So I'd just like to thank everyone who has subscribed to my instagram ( http://www.instagram.com/whyohbee ) or reached out and shown love on here, it means a lot to me at the moment. As some of you will know I have been forced out of home due to family issues with less than a few weeks remaining before I finish my psychology degree. I'm not putting it out there for sympathy, I just think it's important that if I'm going to blog here that I am totally honest about my situation with you all.
It's hard to quantify just how much the stress of this current situation, being booted out of home, is going to impact upon my final grade. What I do know is I can't wait to finish and hold that piece of paper in my hand. One exam and a few minor reports are due by the 15th of Feb and then all I will have to do is wait for my graduation night to pick up that $20,000 piece of paper. Graduation won't just signify the end of the degree, it will also act as somewhat of a milestone... A five year renovation of my life will be complete!
Having spent 10 years in the Swimming pool industry and kind of getting stuck in the routine of going to work to do a job that I hated for shit pay for so long it was such a big step to sink my teeth into studying Psychology. A lot of people around me thought I was mad and couldn't work out why I was taking such drastic measures at my age to make a career change. Many people would have just changed jobs and got on with life, for me it was a change in philosophy and a desire to achieve something. Taking on this degree kind of proved to myself that I wasn't stupid and that I could achieve whatever I put my mind to. As it stands now, I could fail the final exam and I would still pass the final unit, it's a great position to be in because when you have achieved a pass mark so early in a unit of study it allows you to focus on doing your best for the remaining pieces of work.
I shifted all of my stuff down to a property I own 120km from the city over the weekend and I guess it's only sinking in now just how expensive it is going to be driving the 200km round trip to satisfy my part time work and full time study commitments. Despite the cost of petrol the reality that this situation is cheaper than if I had to pay rent/mortgage close to the city balances things out a bit. Melbourne, Australia, is an incredibly expensive place to live it is in the top two states of the country for average house value. If you want to live on your own you end up being bled dry through paying rent or mortgage repayments. About 10 yrs ago I bought a shit box of a beach house and I guess the fact that I have been able to get ahead on the repayments whilst living at home has allowed for a small buffer for times like now when I don't have enough money to pay the mortgage. The struggle between now and my next full-time job will be a tough one but I know that these times build resilience and that when I come out on the other side I will be all the better for it.
One thing is for sure, the minute I find out I have passed the final exam I will be on a full-time hunt for a full time job. It has been 18 months since I worked full time, not only due to study commitments but also due to some health issues I have been trying to manage. It's been a difficult couple of years, but at the same time I have never felt more alive. There is nothing like a challenge to test your ability in being able to handle the unexpected.
So anyway, I'm not sure if I will update again before my exam on the 15th of Feb as I am going to go into "lock-down" and try to cram as best as I can to get a top grade.
I will catch up with you all soon!