Week One is Over

From the title you have guessed it, yes, the first induction week is already over!

On Tuesday I had my first full day of lectures which were shared with all Law/Business and Law/Criminology students.

I am currently trying to get myself organised and slowly realising I could and should have started getting organised a few weeks ago!

Week two is when everything gets REAL!

There is already a lot of reading to do... and seminars/workshops to prepare for.

Fail to Prepare - Prepare to Fail is most definitely going to come into play over the next couple of years!


On a side note... you may notice that I have another blog open where I am writing about the diary of a trimalleolar ankle fracture.

Earlier this year, in February on the 20th - a day to never be forgotten - I had an accident at home which caused me to break my ankle in three places. I also broke two toes and damaged tendons/muscles around one of my elbows. Those injuries were ignored in the scheme of things though!

I was rushed into surgery just a few hours after it happened, luckily I had just got up and never make a habit of eating breakfast until its more like lunch time!

So I went into surgery immediately, which should have lasted about 2 hours. But it ended up being 6 and a half... so that should have sent alarm bells ringing already.

I only spent 2 days and 1 night in the hospital as I insisted that I was going to discharge myself, if physio did not.

I know what NHS hospitals are like! And in just 1 night, I felt quite traumatised. I had been through a serious surgery, where I was lucky to be able to keep my ankle & foot. The staff that dealt with me (nurses, carers) were all absolutely horrible.

Once I left, in pieces - I got into a wheelchair and cried the entire way out of the hospital and all the way home where I finally laid down and cried some more!

The "abuse" that people receive in hospitals is truly, truly horrid. It is as if the staff do not know and don't care anyway, that their actions are extremely insensitive and also abusive when people are in a hospital and usually going through their most vulnerable time.

Its funny that they are called Carers but they don't actually care.

Being somewhat unfit, I managed to force myself to get up, with a very heavy back slab on my leg/foot and hop around with a zimmer frame.

The zimmer was to become my greatest friend for another 8 weeks.

Back to why this has anything to do with Law...

I am only 8 months on, from the day the accident happened. It took me 4 months to recover and things were going well. Until I started to get pain and could no longer do as many things as I was able to in physiotherapy just a couple of weeks earlier.

I have had 3 sets of x-rays which all show that my inner ankle bone, the tibia is just not healing. I am now forced to wear a cam boot. Which is almost like a cast in terms of being super duper comfortable...

I am battling a lot of pain and discomfort whilst trying to be positive and carry on with daily life. Which now includes going to university and getting around.. there is a lot of walking to be done and just my luck, none of the buildings are really well prepared for disabled people AT ALL.

I have recently been informed that I may need another surgery before Christmas. If that takes place then my first year of university is going to be very lonely! And very difficult!

But I will be here... to write about the highs and the lows.

I will let you know in a few days time - an update on what books I am reading, anything I find interesting... and then we will be going into week 2!

For now, I have to get out of this chair and finish varnishing a sideboard! There is another thing to learn about me... a hobby of mine. That can wait for another post.

Take care of yourselves!

Lots of Love
Melissa xox

The Start of a Long Journey

Tomorrow I start the journey to become a lawyer... and fingers crossed one day, a barrister. 

Some background info: 

I am attending Brighton University on the South Coast of England. I am 21 years old. I was born in Cape Town, South Africa. I have lived in 3 different countries. I was very undecided about my future and where I wanted to go... which is why it took me 3 years since turning 18, to figure it all out. But I remembered that when I was 11 years old I thought I really want to be a lawyer so that I can help people and do some good. 

So... tomorrow morning at 10.30 am I have to be at my first welcome induction. 

It is safe to say that I am terrified and extremely nervous. I suppose I should really be a loud, outgoing and outspoken person to be wanting to succeed in Law.. or so I am told. 

I have always been very mature, a little quiet and shy. In recent years I have started to care slightly less and begun speaking my mind and being "straight down the line" with people. 

In my short 21 years (feels like 40 already) I have learnt a lot and life sure has taught me plenty of lessons. 

I was only young for a short amount of time and circumstances, family life etc forced me to grow up swiftly when I was just 11 years old. 

Since then, I have been through a million ups and downs, more shall be revealed as you get to know me here! 

But anyway, before I waffle on too much lets get back to the reason for this post. 

I have looked around online many times in the past and never found anyone writing a blog about life as a law student - only one from an american girl which I still keep up with 2 years later - and also a short blog that was written the true life of a criminal barrister. 

It seems I will have to write one myself! And hopefully provide some insight over my next 3 years of study... in to what its like, the work load, the highs and lows, ins and outs - all of it! 

While I try to calm my nerves over the next few hours and attempt to ignore my insecurities and worries... knowing I won't get any sleep tonight... I am encouraging myself to look forward to it and be open minded. Given that I am currently in the middle of looking for a new home and have had the most horrendous 9 months.. its been tough to look forward to anything. 

I will let you know what happens during this first induction week! 

Speak soon,

Love - Melissa xo