Today is freezing, I have no idea what the temperature is, but in my opinion it has to be below zero.  There is snow on the mountains and a have ear muffs on. Yes pink earmuffs. I am soo hungry to, have not a meal all day.  This is the kind of weather that makes you realize that you should have stayed in bed or called in sick, it is too cold to do anything.

I have a week left in Knysna, I leave next week and just the thought of leaving makes me very sad, I don’t want to go back to Pretoria, I will miss my family, I don’t want to feel alone and sad, but I guess there are some things in life that one has to do even if you really don’t want to.

 The things that are on my mind at the moment are:

Hot chocolate

Warm ski jackets and boots.

Hot water bottles, ( mine keeps going cold really quickly.)

Scarves

Blankets.

Basically anything warm

This kind of weather makes me think, if I feel the cold this much, and actually have the choice to stay  in bed, rather than exercise, imagine all the less fortunate people in the world, the people who don't have a bed, and have to try stay warm in a box. We should all be so grateful that we have a bed and a roof and can make hot chocolate and cuddle under a blanket. I think it is important to remember our blessings and give thanks that we have them. 

So now I think I will go and cuddle under a blanket, how about you?

back and ready to take anything on.

I know I know , it has been way to long since you have all heard from me.  I was under so much stress with University, but the first semester is over and I did really well, I have 3 distinctions and I feel more motivated now then ever.

At the moment I am on holiday in the beautiful garden route where I grew up, it feels so great being back home, it makes  me nervous to go back to the city and back to reality, but I know that it will all be worth it when I am living my dreams.

Winter in Gauteng is so brutal, I have never been so so cold, I have always loved dressing up and looking great when ever I go somewhere, but this winter I have never cared less with what I look like, track suit pants and heavy hoodies were my best friend. The strange thing with winter is like you have such a huge appetite and just don't care about exercise after a while, you just want to sleep and drink hot chocolate. I am proud to say that even though I just wanted to eat pasta and pizza and I stuck to my exercise and I didn't just eat anything. Willpower is so important when you want to stay fit and healthy, because no one else can make you do anything except yourself. 

Things that have changed since I have moved out and live alone, is the following:

Petrol is so expensive. Oh my word, can anyone say walk.

Making dinner ever night is so tiring and can just make you hate food.

Talking about food, another thing that is so expensive and milk and bread just seem to disappear after a while.

I hate doing the laundry and cleaning up.

Having look after myself is hard and being alone can be sad and depressing at times.

I miss not having to worry about things and I miss having my mom just around the corner.

But on a brighter note it is lovely being your own boss and being able to speak for yourself.

 I promise to try stay on top of blogging and I will keep you all updated on what is new in my life. 

xoxox

Why women stress more then men.

There is no more milk, or sugar. " We have to go NOW and get more."
it has always been a known fact that woman get stressed more than men. We are more susceptible to depression, anxiety and getting panic attacks. The underlining question ha still not been answered, but as a woman, I think I might be able to shed some light on this question. There is much that is expected of us, before the 21st century, women were expected to cook, clean, look after the children, have more children and look after her husband. Getting any further education or work was just not done. Now though, women have jobs, sometimes more meaningful jobs then men, they also have a family and still cook, clean and look after the children. Women have evolved, but with this step up, the stress load is more. We also over think way to much into things, a small situation can be made into this huge problem, when there is really a very simple solution. We worry that we are not doing well enough, that we are not as good as somebody else. Self confidence for a women is a very big thing and we have so much to compete with, not only do we have to compete with men in the working field, but we have to compete with other women in the looks department, yes, you may find that funny, but none the less it is true.My boyfriend has often laughed at me, and said that every time another girl walks into the room or, walks by, I give her the look over. He claims that all girls give this look, and that we are summing other women up with regards to a mental list. The things on this list go as follows:

1. Does she have a flatter tummy then me?
2. Is she prettier than me?
3. Does she have better legs than me?
4. Is her hair shinier than mine?
5. Has she got better skin than me?
6. Would my boyfriend prefer her to me?
7. Has she got a tighter bum than me?
8. Is she dressed better than me?

These are the thing that are supposedly on this list, and then after we have given her the once over, we turn to our partners to see whether he noticed her and then we ask him what do you think? He claims that we are testing them to see whether they think anything on our mental list is true. I found this rather amusing, but sometimes it is true. Which is rather daft, but never the less true.Women put up this electric fence around them and every one that they love. We hold up the fort and try to protect everyone we love, we also try and please everybody and make everyone happy. We sometimes forget that we also need to be happy, and that sometimes life is not that bad. We often feel like the world is coming down on us, when it is not and all we need to do is just breathe.

Update on University of Life

So as of today I am officially a Varsity student, I have registered for all my classes and on Monday I get my student card. This orientation week so has been so boring, there were actually classes on how to write notes and how to read. Come on, if you got into University you should be able to read and write. The fashion on campus is very different, lots of people opt for comfort over fashion. Sweats and a t-shirt, a lot of girls wear white shirts and denim shorts. I love fashion, so it is hard to find a style that fits in. I love wearing my skirts and shorts, and I love heels, but I don't think I will wearing them. Today I went for a pair of denim shorts and a pin striped shirt with a pair of gladiator sandals. I did my hair in a high pony tale and put my fringe in. There are ways of being fashionable at University and not being over the top.

I have settled in nicely with my new life, it has not been easy, but things are not that bad. The flat is not as horrible as I thought, and I don't really have to worry about much.  I want to start lectures and see how real varsity life. I need to get books before lectures start.  I have been really looking forward to classes, I love the feeling of independence. I feel secure in things now, which is a feeling that makes me happy.

Positive outlook on life ....

Do you remember how you used to love the idea of living alone, in a flat with a group of friends? Just like in the movies. Well, it is nothing like that, you do not live all hunky dory, there are times when you just want to scream. I live with a group of people, and guys out number us girls. Three to two.  There is always a mess, and they consider themselves to be the Alfa dogs. It is nice, sure, not having a cur fue, being able to eat what you want. Do what you want and watch what you want. But living with other people is never easy, there will be fights but you just need to find a place where you can be alone with your thoughts. Moving away is hard enough as it is, but when you are surrounded by thoughtless people, it can be even harder.

Setting up ground rules is very important, if people know where you draw the line, they will be less likely to cross it. Thus letting you live a bit happier. I have had a lot of people tell me, that I must not let anyone take advantage of me, I must not become the maid for everybody and I must stay true to myself. When you leave home it is important to always stay true to yourself. I am finally feeling happy and content with how life is turning out, being alone is not as bad as it seems. Sure you have to fend for yourself, but most people had to go through the same thing. You have to remember that most first year University students are going through the same feelings as you, behind every smiling face is a tear. Most people just don’t show their emotions very well.

Like most things in life there will always be pro’s and con’s. What you have to do is make a list, and always look at the pros even if the con’s list is longer, the pro’s might have more meaning. Having a positive outlook on life is usually a very healthy way to live. I know that this year is going to be amazing, but there are going to be some hard times as well. The important thing is to never give up.

Happiness is the key

Life is never just smooth sailing, there are going to be times when things do not go your way, the key to keeping your head above water is to never give up and to remember, it will always be easier to feel joy, and to be disciplined when things are going well and you are winning. You have to try to remain happy and stay disciplined when life is rough. Following your dreams is probably one of the hardest things to do in life, I am going out of my way to follow my dreams, I know that I can and will make it. A great lady once said  “The world is not the most pleasant place. Eventually your parents leave you and nobody is going to go out of their way to protect you unconditionally. You need to learn to stand up for yourself and what you believe and sometimes, pardon my language, kick some ass.” These words ring so true, I know that they are going to help me through some rough seas.

I have been in Pretoria for a little over a week, at first things were hard, it has taken a while but I am finally starting to feel at home, I am even excited about starting University. I know that there are going to be some hard times, but I will make it through. I have people who love me; I know that they would never let anything bad happen to me. It is just a matter of believing and having faith in myself.  My mother has a saying, she never says no, or I can’t, I think it is a good motto to have. Life is always throwing curve balls at you. It is entirely up to you to dodge them or to face them head on. There are moments during the day when I just want to give up, but then what would that make me? I quitter, that is definitely not what I want to be labelled as.  I want to be labelled as the girl that never gave up hope, the girl that went after her dreams and made it big.  Do you have a dream that you are scared to go for? If so, what are you scared of? Remember failure isn’t fatal and success doesn’t last forever, so always try and make yourself happy in everything that you do.  Sometimes you have to take a step back to realise that life is not that bad. Research suggests that nearly 70% of university students feel homesick at some time or other, the important thing to remember is to never go into a hole and never come out. You have to keep busy, even if it’s cleaning or going for a run. Also surround yourself with positive people, and make sure you laugh, it is such a good medicine.

Pretoria

What is the perfect weight

Every day we are bombarded with pictures of models with the perfect body, most of them wearing a shocking size 0.This can go one of two ways.  Either you will see these pictures and do everything in your power to look like those models, or you are so depressed that you don't look like them, that you eat and then you get fat and it becomes harder to look like those models. I was never the pretty, skinny girl, it was only when I took the initiative to start eating better and start working out. I have been doing it for almost 6 months and I feel great. I used to feel so guilty when I would eat certain foods, but now that I do workouts I don't feel so bad.  For most of my teenage life I would have almost all my family telling me how I should do gym, diet and do more exercise. I would agree with them, but until I actual did it for myself, it was never going to work. I have gone to gym,

I joined the hockey team in grade 11 but none of that helped, because I never put 100% into it. This time round I have put myself completely into my fitness. I don't eat bread and cakes. I stay away from ice-cream as much as possible. I eat normally, I just have smaller portions. It is really all about making yourself happy. My mother used to tell that if you are happy then weight doesn't matter, but then I would always think that there was no possible way that a person would be happy being over weight. Having confidence is what makes a person look sexy, and being fit and healthy is what makes a person feel confident. The two come hand in hand and there is never an excuse to not exercise, all it takes is at least twenty minutes a day, an hour is best but start of small and work your way up. Once you start to feel happier you are less likely to eat that piece of chocolate cake. The most important thing in life is to be happy, so if having an extra slice of cake makes you happy, then do it.  Love the skin you are in.