Welcome to 2021!

Happy New Year everyone! Well, what can come this year? I have thought about the usual new year resolutions. I could do with losing some weight. I could do with a bit more exercise. Healthy eating, especially since I have stuffed my face with chocolate and crisps over the festive period. There is always the dream of winning the lottery. It does help if I remember to put a ticket on.

I am hoping that things are going to become easier with my studies. It has taken a while, but my student disability allowance has finally been approved. I can start thinking about what is going to help me on my course. I am loving studying social science. It always takes me longer to read everything. I have my third assignment to write up shortly. My marks are steadily improving. I still struggle with referencing for my essay. Where did I find that bit of information to back up my claim? I will soon have my first year done ready for year two. Year two will hopefully be more organised as I will have the support in place.

I am of course still looking for a wee part time job. It would be nice just to get out of the house for a couple of hours. I feel like I am on mission impossible even for something simple like cleaning. I realise the work I would like to go into is very specialised. I know I may work as a volunteer in the area to gain more experience. I sometime wonder if I am now overqualified for what I have applied for, or the fact that I am open about being dyslexic?

Then again, I never make my life easy. I offer to meet a friend on a day when I am busy with other commitments, such as the helpline! Since starting the helpline I have never had two days the same. Everyone has a different story to tell. Some are incredibly positive and then you have the negative side. If only you could send a hug over a phone for someone’s battle with dyslexia. Then you have the days where people are just looking for an assessment. It is great talking to people on how dyslexia affects them.

Then of course, I would also like a holiday this year. My holiday last year was cancelled two days before flying out to Poland. Thank you Covid 19! This year I will keep it simple with going up north with the tent. There is nothing more relaxing than sitting at the pier in Ullapool watching the ferry heading to Stornoway. Staying in Durness and walking along beautiful white sandy beaches. Just have to hope the weather is nice. I will probably have the great idea of having a bbq in the middle of a thunderstorm. Nothing quite like chasing your tent over a campsite when pitching it in gale-force winds.

Well, that is till October planned. I try not to plan to much as it usually ends in disaster. Planning out a week at time is enough. I keep my appointments on my google calendar as a reminder. This helps with the dizzy dyslexic moments. I will keep everyone up to date with the adventures of a dizzy dyslexic over the year.

Susan Taylor, blogger and Dyslexia Scotland Volunteer