To Keep Me Sane & Organised

I'm a little obsessed with books. 

Collecting actual books, filling journals, writing lists, scribbling away in them...

These are the little books I keep around and make sure I have every year so that I stay my (very) organised self and happy. Yes, it's a strange to some, but it works. A organised life keeps my brain clear and a stress-free. 

"wake up and be awesome" hardcover ring bound journal // Typo

BLOG BOOK 

New blog = New book. This is the space where I jot down ideas and plan posts, who to contact and when to post. At least it gets me on a plan to regularly post and is a necessity to bloggers, I believe. 

small black Moleskine // Exclusive Books

LIST BOOK

This book honestly saved me last year. All the random To-Do lists, make up hauls, timetables, what to pack for trips away or plans for incredibly busy days go in here. It's probably my favourite book. It's very small and thin and easy to fling into some bag and whip out in shops. Definitely a must-have if you love being organised!

2016 diary // Typo

DIARY

An obvious need. This will be for assignments, tests and reminders. Everything academic!

I don't know how people get by without one. I treat everyday like a check list and try get through as much as possible while being able to plan ahead for future tests. 

purple Moleskine // Exclusive Books

JOURNAL

For my everyday thoughts and scribbles and doodles. I have been keeping journals since I was 13 years old and it has probably been more beneficial than anything else. Firstly, It's so fun to look back and read what I used to think and see how much I've grown since then. Secondly, I get to vent and clear my mind of things that bug me or share thoughts and ideas that should be stored. Moleskine, as you can tell, is my choice of journal.

Let It Snow // John Green, Lauren Myracle, Maureen Johnson

A BOOK

*insert any good book here* This is just the one I'm reading at the moment. This is where the "sane" bit comes in. A book is a hug for the soul and treat for your imagination. Pick up the hobby and get lost. It'll do you some good. 

Thank you trees for granting me happiness.

Year Goals

This is cliche I know, but sharing my New Years Resolutions encourages me to actually keep them at heart. It's worked for all the previous years and I guess I'd try them again. 

So despite how heavy life gets, I need to remember these babies!

EMPHASIS:  READ, COOK  & LOVE

I stayed out the kitchen for most of my life purely because I wanted to resist fulfilling my mother's dreams of me becoming the perfect housewife for a male suitor. Now, honestly, I want to learn how to cook just because I need to learn how to be more independent. So I'm sorry men, but if you decide to marry this soon-to-be domestic goddess, know that this isn't about you at all. 

It's about me. 

Reading is one of my favourite things to do, especially when you find that extra-special one and you don't even want to go to sleep that night because it captivates you so much. This year I plan to make time for this beneficial love of mine.

The quote below is a reminder that I should always be mindful of how I treat others and look past what I say and do on the surface, but rather wonder how my treatment will make them feel. 

All I would love to do is encourage, promote love, and uplift others

I'm wishing myself a good luck even. 2017 Caroline, I hope you stuck to it!

At least my posting this, I'm contributing to 5th goal:

BLOG

The End and The Beginning

On my Bucket List were two things I believed were so far away.

One major.

One optional.

But now, both completed.

Finish high school ✔

Go on a road trip with friends after school ✔

I have finished my high school career. I never believed how fast they said it would go. But now it's over and I can't fathom not going to collect school books or searching for my uniform somewhere in the closet. 

High school ended as perfectly as I wanted it to. 

My Valedictory made me cry, the celebration at a bar made me appreciate all the people I had spent my 14 years with, "Silly Week" was my best memory out of high school, and finals...well was finals. 

And then it was done and I handed over my school shoes to be donated and walked out the school gates like every other day, not really thinking I would never be walking back through them as a pupil, ready to take on another school day.

I didn't realise how precious my second home was until I'm sitting here, a day after New Years, wondering what the hell is going to happen to me now and thinking about how I'll actually need to wear proper clothes to get an education now.

Thinking about it, I really had a great high school experience. I had amazing friends, got involved in all the opportunities I could, made a mark in the school, killed finals and my academics, and well... not dropping out counts for something right?
I made it.

So I guess this is goodbye High School.

To wrap it all up, I went on the road trip of a life time with my best friends to a student festival called "Plett Rage" and made incredible memories getting my first taste of freedom and independence.

Many of the memories are hush-hush though.

But to name a few: watching the sunrise, searching through markets, sleeping till noon, living with friends for a week and partying my little heart out.

I wish all those heading into 2016 as their last year of high school a hearty "good luck"

My advice? 

This is the last opportunity you get to make the mundane, magical.

Appreciate the boring assemblies, go to your school events, take advantage of your final year, "big fish in the pond" perks, hug your friends before they jet off to other countries or universities, never underestimate how much more you can learn in a classroom, don't slack off, do everything whole heartedly or don't bother at all.

The end only brings new beginnings

So I'm putting on my big-girl pants and tough-cookie face.

2016, I'm ready.

____________

Listen:
Everybody's Free To Wear Sunscreen - Baz Luhrmann