Albion

Member Mumbles

Member Mumble #5: Shannen Boekhorst

Do you know that feeling of true disappointment when you see a leaf that looks crunchy but then it’s not? The moment I received an email, regarding studying abroad, that enrolling at the university of my choice wasn’t an option, I felt a bit like that.

Anyway… we all study English so I probably won’t be the only one with the I-can’t-buy-books-but-I’m-buying-books-anyway problem. The rebel that I am, I repeatedly visit bookstores or bol.com and sigh contently as I receive an email telling me my purchase has completed only to break into a state of heavy breathing as I stare at my bookcase. Suddenly I am forced to acknowledge that I already own 264 unread books and have just bought three more. Besides the problem of having to rearrange my bookcase yet again I wonder if I have to read those books first or last. You see the problem? The same goes for to-do lists. If there are deadlines I prioritise the important tasks and I carefully check the tasks on my list bit by bit. However, when there are no deadlines or consequences and I for example create a list of books to read during the holidays, my ‘rebellious’ side emerges and I refuse to follow the order. Because really? Am I really giving a pink sticky note the power to tell me how to live my life? Nope, definitely not. I’m afraid I kind of lost my point here. Let’s just say I’m not always making it myself any easier. I am like that person that puts her IPod on shuffle and skips every song until I get the one I was hoping for.

So when I received that email and was forced to choose another place to spend my semester abroad, I skipped through all those songs. And guess what, the leaf crunched. I am now a future student of Trinity College. What I’m trying to say is, when something doesn’t immediately go as planned, don’t give up. Just roll up your sleeves, play the pirates of the Caribbean theme in the background and make it happen.

Written by Shannen Boekhorst