As graduation creeps closer and closer (provided I can actually pass my next Finance exam..), I’m feeling a renewed energy for life.

Some people tell me I’m going to miss school and the freedom that it brings, not knowing that I’ve worked full-time (almost) the whole way through my education, thereby eliminating any freedom that students who are only students might experience.

Having just a job - just a job and nothing else, no school, no group projects, no exams to study for, no 80 page case reports – now that’s freedom.

A few months ago (in March), I wrote about all of the things that I want to do when I graduate. I want to revisit this.

Some of these things, I have already done, and I want to add to it in a big way.

This is like my “5 years post graduation bucket list”. I really wanted to make this SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound. Because I want to hold myself to doing these things. They are important to me and I think about them a lot, so here is my plan:

 

 

Become a staff writer – somewhere

I started staff writing for Prairie Eco Thrifter in May/June. It’s been nice because PET has a wide variety of topics that I can write about; I’m not bound just to finance.

Pick up my first few freelancing projects

Not necessarily freelance writing, though I may look into that, but freelancing in my career is also a possibility, or even editing/proof reading/etc. Target date: January, 2013

Take up yoga

I actually have a month of yoga from Groupon close to home. I could probably start using it soon, but I’ve been lazy. Target Date: August 2012

Work out 5x/week again

I’m going to include yoga in this, because who has the time to do both yoga, and go to the gym, 5x/week? Target date: August 2012

Travel a little more

I’ll have to break this goal down a little more:
-New York City. Target date: September 2012 (booked)
-Toronto. Target date: September 2012 (booked)
-Jamaica/Hawaii/Other tropical paradise. Target date: January/February 2013
-Europe. Target date: Summer 2013

Write an ebook

To be honest, I don’t know if this is something I want to do anymore. I’m not going to write a target date, because I need to ponder this.

Go snowboarding

I used to snowboard all of the time. I grew up in a small town in which there was really nothing to do in the winter except ski and snowboard, so me and my friends would be at the local hill probably 1-2 times per week. That said, I never got good at it. That’s okay, though, my boyfriend loves to snowboard so I will go with him in the winter. Target date: December 2012

Go to Oregon for the weekend

We did this in May.

Take a cooking class

Oh, man. This will have to be in the new year. With September being absolutely crazy (wedding, NYC, CPFC12, job change), I’ll be picking up the pieces in October. Target date: March, 2013

Take a language class (French)

Once again, this will have to be in the new year. I’d like to do this by the time 2013 is over. I know basic french but would love to learn more. It’s a beautiful language. Target date: July 2013

Try a new recipe every week

I’ll admit that I’ve been lazy with cooking recently. It’s been so hot and our apartment gets stifling. Plus, the kitchen sucks to cook in. Plus, I have been looking for simple meal solutions being that I have so much going on right now. So, I’m aiming for a Target date: October 2012

Go hiking more often

This isn’t a specific goal at all. What does “more often” mean? When do I start? I like hiking but my boyfriend hates it and most of my friends live 40 minutes away so it’s not simple to just saddle up and go hiking with them. I’ll just have to make some new friends in the neighborhood I’m not going to make a new target date because this is my least favorite goal and want to finish everything else before I consider it.

Learn to sew

Oh, man. I so want to learn to sew. My friend is good at it, and I want her to teach me, but we never coordinate it. I want to make throw pillows for our new couch! Target date: July 2013

Learn more about blogging

This is an ongoing goal, so while I have crossed it out that doesn’t mean that I don’t learn at every turn. I do. But informal learning about blogging seems to be what really works for me, so making a target date seems a little silly.

Create a few extra pages on my blog

This is coming. I have a master plan. Target date: August, 2012

Become a Big Sister (with Big Brothers/Big Sisters)

Having a solid female role model is key to the development of little girls into women. I’ve always wanted to become a Big Sister, because it’s such a great local cause. I need to be committed to 1 year at least, and a total of about 4 hours a week, which, until I finish my designation, I don’t know that I can do. So, my target date for singing up will have to be the end of 2013. Target date: November, 2013

Join Toastmasters

I’ve always wanted to learn to be more of a concise, clear speaker. I enjoy public speaking and think the fact that I like it really sets me apart from many others, and this can look great on a resume. Toastmasters stops for the summer and resumes in September, but like I mentioned, with September being my busiest month of the year, I’m aiming for January or February for joining. Target date: January/February 2013

Get my designation

My professional designation test is in October. That’s just part one, and then I have to do part 2 in April, I believe. So, my Target date: October, 2012

Take a scuba diving course (Open Water Diver)

In 2010, the boy and I took a beginners diving lesson in a pool and we had a lot of fun. The BC coast is amazing, and there is so much to see under water. We have the giant pacific octopus, sharks, dolphins, whales, and of course starfish, crabs, etc that would be so much fun to see while diving. We want to get certified. Target date: September, 2013

Learn more about bikes/get a bike/start cycling

The area that I live in right now has a ton of parks and cycling trails. The boy wants to get a bike soon but we really know nothing about them. WE need to learn. Target date: July 2012

 

This is a lot to do in a matter of a year and a half, but since they are all enjoyable activities I’m sure I’ll have fun doing them!