Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about the next year or so of my life, since, you know, I’m in the final stretch of my undergraduate degree now (*sobs quietly in a corner*). I’ve decided to take a gap year when I leave uni (to get some psychology experience and do some travelling before probably doing a masters) so, this time next year, for the first time in my adult life, I will have no educational demands- no exams to revise for or essay deadlines to worry about. On the one hand, I’m quite sad because my life will be completely different to how it’s ever been before, but on the other hand, I’ll have the freedom to do whatever I want and not have to say no because I have to spend all of my waking hours revising! It’s a bittersweet thought.
Since I’ll have this freedom from education I’ve been thinking about what I’m going to do with it. A mini-bucket list if you will. My housemate and I have already decided that Coachella is a must next year. Whether that will happen or not, I don’t know (although I hope it does happen because how amazing would that be?) But the point is it can happen if we want it too, and that’s a very exciting feeling right now in the midst of all this dissertation and exam stress! I want to see some more of the world in the next year, particularly more of Europe and/or Australia. I also want to do some volunteering to figure out if I could hack it as a forensic psychologist before I spend around ten thousand pounds on a masters!
Another thing that I want to do is run the 2017 London marathon. I was a keen runner many years ago but I gave it up. I’ve wanted to pick it up again recently but I’ve always made excuses like ‘but I don’t have enough time to dedicate to running’ or ‘I’m too unfit now’. But you know what? In a few weeks I’ll have no excuses; I’ll have an abundance of free time to get my fitness and timing back up.
I watch the marathon every year saying next year. This year was no different but hopefully, with the right training and attitude, next year will be the year. If I do run, I’m hoping to run for Mind as mental health is an issue very close to my heart, from both an aspiring psychologist point of view and a personal one, so any charity that aims to provide help and support to those living with a mental illness is a wonderful charity in my eyes!
Whether any of what I want to do with my year of freedom happens or not remains to be seen, but if it does it’s looking like it could be a pretty good year!
Is anyone else about to find themselves with lots of free time for any reason? What do you plan to do with it?
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