That, my friends, is how long it has been since I have been on this blog post. There was a flurry of privacy statements, disclosures, additional pages being created and then...life went on. As it does.

I bet you're sitting there wondering what could be so great that it has brought me back to the blogosphere and warrants its own blog post.

Well, my chickadees, I've only gone and landed myself a job! (!!!!!!!)

This isn't just any job. This is one I had been asking for for about a year. It was only recently that I sat down and had a proper chat with the universe and told her what I wanted. We cut a deal - so to speak - and this career opportunity landed in my lap not two weeks later.

Now the paperwork has been signed and I have had my (mini) induction, I can say that I work as a legal secretary. Who would have thought? I've only gone and landed myself a proper, real-life adult job. 

Needless to say, the last month (or so) of my life has been a bit of a whirlwind, so I'll just take you through a bit of a quick life update.

CAREER

By golly, I have one of those now. I officially started a week and a half ago, but I had a significant amount of that off (already). I don't want to say too much about my job for privacy reasons, but I love it. I love it so much. 

I was a bundle of nerves on the drive to the office, but they disappeared as soon as I walked in the doors and met the rest of the team. Everyone was so nice, helpful and patient with all my questions. 

I'm relocating to my new office (in a different part of the city) this week, so I'll be meeting a new team and - essentially - going through the last week and a half all over again! Eeeep.

HOUSE

Gee whizz, I also have one of those! (Kind of). I currently rent a one-bedroom unit under the main house. In essence, there's a two-level house - I rent the lower half and someone else rents the upper half. We have our own areas and 'common areas' we're allowed to share as dictated by our tenancy agreements. I've given my son the bedroom and turned the lounge into my bedroom, essentially turning it into a studio-esque unit, but I love it. 

I've lived here for two weeks so things are starting to come together - slowly - but I'm enjoying this process. Surprisingly, I like moving around furniture and being on hold with various companies because I'm dealing with things relating to my own house. I've never had a space that is 100% my own before so I'm excited, terrified and just all around happy to be home.

EDUCATION

As you know, I'm currently studying to become a registered legal executive. I completed one paper (of six) and sat the final exam. Now it's just a waiting game. However, study waits for no exam result as my next paper starts tomorrow! It's called Law Office Practice and the content is exactly as the title suggests. I've started skimming through the material and have already learned the difference between barrister and solicitor and barrister sole, and how an office assistant differs from a legal executive.

Again - needless to say - I'm really enjoying my studies and I can't wait for this semester to start! I'm working in public law and studying private law, so it'll be interesting to see if I can recognize any overlap, especially as this semester is all about how one practices the law.

HEALTH

I'm probably at my all-time low when it comes to health and overall well-being. I have been shifting house and adjusting to a new work-life balance, so I have been making the occasional poor food choice. I'd take a salad and fruit/veges to work and be a whole foods goddess for seven hours of the day and come home and wreck my effort in .5 seconds. 

Whoops.

I'm very happy to report that the 'junk food' in the house is almost gone and it will not be returning. 

Exercise has also taken a bit of a nosedive. I was attempting the Nike 'start up' fitness plan, but that also got pushed aside as I made way for my new life. However, sitting down for seven (ish) hours a day is going to change my metabolism, so I need to make exercise a priority. Maybe I'll start by wearing my Fitbit every day so I can see what my day looks like from a fitness standpoint, too.

LOVE

WELL. I don't have much to report on this one. I downloaded a dating app - Bumble - and have been on a few dates. One was terrible, one was good. I've been single for two years now so I'm definitely ready to get out there and ~*mingle*~. Watch this space.

FAMILY

My son is sixteen months old and runs everywhere. I swear, this kid does not have a 'pause' button. He is the light in my day and the purpose in my life. He is everything. He handles daycare like a champ, eats whatever I put in front of him, loves to watch Octonauts and enjoys a cuddle on the couch. What more can I ask for?

Mostly, I'm just excited about where my life is heading. 

I have a feeling this is just the beginning of many, many good things to come.

So, give me a life update of your own! What have I missed?

I've talked about why I've started this blog, how I've come to be on this journey and why I love the law. Now, I've decided to start a study session - and you're invited! Every (second) Monday, I'll be writing a blog post dedicated to a particular area of law. This idea was inspired by Daniella of The Law Student Diary as she has a category on her blog dedicated to study notes, too. 

I am, by no means, an expert in any of these topics. I just want to share what I know with other people in the hope that you a) learn something, b) understand why I love it, or c) this helps my study as a form of revision. These notes will be written from my class notes, so it's entirely my own understanding with a little bit of fact and case law thrown in here and there. Proper citations will be given where possible.

Here's our first topic: Introduction to Law

Law is made by a law-maker, recognised by a community or nation, and is binding and enforceable. It is not singularly moral, scientific, ethical or based on religion. It is not decided to favour one person's view of what is right or wrong or any 'club rules'. It simply is and we shouldn't let our perceptions of what is right and just cloud our understanding of what the law is. 

I've heard many, many people say that certain laws are stupid or restrictive, but the fact is: they wouldn't exist if they didn't have a purpose. Laws are necessary for communities to function effectively. It regulates the relationships between community members and the community itself. Some legislation operates more effectively than others, but just imagine what it would be like if it didn't exist at all. Would you knowingly break the law? I don't think so. We stick to the law because (deep down) we recognise its value and we're scared of the consequences.

There are three main types of law:

• Public 
• Private
• International (not part of my study)

• Law of contract
• Tort law
• Consumer law
• Property law
• Family law
• Trusts and inheritance
• Company law

Public law concerns the actions of the state and the relationship between state and individual. Primarily, in the rights and duties of the individual in relation to the state. This is different to private law because cases can be brought by the state on behalf of all members of the public. Public law includes:

• Constitutional law
• Administrative law
• Criminal law
• Tax law
• Environmental law

These are regulated by substantive law and law of procedure. Substantive law explains your rights and obligations. It is the actual content of the law. Law of procedure, as you can guess, sets out how to enforce those rights and obligations.

If you only take away one thing from this post, it should be this: Ignorance of the law is no excuse, as found in the Crimes Act 1961. Section 25 states: 'The fact that an offender is ignorant of the law is not an excuse for any offence committed by him or her'. An "I'm sorry" and batting your eyelashes won't win you any favours in the eyes of the law, sorry. You need to front up, own it, apologise, and never do it again.

Easy enough, right?

BLOGLOVIN / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER

This year, I entered my fifth year of study. (Ew). I started with a Bachelor of Arts then swapped to a Bachelor of Communications and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Public Relations. Now, I'm studying to be a registered legal executive (paralegal) in New Zealand. Needless to say, I have a tonne of study tips to keep you sane during finals week (and make it easier) (hopefully).

I know some of you have already completed finals and are busy celebrating, but I received an alert about my final. In thirty-five days. It seems a long way off, but those days will disappear in the blink of an eye. Plus, being in university (or college) is about making a consistent effort to really learn the materials in front of you. I hope this helps!

01. Know your learning style

There's nothing worse than having a pile of information in front of you and having no desire to read it. I've always found college-based books that are just pages upon pages of text boring. I need something to break up the page and keep my brain focused. I'm a visual learner. I love highlighters, coloured pens and pretty study spreads. I'm an auditory learner, too. Once I explain a topic to someone, I understand it and when I understand it, I remember it. Funny how that works, right?

Pick up some highlighters, stickers, coloured pens and bright paper. Make flowcharts and diagrams and brainstorm your topics. Read a section and have a 'brain dump' page to test what information you retained and what you need to work on. Form a study group. Create pop quizzes for the start of every session and test each other. Create flashcards and make it a pub-quiz style learning session. Alternatively, just read and write notes on every subject in your own words.

I took this test and found out my learning style within two minutes! It's worth doing if you're in a study rut and nothing seems to be working. It might make studying for finals more enjoyable and less of a stress-fest.

02. Be organised
This is so obvious, but it needs to be mentioned. Carve out chunks of time for studying and really dedicate yourself. Have all your materials laid out beforehand with a list of what you need to achieve in the allotted time. Find an environment that engages your brain. Some people study at home, some in a cafe and others in the library. I've found I need to switch up my environment otherwise I get bored and distracted.

03. Use the Pomodoro method

I started using this timer in my third year of university and it completely changed my attitude towards study! The traditional style is twenty-five minutes of work and a five-minute break, but you can tailor it to suit your attention span. I use it for everything. It's great for blog writing, email responses, general 'to do' tasks and studying. It is adaptable to any environment and has helped me stay sane during those frantic late-night cram sessions.

Source: Bruno Cervera / Unsplash

04. Create SMART goals
I discovered the SMART method whilst undertaking my Bachelor's Degree. It's an acronym for smart, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-tabled goals. Most people are motivated by extrinsic rewards, so crossing something off a to-do list is a great idea. I am notorious for creating hefty to-do lists and only ever achieving half of them in a day. It gets disheartening and frustrating. After a lot of evaluating, I have decided to manage my workload so I work smarter, not harder. This month, I'll be creating a list of five urgent things I need to do and working my way up in quantity.

05. Utilise your phone
People tell you to get rid of distractions like your phone, laptop or tablet when you're studying. I'm telling you to incorporate it into your study in a meaningful way. I have downloaded apps for my to-do lists, daily goals and habits, budgeting, music, and flashcards.

Here are some of my favourites:
Focus: Focus Timer Reborn and Forest
Lists: Any.do and MyLifeOrganised
Language: Duolingo
Flashcards: Cram and Quizlet
Meditation: Headspace and Calm
Music: Spotify
Brain: Peak, Elevate and Lumosity

I generally start my study time by doing the set tasks/games in my 'brain' apps. I've found that it wakes me up and clues my brain into the fact that it's time to work. Next, I do a 'brain dump' of everything I remember from my previous study session. It gives me a focal point and helps dictate which areas need more work. After I empty my brain, I set up my timer, select a study playlist and read, highlight and note-take until the timer goes off. During my five minute break, I stretch, reply to social media mentions or grab a glass of water.

06. Make healthy choices
I've found that choosing healthier food options and exercising regularly helps me stay focused during long cram sessions. I'm sitting down all day whilst studying, so exercising helps me feel balanced and gives me an excuse to get outside. Eating healthy makes me feel good. If I choose proper whole foods throughout the day, I don't get an energy slump or nasty sugar cravings. And I get to eat pizza with a clear conscience if I've eaten clean for the last few days. It's all about balance, right?

Source: Penchant Styled / Unsplash

07. Know when to stop
I was so, so guilty of saying "just a bit more" when I really had to knuckle down. Did those few extra minutes help when it came to the exam? No. My brain was tired and my body was tired. Sometimes, you just need to know when to stop studying. It's all part of the 'work smarter, not harder' thought. I believed that achieving x amount of hours during the day meant that I was ahead of the game. Until it came to the exam and I found the last twenty minutes of my cram session meant nothing because my brain didn't retain any of it.

~

How did your finals go? What is a study method you swear by? Have you ever used a specific scent to help you study?

Am I too old to say that?

How are we in May? This year is flying by with lightning speed. I'm not quite sure where the last four months have gone! 

Last month, I set some goals for myself. I really liked the idea of having them written down somewhere so a) I can hold myself accountable, and b) I can refer back to them. I need to have progress markers and I found this was an effective way to measure success.

 - Will Rogers

Let's get cracking, shall we?

01. Read two books. I enjoyed it the first time, so I want to keep this momentum going!

08. No phone before 7am. I have a bad habit of scrolling aimlessly until 11pm. I've made peace with that. It is what it is. On the other hand, I am not happy with my seemingly automatic response to reach for my phone as soon as I wake up. 

What are your goals for May? What exercise do you enjoy? Do you have any study tips for me?

BLOGLOVIN / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER

It's the interview question you always get, but the one I find hardest to articulate an answer. Simply because everything about it interests me. 

I can't remember how I started reading criminology books. I think I got lost at my university's library and ended up in the wrong section. Rather than looking like an idiot, I started pulling books off the shelf. One of them happened to be a criminology book. The interest began.

I met a junior solicitor in a general practice and went on a few dates with a criminal law barrister. My interest only grew. They never really talked about what they did, but their level of knowledge was astounding, something to aspire to.

Somehow, I feel like the answer of "I just love it" is insufficient.

Now that I've begun studying parts of the law, I have a better answer.

I like that - at the core of law - we're all the same. It doesn't care if you're rich or poor, European or Maori, where you live, how you dress or how many friends you have. It isn't made to be fairer on either party. It just is. 

The structure is geared towards the research side of my personality. I can chase the damn rabbit down the hole as long as is required, without complaining. So far, that's what I've found with legislation. You chase down one thing which leads you to another and another, and so on. It's easy to get caught up in all the legal jargon and sometimes you lose sight of the actual question, but the journey is fun. 

I like helping people. It can be something as simple as holding a door open for a mother with a stroller, editing my sister's assignment or calling someone on behalf of another. Just simple tasks that are difficult for another person or they simply don't have the time to do. Some people turn to the law for a positive reason - like acquiring a business - and some people turn to the law for a negative reason - like a marriage dissolution. Regardless, everyone needs help at some point in their lives and I would like to be able to help others in a productive way.

Part of my reason for pursuing a career as a legal executive was to understand the rights and regulations of my life. Through study, I am beginning to see how laws shape different aspects of the country and the governing bodies that run New Zealand. It's fascinating. Many people say that the law is unfair, but they only see the surface level of what is portrayed. You get a glimpse, but not enough to see the bigger picture. I'm a big picture person. I like to know how things operate so they can serve the whole. After all, ignorance of the law is not a satisfactory defence. 

The law is constantly shifting and changing with modern times. Acts are being amended, codified and consolidated, processes are being reviewed, and new legislation is being established. It is a living, breathing entity that is upholding the safety of the country. Ask yourself: Where would we be if none of the laws existed?

So, why law? What's your favourite area of law?

BLOGLOVIN / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER

Source: Pexels

Grab a cup of coffee, change into your comfy sweats and get settled in!