I’m Back! And ready for Action!

After being MIA for a few weeks, the blogger in me it back. The past few weeks have been pretty much utter chaos! I’m so glad they are over. After a big mess of a registration, I’m finally fixing all the bugs in the system- figuratively. 

Varsity starts again next week, which is crazy since it felt like my 3 month holiday only started last week! But I can honestly say I’m ready for the new academic year. Although, I’m probably just as nervous as I was last year, at least it’s not a completely new ball game.

I read a quote the other day that said:

“Everything I need to succeed is within me” ~ Unknown.

I think that is the perfect attitude to adopt going into this new year (I know it’s February already, and possibly sickening for some of you that my new year starts only now).

I’m keen for a fresh start and motivated to achieve great things this year! And I hope you will all join me in that pursuit.

Last week, my family and I went away to Magalies Park Country Club for the week. It was just what we needed. Some time to relax and energise ourselves for the year ahead. Being out of season, the resort was incredibly quiet midweek. Every day we chilled at the pool, which we had all to ourselves (mostly). Talk about bliss! As a result of the heat, swimming was most welcome- even after 7pm some nights. And in addition, I came home with a lekker tan (for a change!). On Tuesday, Chris and I took to the golf course. Although I didn’t play, I did have fun driving the golf cart around!

So, after indulging probably too much in the good food we had, I’m going to have to work extra hard to get back on track with Weigh-Less and hopefully reach my goal soon (I’m almost there- cue the yays).

Maybe its a good thing I didn't play... looking at this pic now

Off to play golf

Early morning walk

The Happy Golfers nearing the final hole

Whichever chapter you currently find yourself in, my wish for you is that you make it a great one and walk out of it with the success you deserve!

Until next time,

Believe in yourself!

<3 Nicole_Kayley

Return of the Blogger

I am incredibly excited and happy to be back on my keyboard to bring you a new blog post! I was shocked when I logged into the blogger account and saw that my last post was the 26^th of July!! *hides face in shame*. But to be brutally honest I just haven’t had the time to blog. As desperately as I’ve wanted to and all the ideas I’ve come up with, I just never found the time. However, I shall be making it up to you in the next few weeks. I have so much to share about the past three and a half months... It’s crazy!

Since I last blogged, some interesting things have happened around here that I would love to share in more detail. So, it snowed all over South Africa, I did a bunch of tests and assignments, I surprised my boyfriend with a troll cake for his birthday, we took a trip to Hazyview, more assignments, a long weekend in Clarens, more tests and assignments, some work here and there, some music along the way, an inspirational Jo’burg skyline, I lost 5kgs and started exercising, four exams later, and I finally finished my first year of varsity yesterday! That’s basically the past three months in a whirlwind, but I will be sharing more in the next few days... so stick around! And I might throw in a Snapshot post or two as well... Don’t miss out!

I went back and read the last post I wrote and I was actually surprised with myself. Embarrassingly, I had forgotten what I had even written about, but upon reading it I felt a sense of pride and satisfaction. While writing a motivational post such as that one, I didn’t think of how I would stay true to my word. Everything I mentioned about being a postage stamp and getting there rings true to my final months of the varsity year. I am quite proud to say that I did just that! I put my mind to it, I worked hard and I came out stronger on the other side. I’m hoping you can say the same for yourselves. Let me know of your motivational success stories and post a comment below. I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Keep your head up, and smile!

<3 Nicole_Kayley

Be Like A Postage Stamp

The second semester has started and I can already smell the smoke of a fried brain... Eek! However, I seem to have a very positive feeling about the next half of the year. Having settled into varsity life and found my bearings and a routine (although I still haven’t adapted to waking up at 5:30am yet...), I think on one hand it will be easier than the first semester, yet still  throw out a few curve balls along the way.

I’ve already begun frantically organising my calendar with deadlines and so forth, and even begun my first project. For now I’m ahead with all my reading material, and hoping to keep it that way! It’s a whole lot easier when you know what your lecturers are talking about.

While everything sounds like a walk in the park, I realised its only still the beginning and things are about to start picking up in the next two to three weeks. Today I noticed the quote I stuck up under my mirror last year to motivate myself throughout Matric:

 “Be like a postage stamp. Stick to it until you get there.” – Harvey Mackay,

 and I remembered the powerful motivating source it was for my final school year. That is why I decided to share it with all of you. It may be just the words you need right now. I certainly did, as I realised that if I just keep sticking to my ways and stay motivated, I can make it through anything and accomplish any obstacle life drops in my path. No matter how long the essay, complex the assignment or difficult the test paper, I can do it (shouts from the audience: “yes we can!” *insert laughs here*).  

That being your motivational post for the month, I wish you all the best in all your endeavours for the remainder of 2012. Be that postage stamp and you will get there!

All the best,

Much love and motivation,

Nicole_Kayley <3

Progression

First off... I’m sorry for being slightly MIA over the past three months, but in all honesty life had just caught up with me (or rather, overtaken me). Varsity got a tad on the hectic side leading up to mid-year exams, including all the assignments and tests in between. However, overall I am satisfied with my test and assignment results thus far and now I wait in anticipation for my first set of university exam results. I am happy to say that I think I have adapted well to university life, and feel ready to conquer the next 2 and a half to 3 and a half (or even four or five) years of my degree! But for now I think I’m just going to enjoy my four week-long holiday and get back into that motivated mindset that will get me through the second half of the year. Before we know it, it’ll be Christmas time again. I’m astounded at how fast this year has flow by (insert super surprised face here)!

In other news, unfortunately I found myself in an operating theatre yesterday afternoon. It was a whole new experience for me, since I have never been under anaesthetic much less been operated on before. Hold on, no need to panic! I’m absolutely fine, apart from a few sore muscles and two small cuts on my abdomen. So, I know you are curious to know why all this happened. Here’s the deal: about seven weeks ago a relatively disturbing pain started on the right side of my abdomen, sort of where you would find your appendix. I’d had the pain there before, on and off, for the past five years, so I just brushed it off and dealt with the pain. But by the following week when it hadn’t gone away like it usually did, and instead got worse, I figured something was up. After seeing my doctor and having a few scans and blood tests, it turned out to be a rather large ovarian cyst. Since the pain had been recurrent, the doctor decided it would be best to have it removed, hence the surgery. As it was not crucial that I have it removed right away, I waited until after my exams to have it done. Yes, that did mean I had to live with the pain for 6 odd weeks. But I managed!

As for yesterday, it was all new to me being the one in the hospital bed for a change, but I walked out of the day clinic with a new experience and a new strength. It had its humorous moments too- my nurses were rather entertaining, calling me their “baby” (guessing I was one of their younger patients). I also had a good laugh at their confusion- while the English-speaking nurse is trying to speak Afrikaans to me and cannot understand why her Afrikaans-speaking colleague is speaking English. It was only when she looked at my name that she realised just how English I am (cue laughter here). It was one of those “you had to be there” moments.

Looking back now I am glad it is all done and behind me, and I can just work at recovering once the pain subsides. I have so many exciting things to look forward to in the next few weeks, I’m glad I have this week to just relax and rejuvenate. Although, having only spent one day in bed so far, I’m already bored and do not know what to do with myself. What can I say? I’m a ‘doer’, I like to keep busy. So, I will keep my blog updated with the happenings of my journey over the next few weeks and after that we’ll see where life takes us.

Until then,

Keep smiling!!

<3 Nicole_Kayley

Note to self...

Wow! It has been so long since I last updated my blog. Apologies to those regular readers. Truth is real life has caught up with me. There is no more waking up after 8am, after staying up reading an engrossing novel or, getting through an entire day without doing a single productive thing, but instead watching Comedy Central until you fall asleep. So, in other words, it’s back to reality. Varsity has begun, and so has the work.

My first week wasn’t too bad. I think I only managed to get lost twice. Yay for me, since I made it out on my own. The first time was rather entertaining, if I do say so myself. I was on a mission to find my psychology notice board, and not realising that I had to actually walk down one of the passageways, I continued to climb flight after flight of stairs until I found myself on a landing with nowhere to go. I had got myself into a dead end. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself.

On the lecture front, I am finding some form of enjoyment in each of my classes, especially psychology (it’s so interesting). However, by the time I get home I am so exhausted that I have to keep reminding myself to do my work before bedtime. I suppose I’ll get used to it eventually. Although, I’m not too sure about these 5am-wake-ups. Trying to wake up is bad enough, but now that early in the morning... It’s crazy!  

As awesome as university is, a part of me still misses school. The small classes, having all my friends with me in each class, and all the little things that go along with being in that smaller community of St Ursula’s. On Friday, I was fortunate enough to bump into three of my school friends while making my way around campus. Having not seen them in a while, I realised how much I miss our school days together, whether it be having fun on the lawn, laughing at somebody’s corny joke, or complaining about how much science homework Mr. Basson  gave us for tomorrow. I think it may be time for a reunion.

So, in week one I have learned some valuable lessons, hence the title: “Note To Self...”. This is my list of things to remember:

·         Do not wear slops... They will hurt you and give you blisters. No matter how many lectures you have in a day, you’ll still be walking pretty far.

·         Don’t arrive 10 minutes before the end of the lecture. You won’t learn anything. Arrive early and get a good seat, or at least a seat.

·         Don’t sit in the back- You will not hear or see a thing. And avoid sitting next to talkative people, because sometimes their stories are more interesting than the lecturer. Again, you won’t learn anything.

·         Do sit next to your cousin in Media Studies lectures- especially on his funny days (cue: hysterical laughter).

·         It seems to be okay to swear at your lecturer when you’re using it as an example to explain your point... (yes, this did happen in my Linguistics class and I did laugh).

·         Most importantly: No matter what, make the most of every  moment because it won’t last forever.

Here’s to a new beginning, and a new journey. So, to all my fellow first-time, first year students: All the best and Good Luck. We can do this better than anyone else ever has before. (Cliché alert!) Keep your eye on the prize. It will always be within reach. You just need to stretch out and grab it. It’s yours for the taking. (Okay, I’m done.)

Much Love,

<3 Nicole_Kayley.

Let’s Do This!!

A week ago I was going completely crazy with thoughts of the coming year. It finally hit me, watching all the kids go back to school, and realising how late in January it is already, that it’s getting real now. University is right around the corner and I’m not going back to school. Comfortable school. Where teachers care too much, where there is no freedom and you have to wear uncomfortable uniforms all day. How I wish I was going back to school. I know what you’re thinking: I’m crazy. But think about it: in school, life is easy. You’re teachers are always willing to help, the rules and strict nature are there for your benefit (I know we've all cursed them at some point- but it’s true).

In all honesty, I loved the structure we had in school. The rules, uniforms, teachers, and lack of freedom all played a part in teaching me something. The restricted freedom taught me how to appreciate my free time, respect for my peers and most importantly how to work hard, from which I adapted a ‘need-to-achieve’ attitude. However, even after learning all of this in school, I still feel like I’m not completely equipped to tackle the big world out there. Nonetheless, I think that life will always find a way to throw me in the deep end without warning or arm-bands and I will simply find a way to cope and swim to the shore.

Okay. So, I can check “ways of coping” of my list. Next to worry about is: “ what on earth am I going to do!!” In the last year, the description of my studies has changed about a hundred times- literally! I thought about nearly everything from Speech and Hearing Therapy to a Bachelor of Music. In the end I’ve chosen to do a Bachelor of Arts.  As basic and flexible as you can get. Then comes the part where I have to choose subjects and I go: “HUH?!?!” Since deciding on the BA course, the subject combinations I’ve had have also changed a few too many times. But hey, this part of my life is trying to find my feet, right? trying to discover myself, who I want to be and what I want to do for the rest of my life. At 19 years old, I doubt that anyone is absolutely confident about how they want to spend the rest of their lives. Unless, they were born with the deepest passion for their desired career path. Then you have people all around you, telling you that they see you going in a certain direction that makes absolutely no sense to you at all. Which is exactly why I have finally decided on how to choose my first year subjects. Firstly, psychology- it’s something I feel I would be good at. Secondly, Music- something I have an undying passion for and love with my whole heart. Third, Media studies- voted for by the people (it does spark an interest in me tough) and lastly, Linguistics- also voted for by the people, who think I would make a good journalist (Thank-you’s all round). And... Check!

Lastly on my list: “how am I not going to get my tiny self lost on the gigantic campus?” I know that in about three years time I would look back, laugh at myself and say: “I can’t believe I got myself lost there. It was so simple”. However, I was smart about this one. Yesterday, my friend Candice and I took a trip to the university for the day to explore. We walked around the entire campus, finding our way with this huge map and by the end of the day we knew pretty much where most things were (including every food place). So: Check! (Although, I see myself getting lost inside one of the buildings at some point).

Despite the nerves and all the excitement, I can honestly say that I think I’m ready for this new journey in my life. So, bring it on! I can do this.

Much Love,

<3 Nicole_Kayley

Journey

7 December 2011

JOURNEY. The act of travelling from one place to another. They say life is a journey and that is exactly why I chose to title my blog “Journey”. The inspiration to start my blog was the journey my life has been thus far.

In my almost 19 years, I guess you could say I still have a whole lifetime’s worth of experiences ahead of me. True.

However, recently finishing high school has given me a whole new outlook on life. I see my life as a never-ending journey that is filled with experiences that could be seen as journeys in themselves.

The transition I am currently facing, from school-girl to university student, is the end of one journey and the start of another. I won’t lie- it is rather daunting and scary. Leaving behind all I’ve known for the past 16 years and moving on to greater things does leave me a tad shell-shocked. Yet, I am excited beyond comprehension, having been given the chance to experience the ‘Big Bad World’ out there.

Speaking of journeys, I would like to share parts of my personal journey. It has been a rather bumpy ride, with a few giant potholes along the way, and smooth roadways to make it all worth it. As my high school principal, Mrs Venter, said perfectly at the end of my matric year: “Sometimes you have to fall before you can rise up”. She was referring to my very sudden choice to change schools at the end of my grade 10 year. To put it all in perspective I have attended 7 schools from pre-school to matric, high schools counting 3 (cue: “gasp”). I know, I know, you think I’m crazy. But I had my reasons. After facing an incredibly difficult grade 10 year, I decided to move to St Ursula’s School in Krugerdorp North, to complete my high school career. I do believe it was the best decision I have made to date. At St Ursula’s I gained some highly valued friendships, excelled in my academics, and grew immensely as a person. My journey of the past two years is one I will treasure for the rest of my life, and I shall forever be thankful for the experience. After my fall in grade 10, I most certainly rose to my highest potential by the time I reached matric. The road was rough, but once I made it through the storm, the horizon was clear and beautiful. It gave me the feeling of great strength.

Next year I’m off to Wits University to study a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Psychology (I hope), and as I journey through this next chapter in my life, I plan to document every experience in my blog. Journeys of study, travel, friendship, personal growth and, well, whatever comes my way! 

I hope to entertain and intrigue readers who will be willing to read whatever nonsense I find to write about.

Until next time,

Rock on! 

<3 Nicole_Kayley