A sentimental moment

Tonight I will be partaking, for the final time at the University of Otago, in a tradition which has seen me through two and a half years of university.

The "all nighter".

As I sit here, about to throw myself head first into a world of a self inflicted last minute stress, I can't help but reflect a little on my time at Otago and feel some sadness that it is all about to be over.

Otago has seen me at my best and worst.
I have grown tonnes since I first set foot on this campus, and its a strange feeling to think my time here is almost up.
For so long I just wanted "to get this damn degree finished already!".
But now that I can see the end, its bittersweet.

I moved to Dunedin three months after dad died.
My mum, Ashlee, Robbie, Granma, and Grandad all came with me, and helped me with the move.

...This small group alone has changed so much since then.
Grandad passed away. Granma's alzheimers has had her deteriorate even further. Robbie and I moved overseas together and then decided we were better as friends. Mum travelled to Dubai, Africa, and the UK and met a lovely new man. And Ashlee is about finish her final year of high school and begin University herself.

I began studying to be a teacher. Then a journalist. And now, an Art Historian with an ambition to eventually work in Art Therapy.

I have loved and hated it here.

I've made new friends and acquaintances, and learned how to let go of negative relationships.

I have received amazing grades, and a few shit ones too.

It has been really, really hard sometimes...and often, I've wanted to give up completely.

But I don't regret any of it.

So as I sit here, two heaters on, the very last of the snow melting outside my window, writing my last ever assignment for the University of Otago; I can't help but to remember.

That time our house caught fire...

Sometimes, life likes to switch things up a little to make itself more interesting.
And most often when that happens, you will find me rampaging out of my room, hair on end, arms waving in the air, into my room-mate and oldest friend's bedroom next door, screeching,
"OHEMGEEEE DEEE!!!! DRAAAAMMMAAAAAAA"

This reaction is generally reserved to more lighthearted occurrences such as exciting news, interesting gossip, or the server at the fish n chip shop giving me the wrong order...

As you can tell, the only real "drama" is my over dramatic reaction.

However, the night before last life decided to step it up a notch and make things down right crazy!
This time, I'm talking serious "DRAAAAMMMAAAA!!!"

I had locked myself away in my room as I had an assignment due the next day. The fire alarm outside my door went off but because the kitchen is so near to it, I just assumed one of my housemates had burnt dinner, and ignored it.
After about 5-10minutes, the alarm was still going off and I got mad. It was messing with my concentration!
I stormed over to my door, threw it open...only to be suddenly surrounded in dark grey smoke!!
I noticed thicker, black streams of smoke were seeping out of the hot water cupboard next to my room, under the stairs, so I carefully placed the back of my hand against the door, felt it was still cool, opened it the tiniest of cracks, and all I could see were huge red flames throughout the entire cupboard!!
I started yelling, everyone in the house came running, and we all managed to get out safely and call the fire brigade who joined us not long afterwards.
In my panic, however, I left my door wide open for the smoke to permeate my entire room, & as I rushed to "save what I needed" I rescued only my phone, coat, & a half eaten donut....

It was an electrical fire, and we're still not entirely sure what caused it, but we are all so lucky that the damage was mostly limited to the cupboard and immediate surrounding areas, and that we were all unharmed.

I tell ya what, though! One of the top scariest moments. Of. My. Life.
DRAAAMMMAAAAA!!!

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!!!

Wow! It's been a while!

I've been very impatient with this year so far. There is so much to look forward to and so much to do, that I often find myself just waiting and willing for the time between certain activities/events/trips to pass quickly so I can move onto the next!

The latest excitement was in the form of an all too brief, 15 day trip back to the Gold Coast!
I've been back in NZ for a week exactly today, and productivity at Uni is at an all time low as I reminisce and long for my time there.

It was wonderful, and I can't wait to get back!

 On my way over, I had a three hour stop over in Wellington, where I have a lot of family. It was great to get to briefly catch up with them! My cousins are the cutest, and how hot is my Aunty!? Mother of four (not pictured), and still a total babe!!

 I tried to go to the beach (even if only for a few minutes) every day, and took advantage of the warm weather as much as possible! (I didn't realise until I got home, that I was too busy taking pictures to get many of me in them!)

 I've really missed Max Brenner while I've been in NZ - I had a lot of chocolate covered, making up to do!

I stayed with my very special friend and his family, including his 3 year old sister. How adorable is she!? And that hair!! A huge chunk of my trip was spent having tea parties, playing 'shops', reading books, doing puzzles etc. and I loved every bit of it!

It was incredibly hard to leave again, especially when I left 20-something degrees on the Coast and arrived back to 1 degree in Dunedin!!

Having spent a year living there...

eeeeek! I can't believe I'm about to say this!!....

Australia feels more like home now.

New Zealand will always be my true home, where I come from, where I shall always return.
But in terms of where I want to live and work in the future, I know Australia is where I will be.
But the tree's in NZ, the untouched beauty of the land, the people, the wholesome lifestyle, the purity...that is something only New Zealand has, and Australia will never be able to replace that, for me.