13. Help! I've lost motivation.

Here we are! The most busy period in the student's life has just started. Some tests are already behind me, but the taughest exams are just around the corner so I have to work really hard in the nearest future. I know it will all be worth it in the end, but, of course, I'm completely discouraged when I see all these notes, exercises and grammar rules. As always, everything is more interesting than studying. Why wouldn't I watch another episode of my favourite tv series? Or maybe I could spend an afternoon following biathlon and tennis competitions? And what about all these books on my shelves? They seem to look at me with reproach, saying: "Why don't you read us?". How can I refuse them? Unfortunately, I have to. Even this blog distracts my attention from studying right now, but actually it's also kind of learning, isn't it? Anyway, I'm afraid I'm gonna need some luck during semester finals, because my laziness is about to achieve its highest level. I've always had problems with motivating myself to work and it's really troublesome at university. Nevertheless, I believe I will find some way to manage that. Keep your fingers crossed!

12. Home-made gingerbread cookies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGRC2LYmHfU

Christmas is coming very quickly. I just can't wait to decorate my Christmas tree, prepare all these delicious dishes and sing some carols. I love this whole atmosphere which is connected with Christmas and winter in general. I hope there will be snowing during the holidays, because everything looks wonderful when it lays under that snowy cover. Anyway, I want to share with you one of my recipes, which is just perfect for Christmas. What I'm talking about are home-made gingerbread cookies. The recipe is really simple, so I believe everyone can make it without any problems. Here are the ingredients:

• 750g of flour
• 250g of sugar
• 250ml of honey
• 5 eggs
• 200g of margarine
• 1 heaped spoon of cocoa
• 1 packet of gingerbread spice
• 1 teaspoon of ammonia

And this is how it's done:

Prepare a rather big bowl. Put honey in it. Then whisk eggs with sugar and add them to the honey. What you have to do next is melting margarine and pouring it into the bowl. Then we have some dry ingredients: add cocoa, gingerbread spice and ammonia. One important remark: ammonia has to be melted in one spoon of warm milk. Finally, put flour in the bowl and mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Then put the dough back and bake it the next day in 180°C for 12 to 15 minutes. 

My gingerbread cookies look like that:

As you can see, I decorated them with some frosting and sugar strands. It takes much time, but I think the effect is worth it. I guarantee everyone will love them!

I suppose I won't write anything in the nearest future, so I wish you Merry Christmas. I hope you'll spend that time with your family and friends in a peaceful and warm atmosphere. 

11. Karpacz is always a good idea!

Do you know that feeling, when you are tired and bored of all your daily duties? So do I. Fortunately, after some discouraging weeks at the university, I had a chance to run away from that monotony – I spent one weekend in Karpacz. Every friend of mine knows that I love mountains and I visit them with pleasure every year. This time it was a really short trip, but I enjoyed it nevertheless. Fascinating places, breathtaking views and a great company – it’s all I need! I could finally relax and forget about my studies, even for a moment. Instead of spending another day in the room with my notes, I was walking down the streets of the city with my boyfriend, admiring the Karkonosze mountains. Despite I was in Karpacz a few times before, I still marvel at this place and its vicinity. I’m sure I’ll come back there in the future.

As always, I took plenty of photos during the journey. I want to show you some of them.