How Packing Attacked Me

January 9, 2010

I had to take a picture of my house in case I forgot what it looks like (and what snow looks like). Tomorrow I will be leaving for school. This means Austin, TX for three months before returning home again for Easter weekend and a probable Milwaukee Half Marathon in April. The last time I was gone for so long was when I left for school in the middle of August and didn't come home until Thanksgiving break. I was excited, but honestly, scared to death. I was flying on my own to a state I've only been to a few times, to a city I've only been to twice, to a school where I knew no one, to play a sport at the collegiate level that I started playing 5 months before. This time it's a little different. Just kidding, a lot different. I am so excited to see my friends. I have a few people that I have gotten super close with, a big group of people I love hanging out with, and an even bigger group of people that I can't wait to get to know. I'm pumped to be on my own again. I love being independent and making my own decisions as I pave my own path in such a unique, beautiful, eclectic, and warm city. I had no problem being gone for three months before Thanksgiving, and I don't really expect to have a problem with it now.

Tonight a few of me and my sister's friends came over to hang out before my early departure in the morning. Ryan, Stephen, Nattie, Zach, Kayla, Ellie, Megan, Anne, Hannah and I all played a big ol' game of Kemps. It was awesome for me because I love that game (and maybe because Kayla and I are the reigning champs after tonight), while others (mainly the older crowd) were not so fond of it due to their unsuccess and the length of the game due to such a big group. Afterwards my friends and I, plus Sam, hung out and debated things like the practicality of the shows on Animal Planet.

Packing was a huge pain for me today because I definitely consumed more items after being home from Christmas that I needed to fit in my already-too-full suitcase. That is one big stress of going to school far away in that you can't take everything you want to school in the first place, but then you can't bring everything home that you want to from school for breaks, and on and on. It's a never ending cycle. Ugh. But I eventually figured it out at the expense of a bunch of t-shirts that I will now be living without until Spring.

Just one more thing... I also took my parents to the airport today for their 8 day trip to Isreal. It was really sad to say bye to them knowing that I won't see them for a long time. Hopefully they do get a chance to come visit within the next couple months especially because my sister will also be student teaching in Texas just three hours away from me. They said it's probable, and I'm excited. I love my parents so much and I can arguably deem them as The Best Parents In The World (though I'm rather biased)... but that's another story for another day. Goodnight!