C H A N G E . C A N . B E . A . G O O D . T H I N G
Last year, on the 10th of September I moved out of my mother's house and into a flat at Storthes Hall with five complete strangers. On the 19th of the same month I enrolled at Huddersfield University and started my English Language with Creative Writing course. I said goodbye to my closest friends as they left to begin their university degrees or pursue other goals. I knew that I would miss them and that they would miss me, but I was excited to have a bit of a fresh start and I knew they were too, so there wasn't really much sadness there. Everything was changing, for everyone, but change can be a good thing.
September, 2011 was a month that really changed my life. It was a little like the first day of school, where you stand in the playground, slightly mortified that your parents would ever actually leave you to fend for yourself. But like I did on the first day of school I managed, I think I talked a lot too, only this time that didn't get me into as much trouble. The five strangers I moved in with, along with many other people I met, turned out to be the most brilliant of flatmates and friends. Without my flat, my other friends from university and my job, my first year away from home would not have been anywhere near as enjoyable.
I have to admit that my university course took a little bit of a back-seat after a while and I think that is why I put so little an amount of effort into it. We live and learn I guess, I discovered that the English language was not really a field of study that interested me and so I decided to change my course to Video Game Design. I feel so much more passion for the things I'll be doing in this course, thinking about it really excited me so I know I'm going to be much happier.
This year I started working at my first real job, I loved it, so much more than my university work (probably due to the fact that I was getting paid and I met some great folks whilst doing it). Then I got fired which was just wonderful *cough cough* I suppose everything happens for a reason though and I'm sure I'll find somewhere else to earn a dollar or two! Maybe even six... an hour, which I just realised is about £3.80 and well under minimum wage, so that wouldn't really be worth it, or legal.
On that note, what I realised this year, more than anything, is that I am terrible with money. My financing skills are so dreadful, really, just awful. I should not have been allowed near my bank account, or my loans, or my wage, or even the small jar of pennies I kept on my shelf. I may as well have just thrown my money at the floor for all I have to show for my ridiculous spending, at least it would have been useful to someone! So there is an area that requires improvement - and by 'requires improvement', I really mean 'REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT!! :O'.
It has been almost one whole year since I enrolled at university and started along the troublesome road to adulthood and maturity. I've learnt a little and a lot; had both great and terrible times; seen the best and worst of myself and made some truly excellent friends. But now that September is drawing close once again, I need to realise that my practise year is over and that I have to sweep some truly bad habits under the rug, hopefully I can manage that.
Like I felt this time last year, I'm really excited; I'm starting a new course; I've moved into a new apartment with some new people and I know how much fun I've had at university so far. I don't really feel like I'm starting it all again, even though I am, I'm glad I have been given another chance to do a degree I really want to do, even if it is a big change from anything I've done before. But as they say, change can be a good thing.
