A Student's Diary: Laptops, Eye Clinics, Stomach Aches, and Room Tours

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Before I tackle another big topic, here’s just a short entry from my day. I woke up early this morning to a typically quiet and serene Oxford. My to-do list for today? Researching a new laptop. In the middle of that, my glasses broke, so now I also have to find an optician to get my eyes tested and a new pair made (I'll probably post a video or an article about that experience when it's done). On top of that, there are some definite school tasks I need to get started on, which means testing out some new software.

The Morning Routine: Self-Care & Small Observations

The first thing I did today was some simple self-care. I woke up, took a proper shower, and did my skincare routine. It's nothing excessive, just the basics for one person: cleansing, then applying this and that. I can't skip it; if I do, my skin inevitably becomes dry and cracked, and my lips start to peel. Then, of course, applying body lotion. It’s just one of those small things you have to do to keep going. When your skin feels clear, you just feel better. After that, some shaving, which still leaves me feeling a bit itchy.

One good thing has come from my hair getting longer (by longer, I mean an inch or two, since my hair is curly). It seems to agree with the weather here. My head doesn't get cold as easily, and I don't get sick as often. Yes, I still get ill sometimes, but I'm not as sensitive as I used to be, where a little bit of rain would be enough to knock me out.

The Afternoon's Work: Laptops, Internships, and Tourists

With that done, I started researching laptops. The prices are insane. A standard laptop for office work isn't too expensive, but the problem is, I know myself and I know my major. When I get interested in something, I go all in. Just passing an exam is never enough for me (though sometimes, when the pressure is immense, I have to tell myself that passing is all that matters). It's the same with computer software. I might start as a complete beginner, but as I use it more and more, I become more proficient, and the laptop has to work harder and harder to keep up. I have to factor that future demand into my decision. I'm looking at the MacBook Pro, Dell XPS, ASUS... I'm still not sure.

I also have to look into university matters and am still searching for work or an internship. The university confirmed that there is no formally integrated work placement program for my architecture course. This means the university doesn't have official partnerships set up for us. So, it’s up to me to find something on my own. Yes, they offer workshops, but in the end, it’s a solo journey.

The city of Oxford itself is teeming with children. It's the summer holidays, so it’s incredibly busy with tourists. Not the whole city, of course, but the city centre, the area around Oxford Castle—it's full of them. Chinese kids, local kids, so many of them. And then there's me, the stranger on the sidelines, just cycling through it all.

Oh, and yesterday, I found something like a fish market. It's a proper fishmonger, also a wholesaler. The fish is fresher and cheaper than what you find in the supermarkets. It’s rare to find fresh, raw prawns at a market like this, but they had them. They had mussels, salmon, wild clams, cod, trout... the list goes on. The price? Well, two servings of cod fillet cost about £6. About 300g of prawns, maybe 8 pieces, was £7. I can't eat prawns, though—they make me vomit instantly. It's strange; it happens with a lot of seafood and meat, even when it's perfectly fresh.

Evening Reflections: Health, Content, and Breaking Your Circle

On top of everything, my stomach has been hurting. I consulted a telehealth service, and they suggested it might be gastritis. I doubt it, as I've been eating carefully. It's more likely due to a lot of recent changes in my diet, or maybe I forgot to wash my vegetables properly. I think I just need to de-worm. I'll go buy some medicine from the pharmacy tomorrow; it's right in front of my building.

I also need to upload a video—a room tour. I was going to post my old room tour, but I'm not happy with it anymore. I really wanted to add subtitles, but now I'm thinking of just posting it without them. For any of my readers who want to create content, I have one piece of advice: just do it. It doesn't have to be perfect. As long as you genuinely want to provide value and deliver your knowledge, it will find its way to the right people, one way or another.

I'm not a "content creator" myself; I'm just someone who happens to write things down. But sometimes, the knowledge that feels ordinary and unremarkable inside your own circle can seem incredibly insightful and valuable to someone on the outside.

So, break your circle. I'll see you all again tomorrow. I hope you're all doing well.