Semestral break

It is almost time for that long-awaited winter respite in February. As soon as you get final exams, projects and presentations out of the way it is important to prepare for some time away from university.

Pursuing my favorite hobby - travelling - I am going to spend my vacations again in Germany. There, I will support my boyfriend in the final phase of his semester with his studies so that we can spend more time together afterwards. Although we have not planned any trips in particular so far, we want to visit some cities around Marburg. Places like Frankfurt or Kassel could be some of our future destinations.

Besides, I will try to improve my knowledge of the German language, which I have neglected in the past time. Anyway, words like “Wintersemesterferien”, winter semester break, I have not missed that much. This enormous number of letters makes me laugh over and over again. Furthermore, I will try to take some time reading a new Spanish book. Honestly, I cannot remember when it was the last time I read a book on my own without any pressure due to its connection to some classes. But this semester break I will use to read a book thoroughly forgetting about the hectic life that daily surrounds us. In addition, it seems to me that nowadays we spend more and more time trying to collect or rather absorb lots of pieces of information instead of focusing on one specific topic and thinking about it conscientiously.

I do not want to wait no longer but first, I need to handle the most exhausting time of each semester. So I can just say to myself:

“Take a deep breath and get to it!”

Happiness

“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” (Aristotle)

    While doing some research for a birthday present I came across this quote a few days ago. Unless I generally do not see me as a philosophical or pensive person, I sometimes do like to reflect on several things. Especially when I feel lightly exhausted by the stress of exams and other obligatory stuff I need to do for the university, I start reflecting about my aims in life and other things which cross my way.

    Thus, I tripped over this quote from Aristotle about happiness, a word open to a huge field of interpretation like the meaning of life. Or do those two things are accompanied by one another? This is exactly what Aristotle delivers us with his quote. In addition, Aristotle regards happiness as a central purpose of human life being the goal itself. Furthermore, who would not agree that happiness is all we need? However, it is easy to realize that most of the people desire money or a high reputation believing that these goods will make them happy. All other goods are a means that help them obtaining happiness, although happiness can always be seen as an end in itself.  Apart from that, I do fully agree with Aristotle’s understanding of happiness. Especially due to the fact that Aristotle does not see happiness as something that can be gained or lost in a few hours, but as something greater, something that refers to your whole life you have lived including all the activities you have done.

    So what teaches us this quote for our own lives?

In my opinion it means that every person that shows his good moral character throughout his whole life can achieve happiness. A good moral character represents an active state that leads you through health, friends, knowledge, etc. to the ultimate goal in life – the happiness itself.

New Year’s resolutions

    Today I want to treat a completely different topic in comparison to those I have already talked about beforehand. It suggests itself dealing with the New Year’s resolutions in 2015 or their general understanding and treatment.

    Every year a lot of friends of mine try to achieve their new goals based on their New Year’s resolutions. In the following I want to name only the most popular New Year’s resolutions like: losing weight, quit smoking, getting a better job, getting fit or saving money.

Indeed, who does not want to fulfil these great intentions?

    However, most of my friends fail already in the first months. Unfortunately, New Year’s resolutions for the most part fail with their mentioning. To my mind, people see them as unattainable dreams, impossible being realized. Nevertheless, failure does not seem to me being the consequence of flawed intentions. Failure rather happens because the process is flawed. In addition, each year there are some people who prove us that we are wrong by realizing their resolutions. It is truly admirable.

     But how do I finally achieve my own goals without stagnating after the first intents?

     I have come to the conclusion that whatever goal you want to achieve you need to write it down. Writing it down also includes that you have to explain why – why have I chosen this goal and what makes it so important in my life? Now, how can I achieve this goal?

     Therefore, it is necessary to write down subgoals, a lesser goal that forms part of my great goal, and setting a deadline for them. Following these first steps I am convinced that everyone realizes the goal’s importance in one’s life and starts living one’s dreams. I only can say that I am happy and that I am enjoying my life and living my dreams. 

France

    My last trip in 2014 and first trip in 2015 lead me to France to go skiing in the Alps. It has not been a more interesting or special stay in France in comparison to other trips, but what makes me feel so enthusiastic telling the story of this trip is the drive to get there.

    We started planning the journey without any longer pauses or spending a night in another place. Finally, with regard to the distance we decided to rest at halfway in Freiburg, close to the border with France. Then on the next day something unexpected happened – traffic chaos in French Alps because of an enormous amount of snow and we were right in the middle of it. On Sunday about 15,000 people stranded by snow and forced to seek emergency shelter. Due to the fact that many cars were not equipped with snow chains despite official warnings the chaos increased. Even one young man died on that night when his car left the main road and fell 200 meters down a mountainside.

   Consequently, we started looking for the closest emergency shelter, which unfortunately already was overcrowded.  Totally exhausted and annoyed we decided to stay on a parking space close to a hotel to spend the night in the car because all the hotels were overcrowded as well. Then suddenly a ray of hope came up when the owner of our accommodation called us and told us that we could stay at his grandparent’s house.

    With new élan we went to the house and spent a fabulous and unforgettable night with one of the most hospitable grandparents we have met so far. On the next day we reached our destination when the chaos was brought under control and enjoyed our stay in the French Alps.