It's the start of a new semester. My plan to keep up with this blog failed a bit miserably last semester and I make no promises for this semester except to say that I will try.
First, a recap of last semester. It was my first time living away from home for any significant amount of time. I did have a couple moments of homesickness, and I know that I'll probably get them again this semester especially when Spring begins to show. I always get homesick in the Spring. The first time my family moved, I would become depressed around the middle of April. It took me a couple years to realize why. Spring is the season of gardens and green, and to this day I still miss the garden from my first house. However, this semester I have my car with me so I'll have the chance to go home and soak in the Spring, Minnesota-style.
Being a part of the Equestrian team at school has been amazing. I love the people on the team, the coaches, and the show environment. In my last show, the one I had at Albion, I managed to meet my goal of placing. Better than that, my coach was sure I had taken first place. Unfortunately the three riders that followed me did amazingly and I was pushed back into fourth place. But still, it was exactly what I needed after my disappointment and frustration from the previous show. Now, we have one more show to travel to in February. We head to Lake Erie College and depending on how we do there we may or may not be heading to Florida for Nationals in May. My goal: place in the top three. This will be trickier because I won't be on horses I know, but I think I can do it.
My part in the Equestrian Club evolved last semester. The club members were broken into three committees. I volunteered for the public relations committee and ended up becoming the co-chair. I really loved the position and the people in my group are awesome. This semester I've moved up to becoming the sole chair and I am in the process of coordinating something with the local library involving horses. I'm excited about the idea.
Academically, last semester was a challenge. Two years of community college certainly prepared me for what professors wanted, but I had no social life while I was home. Most of my friends were already away at college. Instead, I worked and had little trouble balancing academics and employment. Here, things are a lot different. I'm involved in two clubs, on a team and have made very good friends with people in my building. Suddenly, my ability to balance everything wasn't working and I had to spend the semester learning how to do it all over. In a sense that's why I'm looking at this semester as a new beginning. I know how to write ten-page papers now. I know that I need to prioritize better, especially with bigger projects and so I've brought a month calendar this semester so I can see at a glance when I have projects and papers due. Now if I procrastinate it's an issue of motivation, not priorities. Hopefully that will make a difference.
Now begins a new semester. Technically, classes begin tomorrow, but I have no classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays. More than a few people have told me I'm insane for clumping all of my classes together, but I like the idea of having two days dedicated only to class and the rest for work and friends. We'll just have to judge my sanity after the first month, but I don't think I'll prove any more insane than I already am.
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