Week 1 A New Start: The First Blog

I think it’s only fair to start with the basics when launching a personal blog. So, here’s the short version: I’m a small-town girl (very short) with big dreams, a curious mind, and probably way too many thoughts that deserve their own website on the internet. It may not sound like the plot of a hard science - fiction movie like Project Hail Mary, but every good story has to start somewhere, right?

Why Start a Blog in The First Place?

Some of you are probably thinking (if you're reading this blog), "Why are you writing a blog in the first place?"

Have you ever heard the term social media grandma? Well, if that's what you're thinking, you're not completely wrong. I do share parts of my life online, mostly funny squirrels, random observations, and the occasional life milestone.

But as Rudyard Kipling once said, "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." Social media is great for quick snapshots (like funny squirrels), but without much context, a blog gives me the chance to tell the full story. Here, I hope to share my experiences, lessons learned, and bits of advice that might support someone out there.

And if I happen to inspire a few people along the way, that's amazing. If not, hopefully I've at least given you a laugh or a funny squirrel story to brighten your day.

Why I struggle with writing emails: A Big Brain Problem

I think it's fair to say that, at some point in your life, you've either sent or received an email. Whether it's a professional message summarising a project, a work email clarifying a policy or procedure, or the dreaded scam email informing you that your long-lost uncle has left you a fortune and you simply need to send your bank details immediately, emails are an unavoidable part of modern life.

Yet, ever since I started my university journey, I've found myself becoming increasingly nervous about writing them. Suddenly, every word feels important. Every sentence feels important. Is my greeting too formal? Too casual? Does this sound confident or rude? Friendly or unprofessional? Before I know it, I've spent half an hour rewriting an email that was probably good the first time it was checked.

Like for instance, this week, I had to wake up early (unfortunately for me), and as someone whose brain definitely performs better at night than during the day, this was already a bad setup. In other words, I was running on low mental capacity.

I had a few emails to reply to, and I could genuinely feel my brain refusing to cooperate to my usual professional standard. The result? I somehow managed to forget to add my signature to an email. At the time, I didn’t even have the energy to care, but internally I was like, What did I just do? I am screwed.

That said, I’m pretty sure no one noticed… or at least I’m choosing to believe that for my own peace of mind.

Weekly Funny Moment Of The Week:

You know that awkward moment when you've finally finished your shopping, reached the till, and started placing your items on the conveyor belt? Everything seems calm and under control until the cashier starts scanning.

Seriously, how do they scan things so quickly?

One second they're picking up a carton of milk, and the next they've somehow scanned fifteen items while I'm still trying to open my reusable bag, which they make stupidly hard to open. Meanwhile, I'm frantically shoving items into it with absolutely no regard for organisation, logic, or the structural integrity of the items involved. Fruit? Survive if you can. Bread? RIP.

So yes, that was my shopping trip this week. The cashier won. The bread was lost.

Aisha’s Tiny but Mighty Weekly Advice Section:

I think it's always refreshing to be reminded not to judge a book by its cover. Naturally, as human beings, we make assumptions about people based on their appearance, their initial facial impression, or the first few moments we spend with them. After all, there's a reason people say first impressions last. (For example, anyone who sees me wearing my duck shirt probably assumes I'm either a child or have the maturity level of one.)

But the thing is, first impressions don't always tell the whole story.

Sometimes a person can be one of the most incredible people you'll ever meet, yet your first interaction with them was completely awful. Maybe they were having a bad day. Maybe they were nervous. Maybe they were tired, stressed, distracted, or simply caught at the wrong moment.

I've found that some of the people I've ended up being friends with the most weren't necessarily the ones who made a good first impression. It took time, conversations, and a chance to see who they really were beyond that initial meeting (also long discussions on hobbies and interests).

So I think it's worth giving people a chance. Not every story can be understood from the cover, and not every person can be understood from a single interaction.

End Of Blog Sign-Off:

A huge good luck to all the teams competing in the World Cup this year! I'm sure it's going to be an absolute cracker.

It's also F1 race week in Barcelona, which means I'm once again asking for a quiet, drama-free weekend. Please, no more DNFs. And Ferrari... I am begging you, for the sake of my blood pressure, don't disappoint me.

And finally, thank you for reading! Whether you're spending the weekend watching sport, catching up on sleep, or trying to rescue a loaf of bread from the bottom of a shopping bag, I hope you have an absolutely fun weekend.

Until next week,

Aisha.