Even the Best Fall Down Sometimes

Ever feel like you're drowning, yet you don't quite know why? 


I'm sorry I haven't been posting lately. Really truly, I am sorry. I've fallen behind on all my blog reading too, so I hope all of your lives are good right now. 


Its 2.5 weeks until the end of semester. 2.5 weeks until I finish my exams. 2.5 weeks till I move out of the Village. 2.5 weeks until I go to Europe. 2.5 weeks to cram a semester worth of knowledge for 3 units into my head. Its gonna be a big 2.5 weeks. 


I'm also tutoring at the moment. And trying to go to the gym (not happening so much lately, but I need to keep going. I feel ridiculously fat right now). And feeling like I'm failing at everything I do.


Logically, this isn't true. I mean, to an outsider my life is great at the moment. Exam wise - I've done so well in one of my units I have passed it without even sitting the exam. The other one, I only 7.5 marks to pass it. The last one, well, I sort of crashed and burned in that one. 18 marks needed. Yeah yeah, it doesn't sound like much, but I did really crap and only got 32/50 for the semesters marks. The final exam is worth 50%. 


Apparently, I have lost weight. I'm not so sure about this, but I'm beginning to think I have a really fucked body image. Or everyone is lying to me about how I look. I float between the two. I hurt my wrist at the gym before though, because just like I am prone to do, I pushed it too hard, and when it started to hurt, I just kept going. It was very strange, because even though I knew I should stop, I somehow couldn't make myself do it. It wasn't until I literally could not lift the weight anymore that I stopped. And even then, I felt like I hadn't had a good work out. 


Anyway, so on the surface, lifes good. Remember a few posts ago, I mentioned YASI's? The subset of depressives who are Young, Attractive, Successful and Intelligent? I feel like it applies to me a lot. Not because I'm depressed per se, but more that I feel like I am only just keeping everything afloat. Like any moment, that water that I'm so desperately treading is going to swallow me whole. But everything on the outside is so great, that I can't really express how I feel inside. And I'm not sure anyone would believe me anyway. Then I feel guilty, because my life is awesome. And get angry at myself for being so spoiled and self indulgent. It could be far, far worse.

I need a fricken holiday. I can barely bring myself to get out of bed in the morning. I studied in the library today, went home and curled into the fetal position and hid under my doona. My poor flatmate keeps trying to make me laugh and I feel like I'm on the verge of tears the whole time. 


Wow, this is a poor me post. We haven't had one of these for a while, have we? 


I guess it was just time.


I'll try and post again soon. 

What is HR?

Do you know what HR is?

No seriously. Think about it. What is Human Resources? I'm guessing that the first things that came to your mind were hiring, firing, telling people off for not doing work etc. Basically the 'parent types' of an organisation.


People in HR constantly have to defend what we do - even though its such a huge field and pops up in pretty much every industry, people seem to have no idea what we do. Or they think what we do is meaningless - a 'soft' job if you will. Or what we do is just get in the way.

I was talking to someone the other day, who I just met, and I mentioned that I studied HR. He actually asked me, and I kid you not, 'You wouldn't have exams for HR would you? I mean theres nothing they can test you on'. I was so shocked I couldn't speak. How dare he imply my degree is 'untestable' and basically that my hard work is worthless?

So, in honour of the lack of knowledge of HR, I present to you....

Human Resources: What it is

 

' Human resources is the name of the function within an organization charged with the overall responsibility for implementing strategies and policies relating to the management of individuals (i.e. the human resources).'

In any business, people are your greatest asset. No matter how good your computer system is, no matter how good your product is, no matter how pretty your office is, without people, you have nothing. This could be 1 person, 2 people or 200 people. Having a Human Resource specialist, to ensure you have the best people, who have the highest productivity, as happy as possible, thereby staying productive, and doing things the most profitable way, without killing themselves, therefore churning out the highest productivity, is pretty friggen important.

I will take a list from Wikipedia detailing what HR people do with my comments in italic:

• Maintaining awareness of and compliance with local, state and federal labor laws - yes, this is important, otherwise you are in breach of that thing called the law, and will be fined and spend time in jail. Have you ever tried to interpret an award, or a industrial relations law? Its not easy yet HR people know how to do it for you - and do it right.
• Recruitment, selection, and on boarding (resourcing) - this is hiring. Basically making sure you have the best employees in your business as possible, which will make you more money.
• Employee record-keeping and confidentiality - it is illegal to keep certain types of information and it is illegal to give information to anyone other than the employee in question (with a few exceptions). Record keeping is vital - how else are you going to know how much money you paid for that workers compensation claim, or how many warnings that employee has gotten?
• Organizational design and development - this is the processes that workers engage in, in order to gain the best outcome for the organisation.
• Business transformation and change management - in general, people don't like change. Change can cause negative outcomes for a business. HR manages people through the change, whether it be a new computer system or a whole new management system or shifting to a new department, and ensures the intended outcomes are reached. 
• Performance, conduct and behavior management - this is the naughty stuff. If you spend 90% of your time on Facebook at work - HR will get involved. They also ensure no one is behaving inappropriately, and on the flipside - recognise when work is being done well. If you are performing well and HR knows about, chances are it will come up in your next performance review and that could mean a promotion or pay rise. 
• Industrial and employee relations - negotiating with unions, making sure everything is legal, managing industrial action etc etc 
• Human resources (workforce) analysis and workforce personnel data management - you know when companies boast that 40% of all senior management are females? Or a workplace audit takes places and its discovered the company has been deliberatly hiring juniors to pay them less? And how the company knows everything about you - work history, medical stuff, performance reviews, salary etc? HR controls all of that info, and in the case of the audit, works to fix it by creating goals for workplace diversity 
• Compensation and employee benefit management - money money money, its so funny, in a HR world! This also relates to other non-salary benefits, such as a car parking space, or a fancy office, or a health care programme
• Training and development (learning management) - have your skills been lacking in something lately? Perhaps you'd like to move into a different area and need a certificate to do so? Or maybe a new system was implemented at work and no-one knows how to use it. HR will teach you what you need to know.
• Employee motivation and morale-building (employee retention and loyalty) - Many people feel a bit blah at work. Unless you truly love what you, which lets face it, not a lot of people do, it can be hard to stay motivated. HR makes an effort to keep employee motivation up through various initiatives, and working with the management team.

So you see, HR is a real discipline and is vital for all workforces. Without your people, you don't have a business, but without HR, you don't have people. Or you might have people but they are incorrectly paid, unmotivated, untrained and severely lacking in compliance.

To this end, I would like to shout out to the guy who asked me whether or not there were exams in HR:

FUCK YOU

When I'm sitting on a recruitment committee and you come looking for a job, guess whose not going to get it?

Semester 1, Here I Come

Hi everyone


So Semester 1 is upon us. I have just finished up volunteering at Orientation Week, catering to the new students on campus. There were laughs, tears, stress, new friends made, things learnt, fun campus tours. And that was just me. I can't remember what my orientation was like, it all went past in a blur and I'm sure the 2010 commencing students will be much the same. 


I loved volunteering. I loved taking everyone on a campus tour, pointing out the 1st, 2nd and 3rd most important buildings on campus (The Tav, Asian Food Van and Library.... in that order). Then at Festival Day (held on the Friday and just a chance for everyone to let their hair down) I was the jellybean girl. I walked back and forth in front of the First Year Experience stall yelling 'Jellybean! Jellybean!' and giving away heaps of the little sugar bites. People took my photo. Yes I was that famous. I was also recognised from my awesome campus tours a couple of times. 


Plus I handed out about a gazillion of student cards. That was.... ahem..... fun. 


Now I am anxiously waiting on 2 things. A) my results from the summer unit I took. I'm pretty sure I passed, but you always have that niggling doubt until you see the little black letter on your screen. B) for the phone call saying 'Yes we would like to offer you a graduate position based on your awesome work as a vacationer', or 'Unfortunately, we will not be making an offer at this time. All candidates were very strong and we wish we could have all of you, but there is only one position available'. 


Kill me now. The wait is frustrating. 


And Semester 1 begins on Monday. I have an epic timetable this semester. Uni for 1/2 of Monday and 3/4 of Tuesday. Thats it. Yes you read correctly. I am stoked. I'm going to work on Wednesdays and Thursdays and use Sunday as my 'do readings before class and catch up on crap' time. Possibly with a trip to the Fremantle Markets for my weekly food shop. 


Speaking of, I am doing this tomorrow. My friend and I will catch the bus down, have coffee on the cafe strip, chat, then do some shopping in the Fremantle Markets. Semester is beginning, therefore the time for healthy eating is here. I pay extra attention to my diet during semester because I know getting sick will have dire consequences. Plus I feel like I teeter on the edge of a mental breakdown half the time anyway, so having anything extra to worry about is just NOT an option.


I am feeling that teetering right now. Every semester I feel like I barely hold it together (although I do still get good grades) and I always worry 'is this the semester I won't make it through?'. I'm sure its not, but it always feels like the end is never in sight. But it is! 18 months and I am finished. This time next year, I will be looking at my final semester at uni. Then real life begins right? 


Anyway, I'm going to continue on my reading about Employment Relations, then move onto Safety, Errors and Accidents, and Developmental Psychology. As well as getting myself organised e.g. assignment dates in diary, books organised etc.


Much love


Ashleigh 

Summer Studies

Since I suppose this blog should have some university aspects about it, given its name, I thought I would write a post on doing a summer unit. Yes I am supposed to be writing my assignment for said unit right now, but I am putting you, my lovely readers, first. And maybe procrastinating a little. 


So I am doing a summer unit at the moment called Human Resource Economics. Wake up! I'm not going to tell you about the content of the unit, so you shouldn't fall asleep on me. Unless of course, you have a particular interest in the content, in which case email me. I can talk about HR all day long. That is my small consolation when uni gets me down: I, unlike a lot of people, truly love my degree and am passionate about everything I learn in it. I cannot think of a topic that makes more sense than HR and that is more relevant in todays world. 


Basically this unit is a compressed summer unit. Instead of spreading it out over the whole summer break (mid November to mid February) it is completed in only 4 weeks over January. But the same amount of content and assignments are completed in that short space of time as when it is done over a 12 week semester. Hence the compressed part. 


Honestly, over the entire 2 years I have been at uni, I have not struggled with a unit so much. I am one of those very lucky people to whom learning and education comes easily to - I love to read, I like going to class, sometimes I even like assignments! This is, of course, helped by the fact that I love my degree, so learning about it is natural. However, this summer unit is killing me. I don't think it is the content so much, although that is incredibly boring, more that there is SO much to learn and do over such a short space of time, and its summer! Its hot. No one else is at uni. I don't want to be at uni. I need a break. 


People often criticise uni students for the amount of time spent on 'break'. And really, if you look at it from their perspective, we have a LOT of time off. This semester for example, I will only be at uni for 2 days a week - that is a 'full time' load. I myself make fun of the little time I spend at uni all the time. But, I think what a lot of people don't quite understand is the level of stress most uni students operate at. I have abnormally high stress levels, pretty much all the time. And its a different kind of stress and tiredness to someone who is working and has kids. The stress and tiredness that is experienced by a uni student, usually around exam time or during heavy assignment times, is debilitating. Its all mental, and trying to put huge amounts of information into your brain in such a short period of time, and knowing if you fail, it will a) cost a huge amount of money b) cost you a lot of time c) may not let you graduate and d) let down all those people in your life who 'are so proud of you for going to uni and making something of yourself because your so smart and are going to be so successful', well that is painful. 


Anyway, so I haven't really had a break for a while, because I did that internship over December and then went straight into uni in January. I did have a bit of time off over Christmas, but even Christmas is stressful. 


God I am looking forward to Europe in June. Its all The Boyfriend and I can talk about lately... when he's not yelling at me for stressing myself out, which has the negative effect of stressing me out more. 


The only reason I am doing this unit, is so I can fit a minor into my degree. For those who don't know, my degree is currently a Bachelor of Commerce, with majors in Human Resource Management and Psychology. I want to add a minor of Organisational Psychology, but the only way to do that was to put a unit into summer. 


But its not all bad. I only have a 2000 word assignment to write on Pay for Performance from an economic perspective, which I'm struggling with because I'm all about motivating the people. Plus 1 more exam (I had one on Friday) and only 2 classes. We are nearly there people!


Anyway, until next time :)


Ash 

Why Do I Blog?

To be honest?

I'm not really sure. 

It started one night when I was at a party and met this guy, whose blog I had been reading for a while. He was one of the Murdoch Student Experience bloggers and I always thought he was so funny, if a little long winded on occasion. No Lachlan, its not you. Although you are funny and sometimes longwinded. It was Jonathon, writer of Inside a Students Mind. We had a really fun night together, talking and since I may have consumed a bit too much of that dancing juice aka whatever foul concoction I had brewed up that night or bought because it was the cheapest in the liquor store, I got locked onto this idea of him writing about that night. I had such a wonderful time, and I felt we really clicked. No not in that way, The Boyfriend is still alive and kicking, it was just one of those times when you first meet someone then you feel like you've known them forever. 

Anyway, long story short, I wanted to be mentioned in a blog post. Something I hadn't done before.

He refused.

I know. I was shocked too. Generally I am good at convincing people to do things through sheer determination and wearing them down. However, he was stronger than I first anticipated. All night there was this recurring thing 'Jono, put me in your blog post' 'No Ashleigh, I told you, I don't write about people' 'Well, write a post about parties and mention me' '**chuckle and shake head (thinking who is this girl?) Answers still no. Sorry'. 

So basically I got home and passed out, as copious amounts of dancing juice will do that to you. If there are children reading this, dancing juice refers the mixing of apple and orange juice, of course. 

The next day, I was indignant. How dare he refuse to mention the great Ashleigh in his blog. Anyway I gave him the benefit of the doubt, sent him a quick email to remind him that he really should put me in his blog (yes I know your thinking 'Stalker!' and in my defense I don't think I had quite slept off the remaining effects of the dancing juice. 

I eagerly awaited his next post.

It came.

I read it, excited with anticipation of seeing my name on screen. 

It wasn't there.

How dare he? I was so annoyed, I said to myself 'Fine. Jono won't put me in his blog. I'll make my own blog and it will be all about me! Hmph!' 

Anyway, I don't think he cared that much, as I don't think he's ever read this blog. But I feel good.

But I got mentioned in a blog post by Lachlan, writer of Disorderly Accounts of Uni Life, which made my day :). And I have been in a few since. This makes me so happy everytime I see my name on the screen, and I haven't put it there. Someone, who I have never even met, has thought of me, and put me in their blog! Also must give mention to Stephanie over at The Odd Duck, who has mentioned me before as well - happy 21st birthday!!! 

So that is why I started to blog. I continue to blog because its therapeutic, makes me feel important, and its a great procrastination tool. I love the thought of people all over the world (as indicated by my stats) reading me. I love to read others blogs to take a peek into others peoples lives, and its reassuring to think that while none of us have met, and we are all over the world, I can relate to each and every one of you. We have similar stresses and similar things that make us happy - family, friends, coffee etc. 

Especially coffee.

2010 - The Year That Was

Ok so you all know how I like to be a band-wagon-jumper right? Not all the time, just sometimes. Well as I didn't jump on the proverbial write-a-blog-about-Christmas-and-its-general-stresses-and-joys bandwagon I will leap forth onto the shit-its-the-last-day-of-the-year-and-i-haven't-written-a-post-for-a-while-yet-don't-have-a-lot-to-say-probably-coz-i'm-not-at-uni-right-now-thank-god-for-holidays-i'm-such-a-slacker-uni-student-with-my-5-months-a-year-off-anyway-how-was-2010-for-you bandwagon. 

Uni Students: Working Hard, 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, 2 weeks a year 

(those two weeks being the one right before each set of exams when you realise you slept through most of your lectures, and even though it was a good reason at the time, just coz your lecture is on the other side of campus, in the smelly Vet building, at the hideously early hour of 9.30am, you still should have gone). 

What did I love about 2010?


- the day I found out I got an internship - god that felt good!
- booking my flights to London. Oh you didn't know I'm going to London? I'M GOING TO LONDON BABY!!!!!!!! 
- heading to Bali..... twice
- getting an high distinction on a written assignment. Oh did I not mention that? It happened twice. Boo yah!
- finishing my acne medication - pretty skin for me :)
- having a personal trainer
- my new pink laptop
- The Boyfriends sister getting engaged - and asking me to be a bridesmaid!! And then asking me to do a reading during the ceremony - apparently I'm the only one who won't 'fall apart'. 
- passing all my assignments, exams and units :)
- finding out my friend is coming back to Australia!! I will have to think of a pseudonym for her - she is one of those people stories happen to 
- turning 20 - leaving behind my teen years. And as my dad always says, every day is a new personal best - you've never been alive for this many days before!
- suggesting the wedding dress to The Boyfriends sister, which she subsequently fell in love with and cried over :) ***best bridesmaid ever***
- my school friend Dani having a beautiful baby girl - Charlotte
- Volunteer as a FYERST helper 
- A female Prime Minister!!
- playing social basketball
- seeing my first 2 strippers ;)
- starting a Certificate IV
- deciding that when I get married, I'm doing it at the zoo :)
- My blog and my lovely blog followers - all 4 of you :D






What I didn't like about 2010
- Flying Monkey getting drunk, falling off a wall, and injuring himself very badly. 3 months in hospital or something ridiculous like that?
- The Boyfriend and I nearly breaking up a couple of times - although I think it has made us stronger
- Not being able to leave the Village!!!!!
- My constant inability to deal with the heat :)








2011?
I have no idea what it will hold. Hopefully I will get skinny. Hopefully I will leave the Village. Hopefully I will be a bit more social. Hopefully I will get a graduate job. Hopefully................ well, hopefully lots of things. 






These things are certain. 


I start a summer unit on 4th January - Human Resource Economics. I am applying for a second job as I am soo poor right now. I am going to Europe. Uni will begin 'full time' mid February. I will find out one way or another about my graduate position mid February. 


Let me know how you are feeling about my blog. Do you like it, is it smeh, is it so awful it burns your eyes whenever you open the page? Would you like more uni stuff, would you like more personal stuff, would you like to hear me rant, would you just like to shut me up? 


Until next time (hopefully the not too distant future)






Ashleigh x 

Intern, Schmintern

Hi everyone!


Sorry for disappearing again - I have been super busy this week. I finally started my three week internship that I have been waiting for since August. 


I won't tell you which company it is, but I will say it is one of the biggest professional services firms in the world. I am doing Consulting in Human Capital :D. I get to work in a big building in the city! That has always been a secret dream of mine. 


I'm going to make this a short blog post just so you know I haven't died or anything, I've just been super busy. But the boyfriend has gone back to work now, so that frees up my evenings somewhat. I'll try and blog tonight or tomorrow and tell you all about my eventful week. 


I will say this though: This week of intern-ing has confirmed to me exactly what I want to do in life, and this firm is where I want to do it. I'm sure you can understand what a satisfying and good feeling that is. Of course, it does add stress, because I am competing for a graduate position and there is only 1 spot available - and three candidates. And now I want it all the more. Its going to be stressful waiting for that phone call - 2.5 months I have to wait after I finish - GAH! 


Anyway, I'll speak soon


Ashleigh 
xo 

Q&A About Me

Hi guys


So I thought today I would give you a bit more of an insight into 'Who is Ashleigh?'. That way, when I'm a famous CEO and general all-round awesome person, you will win those trivia games. Kind of a reward for reading me now, while I still have my biggest successes ahead of me. Ok here goes:
1. What is your best friends name? - True Blue Kangaroo. She's been my best friend ever since we were 12 and at school together. I love her to pieces. 
2. What color underwear/boxers wearing now? Black bonds
3. What are you listening to right now? OMG Almighty Mix - Usher. I didn't even know I had this song, and my iTunes is on shuffle right now. I wouldn't have even realised if it weren't for this question.
4. Whats your favorite number? Ooh tough one. My least favourite number would have to be 7. I do feel better about even numbers as opposed to odd but a favourite? Can't say I have one. I do like 6, its admirable that it manages to be next to 7 and still be ok. 
5. What was the last thing you ate? The filling from my chicken and spinach lasagne  from last night - I added chilli! Yum!
6. If you were a crayon what color would you be? Hot Pink. Preferably with glitter
7. How is the weather right now? Well, its nighttime. So dark? But warm :)
8. Who was the last person you talked 2 on the phone? Smiling Tiger. I edited her resume for her this evening, but I was running massively late. 
9. The first thing you notice about the opposite sex? Whether they have a 'quality'. Some guys have it, some don't. I'm sorry I can't define it better, but I don't know exactly what it is. It's just a quality. 
10. Do you have a significant other? I do. The boyfriend has been around for nearly 2 and half years. He gets up before me in the mornings and gets me coffee and massages my feet at night so he's pretty much perfect. Pity he works away (12 days on, 6 days off)so I don't get to see him as much as I want. But he always calls when he says he will. I don't think I can ask for more than that :) 
11. Favorite TV show? Without a doubt, Friends. I cannot live without that show. 
12. Siblings? 1 sister, she is 4 years younger than me. Much more social and popular, but shes shorter than me - no mean feat since I only top 5 foot 4 (163cm) on a good day. 
13. Height? LOL I just answered that! 5 foot 4, or 163 cm
14. Hair color? Brown. I've been most colours, but I am a fan of being au naturale. I keep thinking maybe I'll go blonde soon though. 
15. Eye Color? Blue. I love my eyes :) 
16. Do you wear contacts? No, I wear glasses for long distance though. People often ask me why I don't get contacts but since I am not allowed to look at anything too closely with my glasses on, contacts aren't an option because I would be reading things all the time with them in. 
17. Favorite Holiday? Bali is amazing. Just lying by a pool, drinking cocktails, relaxing and basically living like a king is awesome. But I have Europe next year so maybe Bali will be edged out. I'm thinking it will be. 
18. Month? August. My birthday! 
19. Have you ever cried for no reason? Plenty of times. Usually once a month. Also if I'm really tired. One time, the boyfriend told me he loved me and I cried. 
20. What was the last movie you watched? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - AWESOME
21. Favorite Day of the Year? Australia Day - drinking, socialising, fireworks, wearing hideous patriotic clothes = best day ever! 
22. Are you too shy to ask someone out? Yeah. But I would let them know I was interested :) 
23. Can you do a headstand (not using the wall)? No. I'm too scared
24. Hugs or Kisses? Kisses every time
25. Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla
26. Do you want your friends to respond to this? I don't think my friends read this. So whatever 
27. Who is most likely to respond? No idea
28. Who is least likely to respond? No idea
29. What books are you reading? Anything and everything. I love reading and will devour anything I can get my hands on
30. Piercings? My ears and my belly button. Got my belly button done when I was 14 - if I had my time again, I don't think I would get it done. 
31. Favorite movies? Anything chick flick 
32. Favorite football Team? West Coast Eagles!! 
33. what were u doing before this? Drinking - we are celebrating the end of exams
34. Butter, Plain or Salted popcorn? Salted - I am a salt fan
37. Dogs or cats? Cats. I cannot stand dogs
38. Favorite flower? Lilies. Such a pretty, unassuming flower. But I don't really go in for flowers much. I like to get them, but the type doesn't bother me too much
39. Been caught doing something you weren't supposed to do? Plenty of times :) 
40. Do you have a best friend of the opposite sex? I thought I did, but due to recent events, I guess not 
41. Have you ever loved someone? Two people - my ex who I was with for 2 1/2 years and the boyfriend
42. Who would you like to see right now? My cousin, Macy - she lives overseas and I adore her

43. Are you still friends with people from kindergarten?

No, we all fell out when I went to boarding school

44. Have you ever fired a gun? Yes, on a friends farm. I was awful at it 
45. Do you like to travel by plane? Love it - no stress, just sitting in a chair reading, watching movies, listening to music, having food brought to me - what's not to love? 
46. Right-handed or Left-handed? Righty Tighty 
47. How many pillows do you sleep with? Four or five when I'm alone. When the boyfriends home, I'm only allocated two :(
48. Are you missing someone? My lobster (aka the boyfriend)
49. Do you have a Tattoo? No, and I don't think I will ever get one 
50. Anybody on Blogger that you'd go on a date with? Maybe..... Lachlan. He seems very interesting and I think we would get on well ;) 


So there I am. Hope I'm not too awful :)