Welcome, 2023!

Happy New Year!!

To be honest, I’ve never been one to set resolutions at new year, and 2023 is unlikely to be any different. However, I do often use the start of a new year to reflect on the year before, and ponder over what might be to come. With the global disruption over the past few years, uncertainty has been a main feature of our daily lives. As we emerge into a post-restrictions (but very much not post-virus) world, planning ahead and thinking of the future is something I am considering again.

2022 was a great year on the whole. Aside from contracting COVID-19 twice, there were some key highlights for me. I graduated with a first-class honours from Abertay University, and commenced postgraduate study at the University of Stirling. I left my long-term day job in performing arts front of house management, and took the plunge with a new job with the University of Stirling Student Sport. I don’t always deal with change very well, and these changes have been quite substantial, but they are necessary steps on my journey to becoming a sport psychologist. When I started by undergraduate degree in 2018, I knew the ideal route I’d like to take and I’m now taking it, so I’ve certainly had plenty of time to prepare for the changes necessary!

In a matter of months, I will finish the MSc programme in Stirling. This programme will satisfy Stage 1 of BPS accreditation, and I will need to start thinking about Stage 2. Ideally, I would like to continue my journey in academia, as it is an environment I am comfortable in and I thrive in the increasingly challenging working environment.

As I write this on New Year’s Day, what is clear to me is that 2023 will be filled with even more exciting changes and challenges. I am so excited to continue the MSc programme, start my dissertation project and placement, before considering my next career steps. What is certain is that it will be filled with fun and hard work, and I will tackle it head-on!!