The beginning of change

Sunday September 1 was my first grocery shopping trip for living on my own (well I mean I went with my friends, not alone). We decided we should make dinner together and bought ingredients for pizza!

That evening I went to mass with Maggie then spent the rest of the night in bed. Wether it was something to do with my kidney stone episode, or anxiety about having kidney stones while being away at school, I had an awful pain that reminded me all too much of that eventful day this summer when I dealt with it.

Monday was Labor Day so we didn't have classes! I didn't really do much, but I did wake up to numerous sweet text messages from my sweet boy wishing me a happy two year anniversary together. I too, was thankful and my heart especially full of love.

Tuesday September 3 was my first and last physics lab. I liked that it was so much more relaxed than chemistry labs were, but I was still happy that was my only one!

That evening I went to Target with Alex and Brooke then had a yummy chicken dinner Alex made for us.

Wednesday September 4 they were giving away free tickets to the Lumineers concert on campus in October. I stood in a line, nervous that I was going to be late to my appointment, but ended up getting a spot before many, many others that stood behind me and got a ticket just in time!

I then headed (okay actually I pretty much ran) to the third floor of the student center for my first of many career appointments with Chandra. I was so nervous, I didn't know if she would try to persuade me against dropping physical therapy, or if I did the right thing by making an appointment with her in the first place. Things went well. I explained that I just didn't want to be a physical therapist anymore. I know the classes I have been in are more introductory, but I just don't actually really like science courses. I also explained that when I shadowed physical therapy this summer it was just kind of slow paced and repetitive, neither of which were appealing to me. She nodded and listened and was very understanding. I told her I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do, but was thinking something with writing or art or counseling or somehow helping people. She said that was still a wide range and explained what they do to help students who would like to change but aren't sure what they want to go into. I agreed that I would continue to meet with her. She gave me a personality and interest assessment to do online that we would discuss in my next appointments. I also talked to her about changing classes, but she said I would remain in my courses that I was currently registered for. This would help give us lots of time, ensuring I made the right decision and also prevent me from having to catch up in new classes. She did however, agree with me that it would be reasonable to go ahead and drop my physics course! Yay!

That evening I met Alex and walked to the Flying Cow. I was so excited and so relieved and couldn't hold it in! I told her about my appointment and that I was no longer going to go to school to become a physical therapist. She was a little surprised I think, but very supportive and encouraging. It was awesome talking to her about everything like always, but especially that!

My mom was also supportive in this. At first she thought I should give it another try or something I don't even remember. But as I talked to her she realized my heart really wasn't in it and agreed that I was doing the right thing. It has been very helpful, just like Josue, Maria, and all of my friends back home that are supporting me!

Thursday September 5 included time spent at SLUruba and watching (and falling in love with) The OC with Alex for the first time. She had been telling me to watch it sine last year and I'm so thankful we finally took a chance and she played an episode! So good!

In between those fun events, I had my meeting with my academic advisor (well actually it wasn't mine because I scheduled it with the wrong one, whoops). She listened as I explained my change of desire in career path and also agreed that I could drop physics! It was so exciting because that class, even though I was only in it for a week, was really hard and going to be such a struggle, and if it wasn't even necessary I didn't want to put myself through that. She also helped me set up an appointment with someone in the physical therapy department to talk to about what was going on.

Friday September 6 I had my meeting with Ginge, one of the professors of physical therapy. Again, I was pretty nervous going into the meeting and it did not help that she was running behind schedule. Once I got to talk with her everything was fine. I found that, like everyone else, she was happy for me to be able to make this decision and find something that better fits me. She also remembered how much I wanted to try to do a visual communications minor, which was just going to be too much of a hassle with physical therapy and could tell my heart was elsewhere. Ginge agreed that it would be okay to drop physics and also told me to go ahead about drop my DPT class if I was sure I didn't want to do physical therapy anymore. We both knew my mind was set.

I also made time for SLUruba Friday. While enjoying the sunshine, the sweetest song came on my pandroa station sung by Ben Rector. I told Josue about it and then realized that honestly my favorite genera of music is just love songs. (particularly acoustic sounding love songs) I really do love lyrics that tell a love story, or at least that someone is fond of someone else, especially when they apply to the love in my life.

Saturday September 7 I woke up and was just so joyful. I was happy to have made it through all of my appointments with the faculty members and how well each one went. I was happy to be done with physics. I was happy and hopeful to figure out what I really, truly wanted to do with my life career-wise. I woke up and made blueberry muffins for Maggie and I as she was still sleeping. After enjoying our breakfast, I put on Ben Rector songs and convinced Maggie that even she hadn't heard of him before, he was really great and we should go to his concert in Saint Louis. She was feeling the joy too and in the spur of the moment we each went online and bought one! I was so excited and just added to the happiness of the day.

During this weekend I also took advantage of the weather and went for runs outside around campus. 

back to school, back to school

I love to write, I love my life, and I love my blog. I am sorry to myself/and anyone else that may look at this that I have neglected my blog and done such a poor job of posting lately. I just don't want to leave any part out so I feel necessary to go back to where I left off, even if it isn't very relevant and have a hard time catching up. But one of my very best friends just told me she missed my blog as we were on the topic about writing so I decided it was time to write even if I don't have time to do a full catching up to speed.

When I left off, summer had just ended. I had the post-summertime blues. I did not want to come back to school. I almost felt a little guilty as all of my friends were excited to come back to SLU for our sophomore year and I was wishing summer was ever-lasting.

Friday morning I said my last round of goodbyes, each with a face full of tears. It started with Michael as he left for school that morning, Maggie before she went to the kennel, then I drove to Josue's house to say goodbye before he went to school, next to my dad's, and last to my grandparents' house. Everyone said it would be okay, as I knew it would be (and as it has been), but I was still not happy to leave any of them. Then my mom, Dan, and I drove in a packed van to Saint Louis.

We first went to my new residence- Marchetti East. We unloaded all of my stuff and rearranged the furniture in Maggie and I's apartment. It looks so much better than we originally found it. Everything has it's own place and looks like it belongs there, rather than the chaos and disorganized state the furniture was arranged in when we got here. I love having so much room, a kitchen, and a balcony with a view that include the arch. 

Then it was time to hit the stores. We went to Target and Bed Bath and Beyond to get the rest of the stuff I needed. Then we went to a tasty dinner at the Macaroni Grill.

Friday night I stayed in the apartment with Maggie and woke up Saturday to join my mom and Dan in the hotel for breakfast. We made another quick shopping outing to get the last minute things we had forgotten the day before. Then came back to the apartment to unload it. 

I was so sad when my mom and Dan left. They took off earlier than the original set time and I was not ready for it.

I spent the rest of the afternoon in the apartment working on my pictures beside my bed. I love the way it turned out! I love to lay in my bed and look at all of the smiles of the loved ones in my life, as a smile comes across my own face thinking of the memories captured in each picture.

Saturday evening I joined Alex, my roommate last year, and her family for dinner. We went to The Old Spaghetti Factory. It was in such a cute, quaint part of St. Louis called Laclede's Landing full of brick cobblestone roads and horse drawn carriages. The food was really good and I loved getting to spend time with her family! They are so loving and always make me feel as if I was one of them.

Sunday August 25 I was excited to go to the 9pm mass. It was so crowded that we did not get a seat and had to stand among many in the back of the church. I do love that church and was thinking about the year before when my floor was going, but I missed them and ended up finding Maggie who was also on my floor but behind. It was the beginning of our friendship.

Monday and Tuesday were our first classes for the semester. It also included a water leak which was not fun to deal with. These include human physiology, psychology of work, philosophy, physics, Medieval Christianity, physics lab, and DPT. I no longer am in physics (or the lab portion) or DPT. My favorite class has remained my psych class. I really like my instructor, as well as the content of the material we cover.

Tuesday it was still hot and sunny, even after 3 o'clock when Alex got out of class. We decided we should definitely go swimming, but were turned away from SLUruba when we saw how crowded it was. We sat in her car in the parking garage trying to look up public pools in Saint Louis and eventually found one to adventure to. Well it wasn't exactly a public pool, we had to create memberships and even got our picture taken and cards. It was so much fun! We were so happy to be in the sunshine and in the water. I missed Alex and it was great getting to talk more about how our summers were and first few days back at school! Plus I just thought it was such a random thing that we did going there, making it funny and all the more fun, feeling like I was not at school.

Wednesday August 28 Maggie, Alex, Brooke, and I brought our blankets to the quad and joined many other students to watch The Great Gatsby projected on a huge blow up screen. It was so fun watching the movie outside.

Thursday night Maggie and I went to see Kate McKinnon who is currently a member of the SNL cast. She wasn't quite what we expected, but it was good to laugh after a long week.

Saturday August 31 I joined some of my friends in going to Danielle's grandparents' lake house! It was fun being on the water and feeling the sunshine on my skin, but being around her family did make me miss my own. We also water skiied and went tubing which was fun and exciting.