GAP YEAR SERIES | Volunteering at Jack & Jill

Hello guys!

Since I am on my GAP year, of course, I want to work and make an earning. However, I also want to fill it up with new experiences and do things I wouldn't have had the time to do since I always dedicated my time to education. 

One of these things was in fact volunteering! I always liked the idea of it, dedicating your free time and energy to help someone or someplace - sounds awfully nice doesn't it! Plus I figured it would look incredible on my CV as a reference for when I look for a permanent job after college. So since I knew that I wasn't going to start my work until a weeks time I decided to pop into the Jack and Jill foundation shop that's in my local area. Jim the manager was more than welcoming and let me jump on board for the week. I went in from 2(ish) until 4.30 in the evening and worked with Jim and Ben & Harry who are in their fourth year of secondary school. Now despite my initial excitement to start the following day I was a bit nervous, would I settle in alright there? Would it be odd since I was the only female? How would I get on with two younger guys? 

However from the moment I stepped into the shops 'office', I felt at ease. Jim was more than welcoming and so were Ben and Harry. The four of us formed quite the peculiar tight clique and meshed so well  despite our age differences. Soon I learned that as Jim said, the key to enjoying the work was to have fun- and that's exactly what we done. The office soon became our main hub in the tiny shop. There we rummaged through the stuff that we were given and sorted it out. The boys were always up for modelling a few of the 'interesting' pieces and we giggled away. Jim was such a joy to be around and work with. He's the dream manager that anyone could want- fun and has such a contagious laugh yet cares very much about his job. Alongside the office shenanigans, I sorted out the floor by reorganizing the clothes racks and re-decorating the dainty display since that wasn't really the boys forte. We all brought something different to the table and that's why we were never bored and always amused as we went about doing our tasks.

The five days the 3 of us volunteered for, flew. When it came to the last day we were all sad to leave, however the boys luckily were intending on going once a week for their Gaisce! I on the other hand loved it so much that I decided I'd go in when I'm free- which would (hopefully) be once weekly.

So not only did I leave with the pleasure of having helped the foundation, but I also had the greater pleasure of making new friends aswell as new memories. Now we're all still friends, I even pop in to say hello before or after my work shift as I wait for the bus. 

I couldn't be more happier to have volunteered for a foundation, let alone there with such amazing individuals. I certainly intend on continuing in the future when I can.

Habiba x

EXPECTATIONS & CHANGE

Hello loves!

So as you can probably tell from the title of this post, it's all about change and how things mightn't always play out to your expectations- yet still for the better.

In June I did my Irish Leaving Certificate. Upon completing that, I had intended to pursue a career in primary school teaching, once getting the required high points. It was something I have always (or believed so anyway) that I wanted to pursue since I was a child of 7. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? Knowing what you want since you were so young ? Well, it is. Thing is, life changes us, so do experiences and so does being exposed to more whether its people or places. So throughout my last year in school, I began to second think my career while looking at colleges. It went a bit like this - Art and Design? No, its an 'unstable' and an 'in-low demand job'. Architechture? No, just fascinated by it but couldn't study it. 

Then we came to business. Something which is quite interesting to me- particuary the marketing and advertising sectors. But as a girl who always believed she was meant to be a teacher for several reasons, I didn't proceed to look into business. I had never studied it in school and thought it was incredibly delusional of me to think I could pursue it as a career. What would people think ? The girl who always blabbed on about being a teacher suddenly didn't want it? Well, that doesn't make sense, does it? So I convinced myself that the stress and workload were just making me overthink what I wanted and that I would still love to become a teacher in college.

So I was accepted into college to become a Bachelor in  Education. I was so incredibly excited for the college life-  the studying, the new friends, the city life and even the 'teacher-esque' outfits. But after the first talk in orientation, I came to realize I talked about everything but the course content and how thrilled I was about being a teacher in the making. On top of that, transport to my college was a essentially- well a bitch. A two-hour commute and a 15-minute walk. Now I know it might not sound so bad to everyone, but to me, it was exhausting especially considering how energy and work demanding my course was. The following week lectures started, and let me tell you I didn't feel any more ecstatic, in fact, I had reached a peak of anxiety and unhappiness that I hadn't felt in a while. Yet I was still too overwhelmed by this sudden change of emotions to confront myself and my parents about my decisions. But then, even my mother noticed my deteriorating character and lack of enthusiasm towards my everyday life. 

Following my second day of lectures, I was drinking coffee while on the phone to my mom at the bus stop, and she asked me, 'do you want to drop out ?'. 

Believe me, never had I thought such words would make me so happy. Yes, I did let out a cry of distress and disappointment because I was leaving college and taking an unplanned GAP year, however I didn't even second doubt my decision to withdraw from the course whatsoever- in fact, I did it the next day. Many thought it was psychotic and dumb. I can understand why, but regardless it didn't phase me much as I was blessed with the endless support of my family and closest friends and I had aspirations to fulfill this time around.

So now here I am, yes I would be more content with being in college now BUT you know what they say, ''everything worth having is worth the wait''.  Waiting to do a course that excites me and will allow me to have the creative career I crave is something I'm willing to be patient for. 

So I hope you guys enjoyed this personal post, feel free to share, like and comment if you've had a similar experience! More fashion and beauty related content on your way so don't forget to follow my blog.

Habiba x