October in review

The good * I turned 25 and had two incredible celebrations with my friends in Dubai and my friends in London. I was blown away by the efforts my friends made, it really truly is a blessing * I had abnormal cells removed from my cervix, which was slightly terrifying, but also a really really really quick process. The doctor and nurse were wonderfully supportive & it was a reminder about how lucky we are to have the NHS. If any ladies are reading this - when you get your cervical screening letter come through, please attend the appointment. If you have any questions about it or would like a little support - reach out, I’m more than happy to help * I started my Code First: Girls course which I’m really excited about. I think it’ll help me at work, as I’ll be able to understand what some of my colleagues do, better & I’m hoping it may help me pick up a side project or two. I also got offered the course ambassador position, which was a lovely surprise * I got my business cards & stickers printed, I’m going to take them with me to the Web Summit to hand out to people I interview and meet. I love them! If you’d like one, let me know and I’ll send it out to you

* I registered CyberWomen as a business, which feels really cool. I'm hoping it'll mean I can start investing in my side project and potentially earning some money on the side * I had a lovely weekend in Norfolk with some pals - we saw seals 😍 * I finally got security clearance for my new job. It’s a promotion in the civil service world and I am really excited to start!

* I had a lovely coffee with my mentor Anna, from the Hexagon UX event, she is really really wonderful. We talked about managing time spent on career growth, how to say no and not feel guilty about it, how to get a variety of design experience and how to stay focused & efficient, even when the grass seems greener on the other side. I think I'm going to achieve some big things underneath her guidance!

The bad

* I had the flu and a chest infection for what felt like a life time, which meant gym and diet went out the window 🙄

* To be fair, that’s pretty much all that was bad this month - so I’m actually feeling really grateful ☺️