It’s late March here in Jordanstown.
Basketball is finally wrapping up. Everyone’s starting to recover from St. Paddy’s day… The job hunt continues. I’ve progressed from a horrible cook, to now just a really really bad one. Coursework is starting to pick up. And finally, signs of spring are starting to…. ha i’ll stop there. There is no Irish spring…
March has been the toughest month for me so far this year. In between basketball commitments, 2000 word essays, intense boccia competition, and missing my people stateside, I’ve had to spend 4-5 hours a day studying for the GRE (one option for next year is a GA position at UMASS). It’s so hard to juggle everything and also make time for yourself.
I also feel like after 6 months of this amazing program, the feeling of novelty is finally starting to wear off. I haven’t been home in 8 months. It’s hard to FaceTime in on family events or get-togethers with friends and not feel like you are missing out. It’s easy to let the anxiety of getting left behind take over, which makes it impossible to stay in the present.
The past couple days I’ve been listening to a song by the band “Modest Mouse” called “Lives” on repeat. Fair warning- if you know me, you know I’m an old soul and catch a lot of grief for it…. Bieber fans, maybe skip to the next blog.
A couple of lines from the chorus stick with me:
Its hard to remember we’re alive, for the first time
Its hard to remember we’re alive, for the last time
It’s hard to remember that our lives, are such a short time
It’s hard to remember when it takes, such a long time
A lil’ Modest Mouse works to remind me that these next two months might be the last I ever spend abroad. When my time is over in Ireland, even if on some cruddy days it feels like “it takes, such a long time”, I know how much I would regret it if I spent the next 8 weeks wondering what’s going on back home. I miss my Yanks across the pond, but I gotta be in the moment here.
SO!!!! Here are 5 adventures I will be going on this week. And for each one, I will be leaving my phone at home.
Until next time,
Mike
