If you were to look around the hall today, a crowd of people is not what you would find. For those unfortunate few (like yours truly) who still have exams to sit before they can actually begin their break have a huge building all to themselves. Besides the fact that almost all my friends are off on adventures there are benefits to living in an empty hostel.

1. The Elevator is almost always free so if you feel lazy 100% of the time you don’t have to wait too long for the elevator.
2. The laundry room is empty, no problem getting my delicates done.
3. Pool table is free to use, though maybe only for my friends and I because we seem to always be using it…

So, as you can see the hall is definitely the place you want to be at this time of year because there is soo much you can do. After selling how amazing the hall is to you I can tell you how everything else has been.

Post exam lie down.

I AM ALMOST DONE! Three exams down and to be completely honest I am so ready to go home and just have a bit of a breather from uni. I think at this time of year with all the stress that come with exams and the realisation that we are already half way through the year, a lot of people are starting to question their purpose here and in turn what the future might hold for them. I have been one of these people, a bit concerned about my grades and what the future might hold if I don’t get to where I want to at the end of it. Uni if nothing else can be described as a mind game. Unlike school where if something goes wrong there are opportunities to resubmit or try again, Uni feels like everything is full and final. Once you hand in that assignment or walk out of that exam that is it. The grade you gain is final. It is easy to get caught up in all the negativity and forget why you’re there.

Why did I come to uni? I came to better myself, I wanted to pursue a passion. I love learning, I love my thoughts and way of thinking being challenged. I love how I don’t have to go far to discover something new, or apply what I’ve learnt to certain situations. I came to Auckland from my hometown of Upper Hutt to grow as a person and gain an Independence I think I needed to assist that growth. Uni has not been a mistake. I know I talk about the hard times and how negative thoughts can be consuming but the good far outweighs the bad. The friends I have made at the hall and at uni have made this year one to remember, I don’t know who knew that putting 450 odd people in a building together instantly seems to make a family but it does.

The experience of uni above all else is worth the stress, you can easily move past those difficult times if you let yourself think differently. Of course I am keen for a break and to get away for a while but this time round I will definitely miss my family at the hall. I will be counting the days for when I come back and do it all again a second time round.

Hope everyone enjoys their break! I will keep you posted of my own ventures away.

Hakuna Matata.