Background to challenge and why I need to change.
Though I've been making progress over the past 5 months it's time to step it up a gear. To put things in context, this time last year: I had quit university, went out every night, drunk about 5 pints (minimum), got to bed at 5am and was pleased with myself if I got up before 4pm. My days consisted of trips to Subway followed by the gym (I had to be ripped for the girls
) before repeating the process. I spent £7000 on alcohol and going out in 8 months. I hooked up with girls I didn't like much beyond their looks. Being nocturnal had made me so pale you'd think I had emerged from a coffin.
Around May I realised I love philosophy and applied to restart uni. I was accepted and having started that course in October began to get myself in order. The time in between that I squandered; mostly sleeping in late and working in a busy night club for some pocket money. Seeing alcohol abuse from the barman's perspective I began to detest it and what it does to people. Starting this academic year my best friends of last year were gone. I made new new friends but I'm not so close with them. My housemates are friends from last year but I'd drifted away from them after we'd agreed to live together. We get along well but I miss my old friends a bit. Still, less distractions. My degree was proving to be a positive influence on me but I was depressed. Couldn't get out of bed. Some days I slept 12 hours. Others I stayed up for 36 hours at a stretch. I managed to pull myself out of that slump which was good.
My progress was seriously halted when I became obsessed with online poker. I won $3000 in two weeks and thought I could make a living from it. I lost $3000 and resolved to try harder. I read Doyle Brunson's Super System. I spent 6 hours a day at it for 3/4 months. Outcome- I broke even and had a few adrenaline rushes along the way, but I had stopped going to the gym so by this time I was a skinny vampire. I had lost all interest in girls which confused me and made me depressed. I was going out less but drinking more on the occassions I did.
Now: I am eating a lot more healthily than last year, everything about alcohol disgusts me (I've learned the hard way) and I'm spending a lot of time reading philosophy books but not very proactively. My grades are very good so far and I'm very hopeful that at the end of the three years I'll receive a 1st.
I've known the changes I've wanted to make for a while now but everything has culminated at this point of finally making it happen.
First day of being vegetarian I've been soundly abused (in a fun way) but it was cool. I didn't feel any temptation to eat meat and resisted free champagne.