Waiting For Wednesday

I’m taking a break from studying for my biochem final to update. Last week was pretty good–classes were done Friday, thank goodness. This semester’s been something else…

Dr. Elrod had a chem majors dinner on Thursday night and Jeremy was able to make it. The food was really good, almost as good as the company. Following dinner, Jeremy went out to his car to discover he’d left his lights on and that he needed to have his car jumped off, which Dr. Elrod was more than happy to help with. It was quite a funny evening. Jeremy had a rough week, but I hope this one is better for him. 

I had a great weekend with Jeremy, and I even got to see some of my South Carolina relatives yesterday. I really miss getting to see them as often as I had in the past. I hope to be able to visit them again sometime soon.

In other news on Goatneck, the Stockbridge Johnsons spent the weekend moving some of their things up here to begin their next great adventure–building a house. So, Mark is staying with Papaw, Wanda with her mother (she is still working for a bit down south), and Stephen is up at the cabin, commuting everyday to Atlanta. They have been working hard, and I look forward to having them around more.

I am about to go get something good to eat. I can’t stand to eat cafeteria food during finals. A years-worth of it is quite enough, so I’m off to find some Italian or Asian cuisine.

I called my friend Amanda this afternoon to see how she is doing–her father passed away yesterday and I wanted to make sure she didn’t need anything. She said she’d call back when she knows more about the memorial service tomorrow, so I may be making a visit to Toccoa tomorrow afternoon.

I finished one exam today. I have two tomorrow morning and then another Wednesday morning. I simply cannot WAIT for this semester’s end. It is so deliciously close to being over, and I will feel so much better when it is. This has been a tough year and I am feeling quite burnt out, so a break will be marvelous. I finish moving out Wednesday and check out Thursday morning.

More later. When I’m done with all of this MESS.

Almost Done With Spring & Learning To Let Go

I just finished a good helping of tofu Pad Thai and coconut milk. It was very good. I finished both of my organic chemistry take-home exams today, so I thought it was appropriate to reward myself. Now I just have to study for my electrochemistry exam on Friday and then my series of finals starting on Monday. As of right now, I’m scheduled to take my Instrumental final on Monday, my Biochem and Ochem exams on Tuesday and then my Calc. III final on Wednesday. I think I’ll talk to Elrod and see if I can get my Ochem exam over with on Monday after Instrumental–they’re the standardized national exams and quite annoying to take. That way I can focus on studying my Biochem pathways and reworking my Calc. III quizzes.

I am really looking forward to being done with this semester. Not that I haven’t enjoyed parts of it, but this past year has been particularly tough, and I’m sure that senior year won’t be much easier. At least it’s a year closer to graduation, right? I’ve got to start moving stuff out next week. And then it’s a few days of relaxing before moving to Athens to work at UGA. I am looking forward to being back in a research group–it’s always an adventure and a great chance to meet new people. I am going to push myself this summer since I’ll be asking my PI to write me a recommendation letter this fall for graduate programs. It should be exciting, though, to be close enough so that my family can actually come visit to see what I do (and that I actually DO work). I just have to get all the details worked out sometime in May.

I worked hard today, but I did take a minute to walk outside the library this afternoon when it was sunny. It’s been really pretty around campus lately and all of the flowers are blooming. My favorite is the honeysuckle bush out next to the sidewalk on the far side of the cafeteria. I love the smell of honeysuckles. It reminds me of the big honeysuckle bush we had next to our house on the farm in Forsyth County that I’d eat off of during the warmer months.

I have been quite transient (I don’t think that’s even the right word, but I am not an English major, so I’ll let it go.) since last summer–floating between campus, my dorm, my parents’ house, and Jeremy’s house. Since I returned from Pittsburgh, I have felt a bit more nostalgic than normal, but I have learned that memories are best if seen from the present without trying to recreate them. I know that may not make much sense to those reading this, but it has been a very hard lesson for me to learn. Part of me is always going to want those things from my past that I enjoyed so much, but I know that I need to move forward instead of continuously looking back. Retrospect is not bad, but I tend to dwell in the past too much for my own good. I am learning that it is okay to go with the flow, to not be afraid of change, and to embrace the moments that are truly worthwhile.

That being said, I have been trying to work through my thoughts without being overwhelmed by them. Thoughts such as, “What will happen to me when I graduate?” “Will I ever get a job and will it be one that I enjoy?” “What if I don’t get accepted to a graduate program?” “I will be letting everyone down if I don’t do well…” , etc… I have been trying to think more positively–less worrying, more dreaming. That is how it is supposed to be, right? Less negative, more positive. I CAN triumphs over I CANNOT.

Not that I won’t get things done or that I am not concerned with my work. I will get the work done. But I do know that this is just a small portion of my life as a whole and that I needn’t let such worries take over my mind. It will all get done one way or another. And I’ll have a good time with it, too. I also need to start living in the moment more–I find myself always concerning myself with negative thoughts about the distant future, and usually regarding things over which I have little control. I need to let those concerns go. They are not here. And they have not happened. And they may or may not, but it is not for me to decide. These things are not in my court, so to speak, and I can only have faith that the future holds what is best for me. I should not wish it here so quickly; it will be here before I know it.

I have so much to be thankful for; I have a great family (hilarious), wonderful friends (patient), and the best friend ever in Jeremy. They all mean so much to me, and I know I do not tell them nearly enough. I have my health, and I’ve lost some weight. Despite all of my worrying, I have it pretty good. I just need to remind myself every once in awhile. It’s important.

More later…I’m tired and I start to wax philosophic after my brain turns off….

Elrod’s Cooking Tonight

So this week has been pretty stressful, but I’ve made it through the worst.

On top of four (now five since I got another one today) exams, I have been trying to get some of the details worked out regarding my summer housing in Athens. Jeff Urbauer and Ed Kelly have been quite helpful thus far and I am sending in an application for housing tomorrow morning. I need to go down there mid-May to get my parking worked out.

I am going over to Dr. Elrod’s tonight for the annual chemistry dinner party thing. I think it’ll be fun.

I can’t wait for this semester to be done with. It’s been so tedious.

More later when I get back.