It’s August so you know what that means – we’re all going back to school, back to work, and back to a myriad of things we’d rather not be back at.

Fall 2015

However, I’m actually excited the fall semester is dawning upon me. It’s my last year at Oglethorpe University and just a few more months before I graduate. August 24th is the first day of school. I’ll be taking three classes and working an internship at my school for academic credit. I’m hoping for good grades and a rewarding school year.

Here is what I’ll be taking this semester:

Writing Prose, Fiction and Nonfiction

Special Topics: TV/Reading Critical Literacy

Special Topics: Social Media Theory and Impact

All of these classes I am taking are all relevant to my degree and I’m glad I don’t have to take any more filler classes. I think that’s why I am so intrigued by grad school – it’s because they’re more specialized and more in-depth than a lot of the courses in undergraduate school.

Grad School

I’ve actually decided to pursue graduate school. I’m happy that I’ve made a great decision both for my financial future and for my academic career. However, I am also nervous, too. I’ve just started to work on my application for the program and I still need a hefty and showworthy portfolio. I haven’t written anything in a few years …. well, I better start now.

I’m going to apply for the MFA of English in Creative Writing. They have a Ph.D. in the same concentration and I certainly have my eye on that as well. I believe in going all the way. I don’t want to be forty and regretting not having gone further in school.

Of course, this doesn’t really help me too much financially because I won’t be able to work full-time after getting my BA but it’ll be worth it. If I can become a graduate assistant, I can get a stipend and have my tuition waived. I won’t really have to work and can devote myself to my studies. It sounds like a win-win situation; I just have to get accepted first.

And even before that, there’s the GRE, the letters of recommendation and a handful of essays to complete. Ugh, I can do this!

Work

Work is work. I’ve been picking up more hours since a coworker of ours has left. We’re going to be getting new faces around here but that’s expected. It’s retail so the high turn around is the norm here. I’m surprised I’ve lasted this long.

I figured I’d be leaving after my BA but it seems I’ll be here for a little bit longer. Who knows.

Vacation

I go on vacation this weekend. I am excited because it’s the beach. I am not excited about getting a tan whatsoever. I’m already cafe au lait; no need to be mocha. I say this because I tan easily and it only takes ten sunscreenless minutes for me to go all mocha.

We’re going to Panama City Beach. I went last year and it was fun because Jackson enjoyed the beach so much. I hope he has a blast this year, too. Of course, vacation crunches my wallet but it is well-needed and well-deserved!

Gym

It’s too late to retrieve my lost washboard abs for the vacay but I’ve made up my mind to go and work my ass off to getting back to my old body. I’m only 15 lbs. heavier than my old self and I’m now just a more curvier version of my already curvy self.

So … I am going to starting working out at the gym again. Our school lets us use their facilities and I’ve frankly not had the chance to take advantage of. But this school year, it will be different. I am shooting to work out four to five days a week. Going to push for heavy duty cardio to tone everything up before committing to strength training to flesh everything out.

I don’t know how I honestly had the energy to work out as much as I used to (I probably have to thank my gymhead ex for motivating me) but it would be nice to have a work out partner with the same regimen.

Working out with someone is incredibly hard to do because people don’t realize that unless you have the same habits and goals, you and your partner are going to be doing completely different things at the gym. I have had gym partners in the past who would only run or walk on the treadmill …. seriously, we’d be at the gym for three hours and they’d do nothing but the treadmill or bike.

The typical excuse is that these people don’t want to get “bigger” or “bulk up” so they skip lifting weights completely. It’s a huge no-no since cardio burns excess fat and boosts endurance but does nothing to really tone and strengthen your muscles. If you lift lighter weights and increase your reps, you’ll tone and strengthen without the bulk. If you want bigger muscle cells and strength, lift heavier weights at fewer reps. People don’t seem to know these things and only stick to being safe.

Anyway, it’s time to lose these pounds and get even more hot-bodied.

It’s going to be a busy end of the year. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that everything works out for the best.