A Short Haul & What I got for Christmas!

Just a short video about what I got for Christmas. Sadly, I couldn't include every singel gift in the vlog, but I hope you know I appreciate all of your gifts! Happy holidays!
(I'm sorry about the terrible quality of the video, I'm recording at my parents place and I don't have my usual equipment... Bear with me, I'm going home in a few days, so the quality of the next vlog should be better.)
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10 great things about the holidays!

1. The Christmas tree ~ I don't know if there's just something about how it glows, how it smells or decorating it, but the Christmas tree will always be a vital part of my Christmas celebrations.
2. Wrapping gifts ~ Although sometimes frustrating, wrapping gifts will always be a large personal favorite Christmas activity. From the colorful wrapping paper to imagining the face of your friends or relatives facial expressions when they open their gifts, wrapping gifts is something very special.
3. The Snow ~ I don't know if this applies to wherever you live, but I don't feel like it's truly Christmas before the ground has been covered in powdery, white fluff.
4. Gingerbread cookies ~ These cookies, and baking before Christmas is really important. The smells and the feeling of preparing something delicious is a perfect combination for holiday spirit.
5. Going to see my family ~ A new favorite, since I just moved out, this is something I'm going to look forward to each and every year.
6. The decorations ~ Something about filling your home with tiny replications of Santa Claus, the sparkling decorations for the tree and everything else fills me with holiday warmth.
7. The presents ~ Let's not lie and pretend to not be materialistic, we all look forward to the gifts. From a young age, this is the things we look forward the most, and when older, we also get to take part in the gift of giving.
8. The food ~ It's no surprise that this made the top ten list. Food is such an important part of any holiday, it would be strange if it weren't mentioned.
9. The waiting ~ No matter how frustrating, it is also one of my favourite things about this winter holiday.
10. The music ~ I'm not much for the traditional Christmas carols, Mariah Carey is not in my playlists on spotify, neither is something usually sung in church. But the Christmas music I do enjoy, is very important to me.

Bad Moms

Being a mother is hard. Amy Mitchell is a married woman of two who has zero idea what she's doing. The public surface of her family is perfect; a loving father and mother, her two children are always welldressed, on time and has healthy lunches, a nice house in the suburbs...
But between working, waking care of her family (her husband included) and finding out said husband is cheating, Amy realises she no longer has the desire to be a perfect mom.
Mothers needs to have fun as well, they need to relax and have their own time with their own hobbies and their own enjoyments. Finding new friends, Amy realises that she's been the wrong kind of mother all along.
Featuring Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn the movie Bad Moms is something I definetly would recommend you watch, especially if you're a mother. Realising you don't have to be perfect, your house doesn't need to be perfect and your children are allowed to make mistakes is a large part of the movie's message, something I think more mothers need to hear: just because you become a mother, you don't need to stop living, and in life, mistakes are perfectly allowed.
Actually, the original reason I watched the movie is that one of my favorite youtubers had a cameo in it, but I ended up falling in love with the movie.
I would highly recommend watching this!

Back home

Yesterday, I got to my parents house, and after the rough day of getting up early, after 4 hours of sleep, I slept twelve hours the first night here and I'm sensing I'm going to need a lot of sleep tonight as well. For some reason, I need a lot of sleep lately, I don't know why. I might be too stressed again.

The train ride was surprisingly pleasant. I didn't have to sit next to anyone annoying, there were no noisy children or arguing adults around me, I slept through a lot of the journey and for the first time when travelling by train, my trains were not delayed. It took several trips, Which was a pleasant surprise, since I was tired as hell from the late night, since I fell asleep around 4 in the morning. I stayed up late, wrapping my christmas gifts to everyone here, since I didn't want to have to do it after I arrived. After wrapping the gifts, I still had to get home, since all the wrapping happened at my boyfriend's place and I had to leave early in the morning so I wanted to sleep at home.

Now that I'm here though, I notice a lot has changed. My brother's grown like a weed, as is now significantly taller than me. My mom and dad have made a lot of changes to the house and the enterior in general, and it's really fun to see.

And of course, I love the fact that there was actually snow when I got home, since we never really had a large amount of snow in Åbo. It feels a lot more like Christmas when the ground is covered in white powder magic.

However, I do miss my boyfriend, who celebrates Christmas with his family. 

I hope that all of you are celebrating Christmas with people who love you, and that you have a really nice Christmas this year!

Hugs from Ostrobothnia!

The small joys in life

Now it's been decided: I'm going to visit my parents next week. I'm going to spend Christmas with my family and meet up with a few friends, before returning to Åbo the 30th of December to celebrate new year's eve with my boyfriend. I'm really looking forward to the Holidays, I feel like I need a break from my every day life.
I'm going to travel by train, which I actually love. I love getting to sit by myself, work on my writing or reading, just listening to music in my own little space, which I rarely get to do. I'm probably going to work some more on my book while I'm on the train, and hopefully I'll get a lot done.
I've gotten most of my Christmas shopping done, I only have a few things left and even bought some "Christmas gifts" for myself, including the adorable cacti you can see on the lower picture. I found them at Ikea (of all places to buy plants) and fell in love immediately. I love cacti, I think they're adorable, and since I'm not that talented with plants they're perfect for me, since you basically can't kill them.

I went out for coffee (or in my case, tea) with a friend today, an appreciated break from studying for exams. I actually had the priveledge of going somewhere I had never been before, so I even had a new experience at the same time. And now, I know where to go if I'm ever craving a piece of delicious cheesecake.
Otherwise, nothing much is new. I have my last exam next monday, and I'm a lot more focused on Christmas than on studying... Not that that's a surprise...
Holiday hugs from my apartment!

A Short Q&A

Yo! I'm back on youtube, starting with a small Q&A for all of you. Check it out if you have 5 minutes of your busy day to spare... Otherwise, I totally get it...

Q&A!

So this weekend I've decided that I'm going to record a Q&A, and now I need some questions to answer. So if there is anything you want to know, feel free to comment your questions below or ask them on my instagram, which is @myspotfordreams . You can ask me anything!
The video will be uploaded on Monday... I'm back on Youtube! 💚

6 Things Men Need To Know About Periods

Every man, at some point in his life, encounters a woman on her period. Even gay men have sisters, female friends or other women in their lives! And these women, no matter what relationship they have with you, may or may not be in need of help during her time of the month, and when that happens, it's important for you to be prepared! So here are a few things you probably didn't know about women on their period!

1. Chocolate is not always the answer Yes, while chocolate is a craving that arises often during a woman's period; it's not always that great to feed us enormous quantities of it. Sometimes, during a period, a woman feels noxious, vomits, or just feels fat, and during those, chocolate is probably the worst things you can offer. When the girl you're taking care of is on her period, ask her if you can get her anything, don't just assume she wants chocolate.

2. Moodswings; sometimes they're different Almost every woman experiences some type of moodswing during her period, and it is very important for you to know two things about these moodswings. Number one: the different moodswings women experience vary from woman to woman: your ex might always have been angry when on her period, but that doesn't mean your new girlfriend is going to be. She might as well just get really sad, or really tired. Number two: the moodswings may vary from one month to another. Just because your girlfriend was grumpy for seven days last month, it doesn't mean she's going to be just as grumpy this one. She might become tired all the time, cry a lot, or feel selfconcious. Be prepared for everything!

3. Know your way around pads/tampons This is crucial: almost every man, at least once during his lifetime, buys a woman pads or tampons, depending on which one she uses. For this you need to know the kind of "menstrual gear" she uses: is it tampons or pads? This is very important for her comfort. And, girls are usually very picky with the specifics. Which brand does she use? Does she use pads with wings, or without? Know these things, and you will avoid getting yelled at for getting the wrong kind of equipment.

4. "Baby, it's gross" To be completely honest: yes, you might not understand it, and yes, you can think it's gross, or even disgusting. But don't tell us, it's nothing we want to hear. Please keep this opinion to yourselves. It will not make us feel better, and will probably just hurt our feelings.

5. The Questions "Baby, am I fat?" "Do you love me?" Often times, during a period, women become insecure. Getting our period may even temporarily change our looks, bloating for example. Just be there to reassure your girl, and tell her the things you want to hear.

6. Know the signs No, not the signs of your girl getting her period. I mean: does she want to be held or left alone? Does she need to be reassured, or will it be redundant? Is she grumpy? Is she hungry or is she noxious? Knowing what each woman needs or wants without her having to vocalize it, will absolutely grant you boyfriend/brother/friend points, and will make her feel very loved. Keep in mind that every woman expresses her needs in her own way!

You

You, a lonely rose in a garden of weeds,
You, a ray of sunshine during the hardest storm,
You, what light is left in the world
You, calming me when the universe crumbles
You
There will always be you

Welcome to December

   November is over, and we are inching our way into December. A new year is close, and Christmas even closer, 2016 is almost to an end, and we can only wonder what experiences it will bring us. I made a short video of a few pictures from November.
   I haven't properly started my Christmas shopping, and some of the presents I'm going to get for friends and family, I haven't even chosen yet. But at the moment, there's no rush, I still have weeks to find the right gifts for the right people, and I don't feel the need to push finding them. Christmas shouldn't be stressful. I have, however, found gifts for my siblings, and chosen one for my mother.
   I'm also planning on getting some decorations for my apartment, maybe a pair of red curtains and some red candles. I'm going Christmas shopping on Monday, and I hope to find something beautiful and simple to decorate my home with.
   We've also gotten some snow again, which is nice, and gives me a really comfy, warm Christmas-y feeling. I've been walking around in thick sweaters and knitted socks for days, and I can't wait until winter properly kicks in!
   Hugs from my apartment!

Time management and why it stresses me

   I'm currently cooking and blogging at the sime time, as I just finished doing my dishes, I felt the need to instantly make them dirty again.
   I've been very stressed recently, and I can't seem to figure out why. I do everything I have to, and usually a bit more than that. Sometimes, I can hardly tell days apart, and things seem to pile up. The more I do things, the more new obsticles seem to stand in my way. And, of course, with my health (which you can read more about by clicking here), I often have a hard time finding the will and energy to do all the things I have to do, making them pile up as well. This results in me having days where I do nothing but work, and those days seem to come along much more frequently now, for some reason.
   Sure, my work piling up is partly because of my health, but I still find it hard, and some times even more stressful, that I can't seem to get ahead no matter how hard I try. Today, for example, I have gone to class, done laundrary and dishes, and there is still a lot of things that I haven't managed to get around to doing yet. For example; I have an exam this Thursday, and I'm not even close to ready.
   Does anyone else feel like they can't get ahead of all the things they have to do, or is it just me?
   I often find myself comparing my life and actions to others, and I feel like people my age are a lot more "adult" than me; they have their life together, aren't stressed all the time, have a structured day, are always on time to things... I wonder, how do they manage this wizardry? Because I've been trying for 19 years, and I still haven't gotten the hang of it.
   I'll try eating my rice now, and hopefully manage to study a bit after that. Maybe, if all goes well, I'll have a bit less studying to take care of tomorrow.
  Hugs from my apartment!

How To Obtain the Things You Want

I know there are people who are going to ask the question "Why should I listen to her?", and my answer: Why not? And besides, I'm currently attending my dream university, studying the subject I am most passionate about, have wonderful friends and a bright future. I'm exactly where I want to be in life, and I'm going to share with you how you can get where you want in life.
   Stop making excuses. What you're going to acheive, isn't going to be acheived by excuses. If you want to get in shape, and don't go running "because the weather isn't sunny", trust me: you're not going to get fit. Excuses are the primary thing stopping you from getting succesful.
   Make clear, simple goals. Make a checklist for short term goals, and one for long term. If you want to get a degree, place "pass next weeks exam" and "write essay" on short term goals, and "get degree" on long term goals. Having both short and long term goals will motivate you further when you acheive one.
   Surround yourself with positivity, and stay positive yourself. Negativity from others will push you down, and negativity from yourself will keep you down. Surrounding yourself with positive people and experiences will make you more energetic and more motivated.
   Spend your time with things you like. Spending time with things you don't like will only waste your energy and time, when both could be spent with working hard and/or doing things you consider to be fun or interesting.
   And finally:
   Hustle. If you think you're working hard, make sure you work twice as hard as you are. If you're passionate enough about something, sleeping or resting will feel like a guilty pleasure. If you don't feel exhausted at the end of the day, you haven't spent enough time bettering yourself and getting closer to your goals.
~
I wish there was a simple formula for reaching goals and success, but there isn't. Success and obtaining the things you wish for in life takes hard work, most of the time, it takes a lot of your time and it takes passion and dedication. But as long as you follow these things, you will acheive the things you want in your life.

Coming Out

   Exploring the internet, I've started to notice something. When people who aren't heterosexual come out to their parents, relatives or friends, they tend to have a pretty bad story to tell afterwards. Of course there are stories where the people in their life react in a bad way, hurting their feelings or even getting mad because of them being open with their sexuality. While I'm not gay myself, I get that people have a hard time coming out to people close to them. Meanwhile I also understand that hearing someone in your life is gay, or have another sexuality than heterosexual in general, you might be surprised or even confused, especially if you've known them their entire life, or even helped raising them.
   But some thing that you have to understand, is you can't be offended by their sexuality. How often do you see a gay person complaining about straight people? That's right, they don't. Besides, who they love or feel sexually attracted to, is completely their business and none of yours, and that is something you can realise perfectly fine on your own.
   Besides; coming out to someone close to you is said to be very hard. The person coming out to you is trusting you greatly to tell you something so personal and sensitive about them selves, and you acting offended is not going to help them.
   Of course, you have the right to be confused, or surprised. But you do not have the right to be angry with the person coming out to you. Your emotions are also important, and the person coming out to you will understand that you might be surprised, but if you're angry with them because they're not heterosexual, or simply because they told you about it, will hurt their feelings a lot.
   Sexuality is not a choice. Do you want to be shamed and hated for something that you have no control over? What if someone shamed you for being the age that you are, or being born first or second of siblings? Being different is always hard, and them telling you about their sexuality is a sign of enormous trust.
   Being a parent is about loving your child unconditionally, and being a good parent means you'll support and trust your child throughout their life, no matter what. So trust them and support them when they decide to tell you about their sexuality. Besides, telling your gay child "No, you're not" or "No, you're just confused, sweetheart" will probably just make them more confused, and since most people come out as teens, they already have more than enough to be confused about. Same goes for friends and relatives.
   Besides, from not accepting a person you'll only make them hurt, and, if continued, they will probably hate you.
   Acceptance and tolerance is are things our world needs a lot more of. Please be a part of that.

Don't Breathe

Three young adults in Detroit decide to break into an old veteran's home to make some money, since they wish to leave town as soon as possible. They have done it before, and the man is old and blind, there is nothing that should be challenging them. But upon entering, Money, Rocky and Alex, start wishing they would never have broken in. The old man living in the house has many secrets, following and creating death and destruction.
Taking on a new perspective on the horror genre by using creative camera work and re-shaping the role of the villain, Don't Breathe creates a unique athmosphere, and succeeds greatly in doing so. From a regular viewers point of view, the work of actors and director were great, the plotline good and there were no large plot holes to be found. In other words: good job.
Not a movie I would watch twice though, since I feel like once is enough. Not a new favourite, but a good movie nonetheless.
If you like the nice thrill of a good horror movie, I highly recommend you watch Don't Breathe, especially if you want to be afraid of elderly people for a long time.
****/*****

3 ways to be happier

1. Learn to let things go
By holding on to old grudges, problems, difficulties and arguments, you do nothing but gather bad emotions, stress and other negative things. The negative things in your life is what keeps you from being happier, healthier and feeling better about your life. By letting go of old negative experiences you can minimize the risk of expressing those negative things in your life.

2. Do things that make you happy
Are you supposed to meet with a person you don't like? Do you have a job you hate? Do you have hobbies you are no longer fond of? If the answer to those questions are yes, you need to re-evaluate what you spend your time doing and why. Spending your time doing things you dislike isn't going to make you any happier. Instead, put time and effort in things that make you feel good and leave you with a feeling of accomplishment. Of course, this doesn't mean you should stop doing dishes just because you dislike it. Logical boundraries are a must.

3. Everything in moderation
Are you afraid to eat chocolate because you'll get fat? Do you spend ten hours a day studying? Are you always making sure your home and your appearance is perfected? Of course, it is great to have priorities, and you should. But there is nothing wrong with enjoying chocolate, and you won't get fat from a few pieces. Doing things that are egotistic are actually good for you in moderation. Take time to relax, eat a few pieces of chocolate and you know, everything around you doesn't have to look perfect all the time.

Doctor Strange

As a huge Marvel fan, I had to watch this movie as soon as I found the oportunity to. And once again, I can honestly state that I'm not the least bit disappointed in their work.
Dr. Stephen Strange is a worldly recognized surgeon, until the faithful day when he damages his hands in an accident. Loosing the capabality to perform surgery, he desperately searches for a cure, and when at the end of his wits, stumbles upon a hermit in Himalaya who goes by the name The Ancient One. Being taken beneath the Ancient One's wing, Stephen Strange learns about powers he could never have imagined existed.
The special effects were absolutely magical, as always when discussing movies made by Marvel. The only thing bothering me slightly when watching the movie is the whitewashing in it (an English speaking man travels across the world to Himalaya, only to find another caucasian to lead him through a spiritual journey). Otherwise I can't find a single complaint about the movie, but that might also be because I love both Marvel and Benedict Cumberbatch (seen in the movie in the role of Stephen Strange, but most famous for his role as Sherlock Holmes in the tv-series Sherlock).
Have you seen the movie? If so, what did you think, and if not; based on the reviews and the general information you've read on the internet so far, are you going to?
I would higly recommend the movie to anyone interested, to every Marvel-fan, and to anyone who wants to find a new perspective on personal strenght. May very well be a new personal favourite!
*****/*****

19 life lessons in 19 years

As having spent soon 20 years on this blue marble we call Earth, I would like to think that I have learned a few things. On this saturday, I wanted to share a few of them with you. What kind of life lessons have you learned during your time on Earth? Feel free to share in the comments below!


1. Never leave your house without checking to make sure you're bringing your wallet, because sure enough, the one day you'll leave without it, you'll end up needing it.
2. No matter what you do, and why, you'll always have someone who dislikes what you do, or the reasons why you do it.
3. Learn to care a lot less about what others think about what you do, you'll be a lot happier that way.
4. Always dress like you're going to meet your worst enemy, it will make you feel a lot more confident. Also; wear clothes that you like, you will always be a lot more comfortable, in every situation.
5. Looks do matter (even though they shouldn't), but not nearly as much as you think.
6. Never fake who you are on a first date: in the future you'll either need to tell the awkward truth, or continue to fake your personality for the rest of the relationship.
7. Honesty is always the best choice, because even the simplest, whitest lies can lead to more and more lies.
8. Smiling is the best revenge, but you don't need revenge to be happy, just let things go and you will feel better about yourself and your life once you do.
9. Do what you love, otherwise your life will be a lot more empty.
10. People can be judgemental, stuck up and mean, but that doesn't require you to be that to them.
11. Spread more of what you love and think is important, it makes it easier to find people who share your views and have the same type of values.
12. Material belongings only make you happy temporarily, while friends and good human connection can make you happier for the rest of your life.
13. Most of the people in your life won't be there every day for the rest of it; spend time with them while you can, and make the most of your friendships and relationships. Good memories are golden.
14. Get to know your neighbours, at least enough to know their first name.
15. Be the kind of person who people ow favours, not the person who ows everyone else a favour.
16. Good and healthy food is in fact a real thing. Go out and explore the world of food, and you'll meet new people, have new experiences and fall in love with completely new foods.
17. Experiences are often of more value than gifts in the future, keep that in mind when getting your significant other, friends or family birthday or holiday gifts.
18. Treat others like you'd want to be treated.
19. Do not solve your problems by yelling or lashing out at people close to you, because this does not actually solve anything.

The American Election

Well, as most people know by now: Donald Trump has won the American election for presidency. As an innocent, european bystander, I'm completely baffled by the result. Not that signs haven't pointed to "GO" for Trump's part for a long time, but I'm still completely flabbergasted that the American people allowed him to get this far. The same goes for Clinton, since I wouldn't consider her a great candidate for president of one of the most influential countries in the world. How people with so many scandals behind them have gottent his far in a presidential election is something that has appeared to baffle people all around the world.
Electing Trump as president has only further proven the stereotype of Americans as extremely low-brow, and I am honestly disappointed. You have the chance to elect one of the most influential people in the world, and you choose a man with the skintone and intelligence of one of your famous Halloween pumpkins?
The situation being as it is, I greatly fear for every immigrant in the US. Your country was built on freedom and variety amongst your people, and your new leader is a man that has several times spoken about looking down on immigrants and people of other religions, and you think he is a good choice?
I fear for the global economy, for the beginning of another war, and for the consequences of global warming. Trump not being able to admit to climate change is one of the greatest threats to global health and happiness. Climate change is in fact very real, and not realizing the reality of the situation could very well lead to his fall.
Browsing the internet, many seem very unhappy with the elected presidents, there has even been jokes about assassination and this being the death of the USA.
Personally, I have (as many others) had a glorified imagine of the united states as a younger girl, I even wanted to move there at a certain point. Getting more involved in politics and realizing how much trouble the country is actually in, both globally and financially, I have almost stopped admiring the country all together.
I don't know what else to share about the president to be... I'm disappointed in America as a nation.

I'm back

   This weekend, I went to visit my parents, and some other relatives, since I hadn't travelled to them in almost three months and I felt like it was time to see them. I got to meet my aunt, my grandparents and my favourite neighbours. And of course, I met my parents, my siblings, my pets and my friends, and they all got to meet Alexander as well.
   We arrived in Kokkola around 22.25, and were greeted by my mother, sister and brother. We came home, ate and straight up knocked out as soon as we layed down in bed. The only problem with this is that my bed at my parent's house is really small. When I sleep in it alone, it's not a problem, but sleeping in it with someone else makes both of us hit our knees, heads, arms and feet on the sides of the bed, making sleeping pretty uncomfortable.
   During the day on Saturday, we met up with a bunch of my relatives, and it was really interesting, since I hadn't met them in a really long time. I had a lot to talk about with them, and they had a lot to tell me.
   The evening was spent with a few of my friends, eating tortillas and playing table tennis. It became a really intense game, and I feel like we already got a really strong workout out of it. It also was a really fun experience, and I realized how much I had actually missed my old friends, and I look forward to meeting up with them during holiday break.
   I also realized that I have really missed my pets a lot. For the first time in three months, I cuddled my cat and went out for a walk with my dog. I feel really alone in my apartment after I got back home, I miss my pets.
   I'm thinking of getting a pet when I move out from this apartment and I'm able to choose a place that allows you to have pets. Maybe a cat, or a hamster.
Hugs from my apartment!

The end of fall

   Yesterday was the last official day of fall, since in the evening it started to snow. I've been looking forward to winter for a long time, but now when fall is coming to an end, I'm actually kind of sad about it. I still want warm fall days, but I really look forward to the darkness, the snow and of course, Christmas and not having to go to school for a while. Besides, during the Christmas holiday I get to visit home, which since I live so far away, happens very rarely.
   Speaking of visiting my parents, I'm actually going there this weekend as well, to meet some relatives, my family, my pets and my friends for once. I really look forward to it, even though it's just a short weekend, and my schedule is going to be filled with things to do and people to meet up with. I feel like going home has been put off for a long time, but since I have about 500 kilometres to travel, I also feel like it's justified. Travelling and going home is going to be fun, I haven't travelled anywhere in a really long time.
   I have a test coming up wednesday, but I'm not too worried about it. I've actually started studying beforehand for once, and I feel like I at least kind of can grasp the material. Besides, I still have a full week to study for it, so I'm not too stressed about that.
   I've also started shopping for Christmas gifts for a few people, and actually found things that are quite fitting. Sadly, I can't share my gift ideas with you, since the people recieving those gifts, read my blog from time to time. To be honest, I'm really horrible at buying presents, so I always have to start early, or otherwise it's never getting done. I've already found two, so I feel quite proud of myself actually.
   Otherwise, not much is new. The snow is still here, but I really doubt that it'll stay for long, since the first snow rarely does. I look forward to having a bit more snow, I feel like building a snowman at least once this year.
Hugs from my apartment!

The Weekend

   This weekend has been really fun, eventful and productive, one of the most fun weekends I've had in a long while to be honest, because lately I've been really stressed and have had a lot of boring things to do, so getting to relax and do what I wanted for a while is really fun and relaxing (I have actually done some productive things, like some evaluations and other assignments).
   First thing after the test I had on friday, me and my boyfriend went out for sushi to celebrate our first complete month this friday. Usually, I don't care about celebrating each month with my significant other, but the first month is kind of special...
   Like, I have found someone that can actually put up with me and all my odd habits and behavior, that's really an accomplishments to be completely honest. Also, a review for the place we had sushi at, will be coming up soon as well.
   Later during the evening we went out with a friend of his and his girlfriend, who are very fun and interesting company. We began with watching a movie, and then went out, which was absolutely great.
   Today (or technically yesterday since this is going to get published after midnight) has been mostly relaxing and I have had a lot of time to myself. I've spent a lot of time doing the things I like, just re-charging for the coming week and the dozens of things I need to get done tomorrow, cleaning the apartment (among other things).
   I also tried making bread in my frying pan, and it was actually a success! I highly recommend you try the same things, especially if you have some dipping sauce, preferably with herbs (basil for example), since those usually suit bread very well. Just a little tip if you want a snack and have no idea what to make.
   Anyway, now it's time to sleep, since I have a lot of things to do when I wake up.
   Hugs from my apartment!

If you ever get to heaven

   A bit of a lesser known film, it depicts the understanding and concept of heaven and hell, good deeds and bad ones, through following a christian family on a pilgrimage through France and Spain. It shows the mindset of different types of Christians. Featuring a cheating husband, two sisters, three children, Elvis and a monk, the variety of characters is quite large.
   The movie itself is shot in absolutely gorgeus scenery and the dialogue is wellscripted, yet somehow, the movie managed to absolutely bore me. I don't know why that is to be completely honest, but it could be that nothing really happens in the movie at all, nothing interesting at least. There is no character developement, for example.
   Or it might just be that it is very focused on religious themes, which I don't particularly like observing through a screen, I would rather discuss them with real people and be able to share my own opinions.
   For those of you who do enjoy a classic, wellmade movie with a religious theme, I do recommend it. For those of you who don't, I wouldn't, since you would most probably find it just as boring as I did.
**/****

Why I Support Abortion

   These are questions I get a lot whenever the subject comes up. "Why do you support abortion?" "Don't you know that's a human being?" The second question: Yes, of course, I am perfectly aware that the it is genetically a human. I got accepted to study biology at a university, I think I know that humans make other humans, thank you. As for the first question, here follows the reasons I support women who want to get an abortion.
~
   First of all, as I mentioned earlier: Yes, the thing growing in a womans womb during pregnancy is human. Yes, it is genetically of the same species that you are. But depending, of course, on when the abortion is done, the embryo is either not aware of it's own existence, or it's just a clump of cells. The embryo has no idea about life. However, after the fetus can comprehend sounds, I think it's quite the shade of gray considering having an abortion.
   If a woman isn't ready to become a mother, who are you to force her? I personally believe that a person should never become a parent before they are emotionally, financally ready, have a steady home, and are ready to take care of a small human 100% of the time. If the pregnant person is below the age of 18, I don't consider them to be ready, and most of the time, they don't consider themselves ready. Honestly, I don't think that people should have sex until they are ready to deal with the consequences of a potential pregnancy, but if they do, I hope they use protection. And if they use protection, and still get pregnant, I think they still should have the option of not becoming a parent. You should always be financially stable before having a baby.. Have you ever googled how expensive babies are? Diapers, food, clothes, vaccines, medications, other hygiene products... And the argument of having a steady home, I think explains itself. If you don't have a home, aka. a place to sleep, cook food, do laundrary and such, you shouldn't bring new human beings into this world.
   Just in general, in my personal opinion, people should make sure they are adults before they consider having children, adult in every meaning of the word.
   Sometimes, pregnancy isn't voluntary, because the sex wasn't. Being forced to sexual acts is bad enough, having a baby afterwards is going to provide even more emotional and physical stress, being a single parent afterwards is going to be stressful as well. And if the child were to find out how they got into this world, how would they feel?
   And last of all: I don't really think what a woman does with her body, what kind of choices she makes... is any of your goddamn business! Who asked you about your opinion? Answer: absolutely no one. If a woman wants an abortion, just let her! She has a reason, it's not something she's going to do just like that. Getting an abortion is a tough choice, something that needs a reson, a lot of thinking and it should always, always be her choice to become a mother.
~
Yes, I am aware that abortion is a sensitive subject that is rarely discussed openly. And yes, I am perfectly aware that not every single person on the planet needs to know what I think. I just felt like posting this today, and share my opinions on the subject. Besides, no one forced you to read this post...
Keep in mind that these are my personal opinions. I don't want to offend anyone, it's just a post on a small blog. I'm not saying that if you don't fulfill my preferences to becoming a parent, you shouldn't. I'm saying that parenthood should always be thoroughly thought about before even considering it, and what a woman does with her body, is and always should be her choice.

Sleepless, hopeless

   I fear somethings wrong with me. Tonight I got almost 9 hours of sleep. I'm still tired. I have lecture in one hour, and I'm honestly considering staying home to sleep instead of going, that's how tired I am. It's been like this for weeks, so it's nothing new either. I'm just in a constant state of "I need sleep". I'm really starting to worry about my physical health, because sleeping this much and still being tired isn't normal for me. I usually get 5-6 hours of sleep, and I'm perfectly fine. I honestly don't have side effects from "sleeping to little", but now I can't seem to get enough sleep.
   I'm considering checking in with a medical professional, just in case. I don't want my sleepyness to interfere with the upcoming tests, and I really need all the energy I can get to be able to focus on my studies. People might say the university years are the most fun in your life, but I honestly feel like the university is also one of the most stressful and timeconsuming things I have ever experienced. It's still perfectly do-able, but I suspect it won't be if I stay this tired.
   Unless my constant sleepyness reclines during the weekend, I think I'm going to call a doctor, because this is ridiculous, I'm not getting anything done because all I really want to do is sleep. I constantly tell myself "I'll have a nap, and do it later". All that really happens is, I have a nap, and I accomplish nothing but get more sleep.
   What do you do to stay alert/focused? All tips are greatly appreciated!
Sleepy hugs from my apartment!

Messy

   My life has been an utter mess the past nine days, which explains why I haven't blogged as much as I usually do, so preper for a very, very long post about all the latest events. The picture in this post were all taken when my family came to visit.
   I moved on the first this month, and my family came the weekend after that, bringing all the things I had left at home. The first evening we went out to eat, visiting a resturant named Pub Niska (the building seen here on the left). On the second day, my apartment became absolutely filled with boxes and plastic bags. It took me quite a while to get things in order after my family left, but when I finally finished, my apartment seemed a lot more cozy and everything just fit more together. I have missed a lot of  my material belongings, but I've also noticed that I can make it by really well without a ton of belongings. Though it is nice to have my regular wardrobe back.
   I have gotten used to my new apartment by now, actually becoming comfortable in my surroundings and with my neighbours (who are actually really nice). Today, after a lot of trouble,    I managed to get wifi in the apartment as well, actually allowing me to do a lot of work that I've missed out on in the past few weeks. Doing all the things that I love, and need to do (like school assignments for example), is really hard without wifi. The things I do for relaxation, such as blogging, requires an internet connection, and I have felt really out of place when I haven't been able to do it properly.
   The amount of work I have to catch up on is actually making me kind of noxious, I'm honestly really stressed about it, since I have really fallen behind with absolutely everything that has required me to have proper internet. Sometimes I wonder if it's even do-able anymore. I hope so, at least.
   I also feel really bad since I haven't been able to respond to my emails properly, especially those who require a longer answer. My pen pal must be so anxious. I'm going to write her today though, so that I can give her an update on everything as well. I have so much to tell her it's insane... I have a feeling my email to her will resemble a four page essay.
I actually have a whole bunch of stuff to do today. Lectures, homework, dishes, blogging, replying to emails, returning a router...    Things have really been piling up for some reason. At least I don't have tests until next week, which means I have a bit of time to take care of my learning as well. We are currently taking classes about molecular structure, cells and DNA, and all those things are not my cup of tea... I suck, to be more blunt, and it will take quite a while for me to grasp all of it. I'm not exited. At all.
   Oh well, hopefullt, I'll be able to catch up soon. At least, I've managed to stock up on blogging materials this last week, so there will be a lot of new things coming up now that I actually have the capacity to post all of it. Since I have a million other things to take care of as well, having set material is really postive, just one more thing that I don't have to worry about anymore.
   Now I'm going to finally reply to those emails.
Hugs from my apartment!

Not at all

The stories, the drama, it's all been done before
Why should I even get exited anymore
As a crumble, as I fall
I think about you not at all

I have forgotten your hair
The earrings you wear
Your soft and loving gaze
The way you moved with grace
Your voice, your sweet embrace, your gorgeous eyes
The pain on your face as we said our goodbyes
The tattoo on your chest
And all of the rest

Fall

   Fall has started to take over the city quite some time ago, and my little apartment has gotten cold in the morning. Living in an old wooden house, this is one of the few disadvantages, the cold floor when the sun has yet to rise. Still, I love living here, it's perfect for me, though the shower only produces cold water, no matter how hard I try. I've started to walk to school since I moved, and I'm really enjoying the exercise and the fresh air. Since I spend a lot of my free time sitting down, having to walk to school is actually quite refreshing.

   My studies are escalating at a rapid pace, and I find it very hard to keep up with everything. Exams, assignments... It feels like it's all piling up, but of course, it's a university. I'm supposed to be stressed about my assignments and my exams, I wouldn't be worth the degree otherwise. And though it is a struggle, I also find it very fun. I've met a lot of fascinating new people, and even tried new things, though I've only been here for about a month.

   My apartment is coming together quite nicely, though since I'm so stressed about almost everything else, I haven't had the time to properly unpack and really get into living here.. Which is also why I don't consider the apartment "home" yet, I think it takes some time for me. Maybe it'll get easier once I get all my stuff this weekend, hopefully I'll feel more at ease then.

   I have gotten my adress changed though, and I have fixed almost everything else having to do with the apartment.

   I haven't gotten wifi yet, because I simply haven't had the time. Trying to balance everything I need to do with everything I want to do is proving very difficult, and my internet connection is taking the punch. For some reason, I always pictured wifi to be the first thing I'd get when I moved out of my parent's house, but apparently that's not at all the case here. I think I'll get to it sometime next week, when I feel like I actually have the time to focus on things that aren't absolutely neccessary and I have gotten all the things that are currently still at my parent's place a few hundred kilometres away. I think that everything will make a bit more sense then. At least I hope so.

   For now, I only have internet on my phone, and it's terribly slow. So if you're wondering why I haven't updated as frequently; stress and no internet, that's why. I'll try to make a bit time for it in my daily schedule though, and hopefully I'll see you soon again. Enjoy these autumn themed pictures from my city!

Hugs from my apartment!

New home, new bed

I'm currently resting in my new bed, in my new apartment. I got the bed from IKEA yesterday, and pieced it together with the help of a friend. I got to sleep in my own bed for the first time in forever, and in my own apartment for the first time ever, and it was an amazing night. I haven't slept so well in weeks, and when I woke up this morning I felt quite a lot better than the day before, which had been filled with headaches and stress. I'm really pleased with the bed, even though it takes up a lot of my space. I was prepared for that, and didn't expect anything else. I wanted a ridiculously over-sized bed, and I got one.
I'm going to upload more pictures of my apartment as the work with it progresses. I currently have really bad internet connection, which makes blogging very difficult... The fact that I'm getting constantly distracted by people isn't helping either... But don't worry, I still love all of you, no matter how much you distract me! <3
Hugs from my new apartment!

Apartment Update #3

Okay, as you know I went to look at an apartment yesterday. I knew that a lot of other people had already showed interest in the apartment, and I was one of the last ones to do it, so I wasn't expecting something really. But as soon as I stepped into the apartment, I absolutely fell in love.
It was small and filled with natural light, amazingly cozy, with a lot of potential. It was located in an old, beautiful wooden house, less than 15 minutes from my university by foot in a pretty quiet neighbourhood. It was perfect for me, and knowing that I shouldn't get my hopes up since the odds were against me because of the number of people who had applied.
Then, last night, I get an email from the person who owns the apartment. I'm completely prepared for bad news, but when I open the email, it says I'm their favourite and they would like me to be their new tenant! First, I think I didn't read it correctly, and I read it again. They ask me to come sign the papers today, and I said yes...
I've been waiting to move into my own place for so long, and now that it's finally happening, I can barely believe it. I'm going to finally live alone. I'm going to have my own space, my own time and I won't have to share said space and time with someone else. And, I'm going to live in a place I view as ideal.
I'm honestly so happy and still kind of shocked. I'm really exited about finally living alone. I'm going to wake up without someone waking me up too early, or having to take someone elses needs into consideration whenever something needs to be done. I get to be selfish and I love the idea of just thinking about me, myself and I for a change.
Also, the fact that everything is within walking distance is absolutely great, since I value environmentalism. I can walk to school, and I can walk to every store I might ever need, pharmacies... Everything. Besides living so close to my university buildings makes it possible for me to sleep longer on school days, since the time I spend taking myself to my lectures is going to be cut in half, and I won't have to worry about missing the bus. I really dislike stressful moments in my life, and I look forward to removing another object of stress for me.
I can't wait to sign the papers!
Hugs from a very exited bluehaired new tenant!

Apartment update #2

   As you know, I've been looking for a new apartment for a while now, and it's been a real struggle for that while. Finding a new apartment has been surprisingly hard, and I was really close to just giving up, declaring defeat and moving in with some random person instead of finding my own place to live instead of living like I want to.
   I went to one of the oddest meetups a few days ago, a person was supposed to show me an apartment, and a friend of mine decided to be nice and drive me. Which was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me, since the meetup was awful. We drove for like forever, and got lost twice, and when we get to the correct place, I get all sorts of odd feelings. The porch is filled with wooden boards, the door looks like it's going to fall apart and the whole house looks run-down. And the person who was supposed to meet up with me to show me the apartment, wasn't there and wasn't answering the phon when I tried calling. Needless to say, me and my friend got out of there right away.
   But then I placde an open add on the Internet, and I got a ton of responses. I've managed to actually have some apartments to pick from, some that are actually quite ideal and some that I can picture myself living in. I think that's a good sign. I have had a lot of emails in my inbox recently and I really feel like this has taken a turn for the better. Putting yourself out there really works, and I would highly really recommend it for anyone looking for an apartment.
   As for the future, I have two new people to meet up with in the close future. I have an apartment showing to attend this Saturday, and one on Wednesday, and I'm looking forward to both a lot. Both apartments seem really great, and I hope they'll be just as good as they seem.
   Wish me luck!
Hugs from a temporary place!

R.I.P.D

   Nick Walker is a cop at the Boston PD, at least until he gets shot during work. When he wakes up, he realises he gets pulled into a completely white room. A woman greets him, and tells him that he died from the wounds from the shooting. Nick, completely confused by the concept of his death, gets offered an opportunity: do more police work as a dead man, and score some points for judgement day. He obliges, and thus he joins the Rest In Peace Department, a police department made up completely by dead police officers, from different eras in time.
   Nick gets assigned to a completely obnoxious partner, and soon realises that his new job is taking out souls of the dead that have dwelled on earth for too long. Nick walks into an adventure, and a case, that he could never imagined.
   I really enjoyed watching the movie, since it showed me things I haven't seen before, and a completely new perspective on the afterlife, which is always amazing and enlightening. As a comedy/action movie, I actually found this movie a lot of fun as well, as many good laughs were spread out throughout the entirety of the film, and the characters were interesting and perfect for connecting to the movie on a personal level, at least for me.
   If you enjoy laughing, oddities, hats from the 1850's or just action movies in general, I would recommend you spend a bit of your time today watching R.I.P.D.

Apartment Update #1

   I'm currently looking for an apartment of my own since my current solution is going to be temporary (besides, I think I'd like to live on my own), and I'm honestly really baffled by how hard it is.
   Honestly, it's not like my demands for an apartment are incredibly high. I want a light, small space where I can shower, wash my clothes, sleep and cook some food. That's literally it. I don't need anything else, but somehow, that's absolutely impossible to find. I just don't get it. All I want is a simple space to myself, and somewhere I can live and relax, a place where I can study and I can spend time doing whatever I want. But I can't. Since that's incredibly hard to find, and I don't get it.
   Of course, at the moment I have a bit space, I have a place to eat, sleep and do my work and I'm really happy about it. But this isn't temporary and I can't wait to find my own place and make it my home.
   Besides, I need my own space. It's not that I dislike my roommate or anything, it's just that living so close to someone else is a very odd experience, one that I feel very strange about. Even though I don't mind his company, but I can't shake the feeling that having my own space would be great. Just to imagine not having to consider every time someone else needs the kitchen (yes, such a little thing as that) or to think that I can play my music without my headphones constantly on, makes me really happy, which of course is because I'd love to live alone.
   So yes, as for now, I do share an apartment with someone, but I am looking forward to having my own apartment sometime, as soon as possible. And as soon as I do, I'm going to tell you all about it. And of course, I'll walk you through the process!
   Hugs from Turku!

Rant (Being sick)

*Incoming rant. If you don't enjoy rants, please go read something else. Thank you.*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have gotten sick. Again. I honestly can't believe this. Right now, the only thing I have the energy for is laying in bed, and getting up makes my head spin every single time. I have a lot of things to do, and feeling this bad and sick is forcing me to stay home and sleep away all my time.
I have even missed lectures because of my fever, and last night I lost my voice completely. Today, I can't even speak properly without it hurting to high heaven. It literally feels like my vocal chords have been torn up and sown back together, just to be placed into my throat and annoy me forever. The worst part is that I'm an incredibly talkative person, and now that I'm sick and my throat feels like a dying animal, I can't speak properly with people around me or express my opinions. It's really hard for me, because I really love talking to people and discussing different topics.
Something else that annoys me a lot when sick during this time is that... I have already been sick once! I had a cold like a week ago, got well, and now I'm even sicker. Good lord, I had just gotten my hopes up that I'd actually get to do things again without worrying getting overworked, feeling bad or straight up to just be able to go outside without getting exhausted from the stains of walking.
Besides, I have a lot of things that I want to do, not just things that I need to do. This makes me feel incredibly restless. Yet when I try to do the things I want to, I start to feel like I'm fainting, and my head spins.
Hopefully I'll get well soon, because I can't really stand being sick for a lot longer.

School and September Open

I know I told you guys I'd get my act together with the blog like a week ago, but hear me out: I've been crazy busy doing all kinds of odd things, working my not so little butt off and moving out for the second time in a month. Yes, I have left the elderly couple behind, and moved out of their place into a shared space with another student. Yay me, and I also moved like half a kilometre closer to centre of town, so that's great I suppose.
Last week I started my academic studies more seriously, and I've gone to quite a few lectures at this point. I am also currently waiting to see if I got accepted into finnish class (the course is more directed towards people with a lower skill in Finnish, and since my skills are not that bad (but not that good either)) I don't know if I got accepted or not. According to my sources (consisting of other students) we'll find out tomorrow. Somehow, I'm guessing I didn't get accepted and that I'm going to have to just pass a test to prove my skills in the language (which is the solution for the students not taking the class), but I'll know for sure tomorrow.
This weekend I also went to Kimito, which is an island outside the coastline of Finland. Really beautiful place, reminds me a lot of my home in Ostrobothnia. The main reason I visited, was because of a themed festivity called September Open, which featured a market and entertainment set in medieval style and characters dressed in timely fashion. (And yes, if you're wondering, the pictures are from September Open, not just some random people I met on the street). The video is from the knights riding into the arena, and their choice of music were for some reason very untimely... Also, before I left the island of Kimito, I had a not so usual dish, in the medieval times, prepared for me, aka pizza. Honestly, one of the greatest pizzas I've ever had, and I felt very full after eating half of it (those of you who know me personally will also know how hard it is to actually make me feel full).
From next week I have new classes beginning, and I'm really exited about those. I wonder a lot about the ones having the lectures, I'm really curious about what the courses might be about, and who I'm going to meet while having them. I have already met a great deal of new people after I moved, but I'm sure I'm going to have the time to meet a lot more during my years of studying here. I'm so thrilled to be a part of this city, and everything it has to offer, and I can't wait to see it all and explore every single part of it.
I should be going to sleep soon, I have classes from 10 a.m. tomorrow, so I really can't oversleep or stay up really long tonight. I've finally managed to get my sleep schedule somewhat up to date, and I don't want to ruin it.
Hugs from Åbo!

Inledning

När hon i efterhand började tänka igenom det, hade hon ofta problem med att hitta en utgångspunkt, en plats eller händelse som kickade igång systemet, som fick henne att landa i den där smutsiga hålan. Men hon fann sällan någon, utan famlade i mörker som en man i en underjordisk grotta utan ficklampa i handen. Ytterst förvirrande, eftersom hon var den typen av kvinna som ansåg att allt hade en logisk utgångspunkt, det fanns ett epicentra för alla händelser...

Men när Jocelyn Grace fyllde trettiosex, lyckades hon äntligen sätta fast en punkt i sin historia, en händelse som verkade ha startat alla andra efter den. Den där förbannade eftermiddagen på caféet, där ingenting gick som det skulle.

Vad tycker ni om den här inledningen? Är det här något ni hade fortsatt läsa, eller någonting ni hade låtit bli? Lämna gärna åsikter i kommentarsfältet!

New Mittens & New Stories

   (Yes, the mittens are new. Yes, I decided to spoil myself by bying mittens, of all things. I found out that there's a Cybershop here in Åbo, and I have a feeling I'm going to spend all my extra money there...)
   Today I have all day to myself, and I haven't a day all to myself for so long, and it's really really needed. I've caught a cold, and my need for relaxation and alone time is really large. I need to feel great again by tomorrow, because I have to go to school, since my lectures begin at like 8 am it's going to be hard to make it with a cold.
   I'm going to try to clean the kitchen today, take out the garbage and do some laundrary, start reading Lord of the Rings again, and maybe something else as well...
   I also have a half complete short story, which I'm thinking of completing today. If I do, it's probably going to get posted on here during the evening sometime. I'm pretty happy with it so far, and I hope the rest of it turns out just as well as the beginning/middle part has. I've been really stressed and busy the last few weeks, and I haven't been able to do a lot of creative work because of that. Since my writing and blogging is kind of my therapy, the stress and bad emotions have taken an even larger toll on me.
   Hopefully, now that I'm starting to get somewhat of a routine going and getting a hold of things, I'll be able to do something creative every day to lower my stress levels and feel more comfortable again.    If you love something, you don't have time for it, you make time for it, and lately, I haven't been able to make time for my writing, which feels really bad. My creative work is my largest passion, and not having put any time on making progress with my work makes me feel more stressed, down and sad about almost everything else.
   Pro tip: if you have something that you're really passionate about, something that you really love doing and that makes you feel really great about yourself, make sure to spend at least half an hour doing it every day. You'll feel better about what you do with yout life, everything else that you have to do, and about yourself.
   Hugs from Turku!

ÅA

Now I've spent almost two weeks in Åbo, and I've finally started to meet new people, make friends, and even somewhat find my way around town (which is kind of a miracle for me, because my sense of location is terrible). I've already met a lot of interesting people and experienced a lot of interesting things.
One of the best things with studying at ÅA is you get to meet people who speak the same language as you, but come from a lot of different parts of the country, from parts in nothern Finland to islands in the southern parts in the ocean surrounding our country. It's so fascinating to see how different people are, though they belong to the same minority (those who speak swedish in Finland), how differently they behave and speak. And as you already know: I love meeting new people, people who can challange me and discuss things with me, and give me a new perspective. It's one of the greatest things life has to offer, if you ask me.
Aside from the people attending the university, my introduction to ÅA has gone absolutely amazing. I'm now able to find my way to the building I will be spending most time in, find some of the other buildings and know the general rules of the establishments, which is huge progress on my part.
This monday, my lectures will officially start, and I'm so hyped! I know it's really nerdy and really odd to say, but I'm really exited about starting my studies. I really look forward to this, I honestly think this is going to become one of my most educational and interesting years so far.

Turku Pride 2016

So, this Saturday, I participated in the Turku Pride parade, which was really interesting, really fun and an amazing experience. The people participating had amazing spirit, and a lot of energy. I've never been to a pride parade before, or even seen one, and I had a really fascinating and great first experience!
Meeting up with likeminded people who support the same things you do, especially in such large numbers, is always an amazing occurance. Being part of such a large group with such an important message and such a fighting spirit is something truely unique, and I'd love for all of you to experience it for yourselves, if you haven't done it yet. If you have been to a pride parade or anything similar, please leave a comment with your experiences below, because I'd really like to know!
As a final note I would like to say this: being gay, bisexual, asexual or any other sexuality is just as normal as liking a specific type of food. Your sexuality is valid and real, and you should never be harmed, degraded or harmed in any other way because of who you are or what sexuality you have. Having equal rights for all sexualities is one of the biggest matters in our society right now, because equality is one of the corner stones of a great community, which is the foundation for a good state.
Love should not be a priveledge, it should be a right.

Unwind

   So now that the move is starting to be a part of the past, I can surely say that I'm going to enjoy living in Åbo. I enjoy my surroundings, the centre of the city is absolutely marvelous and I have even managed to find a few people my own age, which is brilliant. The only thing I am still not pleased with is the apartment, but I assume it the issue will be resolved soon.
   I have even managed not to fall into the trap that a lot of students do; eating the same, cheap foods over and over again. Sure, I do keep the cost of my food to a minimum, but I have been able to eat a pretty wide variety of meals during my stay in the new city, and I will continue to do so. I don't want to end up having a lack of nutrients in my body.
   The city itself is absolutely amazing, I could go on talking about it forever. I love the architecture, the old buildings, the library, the church... Everything is just marvelous to me, and I doubt that feeling will ever be reduced. There is so much to do here, so much to see and so many people to meet. I can't imagine getting tired of a city like Åbo, I can't wait to see what kind of experiences I might have here.
   Today I have a lot of me-time on the schedule, which is going to be nice, I haven't had a lot of time for relaxation in a while, and I feel that it's really needed. Sure, there's cooking and laundrary to do, but other than that, I don't have a lot of "have-to"s today, which always nice. We all need a little time to ourselves every once in a while, just to unwind.

Första dygnet i Åbo

Igår klockan 16.54 kom jag fram till min studiestad, och välkomnades på tågstationen av en av mina hyresvärdar. Vi åkte buss till deras lägenhet, och jag fick göra mig hemmastadd innan de bjöd mig på middag.
Nu har jag snart varit i Åbo ett dygn, och har börjat vänja mig vid de kvarteren som ligger närmast lägenheten där jag för tillfället hyr ett rum. Jag har väldigt fin utsikt, står man rätt ser man till och med domkyrkans torn från mitt fönster, och det ser väldigt vackert ut på natten när stadens alla lampor lyser upp. Höghuset är dessutom omgivet av klippor, så förstås har jag spenderat en hel del tid med att klättra upp och ner för dem.
Har också handlat mat för första gången, och är väldigt nöjd med resultatet. Mycket frukt och grönsaker, sitter just nu och mumsar i mig vindruvor. Har inget internet till datorn än, men så länge jag använder mobilen som wifi-hotspot går det hur bra som helst ändå!
Har redan tagit två ganska långa promenader i området, och tycker jag börjar känna till det ganska bra. Hittar numera tillbaka till rätt höghus utan att behöva använda karta (jag bor på 8:nde våningen!) och jag hittar till de närmaste matbutikerna utan större problem.
Något annat som jag ser som ett litet plus i kanten är de fem Pokéstops som ligger i närheten (ja, jag spelar fortfarande Pokémon Go) och att man hittar så många fler Pokémons här i Åbo än jag gjorde innan jag flyttade. Känns faktiskt roligt att vara ute och leta efter de små krabaterna, nu när man faktiskt hittar dem också!
Imorgon funderar jag på att åka in till stan, och besöka biblioteket, eller att besöka den simhall som ligger ett par stenkast från höghuset. Programmet är i nuvarande läge öppet, men jag är säker på att det kommer att hända någonting intressant.

Söndag!

   Så mycket har hänt under den här korta, korta dagen. Typ tusen gånger mer saker än jag förväntade mig när jag klev ur sängen i morse.
   För det första så har jag fått tag på de människorna jag ska bo på hos när jag kommer till Åbo, och nu har vi äntligen fått saker och ting fastspikade. Jag har officiellt en bostad! Jag har någonstans att vistas när jag inte är på universitetet! Det känns så härligt att veta vart man ska ta vägen.
   För det andra: jag har ett officiellt datum när jag ska flytta! Jag flyttar till min nya bostad på söndag! Jag ska ta tåget ner till Åbo, och ska få med mig alla nödvändigheter på sagda tåg. Jag har bokat min biljett och ska börja packa om så att jag får med mig alla saker jag behöver... Sedan är allt ordnat!
   Och den tredje nyheten som inte har kommit upp på bloggen tidigare: jag har sökt jobb! Och jag har bokat in två arbetsintervjuer till nästa vecka! Jag känner mig så vuxen och ansvarsfull (sedan när har jag blivit vuxen och ansvarsfull? Hjälp..), och trots att oddsen är emot mig eftersom Åbo är en så stor stad och tiotals personer kommer söka samma jobb som jag söker, är jag väldigt taggad på att få gå på arbetsintervjuer. Det ska bli så intressant att få testa sådant också, dessutom var det ju ett tag jag var engagerad i ett jobb.
  Så ja, mitt liv börjar ordna upp sig nu igen och jag har fortfarande kvar inställningen att allt kommer ordna sig. Jag är så taggad på att packa, komma iväg och faktiskt påbörja ett helt nytt kapitel i mitt liv.
   Tack för ert enorma stöd. Kramar från Österbotten (fram till Söndag!) <3

"Social Media Isn't a Job"

   So this is something me and other bloggers (yes, even though I don't do this as a job) hear a lot. Spending a lot of time on the Internet, this is a comment popping up on forums, youtube, blogs, instagram... And I just don't get it.
   First of all; these people do not have any kind of idea about the amount of time that goes into managing a large blog, a youtube channel or anything in that direction. For example; I spend around 3-4 hours on my blog, commenting, making posts, replying to feedback... And my blog isn't even large. The youtube videos I make (which are really simple, easy and not that complicated) take around 1-2 hours depending on the video to film, edit and upload. And for a professional, who actually makes a living from their social media, spend a lot more time on social media. For example: a youtuber does not only film, edit and upload videos, they read comments, tweets, reply to feedback, analyze statistics, discuss sponsorships, and spend tons of time making their material better and better all the time.
   And the word "job" is defined as a post of employment and "employment" is an occupation by which a person earns a living. And if you are a professional youtuber, you earn a living doing your youtube videos. If you are a professional blogger, you make a living writing posts and managing a blog.
   Just because working with social media, managing your accounts, videos or blogs are a new profession, it does not make it any more valuable or honorable. Personally, I think that no matter what you do (as long as you don't hurt anyone in the process), you are increadibly lucky if you do something that you love for a living.
   Just stop putting down people on the count of their career. What people do for a living is their choice, not yours and you shouldn't disrespect them because of that choice. If people are doing something that they love for a living, they are among a lucky few. If I ever, ever, end up doing something I really love as a profession, I will consider myself the luckiest people in the world.
   Being a professional youtuber or blogger is just as valid as any other, more traditional job!

Uppdatering: Min bostad

   Som ni vet, så har jag haft en del problem med projektet gällande att hitta bostad i Åbo (om ni inte vet det kan ni klicka er vidare till detta inlägg för att läsa om det). Men nu börjar jag äntligen se ljuset i slutet av tunneln. Vill börja med att tacka alla er som engagerat er, oberoende av om ni visat sympati och stöd eller kommit med både smarta och kreativa förslag på var jag kan hitta boende, eller till och med skickat tips på lägenheter. Mängden respons har varit överväldigande, och det känns otroligt bra att ha så här många människors stöd. Er hjälp och ert stöd betyder otroligt mycket för mig!
   Nu börjar valet av bostad vara gjort, och det återstående är att packa mina saker, komma överens om alla detaljer kring flytten och sen det att faktiskt komma iväg.      Efter alla problem och all stress känns det nästan overkligt att faktiskt få komma iväg.
   Från början var det ju tänkt att jag skulle dela en lägenhet tillsammans med en annan ung kvinna, men det blir en annan form av boende som gäller för mig åtminstone de första veckorna i Åbo. Som det ser ut nu (för det är fortfarande inte fastspikat) kommer jag att hyra ett rum i ett hus som ägs av ett äldre par, något som jag tycker är en väldigt bra första lösning.
   Förstås så är det här tillfälligt (alla ni som känner mig personligen vet hur stort behov jag har av eget utrymme och att få vara för mig själv med jämna mellanrum), och jag kommer att flytta till något eget eller delat så snart jag får möjligheten och det verkar som ett logiskt beslut att byta bostad.
   I nuläget är jag ärligt talat nöjd bara jag lyckas komma iväg och faktiskt kan börja studera. Jag skulle förstås föredra att få med mig allt på en gång, att kunna bo ensam och att kunna skapa mitt nya hem från grunden (vem skulle inte föredra det) men just nu så går det inte, och jag har accepterat det.
   Jag ser fortfarande flytten som något positivt och spännande, även om det inte riktigt blev som jag ursprungligen hade tänkt mig. Jag kommer förstås att vlogga om flytten och hålla er uppdaterade om alla detaljer kring den.
   Kramar från Österbotten!