2 out of 3

Yesterday I sat my last exam in Anatomy and then just like that – my second year of university was over.

My summer exams turned out easier than I thought, don’t get me wrong though, I still found it difficult but it wasn’t as bad as I imagined. Fingers crossed with the results in exactly a month!

I don’t think it’s dawned on me yet that exams are officially done and that I’m free for the next 3 months; when I got back home yesterday I was looking around for something university/revision-related to do – that’s what the exam season does to you (happened way too many times in my academic career.)

My second year at university has definitely made me more career-focused with all the opportunities I was given, I’m so, so grateful for this! In terms of my course, the range of different modules opened my eyes to the science I really love.

During my exam season, I tried to take regular breaks when I could. A few weeks ago, I went on a lovely walk around Damflask Reservoir. This is what I feel grateful for about my town, I can experience the best of both worlds – a lively city and beautiful greenery in under a 20-minute drive both ways.

Inspired by my friend who told me that one of his year aims is to be more in touch with nature, I will not immerse myself inside in front of my laptop for the whole summer but instead, get out there – it’s only 20 minutes away – to have a breath of fresh air (and not from the city air either.)

It’s these walls that make me stop and think about things and all the while feeling very grateful for a bunch of things which I’ve started noting down on a spread in my Bullet Journal (a future blog post on that!)

In addition this, I’ve got some really exciting plans for 3 months of summer: in July I fly out for a much-needed break to Costa Brava in Spain – I haven’t been abroad in a long time, I’m already halfway packed despite it being more than a month away.

With the rest of the time I have, I’ll mostly spend it preparing for post-graduation steps, working at my part-time job and catching up with as many friends as I can.

Excited to keep myself busy, I sometimes forget that I need to chill sometimes (again, I am a real life, Monica) so a goal of mine is to make sure to actually relax this summer (that’s what the holiday and regular walks are for right?) rather than burn out like last summer where I worked two jobs full time, making myself more tired rather than refreshed for the next academic year.

Also, it’s my birthday at the end of the month! I’m turning 20 – it’s so weird. When I was younger, 20 was so old and adult-like. I somewhat expect to turn into a real adult the minute I turn 20, who knows.

Now I’m going to fulfil my stay-in-touch-with-nature by going on a walk, away from my laptop.

Are you going anywhere this summer? Do you go out on regular walks away from the city?