemble Joey Ramone, which is a very good thing.
  • I’m reading the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan and I love them so much. Emotional investment in fictional characters is fun.

I hope everyone has a fun-filled, enriching week ahead!

One cup of compassion, please…

… Or maybe 2, or 20.

I’m sure you’ve all heard, in the news, about the “28 Australians”, or “27 Americans and up to 10 Britons”. I know it doesn’t apply to everyone, but why do we need such specific headlines? Shouldn’t simply “295 died in a plane crash” evoke enough interest and empathy. Well, sadly it doesn’t. People seem to only care about things if it’s in their own personal bubble, if it’s “close to home”. They seem to forget that, at the end of the day, we’re humans. Not only that, but humans unnecessarily fighting and killing other humans. On that plane, there were teachers, students, parents, authors, AIDS specialists; no matter what the media says, they were all significant people. Every human, every Earthling, desires to live, and we just need to remember this, and simply care for others, without it having to be directly related to us.

Happy Sunday #4

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Hello lovely people; happy Sunday! I hope you’ve all had a fantastic week.

  • I went to the Reptile Park with my family. It was lovely to spend time with them, but I felt uncomfortable about the caged animals.
  • I read lots! I finished Stephanie Perkins’ books and have started re-reading/catching up on Heroes of Olympus, the sequel series to Percy Jackson.
  • I have started doing veganism research. I really wish I could just start, but I want to ensure my health will be maintained when I transition. It definitely calls for GP visits.
  • I have another tutoring job! I start next Friday, and will be helping a 9 year old with spelling. I think some games and rhymes will be needed.
  • I got my uni marks as well! I got 2 distinctions and 2 credits, so I’m rather happy.

I hope the next week is just as fantastic and you all enjoy it! xxx

A Little Bit of Kindness

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I am a firm believer in taking the time to look after mental health and wellbeing. One of my friends, who has been suffering from mental health issues, uses the term “self care”, where she dedicates time to looking after her mind and soul. No matter your state of mind, this is something that everyone should enact on regularly.

I drew this as a representation of how I have my “self care” times. I enjoy eating sweet food, listening to music, going outside at night or watching videos on space, looking at pictures of plants, visiting the garden centre, and making paper stars, which I keep in my little milk bottle, as shown. I drew this only 2 weeks ago, but I feel an extra sketch needs to be added, of my pens and sketchbook.

Obviously this is based on what I enjoy; it differs for everyone. It’d be nice to make a list, drawing, or even a short film or audio post, on how you nurture yourself, and make sure that you always take the time to do those things.

 

Vegan Peanut Curry

Inspired by this recipe.

It’s something I think I’ll write about in more detail later, but I am aiming to “go vegan”. While hunting for recipes, I found this gem, but was utterly confused by the inclusion of thyme. Thus, my dad and I transformed this from a stew, into a curry.

You will need:

  • 1 cup of rice
  • 1 potato (cut into chunks)
  • 1 brown onion (thickly diced)
  • 1 tin of crushed tomatoes
  • olive oil
  • 1/2 tin of chickpeas
  • a few tbsp crunchy peanut butter
  • 1 small handful of green beans (ends cut off and chopped in quarters)
  • cumin
  • ground coriander seeds
  • chilli flakes
  • turmeric
  • salt

1) Boil the potato and beans in a pot together.

2) Cook the rice in a rice cooker or pot.

3) Brown the onion in a pan with olive oil, some chilli flakes, and a pinch of salt.

4) Add the peanut butter and chickpeas; stir.

5) Carefully add potato and beans and keep stirring.

6) Pour in tin of crushed tomatoes. If needed, add water for extra liquid when simmering.

7) Sprinkle on some cumin, turmeric, and ground coriander seeds before putting on the lid and leaving to cook for 15-25 minutes.

8) Serve with rice and enjoy.