June is not usually a month known for being one of beginnings, or ends. It’s a halfway mark, the acknowledgement of summer (for those of us in the northern hemisphere) and a generally nondescript month.
But for me, it’s a beginning and an end.
One.// I turned 20. Twenty years old? How crazy! Those are certainly the thoughts running through my mind whenever I have to seriously contemplate my age. I’ve officially been on the earth for two decades. I’m not a teenager any more, I’m a real adult. It makes me wonder what I’m doing with my life; am I going to stay at Starbucks forever? Am I going to keep living with my parents? Am I ever going to make a name for myself in any form of literary or journalistic circles? I suddenly understand why there are so many self-help books targeting twenty-somethings – it’s because we’re suddenly bombarded with this knowledge that we have to grow up entirely. It’s terrifying, especially when I’m entering the adult world already saddled with all this debt, but that’s a post for another time. I’ve finally finished the teenage chapter of my life and embarked upon the adult chapter. Let the good times begin!
Two.// Year One is Over. After essays, exams and exhaustion, the first year of my degree is officially over. My exam results are released today and I’m quite nervous, even though I know I revised hard and poured my knowledge into it. I’ve come out of this year so much richer than I started, not financially but in terms of education, life skills and friends. There are people who aren’t returning next year who I’m going to sorely miss, and people I can’t wait to see in September. I’m looking forward to the freedom of my modules next year, and the intense challenge that they’ll face. I’m going to be tackling a completely different aspect of student engagement next year, hopefully as a student ambassador for Exeter, instead of the subject chair for the History committee. It’s going to be a tough step up from this year, but I’m already so excited for the new changes and opportunities.
Three.// A New Blog Segment. As of June 11, I have an entirely new blog, linked to this one, called The Importance of Wanderlust. It’s a blog which is focused entirely on travel writing, an aspect of journalism in which I am very interested, and have been since our English classes on the writing style. I’m fortunate enough to travel to quite a few places and I realised that some were places I was dying to share with others. I’m already cultivating the photos I have of my previous travel destinations and planning more trips in order to enhance my journalism. Who knows, I could end up a globetrotter reporting on my travels! Please do check it out.
Four.// Recreation. For the last year, my family has been a part of the local Yacht Club. We have learned to row, sail, cox (command a rowing vessel), power boat, and kayak, thanks to the amazing work and dedication of the South Woodham Ferrers Yacht Club. Gemma and I have been very involved in the club since we joined, being the first females to join the rowing section and generally having an abundance of enthusiasm. We spent our summer there and plan to do the same this year.
Through this involvement, we’ve been given opportunities to help the club, from maintenance to publicity. I’ve currently finished writing the Summer newsletter, designed invitations to the 40th birthday Regatta, and I’m working on creating a media packet for the club, which will include set colour schemes and formatting for anything the club needs, be it in print or digital. It’s an exciting new project which will develop the skills I learned at college last year, and it will be great to work even more closely with the club on this kind of endeavour.
So, there are beginnings and endings in my June. Summer’s only just begun, but my teenage years are over. I’ve got a load of exciting prospects ahead of me but it’s difficult to accept the end of my first year here in Exeter. What will your June bring you?
The Importance of Being 