Old Year, New Year

Well, I haven't written a "personal" blog for quite some time, so I'm taking this pre-semester lull to do so. Overall, the first semester of graduate school went well; I can hardly imagine myself anywhere else. That is not to say, however, that it's been all tea and crumpets. As I was explaining to a friend the other night, trying to form relationships with new people in a new place can be exhausting. But it is also really exciting and fun. Although I was up and down emotionally--probably more so than I have been in my entire life--school work was manageable and helped to keep me sane. The biggest mistake I made was not putting enough effort in getting to know the professors here, something I hope to remedy next semester. Currently, I'm feeling relatively at home in Philadelphia, excited for the next semester to start (gender storm!) and deciding what to do with my summer apart from prepping for two exams I will be taking in the fall (50 Book and German translation). Some money would be nice. I might look for a nanny job where I could feasibly spend some of my work time studying. My cousin, Amber, and her family will probably be moving here in the fall, which will be so nice. I have recently discovered the joys of 30 Rock. Frozen vegetables have become my best friend this winter and I'm hoping to win an espresso machine sometime in the coming months. How I'm not sure, but it would be amazing. Maybe I should start an espresso machine fund for the English department.....hmm.....