Day two!

Launched my instagram page yesterday, and a successful following is building!


Today's entry: Willpower. Some days it's awesome, other day's, it is, in the words of the Irish,
"complete and utter shite!"

Today, with spring on the way and the Irish rain no where to be found, it was a spring day for the books, and for the majority of my friends, it became a day to blow off Financial Accounting 1 and head to the pub for a few pints and to sit out and enjoy the sunshine.

And come tomorrow, they might do the same again.

And thus, begins another day where I have to be strong. With training starting at 7.00 p.m., day drinking isn't really ideal for a successful swim session. To keep my scholarship, I have to stay ahead of my studies. And, to keep my finances in check, an afternoon buying rounds at the bar isn't really going to fit into the already very tight student budget.

So, it became another time to choose. And as gut-wrenchingly lonely as it is, I sat out of the afternoon on the town.

Some may say, what's the big deal? One day isn't going to make or break your life, right?

And this is true, but it isn't just one day. This is a constant struggle. The difficulty of finding a balance between what will help me go further academically and athletically, and what can help me socially.

Whether it's an afternoon out, a night out, a big day, ANYTHING that sometimes conflicts with your goals I always remember these things:

BE BRAVE:
It takes guts to set out to achieve the impossible, and it is nothing short of brave to decide to walk your path

BE RESILIENT:
Don't give up when it gets discouraging. Don't be afraid to let friends go who don't support you in your endeavours. Don't be afraid to sit in uncomfort temporarily, as I have grown to know, it is the things in life that require you to give the most that bring the biggest rewards.

College is a constant balancing act, a game of choices. And while it was tough to be one of the few kids in a lecture today, I know that once I get out of the pool tonight, none of it will matter. I will have made another step towards to success, and that to me is more valuable than any Monday afternoon pints... (but that sure as hell doesn't mean I won't be down the pub once the weekend comes, and the workouts and assignments have been annihilated) 😏😜

Cheers lads,
Hailey

Welcome!

Hello!

That seems like a really generic and probably pretty lame title, but hopefully it can be overlooked!

So, what's this all about?

I am a 19 year old American student pursuing my full college degree in Dublin, Ireland.

After arriving here last August, I through myself into college life. I have always been a perfectionist, and I love the feeling of success. While most students are out 6 nights a week, eating anything and everything in sight, I quickly became bored and fed up with this monotonous, repetitive scene. It was meaningless. All the work to get to school, only to feel more alone and underachieved when I woke up every hungover Sunday morning.

I am an athlete, I am on the swim team here in college, and  I always have been involved in sport, but I constantly struggled when it came to food. I would justify sadness or anxiety with another helping of dinner, junk food, and late night secret snacks. My exercise would keep weight gain off, but I was tired, I wasn't living up to athletic, social or academic goals I set for myself, and most importantly, I didn't feel comfortable in my own skin.

And so, I took control. I changed my diet, my attitudes, my habits and routines. Sounds easy, right? Far from it. I lost friends because of it, felt lonely and incredibly lost. I struggled to balance myself and my goals with the influence of some. But, I did it. Not alone, but through the support and love of others, and I want nothing more to pass that on to others.

So here are my habits, routines, diets, thoughts and ideas on how I kicked university ass and you can too!

Here's to a journey to health and a successful Freshman (negative) 15!

Till next time,
Hailey