Transitions

I went back to San Jose for a doctor's appointment and picked up a few more supplies, namely a bookshelf for this semester's new textbooks, an aloe plant, and a few postcards for my suitemates' and my decorative purposes. The lighting was excellent this morning, so I decided to take a few aesthetic pictures to practice photo composition and editing. Aside from that, I spent the morning doing extensive self care after a less than pleasant experience being in Almaden with my parents again (no surprise there). However, the trip wasn't all for nought. I was able to visit Leland to see a few teachers and friends, which is always slightly awkward but nevertheless puts me in a good mood.

A pleasant surprise awaited me when I returned to my dorm room. I had bought a stargazer lily last week, a completely unnecessary splurge, but it made me so happy (documented on Instagram). To my dismay, the two large blooms wilted within a few days, but when I got back, the two buds had bloomed! They're not as large as the original lilies, but they're just as pretty.

Unfortunately, though I brought my textbooks with me (and yes, I finally got my textbooks after they've been sold out for weeks), I didn't do any homework over the weekend. Today was spent stressing over a sociology quiz (I actually did really well on it on the first try), cramming readings (an ongoing process), attempting to start a political science essay (meaning I thought about it but didn't start), and attending extracurricular events (RHA is taking a lot more time than I had expected). Tomorrow is definitely going to be work heavy day, but in the meantime, I'm letting myself take today as a recovery day after visiting Almaden.

I'm also trying to reevaluate what my priorities are, because while my time management isn't too shoddy, it could use some improvement. Lately, I've realized I've invested too much energy in social media and not enough energy in an actual social life. I've tried to cut back on all "newsfeed" style sites: Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter (which I never really used in the first place), Pinterest, and Instagram (which I don't use much of in the first place because I only follow six people, so there's not much to keep up with).

Once I am all caught up with my work (there's a lot to catch up on as I've only recently bought my textbooks due to supply shortage), I'll finally be able to settle into a fixed schedule for the semester and have the stability to start pursuing more consistent friendships. It's difficult in the first few weeks because I've been meeting so many new people, I forget more names and faces than I remember. Also, now that I have acquired of all my supplies and textbooks for the semester, a more stable homework pattern should emerge, and I'll be able to establish a better sleep schedule.

I'm feeling surprisingly enthusiastic towards transitioning into a more competent adult. I've already figured out a grocery shopping schedule, which means I'm eating healthier, with fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement dining hall food. Cutting back on social media should also give me more space of mind to reevaluate other aspects of my life and have a sense of order in the things I do, something that is very important to me. College has been great, and aside from work, it only looks like it's going to get better. ◊