Homesick Blues

I have a confession. For the first time, since school started back in September, I was homesick. Friday was a rough day for me. I was stressed out with all I had to do over the weekend for Monday. Mainly I had a five page paper due and a concert that I was really nervous about for some weird reason. Anyways Friday I was rather emotionally unstable. My mom sent me a random I'm thinking of you card, that I got Friday. I read her note, that wasn't meant to make me feel sad or homesick, and I all of a sudden really missed home. From that moment on, all I wanted to do was go home and be with my family. It hasn't even been two months since I saw them last! For some reason reading my mom's card made me miss her. I became rather upset because I only wanted to go home, but I didn't have a way to get there. I didn't even want to go to my track meet on Saturday. It was really weird to be homesick. I have never wanted to go home so badly in my life. All I wanted to run to my mom and give her a big hug. I became upset again when I realized that I would have to wait another month until I saw anyone in my family again. It is weird looking back on my homesick blues. ( The picture is of my sister Lindsey and I at the family cookie bake).

I never realized how much of a routine I get into at college. It is fairly easy to have your own life in college without even talking to your parents. I tend to talk to or email my parents almost every day. Up until Friday I thought that I was a very independent self-reliant freshman. I didn't even go home to be with my family over J-term break like most people did! However being stressed out Friday made me realize that even though I have my own life miles away, my family is still a very important part of my everyday life. Being homesick made me realize that I am not as independent as I once thought I was. I am still 18. Being homesick also made me realize how important it is to have good close friends in college. Luckily I was able to talk to my roommates and Chris about missing my family. The girls were excellent listeners and Chris offered to drive me home. It was really nice to have friends to turn to. Sure they aren't quite as good as my mom or little sister, but they are pretty close. They made me feel a lot better. With their help I think I will be able to wait until Spring Break until I see my family again.
This week will hopefully be better than last week. I don't think I will be homesick, but I might be a little stressed out. I hope you all have a great week!-Leah

Track Meets

Let’s see, where do I begin? I can honestly say that I really did not do anything exciting this weekend, nobody came to visit, and the girls and I did not do anything too crazy. Friday night we went to see the Imani Winds concert. Imani Winds is one of the best woodwind quintets in the nation right now, they were amazing. After that I played guitar hero and went to bed. I spent all day Saturday-7am to 11pm- at a track meet. Needless to say when we got back Saturday night I promptly went to bed. Even though the meet was really long, I had a lot of fun.

Sierra, Brooke, Anna, and I goofed off for most of the day. One nice thing about the meet being so long was that we were able to almost fully recover in between events. We had a lot of fun cheering on the rest of the team while we waited to run. The four of us took a lot of pictures to kill the time. We tried to do homework, but it didn't work so well.

The infamous paideia research project has started. I have a five page research paper due on Friday. My class’s research topic is Auschwitz. I am focusing on women and the relationships they made during their time in Auschwitz. The topic is fascinating, but really emotionally draining. I almost started crying when I was reading a memoir written by a man who was in Auschwitz for a little less than a year. After the five page paper is done we have a twelve page paper due three weeks from yesterday, Monday. It sounds like a lot of time, but I have the feeling that I will be scrambling at the last minute to finish things.

I am practicing flute a lot because we have a concert this Sunday night for the Dorian Band Festival. Plus starting this semester my flute teacher added the rule that we must practice for at least six hours a week if we want an A in flute lessons. I have yet to practice six hours in one week, but I have gotten fairly close. It is difficult to find time to practice, especially since it is completely individual. I am finding that I have to be a little more disciplined this semester so that I can get everything done. I am excited for this weekend; I have another track meet which will be fairly long again and the concert! I hope you have a great rest of the week!-Leah

Second Semester Speed

Second semester has started in a whirl wind. My profs have not decided to ease into second semester, instead we have jumped completely in. No getting used to school here. I have been a little stressed out trying to balance homework, flute practicing, band, track, friends, work, sleep, and eating. My days are completely full. At times I feel like I am back in high school where I would be gone for twelve hours everyday. I have a couple days during the week where I don't go back to my room for almost ten or eleven hours. It is a little ridiculous. However it is necessary for me so that I can get everything done. At first I was freaked out about being gone for so long, but I have gotten used to it. Being involved in many different things has actually been really good for me. I am more productive and focused when I do my homework.

Today I had my first track meet. It went well. I was really really nervous!! My friends Sierra and Brooke and I were in a relay together, which was really fun. Track has been very enjoyable, and the people in it are really fun. Sierra, Brooke, and I laugh a lot and sometimes we are not very focused. Today was a good experience. It is really nice to have my first college meet over with! It wen better than I expected.

I hope that next week is not quite as crazy as this week, but I don't think so. Life goes more quickly in college than high school, I hardly feel like I am already done with one week of second semester! Hopefully life will slow down. I hope you have a great, relaxed week!-Leah