I have plans for this year. Some are definite, some are hopeful. All have a slightly higher chance of being achieved if I make my intentions public and there’s people who can shout at me if I don’t do them. Normal blogging service will resume next week. As for my goals for this year, here you are!
- Blog at least twice a week. I think this will have to be a case of “schedule things so you don’t get a full week of posts then radio silence” thing, but you should start seeing regular content from now on
- Be involved in at least two theatre projects. I know there are two theatre projects I’d like to be involved in because one (Spring Awakening with the fabulous Renegade Theatre Company) is auditioning on Monday and the other is one I’ll be doing myself (see next point).
- Do a Latin play! I have this all planned in my head. There’s a play called Menaechmi, which is like The Comedy of Errors but marginally simpler. I have the Latin text and an English translation. I need to edit it down so it’s shorter. We rehearse the play and produce as normal. We perform it, speaking Latin and having a PowerPoint in the background surtitling the English like an opera. This is ambitious, but it should work!
- Do TEDx! I’m a confirmed speaker at my school’s TEDx Youth Conference, which came about because one of my friends is just brilliant and decided to hold one and so we’re having one. I’ll almost certainly be speaking about diversity in teen fiction, because that is what I somewhat know about. And there’s some bloggers who’ll be coming for a bloggers’ alley and an author will be speaking too(probably)! It’s exciting, it’s happening in July, and you can find more information on Twitter and Facebook.
- Read at least 52 books and review them. Without letting them pile up.I'm setting targets low, because this will be a busy year. Hopefully I'll do more. But low targets to start with are good.
- Keep on top of emails. Not just read them, say "I'll reply later" and look back a month later and think "Would it be awkward to reply now?"
- Connect with bloggers even more. I’ll make buttons to find me elsewhere in the coming weeks, but connect on the blogs as well. I’m terrible at commenting, both because of time and because of lack of knowing what to say, but I’ll try. Also, I should be going to the Fire Sermon Blogger event later on in the month, so anyone going should say hi.
- Survive the year without doing anything permanently stupid.
- Sort out my sleep pattern. I try and get off screens by 10 and be asleep by 11, to wake up at 6.25, but it's not working to a ridiculous extent and it's messing with my life too much. Any tips would be appreciated!
- Become somewhat healthier, both physically and mentally.
- Decide on a uni course! I think want to go into law. So do I do a law degree, or go do classics and a conversion course after? Because classics would be awesome, and I love classics, but then that’s another year of my life in training and who knows what’ll happen to training fees? But then, coming out of a classics course, I have few more options if I decide not to do law. Choices!! Anyway, this decision WILL be made by October, because I’m applying for Oxford if I get the grades and early applications must be made by then and so yay UCAS?
- Connect more with writers. I like the idea of maybe going into editing (writing’s hard. Improving it is something I’m much better at) and I’d be happy to help anyone with any writing that they want going.
- Get good grades on my AS levels, but also not stress out over them excessively! French, Latin, Government and Politics, English Literature, and Critical Thinking. Exam time gets nearer and nearer and I do not feel prepared. Yay!
- Have a good year! I know it won’t be all brilliant, but hopefully the good times will outweigh the bad ones.
These aren't resolutions, because if they were, they would not happen. Just things I shall be attempting to do. Anyone who also has things they would like to do this year, I wish you success. Happy New Year, everyone!
These are all some wonderful goals that you have set for yourself, I hear you on the wanting to be a little more healthy. I'm definitely planning on getting some walking exercise about three to four times a week when the weather gets a little bit warmer and it's not so nasty out. I also want to stay on top of my scheduling out my posts and getting them written as well as reading and keeping up with reviews. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, weather does seem to conspire against us! Good luck with all your goals :)
DeleteHey Nina,
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog on a page where the best 10 bloggers were listed and I want to say that I really like your blog! I'm new at blogging in English 'cause I'm German and I wanted to contact some English bloggers, so here I am! :)
I must say that we really have some of the same intentions for 2015 and I hope, that we both can make this year good. To calm you, I don't want to wake up early either. This is a serious problem xD
I'd be happy about a visit from you and maybe we could talk and you could give me some tips about, you know, about what to blog maybe and find my own style. Thanks in advance,
Lea
www.fictional-lives.blogspot.com
You're German and you're blogging in English? That's brilliant! I'm a little competent in French, but I couldn't run a blog in French. Running one in Latin would be impossible.
DeleteLOVE the goals! Good luck with them. I used to be able to blog 2x a week...just haven't been able to in a long time.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Nina!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with everything you want to accomplish this year! x
ReplyDeleteThese are some fantastic goals! Best of luck with them, I'm sure you'll rock it. :D
ReplyDeleteThank you, everyone!
ReplyDeleteStudy what you think you will enjoy learning about, then convert to law afterwards.
ReplyDeleteYes, training fees for the GDL and LPC (law conversion courses) might go up, but there's no reason to think that they will do so exponentially. If you have a 2.1 or above from a top university like Oxford you shouldn't struggle to find a training contract, in which case the fees may well be covered by your firm, in addition to a maintenance grant for accommodation etc. while studying. There are also bursaries and various other schemes available to those that maybe can't afford the fees. Or there's part-time learning, over 2 years, for example, which would allow you to combine the conversion courses with a part-time job.
Of course, a law degree is useful for more than just law, and if you went down this route you'd have other options - business, banking, management, accountancy, other professional roles - which rely on the same skillset you'll have honed through studying law. However, with roughly 50% of law firms' trainees having a degree other than law that complements their contribution to the firm (and gives them something to fall back on... and demonstrates their creative/human qualities!), my advice would be to do what you enjoy at university and convert after. The legal profession is changing and there is definitely no stigma attached to entering law via conversion courses as opposed to the more traditional route. Good luck.