Firstie Fridays: Let's Celebrate!

Happy Friday, Badgers!  If you can believe it, tomorrow marks the halfway point of the term. I thought now would be the perfect time to take a good look at how our terms are going. I encourage you to play along, whether you’re a Firstie or you’ve been here longer than Peeves!

FIRSTIE TIP OF THE WEEK: CELEBRATE ACCOMPLISHMENTS! CHEER FOR YOURSELF AND FOR YOUR HOUSEMATES.

To take stock of my term so far, I’m going to steal a really good idea: the Five Good Things lists that we make over in the NQFY Waiting Room where I am on the mentoring team. The Five Good Things list is just what it sounds like: you list five things that make you proud, happy, or excited. For an example, let's take a look at my list.

Five Good Things About Jessia’s Firstie Term So Far:

1.       I got 257 points in May. I wasn’t sure if I could get that in one term, let alone one month, so I’m proud of myself for that.

2.       Being a Quidditch Beater is one of the most fun things in the world, and I’m really glad that I made it onto the team.

3.       I think I’m finally getting over my fear of using the good stuff from my stash. I’ve been hesitant because I don't think I'm skilled enough to merit using nice yarn. If I don’t start using it, though, I will end up with a collection of really pretty skeins instead of finished projects, so I’m done just petting it and ready to start knitting it. Then, of course, I will pet it some more.

4.       I sprinted for Hufflepuff glory! I was one of the last ‘Puff sprinters to cross the Quidditch finish line, but I surprised myself by finishing my tote on the first day. I was proud of my effort.

5.       IHU fun times! I love IHU, and I’m having a blast working on it. You should all check it out. It might end up on your Five Good Things list, too!

There you have it! Those are five things I’m really happy about right now. What about you? Think about all the projects you’ve done and the activities in which you’ve participated. Did you craft something amazing, make a new friend, earn a crazy amount of bonus points, learn a new technique, or otherwise surprise yourself with your own Badgertasticness™? Make your own Five Good Things list and see just how much you’ve accomplished! Even if you think you didn’t accomplish anything, once you sit down and try to come up with Good Things, you will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly your list fills up.

Once you’ve got your Five Good Things list, think about sharing it with your fellow Badgers in PBQuest, the UCR, or your cete! You will get plenty of encouragement when you post your list. That’s one of the things I love most about Hufflepuffs: how much they enjoy cheering on their housemates. It feels great to have your fellow ‘Puffs celebrate your accomplishments with you, and it feels great to celebrate your housemates’ accomplishments, too. Huzzah Hufflepuff!

Thanks for reading, Badgers! Go celebrate all the great things we’ve done so far, and then get ready to be even more amazing as we begin the second half of the term!