Hello everyone,
It’s been a while. I apologize. I was traveling and didn’t have access to internet all that often. I actually don’t have access to internet right now but I decided to write this blog now and then copy and paste it into the actual blog tomorrow when I’ll be having lunch at a Panera Bread.
This has been my summer of random roadtrips. I’ve been to 11 states in the past month and there’s a few more to come in the next week; I’ve gotten really good at setting up my tent quickly and I’ve slept in my car twice (it’s really not that uncomfortable). I’ve also been to 8 concerts, strolled through various cities, explored national parks, visited two good friends from undergraduate, painted a shirt, made a video and and and. There definitely haven’t been a lot of dull moments. ;)
I’m currently at my new institution – I decided to drop off half of my belongings now before going to Invisible Children’s Lobby Days (Monday, Tuesday). Then I’ll get the rest of my stuff and return for good. One more week of vacation and on July 6, I’ll be starting my new job.
I’m excited – and nervous. New beginnings, new places, new people stress me out. I’m worried about making a good impression, about proving that they made a good decision by hiring me, about living up to my own expectations. I don’t like the feeling of not knowing what to do – how things are done here. I worry about my relationships with the other staff members – professional staff and student staff. I worry about vandalism in my building – after all, I’ll be in a new building and it’ll be horrible if my students “destroy” the new facilities. And even though I’m not responsible for their actions, there’ll always be the question, “ Was there something that I could have done?”
Did I mention that I have a tendency to overanalyze things and freak myself out?!?
I like to set new goals for myself over the summer but I’m having a hard time doing that this year. There’s just so much you don’t know when you start a new job. I mean, I know how to be a hall director; but I don’t know how to be a hall director HERE.
As always, I have the goal of making my personal life a bit more of a priority; as always, we’ll see how that goes. I have a few friends here; maybe that’ll help. I drove around today and saw all the shops and restaurants – so at least IF I want to go somewhere, there’ll be places to go. And there’s the beach!!! I can’t wait to go to the beach; just stretch out on a towel and relax, daydream, read a good book. I really want a boat! Haha, I know I’m crazy. But seriously, could you imagine anything more amazing than going out on a boat, turning off the motor and just floating around while reading a good book. That’d be so relaxing! :D I even thought of some good boat names: I was thinking Lily or Phoenix (both inspired by Harry Potter), Bregenz or Elisabeth (Austria), Fantaghiro (princess in my favorite fairy tale), See The World (hmmm, maybe inspired by a band I know…LoL), dragonfly or imagine. Any thoughts?
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the future lately. It all started when one of my friends told me that she got engaged and will be getting married next summer. Since then, my friends and I have talked about weddings, bachelorette parties, our dream vacation home in Tuscany (we want to rent one – or later buy it – and get our four families to go there and hang out), children, etc. Yeah, our topics of conversation have changed quite a bit from when we first starting hanging out. LoL.
If this was my summer of random roadtrips, next year will be my summer of international wedding. I’m going to India for one of my friend’s weddings and then I’ll be going to Austria for my other friend’s wedding. I just hope none of the dates overlap (I also hope they don’t overlap with the NACURH conference since I’ll be the RHA Advisor next year….yay!!!...and would love to take a delegation to NACURH). And I should probably start saving money and vacation days now because that’ll be quite a bit of traveling – and not as cheap as me driving around the US and sleeping in my car, a tent or a cheap hotel room that I reserved through hotwire.com the night before.
Well, I’m off to bed. I’m too lazy to get sheets out of one of my boxes; I think I’ll just use my sleeping bag. I’ve gotten so used to the simple life.
I hope you’re all enjoying the summer!
