IDKW2NTP

"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 
'If you abide in my word, 
you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, 
and the truth will set you free.'" 
-John 8:32

It’s Week 13! And I technically have a five day weekend, except I have an essay due Friday so I’m not really having a super long weekend; dead week just started really early. I had my last Australian lectures on Tuesday, and we did a short review of the material this semester and talked about the exam. One of the instructors said the exam will be tough. In order to separate the 7s from the 6s (their grading system is from 7 to 1, where passing is a 4 (50-64%)), there will be difficult questions on the exam where only one or two students will be able to solve. That got me quite excited but also nervous. I love challenging exams but not when they’re worth 50% of my grade. 

SCU Winter Quarter class schedules came out! I spent over an hour trying to figure out what I should take next quarter and looking up different major/minor requirements. The music major requirements have changed, so I’m not really sure what I to do (and my advisor being on sabbatical doesn’t help). [Gets distracted looking at potential Religion classes, and finds out that EE major requirements have also changed...] While I was here (well, I’m still here), I reconsidered a lot of my commitments back home, including major/minors, musical investments, and Ultimate club team involvement. But now that I have to make decisions, it feels like I’m going back in right where I left. It feels like I’m in a dream and none of the things I’ve experienced and thought about here will make a difference, no matter how hard I try to go home changed. It’s frustrating. I’m also missing all the recruiting events at school which has given me a bit (read: a lot) of FOMO. Thinking about school/the future makes me stressed because there's so many unknowns, yet somehow the unknowns here in Oz don't make worried. Although there are so many variables here, I am more ready/willing to trust God. Is it because I have less to hold onto, less to give me the illusion of control? 

I also got a notice to leave the apartment. “We don’t want you to leave but your stay with Urbanest is coming to an end…” More evidence I am leaving soon. It’s strange though, because the letter says I am required to vacate my room on 07 December when I was told beforehand I had to leave 18th of November, so I’m kind of confused… 

I ran into Krisha and Bryant on the way to the Farmer’s Market on Saturday! I met them on the Straddie trip, and they’re studying at Bond University down at the Gold Coast, so it was crazy seeing them in Brisbane (>1 hr train ride away). They both play Ultimate back home and have played SCU teams (and actually have heard of Santa Clara before haha). I also came home from pickup Ultimate on the same bus as Magnus, the student who randomly joined our conversation two months ago (see “Mid-Trip Crisis” blogpost). I also ran into Keiko at the grocery store, and we decided to make dinner together. Despite being pretty tired and not wanting to cook, we ended up making delicious food from what we had. It kept me from eating leftovers, which I now have more of (oops). Every time we make food, Keiko says we should definitely keep cooking together when we go back to SCU, and I'd love to. Except if I take __ units I won't have time to eat, let alone cook.  

Speaking of food, I finished my third jar of peanut butter 😮. This, plus almost finishing 1/2 kg of almonds, are evidence that I’m daddy’s girl (nuts are my dad’s fave). I’ve also eaten many loaves of bread, boxes of cereal, and cartons of soy milk, not to mention lots of rice, fruit, and vegetables (one of my housemates doesn’t eat fruit… how???). I also got cheap cantaloupe and pineapple at the farmer’s market! Finally something different from apples, bananas, and oranges :).  

Hope everyone is staying warm and having a good week working, studying, learning, and living! I miss you all and can't decide what Aussie things to bring back for you (no kangaroo jerky because the US doesn't allow travellers to bring in meat) :P. Comment below with your wish list! Speak now or forever hold your peace.



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