It’s a Monday and it’s a Marvelous one. Maybe not as marvelous as those beach days, but still, as good as I could have hoped for here. I won’t lie, I’m missing the marina more than I could have ever imagined, but I’m trying not to let it hold me back. So let’s look at the good things going on in my life right now to make me forget that there are still 1 month and 15 days left before I’m back where I want to be. Which really isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things.
marvelous is... school starting today! I won’t be on a legitimate schedule for a few weeks because my internship hasn’t started yet, but I do have a night class today, analytical chemistry lab tomorrow, and night class thursday. Not to mention daily lifeguarding shifts and a trial run to DC on Thursday. I live for a routine so this will at least get me started.
plus my Lilly planner came in and that makes me happy. Coupon here!
marvelous is… running. If there’s anything that will get me through this adjustment, it’s running. It’s one of the few constants in my life when I’m not injured. Friday I was really overwhelmed and homesick so I set out for a run and felt ridiculously out of shape. It turned out my stress levels were so high that I was basically sprinting the entire 35 minutes and came back happier and calm. I forgot about how powerful it can be. Sunday I went for a “long” run with Christine and it was amazing. I missed my training partner- we just fit really well together and it’s always so much more fun than going by myself. I mean, what better place for a vent session than a run?
we’re cute. and I look like a raccoon wearing makeup from the night before
marvelous is… a full kitchen. My mom and I went on grocery trips to wegmans, trader joe’s, fresh market, safeway, and target and I can safely say I have enough food to last me a month. She also cooked me enough meals to last me all of last week. That’s what moms are for, right? 
marvelous is… internet. You guys. I forgot what I was missing out on! The downside of this is that I haven’t been going to bed early enough. I just get so excited to be able to use my laptop after barely touching it for 3 months! Not to mention I can watch PLL and The Vineyard on our TV instead of my phone… anyone else crying over Luis leaving? And Below Deck. New favorite show. Holy Moly- a whole show about boat life? Sign me up.
marvelous is… friends. It has been a rough adjustment not seeing my RI friends aka the dock boys. There have been nights where all I want to do is lay in bed and cry (transition period… it’s normal) but I have so many friends here at school that keep my mind off things. I helped friends move in, went to coffee and grocery shopping with Christine, stopped in at the cross country party, and got a pedicure with one of my best friends. That’s a lot of social time for me.
marvelous is… understanding friends. Even though I love seeing everyone again, I’ve struggled a lot more than usual with this adjustment. I’ve learned to remove myself before I feel overwhelmed. I started to feel really anxious, so I cancelled my plans and let myself run and lay on the couch watching tv to unwind. I just needed time to myself. Luckily they were understanding and supportive of my decision and not at all offended that I was bailing on dinners and going out. There will be plenty of other opportunities to hang out; I don’t have to spend all my time with them in the first week.
marvelous is… cupcakes. Remember how I brought all of those cupcakes to Baltimore with me from Rhode Island? Yea. Well, my roommate and I couldn’t finish them before they started to get stale so my mom put them in the freezer in individual wrappers so I can take one out whenever I’m craving a cupcake… or feeling like I need a little reminder of boat life.
marvelous is… yoga. I’m so happy this is back in my life. I really want to do it multiple days a week this year, or as much as my credit card allows. I love this studio and it’s the only place that I can really relax and focus on myself. Not to mention I always walk out feeling refreshed and at peace (and sore for 3 days after).
marvelous is… nostalgia. In more ways than one. I love my coworkers so much. They’ve been including me in their group texts every day so I still know what’s going on at the beach. It’s really nice to know that they haven’t forgotten me and I love being able to sit there and laugh about our creeper friends BB, CBM, UBTM, and CHs (code names not to be shared) even though I’m 400 miles away at school. I also cleaned out my room in our condo while I was putting things away and found some pictures my roommate took of me sophomore year for her photography class. Nostalgia at its finest.
marvelous is… my ability to handle all of this. I have not actively restricted or engaged in any negative disordered eating cycles. I’m eating when I’m hungry even if it means dinner is before 5pm. I’m really proud of this one, more than any of the others, since a week like this one would have set me off in the past. Sure, I didn’t go out for dinner with my friends, but it’s because I wanted to finish watching House Hunters and eat the last of the home-cooked meals my mom made for me.
As you can see, my first week at school has been a rollercoaster. I did enjoy most of it, don’t get me wrong. I’ve grown up a lot since freshman year when I would have become a raging bitch if I felt overwhelmed, but now I can feel it coming and it has made all the difference. Life is only going to be as fun as you make it, and I’m determined to make senior year a good one (and hopefully stay out of the drama that some of you saw from my tweets this weekend).
How do you handle yourself when you feel overwhelmed in groups?
Do you have a hard time adjusting to new situations and environments?
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