Uni, birthday and Batman

NOTE: I'm on Instagram! Follow me? Username is essenity. Duh.




It's been a month since I've come back from Melbourne. A few things have happened since then.

• Destroyed a friendship (possibly, or at least we're both not talking to each other. But whatever, I've done my bit, he needs to step up if he wants to be a part of my life otherwise, I'll hold the door open and help him walk out of it).
• FINALLY sent in my application for the 360 Abroad. My three choices are HKU, CUHK and Melbourne University. Except as soon as I hit send, I felt like my choices weren't "exotic" enough. I had briefly toyed with the idea of Sweden.
• Went out with dinner.
• Got a credit card and then spent too much money.
• Had dinner with a few friends.
• My birthday!
• Worked too much.
• Got sick.
• Started semester 2 of uni! Which has so far been AWESOME.
• Also, watched two seasons of Vampire Diaries and developed a celebrity crush on Damon. *drools*

I'm not going to talk about every point... but where should I start? Dinner with friends perhaps! I went to dinner at my favourite Japanese restaurant in town with three of my friends. More of a dinner than a catch up, I felt. It was a pretty good feast. I would have taken pictures if the environment wasn't so dark and we weren't so starved. We had a lot of sashimi, a plate of beef tataki and the rest, I can't remember!

We did take a few pictures though so here they are!

I sat next to Yumi so here's a pic of us! The flash was so bright! I had to fight to keep my tiny eyes open.

First group shot after dinner!

My chosen dessert! I think they had about three flavours. This one is green tea. It was delicious, but not as delicious as the passion fruit panna cotta in Botany.

 

Didn't quite know what to do after dinner so kinda lounged around outside the restaurant, took another self group shot then left.

We drove down to Aotea Square where they put up the winter ice rink so we could have a look. Prices are ridiculous, I imagined it to be a much bigger rink but there was a lot of space that wasn't utilised. Didn't stop us from taking pictures though. =)

Suki and I

From left to right, Yumi, me and Suki. It turns out Aotea Square at night is a pretty place to take pictures... should have tried harder!

We wandered around and saw a carousel. We got a little bit excited and took pictures. Except, we were too into ourselves to realise that we pretty much cut out the whole carousel.

Here's me in front of the ponies, having my picture taken with the ultimate flash.

Left to right, Yumi, me and Shu in front of the carousel. You can hardly tell it's a carousel.

Then, being the fatties that we are, we went to Yoghurt Story for round two of dessert! I used to be an ice cream girl, but now, I've developed a love for yoghurt! It's pretty expensive though. =S

Watermelon flavoured yoghurt with fruit loops, mango and pineapple pieces!

I feel like that was the highlight of the night though. I love the yoghurt from that shop. There's also a lot of hype going around another yoghurt shop that also recently opened, called Easy Yo or something. I have never been there since it's so far away from me and such a pain to go to (all the way in Mission Bay) but I heard there's a branch opening soon in Botany so here's hoping it's good because then I don't always have to go to the city for Yoghurt. Excuse my fatness, I'll endeavour to lose a ton of weight.

I recently got a credit card again and went shopping a few times. In New Zealand, when you join a rewards programme, many shops send you a gift voucher during your birthday month. Since I joined Platinum (Nike), they sent me a $30 voucher which I used to buy some track pants. I wouldn't have bought it without the $30 voucher so guess free money does draw in customers.

But my biggest spend was at the Body Shop. To be honest with you, I haven't actually used my gift (which is 20% off total bill) but they did give free gift packs with my purchases.

Entire Body Shop haul It's so pretty... *_*

First up, here's some body lotion. From left to right, Shea Whip, Coconut Milk, Mango Whip and Strawberry Puree.

I'm currently using the Mango Whip. It smells delicious! The only other one I've used before is the Strawberry Puree. I can't remember how nice it is, so I can't say which I prefer.

Here is a collection of body care. From left to right, Coconut Shower Cream, Peppermint Cooling Foot Lotion, White Musk Shower Gel, Cocoa Butter hand and body lotion, and Love Etc Body Wash.

Those bottles came for free on the condition that you bought a something from the vanilla line, make up line or the sunshine line (ok, not sure about the sunshine part, I forgot if that's what it's called). I bought the vanilla body mist so I was given them. 

Vanilla Body Mist and the Peach Body Lotion

As I was looking around the store, I saw the Peach Body Lotion sitting on the discounted corner. New Zealand hardly ever has this in store! It smells slightly like the peach hand cream from Canmake's Make me Happy series and since I love that smell, I snapped this up right away.

Vitamin E Illuminating Moisture Cream

The reason I bought this was due to how it made me smile. I was in the store one weekend and I tried the tester. When you apply this, the cream turns a pretty shade of pink. It disappears as you rub it into our skin. I haven't used it a lot but when I used the tester, I felt like the it didn't give a greasy finish so I allowed myself to buy it because this product made me smile so much.

Here was my pathetic attempt at showing you how it changes colour, but it's not very clear on camera. Maybe I should have photoshopped to make it more obvious...

It's been two weeks since uni has started and so far 2012 semester 2 is my favourite semester! There's this geography paper I'm taking that's about disasters and how it impacts on society. There's no exam for this paper and the assignments are whack! One major assignment is an Amazing Race themed treasure hunt around Auckland!!! During the introductory lecture, I was so excited about it all, the girl next to me kept shooting me side way glances.

We got into groups and selected our topic - age and gender. We're supposed to think about how disasters affect society, especially those who fall in vulnerable groups within age and gender. So far, we've only passed one clue... the second clue proved to be much harder - we figured it out, but we have to do an interview and the dude hasn't given us a time yet! Other teams have nearly finished. =(

Thankfully, the marks aren't given based on how fast we figure out the clues.

Another one of my exciting papers is a stage one computer science paper. These two papers have PRETTY GOOD LOOKING LECTURERS! My goodness. I can't usually pay attention for more than twenty minutes on a good day, but I find that I hang on to every word my comp sci lecturer says. Don't know if it's his good looks or because the topic actually interests me.

I have another geography paper about GIS that I'm taking. I know it's not the subject, the lecturer bores me to death. But during labs, I am pretty into the topic.

Last Sunday, I went to the movies with Shu to watch Batman. WHY ON EARTH IS HOYTS SO EXPENSIVE?!!!!! Popcorn and coke is crazily overpriced. We've stopped buying food from the cinemas. We went to Pak n Save to buy snacks to bring into the cinema. We bought Mammoth Yoghurt lemon passion flavour because we thought it was pretty funny (it's advertised as a manly yoghurt). During the movie, we started eating it and instantly regretted it. My god. It had gigantic chunks of GOD KNOWS WHAT. Shu reckons there were lemon rinds in it, I thought there were some sort of seeds as well. The yoghurt itself didn't taste bad. Not very sweet but the stuff inside the yoghurt really put us off. It was also really thick. I think we would have enjoyed it more if we weren't eating it in the dark. I'm not in a hurry to give this so called manly yoghurt another try, I'll stick to the girly yoghurt for now.

Excuse me, Batman was awesome. I had tears in my eyes at the end of the movie. I actually hope there will be another one. And can anyone tell me why Google doesn't recognise "movie" or "movies" as a word?

It was my birthday on Friday. Since Shu was working Friday night, we had dinner at our favourite Japanese restaurant in Botany on Thursday. She bought me cake, which we shared with staff. Before I met Shu, I hung out with my other friend, Yun (we've been good friends for ten years!). We went to Cafe Melba in Ellerslie... I usually hate cafe food, but after this experience, it's growing on me. It was pretty good food, and at a cheap price too. Perhaps it's due to location?

Chocolates and letter were from Yun and the cake was Shu. She bought Gold Caramel from the Cheesecake Shop. I thought it would be very sweet, but surprisingly, there was no strong, overly sweet aftertaste.

Spending my birthday with Rachel! Strawberry earrings, sponge cake and tiramisu cake.

On my actual birthday, I had classes for everything! I thought it would be draining but it was actually quite enjoyable. Rachel bought me strawberry earrings from Pascoes and they are honestly the most bling things I own right now. She gave them to me during class and I opened them during class. I wasn't expecting them to be so pretty so I gasped pretty loudly. Pretty fly. =) After my classes, I met up with her again and we went to have cake! I think her one was white chocolate cake or something. It had oranges inside. =/ My one was the Tiramisu.

Since this post is probably as long or even longer than my last post, I'm going to try to blog a bit more frequently. My posts are way too long. Excuse me while I go check over my lab exercises that's due tomorrow. =O should have handed it in last week but cbb.

Exams

Without fail, at every end of semester, I get that dreaded feeling that I'm going to fail really badly. This semester is no different.


For one of my geography papers, we have to do a group research project. PANIC! I've actually already "passed" but if we fail the research, we actually fail the whole paper even if the research part is only 20% of the final grade!


For another paper, the teacher put up my marks for a test. I didn't do spectacularly and only got 63.9/85? But she made a mistake and input the number as 36.9. I stared at the screen tiredly and decided I was way too tired and depressed and hopeless to give a shit. I'll deal with it tomorrow or something. This however, didn't ease my insecurities about failing. I say it every semester and I'll say it again now... I should have studied. Regardless, 63 is an abhorrent mark. Seriously. Disgusting.


My other geography paper... it's interesting and all but I do crap when I write about it. I understand the concepts and shit but apparently I suck at writing it all down in exams. I'm SORRY OK. So I've already given up for that paper, I'll be glad if I pass it.


I should be most worried about politics. Mainly because that essay I wrote without doing research first is worth 40%. When I was handing it in, I met this other good looking European guy who was also handing in the same assignment. He chose to do the exact same question I did. Except when I asked him what direction he went in, he started talking about pragmatism or something and a whole lot of other terms. Now I didn't actually sleep more than a few hours that night/morning and I blinked at him incredulously because whatever he was saying was definitely not processing in my brain. He then asked me to join him... to smoke some weed. In my sleepy haze, I almost took up on his offer. I reckon if I had not driven to uni and I did not have work that night, I would probably have agreed.


Anyway, my point is... we did the same question, but seems like he went off in a different direction and now I'm freaking out because it's fucking 40% and whatever the fuck he spouted sounded way more intelligent than the bullcrap I made up.


I think I'm going to fail.




After our group meeting, I went to the 360 office and then did my degree planner with both my degrees. I met the rudest administrator in the science department. What a fucking bitch. I talked to her like you would in a normal conversation. She talked back at me like she was so fucking superior. Well excuse me if I thought you'd rather me talk at you instead of giving you an opportunity to reply. I'll talk at you next time, OK? Also, I found out information system is actually not a "major subject" (i.e. not a subject you can major in) under the science faculty. WTF THEN WHY IS IT IN YOUR FUCKING BOOK? So I guess I'll have to change to computer science as my filler courses. Fuck you, uni.


Getting my ass overseas is looking more and more inviting. Gotta pass with a good grade first though. Not looking too promising. Unless someone gives me a few good tips on cramming and essay writing during an exam? Please, I'll take anything!

Melbourne!

A few weeks ago, Grabaseat had cheap return air ticket deals to Melbourne from Auckland. At that time, I passed up the opportunity and didn't buy a ticket. After their deal closed, I saw that the prices were extremely high! Over NZ$200 one way!

CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP!

Today, just until 11:59pm, they had the special deal again! So I snapped it up. I'll be travelling to Melbourne to see my relatives. While I'm there, I think I might take a look at Melbourne University! I still want to go to HKU though... but I don't know anymore. Maybe I shouldn't bother. I overheard someone telling her friend about the good news that she is heading to Waseda for a year. The amount of jealousy I felt probably is a good indication that I should consider Waseda a bit more...


I'll be going a week after my last exam and will only be going for six days. I already feel it's a bit long for my liking. I want to work!




This morning, I woke up at the usual time and went to uni. It wasn't until I got to uni that I realised my class today actually ended last week and I didn't have any lectures for that class this week!! I can't believe it completely slipped my mind! Then again, it ended up a good thing because I went to the 360 Abroad office and had a look through the HKU information folder. Now I know where HKU is but I'm still not too sure where it is... but that's gonna need to be left for another day! I should start studying or at the very least go to sleep!


Oh a surprise today! I received another letter from HSBC informing me that my "card personal identification number (PIN)" has been changed. I requested them to do this so I can register for internet banking. They sent me a letter dated 16th of May and I used that information. Except it didn't work! Sucks, shitty HSBC. Disgusted, I gave up and decided I'd just wait till I returned to HK and I'd make them do it for me. 


The letter I got today was dated 17th of May! It had a completely different pin on it! WTF?! So I figured I'd give it one last try and LO AND BEHOLD! It worked! Thank god. Now all I have to do is go to HSBC in Botany to sign some piece of paper, get my account details updated and I'LL BE GOOD TO GO. Hopefully, I'll finally get the $6000.

360 Abroad

BACKGROUND INFO OTHERWISE NOTHING WILL MAKE SENSE:


I have been studying politics and geography. How this university works is that you need to study a minimum of 8 papers for each major you are doing. But you need at least 24 papers to complete an actual degree. Since I'm such a lazy fuck, I really didn't want to do five+ stage three papers in politics especially since my focus is really just international relations. I have no interest in any other part of it. My interest is so low, I don't even follow New Zealand's domestic politics. Except of course, for the lulz. If anyone here has seen any parliament debates in house, you'd understand why.


So I inserted Japanese papers into my Arts degree, making it a double major. After a year of doing it, I added geography - but under science. This was on a whim and I just kept going with it. So now I'm studying for a BA/BSc conjoint. But it's the same deal with science, I don't want to do a billion geography papers so I'm going to do a few infosys papers to make up the stupid degree. Unfortunately, the university only recognises three majors.

MY DILEMMA:

A few weeks ago, I received an email from the Political Studies Faculty informing me that one of the lecturers quit and so the course I enrolled in for next semester will be dropped. I was advised to choose another paper.


I only picked that paper because the other paper clashed heavily with the rest of my schedule. So I sat down and had a look at what courses I have left to do and worked out if I didn't take one politics paper next semester, I would most likely have to drag out my years left in university for one more semester in which I would only do one paper.


In a fit of RAGEEEEEEEEEEEE I started researching other universities in the world. The University of Auckland has this programme called 360 Abroad. At first I passed it off because I figured you'd probably need outstanding grades and due to my laziness, I don't get straight A's.


BUT with each passing week, and with more budget cuts and more student protests which I felt was quiet frankly disgusting, the idea of doing an exchange through 360 was warming up to me. I went to an information session and I've reached a crossroads.


When you apply for this, you need to pick three of your top choices. Now here's my first problem. Logically, there's only one university I should want to go to. This is Hong Kong University. First thing's first, I have residency in Hong Kong, I don't need a visa and thus would be a cheaper option. DUH. Also, HKU actually has an abundance of papers that is related to my degree and that I can take. Another reason is that the restaurant I work in in NZ has a branch over in HK. I'll be begging my boss to work at the HK branch for half a year. This will solve my pocket money issue. Since I am a resident, I don't need a visa to work there.


My problem is, when I went to the information seminar, it sparked a memory from like five years ago and made me REALLY WANT TO GO TO WASEDA AGAIN. Not saying I'll easily get in, but COME ON, IT'S WASEDA. It's JAPAN! This will be such an expensive option to pick up, but considering I have intentions of apply for the JET CIR programme - meaning I will need to have near to fluent Japanese speaking/reading/writing abilities, Waseda would be the best choice to go for. Except I'm pretty much done with my Japanese major and I'd only have politics papers to go for in Japan. Only Auckland University thinks that their level of teaching is lower mainly because it is most likely for me to pick courses that are taught in English.




ARGH. The third problem is, I don't actually want to go anywhere else. I've only researched HKU and Waseda. Perhaps the last one, I'd just put some England university. I don't really give a fuck, to be honest. I think I only want to go to HKU.

LOGICAL BRAIN: 

GO TO HKU FOR AN EXCHANGE. You will not be overly poor, you'll enjoy it regardless, there are more papers for you to choose from, you don't need to spend the entire semester doing politics, most of which will probably won't be international relations. You can do a few geo papers and to top it off, most likely can be GIS related. You will probably be able to find an infosys paper so that will be good. And if you go there and your boss lets you work every week, you can learn Japanese from him.

IRRATIONAL HEART: 

I WANT TO GO TO WASEDA. *Throws tantrum*.




So with my hand over my beating heart, I say "be still, my dear fluttering heart. Apply for the 360 under HKU, if you even get in, go. When you come back, finish your degree and during the summer go to Japan for that intensive language training then head off to the UK because you can only apply to JET through there anyway BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT A NEW ZEALAND CITIZEN."




After all that, I might not even get accepted.