Sabbatical Diaries: Sydney Trip, Go-Karting & Pickle Mania
Week 1: I'm still stuck in the productive zone, even now my exams are done.
đ Welcome to the latest issue of Adulting with Kate Campbell â the newsletter that reminds you that no one has it all figured out, but we can start figuring out how to adult together.
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Dear wonderful reader,
When I finished my last exam on Wednesday, November 13th, that was officially the end of my Juris Doctor. I donât get the fancy piece of paper until next month, but thatâs itâIâm done. This all feels crazy to say after working on it part-time over the last five years, but I just couldnât be happier.
As of last Wednesday (just pretend I published this last week đ ), Iâm officially on sabbatical, which means Iâm taking an intentional break while I figure out my next steps. Given Iâm a complete sap, I wanted to document this experience, as itâs rare to get the opportunity to slow down in life unless you intentionally create it.
So here we are.
While it feels fun, Iâm going to document my weekly adventures during my sabbatical here so I can look back at them in the future.
Let me take you back to last ThursdayâŚ
Day 1 - A Whirlwind Trip to SydneyÂ
The first day of my so-called sabbatical (a term that is still baffling my mother) involved an early morning flight to Sydney to speak at an event that Iâd spontaneously agreed to attend. I had the opportunity to host a panel between two wonderful people on behalf of Future Generation, a for-purpose investment fund.
Going up to Sydney and back in 24 hours is quite the whirlwind, and I barely blinked before I was back home. Sadly, I didnât get to try any of Sydneyâs excellent food.
Day 2 - Talking books
Upon arrival back from Sydney, I was almost immediately back out the door again for book club. While we only spend about half the time discussing the book (as any self-respecting book club does), we get to spend the rest of the time talking about other books (which is great fun).
This monthâs book was A Novel Story by Ashley Poston, which received an average rating of 3.5/5 stars âď¸. The consensus was that the book was cute but not very deep. It's probably the perfect thing for a beach holiday, but if you want a romance thatâll hit hard, try Book Lovers by Emily Henry.
Days 3 - Go-karting
Defying the typical birthday traditions, I took my family out go-karting for my Dad's birthday, followed by pulled pork burgers (I made Nagiâs pulled pork from scratch, and I highly recommend you do the same).
Following all this fun, my friend and I cooked up a storm while we set up her tree for the silly season while watching a cheesy Christmas movie.
Day 4 - Pickle mania
I finally caught up on my long cooking experiment list, making:
Bread & Butter Pickles
Picked Red Onion
Pickled Carrots
Maple Walnut Granola
Chai Tea (from scratch)
The Star of the show was definitely the Chai (which I first had in Dishoom in London)!
Day 5, 6 & 7 - Working hard
While Iâve said Iâm already on sabbatical, Iâm technically still working part-time until next week, so the days blurred together, with plenty of walks and gym sessions in between. My partner cooked a fantastic steak, I did a lot of reading, and in a blink, my first week of sabbatical was over.
đ Whatâs coming up in week 2?
Now that Iâve lost the regular rhythms of work and study, itâs up to me how I fill and structure my days. While I want to give myself space for exploration and reflection, Iâve got a few ideas of how I want to spend my time. Hereâs what Iâm planning to get up to in the coming week:
Sink into some good books
Go for a road trip
See some musicals and a comedy show
Cook some fun new recipes, including dip
Finish my final week of work đđ˝
I look forward to catching up at the end of week 2!
Until next week,
Kate
Thanks for reading
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Buy a copy of my book, Buying Happiness: Learn to invest your time and money better through Amazon or order it through your local library.
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