Friday - again

Don't blink, cause you'll miss another week flying by!

OMG - are these weeks flying by as fast for everyone else cause I sure can't keep track of them. One minute it is Monday and the next second - it is Friday!!!!

I tried to get back to do my final reflections for PSU yesterday but it just didn't happen. I was a very uncomfortable girl yesterday evening and needed to get into bed with feet up to relieve this annoying swelling! Anyway it is much better today and as long as I have a midday break it will all be ok - but roll on the surgery ( I never thought that I would ever look forward to surgery - but that time has come cause I know I will get better afterwards!!!!)

Ok well here we go - this week our modules included Applying to University (how exciting - even though I have two terms of STEPS left to do - it will be great to know what I have to do when I do it) and Looking back, looking forward. I still have a bit to do as far as the applying to university as I am still not 100% certain on exactly what I want to do yet. However I have a very firm plan to work that out. I am going to spend my time in this term break (while recuperating) spending heaps of time working out what I want - then I will get cracking as far as organising what I have to do. I would also like to see how well I do in maths and biology next term cause it would be no good even trying to get into one of my chosen courses if I am no good at  either of them.

Then once again I have loved the looking back, looking forward module (although I don't think there has been one aspect of this 1st term that I haven't enjoyed). It was really good to see all of the benefits of learning in the article The wider benefits of learning. They included:

• decreased depression
• increased good health 
• more positive attitude
• reduced crime levels
• increased social skills
• increased communication skills
• increased self-efficacy

Really I think education is very beneficial and I believe that it has such wide and varied positive results because you learn about the bigger picture. You get to see the world from not just your own eyes - you begin to see the world view. This is not just in Essay writing either - I have started to see the whole world differently. It is all very exciting. Plus the fact that you are so busy thinking of your studies and assessments that you don't have time to be indulgent in meaningless self pity.

However I can then totally understand that there are also some negative outcomes of learning. I'm sure we have all had bad experiences in learning - I know that I can certainly name a few from my high school days, therefore it is very important to ensure that what you are studying matches your personality and skill level. And ensure that study and other lifestyle choices are balanced. It would be no good spending 16 hours a day studying and try to juggle family commitments - it just wouldn't work.

I am still very excited about the prospect of university study and lifelong learning, but I realise that I have to include a balanced approach to that and enjoying my family life. We always have the capacity to learn and I love the stories that you here in the media about the 90+ year old people graduating from Uni. We all are learning everyday and some of us don't even know it - when was the last time you found out a little snippet of information that you didn't know or found out how to do something new on the computer or even tried out a new recipe. Most of the time we do not even think of that as learning - but we are. I guess it is just what we do with the newly learned information that counts.

Then again in most jobs that we undertake there is always new improved ways of doing things, and sometimes if you don't keep up with these new improved ways - you just get left behind. You have to embrace change and see it as a benefit to succeed in any aspect of life. Imagine if we refused to indulge in convenience food and still cooked absolutely everything from scratch. We would spend all of each and every day in the kitchen and not much else would get done. But most of us embraced the change  and buy convenience food therefore, making life easier.  

Ok well that is about it today (for now anyway) this afternoon is going to be spent fine tuning my planning activities for Essay writing and getting them all together ready for submission next week (you know I hate to run late on submissions). Then I am going to have a weekend off study and make a couple of very special cards for some very special people.

Have a wonderful day - and always remember that if it's not a wonderful day - make it one!!!!!

talk soon

x joy