I’m going to be frank here: there’s a lot of scary stuff going on in the world right now. There has been hatred and violence and oppression in the world for quite some time, perhaps even for the entirety of human existence. But never in my lifetime have I ever felt it so close as I do now.
Today, Wednesday, January 25th, is a day called Bell Let’s Talk Day. A major Canadian telecom company donates 5¢ to mental health initiatives per text/call on their network, as well as for every social media interaction with the hashtag #BellLetsTalk/#BellCause (we’re a bilingual country, after all).
This weekend, though I live in Canada, I participated in the Women’s March with my mother and a few thousand others to stand up to negative rhetoric, hate, and the threat of loss of fundamental rights for women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and minorities in the United States. People keep asking what the point was; “What is everyone protesting?” My experience this weekend tells me that while nearly everyone was either protesting or supporting their own list of causes, we were all united by the common goal of equitable rights and respect and love.
If you recall from my Goals and Resolutions post, I signed up for a course called Fashion Industry Essentials through Parsons New School of Design and Teen Vogue. My goal is to learn a few ins and outs of the fashion industry and to explore potential career paths. Most people hear “fashion industry” and jump to three professions: designer, model, and boutique owner. But there are so many more options out there: working in marketing, textiles, buying, management, etc.
I completed my first assignment yesterday, so I thought now would be a good time to talk a bit about the program. It’s broken up into five courses:
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I had a plan in place for the next four months. It was one that included having two jobs. While starting training for one, everything was in place for the other as a near sure-thing. You can guess from the preface that things with the second job fell through.
This semester, I am not taking classes. I went to campus today to sell back some old textbooks (for the first time in four years, who knew that was a thing?), and while the atmosphere was excited, it was already a little frantic. It can be hard coming back to a routine after a break, especially if you feel like you did nothing during that break. On the other hand, if you feel like you never stopped to recharge, an immediate new routine will just be a different kind of taxing.
I am a lucky lady. I always have been, and while I am realistic, I hope to always be. I was born into a loving family to amazing, intelligent, hilarious, driven and caring parents. I have a brother who has always looked out for me. I have friends who I can count on and a boyfriend who simultaneously keeps me grounded while pushing me towards the stars to achieve my dreams.
If 2016 taught me anything about how fortunate I am to have these people in my life, it’s that I must not take their relationships and love for granted. Just like with flowers (which I still forget to water and turn towards the sun), it is so important to nurture the relationships in your life and help them bloom and blossom.
In keeping with the spirit of the New Year, I’ve been thinking of ways to make the most of and improve my life and how I live it. This past September, I really pushed myself to be more organized: I used a planner almost religiously, I made my bed (nearly) every day, and I became known as the girl in class “with the best notes” (no big deal, #humblebrag). Along with an interest in what I was studying and a sheer determination to meet my GPA requirements for transferring programs, my newfound organizational skills helped me to achieve results for my best semester to date. With more free time and a renewed resolve to capitalize on opportunities for productivity, I find myself truly excited for the year ahead.
I’m not typically one for setting resolutions or overarching goals, but I wasn’t always one for organization either, and that worked out well. I think there are new and exciting things coming my way this year, and I plan on embracing that which is thrown at me.
My goals for the year are specific yet broad, and I’ve set up some resolutions that I think will help me achieve those goals while contributing to a better life overall. Here are my personal goals and resolutions for 2017:
January 1st, 2017, and as the hashtag goes, it’s a #NewYearNewMe; at least, a new online presence. Welcome to my site!
Fields of Rose Gold 