Highs and Lows - Brady

Today is the first day of class for me. I'm still really, really nervous about this and not at all sure what I'm doing. I also probably won't be writing TOO much in the near future, so for now here's an update of highs and lows of our first few weeks together in Chicago.

I'll start with the negative and move to the positive:

Lows:

- Goes without saying, but my super nervousness about this whole PhD thing.

- Feeling like I'm always forgetting something when I'm traveling back and forth.

- Missing teaching - being back in the building where I took all my certification classes is making me sentimental.

- Not spending every day with Kevin. And not knowing week to week how often we'll be together.

- Hard-to-contact landlord.

- Missing our house in Fort Wayne.

- Kevin having to drive so much.

- Unexpectedly having class on Fridays. I was counting on being able to get to FW for long weekends but I have a statistics class both Monday and Friday mornings.



Highs:

- Seeing LOTS of my sisters and parents. Kelly's obviously at the apartment, and it's a very easy trip back to La Porte for me to see Mom, Dad, and Amy.

- Creating an awesome traveling system. I carry all of my essentials (glasses, keys, medicine, planner, etc.) in a big bag that I take everywhere. Then, I have clothes and toiletries in Fort Wayne, Chicago, and La Porte, so I never have to pack.

- Riding trains. South Shore, Amtrak, El, you name it, I'm on it. And I love it. If trains had tables, they might very well be my perfect study space.

- Kelly's massive, wonderful apartment decoration effort.

- Chicago fun. A White Sox game and overnight trip to a friend's house on the Fox River all in one weekend.

- Getting to know Lucy.

- Nice people in my program.

- Having an office (even if I share it with 4 other people).

- FINALLY getting class underway after all of this worry and anticipation.