Hello 2019

Another year has flown by, and by flown I mean one second I started this blog and the next its December and the Christmas shopping panic began.

Reflecting over this year, in many ways my life has changed greatly. I started my blog, got my honours degree, I travelled around Europe, I moved down south (god forbid!) and started my masters degree. 2018 has been by all means wonderful, and probably the best year of my life so far. Looking at my first blog post with main goals for 2018, I’ve managed 6/7!. I have achieved so much more than ever thought I could, and for that I’m proud of myself (Anyone who knows me will know how hard I find saying this). Although I have had a brilliant year, I’ve let myself get far too overwhelmed and burnt out a little this last month.

I made so many memories. From adventures in North Wales with my closest friends, to travelling around Europe for a month with one of my best university friends. I finally got to visit Italy and eat proper italian food, saw the beauty of Nyhavn, witnessed German football fans at the Brandenburg gate when Germany won against Sweden in the world cup, had a nap by the lake in Zurich, explored Budapest at night, and accidentally ended up in Paris for both Bastille day and the night France won the world cup. I graduated alongside some kick ass marine biologists, I cant wait to see how far they go with their careers. I travelled to Ireland and Scotland for the first time with my boyfriend, and fell absolutely inlove with Edinburgh. And I moved to Plymouth to start the next chapter of my marine adventure.

I learnt lots in 2018. I learnt I can achieve so much more than I ever believe I can, and to believe in my own ideas more. I’ve learnt that travelling and happy people make my heart sing and I learnt how to finally cook! (kind of). I’m learning now that I need to work on my work balance and focus so that I don’t burn myself out so much, and manage to keep productivity high.

I’m overly excited for 2019. My first research project starts, on the range expanding kelp species Laminaria Ochroleuca. I’ve got 9 months of fieldwork and labwork, and I honestly cannot wait to put into action all that I’ve learnt in the past 3 years. Finally time to be a ‘real’ scientist! I do need to curb my ‘stress head’ more, to prevent burning myself out at the wrong time like I have done this December (3 assignments and no motivation to do them!).

My main goals for 2019 are:

• Graduate from my masters degree (hopefully with a distinction)
• Have publishable work (In a realistic time frame, it wont get published in 2019 but it would be nice to create work that is publishable)
• Travel to a new place
• Find a better balance between work and relaxing
• Get my Advanced Open Water
• Don’t burn out
• Plan my  5 months of travelling for 2020
• Apply for 2020 PhDs
• Take Spanish classes
• Do a 1 second a day video for the entire year

Hopefully I’ll be able to get better at my time management and continue this blog (with more frequent posts). I have so so many ideas for 2019, I can’t wait to put them into action!

Happy New Year! Wishing you all the best,

Cate x