Revisiting My Semester Goals // Love and Liefs

Dear Shannon,

I hope you’re having a wonderful time together with your boyfriend right now! It was so lovely to read all about the things you’re grateful for, not just in your most recent blog post but also on your Instagram all month long. Your posts always make my day!

I’m having a great time at home right now. Unfortunately, tomorrow I really have to get to work on my academic due dates; I have a proposal, an essay, and a big chunk of a manuscript due this week! As I was putting together my calendar of due dates and schedules for the month, I saw that this is one of my last Love and Liefs posts of the semester! I’m planning to write my next one about finals and the one after that about Christmas (!!!!), so today I wanted to share a little reflection on one of the questions you asked me in our very first Love and Liefs posts! You asked me:

“What are the top five things you want to do during your last semester of college?”

Here are my reflections on my semester goals!

1. Explore Boston more often, especially with friends.

Check! I’ve been into Boston much more often this semester than usual. With different friends, I’ve been to the historic Old South Church, to a very odd Jack-O’Lantern festival, and to a Pentatonix concert! I’ve also gone into both Boston and Cambridge by myself, like when I went to the MFA earlier this semester.

The Pentatonix concert!

2. Use my student discount to get into more museums and go to fun events in the Boston area.

Check again! Using my student ID, I’ve been to the MFA in Boston and to the Met in New York. I’m also using it a lot more for store discounts, which is something I wish I’d made more use of previously!

My favorite display at the Jack-O’Lantern festival!

3. Take a weekly rest day from working.

I wish. This season has actually been one of the busiest and most productive of my life! Between:

• A summer job as a research assistant,
• Being a full-time college student,
• Running three websites/blogs,
• Writing two books, and
• Traveling to six cities

this semester, I’ve barely had the time to sleep! Taking a sabbath day is an area of my life that I think would be deeply beneficial, especially because I’m so prone to working and productivity. This is something I’ll be adding into my routine in the New Year, once finals are over!

4. Take or book one trip to a place I’ve never been.

Yes! I went to Chicago this fall for a conference, and had an incredible time exploring a truly amazing city. I had never been before, and it was also my first-ever trip to a city entirely by myself. It was a really amazing experience!

A church in central Chicago

5. Make time for my friends and loved ones despite the 1,000,000 things on my to do list.

I totally forgot that I put this on my list, but I’m so happy and proud to say that this has definitely been a priority for me this semester. I spend literally hours a day with my friends, over meals, in the city, or just working at our communal kitchen table. Thank goodness, because no matter how productive you are, living isn’t living if it isn’t done with friends.

That’s all I’ve got for now. I’d love to hear how you feel your semester goals are going so far, and more about your time and adventures with your boyfriend!

Love and Liefs,

Sara