Top spots in Auckland

So naturally, the main reason I chose to come to New Zealand was to explore the beauty of the landscapes and to take in the sights. You’d think coming to Auckland kind of defeats the purpose of that... Okay, it kind of does, but honestly it's a pretty nice city. I’m not from a big city, nor have I really spent a lot of time in big cities so it’s been a really different experience for me. I would have definitely preferred to go to a smaller town, but it's all part of the learning process. I think being surrounded by people makes me even more introverted. I just feel exposed and if I do anything weird people will see me and judge me for it or something. That's probably not the reality, but I would still find myself seeking out the nice quiet spots away from all the hustle and bustle.

Also, I'm bad at decision making and when I have too many options for places to shop or eat... just forget about it. I'd rather someone else to choose where to go, or to already know where the chilled places are. Luckily, I now know some of those places, so if you go to Auckland I'll save you some trouble. You're Welcome. But first you are probably wondering, "Where did you even go to school?", "What does the campus look like?". Well, here you go, my friends:

The University:

It was almost a little strange to be in the middle of the city, and at the same time be on campus. You walk down the street and all of a sudden you are immersed in the culture of the streets of Auckland. I was pleasantly surprised that the University of Auckland has a lot of little areas to sit and it feels like you are not as close to the city as you really are.

                            

By far, my favorite way to walk to and from campus was through the pacific studies complex. I really like the style of the buildings and it was generally refreshing to see so many plants and trees around. To me it feels really peaceful, so when I was stressed out it almost relaxed me just to walk down that street. It is tucked a bit more away from the hustle and bustle, and less people tended to walk through that way.

It is also interesting to me how different each building on campus really is from one another. You have really new and modern looking building like the OGGB that are really open and big, then cute older ones that belong to the arts. Then there is always Old Choral Hall and the Clock tower that give off a British architectural style feel.

Art buildings

OGGB

Old Choral Hall

The Clock Tower

Apart from the academic buildings, they have a really cool recreation center, but it is just about the most confusing gym I’ve ever been in. I am used to American style, wide open space with machines everywhere. But since this is in the middle of the city, it is pretty compact. There are multiple floors, with stairs branching off from area to area. The best part is the offer free group classes like yoga, weight training, cycling, and others. They also have a rock wall I never climbed (I'm really sad about this) and a basketball court. I did try out the cycling classes a few times and it was just not a pleasant form of exercise for me. If I'm on a bike I need to actually be going somewhere.

Recreation Center

And like all campuses they have a library with you know… books (exciting, I know). They also have a student center where you can get pretty much everything you need like Course books, food, mail, a health center, pharmacy, and a nifty study lounge that I utilized with my tutor. Shout out to Anka.

My least favorite thing ever about being in the city and what I actually missed about URI was the freedom to jaywalk. I had to cross this really busy street every single day on campus and it takes literally 2 or 3 minutes for the cross walk to let me know I could go... it was the worst. And if you did dare to jaywalk, you better do it briskly because people in Auckland do not slowdown for you. I could no longer preach my slogan of, "I don't stop for cars, cars stop for me"... or no, more like "If you wanna cross, you better hurry the heck up, because ain't nobody stoppin' for you. That's fo' sho".

Around the City:

But enough about the university, let’s move onto the city, because there are some really good places to check out.

Mezze bar was one of the places we ate when my study abroad group arrived. I didn’t know what kind of food it was they were serving me, but come to find out it is Spanish. The food was very good and normally you would order at the counter, so it gives it a café type of feel. They brought out the entrees and we tried a bit of everything. The atmosphere was vibrant and the staff were friendly. I would recommend going there.

Giapo is a classy and quite fancy gelato place if I ever did see one. They top each cup off with these cute decorative things so it is definitely Instagram worthy if you are into that. The only drawbacks are the price and it can be busy at times. So it is a little crowded, but the line goes pretty quickly and the staff are really kind. The best part is they let you try every flavor before you buy. I was will some friends so I did not get a $7.50 scoop of gelato but I did get to try the delicious flavors. Seriously, good. If you ask me, it is very well located and generally cute and trendy.

Cassette bar is the place to go if you like to go out. I hear it’s a cool place when they have a good DJ. They have a bit of seating and it still has a dance floor, but very small. Apparently, they serve cocktails in teapots for $15, which serve four glasses or multiple shots. It looks a bit hipster-ish, with a dark atmosphere and interesting decorations.

No. 1 Pancake is right on the corner of Wellesley and Lorne Streets in the city center. If you want a good quick cheap food, it is the place to go. It always has a few people waiting outside, but all the food is made to order so it’s hot and fresh. It is Korean style pancakes with flavors like beef, chicken, and ham, all with cheese, or chocolate or cinnamon sweet pancakes.

Depot Eatery and Oyster Bar just recently reopened due to a fire but the food is delicious and I believe it really captures the essence of Auckland. With a neighborhood bistro feel and very friendly workers

La Cigale French markets is a bustling market for your French needs. I don't think it is exclusively French but there is a lot of French produce, especially patisserie, cheese, crepes, etc. Other things there were selling were soaps, jewelry, smoothies, and honey. They even had a live music performer, which I really liked. You could just sit on the side, enjoy your food, and listen to the music.

The Domain is a beautiful park. It is an excellent place to go running if you are visiting the city and want a safe place to run. It also has some nice places for a picnic. It is the largest park in Auckland, complete with a winter garden, fish pond, museum, and café. Although, the Museum will cost you to enter. It just provides a nice space separated from the noise and bustle of Auckland.

Lastly, Oh Calcutta is on METRO'S Top 50 Best Asian Restaurants. From what I hear, it is incredibly delicious Indian food. It has really high rating and positive reviews. My flatmate says it is hands down the best Indian food she has ever had. The restaurant is open to the street and has outdoor seating available.

Day trips:

If day trips are more your thing… Our group went to Waiheke which is really nice. It has a nice beach, small wineries, and a lot of art galleries and craft stores to check out.

Waiheke Coastal Walk

Other activities you could do is to go to Auckland Zoo, visit One Tree Hill, or Mt. Eden. You can do a coast to coast walk that goes up Mt. Eden, which is the highest natural point in Auckland and it is actually a dormant volcano. Both One Tree Hill and Mt.Eden give you a really nice view of the city.

I went to each of those three places, so I'll probably write another post about those. Okay that is all for now. Another successful post, WOO!

So, remember that thing called a "blog"?...

Wow, I've been back for two whole months, all the while I still decided to neglect this blog. (Update: make that three.)

Truth be told, I had no idea where to begin or what to say. The whole point of a blog was to write as things happened so everyone could get an idea of what I was thinking and how I was feeling at that exact moment. Then I got overwhelmed, my brain didn't work, and writing about it just felt like a chore.

So how do I organize and relay all of these events and emotions to you after having experienced it all? I guess in parts. One piece at a time. Starting with physiology.

Oh, physiology. My friend; my enemy. The perpetrator of my high highs and of my low lows. I re-read the post I had written about it and wow, that was certainly dramatic. It's weird to think that is really how I felt. It was so negative. And I am so not that person. Keeping a level head is really important to me, so I am never the type to act on emotions or even speak about something when I am angry or upset. I just feel that while in the midst of emotions, you don't think clearly so I always wait until I can talk about things with the emotions off to the side, or not there at all. For that reason, I was really conflicted. I wanted to update those who were curious on what I was doing, but I didn't want to pretend that everything was going really well, and I also didn't want to continue to write sounding all sad and what not.

Everyday was a struggle between thinking there was no way I could pass the class and the other part of me would say, "What are you talking about? Dude. You can do it. So get out of your head, stop being a baby and just do it"!

 I think for a good long while I just didn't believe in myself. But how could I not when my family and friends would say things like, "You are smart and you are going to pass, so stop worrying", "You are going to pass, because you are Michelle.", "You'll be fine", and one of the most important was always, "Whatever happens, happens. Just do the best you can. And that will be it. No one can ask anything more than that".

So I guess I should just cut to the chase and let ya'll know that I did indeed pass. I don't need to re-take it, and I don't need a summer class.

When I wrote that post, I hadn't taken the mid-term yet. The class was broken down as follows:
Labs reports: 20% (4 percent each)
Mid-term: 15%
Final: 65%
So I was hella worried about that final, especially since the mid-term is notoriously hard with only 40 minutes to take a 36 multiple choice question test. I studied a whole week for that thing and by the end I felt moderately confident. So I went into that test and when I came out I thought, "Welp, I just failed that." I didn't really feel sad about it, I just kind of accepted what I thought was my fate.

Five days later when I went to class, everyone was talking about the test and that the grades were up. Automatically, I felt really anxious about it, especially after seeing people checking their phones and hearing someone say that the class average was a 63%... and that was supposed to be good. So I basically sprinted out of that place when class was over, My flatmates both had class the same time as me and even though I always got back before them I really didn't want them to be there when I checked my grade.

I kid you not, I was praying I would get a 33%. A 33% or higher, but still... extremely low standards. I pulled up my email, clicked, scrolled down and just about had a heart attack when I saw that I got.... wait for it... a 72. My reaction was complete shock and disbelief, and I remember repeating to myself, "what? WHAT? No way, oh my goodness. That cannot be right. That. cannot. be right. That is not what I got, No way". Tears welled up in my eyes, and I cried. I had never been in such shock or such disbelief, and it was so overwhelming. For a split second, a rush of confidence filled me and I could go to sleep that night will a fat smile on my face.

But when I woke up I felt like I didn't actually earn that grade. It was luck. I couldn't have scored that well because I knew the answers, I was just really good at guessing or someone must've changed my answers. I just didn't think I truly understood the material, therefore there was no way I was going to give myself credit for getting any of my grades in that class. I'm just glad Youtube exists, because I think I would have been dead in the water without it.

After that, I ate, drank, and slept physiology. I was darn well determined, despite the small (however very consuming) part of me wanting to throw in the towel. I would even start to get really anxious if I spent too much time doing anything else. Talking to friends or family, or watching videos, or going to the grocery store to name a few.

Fast-forward through the rest of my classes and lab reports, I believe the last day of classes were June 5th and my final wasn't until the 18th. Meaning I studied strictly physiology for a good week and a half. The last three weeks were the longest lasting ones ever. I studied and completed every single previous final exam (from previous years) they had uploaded to the university website.

A whole semester came down to a three hour test. 50 multiple choice, 6 short answers with multiple parts, and 3 essays. I didn't time myself well, so I didn't even get to complete my essays. I had to speed write 2 of them in about 10-15 minutes. But based on the rest of the test,..

I concluded that all the tears, the hard work, the dedication, the pain, the anxiety, the emotions, the worries, and the doubts were all worth it.

It was the hardest challenge I've ever faced. I would never want to put myself through that again, but nothing will ever make you appreciate everything you have more, than to go through something like that. It was the best and the worst adventure, all at the same time, and I'm so glad it happened. When I titled my page,"Your mountain is waiting", (a quote from a Dr. Seuss poem) it's purpose was to serve as inspiration for others to go after some sort of ambition or dream that they had. I never would have expected it to have such a symbolic meaning for my own adventure. So with that, I guess it's fitting to end this post with the poem where the inspiration for this blog began:

"Oh, the Places You'll Go!"

by: Dr. Seuss

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself 

any direction you choose.

You're on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.

About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."

With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, 

you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any

you'll want to go down.

In that case, of course,

you'll head straight out of town.

It's opener there

in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen

and frequently do

to people as brainy

and footsy as you.

And then things start to happen,

don't worry. Don't stew.

Just go right along.

You'll start happening too.

OH!

THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on y our way up!

You'll be seeing great sights!

You'll join the high fliers

who soar to high heights.

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.

You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't.

Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so

but, sadly, it's true

that Bang-ups

and Hang-ups

can happen to you.

You can get all hung up

in a prickle-ly perch.

And your gang will fly on.

You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch

with an unpleasant bump.

And the chances are, then,

that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump,

you're not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself

is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.

Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.

A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!

Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?

How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...

or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?

Or go around back and sneak in from behind?

Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,

for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused

that you'll start in to race

down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace

and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,

headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go

or a bus to come, or a plane to go

or the mail to come, or the rain to go

or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow

or the waiting around for a Yes or No

or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite

or waiting for the wind to fly a kite

or waiting around for Friday night

or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake

or a pot to boil, or a Better Break

or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants

or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.

Everyone is just waiting.

NO!

That's not for you!

Somehow you'll escape

all that waiting and staying

You'll find the bright places

where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,

once more you'll ride high!

Ready for anything under the sky.

Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!

There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.

And the magical things you can do with that ball

will make you the winning-est winner of all.

Fame! You'll be as famous as famous can be,

with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don't

Because, sometimes they won't.

I'm afraid that some times

you'll play lonely games too.

Games you can't win

'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!

Whether you like it or not,

Alone will be something

you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance

you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.

There are some, down the road between hither and yon,

that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go

though the weather be foul.

On you will go

though your enemies prowl.

On you will go

though the Hakken-Kraks howl.

Onward up many

a frightening creek,

though your arms may get sore

and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike,

And I know you'll hike far

and face up to your problems

whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,

as you already know.

You'll get mixed up 

with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step.

Step with care and great tact

and remember that Life's 

a Great Balancing Act.

Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.

And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...

be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray

or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,

You're off the Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So...get on your way!