Well hello there! Long time no blog. School has been jam-packed the last four months (surprise, surprise). On top of that, I am working on major side projects and exploring new activities, which I am excited to share with all of you in future posts – and today in this coffee catch up.
This posts will be the start of a little series I want to run regularly called Coffee Catch Up. This is inspired by another blogger, Robyn, whom I’ve been following for years. She started this series to share updates in her life in a way that you would catch up with an old friend over coffee. She shares big changes in her life, her thoughts on recent experiences and more. I love this idea and it’s a great way to keep you all posted on things that are happening around here, so thanks Robyn for inspiring me! I think I will run this on a monthly basis.
So, here’s what’s been going on the past four months:
Having just finished my last assignment (yay!) and first exam (not so yay) I am back in the blogging sphere! I’ve had several people reach out to me saying they read my blog and are looking forward to me starting back up, so thank you for your support! It means so much that you read what I post.
It’s been a whirlwind of a few months to say the least. Looking back to May when the semester began, I have grown substantially and have a new perspective on the world. I’ve taken on new roles with great responsibility. I am a Don at a residence. I ran a conference. I made so many new friends.
I am thankful for all the experiences I have had this semester, and while some situations may have not been ideal or were out of my control, after getting through them I have become a stronger and wiser person. I know more about who I am, what I like and don’t like, and how to have difficult conversations or complete challenging tasks.
Here are some of the highlights of the past few months:
New experiences
Being in school for the summer. While it has been hard to be away from home when all my friends are back from university, I think this semester has been my favourite. It’s nice being able to study outside, go for walks and just enjoy the sunshine. Sometimes I would forget I’m even in school right now…until I remember all the deadlines.
Securing my next co-op job. I am going to be a (wetland) Biologist. I love policy and research work, but I wanted to step outside my comfort zone and try something new. This field experience will be so much fun and I will gain a lot of new knowledge from it.
Connecting with people
Getting to see my sister! She lives out of province and we hadn’t seen each other for a few years. It was great getting to catch up and have her visit my university 🙂
Fun adventures with friends. In the past I have been very rigid about school and taking time to enjoy myself. This term I learned to step back a bit and enjoy every moment more, and not have regrets about not doing something. I joined the Mambo Club, went to weekly knitting group at my friend’s house, went to the beach with friends, drank (too much) bubble tea, went out dancing a lot and overall just had a great time.
Events
Running the first Youth Action on Climate Change chapter in Waterloo. YACC kicked off in Waterloo (stay tuned for more on this). From this I made so many amazing connections that I am looking forward to working with in the future. *update* Here is the blog post I wrote about the event and what YACC is all about.
Getting my second tattoo! It’s a stem of lavender on my wrist. Lavender is my favourite flower, reminds me of home, and is known to be relaxing. I’m also nature girl so of course I had to get a plant tattooed on me.
Spontaneity and growth
If I could use one or two words to describe this term, they would be spontaneity and growth. One of the things I’ve really struggled with over the years is being spontaneous; I’m a hardcore planner, so when things wouldn’t go as expected or someone would suggest something I hadn’t prepared for, I would feel overwhelmed quickly. I am learning to let go of this and to take every moment as it comes. My favourite saying right now is “go with the flow.”
Also, as mentioned these last few months have been a big period of internal growth for me. Not just a growth in knowledge about school courses, but relationships, behaviours, and more broadly the world/society. I am grateful for what I have, more intentional with my relationships and time, and feel more comfortable in my own skin.
Final thoughts
That’s all for my little update. I will be posting regularly again, so stay tuned for more. I still have two exams to write, but I am going to do my best to get content out in between that time. I hope you enjoyed this coffee catch up; there will be more in the future!
As always, thank you for reading and sticking with me. If you’re new to the blog, welcome! Please read and comment on past posts, I love hearing your thoughts 🙂
Until next time!
1 comment
Hello Jenna,
Thank you for the update about your life.
I really like the idea of posting a life update to function as a chat with a friend over coffee.
I’m thrilled to know about the balance that you’re finding in your life. You’ve inspired me in so many ways, and I’m currently pursuing a meaningful, excellent, and enjoyable life for myself and those around me.
I look forward to reading more of your updates!
Thank you for sharing.