Looking Into The Future: A 2024 Preview

As we all count down the days to Christmas and indeed the new year, one can only look into the future (and the new year) and wonder what the new year will bring - friends? fortune? luck? love?

For me, 2024 will probably be one of the biggest years of my life (or, at least so far).

With neither Tesco nor University quite going "my way", I've taken the executive decision to "fly the nest" and move out, off the island for the new year.

The average age to move out in the UK is 25, slash a year off that because the island has VERY limited jobs and you've got 24.

25 (or in this case, 24) is only the average for the UK, some will leave slightly sooner, some will move slightly earlier. Come 2024, I'll be turning 23 - absolutely well within that ball-park.

I've not made the decision lightly either - whilst supportive, my parents haven't forced me out of the door - I've come to the decision that it's what I want - it's what I need.

It's essentially a win-win-win - I get to be close (or closer) to jobs, won't have to make a ferry crossing when seeing friends (neither will I have to drive 2 hours to see them) and it'll be ticking off the second of two check-marks on the "Highway Traffic Officer" checklist - to live within an hour of the vacancy.

It won't be easy. I've moved twice in my life-time (once at 7 and again at 20) and both times have been as crazy as the last. Sure, I've only got a room (and a few boxes in the garage) to move (as opposed to a family of three/four) but it's my first time - and honestly, I don't quite know what I'm doing.

For the most part, it's playing it by ear - visiting an estate agent, seeing what's on the market (and for when) and taking it from there. I love the saying "fly the nest" because it beautifully describes my situation -

"birds learn to fly through instinct and practice" - like myself - oh, I'm hungry, I'm going to try and cook an oven meal/sausages and pasta - I know where the oven is, I know how to turn it on, the packaging says how long to leave it on the hob/in the pan for.

I'm looking at a few places (to move out to), but one (location) is in the same town as friend/s who've already moved out - if I'm stuck (on payments or in a spot of bother) they'll be able to "give me a leg up"/advice.

birds cannot fly (strongly) as soon as they leave the nest - they (like I) will have good days and bad days

The more I cook (and live independently) the better I'll get at it - I've proven I can sustain myself by (somehow) not dying of...anything during my 2 - 3 years in Wolverhampton.

My only two requirements (for housing) is to not have to make a trip that long (4 hours) to get/go home, and to have a maximum of two beds/bedrooms (at a push - to keep costs down)

iRacing

In the land of iRacing, year on year (from 2021), I've kept improving my personal best iRating - and I'm excited to see where 2024 takes me.

I'm also excited for the ROAR Before The 24 - last year I managed to go from 41st to 16th - and the plan is to repeat 2023's efforts, but this time...iron out the errors - iron out the spin, missing the pit-box.

Work

There's two parts of work I'm looking forward to - I thoroughly enjoyed working at Tesco earlier this year - and to enjoy work whilst earning my own money (as opposed to be given it on a silver platter will be extremely rewarding.

December 2024

As I write this, it's 8:16pm on the 23rd December - I'm looking at the world and indeed the future with awe, excitement and and most importantly an open mind - I cannot WAIT to meet the not-so young man on the other side of 2024.

Let's 'av it!