3 Month Update | University, Turning 21 and Ramadan

Hello lovely readers, it has been quite a while since I’ve typed an update post…the last one was at the end of March! So I fee kind of out of practice, but theres a lot to talk about so lets get started ^_^

The main reason why I stopped with the update posts was because from April-May I was extremely stressed out with the final few weeks of my degree. I have done an all-nighter or two in previous months, but throughout April I slept for about 4 hours a night, ate terribly and was pretty delirious. My dissertation was by far one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life, it took a LOT of focus, determination, tears and prayers to get through it. When I was ready to submit it, I still didn’t think it was good enough because I am very frustratingly a bit of a perfectionist. My dissertation topic was actually procrastination which I chose because its something that has affected every single student I’ve ever spoken too, including myself! I was able to do my study online and I want to thank each and every one of you who took the time out of their day to participate. I was so happy to find that I got all my participants in the space on 48 hours, because if you’ve ever conducted a study within University you will know the struggle to find people willing to take part (yay internet). Although when I think back to my dissertation I can’t help but shudder, I learn a LOT during that time and all the hard work paid off because I found out three weeks ago that I got a first for it! I checked my emails after I had closed my fast and I was so excited I woke my parents up at 3:30am to tell them haha, it was something I didn’t see coming in a thousand years and I took a whole day to sink in. Which I think goes to show that I can be a little hard on myself, but like I have always said if you work hard in silence success will come your way. So I will be graduating next month in’sha’Allah (God willing) and it is the end of my formal education! I feel like I’ve grown up so much in the past three years thanks to university, I’ve become a lot more independent, hardworking and determined to reach my goals. I have grown in confidence and self-belief and I have learn how to get the most out that 9K a year investment, so if anybody would like a post on how to do your dissertation well, or how to get through third year please let me know via the comments/twitter/IG!

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this on my blog already, but I will be starting a teacher training course from September 2016! I have gone down the School Direct route, because I love being in the moment and I personally prefer learning in that environment, rather than in a lecture theatre. So the school direct route means I will be in a school for four days a week, sharing a class with an actual teacher and then one day a week will be spent in the head training school, learning along with the other trainees. In May I had two familiarisation days where I spent in the school, meeting the teachers and the children and I really enjoyed it. It was confirmation for me that I picked the right path to go down after Uni because I could see myself in that environment learning and building bonds. If you’re thinking about going into teaching but you’re not too sure, I’d highly recommend you spend some time volunteering in a classroom because that’ll give you a good idea in itself if its something you want to do.

On the 25th of May I turned 21 and it was genuinely one of the nicest birthdays I have ever had, I was woken up to a gorgeous bunch of flowers and a helium balloon and throughout the day I was gifted flowers too haha. We had dinner with all my family in my surrounding area and I just feel so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life who really care about me. I have to give it to blogging, because without my little blog I wouldn’t have met so many wonderful women and from time to time I just think about what a great decision it was to start The Blushing Giraffe haha. Being officially an adult, I mean it doesn’t feel a whole lot different but I have to say it’s zero fun having to pay £50 for a filling at the dentist and having to pay for eyetests too (which technically starts at the age of 19 by the way). The future is bright and exciting, it’s kind of crazy that this time next year I’ll almost be a qualified teacher and ready to be earning a full time salary EXCITING and simultaneously its a little sad that I am most likely going to be losing my student discount soon *overly dramatic sob*. It’s okay though, that is what little siblings are for right? It’s also been a year since I wrote the ’20 things I want to do in my 20s post’ here and I have successfully done/am doing three of them, so I’m excited to see how many more I can do in my 21st year ^_^

For the past 26 days it has been the holy month of Ramadan, which is my most favourite time of the year because its a time for spiritual reflection, self-improvement, time dedicated to learning and of course time spent reading the Quran. As I get older, Ramadan seems to fly by quicker and quicker, this is the final fast on a Wednesday and I am feeling kind of emotional about that. Life is so short and the next Ramadan isn’t guaranteed, it feels like I’m getting ready to say goodbye to a dear friend right now…which may sound so bizarre to those of you who aren’t Muslim but I’m hoping you all kinda see what I mean! Anyways if you are a Muslim and you’re always on the look out for beneficial Youtube videos, I have been in awe with the channel ‘Quran Weekly’ link here, highly highly recommend!

So other than finishing uni, preparing for graduation and fasting I’ve pretty much just been working and buying makeup and enjoying being 21 because I have a feeling this year will fly by!

How has life been for you recently?