The Calm Before the Storm

Almost packed!

Tomorrow, at 2:50 AM, my journey will begin. I will be at El Cerrito High School with my family, saying my goodbyes. There, I will probably start feeling a little apprehensive. But whether I’m ready or not, the adventure begins! And Cornell here I come! (After St. Louis and Chicago, that is.)

I spent all last week preparing, buying a few things here and there, but the bulk of my packing took place last night. I have three bags: my check-in luggage, my carry-on and my purse. Each one is pretty full, but I left some room for stuffing souvenirs. I tried to bring a variety of clothes since I’m not sure what weather to anticipate. I went to New York City last summer expecting heat and humidity and found myself in shorts in the wind and rain. Now I’m sure it will be hot, but just in case, I will be prepared.

I’ve got five pairs of shoes, a school supply-filled backpack, my computer, my tablet, toiletries, my blanket, bed sheets and a whole bunch more of my belongings in my suitcases. It may seem like a lot, but I weighed my check-in luggage and it was 35 pounds, so I’m in the clear according to my scale! 

As for how I’m feeling at this moment, with less than 24 hours until take off, I have mixed emotions. I’m excited that the day I have waited months for is finally here. But I’m sad to be leaving my family for so long. I’m also incredibly nervous about my course, the workload and reaching out and meeting new people. I’ve been trying to prepare myself, but I think I just have to see how things play out. I think I just need to get on the plane already!

With the people I'll miss the most. Oh & my brother... Just kidding!
 I'll also miss my dog brothers, Romeo & Julian (not shown)

When I return, I hope to have found out more about myself by being independent and I hope to come home with new knowledge from my class that I can share with my peers. I invite you to come along with me on my journey through my blogs. So stay tuned because I’ll be posting a lot more over the next four weeks, starting today!