swimming

A day in the life: new semester!

I did a day in my life post last semester and I thought it would be cool to do another one for this semester. So far, this is what a Monday looks like for me!

5:00am – wake up: I grab a bowl of cereal with soy milk and a cup of coffee asap. I just hang out quietly because no one in my house is awake except for Lily. Lily and I play around for a few minutes. [Note: I seriously eat cereal for breakfast every day! Occasionally I will have a bagel + peanut butter or a bowl of oats, but I love cereal… a lot.]

5:30am gym time: I leave for the gym around 5:30 and get there around 6am. I usually do one of the following activities: run, life weights, swim, take a spin class. 6-7am workout and then drive home.

8-10:30am: I spend this time showering, eating a second breakfast + more coffee, reading my Bible, finishing last-minute school work, packing a lunch for school, and reading blogs. I’m still loving iced coffee, even in January!

I leave for school @ 10:30am and get there around 10:50am.

11:00-11:50am Spanish II: This class is scary to me. I have it 3x a week- on Monday for 50 minutes, and on Tuesday + Thursday for 1 hour and 15 minutes. I didn’t take Spanish I… I just jumped into Spanish II. We’ll see how this goes the rest of the semester ;pCute face? That is how I look in Spanish class.. confused and stuff!

11:50-12:50 lunch break: I usually pack my lunch to save some $$. My favorite sandwich is peanut butter and jelly. I also try to pack a vegetable, snacks like granola bars, and a drink.

1:00-1:50pm Fitness Theory: This class is with one of my favorite teachers and I’m going to be learning about fitness all semester. Happy.

2:00-2:50pm Creative Writing: Creative writing is interesting thus far. The teacher is really into poetry and I’m not. I’m excited to write a lot though!

3:00-4:15pm News Media Ethics: I have had this professor for 3 semesters in a row and I know how he teaches his classes. I like communications classes (that is my major), but this is a 400-level course reserved for seniors. I’m a sophomore, but I got into the class and I hope to just keep up and do my best!

4:15-6:00pm evening activities: I drive home, walk Lola, eat dinner, and start on homework that is due the next day. Lola gives me “the look” and we’re off! Walking my dog is one of my favorite activities EVER. [Note: Lola is a put bull-lab mix, adopted from a shelter and she is such a sweet dog<3]

6:00-9:00pm more homework or relaxing: If I have a lot of homework or studying to do, I’ll work on it until 8:30. If I don’t have a lot of school work I will just hang out with my family, watch TV, have a snack, or blog.

9:00-10:00pm bed time: I love going to bed early and sleeping as much as I can. Lola usually jumps up on my bed and snuggles with me as I write blog posts 🙂

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That is a typical Monday for me (so far) in the new spring semester!

Giving thanks for hobbies

[This is the 3rd installment in my giving thanks series.]

I suppose that giving thanks for hobbies is kind of strange, but once  I thought about it, I realized that life would be pretty dull if we didn’t have any interests aside from work or school.

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing went right? What do you do after one of those days?

When I have a terrible day, I like to go home, pull out a favorite recipe, and cook or bake something that I love.Just punching some bread dough… you know… it relieves stress..

I find a kind of peace in chopping vegetables or measuring flour. I hardly think, I just do menial tasks that I enjoy. Soon enough, I find myself relaxed, calm, and able to look back on the day and just let it go.

[Other hobbies that are cathartic for me include scrap booking, reading, walking my dog, jumping on my trampoline like a crazy person, running slowly, reading my Bible, writing in my journal, and swimming.]

The “finished project” of a task like baking or cooking is so wonderful-food! I love to pull a cake out of the oven, frost it, and then eat it. Mmmm. The feeling after a run is so awesome and I love looking back on scrap books I have made or journals I have written in.

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I think everyone would be so much more stressed out if we didn’t have hobbies or special interests as an outlet for emotions.

* So today, I am thankful for hobbies-for all the joys they bring, and for the stress relief that comes with doing things we love. *

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Are you thankful for hobbies? What relieves stress for you?