Panic. Excitement. Panic. Excitement...

So today we had our Pre-Departure Workshop. (Well that sounds Fancy)

We gathered with other groups of students from other programmes

(StudyAmerica, erasmus and ISEP) who where also all heading away to studying abroad for a meeting in the Magee campus.

Ive started going through these moments of extreme excitement, wishing that I was already on the plane Colorado bound. Then in the space of 10minutes I could go into shear Panic and think how on earth am I going to be able to do this? especially by myself and getting on the plane for the first time ALONE... I hope I'm not the only person going through this.

Realistically, I'm not the first to do this; Why I am going is because I heard about this programme through other students who have went and managed to come back in one piece. 

"I would never have considered myself to be home sick but can you really have an option on it until I am put into the position to be by yourself"??...

I thought the workshop was to find out even more things that we had to sort before leaving, almost like a list of MORE things to do, another chance for them to bombard us with even more Stuff; But to my surprise it was a chance to get talking to the people that are helping me out, putting a face to the person on the other side of the email, which is always nice! We split up into our programme groups and basically got chatting about where each of us were going. Judith who ran the workshop had literally been EVERYWHERE in america, which meant she was able to give us lots of information of each state and more importantly a detailed whether forecast :)

The short version.... Im basically going to be running from tree shade to tree shade with my pale skin, trying not to get burnt! (Thats what a Ginger loves to hear)

Today allowed me to appreciate that the opportunity I was getting shouldn't be taken for granted, that first of all not everyone gets the chance to do Anything like this Ever and some people could never do this because their fear over weighs the pro's of going. I do still get those fear moments but every time I do, I think back to the excitement I felt when I left the first ever information talk in November last year, I couldn't wait to fill out the forms and get everything sorted. 

I never considered this to make sense to anyone, but hopefully these random bites of information and blabber that I'm taking could aid someone at some point if they ever choose to Study Abroad. Lets just hope that everything works out and I actually get going...

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I would have always considered myself an adventurous person but I'm glad that I am finally getting to prove this to everyone and more importantly Myself!.... Que the cheese

Whats Next?

Next stop. Colorado!

Why?.... Why not? more like it.

(Google Images)

As of tonight (night before my last piece of coursework is to be handed in) I am finished my second year of university; how crazy it is to think that this year is over, but less of the thinking... it's very nearly Summer.

I heard sometime last year of this amazing opportunity through my uni, to take a year out and study for one year in america. I can't contain myself with how excited I am. I applied at the beginning of January, sending my forms off to my uni to be checked over, then at the beginning of February they were packed up and sent across the big pond to be processed. Not only was I delighted to get the email to be notified that they were in fact on their way but then I had realised what I had actually done. Did I really think this over? 

The wait was by far the hardest and most anxious I have experienced. I had applied to a variety of different collages across the country but in the back of my mind I always had this image of being in a small village in the mountains (but no idea where). What made the wait even more excoriating, was ever time I went to my grannies house she would always ask me if I had heard any response yet, so not only was I going through this but so was my granny who was just as if not more excited than I was. She had an excuse to pack her bags and come visit america, a place to which she holds close to her heart.

I get the feeling that Granny would be mortified if she ever knew that I wrote this but I held off from telling her in the beginning that I had even applied because I know she wouldn't have been able to handle the waiting process and the thought of not knowing; she would have wanted to know then and there. Around mid February I HAD to confess. It was so difficult to hold it in for that length of time; I tell her everything (she's my partner in crime).

I like to consider myself to be an adventurous person; at the age of six I started the Beavers, then cubs as I got older finally becoming a Scout; We participated in lots of outdoor activities, camping, hiking, building fires, tents etc. This gave me my courage as a child and meant that I spent a lot of my time outside, basically being a tom boy with my brother and neighbours. Therefore I had always held this thought in my head that anything unusual or extraordinary came my way, I pretty much HAD to get involved. So when I heard about this opportunity I first said YES and thought sure I can worry about it when it happens. 

("If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes - then learn how to do it later." Richard Branson)

Finally! On the 15th April I got that long awaited Email that Placed me in Colorado in a beautiful Collage in the south west part of the state. Set in the beautiful mountains beside a small village, Like I had imagined myself being in :) On the 24th April it felt a lot more real when I received my confirmation email to congratulate me on my acceptance into the collage. OVER THE MOON!! 

I am definitely starting to think more about what I have to do and what needs organised, but for the meantime I'm still in the honeymoon period and not panicking.... Yet!

I can see it now... As my Blog posts continue to go up the panic will slowly but surely sink in and I will start to freak out!!!

The Beginning

"Everything happens for a reason." 

One of my most favourite quotes. I know not everyone believes these words, there is so much uncertainty attached to them. My name is Clare, I am 21 years old and I am currently a Design Student. 

I have always been fond of anything arty; photography, design etc. I love working out (definitely not an expert but me and my brother put together a Very simple gym at home), running, walking and being outside. A huge passion of mine since I was very young was traveling and exploring; from running through fields and building tree huts as a kid to visiting different countries on family holidays.  

I have known about blogs for many years now but it was't until my final year of school I came across a few that really caught my eye; these bloggers also had YouTube channels which I loved. I always admired them and how they were able to put themselves out there in such a way that people would stop from their hectic lives and read their blogs; watch their videos and enjoy them, even though they were just talking to a camera in their room, or writing what happened during their day. 

I admired this and considered for many years of starting my own blog; somewhere that I could express myself and voice my opinion as well as share my interests, not considering that anyone would read it but just to have an output. I once mentioned this idea of mine and was met with "Sure what would you write about?" this shouldn't have bothered me as much as it did but our worst critic, is ourselves. 

Why now? I realised that no matter what anyone else says (or that little voice in our head) that we can't do something, Why The Hell Not? I'm only young once! I believe that no matter how many times someone can say this to you (and I've heard my fair share of this sentence) it's not until you believe whole heartedly and truly live by these words that you will step out of your comfort zone, stand on the edge and forever live a life with excitement… 


This has lead me to FINALLY Begin my blog! 


I also have big plans for this year coming, which will mean leaving home…. oohhhh :( So I felt that a blog would be a perfect place to explain what I'm getting up to. Also my mum and dad have tried on many occasions to friend request me on FaceBook (Sorry guys) so instead I thought this would be a better way for my family to see and read what I'm doing and join me on my Journey. 

(My Photo) Let the Adventures Begin