Josh and I woke up late. It was the day after my last exam and I was finally free for three weeks! No stress, no deadlines, no classes, no buses. Hurrah! We lazed around for awhile then went out for breakfast. This is where I apologise for the crappy cell phone quality photos.

I’d been wanting to try out a new cafe a couple of suburbs away, one that sells only desserts. A cafe for desserts. Yeah, I know. I died, too.

We sat at table 3 and used our cool chunky number as a prop.

I was going for the cute cartoon smile.

Josh was romanticising me with a heart. He hates having photos taken, so this was literally as good as I could get.

This adorable cafe is called Quirk and is situation on Picton Street in Howick, East Auckland. I grew up around the area so I am pretty fond of Howick’s little village atmosphere, cute cafes, antique shops, and sea views.

Quirk was selling these adorable upcycled felt totes.

Josh had a citrus tart with cream and strawberry sauce.

I had hotcakes with maple syrup, vanilla ice cream, and cream.

We shared a cookies and cream cupcake…

…and we both had cappuccinos with cinnamon on top.

Our food and drinks were pretty yummy, and the cafe was so cute!

After that we took a look in a couple of the antique stores nearby, both falling for at least a few items each. Mine were jewellery, surprise-surprise! When am I not going gaga over jewellery? Probably when I’m going gaga over shoes, I guess.

(I really, really want something like this, but in white.)

We also stopped by the local music store so Josh could try out amps and so I could swoon over blue guitars.

The.End. xo

Photo by John Rawlings

Good morning, Monday! I’m feeling most excellent and rested after a great weekend; I hope you are, too.

Friday was a blunder of a day until the evening. I had a difficult exam (biopsychology) that afternoon which I had not done enough study for. The amount of information we had to learn was huge and I, unfortunately, had not prepared well for that throughout the semester. It was the worst exam I have ever had and I felt absolutely awful throughout, stuffed with anxiety. Despite the fact I am an anxious sort of person, ever since I started university I have been really proud of the fact that I am fairly cool when it comes to sitting my tests and exams. I get nervous beforehand, I feel the stress of studying, but once I’m in the room I manage to find a calm enough mental space to get the work done. I credit my sister in helping me accomplish this; she gave me some very sound advice before my first set of tests and I gave carried it with me over the last two years. However, on Friday, sitting in that chair and reading those questions and literally not knowing some of answers at all sent me to a mental and emotional place I never want to go again. I ended up in tears in the exam, just managing to hold myself together until I could leave, after which I promptly broke down while sitting on the steps of possibly the most beautiful building on campus. I was glad to have my hooded coat, so I could mostly cover myself for privacy. It was embarrassing. I had no tissues. I didn’t want to go to the restroom as it would require going inside and seeing people. Them seeing me. I just sat there and waited for Josh to pick me up on his way home from work, crying for a bit, hating myself, and then people-watching once my tears had slowed.

Fortunately the remainder of Friday was better. Josh and I went to see Green Lantern and had dinner out, and we did a bit of shopping too. Honestly, I have a ridiculous shopping problem. Some people are emotional eaters, drinkers, drug takers or gamblers. I shop. Bad day? Go buy something! It’s potentially terrible financially, but I never spend money I don’t have. And I do not have a credit card and I do not plan on having one until I really need to get a credit rating, which will not be for another good few years. When I do get one, it will also have a really small limit on it and I might keep it in a complicated card case with a puzzle I have to complete in order to unlock it, or something.

Anyway, on Friday I bought a pair of track pants and a new hoodie, then on Saturday I got another hoodie and a scarf. I also indulged in a chilli chocolate truffle and a chilli hot chocolate, both to die for. So I suppose that counts as emotional eating too? Or maybe just my sweet tooth, which seems to be increasingly worse lately, possibly from the influence of a certain dessert-loving girlfriend of mine.

Sunday was lazy. We woke up late, picked up a few things from the supermarket and grabbed KFC for brunch on the way home. Normally not a fast food I like. I hate to admit it, but I’m a McDonald’s girl. Sad but true! We hung out, played on the internet all day, and played guitar. Well, Josh played and I practices the two little pieces he taught me. It was such a nice way to wind down the week.

I’ll be back later with the last 8 weeks to a better me post!

My weekend ended on a crazy-busy note yesterday! I helped my boyfriend move to his new place, and by that what I mean is we packed and moved everything yesterday. Yeah, he wasn’t super-organised, but he had only found the place last Thursday. Fortunately my parents helped us move the furniture and most of everything else

Josh and I even managed to get his new room set up fairly well. Most clothes and books are unpacked, bed is all done, his brand new plasma TV is set up (of course, hehe). For a one-day job I think we did pretty well considering it was only 4 people for a few hours, then the 2 of us. The worst thing though was the dust, which I’m allergic to (well, technically allergic to dust mite poop but thinking about that would turn me into a germiphobe). I sneeze my butt off most of the day and paid for it with a rare bout of asthma. I don’t have any asthma medication anymore but I really wished that I had last night. I haven’t had breathing difficulties like that since I was much younger and it really sucked. I just feel so lucky that I don’t have to experience that often, like so many people do.

This morning on the way home I went into university to do a couple of things before my classes start on Wednesday. I managed to sell one of my old textbooks back to the bookstore for $70! I was so stoked as I wasn’t sure I would get that much for it at all. It’s still nearly a 50% markdown on what I paid for it, but it’s better than nothing or having it sit around unused. So yeah, this is basically my bus money.

Being the first day of semester, campus was obviously packed. I scored a free bottle of drink and was going to try to get more free stuff but the lines were nuts and I got over the pull of OMG-free-stuff-!!11!1! pretty quickly, haha. As I’m sure many of you know, the first couple of weeks back at uni are crazy full of people. All the first year students starting and trying to figure everything out; they’re like swarming bees! But it’s ok because I was once one of them so I know what it’s like. Everything is so new and exciting, you feel more adult all of a sudden, but also there is this sense of ‘being a student’ and what that entails. Like booze nights and various crazy antics. I didn’t really experience that student life, nor have I any intention to either. I think if I lived closer to campus I definitely would socialise more with fellow students, but the travel I have to do takes up so much time that I really just cannot be bothered going out anywhere at the end of the day. I want to go home, have a nice meal, and relax. Quietly.

A month ago I really wasn’t looking forward to going back to school, I was definitely feeling jaded by the whole experience. I had finally caught up in energy and was feeling so happy and alive, so creative and free, that the thought of having to go back to regular classes, assignments, and 2 hours on a bus every day was the worst. Now, however, I’m feeling much more excited. I think my classes will all be quite interesting, especially psychology. A lot of work, obviously, but enjoyable at the same time.

Happy Monday!