Breaking it down

In my other blog, i talked about the year 2013 as a whole, here i have broken it down into a few sectors (=

University
As mentioned earlier i found it really hard this year to focus and stay motivated at University. My grades slipped dramatically in most of my papers and i was losing all confidence in myself to achieve. I enjoyed doing writing - but i lost all hope in passing my essays and nothing was too a high standard. Those who know me will know i set myself quite high standards and get down when these aren't achieved. My last assignment i did, i received an A which was a complete shock. The reason for this though was simply because i was passionate about what i was writing about. I wish now, i had more of an interest in my other papers and didn't set myself such high standards.
I withdrew from two papers in semester A and   another two in semester B, one including my practicum paper. Because of this - i'm almost a year behind now. As for next year - i'm putting my teaching studies on hold. I'm going to wait out the year and see how i go with working and decide on what the best option is going to be. So it's all unknown at the moment. Yes it scares me in a way and at times, i feel like i've failed but i know that i just wasn't in the right place at the right time. And it's something i can learn from.

Sports
At the beginning of the Uni year the hockey trials were held. I was still up in the air about playing. I enjoyed it last year but wasn't sure i was going to fit it in. I was convinced by a few mates and ended up in the social team which i was pleased with. Our team was made up of a bunch of the same players as last year so we were a relatively strong team. The first round went ok - lost a few, won a few. Towards the end of the first round i began to step away. I just wasn't enjoying being in the team or playing. I just felt it was a chore and i was waking up on game day dreading the game ahead. So i became a part time player and took up coaching a high school team. I loved it!!! My high school girls were young and quite inexperienced which made the coaching so much better. And the parents made me feel so welcome. My season was a long one and i got to know them very well. Many of whom i still keep in touch with. I miss them alot. And my high school girls played a big part in helping me get through the winter months, not just on the hockey field but also outside of the game.
Now returning back to NP I've got my bike sorted and been to the velodrome a few times. I want to continue my biking once i get my foot back into action, as well as rowing, and tramping, while it's still summer. I was hoping to do a triathlon early January but that's on hold now. In the winter of 2014 i'm hoping to join a hockey team here in NP. I love playing sports, and especially love being in a team environment.

Friends
Over the course of the year i was fortunate enough to have close friends near by at all times. I am known as a social butterfly and so it was no surprise i had friends scattered over the country and yonder. Having friends who never left my side helped me get through the year. To begin with, i told nobody about what was going on, and i was getting questioned of my absence often. I decided to open up to those closest to me. From then i realised who my truest friends were. Some didn't want to know what was going on, as they simply couldn't understand why i did the things i did and said what i said. I don't blame them and i don't judge them, it was simply their choice. However. there were 3 or 4 who stuck by me. They know who they are. For a while i isolated myself and didn't see anyone or really talk to anyone. It was through this time i was at my lowest. Once i had the strength to reach out and ask for help i knew i'd overcome one barrier. My friends were amazing. Not just the Hamilton mates either. In New Plymouth, Australia, Wellington, Auckland, America, and England (at the time) i had people i considered close friends of mine who were ALWAYS just a text away. I want to thank each and every one of you. I don't need to mention names. You know who you are, and without your support i simply wouldn't be where i am today. So thank you again. I just hope in the new year to come we can continue to grow in our friendship and hopefully we can see more of each other. 

Family
I am fortunate enough to be blessed with three younger brother and two parents here in New Plymouth. As well as this NZ family i am fortunate enough to have family in Romania. It was late last year i received exciting news that my birth brother's fiance gave birth to a young boy. By blood, he is my nephew. I felt so blessed to be informed of his arrival and that my birth brother wanted me to be included in his life. I sent a small package over of little NZ things, it made me feel so happy. 
I have put my family through so much this past year, so it is only fair i thank them for all the support they have also given me. I appreciate every little thing i have had done for me. I feel i have grown closer to all my family since being away and also with what went down 3 months ago. Brett (22) is passionate about his drumming, music and xbox, all things i am not, yet we can still spin a yarn, play cricket together or just sit down and have a coffee/hot choc and tell jokes or stories. Kurt (19) is a hard worker, likes to buy houses and build cars aka stockcars. He also is a member of the Stratford stockcar team. I am such a proud big sister when he is out racing and smashing those other cars to help win their races. Mitch (17) is also a stockcar driver, and his car goes pretty fast. He has also just been offered an engineering apprenticeship at an awesome company, which i'm stoked as about, as is the rest of my family. He's quite the independent one, and doesn't like taking money or anything from others. We get along super well and he is the joker of the family along with me. Mom and Dad work hard on the farm and do the best they can for us kids. They also love travelling, buying houses (well mom does) and will always put us kids first. I love you all and thank you for everything you've done for me, especially over the past year.