Work, Work, Sleep: The Grown-Up Version of Duck, Duck, Goose?

It's been a hot minute since a posted anything. All I've been doing lately seems to be an infuriating cycle of work, school, studying, and sleep with no time for anything else. Finals have come and passed and so did I, thankfully. There was only one grade that I wasn't happy about, but they were pretty close to perfection for not only being a full-time student, but also a full-time employee for a job that has demanded much more of my time and sanity than I thought I was capable of giving. The bar I work at has had a difficult time of not only keeping its employees, but also of hiring quality ones. We've all been overtaxed and in each other's faces for too long. But on the upside, I've been given the promotion of bartender! I have four bar shifts, which seem to be mostly permanent. My new schedule puts me on the floor only one night a week. I'm very excited to be down to five shifts again, seeing as I was working seven or eight shifts even when I was in school. Maybe you can understand my frustration towards the end of the semester and my inability to post anything new.

As for the news regarding my semester abroad, I have finally been e-mailed about an orientation meeting. I have my first one on Thursday, May 20. My second one is on July 30, which is a Friday. I can't believe I'll be gone in a little over three months. I received the e-mail and had to control my breathing. It's not completely real yet, but it's getting there. I still have a boatload of money I need to save before I go. I'm aiming for about $15,000, which may seem unrealistic. The HOPE Scholarship should pay for a good majority of the tuition cost, which won't be any more than usual even though I'll be in a foreign country.

I've also been given tips left and right for going abroad. I can't remember them all so I need to start telling people to write them down. I have so much I need to do that I'm having a hard time keeping it straight mentally. I still need to find luggage. A friend from work said I could borrow her hot pink luggage. The girly part of me is super excited about matching hot pink luggage. Awful, I know.

I also received a reminder of the classes I'm taking this fall. In addition to some Historical Geography class and the required Italian Language and Art classes, I'm taking Painting. Um, did I really sign up for that? Granted, I'm so down for an art class, I just don't think I'll make it past finger painting. Maybe I'll get an A for good attempts, because that will be the only way I'll pass!