The First Last Day

The first day of my final semester is here at last. Honesty, looking back, I cannot believe it’s here. I remember my freshman year, I was handed a sheet that listed all of the classes I needed to take. To say that I was overwhelmed is an understatement. I had no idea as to how I would get through all of the classes, especially the scary 400 level classes, like TMFD 406: Textile Testing and Evaluation. That didn’t sound fun. See the picture below? That's the form I received as a freshman. However, I made it through it, as you can tell by all the side notes and crosses! So here I am, starting my last semester and the only semester of my senior year. It’s really crazy how fast time goes.

I set up my schedule this fall so that I only have classes on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and I am completely ecstatic. My previous semesters have been jam-packed with long 3-hour studio classes that meet several times a week. But, I have completed those and only have a few classes remaining! I’m looking forward to my four day weekends!

Therefore, with all my extra time, I plan on taking more time to relax and focus on my goals for this semester. I’ve realized that I live too much according to my schedule and not in the moment. I need to be more present. I decided that the best way to become more present is to set four specific goals for myself. I’ve always read that goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound), so here are my SMART goals for the semester:

• Make one new friend

• Do an activity to deeply relax once a month (i.e. massage, meditation, etc)

• Try a completely new activity, adventure, and/or experience

• Spend 15-30 minutes at the Newman Center Church (the Catholic Church on campus) each week, either at a daily Mass or at adoration

Please help me stay accountable for these goals! It’s hard to remember such ideas when our lives start to get super busy with school, work, and tests.

Since today is Monday, and I don’t have class on Mondays, I treated myself to a new pair of Brooks workout shoes and a great workout at the Campus Rec Center Strength and Conditioning Room. I was long overdue for a new pair of exercise shoes, and I found the perfect pair at The Lincoln Running Company. You can check them out here: http://www.lincrunningcompany.com/. That is where I get all of my exercise shoes even though I do not run anymore. The staff is super knowledgeable and helpful! I also plan on heading to a Group Fitness class this evening: HIIT Strength with Katie. These classes changed my life a year ago, and I can’t wait to get back into the routine of going to several classes a week! I plan on posting a more in-depth analysis of my fitness background in the future. It’s quite the story!

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Criticisms? Let me know below!

P.S. Check out my next post for the easy workout I created for myself today at the Rec. I didn’t want anything too difficult, but I needed something to get my heartrate up and my mind off of school starting!