Expectation vs Reality of turning 21

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

In a week, I'm turning 21. 21 21 21! I cannot believe it. But the scary thing is, I don't feel 21, I still feel like the little tomboy from school. I used to collect bugs and play in the mud, and I hated dresses. Growing up, I had a lot of expectations of what 21 should feel like, but like we all know life never really is the way you expected it to be and in some ways you are glad that it didn't meet up with your expectations.

21st party of a friend

My expectations were that I would have directions in life. I expected that I would know exactly what job and house I would have. that I would know who I'd marry and my future would lay crystal clear in front of me. When I was a lot younger, I expected at the age of 21, I would be an old widow or something. I even thought at some point that I would have children by this time. I thought that I would still be friends with all the people, who were my friends in school. I thought that I would be done studying and on my way to my dream job. AND THEN LIFE LAUGHED IN MY FACE AND SAID: That's not what I have in store.

My reality is this: I have no idea where I want to be in life. Next year, I still want to study something, so the job part has to wait. I am thinking about doing my honors in Communication or attending a business school at the university. The house part has to wait (obviously). My future is not crystal clear in front of me, in fact, it is like a birthday cake smudged in a little boy's face. 

I always thought that I would know who the ONE is, who I'd marry, when I was 21. But then life taught me that there are multiple ONE's. Many fish in the sea. Whatever you want to call it. I'm also not ready to marry and start my life with someone. I first have to know myself and I first have to do all the things I wanted to do, before I start my life with someone. I still want to travel the world, experience the world and look after myself. So it's chilled vibes about meeting Prince Charming, The ONE, The fish in the sea... WHATEVER.

Turning 21 in a week, I am not yet a widow. Unless, something happens this week, like I get marries, grow very old in a few days and then he dies before Sunday. Then the possibility is there that I could be a widow and very old.

After my sister was born, I realized that no way in hell I would have children before the age of 30! I am 21, still a few years to go. Phew! 

Friends come and go, but you always like to believe that they would be your BFF (Best Friends Forever). I had many friends in school and we had good times, but after school everyone went their own course and we lead different lives. I have a handful of friends, who have always been there. Come hell or high water, they stuck it out and I really cherish these friendships. They are all I need. 

Yes, life laughed in my face about my expectations, but I'm still happy with how things worked out and I couldn't ask for better. I really feel privileged to lead the life that I'm living. Have I been making to much of a deal of turning 21 or is it society, who puts such a big expectation on it.

Love for animals?

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

When I compiled my bucket list, I also tried to think about things that would fulfill my life, materialistic things don't make you happy, it's the memories and experiences that make you smile and truly happy. therefore I decided that I want to volunteer at Rehab center for animals that got hurt and nurse them back to health. It is number 9 on my bucket list.

This semester, we had to do a project in one of our Communication subjects. The project was that we had to design a communication plan for an NGO (Non Govermental Organisation). So, I thought about my bucket list and how can enrich my life at the same time, therefore I chose to do it about the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

The communication plan involves that we had to go and visit the NGO and find out what their needs are and how their communication (social-, mass- media, etc) are with stakeholders. We then had to design a plan to tel them exactly what needs to be change and what form of marketing they should use to help them reach their goal. We also had to tell them exactly what message they must send to each stakeholder group.

The SPCA has a lot of needs especially because it is winter here in South-Africa. They have a shortage of blankets, warm water bottles, and they always have a need for food for cats and dogs. They also have a need for a nice website, where they can regularly post about happenings and animals needing loving homes, where they will not be abused or neglected.

I have a very soft spot for animals and it makes me so sad to walk past cats and dogs, where they shy away because they are scared. Their owners had hurt them, how removed from your conscience must you be to hurt an animal who always is happy to see you. My dogs are always making weird sounds and jumping up and down to see me. They are ALWAYS happy to see me! How can you hurt an animal that has always loved you?

I want to show them that I am not like their owners, but that takes time. Therefore, I aim to spend more time at the SPCA, next semester, helping these animals and showing them that they can trust people again. I want to nurse them back to health.

This communication plan made me realize that I, a normal student, can make a difference in the lives of animals. I hope they use my communication plan, because it will help them to connect better with their stakeholders and also help them to fulfill their needs for the cold winter.

Over it!

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

This is my third and final year as a Communication student. Next year is still a mystery! But it has not been easy....

Maia and me

Today, I wrote my last paper for the semester. I wrote two tests today and the first one was horrible! It will be a miracle if I do pass it, but I have seen miracles happen here and I'm really hoping for one today when they start marking our tests!

I'm on holiday and yet it still feels like I have to do work or some kind of project, because I never really had one chill day this semester. I always had something to do! I am currently busy packing my bags and tonight I'm going to a 21st celebration of a friend. I CAN RELAX!!!!!

I had a very tough semester and it never felt like I touched ground. I also think that I have ADD. Previous years, I just thought that I was lazy and didn't really bother me, but this year when it was crunch-time (which is always) I could never sit still and concentrate. Everything distracts me and I can never focus. It really became a problem in April/ May when we had about a project per day to give in. I found myself typing in the whee hours of the morning, typing like a frantic monkey to meet the deadlines, but still my attention was never where it was supposed to be, I always jump up and go do something else, even when it's crunch-time. This is very different from procrastination, because I know how procrastination feels and this is not it... I will give attention to this over the holiday!

Yes, studying is not easy and giving up sounds wonderful, but I did not come this far to just throw in the towel! I will make it and I will also make a success out of this! I always tell myself that I am extremely privileged to study and I should not waste the chances that has been given to me.

I am excited to finish my degree this year and about the mysteries of next year that lie in front of me!

Power of words

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

The power of words are amazing.

Quote in a coffee shop

The reason why I say that words are amazing is because of the power it has.
The other day, I had an interview to work at the Aardklop Music Festival, here in South-Africa. It wasn't really an interview because the people already know me, so we just started talking about random things. The discussion ended up with the power of words.

The manager said that words can either get you this job or it cannot. That got me thinking about the power of words.

The way how they can cut like knives. The way they can make your day.

Words can start a relationship. Words can end it. Words can start a war or end it.

I have always loved words and the way how you can make art with them and how you can write magic in the form of a book. I, myself, could never really find the right words to say or write to make magic, but I really love reading and how every author has his own voice and his own magic in his books, but still using the same words. I love reading poems, where the words have so many meanings. MAGIC!

But words can also cut like knives and somehow you never quite forget the knives that stabbed you. I still remember how people bullied me in primary school, which is quite a few years ago. I still remember how people said mean things to me in high school and also at university.

Lately, I needed a lot of inspiration to get me through my studies because it got quite tough with studies and the picture above, which I took in the coffee shop, gave me the needed inspiration to keep on going. Yes, these words inspired me to STOP GIVING UP!!!!!

Go and watch this video on Youtube, because it perfectly describes what I mean in a song!!!

We should be careful with what we say because it has so much power. We should rather try to make magic with our words and make it art, instead of hurting people.

My updated bucket list

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Me and my life long friend in London

At the Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

Every person should have a bucket list of things they want to do, before they kick the bucket (die).

Two of my big dreams and on my bucket list have been completed. France and the UK. It was a huge privilege that I was able to go and not many people get to do it.

Here is the rest of my bucket list: (Warning! May contain content of extreme awesomeness!)

1. Backpack through the WHOLE Europe.
2. Go to Texas to visit my uncle (Happening in 2015)
3. Learn more about other religions and cultures
4. Take up my French and Dutch again (or it will get lost)
5. Visit Machu Picchu
6. Learn an African language like Zulu
7. Go to class in my pajamas
8. I want to experience a white Christmas or even just see snow
9. I want to volunteer at Rehab center for animals that got hurt and nurse them back to health. (Happening in 2014)
10. I want to name a star after myself.
11. For a birthday I want to have a dress-up party, where we dress in awesome clothes like the 1920's (Happening this year, 2014, on my 21st)
12. I would love to go to Egypt and see the Pyramides.
13. Do a boat cruise.
14. I want to do a diving course and do deep sea diving. Experience the wonders of the ocean.
15. Learn to meditate.
16. Visit catacombs in all the countries that has them. I was already in Paris' catacombs. 
17. Experience the mysteries of the world. (Bermuda Triangle, lost treasures, etc...)
18. Find the best squidheads to eat in the world. The best so far was at Primi Piatti. (I have found the best at Mike's Kitchen in Parktown)
19. Read all the books I possibly can. I LOVE READING!!!!!
20. Meet James Patterson, I am his biggest fan! He is an author, in case you're wondering.
21. Find a book I have been looking for- Children of the dust. But can't find it anywhere.

Here are 5 things I added to my list:

• Do a course on Uncollege.org, It teaches you all the skills you need to know for the job you really want to have.
• Blog more and become my own blog personality
• While travelling, I also want to visit all the architectural historic sites of Europe.
• I also want to backpack through El Camino the Santiago- The way of St James.
• Raise money for a cause I feel strongly about.

More things will be added to this list, but for now it is all I can think of...

My favorite photo in London, UK.

Please feel free to leave a comment :)

The scary future of 2015

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Hi, my name is Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen and I have no idea what I'm going to do next year and I am scared.

My third and final year has crept up to me like a mouse. How did this go so fast? I can still remember my first day in Grade 1 and here I am: A university student and a final year at that!

I have always had these big dreams about what I wanted to become. First it was a book editor, editing books and reading them all day. Sounds like a jolly good dream. Then, I wanted to become a diplomat for South-Africa in France, that dream was when I was enchanted with France. I also took French at school, but when I went to France, I realized that I love my country. 

My dream was then to become a journalist, but that dream faded very quickly, when I started studying Communication and realized all the possibilities, which I can do with Communication.

My problem is that the possibilities are too vast! I don't know what I want to do! Next year included. The question is do I want to do my honors in Communication, then the question is in which Communication? Do I even want to my honors? Would I rather do the Business School course, which is also a year? What do I want to do?

I DON'T KNOW!

The only thing I know for certain is that I want to travel the world. But when I mean travel, I mean SEE EVERYTHING, EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING. My plan thus far is to start working on a tourist ship, where I can make money. Enough money for the travels for at least one or two countries. In those countries I'll do petty jobs, where I'll save up for the next country. 

My plan is also to travel for at least 2-3 years... 

This is the only thing, which I'm certain about my future. I WILL TRAVEL! But for now, I'm having sleepless nights about the year 2015 and everything that it holds! 

Am I naive about this travelling thing? Should I relax about my future or start making plans?