Some Other Projects

I have a sneaking suspicion that I won't have anywhere near the amount of free time that I expect to have once I get to Aberdeen. Even so, I have some other projects I want to work on during my year abroad.

What I'm hoping to do is what I now wish I had done as an undergraduate: treat school like a forty hour per week job. Even with the amount of pre-reading I've done, I expect that my actual course commitments will take up a great deal of time.

Arabic: I've been studying Arabic since 2005, and not only has it helped me to get a couple of jobs, but it's been helfpul in both my professional and personal lives. I'd like to spend at least an hour each day working on Arabic.

Other Security Stuff: In addition to the master's degree, part of my overall plan is to get a couple of additional security certifications: the Physical Security Professional certification from ASIS International, and a graduate certificate in Terrorism Studies from the University of St. Andrews. I think both of these are attainable, if I can treat them like an additional class.

Physical Fitness: I've had a workout plan that I've wanted to complete for a few years now, but I either haven't had the opportunity, or haven't been on a stable enough schedule to stick to the plan. My hope is that a more defined daily routine will allow me to make this happen.

Skydiving: I've wanted to get my Accelerated Free Fall certification for about three years now. I'm hoping that I can do that through Skydive St. Andrews. Aberdeen itself doesn't seem to have any sort of skydiving program. I'll investigate further once I get to Scotland.

It's going to be a busy year, that's for sure.