Challenging and daunting

Maybe not for some but, by and large, taking on something completely new can give you lots of sleepless nights, I’m sure. 

Well, the fun and games are pretty much over and done with now. Summer is very much on the wane – although there are some who will continue to ‘beach it’ for as long as the weather holds, spending as many days as they can squeeze out of the autumn sunshine and warm temperatures. 

The kids are back at school – some are just starting their education or moving to a new place of learning.  

Most university students have been slowly returning to the UK, or elsewhere, or even taking on their first term at the university they’ve chosen or manage to get into.  

If remaining in Gib, it will be the Gibraltar university, the Gibraltar College or a start to jobseeking to find – or have already found - a job somewhere, preferring to get stuck into the workplace and choosing not to continue with their studies.  

With the start of a new term approaching the New Year and, I suppose, a more serious mindset, I would presume for most of us with the hot weather almost over and holidays over for another year, it’s really time to get serious round about this time.  

This is a period which I think lends itself for this.  

Ok, so there are still other events to look forward to coming up soon.  

Apart from the very popular Gibunco Literary Festival, we have Halloween, Guy Fawkes (to a lesser extent these days), and the really big one to start looking forward to, on the 25th of December and all that surrounds it – you know which one I mean, don’t you?  

But returning to the idea that, for many, the end of the summer season with kids going back to school or starting their educational journey, it could be argued that around this time may be a good time to think about a new job, moving on somewhere to another country or even being very brave, I would imagine, and having in mind starting a business – opening a shop, cafeteria, bar or some other venture. There would be lots to think about.  

You’ve probably been spending those lazy days on the beach thinking about taking the plunge and just ‘going for it.’  

Whichever of the above is your domain – school, university, job for the first time or a new one, moving away from Gib, or endeavouring to start a business, I’m sure you will agree it’s all pretty challenging and, in some cases if not all, pretty daunting partly because of it being new, dealing with new people, surroundings and, yes because of that change, the unknown.  

It’s not something many enjoy when faced with it, simply because of what to expect, the unknown factor, as much as you prepare for it.  

But in most cases, once you face that change and get into what’s new, you take it all in your stride and probably end up enjoying the move so much more than you ever imagined.  

Just think of it as the next step in your passage through life.  

This, of course, may be a little more worrying for 18-year-olds off to university, probably at that young age not having left home for any length of time. 

Consequently, there are some students that can’t take it, abandoning their university placing and returning to the Rock.  

Apart from unfamiliar surroundings causing anxiety, hesitation and becoming overwhelmed with it all, not least the day-to-day tasks of feeding yourself, washing up and keeping your clothes clean, being reminded that mummy did all that back home and you didn’t, in most cases, lift a finger.  

You feel it all becomes too much and head back to your comfortable Rock back home. 

So that’s when your move away becomes challenging and difficult to deal with: be strong is the message and do your best to hold out and see if you get over it, stay and pursue your studies for a potentially better future 

Whichever journey for a possible better future you choose, it’s never going to be easy. There may be stumbling blocks, headaches and unexpected encounters.  

The important thing is to approach it with the right mindset having decided it’s what you plan to do. 

So, however challenging and daunting as it tests your ability, it may be requiring hard work, so don’t give up easily and as the saying goes – just go for it!  

Observations… 

Considering the number of small boats in our marinas – there are very many - according to GBC footage it doesn’t look like that many attended the trip around the bay celebrating National Day Week. I wonder why. 

Also, for some it may also seem fewer people are at Casemates on National Day itself – and I think that’s true, compared to years gone by – I think that’s obvious why. All our beaches get fully packed.  

Some of us have BBQs at home in patios or elsewhere with friends and neighbours and that’s what they prefer, with some claiming they don’t necessarily want to listen to the same old speeches yet again for another year, important as they are, with the UK politicians who come over as well as our own local contributions. 

The exercise space for the equipment moved further down, at the end of the Rosia Battery Promenade – La Bateria, has now been completely cleared.  

It’s a relatively large space and I wonder what’s going to happen there. Perhaps we’ll know by the time this article is published... 

Some of our street signs need a jolly good painting... 

And what I think is an electrical unit of some sort in Cooperage Lane needs smartening up a little...  

Meanwhile, begin to enjoy autumn ’26 and get ready for las lluvias soon!