Hey! Welcome to Friends Cafe.

This is a chill and chat space for young BB members to talk about anything and everything and make new friends.

When school's getting to you, uni or work has got you down, parents, partners, friends don't understand, and especially if you're feeling alone or lonely - come and relax awhile and talk to others who know just how you feel.

Our minds can cause us trouble, but they can also be amazing things that imagine beauty, love and fun. This cafe has everything you can imagine. To start with it's, well, a cafe. So there's chairs and tables, comfy couches for flopping, a big screen tele, unlimited download on computers for games, Spotify (or an old-school jukebox if you prefer), every movie you can think of on instant demand ... whatever you want, it's here. Post and tell us what'd you'd like.

Plus, there's an infinite menu of whatever food or drinks takes your fancy. And it's all free!

To kick it off, today we have a special range of Monster Milkshakes - those thick gooey shakes topped with cronuts, chocolate bars, cake, cookies ... whatever you want. And if you can get through one of them, you're a legend (and probably feeling a little bit sick LOL!)

Welcome friends.

Great idea Kaz.  

Although I definitely dont qualify as a 'young person', I did want to extend a very warm welcome to all the young people who decide to drop in here.  I was young once!   ( - :

As a welcome gesture, I have left a large fluffy bilby carrying a basket of assorted easter eggs on the front counter.  Please help yourselves, and enjoy.

Happy Easter to you all .............

Sherie xx

Great Kaz

I also welcome anyone who wants to drop into this cafe. It's a Tardis and always has enough room for everyone. I will not be around here, much too old, but I would love to talk to you on other threads on the forum. Have a good time with all goodies Kaz and Sherie have provided and feel free to bring your own. There can never be too many good things to eat and activities to enjoy.

Leave your worries at the door. If you find you need to talk about them, please start a new thread in one of the other forums. In the meantime, have fun.

Mary

Hey Smith, welcome! Good for you mate, offering help to others is awesome! How's school going for you?

Cheers

Kaz

Hey Kaz,

It's going well at the moment! I have my half yearly exams now, but I feel prepared. I'm really lucky that my school has been so supportive, It's great that their policy is that the wellbeing of the students is far more important than the HSC (It should be like that at all schools but I've heard it isn't). 

I am a believer that to do well in the HSC you need to work as a team with other students, whether it be sharing notes and comparing ideas with other students at your school or supporting those who are feeling a little lost who might come here for help. 

Lots of love,

Smith98

Hey Kaz, Sherie, Mary and Smith!

I want to drop a big welcome for anyone that wishes to pop by in the cafe. I've been in another cafe here at BB--also opened by the lovely Kaz, and it is very lovely as it gives me warmth and strength everyday! I hope this cafe does the same for all the young people here at BB. And if anyone is interested I thought I'd introduce myself--I'm turning 16 years old next month, living in a girls' Catholic school in Glebe, I have had anxiety all my life, had depression for periods of time, and I am here always for anyone who wants to have a chat, I will be 100% supportive and understanding!!

Also, the jukebox sounds like a lovely idea, I have spotify on my phone so I think I'll go old school here :-) What do you guys say? Oh oh and there will also be bean bags in the corner for us to sleep on won't there? Wow I'm really excited to stay here and meet new friends!!

And I'll help myself to a Monster Milkshake hmm.. Extra large please! My tummy is empty after all the English I've done tonight!

Looking forward to meet you guys!! Have a great night everybody, and happy Easter!! :-)

With Love,

Grace xx

Hi Smith - do you have an exam tomorrow (Tuesday)? Good luck with it mate! Let us know how it goes eh?

Grace hun, you want beanbags then beanbags you shall have. What colours would you like? We haven't really decorated the cafe yet - maybe you and Smith, as the first members, can think about how it should look. Spare no expense - we'll just send the bill to head office.😃

Night guys

Kaz xx

Hey dear Kaz!!

Thank you so much, of course I won't go easy on the expenses then :P Hmm I was thinking maybe jukebox in the corner, but spotify on one side as well? I changed my mind from yesterday, because today I tried to buy a deal from spotify that's 99 cents for three months but I couldn't buy it because I don't have a credit card. Now that I won't have spotify on my phone, I'll need one in this cafe then haha!! And hmm bean bags.. My favourite colours are blue and yellow, so maybe one each of those, and Smith what do you say?

Also also, maybe some books in the corner bookshelves as well? I just noticed how empty they are!! Maybe expect for those few cooking books on the shelf we should have some casual novels as well :-) I was thinking John Green maybe.. Hehe, I'll let you take care of all these Kaz? Thank you so much, you're such a kind soul!!

And while you just want the best for us.. You should take care of yourself too Kaz, I know you are very busy at work, taking double shifts sometimes, but remember to take breaks and relax as well! Maybe listen to some music or read a nice book, watch a comedy movie? Thinking of you Kaz, thank you for building this cafe for us, it is getting more lovely by day!!

Take care Smith, if you had exams today I hope they all went well for you! :-)

With Love,

Grace xx

Hey Kaz and Welcome Grace! 

Sorry for my delayed reply! I just finished my economics exam, and decided the best way to relax and unwind would be a quick stop at the cafe! 

Grace I think you've got a keen eye for design and love the Spotify idea, plus the blue and yellow beanbags! Is it possible to can add a red one? Reds my favourite colour haha

I hope everyone is well and I can't wait to check in soon to hear some more of your cafe ideas Grace. And Kaz what Grace said is absolutely right make sure you take care of yourself too! Sometimes people like yourself are spending so much time helping others they neglect themsef! 

take care guys xx

Smith

PS those messages of support before my exams really meant the world to me!

Heyo!

I just tried to post something but internet broke down for 1 second so Idk if it went through!!

Anyways either way, just a quick good night to you both Kaz and Smith, since it's a bit quite here at night I'll try to "drag" more people in as well!!

Have a good night!!!

With Love,

Grace xx

Morning friends, just dropping off some red, yellow and blue beanbags and a pile of books. I don't know what the books are, you'll need to sort through them and let me know if they're OK. Got them from the op shop. 😃

Hey Smith hope the exams are going OK. Have you got one today? You've reminded me of doing economics at school - I quite liked it and had a great teacher who knew how to make it interesting.

Have a good day guys.

Kaz

xx

Hey everyone,

Thank you Kazz for initiating this thread! I'm glad that Smith and Grace are making such positive contributions! I'm glad this thread is a relaxing outlet during your exam period Smith - that's awesome. I got really stressed during my Year 12 exams, and unfortunately didn't have a stable or reliable outlet. Economics is an interesting subject. I did it in Year 11 and had a great teacher. Though I didn't get overly high marks, I enjoyed the subject thanks to this teacher.

You're making me feel old Grace! I'm at the upper end of the Young Person category. Young people are typically classed as those aged 12-25. I turned 23 last month, so I have two years left of being young! Just kidding - we can all be young at heart during our lives if we choose to be. My boyfriend is 25 later this year, and sometimes he jokes that he's getting old.

Good luck for the rest of your exams Smith, and I look forward to talking with you and Grace, as well as Kazz and other members who join in :)

Best wishes,

SM

Hey dear SM!!

Welcome to the cafe, I am a new member as well but still, welcome!! :P No no you are never old.. As you say, if we choose out hearts can stay young forever!! You seem very lovely as well! Have you got any ideas about the cafe? All ideas are welcomed, as Kas say--Spare no expense!!! And what have you been up to today? I have a free this afternoon so I've come back to the boarding house and trying to learn some guitar songs, just chords, but I like to sing along as well!

Hope you are having a good day SM!!

With Love,

Grace xx

Hey dear Kaz and Smith!!

Aww thank you for the bean bags and books!! I'll definitely read through them and tell you what I find.. :-) And yes Smith is lovely and he is right, have a break every now and then Kaz, glad to hear you are having a good day!!

And Smith, have you had any exams today, if you had I hope they all went ok for you? I've got my year 11 exams coming in 3 weeks so I'll have to study heaps in the holidays as well. Take care Smith!! Looking forward to hearing about your exams/day :)

With Love,

Grace xx

Hi Grace,

Thank you so much for your welcome! You seem like a lovely person too!

As for café ideas, perhaps some nice meals cooked by a chef, such as Italian wood-fired pizza or risotto :) I love Italian food.

I had a tutorial at university today about our essay assignment. I'm in my third year of Bachelor of Psychological Science. My day has been good, thanks :)

It's awesome you can play the guitar! Do you sing as well? I must confess that I have no musical talent - I don't play an instrument, can't sing, have no dancing ability, and have always shied away from acting. It used to bother me, but I have completely accepted it now! :P
How long have you played the guitar for by the way?

I hope you've had a nice day too!

Best wishes,

SM

Hey everyone,

Any new young people who would like a space to chat and have fun conversations (especially as a break from the heavier stuff on the forum) is very welcome here. So far there are three young people participating in this group: myself (I'm 23), Grace (almost 16) and Smith (in his final year of school).

Kazz started this group, so a big thank you to her! Sherie and Mary have kindly welcomed people here, and they both good-humouredly joked that they will leave this space to the younger crowd!

Hopefully people find this space friendly and relaxing :)

Hey dear SM!

Thank you for the lovely welcome, I'm sure people will feel very welcomed now!! And a chief does sound like a really nice idea, it's nice how you like Italian food as well because my uncle is Italian and he used to be a chief!! Perhaps when he is less busy I'll ask him to pop by and help us prepare a really nice Italian meal :-)

And it's interesting you do psychology, how do you find it? I want to do psychology when I go to Uni as well, so I can become a psychologist and help people who are struggling mental-health wise. I'll also try to read heaps and maybe write some articles as well, so I gotta work hard for a good atar! I'm currently doing 13 units (7 subjects) as school so I'm quite busy usually, what about you? Uni must be busy as well?

Anyways thank you very much for you kind words, thought I'd come here and relax for a bit after reading studying notes from Legal Studies... Hope you and you boyfriend are both doing well (if you were with him today)? :-)

With Love,

Grace xx

Hey Kazzl!

Great idea! I could totally go an iced coffee right now :D

I'd just like to apologise to everyone for my absence the last few weeks. I've been flat out with work and I have started my diploma, which I'm loving despite the heavy workload, and I'm just juggling a bunch of commitments and haven't had a chance to get online.

I hope you had a wonderful Easter and are doing well!

Crystal :)

Hi Grace,

It's great that you're interested in psychology - it's a fantastic area of work to pursue! There are so many different career opportunities as well. Getting into Psychological Science at my uni didn't require a very high ATAR, but it's of course best to do as well as you can. I also did Legal Studies in high school! I had a great teacher who would use puns constantly. A girl in my Year 12 class decided to keep a tally of all his puns, and she stood up in class and clapped when he reached 500! It was hilarious!

Uni is fairly busy at the moment, but it will be even busier in several weeks. Often at uni, many assignments are due around the same time. It's as if the lecturers are plotting against us! Nah, all the psychology lecturers at my university are lovely actually :)

My boyfriend is doing well, thank you! I see him every day or two, but we were both too busy yesterday to spend time together unfortunately. The weekend is coming up, so that will mean I have a bit more time :)

Hope your day is going well Grace :)

Best wishes,

SM

Hi Crystal,

It's great to have you here! No worries about your short-term absence. I have had to take a little time off from the forums because of uni commitments before. Sometimes it's unavoidable. If you don't mind me asking, what's the focus of your diploma? Do you work part-time?

I hope you have a nice day - the weekend is so close!

Best wishes,

SM

Hey dear Crystal!!

No apologies needed for your absence, I know it gets really busy, same here even though I'm only in year 11! Hope you've had a good week Crystal? And what's some plans for the weekend? Have a good night!!

With Love,

Grace xx

Hey dear SM!

How has your day been? It's interesting to hear you did Legal as well! And it's always funny to hear teachers telling puns haha, I can imagine how hilarious it was when the girl stood up and clapped! How did the whole class react? :P Uni can be very busy I can imagine, are you taking some time out to relax at times as well? That's very important!! :) Don't stress yourself out too much :) And it's great you do Psychological Science, and I was thinking maybe I'd focus on the researching, social psychology, or things like that, I'm not very good at Science :P And if you don't mind me asking, what was the Atar required that year for Psychological Science? Just so I can get a general idea haha, feeling stressed for Uni already!

It's great that you and your boyfriend see each other often, do you go to the same Uni? Also, happy Friday!! I hope you have a relaxing weekend by yourself/with him :) Thinking of you!!

With Love,

Grace xx

Hey Grace,

Yesterday was a little tough, as I discontinued my work role. I had been training to become a behaviour therapist for kids with Autism since late last year. It was going fine, but the practical applications of the job and the emotionally draining effect it had on me was not sustainable. My boss was amazingly kind and helpful, so I made sure I left the company with as much respect and consideration as possible. There were six of us who started training at the same time last year. Two ladies are in their thirties, and the others are in their early twenties, like me. Only myself and one other lady hadn't officially started the job yet (receiving clients). The client is the young child with Autism and their family. I had met a family I was likely to start working with. The Mum and little girl both really liked me, which pleased my boss. On Tuesday this week my boss wanted me to run a 2 hour session with a young child (a client of my boss who gets free sessions when trainees like me work with them). I was nervous and wanted to do well for my boss. I struggled. The child happened to be having a tough week, and they were getting agitated and distracted, and I had to be constantly alert. I struggled to write down the data (correct/incorrect responses the child makes during learning tasks etc.) while maintaining his attention and delivering the instructions. There is so much multitasking involved, and the therapist is required to work quickly through as many learning programs as possible during the two or three hour session. My anxiety about the job was worsening, as I am not naturally good at multitasking and responding quickly in certain high-pressure environments. I now realise that hands-on work of this nature is not a good fit for me. I am glad I realised this before I started officially working as a paid behaviour therapist with my first client, as that would have involved very directly letting down the family. I went and told my boss in-person my decision yesterday afternoon. At first I felt relieved, but now I feel a little sad. Later today I will write a formal email thanking my boss, and I'll send an email to the five girls I had just finished doing training with.

Sorry about the mini-essay! I was debating whether to mention this at all, but it has felt good to put it into words!

I will send another message now, as I'm running out of words :P

Best wishes,

SM

What a great idea!

I really felt like a monster milkshake! If only I wasn't 33..

All the best to everyone here :-)

Hi again Grace,

Thank you for listening to my long job-related spiel!

When the girl clapped for my teacher, the rest of us started laughing and eventually stood up and clapped too! The teacher loved it! :)

I do get time to relax, and thanks for caring :) I hope you are doing the same too. I'm not naturally good at science either. English plays more to my strengths. Social psychology is a good area, and one of my lecturers this semester focuses on that area for both her research and teaching. As I transferred from Bachelor of Arts (which I had barely started) to Bachelor of Psychological Science, I didn't get in purely based on my ATAR.

For the university I attend in my state, the 2015 ATAR (I just looked it up) for Psych Science was 65.05. That is lower than I thought it would be, actually. Keep in mind that this number is the lower-end cut-off, meaning the lowest possible ATAR someone got to be accepted into the degree was 65.05. You will definitely be able to get into this degree program if you work consistently during Year 12 :D Perhaps look up the ATAR cut-off for your local university too.

My boyfriend and I both attend the same university. He is concurrently studying Marine Biology and Bachelor of Science. He is doing his second year in science right now, and has postponed his fourth year in marine biology for the time being, as the marine industry is looking dismal at the moment!

Thanks so much for your kindness Grace. I saw my boyfriend yesterday afternoon, and I'm seeing him a fair bit tomorrow. We're both a bit too busy to catch up today.

Have a great weekend too!

All the best,

SM

p.s. I always use my username SM to sign off. Sorry if it seems a bit impersonal. I do it so that I remain anonymous. I volunteer on this forum and end up talking a lot about my personal life in order to relate to others and to give advice.

SM - thank you for sharing that experience. I think you're amazing and from the viewpoint of someone much older, I can tell you no experience is ever lost. It will serve you well at some stage in the future.

Hey 150! There's no age limit on monster milkshakes - and when you're my age, 33 is very young. Anyhows, in case you'd like to join an older crowd, we are about to introduce monster milkshakes in the BB cafe too and you would be very welcome. So, take your pick - or have one in each cafe! (Oh, I feel a bit sick just saying that haha).

Right, having just consumed a real ice cream sundae and had the huge excitement of meeting a lovely new friend, I'm all tired out. So I will leave you young 'uns to it and go for a nanna nap. 😃

Kaz

xxx

Hey dear SM!!

First of all no apologies needed for the lovely stories and for using your initials, totally understandable :-) And as for your stories, they are very interesting and I liked the one about your job, sometimes you just have to write it down and that makes you feel much better, doesn't matter that much even who you are writing too! It's awesome to hear you've done training in helping children with Autism, in 2014, when I was 14, I volunteered with some friends in an Autism centre in Shenzhen, China, we didn't help all that much in a practical sense I guess because we hadn't done any professional trainings or anything like that, but we got to play with the children, and attend their lessons with them, or sometimes just sitting there quietly watching some cartoons with them. I really didn't do all that much, and I'd pick the cutest looking little kid to play with which makes me feel a little embarrassed and bad... I would try to help all and be more engaged with them all now if I still had the chance to go back, they are little gems and they live in their beautiful worlds, it is a wonderful thing for the rest of the world to have them, they are treasures :-)

Haha I got carried away for a little bit, hope you don't mind :) And the thing is it is hard to multi-task I understand!! I can't imagine having to do all these things at once, and I would feel anxious as well because I'd be nervous that I was doing something wrong or not guiding the child in the right way, it is very stressful. I'm glad to hear you felt a bit relived and it's normal that you'd feel a bit sad too :)

I'm running out of words as well! The time when you all stood and clapped for the teacher sounds amazing haha... I can imagine it could've been a pretty funny scene :D And I'm glad you've had sometime to spend with your boyfriend, and it's cool what he does at Uni as well! I check and last year at Sydney Uni the ATAR for Bachelor of Psychology was 97, maybe I could start with another degree and transfer there, that'd be great :-)

Thank you for the kind words and sharing your lovely stories, have an awesome night and hope to hear from you soon!! You are awesome SM!!

With Love,

Grace xx

Hey dear 150lashes!!

Welcome welcome welcome!! And no you are never too old for a monster milkshake!! And who says 33 isn't young? I reckon you are young and you can stay forever young!! You are also welcomed here at anytime, there will be bean bags available and books as well on the corner shelfs, all drinks available, hot and cold, there will also be a chief there sometimes to cook some fancy food as required, because Kaz has said--Spare no expenses!! So we are going to enjoy ourselves in this cafe :)

Happy Saturday 150lashes and hope you have a great night!!

With Love,

Grace xx