I’ve gotten
used to living on my own now, I think (though I’m still looking forward
immensely to going home). Obviously I don’t have it all figured out; there’s
still a lot to learn. But the idea no longer seems strange or even that scary;
it’s a part of my life now – thought I’m still occasionally struck by the
thought of my parents going about their lives without me around; I think I
still subconsciously believe that the world goes into stasis in my absence. Wow
– I’m using a lot of qualifiers. But then, that’s what life is: a balance.
Enough
musing. I had a wonderful Easter weekend; it started with a Good Friday service
hosted jointly by the two biggest Christian groups on campus (the two I’m a
part of) and featured singing, testimonies, and even a ballet dancer. More than
that, it was great to see so many of my friends together in one place; I’m used
to thinking of them in different contexts, but it turns out that a lot of them
know each other already.
Easter
Sunday was fabulous; I woke up and enjoyed dressing up for church, now able to
walk for twenty minutes in a knee-length skirt and shawl in 45 degree weather
without feeling uncomfortable. The service was lovely, and afterwards I met a
senior from MIT who is from Texas and actually knows where Seguin it! We talked
for a while, and then I headed back to my room for some Bible study, a nap, and
a great Skype® chat with my parents and all four of my grandparents
(It’s the first time since the beginning of the school year we’ve successfully
gotten the internet connection to work well enough for video).
I also had
a nice dinner with a friend last night and then headed off to a surprise
birthday party. The only problem being that the guest of honor never showed up
– I guess that’s the risk you take by making it a surprise party. I did get a
little work done on one of my research papers during the hour we spent waiting,
so it turned out to be a productive evening. Overall it was a pretty relaxed
day.
Which
means, of course, that today is not relaxed at all. It’s Patriots’ Day, in case
you were wondering – Lexington and Concord. It’s also the day of the Boston
Marathon, which makes it the center of Boston Strong. And there’s Easter. And
Passover. And yet we have classes. Oh, well. I suppose it’s the thought that
counts. MIT is off until Wednesday, though, which means that we didn’t have
ROTC at 6:00 this morning – a definite plus.
I have now
reached that point in the year where I can write out a list – a very long list,
but a comprehensive one – of every single assignment I need to turn in for the
rest of the year. It makes one feel slightly overwhelmed, but I learned years
ago that I feel a lot better if I can see what needs to be done, give it a spot
in my schedule, and then cross it off as one more thing accomplished.
I have a
presentation and paper due tomorrow, two papers and a presentation due
Wednesday, three papers and a presentation due at the end of reading period, an
exam on Monday, and a take-home exam due on Wednesday. And of course, there are
normal assignments. And so I’m returning to the same metaphor I immerse myself
in at the end of every year or, in this case, semester – the final sprint.
I suppose I
have a special connection with this metaphor because of the timed runs we do
for ROTC. Every time I bring up the phrase, I remember all those early mornings
going around and around the track and finally knowing that this lap will be the
last one, that when I cross the line this time, I’ll be done. Timing is very
important: start too early and you’ll run out of energy; start too late and you
won’t reach your potential. Hopefully I’ve timed things right.
I hope you
all had a wonderful Easter, and thank all of you again for taking the time to
read! Just think - when I post again, it will be the last week of school!
PS – If
you’d like to see my a cappella group in action, this is the link to the video
of our entire concert (along with MIT’s group opening for us).
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