What Lies Beyond High School

University, bills, career, marriage, kids, responsibility.

It doesn't end.

I've spend a good time wishing high school to be over till the last two years where I realised what the crap I will be getting myself into when it is over.

Since I am currently going through this myself I will be sticking mainly to uni and choosing a major.

First off, there is always the option of a gap year which I wished to take, but couldn't. I wrote a whole essay about gap years around a month ago and I am all for it. You can go travel or backpacking if you can't afford a luxurious trip and immerse yourself into the cultures of the world. Work or intern, earn money to go to college or buy a car or for a concert or even for retirement. You can try out a new sport or audition for a role and have your big break. Learn a new language or raise your kid or help your mother. Gap years are amazing and can open so many doors instead of closing them because should you use it wisely, you have a great life ahead of you.

There is always the option not going to uni, which may be a totally reasonable option. It could be due to financial restraints, or you just know you can do whatever you want without going to university. Not many of us get this chance because our flawed educational paradigm states we should go to university cause that's what everyone has been doing for the last few centuries so should we. And sadly, a lot find themselves in this situation when they can't afford the absurd university fees of the 21st century though they wish to continue to higher education.

And then, there is of course the option of going to university which is the most opt for. I decided I am going to university and I am majoring in journalism but that is after a long, long internal and external war because you know, as this great woman once said:

Two years ago had you asked me what I would've wanted to do I would've said I wanted to go into arts and design. A year later, business and management or marine biology. A few months ago, I had no damn idea. A couple of months ago, journalism, but my parents want me to do political science so that. A month ago, journalism, but my parents want me to do law so maybe that. That same month, my parents realised that this is what I wanted and they knew they shouldn't and couldn't let me do something I didn't want so finally it was just "Journalism. I want to be a journalist."

Then came the problem of where I wanted to apply and which city and which university and finally that was resolved. I now know where I am going and what I want to do.

But honestly, 5 months earlier I didn't even think I wanted to go to university. But after a lot of research and talking to lots of people (you know, typical journalist work), I realised that I did. In university you meet people. People you've never met before, that you haven't grown up with. They're new people who have different points of views than you do and will probably be friends that will last. You'll fall in and out of relationships, you'll get to see the world from a different perspective and get a load of experience. You will learn a lot of things that you actually like. I figured that university is for me, and that I want to embark on this journey. If this is the type of adventure you want to go on, university is also probably for you. It is only four years, less that 1/3 of school life. You'll learn and grow and they will pass.

Yet still, if you don't want to go to university and know the consequences and opportunities this brings, then so shall it be. It is your choice and just because someone else says you should do it, that shouldn't be your decisive factor. But I still recommend you do research before you plunge into this decision.

Now if you do decide to go to college, choosing a major can honestly be the biggest pain in the ass if you already don't know what you want to do (which was obviously my case).

How I figured it out was asking myself a bunch of very simple questions.

1. What do you know you don't want to do?

Being a doctor, engineer, arts and design, doing business in university, and so much more.

2. What do you love to do?

I love reading like, everything. And I love writing. I enjoy social media and taking photos. I am highly opinionated and generally take interest in a lot of current world affairs.

And from that, it just became clear what I want to do.

If those questions aren't enough to help you, I looked up a bunch of helpful links:

http://advising.uoregon.edu/AA_Pages/AA_ChooseMajor.html

http://www.careerealism.com/decide-college-major/

https://www.universitylanguage.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-college-major/

http://www.mymajors.com/

University and just life after school is over is tough and just thinking about it is nerve-wracking but if the last generation could make it, we could too.

Weigh out your options carefully and make a keen and smart decision. Good luck to everyone, which ever part of your life you're on right now.

I cannot wait to blog more about my university life when it starts.

Talk to you soon, Farah x

Summer Vacation

Since this was my senior year at school, I've had the privilege to finish school earlier than everyone else in school and, relatively, the world.

I've been on summer vacation for almost two months now! And I'm gonna be honest with you, I have achieved around 11% of what I intended to achieve. I even had a list and all. Had I been home, I would have attached a photo of the list, but I am not. So here's a sample of what was on it:

• Start learning to play guitar
• Paint
• Read even more
• Go to new places
• Swim
• Start a blog

From this sample, I can tick two off. I did paint once!

I tried doing some miniature dresses, which miserably failed. But that's okay, the fact I tried was what counted the most to me (especially since I had spent around 2 weeks just in bed watching Parks and Rec).

I also went to a new place, which was I ice skated. And I would like to take a moment to describe my experience.

I went with six other friends, who were my 'squad' during the last two years of high school. I hesitated a million times before agreeing to do it, since my last ice skating experience was traumatising (I fell on my butt and hurt for a year). I clutched to the railing for dear life for a good 20 minutes (we booked 3 hours cause what else would you do when you're going to skate in an Olympic sized ice rink?) while everyone else ditched me. Then one of my friends decided he had to teach me. And one humiliating crash, thousand ear-piercing screams and a million judgemental looks later, I could fairly skate well hand in hand with someone else and I could cross the whole rink on my own!

Skating was actually super fun and I plan on going back a lot more times and sharpen my merely existing skating skill. I usually love trying new activities and I am so glad I decided to push aside my fear of falling and humiliation and just enjoyed myself. This is something I constantly suffer with, the fear of public humiliation and I definitely think I'm not alone. Trying this new activity was exhilarating and I just focused on myself and my friends which all what counted at that moment.

This is a photo of our legs (!) at the heart of the ice rink. Good times.

Anyway, if you struggle with the fear of embarrassing yourself in public, trying new activities out of your comfort zone and/or failure, surround yourself by the people closest to you, find an activity you have been dying to try out and I guarantee you'll be having the time of your life. And I feel summer is the perfect time to do so because it is when people are genuinely freer.

I am also learning so much more about my identity and self. I'm educating myself and widening my horizons on things schools won't teach us. I've been discovering new artists and

Now onto some of the other things I couldn't accomplish...

Between travelling, procrastinating, going out, watching TV shows and movies, and much more, I found myself held back from doing a couple of things. I am especially disappointed in myself for my lack of ability to make time for reading this summer. Even during most stressful times at school, I was able to read more. I can justify it by saying that now I am doing things I couldn't necessarily do during school, but it is just not a good enough reason for me since reading is something I cherish so deeply and not in anyway want to fall behind on. I am still working on it, but I know I will be held back even more as I do some more travelling (which, though off topic, I am really excited to blog about!). I also didn't make time for swimming, though I still hope the chance hasn't passed, and learning guitar. But maybe I'll leave learning to play the instrument to winter –sigh, procrastination–.

This post was more or less a take of my summer so far and a comparison between how my expectation was to reality. And it was to discuss with you if we actually do as much as we imagine we will do in summer!

I'm genuinely satisfied and happy with how it went, especially with trying new things, discovering myself better, getting into the university I wanted to get into and doing the major I want to (upcoming post!), seeing my family, and so much more that is still to come. Though I am more of a winter person, I am working on making this the most memorable summer because I have just graduated a long journey of school, I'm moving onto a new chapter of my life and all that cheesiness. This is the last summer I won't be considered an adult, and I want to make every second count.

Also, no matter your age, and if it is summer where you live, go enjoy it! Do what you want and give yourself a reason to have the summer you want to tell your kids about someday. Go on pintrest, Youtube, tumblr, weheartit, instagram. Look for ideas and actually do them! As annoying as this may sound, it doesn't matter how much or how little you have, you can always find something to do just give yourself the motivation and initiative.

How has your summer been going? Do you have any plans? Do you set expectations for your summer or do you just go with it?  I have loads of upcoming plans and this is the first time I actually set goals and stick to it so I am quite excited!

See you next post where I will be talking about university, majors and beyond, contrary to this chill one!

Till next time,

Farah x