Since 2020 is fast approaching and before I start making and breaking new habits, it is important for me to remember my achievements and take a moment to note it down. So many things happened this year – whether I tried matcha tea and drank it religiously every day, or not being able to hit my target goal of reading books as posted on GoodReads. The point is – reflecting is important, once in a while. So here we go!
1 – Completed a 13k run and a half marathon
When I signed up for half marathon, I thought – Seriously? The maximum I have pulled off before that was 13 kilometres in 2°C drizzling from start to end. But I still remember how tough it was for me to complete my last 3 kilometres during my half marathon. Gosh, I almost cried for an ambulance. Thankfully, my fantastic friend Kesley was there to cheer me and take me back in one piece. Never did a burrito with mango salsa tasted so delicious after I completed my run. God bless Bar Burrito food truck!
2 – Interned at a bookshop and a publishing house
I cannot emphasise enough how much internships help you in building a sense of professionalism. Working at a bookshop and an established publishing house as an intern within my academic year proved to be of tremendous help. Since it was my first time working in an office, I learnt to multitask and developed useful skills in four months. Want to know what I learnt from my internship experiences? Stay tuned for my next blog post! *winks*
3 – Graduated with an MSc Publishing degree
I did it! After all my lectures, assessments, deadlines, tears over dissertation and gallons of americanos ( I am still drinking one), I completed my studies and graduated on 31 October 2019. And now I am hit by nerve-wracking job hunting blues. *fingers crossed*
4 – Visited EU: Solo and Family Trip
Travelling Europe was a dream come true (click to know more about Schengen visa). And to do it both way was a cherry on top. I first solo travelled to EU in September, and then again with my family in October. It was intense; London, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic and Hungary – it was an opportunity I couldn’t miss while staying in the UK. Plus I had plans to return home to India in November, so what better way to end my journey than travel more?
5 – Learnt Microsoft Excel
Believe it or not, I learnt Excel this year and it was the best thing ever! I love planning, organising and budgeting but would manually do it using ledgers and notebooks. As a campaigns and sales intern, I had to learn Excel from scratch, and it was tough to catch up in the beginning. But with consistent use and projects that I had to record in excel sheets, it is a boon for people who panic when they hear Maths. I am still learning and would highly recommend it as a relevant career skill for success.
6 – Finished writing a Dissertation
Well, that is self-explanatory.
Check out this blog post if you need some quick tips on doing your first dissertation – D for Dissertation
7 – Worked in Hospitality
To work in waiting, barista, catering, wine waiting and cashier jobs; I enjoyed working part-time while studying. It improved my customer service skills, time management, savings and overall allowed me to engage with people at various venues and learn actively. It was work that helped me explore Edinburgh from various perspectives – learn about dining habits, cuisines, interaction amongst people that kept me motivated. I worked with an agency that primarily caters in food services, and at times it would be physically demanding. But in the end, I learnt more and financed my solo travel to Europe!
8 – Created a Magazine
Though it was a part of my semester assessment, the pure joy of seeing your hard work being turned into physical copies is amazing. From writing down ideas for my literary magazine project; designing; collating poems, articles, photographs and interviews – it was my first ever publication. Interested to know more about making a magazine? – click here. Want to read my magazine online? Head on to Issuu.
Thank you so much for reading this post. Cheers!
Congrats on a productive year! I’ve always been meaning to do a yearly review but have been too lazy. Reading yours gives me extra inspiration to give it a try sometime.
Hi Steven! Thank you so much for the response to my post. Glad that it was able to inspire you. Hopefully, I will get to read yours sometime!
PS-Merry Christmas!