Hello Blogettes,

I can't believe I haven't posted anything since September. Except it says Oct 5th as my last post... I still haven't been able to figure out why the dates are off. I have to publish my posts as a month before in order to get the correct day (i.e. Feb 5th for this one).

Anyways,  I can't say I've forgotten about you guys altogether. I actually have a few drafts of postings that I started writing but never finished. I've honestly wanted to write but have had no idea what to write about... I've picked my brain and then end up with a "meh" and then never get around to it. I did have a whirlwind of a 4 months (Sept-Dec) though. I completed my final practicum and finished up my degree. I'm officially a university graduate - yay! Maybe that could be something I'll write about.. My practicum experience and the realities of graduating university.

I'll share a little more about my experience with my practicum in another post but to be frank, last semester was one of the hardest 3-4 months I've ever endured. The job was hard and was not for me whatsoever. As a result, I was actually very miserable and it definitely took a toll on me. I was very unhappy and I could feel it in my body. I generally deal with stress very well, but this was being unhappy and that was something I haven't actually had to face in a long time. I forgot how hard it can take a toll on your body. I am thankful that I have had very few moments in my lives where I have had to feel like that, but it serves as a reminder for me to do what makes me happy. To those who are currently going through tough times... Chin up, my friends. No matter how hard things are right now, they will get better <3

It's nice graduating in December in a way because it's almost like allowing myself to start the next chapter of my life in the fresh new year. As I mentioned, I am set on trying to find a job that will make me happy because I experienced how my life will be like if I get stuck doing a job that I hate and am absolutely miserable doing. It doesn't matter if it's the best paying job, but if the price is being unhappy then it's not worth it to me. Sure, I've graduated and still currently working as a swing manager at McDonald's but at least for the time being I'm happy, which isn't something I could have said 2 months ago. I'm doing me and that's all that matters. I am actively job hunting but in the mean time, I'm still working and bringing home some bacon ($).

So if you haven't caught on yet, the goal that I've been striving towards this year is to do things that make me happy. A quote that I heard Juilan say in One Tree Hill that has always stuck with me is that "happiness is not a destination". It's an emotion/state of being. I'm not aiming to find a job so that I can be happy. I'm choosing to do things in my everyday life that will make me happy. I've started exercising again, eating healthier, singing more, etc. For heavens sake, I'm even going to Las Vegas next week! I'm very excited about that btw. It's my graduation present to myself - eek! :)

I'm not about resolutions because I won't stick to them; however, I will set some personal goals. The main one is to do what makes me happy and to stop/not do the things that make me unhappy. Sounds reasonable, right? I think so. While I'm at it, I'm going to strive to do things that will raise my self-confidence in areas in which I find I am lacking. For example, singing. I've made a post in the past that linked to me covering a track from Frozen and I haven't put any other uploads since. Yesterday, I got brave and posted another video to the YouTubes. I thought about posting it onto one of my existing channels but I thought I'd start fresh so I used my Gmail to make an account of my own: Jen Tong.

For my first upload, I covered I Dreamed a Dream in the style of Susan Boyle because what better way to kick things off than a song from a musical? I love musicals, btw. They're my fave. Anyways, I will leave you all with a link to the video. Check it out and let me know if you wanna see some more :)

Jen