MID-YEAR REVIEW

I'm not really sure how we're already halfway through the year but here we are! I thought I'd take a look at the plans/goals I wrote in January and have a think about the latter half of 2021. You can read my initial 2021 goals and plans post here!

Goals & Plans I set in January

The first goal I shared was to choose a university course and I'm pleased to say I did that and am now really looking forward to starting at The University of Brighton to study Media Studies in September! Going on from this, are the ongoing university preparations but things have definitely progressed! I've sorted my student finance loan and applied for accommodation which I'm currently waiting to hear back about and have got a few things that I'll be taking with me. I'm glad I joined a few university group chats with others starting at Brighton, it's been great getting to know people and it's nice knowing I've connected with some people before moving somewhere new! 

Another focus for 2021 is regular exercise and while I've not kept to a perfect routine, I've definitely exercised regularly. One thing that really helped this was tracking it on a calendar and it has motivated me to keep up with it! For anyone looking to introduce more exercise into their life, I'd definitely recommend starting slow and switching it up to keep it interesting! If a strict routine suits you that's great but personally I really enjoy doing various different things to stay active. I've recently started skipping and using a hoop after being influenced by Tik Tok!

During the pandemic, particularly the first lockdown, I got into the habit of going on regular walks and it's been one of my favourite things to do over the last year or so. In 2021 I knew that getting outside and walking was something I wanted to keep up and I'm definitely glad to have had some amazing weather recently! When I go to university I'll definitely miss my favourite routes and how quiet it can be but I'm also looking forward to exploring a new place!

My other goals included setting up an online space for photos, producing more digital art, posting on my blog and social media regularly, and building better habits. I recently starting uploading some of my photos to a flicker account as it was an easy way to quickly organising them somewhere other than my phone! Digital drawings haven't been something I've prioritised but it is something I would like to experiment more with so I hope to do some of this over the summer. Although I could have blogged more and produced more content for my social media, I am pleased that I've shared a lot more than I did in 2020. 

When it comes to building better habits, some have definitely been more successful than others! I mentioned that in 2020 I started being more intentional with skincare and this is something I've kept up with and seen benefits from. My sleep schedule has seen improvements but I definitely haven't got a routine down and still have a long way to go with it!

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Goals and Plans for the next 6 months

Obviously, university is a focus currently and in just over 3 months, I'll be moving to a new city and starting my degree! Before this, I want to make sure I'm fully prepared and hope to visit Brighton in the summer. As the open days were online it's been difficult to really get a feel of the area and although I visited Brighton a few years ago, I didn't really pay much attention to any university buildings. By the end of 2021, I will have been at uni for a few months and hopefully, I'll have fully immersed myself in the experience!

Although I did a university level course recently, I've not been in full time education since 2017 and I obviously want to do well in my degree. I'm looking forward to starting a study routine and hope to balance work and socialising as best as I can. Since we've not really been able to visit too many new places over the last year, I'm very excited to explore Brighton and everything it has to offer!

A good morning and night routine is something I'd really like to develop before starting university so it's definitely going to be more of a priority in the upcoming months. I think this would really benefit my sleep schedule and allow me to adjust better to a completely new routine when I start studying! Also, it's probably a lot easier to build good habits if you include them in your morning or night routines.

Being outside is definitely something that boosts my mood and helps me to feel refreshed so I really want to make the most of any good weather we have over summer. I'm lucky to have a great garden and there are a lot of places I can go for walks but I also hope to go on a few day trips (hopefully to some beaches) as well! 

I've found that keeping up with exercise often seems harder when the weather is particularly bad or particularly hot as it sort of makes me feel lethargic and unmotivated. I really want to make sure I dedicate time to regular exercise because I enjoy doing it and have definitely noticed both mental and physical benefits!

In terms of my blog, I'll definitely be posting regular content throughout the summer. I expect when I start uni, my blog may get neglected a bit but I do plan to keep it up. I'm not sure if my content will change but I've always enjoyed sharing bits of my life on here and so would love to continue posting. In fact, it's my 4 year blogging anniversary next week!

I've seen a few people sharing some thoughts about 2021 so far and the goals or plans they've set for the rest of the year already which is always interesting and great for inspiration. Let me know if you've got any goals or plans for the next 6 months!