18
February
2007
Yesterday I graduated from university with the equivalent of an MA in Social Anthropology (major), Media Studies and German Lit (minors). The ceremony was simple, nothing remotely connected to the decorous affairs seen in American movies. Not even the deacon wore a robe, and there even was one student wearing a Metallica shirt. 
Still, I got my diploma and am now facing about seven months here in Basel before leaving for New Zealand. The plan is to find an internship with a humanitarian organization, get some actual experience in the field I want to work in. Also, there’s of course been stuff piling up that I need to take care of, so after the short vacation I allotted myself this week I’ll probably be quite busy. But mostly I’m just glad it’s over - 6 1/2 years were enough!
> Flickr tag: graduation
Posted: Photos, Uni
14
February
2007
Anyone still here?
In any case, the fact that I passed my exams seems to deserve some kind of celebratory post… Orals were yesterday, after which I got my grades (for my thesis, my written and oral exams in all three subjects), and on Saturday there’s a small graduation ceremony, where I’ll officially become a lic. phil, an MA. Woopee!
My plans for what comes next have undergone some changes in the past couple of months: New Zealand (and my diploma in Human Resource Management) have been pushed back to the third trimester, starting in November. In the months gained I’m hoping to find an internship, to actually get an idea whether my ideas for my professional future are any good. I also withdrew my resignation from my weekend receptionist job at the retirement home, so I can save some more money before the big move.
Other than that I celebrated my 26th birthday at the beginning of the year, and I started something called ‘Project 365′, where I take a photo every day for a year. You can find them here.
Posted: Life, Photos, Uni
19
October
2006
First I learn that my thesis was accepted, so I’m definitely going to the exams - and then the doorbell rings and I get flowers, totally out of the blue from Sibylle. Just. Big smile time and lots of love for my best friend.
Edit: Photo of the flowers on my desk:
Posted: Moments, Photos, Uni
26
August
2006
I’ve turned in my thesis, which is quite exciting, but now it’s all about the exams in January (written) and February (oral), for which I have to read and study a shitload of books in my three subjects, about three topics each.
More fun is this Finnish song my brother sent me: Loituma - Leva’s Polka (mp3 on YSI).
It’s totally addictive - and there’s a video to go with it, which you can find here. Seriously, you’ll be listening to it non-stop!
Posted: Music, Uni
7
July
2006
I know one could have thought so from my silence. But fact is, my life is just very, very boring right now and I don’t feel like whining about how behind I am on my thesis all the time. This won’t change at least for another month, when the deadline for my thesis is, but maybe longer, what with the exams coming up. All in all I won’t be done with uni until the end of February 07, I’m afraid.
But let’s not talk about that - there were a couple of other things in the past couple of months, like a family trip to Berlin, a week’s vacation in Como with Sibylle and the football World Cup. All of which has been documented in pictures, as you can see on my Flickr album.
So just consider this a life sign and please don’t give up on me!
ETA: Also, thought it was time for a summer layout, so I was a naughty girl and put one up while at work. 
Posted: Life, Photos, Site, Uni
5
May
2006
I’m currently doing… nothing. Just nothing, despite being way behind schedule on my thesis. Don’t ask me why, I can’t explain, it’s just. There. Oh well, tomorrow’s another day…
Posted: Life, Uni
14
April
2006
And that’s not going to change in the next months. All I do is sit at home and work on my thesis. Now and then I meet up with some friends, but since several of my closest friends are also in their final year of uni that’s not very often. At least that way I don’t have to feel too guilty about leading such a hermit’s life…
The other thing I do is watch CSI. Love that show, and for some reason the orderliness and structure of crime shows like that feels reassuring, relaxing. And, to satisfy my hankering for organization, I put together a list of my TV obsessions. After all, you can already see the photos I take, the books I read and the movies I watch, so TV just had to follow, I guess… Huh, this line of thought could lead to some interesting theories about opening one’s life to strangers. Maybe another time…
Yesterday I broke my routine a bit, though, and made a little something to hang over my desk, cheer me up while I’m working: a collage of my closest RL friends and family.
Posted: Fandom, Life, Photos, Uni
1
April
2006
Published the first proper episode of my personal podcast, where I ramble on for a bit over an hour about all sorts of things and generally prove to the world what a dork I am. Pretty unorganized and technically imperfect, but it sure was fun to make, so there’ll probably be more…
In other news, I’m still working on my thesis (naturally). It’s slow going, but I’m almost through the research now, so hopefully I can put together a proper structure and start writing soonish… Preferably before my presentation on April 26. *g*
Posted: Life, Uni
24
January
2006
I’m on a sort of a hiatus. Not in a bad “it’s all too much, I need to hide” way, just haven’t been feeling very social lately. And this blog (and the internet in general) is for me first and foremost a social medium.
Which is why I let emails pile up, don’t post in my blog and do the least I can do with my websites. All the while I’m feeling quite fine - a bit better every day, actually, having just started to take a mild anti-depressive (Citalopram-Mepha, in case someone is wondering) last week, which has already markedly improved things, although I still feel some side-effects.
So I’m doing fine, trying to get in the right (which means productive) frame of mind to start serious work on my thesis in mid-February at the latest. It’s all a bit annoying, the process of getting all the signatures and information I need, but I’m getting there, slowly but surely.
Just wanted to write it down, in case anyone was worried. Feel free to drop me a line - I might take a while to answer, but I read and smile…
Posted: Life, SAD, Uni
25
October
2005
The semester has started yesterday. Not that it has much of an impact this time, since I finished all my classes and now have time until mid-January to decide on a topic for my thesis, the writing of which will take up the first half of 2006.
Therefore I have only signed up for one class at uni. I’ve also decided to use the time I have now to brush up my French, so this morning I went to Riehen (takes me about 50 minutes, one way) for a 15 weeks course at the community college, focussing mainly on conversation, which is my big trouble area. It’s hard for me to have to grope for words - but I’m just tired to be embarrassed of how bad my French is after all the years of classes in school…
Other than that, I’ve taken out my beloved sheepskin (birthday gift from several of my friends) and my comfy blanket and am spending some quality time with some favorite movies (finally got ‘When Harry Met Sally’ and ‘Romeo & Juliet’ on DVD when I was in Singapore, after years of only owning the videos) and lots (probably a bit too much *g*) of yummy Swiss chocolate. Aren’t you envious?
Not feeling the SAD yet, but I’ve started drinking my St. John’s Wort tea just in case - I want to be able to enjoy my ‘free’ months and get things done, both on- and offline.
Posted: Life, SAD, Uni
