Somehow, it is now the first of September. How another week has managed to sneak past, I don't know. As I've mentioned, third year is already double the pace of the first two years and I feel myself lacking in confidence in my own ability to juggle it all. There are more classes, more tests/quizzes, more time needed even before studying starts and more responsibilities with clubs...how I'm going to manage it is also an unknown. I sat down with my planner on Thursday and wrote out every thing I need to remember to do on what day (nevermind that I haven't looked at the darn thing since...but I will!) which made me feel only slightly better. I just have to remind myself of how far I've come and how much I've already accomplished. Before starting, I had no idea how I would tackle all of the work. Before first year midterms, I wondered how I would possibly pass. But as time goes on, you just get things done. Not in a conscious way, but without noticing how much you're actually learning. And when your boss hands you six ferrets to do physical exams on over summer break, you do them without hiccup. That's what matters - getting it done.

So I think my strategy for this semester will be that of swimming in a cold pool - just jump in a get moving and don't think about the fact that you're turning blue and hypothermia is a distinct possbility and wouldn't a nice warm chair by the fire be nice? and oh yeah, there are sharks in the pool.

Because the weather has been decent lately, I've done a lot of non-school stuff, too: coffee with friends, making a little extra cash helping out a local business, fish and chips with friends up in the park and a bonfire last night at the beach. Surrounding myself with friends is one way I attempt to fight the feelings of loneliness - I really miss Danny and Ella. Coming home to a silent, dark little cottage is just depressing. So when I tagged along with friends from fish and chips to the pet store (one friend was getting some fish and shrimp to put in her fish tank), I wound up buying a betta fish for company. The set up I bought for him, however, is lacking. The tank is one gallon in size - a vast improvement over his cup on a shelf - with some nice gravel and a little fake plant. The problem is, the filter they provided has way too high of a flow rate and the little betta (his name is Fergus) ends up having to swim against the current. So I'm going to return this tank and get him either a bigger tank with the same size filter or (more probably) a similarly sized tank with no filter (which will require more frequent water changes).

Lastly and most importantly, my monthly resolution. Well, I'll tell you: I had one picked out, I really did. I was going to volunteer at a local therapeutic riding center. Problem is, I'm going to be way, way too busy this semester. So I'm a bit stumped right now, per usual. Hopefully I think of something soon..