Preparation is the name of the game.

      Dr. McKinley, you need to email me back! How am I supposed to know if you want to start tutoring the day classes restart if you don't respond?

      I'm not upset, I just get easily upset if I feel like I don't have enough time to prepare for something thoroughly. I haven't had access to a printer over the last month, so I need to type up the kids' worksheets for when I see them next. Also, Bryar's birthday is the 14th, so I really have no idea what's going to happen. Is she going to say "let's aim for next week" because classes have just started (she is a professor, after all), is she going to say that she'd like to make sure Bryar has a nice full day of activities on his 11th birthday? I hate feeling like I have no idea what's going on around me. It's a horrible feeling, especially when you want to make sure you do something well. I want to have a really great setup for Bryar, Nathan, and Arjun the next time I see them. I really miss 'em.

     For the most part, I'm packed and ready to leave. I still have some things that are out (laptop, scale, alarm clock) since I won't be leaving until about 4, but it's still really surreal. I do not feel like I've been here for a month. I don't feel like it's the middle of January. I still don't feel like I've lost 10 pounds (hey, a girl can be proud, right?). It's pretty weird to think that I survived out of a suitcase for four weeks, but at least I know I didn't lose anything except maybe like three pairs of socks (which, really, is to be expected). Also: the suitcase is heavy. I can't believe I got it down to the basement.

     I'm excited to be heading back where I feel more at home. Sure, seeing my family was nice, but all I did was sleep (I've heard this is common amongst college students -- anyone care to add their own anecdote?). I'll be here again in March, but only for about a week. It's hard for me to think that I'll only be seeing my family in two-week breaks from now until next December...

     But my friends are on campus. My jobs -- both as a student and the jobs for which I get paid -- are on campus. All of my stuff is on campus! I can't wait to get back into the swing of it.

     It's still weird to think I'll be taking an entirely new set of classes. When I was in high school, classes lasted all year. Now, instead of keeping papers in my notebook until June, my notebook is cleaned out. I still feel almost naked -- like I'm going to walk into class and forget something really important. Again, I hate being unprepared...but man, am I excited about all of this.