Mindless Chatter

I wanted to do the Planner Snowflake Challenge that journalsandplanners  hosted a while back but I didn't have time to get caught up on all the questions, so I was excited to see they're hosting the Journal Jam event now too! Please feel free to join in if you see this, I'd love to have more people on my reading page doing this too. Here's the first post if you're interested btw! (xxx)

Day 1:
Either here or in your own space, answer the following question: Have you ever pivoted/made a pretty big shift in journal/planner usage? What prompted it and what was the shift in usage?

I didn't really use planners very consistently for most of my life, but I started using one somewhat consistently in college. Then I started being a lot more consistent with it at the beginning of 2021, because I'd just found out I have ADHD and learned how important it would be for my life and mental health to figure out how to be more organized than I had been! My mom used the Franklin Planner system years ago, so she got me a Franklin Planner binder and starter set and also started using it again herself. We've both gotten more into the habit of using them, so it's been nice to kinda do that together!

I've really enjoyed it so far and I feel like it makes planning more fun, because they have lots of options for customization and different looks for the inserts you can buy, and I like that it has aspects that emphasize planning your whole life and not just day-to-day stuff. I've also gotten pretty into stickers for customization, too, which has been fun! One downside to Franklin Planner is that it's fairly expensive to get started, but I like not having to buy a whole new planner every year and just getting new inserts that still fit the same system, so I think it's worth it.

 I've been doing a lot of volunteering lately for this fleamarket charity fundraiser in my city where people can bring their old furniture and other things to be sold for donations. The sale happens in a big parking garage, so some people need to be there during the night to make sure nothing happens to all the stuff that's there, and I've done two overnights this week! It was very fun and kinda felt like a sleepover, but my sleep schedule is so messed up now lol XD

Hopefully I can sleep well tonight and then make myself tired tomorrow and get on a more normal schedule! I'll prob be on here more tomorrow to answer comments and such!

 I recently (well, mid November-ish. I'm only just getting around to posting about it lol) attended an informational webinar about careers in museums and what kind of education you need for that, and I think this is officially what I want to do when I leave college! I've been thinking about museum work as a career option for a while, but I'm pretty convinced now. I love the idea of giving the general public access to history and educating them in a way that's available to anyone. I've pretty much always loved museums since I was a young child, and I want to give other people that same experience and love of history, especially kids. Museums are so important to educating people and making history interesting, and I'd just love to do something related to that! I'm not exactly sure what position I'd want, but I think I'd like to either be a curator or set up/arrange exhibits. Hopefully I'll be able to do an internship sometime this summer to learn more!

Also, I just got diagnosed with ADHD, so hopefully I can get meds and coping strategies that work for me for next semester. I'm going to get a Franklin planner soon, and I really think that'll help with organization for school and life in general. Very excited about having a good organization and planning system that I can personalize! In general, feeling positive and excited about the future <3

Things are starting to get a little crazy around here. My university has moved all classes to online only, and I'm a little nervous about having to keep myself on track on my own more. I'll have to step up my organization game a bit, but I think I'll be ok! Fingers crossed!

People here have also been raiding the grocery stores for toilet paper, eggs, and other perishables and stocking up. I feel like the panic that's been going around is a little unnecessary, though I am worried about it, especially about my grandma and people I know who have underlying health conditions. I'm mostly worried about the effects on life in general rather than coronavirus itself tbh. I'm also kind of a hypochondriac, so I keep feeling like I'm getting sick lol.

On the plus side, I think having a bit of a break will be nice. I've been enjoying it so far: I've started reading Pompeii by Robert Harris, a historical fiction book about the last few days before Mt. Vesuvius erupted, and some of Rosemary Sutcliff's short stories. I've also been making good progress on my sutcliff_swap story, which has been so fun so far! I also have an idea for an extra treat for one of the other prompts too, so I think I'll write that soon too... !! I've been trying to do some meditation and working on my mental state and more positive thinking as well.

Anyway, I hope all of you reading this are staying healthy, calm, and safe! Hopefully this will all blow over and things will get better soon. Xx

Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow American friends!

It's definitely been kinda a weird day for me - my parents and I have been kinda sick and didn't really do much to celebrate this year, but it was still nice to spend some quality time together. I think the plan is to have more of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow or this weekend though, once everyone is feeling more up to it. Anyway, I thought it would be appropriate to get a little sappy and share some of the things I'm grateful for this year:

I'm very thankful for my family and the close relationship I have with my parents, sister, aunts and uncles, and grandparents; they're just the best people ever tbh, and they're all so important to me. I'm also thankful that this school semester has been going so well; I feel like it's my best one so far, and I'm thankful for the new friends and experiences I've gotten this year, and also for my improved mental health, which has made so many of these other things possible. I'm thankful that I was able to go to Rome this summer, and that my sister's gap year has been going so well, even though I miss her.

And I could keep going, honestly! I have quite a lot to be thankful for this year, I'm realizing, it really has been a good year for me overall. Hoping this next year will be just as good and successful! <3

 Yes I'm alive, and back from my unintentional hiatus! In general, school has been going well and I'm taking some really interesting classes; I've been reading The Iliad and The Odyssey for one of them, which has been fascinating and insightful! I also feel like I'm learning how to deal with stress and anxiety a little better this year than I have previously, which has made things feel so much easier. I've definitely been busy tho and I haven't had much time or motivation to write, sadly... I think I'm at least getting more motivation for writing back now, and I've been working on something that I'll hopefully be able to post soon!!

Sorry this was a little rambling, but I wanted to make some kind of update post since I've been gone for so long, so here we are! Anyway, hope you all have a great day/night! Xx

 I just got home from Italy on Tuesday, & I'm already starting to miss it!! I loved always being surrounded by so much history, & it felt so good to be surrounded by people who love history as much as I do! It was such a beautiful experience, & I made so many wonderful memories & great friends, & I'll probably be throwing myself into classical studies even more after this experience! I'll definitely want to post more about it on here. 

I was also able to buy a couple of books on ancient history in various museum gift shops, so I have quite a reading list for this summer! (Under the cut if you're interested) I'm usually kind of a slow reader, so hopefully I can get through all the reading I want to. 

( Reading list )

 I'm definitely upset and disappointed that Tumblr's changing it's policies so much, & tho I don't plan on deleting my Tumblr or anything, I'm excited that it's allowing my circle on this platform to grow! I've already gotten like 4 new followers since the announcement on Tumblr, I hope this site continues to become more popular!

So if you want, come & say hi!! <3