Auckland Zoo Visual Diary. April 2014.

Auckland April 2014

My future looks like a magazine

My ever growing magazine collection.

It has come to that time again when I have to choose what major I want to pursue in my last year of university next year, and I am even more confused and conflicted about what I want to do.

I moved up to Auckland with one goal in my mind: to get into the journalism major. But things changed, as they do quite often with me.

The first half of this year was rough on me, I wasn't in the right frame of mind and I became somewhat depressed as I felt that I was not good at university altogether. I went home for two weeks and got away from the city which gave me time to sit, chill and think.

So far this semester has been great and I have begun to remember why I made the move up to Auckland, I want to work for a fashion magazine.

I love fashion, I might not have the money to buy the clothes I want but that doesn't stop me from opening Vogue Australia or Remix and appreciating every single piece of clothing and imaging what I could wear or what would suit me.

So now that it has come to the time to pick majors I know I want to do journalism. But first I have to get the good grades so I can be accepted into journalism next year.

The best I can do is take one step at a time and stay true to what I believe I am capable of and that is that I will one day work for a fashion magazine.

My summer in a nutshell

This post has been a long time coming now, but with unforeseen circumstances it meant the delay in this post. However I am here to give you a list of my highs and lows for summer, as summer is now officially over in the southern hemisphere and autumn is slowly making itself known here in Auckland.
So here we go:

The Highs

• Having four months off Uni to enjoy the summer months was spectacular and possibly a very rare occurrence so I tried to soak up as much of it as I could.
• I turned 21 this summer!
• My birthday wish came true, that was for my family to spend my birthday in Auckland with me and half of my family surprised me by coming up which was AMAZING!
• Moving house and meeting my amazing new flat mates who are from all over the world, so I now have even more connections for when I travel.
• I read an inspirational book that has changed my life.
• I have become a more healthier person and do regular exercise which has resulted in me losing weight.
• It was my first summer away from home and I managed to support myself (with some help from my mother now and then) by working hard, and I feel I am a more independent person because of it.
• I only got sun burnt twice which is a new record.
• Going home for Christmas was a major high point as I miss them dearly.
• Getting to know all the locals who come into work was an unexpected bonus.
• My childhood friend came up to see me for a weekend, it was a great weekend.

The Lows

• Working for a majority of the summer meant I didn't get out as much as I would have liked.
• Spending New Years alone was a buzz kill night, and having to work the next morning made me feel even more lonely.
• Moving out of my old apartment was sad as I loved the place and I miss my old flat mate at times.
• Catching the worst flu right at the end of summer was not fun! (that is why this is being posted late)
• Getting sun burnt is never fun!
• Realising that I do not own a bikini because I am unsure about my body.
• Did not save as much money as I was hoping to. 

For my first summer in Auckland I would say it was a pretty successful one. Of course like anything there are low points but I'm becoming a more positive person and focusing on the positives in life and embracing what surrounds me.
I have to say that I am grateful for the amazing summer I had, but I am looking forward to some cooler months that are ahead as well.
So goodbye summer and hello autumn!

Beach and Lanterns: Another great saturday

I was lucky enough to have a whole weekend off work, so I took the most of it by visiting Mission Bay and going to the Chinese Lantern Festival.

Mission Bay is such a beautiful place and the weather was stunning. I collected some sea shells which now I will be googling what to do with them, I relaxed in the sun (got a little bit burnt) and of course went to Kiwiyo and treated myself to some amazing frozen yoghurt.

That night my flatmates and I ventured to the Chinese Lantern Festival which is held to celebrate the Chinese New Year, and it was crazy busy I was shocked and a little overwhelmed. We even got half a watermelon and managed to eventually finish it off, it was amazing but I think I ate my weight in watermelon! The lanterns were beautiful and there were so many, my favourite is the last photo.

Flat bonding, beach, lanterns and such a beautiful day it was a very good Saturday.

Wine, Zoo and Fire: What every weekend needs

This weekend a friend visited me from my little hometown in the South Island, and for the first time in what has felt like months I had the whole weekend off. So I made the most of it by doing what any normal person would do, which is going to the zoo. It has to be one of my favourite places to go to in Auckland as the animals always have a way of making you happy, excited about life and also makes you feel slightly like a child. 

Other than the zoo we of course had some wine, went out on Friday night, ate far too much food (but who can resist Movenpick) and early this morning (Sunday here in NZ) 6am to be exact, the fire alarm went off which meant evacuating the building while three fire trucks pulled up to turn off the false alarm.

So you could say it was a pretty eventful weekend.

Laneway Festival at Home

Top to bottom: ALT-J, Bat for Lashes and Of Monsters and Men.

So today in Auckland is the Laneway festival, a perfect way to spend Auckland Anniversary holiday (if you live in Auckland) as it is a day off for the region. But if you are like me and could not afford to attend this great festival at Silo Park why not throw your own Laneway Festival at home.

All you need is some of the acts who are performing at Laneway on your iPod, either a dock system or headphones and some room to dance and move around. Now is that so hard?

Just because you aren't there doesn't mean you have to miss out on hearing some amazing tunes. Okay so the environment might not be the same as actually being there, but just make the most of what you have got and loose yourself to the music for a while.