2012 was a strange year for me. 2011 was so huge in my life, that the year following was always going to be somehow less. Which it was in some ways, but definitely not in others. The biggest thing that I noticed was how fast the year went. I am not exaggerating. In September, I remember putting up a Facebook status that was something along the lines of "I feel like I have misplaced August... how did September arrive so quickly?"... and I feel like that was only a couple of weeks ago.
A poster by Percy Trompf. I wrote my thesis on Australian travel posters.
In terms of accomplishments, I did a fair bit in 2012. By managing to avoid thinking about what I want to do with the rest of my life, I was able to complete my Honours year at Uni, in Art History. I have learned that the Honours thing is an Australian idea. It was an additional year on my BA, adding to my undergraduate without being postgrad. Anyway, it entailed the hardest coursework I have ever had to do (the History of Art History. Strangely, not really about art - more about why we studied it and how it developed. Lots of psychology and philosophy. I felt like my brain had been squeezed at the end of each weekly seminar), I wrote a 15 000 word thesis, and completed a year-long internship at the War Memorial, which I loved.
What I learned from this year in terms of my studies is that I am absolutely not cut out to be an academic. Don't get me wrong, I really like studying. I love reading. I like writing. But I don't like the combination of the first two in order to do the third, out of necessity rather than preference. I like variety. I don't like forcing myself to blog trawl or locate books on one specific subject. I like the hunt, but I got really sick of looking for things based on one subject for an entire year. I have a great respect for people who can dedicate their lives to one subject area, but I really don't think that I am one of them. While I love art, I also love literature, film, music, food, travel and people. I need a balance of these things to remain sane, and I don't think that academia is the way to achieve that balance.
That being said, it felt amazing to finish that thesis, and finish that fucking coursework, to hand in my final issues paper and to get my cap and robe and graduate. (On my birthday!)
Honours came at a cost, though. I didn't get to see much of my friends throughout the year. My family had to deal with cranky, negative, stressed and crazy Maddie far more often than the optimistic person that I normally consider myself to be. I don't like myself when I get to the pessimistic stage, and I spent far too long in that headspace in 2012.
Other than burying myself in books last year, I actually had a few opportunities to take time out for myself. In February, before starting the academic year, I went to Thailand for ten days with some of my Sheffield friends. It was fabulous. We hung out in the tourist traps, starting in Phuket town (a total dive. Most of the fun places in Phuket are on the beach) from where we took a taxi (read: a ute with a roof over the tray, and bench seats) via the airport to pick up the last of our troupe to Surat Thani and from there a ferry to Koh Phagnan for the Full Moon Party. We stayed on the island for a few days before taking a ferry, a coach and then another ferry to Koh Phi Phi. Adam and I headed home from there, while Floortje, Elizabeth and Shane carried on for another few days. It was so much fun though - I love those guys.
I went to several music festivals and concerts - Big Day Out last January, Groovin' the Moo in May, David Guetta in May, Hilltop Hoods in September, Parklife in October, Mumford & Sons with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes and Willie Mason supporting in October, and Coldplay with Temper Trap supporting in November.
One of my best friends (again from Sheffield) came out to visit from Germany in September - I took two weeks away from my thesis and work to travel around for a bit with him. We went to Sydney, Blue Mountains, Canberra, Brisbane, Fraser Island and the Gold Coast. It was amazing - I saw parts of my own country that I have never seen before, with a great friend whom I absolutely adore.
I finished off the year with another overseas trip. I had saved my butt off, and flew to Los Angeles the day after my birthday in December for a three week whirlwind trip, seeing things and visiting people. I went to LA, Virginia Beach, did a cruise of the Caribbean (going to Half Moon Cay, Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Roatan, Honduras), Washington DC, Milwaukee and Chicago. I never wanted to come home, it was phenomenal. Highlights included Colonial Williamsburg, Roatan, New Year's Eve in DC, Milwaukee and the Art Institute of Chicago. I will definitely be heading back.
And now it's January 2013. I hope that this year is more balanced in many ways - I need to remember to keep perspective with most things. I am going to see my friends more, pay off my credit card and read as many books as I want to. It's going to be a good year.
