Yesterday I woke up to an email saying that I have grad orientation in two weeks. I don’t know what your first inclination was, but mine was that summer is coming to an end. While that might make some people sad, I actually really enjoy being a student. With learning being one of my core values, I don’t think you’re growing if you’re not learning at least one new thing everyday.
While summer is the season with the longest days of the year, it is quickly wrapping up. And I’m sure that people are trying to squeeze in one last summer vacation or are preparing to shop for the school year, but I have some goals I want to complete before the season is over. That’s what I wanted to talk about today before I fully get into the back-to-school mindset. Keep reading to find out more.
Enjoying My Off Time
Since being in this relationship, my type A tendencies have melted away overtime. It’s been great, because it has really allowed me to truly relax and enjoy this summer for what it is. I actually let myself sleep in a lot more often, and I’ve been able to set some boundaries with people because I am no longer fueled by the desire to have people like me.
Honestly, it has been so freeing for me. Like, I know Shonda Rhimes wrote about a Year of Yes, but I have found so much power in saying no to things that truly don’t serve me. There used to be a time when people would ask me to do things, and I would feel obligated to do everything. It’s so nice to have some time to unwind and take care of myself, or to have more time for me to do other things that I actually want to do. It has been a very refreshing summer for me.
Spending Time with Loved Ones
Once school starts, I know that I won’t have as much time to spend with my family and friends. In my mind, I imagine that grad school is going to be a priority in my life, and I don’t know how much time I’ll have to commute to see my family or see a movie with my friends. Damian is probably going to be the person I miss the most, because he is home with my family for the duration of this year to act as support for my sister while I can’t be there. So summer for me has been trying to spend as much time with these people and my dog as I can before the school year starts.
Settling Into My New Home
I know I said that I have orientation in 2 weeks, but I will say that I had a preorientation back in May. In a Zoom with my fellow cohort, our program director advised us that we should move in before the school year actually starts. She warned us that moving in the first week of classes is going to be pretty hectic. Lucky for me, my move-in date had been a week after receiving that advice.
Let me tell you that if I had gone through all the move in problems I had to deal with along with my first week of grad school, I think I would have a meltdown before reaching the end of the week. Luckily, I already had plans to move, and being prepared in this way has removed what could’ve been a major stress point for me when school starts.
Saving Money
No one in America needs me to tell you that inflation seems like it’s going to crush the average American this year. It also goes without saying that the price of college continues to rise, and I feel like that is a little ridiculous. Between these two things, there was definitely no way that I was going to ball out this summer on extravagant vacations.
My boyfriend actually asked me why I continued to commute to my old job (reference: “The Weekend Where I Still Have Some Hula Hoop Skills” and “The Quiet Weekend of Nursing and Working“), and my answer was because it pays well and I needed to save money for school. I have been making plans to get a job near us once the school year starts, but for now, I was making a decent living. I have no desire to be in debt for the rest of my life, so I think working and saving is very important to me right now.
Getting My Skin In Check
There are two physical attributes that give me confidence, and those things are my legs and my skin. Because I grew up with people who were typically criticizing me for my looks, there are times where I question if I’m pretty. However, the two things that I am pretty confident in are that I love how my legs look, and I’ve put so much work into my skin that it makes me smile at how good it looks. There’s a part of me that thinks that I’m conceited for saying that, but it’s what I got.
Anyway, recently my esthetician used a stronger enzyme on my skin that made it more dry than it’s ever been. Not just for the day, but for two full weeks after. It drove me quite crazy, and I could not keep my hands off my face. Now my skin is at this place of being back to normal, and maybe it is a bit glowy from getting rid of the dead stuff, but I don’t want to go back to that. So my goals are to continue maintaining this, and to figure out how to keep my nose pores from getting clogged, because those extractions are super painful for me to endure each time I see her.
Are there any last minute things you’re doing before you go back to school? What are some things you do in the summer to make the school year easier for you? Did you enjoy this summer? I would love to know your answers in the comments down below!
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Love Always,
Kristi My
Kristi My Dao 