I love beautiful, sunny California.
When I chose to go to school on the East Coast, one of the primary reasons was to get a change of scenery.
I didn’t realize how much I’d actually miss California.
You know when you take something for granted, like home? That’s California to me.
Perfect weather, wonderful food, plentiful options, and laid back people.
Maybe it’s just a San Diego thing.
I accomplished a lot during these five months at home, and I also got to spend quality time with my family. They even came to my first 5K race. They have been supportive, understanding and forgiving. And I know this is the last time I’ll get to live at home like this. Ever.
Real life happens now.
I start law school a week after I get to Washington, DC. I ended up having a perfect schedule this year though, perfect for training.
I have been slacking on the marathon training. I need to get into gear and start increasing my mileage.
I have been stuffing my face this entire weekend, using my move as an excuse to indulge. I don’t like how these events keep throwing my eating off course. They’re not entirely unexpected, but they make for a good excuse which I convince myself is justified.
But that’s for another post.
For now, I’m going to savor my last day in San Diego, soaking in the sun.
Goodbye, California. I will miss you.
Have you ever made a cross-country move?
Have you ever moved to another country?
What did you pack?
Speaking of packing, I still need to pack. Last minute procrastination for the win!
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Female. 25 years old. Chinese. Cook. Foodie. UCLA grad. Traveler. Musician. Scuba diver. GWU Law. Runner.
I moved from N.C. to Missouri for grad school, and that was pretty darn tough. I mostly brought clothes at first, then slowly (when my now-husband moved out, he) brought more stuff from home. I then moved from Missouri to Maine. For that one we sold all the furniture we had bought in Missouri, keeping only essentials (bed, kitchen table, etc.). The move from Maine to D.C. was hardest, as we went from a small 2-bedroom house to a 1-bedroom apartment. Had to get rid of a lot of stuff then!
But I love it here, and don’t mind the smaller space at all. Still miss N.C. though!
East side! The farthest I’ve ever moved was from SC to GA, and that was only for 5 months. The farthest west I’ve been is S.D., and that was only for a few days. I would love to see California (thats where Carlton grew up), the pacific northwest, deserts, everything, but it will have to wait until I have time and money and travel buddies.
I’m trying hard not to let birthday festivities derail my fitness stuff. It is hard, but I think a looming birthday weigh-in has kept me on the enjoy-but-don’t-indulge track, which I am happy with.
“Real life” awaits you after school.
I lived in Australia for a stint, but I left most of my stuff at my parent’s because I knew it wasn’t permanent. When I went to University (about 400 miles away), I took pretty much everything I owned, which wasn’t much. Now that I have an teeny tiny appartment with my husband, I’m thinking I would love to throw ALL my stuff away and just have some clothes and a bed…all my silly stuff is weighing me down.
So bring the LEAST possible amount of stuff. And get a winter coat BEFORE you need it, you will curse yourself the day you wake up and it’s freezing outside if you don’t.
And get some serious running tights, winter running is the bomb if you have the right gear.
It’s so nice here in the fall though! =) It’ll be the perfect environment to increase your mileage!
Elisabeth´s latest post: Race Report- IronGirl Syracuse
Hello Real World.
California will miss you Jess! I’ve never moved cross-country…no matter where I visit, even though I usually love it and have a great time, I’m glad to come home. Pretty sure I’m a California girl forever.
Have a good move!!
Melissa @ Journey to Marvelous´s latest post: I’m back…with Weigh-In Week 7!
I don’t think it’s just a San Diego thing, I still miss California, northern california is pretty perfect in my book. I have done a cross country move, hated New england with an unrivaled passion, horrible 3 years. And a move out of country I spent 3 years living in London in graduate school and I loved it. Took 2 suitcases full of stuff and that was about it, my life went into a couplee of storage units for 3 years.
I also spent a year touring the United States with a theatre companty and learned to live out of a suitcase, a new city every day or at most every 5 days, nothing like being in below freezing weather in Montana one day and 90s in Arizona 3 days later
Enjoy your foray into the east
Change is always hard. I hear ya on justifying eating the junk. I have done that most of the summer! This week I am determined to take back control and kick butt again!!!
My advice, for what it’s worth, is find someone in your section or class who runs too and see if you can get him/her to commit to run most your long runs with you. 1L year is tough and your grades are insanely important (probably unduly so) in terms of your future job prospects. If you have a classmate to run with, you’ll be able to talk through thoughts on classes, etc. Even if you’re just venting, you get that out of the way and leave more time for reading and class prep (and the all important things like sleep and class attendance). If you don’t find someone to run with, running solo will still be good for your sanity and if you start to stress too much, remind yourself that major study time comes after your marathon for everyone in your class, running the race or not!
My other advice is outline as you go as much as possible, even if it’s short briefs/discussion notes in some classes some weeks. It will help you toward the end of classes!
I moved from mid-west to DC for college, so mostly just took clothes and momentos. Moved from DC to VA for law school and that involved a flight home and drive to VA with a u-haul truck bringing lots of furniture my folks gave me. Then I moved VA to TX after law school, but my firm paid for that move so it was easy to bring everything — the movers even packed the contents of my bedroom garbage can! Thank goodness the kitchen garbage can was my roommate’s, otherwise that could have been smelly!
Good luck with the move. Trading SD for DC is kinda crazy weather-wise, but what a great setting for law school. And broadening your horizon is a good thing.
I went out of state for college and then moved Philly to Seattle after meeting a northwesterner girl of my dreams. My once piece of advice would be to seek out a relative, friend’s family, etc. that would give you a place to go on holidays and be a part of things. I had extended family to spend Thanksgiving with during college and another family we connected with here in Seattle until we started our own. Helped me not dwell on being so far away.
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Safe travels! I was just in San Diego! It is sooo gorgeous there!