On summer plans and how to get out of a reading slump

Why, hello there. Things have been a bit quiet around here lately, mostly because my reading has really fallen by the wayside! I had such a good start to the year, and then by March things just sort of... stopped.

I'm blaming my Master's. It's pretty common for literature students to find themselves stop reading during term time because when you spend all day every day reading books for your course, you're much less likely to want to do it in your free time. I managed to avoid this for three years of a degree... but I think it's hitting me hard at Master's level. I have so much less free time as well, so when I do manage to scrape an hour or thirty minutes or less at the end of the day... well, a book isn't the first thing I grab.

But! Last Tuesday was my last day of uni and now I'm free until the end of September! Summer is here! I'm free!

Well, relatively. As I keep joking to everyone, it's so good to be only be working a full-time job! (As opposed to a full time job and 20-30 hours of studying a week). Said job is the reason that I've been stuck inside for the past week or so of good weather. I never thought I'd actually be jealous of people with sunburn, but there I am.

Anyway. When I'm not working, I've got big plans, like every summer. But this summer I'm determined to get some of this done!

So here's what I'm planning:

1. Moving out on my own
Yep, I'm finally going to be living on my own. No family, no roommates, just me. I can't wait to have my own space! I've had the keys for just under a week now and don't have to move in until my current lease ends at the end of the month, so in theory this should be plenty of time to gradually move stuff over, redecorate and basically make the place a home before I have to move in. In theory.

2. Read. Read. Read
Yep, this is a big one. I'm gradually reading my way out of the slump that I've been in for the past few months. I already had vague plans to go for twelve books a month until I go back to uni (which is my usual/former reading pace) but then I heard about the 20 Books of Summer challenge and I guess that's a good place to start! Plus with the added motivation of it being a group activity and that. I'd still love to hit my twelve books a month goal but we'll see how it goes! I might make a separate post with my big massive book pile, because those are always good.

3. Participate in Bex's Middlemarch read-along
I read Middlemarch about... four years ago? And I loved it and have been meaning to read it again, so it's so good that Bex is hosting this! Read-alongs are always great fun, and I can't wait for this.

4. Write more
Yeah, that's a bit vague, but purposely so. More blogging! More fiction writing! More poetry and songwriting!

5. Play more music
Vague again, but same idea. I want to spend more time playing the various musical instruments I have lying around. And maaaaaybe edge myself closer to finally getting the courage to busk?

6. Go somewhere
Haha, totally realising I fail in the idea of goal-setting as something that should be specific (Anyone else talk about SMART goals in uni? Specific, Measured, Achievable... I totally forget the rest. No wonder I suck at making goals.) I have very vague plans to maybe go over to England or Wales or take a roadtrip around Ireland or even just spend a night in Dublin. You know, something I can consider a holiday. It all depends on who I can get to come with me and what time I can get off work and that, but I really want it to happen!

7. Run/do yoga more
Look, I'm a nerdy girl. And like many nerdy girls, I've been exercise-phobic for pretty much my entire life. We were ranked in PE at my school as with every subject, and I was literally bottom of the year group due to my inability to run or catch a ball or understand netball. But I started running a few months back, and then I did a little yoga from tutorials online, and to my great surprise, I actually really enjoy it. I've been neglecting it a bit lately due to assignment craziness, but hopefully I should have more time now! (And I just bought a yoga mat, so, added incentive.)

8. Keep a bullet journal
I'm a massive time management/organisation freak. I kind of have to be, otherwise I'd never fit everything into my crazy life! I use Google Calendar and Habitica religiously, but I've got sucked into bullet journaling and I've actually found it more useful than I thought I would. My journal is nowhere near as pretty as the ones you see on tumblr, but I'm enjoying decorating my pages and getting a wee bit more in touch with my visual side.

9. Watch more Doctor Who
Remember that 50 years 50 stories project I have? The one I haven't updated in bloody forever? It's still very much a thing, even though I've stalled a bit. So I want to push ahead and keep watching, continuing my ongoing terrifying project of watching every single episode of Doctor Who since 1963. (For the uninitiated, there are currently 826 episodes of Doctor Who. I've watched maybe half.)

10. Be more social!
Last but definitely not least. Being a big introvert with lots of interests and hobbies and studying and working hours... my social life has really, really took a beating in the past few months. I want to use my new found freedom to hang out with friends even if it's just for a quick coffee once a week or so.

Bonus:
Dye my hair. I haven't done it in six months, since I shaved my head and let my natural colour grow back in. Teenage me is appalled. But never fear, I've got some purple dye ready to go ;)

So those are my summer plans! Hopefully I'll at least attempt some of these. What are your summer goals? :)