So, it’s finally happening. After a long semester of planning, antagonizing, massive email chains, and general excitement I am at last on my way back to the City of Brotherly Love.  In accordance with some friends’ wishes, I’ll be documenting my journey a la blog!  I haven’t really done this before, so you’ll have to bear with me as I figure this out.  But if you want to get a general idea of my life in Philly, feel free to follow along!

This was a good time to start my semester.  I was beginning to go stir-crazy and missing everyone from Whitmanimmensely.  I think even my mother wanted me out of the house at this point.  So after a frantic day that involved hours of last minute packing (Don’t do this.  It only results in chaos and panic), saying goodbye to Portland friends, a calming run, one last avocado smoothie, a visit to the ophthalmologist (I developed a corneal infection over the week of finals last semester which left me practically unable to see out of my right eye for about a month.  It was quite annoying and also NOT recommended.  Eye infections=bad), and no sleep I am sitting in the SEATAC airport at the unholy hour of 6:30AM with my pile of luggage.  I’ve decided the worst part of traveling alone is having to lug EVERYTHING with you everywhere you go.  Need to pee?  Well I guess my luggage and I will be using the handicap stall, excuse us as we awkwardly take up 5 people’s worth of space in the bathroom line.  However, I just have to catch my connecting flight and then I’ll be in Philadelphia!!

I won’t lie-I’m a little nervous, which may seem silly.  Even though I (kind of) know the city, it’s a bit scary to leave the comforts of home (where else can I stay up till 4 or 5 and sleep till 10?) and Whitman to jet off to a huge city where I’ll be spending the next 4 months with a (so far) group of strangers.  Just the thought of meeting so many new people, finding housemates, and obtaining housing + furniture  all in a week makes me want to crawl back under my covers and never come out.  I’m already exhausted just thinking about it.  I’ve never been incredibly great at making first impressions or talking to strangers, and that fact is only exacerbated in large groups.  Of course, it probably doesn’t help that I end up over-thinking about what I say, and then I end up saying nothing at all in fear it’ll come across as stupid, offensive, boring, or some dreadful combination of all 3,  I love meeting new people-I’m just not very good at it!  Put me at home where I have a car, know the city, have family, and I am totally at ease.   Or put me back at Whitman with friends, routine, and familiarity, and I am in my comfort zone.  But this?  This is definitely different and it’s really happening.  Time’s not stopping, and ready or not in a little over 24 hours I’ll be plunged full-force into this world.

Despite all my nervousness, I’m very excited to be doing something again.  I’m stoked about my internship at the District Attorney’s office, a possible volunteer job with someone who I hear is an incredible lady, and taking my City Seminar (which TPC’s Placement Director was kind enough to pre-register me for, even though I can’t get major credit for it).  As I read somewhere once, “A ship in a harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”  Am I ready for this semester?  Maybe-I certainly hope so.  But regardless, bring on the waves, the storms, the sunny skies, the unpredictability-I am willing to leave the harbor and figure out what I am built for.

So here’s to early mornings and late nights, tea and coffee, business clothing and heels, public transit and getting lost, laughter and tears, strangers and friends, and whatever else the semester might bring-let’s do this.