An Extensive Update

When I started blogging at the beginning of the year, I told myself that I would use this space to chronicle my journey. That included the good, bad and in between. For awhile, I was a 'daily' blogger. Then I started having trouble finding topics to discuss, so I became an 'every other day' blogger. Then time caught up with me and I quickly became a 'once a week' blogger. Finally, the semester hit like bag a bricks and I became a 'no longer have the energy to post' blogger.

Although the semester is finally over, I still feel physically drained. It's almost as if someone has run over me with their vehicle several times and I cannot pull myself off of the pavement.

My workouts have become nonexistent in a way. If I can get myself to pull up Nike Training Club and actually workout, I know it will be a good day (or in my case, a good night since that is when I tend to workout). The only problem, I have to get myself to actually get my weights and tablet so I can workout. I am not sure why it takes me so long to "get in the mood" to workout because I know that once I am done, my mind is finally clear, I feel good and I know that I am getting back into my workout groove.

Then there comes the issue of eating. The night before Thanksgiving, I ended up catching some type of cold (or perhaps it was a sinus infection, I am not quite sure), something that hasn't happened in nearly two years. On Thanksgiving, I literally felt like I was down for the count. I stayed medicated around the clock, but food and exercise were the last things on my mind. Five days and numerous boxes of medication later (they were never full boxes, I just cleaned up my medicine cabinet) my voice decided it wanted to get weak and my nasal congestion decided it wanted to get worse. Unfortunately for me, I had two presentations back to back. One where I had to take a break from my 3 minute portion to cough as loud as I possibly could and the other where it felt like I was straining for the entire room to hear me.

My voice eventually got stronger and my nasal congestion decided to linger around for another week but during this entire ordeal, my appetite decide it wanted to leave. In the span of a week, I lost 1.2 pounds from not eating proper meals. Any other time I would have rejoiced to see that loss but I knew I was doing damage to my body because I didn't feel like eating.

I have since gained that 1.2 pounds back (plus some) which I never thought I would be happy about but I am because I finally had an appetite again.

Fast forward to today, where I have not worked out once since December began, constantly feel hungry (although it seems that I eat all day long, I must be eating the wrong things) and feel like I have no energy. Therefore, starting tomorrow evening, I am giving myself a week to get back to working out and eating properly so by the time Christmas rolls around, I am back to my old self.

I have no excuse why I can't or won't be successful this week. I have new training cables, plenty of free weights, open space and MyFitnessPal which equals a recipe for success. I owe myself this Christmas gift because I have come too far on this journey to turn around.

Bittersweet Moment

Today, for the last time in my undergraduate career, I registered for classes. I titled this post 'bittersweet moment' because that is exactly what it was. I was happy to get all of the classes that I wanted but sort of sad that I won't be going through that process anymore.

The fact that I have registered for classes eight times, twice at my first university and six times at my current university, doesn't seem like much; but, those eight times have gotten me where I am today. Those eight times tell me that I must have made some great decisions along the way.

There were classes that I dreaded signing up for, classes that I was excited to sign up for and classes that I was on the fence about.

There will be no more writing out the classes I need, looking through the options, creating a "potential" schedule (simply a table in word with dates and times). No more getting up at the crack of dawn (my first university, although I enjoyed that time of morning better) to sit in front of the computer patiently waiting for the clock to change. No more writing down CRN numbers so I don't have to scroll through the (what seems like) endless class options just to find a class. No more anxiety as to whether or not I would be able to get the class I want.

There will be "no more" of a lot of aspects related to my college career.

Where to now?

I have no idea. I would love to say that grad school is on my list, but I am so tired of undergrad I don't know if I could push myself through grad school. I would love to become accredited in public relations (APR) but I am not sure if I have the patience or discipline to study for another "major" test. There are so many things I would love to say are options right now, but I won't know any of those until that wonderful day in May gets here when I can say, "I'm a college graduate."

Soon after, I am sure I will say "now what?"

Not Enough Time

This movie seems to be the story of my life recently. Since the time change, it seems that there just aren't enough hours in the day to get things accomplished. I wake up, go to school, sit through (what seems like endless) classes, come home, eat, do homework and go to sleep. Not once did I mention exercising because I can't seem to find anywhere to fit that into my schedule.

Lately the exercise that I have been getting on days when I do have class, is from walking to and from class and walking up and down the stairs in the parking deck. Still, it's a form of exercise.

This week, tomorrow actually, I have an exam in what is shaping up to be one of the worst classes in my college career. Everyone I talk to feels the same way about the class, they don't know what is going on either or some say it is hard and you'll have to repeat it in another semester. I don't want to do that, I feel as if I have already handed my school money that didn't benefit me.

This has been my biggest source of stress this week, thinking about that exam. Since Monday, I have been studying until I have almost fallen asleep while looking at the material. I know that this is just a hiccup in my week. Come tomorrow at 9:30, I will be smooth sailing for the weekend because my exam will be over and a heavy (and unbearable) weight will have been lifted off of me. But it doesn't end there, I still have more exams in that class to take so I know the cycle will begin once again.

Today, I was so happy to tackle this machine today. When I got on, it seemed like all of my cares and concerns (also known as stressful situations) left my body in the form of sweat and I left the gym feeling renewed. Exercise really is the best way to beat stress.

For the rest of the day I am going to try and take it easy, a little studying followed by a break and then repeating the same process (studying then break, etc.). I will never understand how anyone can get so much work done in a day and still be renewed and refreshed when they wake up, but I can understand that my body is giving me signals that if I didn't over-analyze and get stressed over everything, I could get a lot more accomplished during the day than I am now.