Coffee Chat: Life Updates and Studying Abroad

Long time, no blog post!

I considered doing an Instagram post on this topic, but I thought that a blog felt more fitting given all the life updates I have to share with all of you. A lot has transpired over the last few months, including finishing the fall quarter of my junior year, living off-campus for the first time, and visiting Jamaica over winter break. For the sake of this post, however, I’m just going to give a few brief highlights to catch you all up to speed on where I’m at right now and what my future looks like: 

1. London Bound for 2024 — If you’ve been keeping up with my Instagram page at all over the past couple weeks, then I don’t think it’s a surprise to learn that I’m studying abroad in London this semester. It still feels surreal to say that aloud; I’m in London, as in late-night pubs, tea and biscuits, and Big Ben a short Tube ride away. I’ve already seen so much in the handful of days that I’ve been here, and I can’t wait for all the amazing memories that I’m going to make and places I’m going to visit in the future. (With a sprinkle of biochemistry thrown in there because ~ school ~ … I’m mostly joking when I say to send prayers).    

   
   

2. New Year, More Yoga — I haven’t provided an update on my injury situation in a while, and a large part of that is because of the uncertainty surrounding the exact cause of all the muscular tightness and pain I’ve been experiencing. It’s undoubtedly frustrating to deal with such a long-term health issue without clarity on the recovery timeline, but I’ve learned so much from this experience that I know will only benefit me in the long-run. Speaking of running, have I mentioned that I miss it? Like really miss it, a whole lot — but right now the movement that my body needs to heal and recover is yoga/stretching based, and if I’ve learned anything over the past year, it’s that pushing through things or doing too much too soon is never the answer. And if that means swapping my morning runs for morning yoga sessions, then that’s what I’m going to do, and that’s self-growth right there. 

   
   

3. Life After College — When I return from London in early June this year, it’ll officially mark the end of my junior year, which means that I’ll be preparing to enter my final fall quarter of college. How did that happen? Part of me still feels like the wide-eyed, bubbly 18-year-old freshman preparing to leave home for first-year orientation. The other part of me realizes that I’ve grown so much in the past 3 years, more than I ever thought possible, and that I’m ready and excited to start the next chapter of my life as a “real” adult. (Yes, I know that I’m technically already one, but I consider myself a semi-adult while still living in my little college bubble where I don’t have to worry about things like taxes or electricity bills, you know?) There will be a lot of time in the upcoming months to reminisce about my undergraduate experience and finalize my plans for post-undergrad, but for now I think it’s suffice to say that I plan on soaking up every moment of my senior year.