@Tiny_leaf technically all of them are not supposed to leave residue or stick to your hands if you've 'activated' them with borax water which makes them less sticky, and they also thicken up so you can hold them in one hand and they don't spill even if they have more of that 'slimy' texture! If you're looking for something not sticky I would recommend butter slimes and cloud slimes, buttersnow slimes etc. If you look up slime Australia on instagram you'll get a lot of Australian makers and slime types coming up on the feed, there's also bigger stores like Scoopi which sell slime and also fidget toys! I may have an obsession  ... View more

Hey @-pringles-, I'm going to go with internalised fatphobia and self-hatred. I hope all is okay with you asking that question! ... View more

Hey @Eden1717, long time no talk    I wanted to say that I don't know when things will change, but I really get this feeling and how hurtful it is. I know how awful it is when you try to make space for people to feel safe around you but then you feel like they're not giving it back, or even worse that you can't handle it anymore and that you don't know how to tell people that. I also understand how it feels to have being a helper as such a big part of your identity that it sometimes doesn't make you feel better to be selfish  But I think there's a point where you need to be honest with people and tell them that you can't always be there for them, because they don't know unless you tell them. This may not help but I've found that even if people are kind of put out or grumpy that you're not being unconditionally accommodating for them they find a way around it. You never know, some of these people may still have some space to listen to you too. And those people who don't show that they don't appreciate you and may not be worth you trying so hard to make them feel okay at your own expense. I've had that happen where I've said to people I don't have the space to deal with these quite serious issues happening in their lives and that they probably need extra help themselves and some of them have ghosted me. But in the end it was probably for the best.    I feel like it's always important to know that you deserve to be heard too! It's a massive self-confidence thing sometimes to feel like everyone else deserves to be heard but you and it's just not true. It can be really hard however when you're dealing with some super heavy stuff. Your friends should know too that it's always better if you can have a professional listen to some of these things because they're qualified to deal with it, I'm guessing you know that for yourself already. If you feel bad knowing that people can't deal with some of the heavier stuff going on with you, is there a way that you can tell people what you need or need to hear without having to confess everything? I don't know if that will work but just an idea, I know you might just need to vent  ... View more

@WheresMySquishy gonna be honest, I'm going through a slime phase and it's amazing  there's a lot of specialty shops of Australian makers on Etsy and also in special stores. Not all of them are your squishy gooey stuff, there's some that are dry on the hands like butter slimes which are clay-based and squishy, cloud slimes which are super fluffy and ones filled with foam beads which pop and crackle. And they're all fun and aesthetic! I use them when I listen to lectures at home to keep my hands off my phone!  ... View more

Is this still open?  1. What does a MH appointment look like usually? 2. What if I don't feel like I get along with my professional? ... View more

Hey @clarii3105 I know I'm late to the party but I made a post about this last year too! I'm on my 7th year of a 6 year degree with one to go! And then I want to do masters, so basically I've been in uni for longer than high school  I did what you did and took on a semi-full time load to keep my grades up, be able to work and to keep my mental health good. I will say that seeing a friend of mine race through her undergrad, race through masters and just save herself from burnout, and then fling herself straight into a low-quality job with an awful boss, then into COVID with absolutely no hobbies and with no idea what to do with herself... made me reconsider the cost-benefit of going a bit slower with uni  As they say, embrace those 4 years of uni because those 6 years will be the best 8 years of your life! ... View more

Is anyone going to talk about How It's Made? A great show for learning a lot or zoning out  ... View more

Hi @PotatoNerd! I know the feeling of struggling to stay afloat- I get that in uni too! For me it's so important to get enough sleep and have some time scheduled out for me to recharge, whether that's with friends or just by yourself in different scenery. It's really been draining on me recently to be doing all of this stuff for uni and nothing for myself so I've been working to try and find things I can do that make me happy and are 'selfish'. The other day I bought doughnuts and I'm planning to splurge on some fun stuff I don't need at the end of the week    I think it also helps to consider your studying style- do you like studying with friends or alone, at home or out, with a hot drink or just some water, music or no? What subjects are more 'downtime' subjects for you that you can do when you only want to study a little? A lot of people say maths is their downtime because it's repetitive, for example. Another thing I would say is, utilise your free periods at school! I know it's tempting to not use them for study but you'll feel so much better when you can actually go home having achieved all of your study already.   Motivation-wise I think it's a combo of externally and internally motivating yourself. For example, you want to find a way to see that your study aligns with your goals for the future, and sometimes for me I find it helps to do research on my future plans to understand how what I'm doing is contributing to that and what my next step is. External motivation is things like giving yourself something nice for doing something or even taking away something (like your phone) until you get the work done. Either way make sure to reward yourself afterwards!  ... View more

Hi @UnderstandingBridge sorry it took so long to reply! I saw your message a while ago and was happy to hear that you resonated with some things. It's certainly no rush to try and figure out who you are, especially not until you get out of school  and then some people graduate university or get a career and still don't know!    I relate to the makeup thing too, I refused to wear it in high school. Honestly I had super low self esteem and didn't even want photos taken of me. I think not wearing makeup and wearing baggy clothes was my way of trying to be 'comfortable' in my own skin when it was really me settling for less because I didn't have the self esteem to actually find clothing and makeup I loved (well, makeup I was just disinterested in and still am struggling with). Also, as has been said already, it can be scary to try makeup on when you don't want to draw attention to yourself, particularly when if you wear it people will notice! For me something happened after I was in year 12 and had my glo up and got my freedom I guess? I've been developing my style lots since then, including dyeing my hair crazy colours etc. But I look back at photos of me at that age now and think wow, there's nothing wrong with the way I looked. Well, except for braces  I guess I would just say you're still growing and your body and mind and style is still figuring itself out too! ... View more

Yeah I'm super excited! I had my first meeting with my thesis supervisor last week and she was really lovely and set really reasonable expectations for what I should do before next week which makes me more motivated to get started myself. Unfortunately I also am doing stats and psychopathology this semester which are my last pre-psych honours units. I've initially been informed psychopathology might be a bit difficult because it's content heavy but its about doing diagnoses etc. which is really useful. And stats is... well I haven't done stats for a while and it's new software that I've only just become familiar with but everyone else has probably had experience with from their last stats unit (I did mine a million years ago  ) but I found out the weekly quizzes are open all week which makes me feel SO much more confident about actually being able to do and learn the content.   No news about the cat unfortunately  There's nothing we can do anymore I don't think. My parents ended up deciding to get a new Siamese kitten- a boy so that if she does come back to us she will hopefully get along with him. I ended up finding my craft project a day or so later under some bags! So strange because my parents had already looked there but I'm not complaining    Oh I'm so sorry to hear about that and that I only saw this yesterday and for your grandfather's passing  I feel like a lot of people have had grandparents pass recently and it takes a while for it to settle. If you don't mind me saying though it sounds like you had a really gorgeous goodbye both in the weeks before and also at his funeral, it sounds like a really healing experience. I also believe that he will have found peace now no matter what and that's all that really matters I think! I hope your grandma is doing okay- it's always a strange experience seeing how they'll respond to the experience as well.   I don't know if you're back at uni yet but I hope the rest of your holiday was very restful! What are you planning to study? ... View more

Hi @UnderstandingBridge thanks for reaching out. It sounds like a really confusing and complex problem that your brain is trying to force you to solve as soon as possible- that's just my impression of the intrusiveness? I wanted to relate this to my own experience that I had when I was around your age before I realised I was asexual/bi. I remember feeling so distressed and upset that I wasn't swooning over boys like everyone else in my year, but assuming the opposite and being attracted to girls exclusively also filled me with dread because I didn't feel that much differently. Neither sat right with me. I found myself trying to find evidence either way to try and get an example, which definitely was keeping me up at night. I definitely remember finding ONE guy I was attracted to and thinking about them forever because it seemed to be a relief I guess? So I guess I was trying to prove something to myself too.   Finding asexuality as a definition gave me some respite because it gave me something to grasp onto. I wonder if finding a more defined label of possibly bisexuality leaning towards male or female attraction could help? Maybe even the romantic spectrum, for example being romantically attracted to one sex but sexually attracted to the other? Just as a way of answering your own question I guess without trying to pick every piece of evidence.   I also want to say that it's normal to be bisexual, if that's your case, and decide you don't want to be with one sex even if you're attracted to them. I have a friend who wants to have the classic nuclear family even though she is actually more attracted to women, so she dates men. Another friend is bi ace but she wants to be with a girl. Another friend doesn't know what she is attracted to fully yet at age 24. I can't fault their way of viewing their sexuality or their journey- it's such a personal thing, and it's fine to find yourself struggling to come to terms with things that everyone around you seems to accept or have sorted out for themselves.   Finally about worrying about being tomboyish, I don't think that will be a thing that has to make you date certain people if you don't mind me saying. Neither is makeup or video games or not liking shopping. I know lots of girls who don't shave their legs or don't wear makeup and never wear dresses, it's becoming a lot more common. If you're hoping to find a guy in particular who is into that, I promise there are lots who would really like to find someone who is similar to them as a partner, rather than a super feminine girl, if that makes sense? And you never know, you might find your interests change as you get older and that might introduce you to new groups and ideas and people too! As for your voice, I find that lots of people will overlook qualities that you think are dealbreakers, it will seem weird for you but it becomes up to them and not you if that makes sense! I also do know people have found ways to change their speech to sound more masculine and feminine, whether by a speech therapist or just practice by themselves. I'm not trying to say that the way to fix it is to change yourself but if it really comes to that know that you can do it   Anyway I hope something I said helped, I feel like I rambled a bit! ... View more

Hi @EchoO, I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling to make that first step. I've got that at the moment for getting a blood test/ECG because I had a bad experience getting faint at one appointment and having to wait forever at others. One thing I find helps is to decide whether a new or old location makes you more comfortable. Would you be happier finding an optometrist (I assume) you've never been to, one you've seen good recommendations for, one you can book online for, etc? Another thing you could do is ask to bring someone for moral support either when you call or to go to the appointment. I hope that helps  ... View more

Hi @MB95! I hope things are getting a bit better. I'm also stuck feeling overwhelmed at the very beginning of semester, I'm doing three very difficult subjects this semester plus I'm also running a university club when the university has made it incredibly difficult for us to keep afloat. Here are some things I'm planning to do.   First of all, I've realised I do really well with momentum- not necessarily a to-do list kind of person but someone who is either 0 or 100 with productivity. So for me my main challenge going back to uni is going from being lazy and anxious to getting myself ticking off one thing at a time until I have a rhythm. If you've been at uni previous years maybe it might help to see what your best working style is.   I'm with @Hannah-RO on the journal point- clearly having all of my classes, assessments, lectures and readings put down in one place (I spent all of my day doing this today) has made me feel a LOT more in control of things. I like weekly planners as well because you can focus on the space between assessments rather than how they all seem to be looming on the horizon. I use the university's planner because I got it for free and it has the map of the uni in it so I don't get lost    Start changing your procrastination habits early. I know I'm a sucker for sitting on Facebook and Instragram when I should be doing work, or maybe not doing work but kicking collateral things off my to-do list like responding to emails, and then I feel bad because I'm not only wasting my study time but also my time off. So I'm trying to streamline my social media use atm. Also trying to go to bed earlier because if I'm not doing anything productive I may as well get some sleep a little extra and hopefully get up a bit earlier!   On that note, I love oversleeping so I'm trying to move my sleep schedule so I go to bed wake up earlier more consistently and feel like I have more time to get ready for my classwork during the day since I know I like to have free time at night. Not sure it's going to work since I'm also a night owl who wants to do creative writing late at night but we'll see!    Start looking at your weekly patterns and how you can incorporate your schedule consistently every week. For me, I see which times and days are most convenient for me to look at classwork for an upcoming class, when to do readings, etc. I prefer to work in chunks of time rather than hour by hour. That being said, schedule quality free time for yourself into your week. Someone once described it to me as being like scheduling a doctor's appointment but for your self care. This works for me because if I make sure I have time for free time I don't resent my suddenly packed schedule and I value all of my time more.    I'm also with @Janine-RO- if you realise that the problem is bigger than just figuring out how to get going and is actually an overwhelming study load or impractical commitment, be honest about it to yourself early so you can decide to withdraw or lower your expectations. Sometimes it's just better to be kind to yourself than blame yourself for what you could be doing in a perfect world.    I hope you're doing okay and just remember- it's always hard when uni goes back and it seems like you've gone from being free to being expected to be the best student ever who does all of their readings and lectures on time. It's okay to not be that perfect student!  ... View more

Hi @blueskies5, I don't know where you live, but I would consider looking up mental health peer support groups in your area- a quick browser search should give you plenty of ideas. If you are thinking of group therapy, a lot of clinics offer them, once again you can look them up I'm sure ... View more

Hi @chicanery, first of all I want to say sorry for what happened to you with this person. It can be really frustrating to think back on an event and what you could have done differently. I think in the moment you did all you could. Don't beat yourself up about it- you weren't the one who initiated the situation in the first place either, so the blame is not on you.   I know how it's really difficult to think that you can avoid someone who makes you uncomfortable and anxious and to find out that they're still there in your life. How did you handle it when you ran into him again? Did you feel okay? Did your escape plan work in a practical sense? Could this help you to feel more confident about possibly seeing him at the event?   It sounds like you've formed a really good plan and have a good support system who is there to protect you! I'm not sure what this event is, but if it's a social event and you have thought about this so hard, it's probably less likely that you will do anything you don't want to on impulse? Sometimes I find that it does help to set yourself a firm boundary of what you will and won't do, for example, if you don't want to see this person, you can always decide to turn away from them or leave the room with friends when they come too close, or decide on something in particular to say if you do have a conversation with them and it goes a way you don't want it to go. Leave your plan at that and don't try and think of every possible scenario because you'll go crazy. From my experience of having anxiety, generally the thing you're most afraid of happening when you have to be at the same event as someone you're trying to avoid actually doesn't happen, it's often somewhere in the middle with a bit of discomfort and awkwardness but not enough to ruin the event when you're with people you like. If it is that bad you can always leave- there's always a way out!    In my experience what helps me when I've got something that I'm really worried about and have assessments or other things on at the same time is just occupying myself with my to-do list whenever the thought comes up. If you're like me and struggle with thinking about it at bedtime, I also find that imagining what life will be like after the event and how it won't change much in the long run helps. For example, a friend who was very toxic last year has asked me to hang out with him and another friend for some unknowable reason later this week, and honestly while I'm sort of dreading the experience I'm just thinking about how I won't even be worried about it a week after the fact, it will just be a weird memory. I'm not sure if this helps, but take care of yourself right now first, and stay safe! ... View more

@Anzelmo Hair freaks unite! I used to be called 'fluffy' because of my curly frizz, but now I love it and always wear it down. Just need to figure out how to retain my waves  I love this thread btw! Forcing me to engage in positive self-talk is always a good thing!   3 things I like about me: 1. That I'm (apparently) a good friend 2. That I'm super creative and always have something to daydream about 3. That I never give up even when I really want to   3 things I appreciate about others: 1. When they want a hug for no reason lol 2. When they can see you're struggling and are extra kind 3. When you can disagree and even upset each other but forgive and forget anyway ... View more

@ayrc_1904 Hi again! I'm always so spaced out between messages but I feel like that's because my life has gone upside down recently.    The puppy has gotten a lot better over time  although he's gotten in the habit of sitting next to you and crying for attention. Really annoying when I'm studying and sleeping in because he seems to have a preference for annoying me! Congrats on your last semester too!  Maybe you were drained because you were putting so much effort in. I'm glad that it's over for you too. Hopefully the difficulty will go back to normal this year?    So I ended up getting accepted to do a thesis on mental health law in the workplace so I'm super excited about that! I also did my summer unit, and it was a bit of a mess because of the cat thing. I ended up getting an extension on my assignment and only just managed to get it in. I knew it would drag me down and it did by a few marks so oh well. It was one of those ones you submit and just know the teacher wanted something different. I'm glad you're trying to take a break! It sounds like you're keeping yourself occupied and filling out some goals and objectives like meeting your friends which is awesome  I think I'd like to watch the Good Place actually! My friend keeps on showing me things she finds funny like the Office and Arrested Development and I'm like... not quite my humour  I get secondhand embarrassment too badly.   Thank you! Unfortunately it's been over a month now and we haven't had any news since the 6th... I've gotten to the point where I'm accepting it's out of my hands and someone needs to find her and be kind enough to take her to a vet for us to see her again. I lost a craft project I'd been working on earlier this week (it got knocked under some bags) and after everything that's been happening I absolutely BAWLED. We're now worried about my other cat who seems a bit depressed without her, so looking out for a friend for him.   Sorry once again for the radio silence but I hope you're still doing well! ... View more

@Love_elmo77 the fact your new instructor thinks you're capable is a really good sign! They wouldn't say that if they didn't think you could do it.   For the hazard perception, have a look online for simulators that you can do on your computer, even ones from other states are good. For example, the South Australian HPT is decent for practice. I'll also say that the actual test video goes slower than real life. I found after doing the practice test and driving around I didn't find it difficult at all because I knew what to expect! ... View more

Hi @DonnaOrn I'm sorry to hear that this experience is making you struggle so much. Speaking from the perspective of the other driver, sometimes it's a reality of life that when you put your car in a public area that accidents happen. My dad's car got backed into by a loading truck in a car park, it completely dented the door in the corner and now it's filling up with gross water that is making the car smell like an old gym towel. He was frustrated about it but realised that there was nothing he could do and just moved on with his life to get it repaired. In this case, I think a scratch is frustrating and inconvenient, but compared to a hit-and-run I would take the scratch any day as it's relatively easy to get fixed the next time they get their car serviced. I don't say that to undermine your feelings, but to tell you that in the scheme of things what has happened won't cause too much harm to the person.   I really do know what it's like to do something wrong while driving but I also know that as time goes on and you try to do better it will stop hurting so much. Just remember, they're called 'accidents' for a reason, you didn't mean to do it and the fact you've been so eager to make it right shows a lot about your good character. So please try and forgive yourself too  ... View more

Hi @SapienOddity that sounds like something that's been really difficult to come to terms with. I can't say what I think is happening but the fact you've found a pattern should help you when you're getting help, which it sounds like you are! Aside from someone who specialises in trauma, another option could be seeing a sex therapist. My friend's sister had huge anxiety and fear around intimacy. It turned out to be from her mother being so conservative and freaked out at the idea of her daughters having sex that it rubbed off on her to the point she needed professional advice. Either way, I hope you're able to find the answers you need  ... View more

Hi @VM-Ash! I know exactly how you feel because this was me at the end of year 12! I applied for retail jobs which I honestly didn't want to do and didn't get any. It felt like I was doomed because I didn't have the experience to get the job. A lot of people I knew got jobs in/after high school because a) their parents set them up for it, b) they got them through their volunteer experience in year 10, or c) they applied for Christmas casual work and got lucky. I was none of the above, and also resented the idea of doing retail or food work when I'd never want to work in those industries. Some tips I have include: 1. Look at your desired career and go backwards with what you'd need to be able to do. Personally, I went into high school tutoring after school as a job in second year uni as my marks are good and I want to do psychology, so makes more sense for me to work with clients than make food. Since you're wanting to work in music or theatre you can consider what side of this you want to do and what jobs match. Writing, creating or production/events? I know people who got into the production side of it and kept that as intermittent casual work- some through workplace experience, but others not until they'd gotten some experience in uni that they could actually use as leverage on a resume (a lot of employers will take more kindly to a first year uni student than a kid out of high school because they have a bit more knowledge I think). People who want to go into more of the content creating side are better off spending their time doing a portfolio over the break and finding something random to do, so I agree with your commission idea! 2. What skills do you have that you have built up over having hobbies? You do gaming, do you have a strong grasp of videogames on the market or of IT or software? Could you find a place that would appreciate those skills? My friend loves animals and so got a job at a pet shop because she already had experience with fish and bird keeping, for example. Another person I know did a barista course so got a job at a café.  3. Consider why you want or need a job. Is it just for money? I know that some people just answer online surveys to make some cash on the side without having the stress of work. 4. You've just finished year 12, I don't always think you HAVE to get a job now! Especially if you're already struggling a bit with burnout. While I definitely did have some feelings of inferiority with not getting a job right away, I've found myself happier with waiting to find my job which is casual than making myself think that I need a part time or even full time job. At the end of the day I think jobs are really one of those things where you'll only get the job you're meant to get at that point in time. I hope you have some luck in your search either way  ... View more

Hi @Love_elmo77 I had the same thing driving with my dad, I really didn't enjoy driving with my dad and he made it a chore to be able to do a lesson with him. I ended up driving with my partner more because he was a much more chilled supervisor. Do you think you could swap out your mum for someone else particularly at the end of your hours? Then you'll have your P's soon and never have to have her police your driving again  ... View more

@ayrc_1904 Wow sorry for the late reply! It feels like ages away even though it was only a month ago!   Yeah he is pretty cute but he's driving us insane  He's so full of energy and is very demanding of our time, the other day we weren't giving him any attention so he literally jumped up on the dining room table to try and see me!   Thank you so much! I was so surprised with my results- this was essentially one of my best semesters ever! Which to me is so weird because I was doing an extra unit compared to usual, was working more and also had puppy to worry about. I think it was because I was doing electives which are always more easy than prescribed units. How did you go?   Yeah fair enough, I thought I had new years' resolutions and then life hit and I'm leaving them until things get better  I'm so excited to hear you got to be a Christmas casual! I remember people talking about casual roles and they're a lot of work but you'll be making those $$$ which is always awesome.   Thank you! I hope it will be good. Yep I had to submit an application to do a law thesis next semester. I'm also doing a summer law unit, animal law, which is so far okay. Unfortunately my cat got out the window and has been missing for 2 weeks and it's really been messing me up. We put up flyers yesterday and got a call from someone saying they saw her at the local park on Wednesday night- the park is 750m from our house! Which is good but also it's a huge park and idk how we'll find her.    I know how you feel- even though this summer unit I'm probably happier doing it than just lying around doing nothing. Though I'm going to need an extension on this assignment because of everything going on! I get that feeling, I always try and jam pack my schedule. I've been trying to get off my phone and devote more time to my hobbies, which is sort of working?   Omg I'll never know about those students but I'm glad they're gone  ... View more

Hi @Bento  I just wanted to say you sound like a really observant person who has noticed a lot of things about humanity this year. It's really interesting how you can see how people's attitudes almost confirm the way that things are going to turn out. I also totally get the feeling that 2021 is just going to be 365 days of nothing... I think you're doing a really good job trying to find stuff to do! Sometimes people split the year up into quarters and do their best to fill in every quarter with stuff to do and it makes it seem less daunting and gaping. For work, I think from what you are saying you would be keen to do a few different things as long as it occupies you? Maybe you could consider online volunteering or if conventions manage to come back you could volunteer at one of those? I also talked to two people with ASD yesterday who have found work in their chosen area so it's definitely not impossible!   I'm sorry to hear you're feeling this way about the new outbreak- I know I'm sitting here waiting to see how it spreads too. I know two people who have had to get tests today because they were in areas of concern. I think some good things have come out of the pandemic, for example better understanding of how people can work from home, and unfortunately even some hard truths about how unsustainable our society is, which hopefully will come to use someday. It's hard to think about how it affects society, but 100 years ago there was the Spanish Flu which killed 12 000 Aussies right after WWI finished. I think with vaccines and everything coming up we may have more hope than we did back then, but it's all very confronting to deal with. I think the reality is yeah, we don't have much control over our lives, so all we can do is just make ourselves happy in them however we can. Humans are a strangely adaptable species and we've come towards doom many times in the last century with world wars and nuclear arms races. It just sucks that we're living through a piece of history again now! ... View more

Hi @Kinkin thanks so much for replying to each and every one of us  I'm sorry to hear that you're still struggling with the memory of the crash. For me I would feel physically sick every time I passed the place I crashed. I found out later that it is one of the worst roads in my city for crashes! I just had to keep on going past and assuring myself every time I passed that it would be okay and that everything turned out alright in the end. It took a while but I ended up pushing through it by being kind to myself when the memory came back. I hope you're doing okay at the moment! ... View more

Hi @Jardin I know that feeling very well! I often get it when I feel like what I'm doing doesn't align with what I thought I should be doing or what my aims for the future are. It often makes me feel anxious and restless. For example, I have been doing law as part of my degree and haven't really ever been enthused about that career path. I was feeling very trapped in it and freaking out feeling like I have to do something that I didn't emotionally want to do but felt like I had to. I then decided to pursue the other part of my degree then freaked out because I felt like I'd wasted years of my life doing something I didn't want to pursue  I had to find a way to re-evaluate my perception of things like work and study to see the value in them in the long-term as something I wouldn't regret in hindsight, even if that's just having a bit of money in your pocket or an extra thing on your resume or a little bit more resilience or awareness for what is and isn't right for you. For me seeing everything as a lesson helps to feel more in control of my life even though nothing has changed. I hope you're feeling okay at the moment! ... View more

Hi @number20 I'm sorry to hear sleep is such a battle at the moment. For me when I struggle to sleep it can be because I've eaten or worked out too close to when I'm sleeping and I'm full of restless energy, especially high-energy stuff compared to lighter conditioning or yoga. Stretching before sleep is something that I find helps, as well as meditating or listening to relaxing music. My dad takes magnesium supplements at night when he can't sleep which help him because magnesium can alleviate muscle cramps and tension- you can buy it as dissolvable powder or they make magnesium lemonades now! Other things I do is having a completely dark and cold room to sleep in, and I listen to music I like until I'm too tired to keep listening and turn it off. I've also read my textbooks because they're so dense they literally put me to sleep   Another thing I've found myself doing is when I have time I let myself take a nap during the day when I'm really tired. Sometimes I think that you can be so tired that you can't sleep. I've also read that when you can't sleep for half an hour you should get up and do something rather than just lying there. Finally, there's quite a few resources out there about sleep hygiene which can be useful because they talk about the behavioural side of sleep. I hope this helps!  ... View more

Hi @JonoG! I want to give you some practical advice  My advice would be to go driving with a friend or someone you don't usually drive with and is chill before your test (someone who did the test recently but is obviously on their full licence helps)  For me this was a friend who gave me some interesting but simple tips and could basically assess my skills on the spot and tell me that I should be fine while correcting some last-minute things. I also got to the area quite early and grabbed a snack before my test because I find that having good blood sugar can help make you focus and you don't feel rushed.   In the actual test, I found that vocalising everything I was doing and repeating the instructions I was given really helped me to feel like I was performing well. For example, if they said turn left, I would say okay turning left now. Another thing that I was told to do is over-exaggerate your head movements. For example, if you need to check your blind spot before you take off from the kerb, turn your whole head rather than just your eyes! It helps the instructor see that you're doing the right thing  You're basically over-dramatising your driving to prove you can do everything you've been told you have to do, plus it makes you feel more confident in yourself that you can do it!   Finally, whether you pass or fail isn't a big deal. Oftentimes people make a very simple mistake like don't stop for long enough at a stop sign or accidentally go a bit too fast because they forgot the speed limit and unfortunately that's enough to mean they don't pass. But that doesn't mean you're a bad driver! I had a friend who had to sit her test six times because she kept making silly mistakes, but she still got it. Even if you don't get it, it's not the end of the world. Book your next test as soon as you get out of the building, you can do it! The joy of being able to drive alone to wherever you need to go and jamming to your own music along the way is worth the stress, I promise!   Good luck! ... View more

Hey @Bento I wanted to chime in on this because I understand what it's like being part of toxic communities. For me, I find that the people who are so aggressive, especially online, are outliers. Most people don't feel emotionally charged enough to get into fights so they say nothing. Also, unfortunately the rise of social media has made the voices of those who don't mean well louder  It's one of the reasons I don't play games with other people much anymore! However, I have heard stories of people being able to single-handedly change the atmosphere of competitive games through being kind and supportive. If gaming is an escape for you too, I would say that you can still keep it that way by disengaging with the toxicity. A lot of social media is always a mess, but I generally follow game news by looking at articles and youtube videos, because the people on these platforms are a lot more balanced and often are really happily passionate about what they do.  As for the state of the world, I think that there are many examples of people in our generation who are not like that, and who have become voices for change that are younger than any generation before then. I like to a look at Young Australian of the Year for this, and also follow a lot of local youth community groups to see what a difference one person can make! I think that you're right though that this isn't a great time in history to be a young person, but I also think back to say the 1930's with the Great Depression, and how young people may have felt back then. And of course, if you don't want to be a part of that, there is a chance to find the people and communities that aren't like that. Sorry I'm rambling a bit, but I have gone through this feeling and I really started to feel better when I changed the media I follow to be only more positive things. It's kind of one of those things where you can control how you feel by controlling what you see, which can inspire you rather than making you feel more hopeless. I hope you're feeling a bit better recently  ... View more

@A_Friend That's awesome! And such an important thing to focus on in these times where people need support  I think you'll really enjoy it!   @AmazingPUMP I love TKD, I did it all through high school and then did jiujitsu for a while! Good luck with your double grading    @Mars_Elliot Congratulations! I hope you really enjoy your new school  ... View more