(Today, I was planning on writing about food -- "yankee" restaurants in particular, but I've noticed SO. MANY. Cookevillians are reading my blog, so I decided to write something so you all could get to know me a little better.)
By now, I'm sure everyone I've talked to in Cookeville knows why I applied to TTU. I get really tired of explaining sometimes. But as those people should already know, I didn't start out here. I've lived the college life for the better part of 2 years, in 2 other schools I'll talk about today.
After I graduated high school, and had a fail of an experience at Eastern Kentucky University (long story short, I went there for a guy who left, and my financial aid didn't go through, and I found out it was a wild party school who placed way too large of a priority on greek life), my dad kicked me out of the house. Fast forward 6 months later, I was living on my own and planning on moving back to Kentucky to try again. This time, I was accepted at University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, where I got a pretty good scholarship. The only bit of Williamsburg that I knew, I had seen on vacation. Living there was an entirely different experience.
I knew I wasn't ready to be thrown into a world of frat parties, drugs, and one-night stands, so I made sure to apply at a school that banned those things. However, I wasn't ready for the rules that smothered me under the basis of religion. The turning point, where I realized "I don't like this lifestyle," is when I had gone to Walmart to buy decorations from my dorm room -- including some heavy things, like a TV and microwave. My guy friend who drove me to the store offered to help me carry my bags and boxes to my room, but he wasn't allowed to because it wasn't visiting hours. None of the FEMALE RA's helped me. I had to carry everything by myself, because letting a guy into a girl's dorm was somehow "offensive"...if it was before 7 PM.
Eventually I caved under the pressure of culture shock, homesickness, and the incredibly stupid no-male-visitors rule, and did something really bad that got me temporarily kicked out of school. (I will explain this later once I feel like I can trust my readers.) Since I was forced off-campus, I had to move into the first apartment I could find, and my money all had to go to rent/heat, rather than taking care of myself. I lived a disgusting life in Williamsburg second semester (when I was allowed back at school). I sprayed my clothes with febreze and washed them in the bathtub because I couldn't afford to go to the laundromat. Some days, I skipped meals (eating once a day was my norm), and sometimes I survived on ramen for almost a month at a time. There was just no money left over for anything else...and without a meal plan, I was dependent on what other people gave me.
I couldn't live that lifestyle anymore, so after my first year in Kentucky, I went home. I stayed with my mom for the summer, and enrolled in a community college 2 hours from my hometown. I wasn't particularly fond of my new apartment, but it was in good shape. My mom bought my food, and helped me out with rent. I was still poor, but I was clean and well-fed. And I loved the city. I still miss it a little. I miss the independence of the bus system, and my bike, before it got stolen. It was a neutral life. Not awesome, but not nearly as bad as it was. I began to enjoy myself.
Then my mom died suddenly in November (a week before my 21st birthday). And there was no reason to be close to her house anymore. I didn't have a "home" to go back to, and I was on my own again. The cold Minnesota winters didn't contribute any to my crumbling sanity...I was incredibly lonely... Kristi + family were great to me, inviting me over for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but there was nowhere I felt I could go just to visit. Mike had tried to convince me to move closer to where his mother lived, but I knew I couldn't handle living in Kentucky again. I had no desire to ever attend another religious college, and I wasn't interested in any of Kentucky's state schools.
And then we went to Nashville...and my perspective changed. Now that there was nothing to keep me at "home," the hope of something better in Tennessee (as in, cheap food, affordable apartments, and GREEN GRASS in MARCH!) motivated me to move again. And here I am. Home. :)
Showing posts with label Nashville. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nashville. Show all posts
Monday, September 26, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Spring break - Continued!
the hotel with Brianna and her aunt, I spent in line. Some of the autograph lines were terribly boring, but I liked Charlie's. I must have been sitting there for an hour. "Luigi" and I talked a lot because we were next to each other in line. After a few minutes, he let go of the fake accent and talked to me normally. He signed my admission badge on one side, and Charlie Bewley signed the other side. To this day, I regret that I never found out his real name. I want to add him on Facebook! Besides Brianna, he was probably the coolest person I met there.
He should have totally entered the costume contest. XD B&I did that too. We didn't win anything, but people complimented both of us on our efforts. :)
After the autograph lines, we didn't have much time to get ready for the dance. We were *rushing.* I realized I had left my jewelry at the other hotel, and I knew Mike & his mom couldn't get it to me in time, so I had to go to the gift shop and VERY QUICKLY find replacement jewelry. The necklace I found wasn't that interesting, but I loved the earrings! Rainbow and sparkly!
At the dance, Brianna entered the centerpiece contest. She didn't place, but I think she should have. The Hillywood girls liked hers the best, I think (OMG! How could I forget? More about them later!). I wanted to enter, but I had ended up blowing so much money on clothes and photo tickets, I didn't have enough to buy art supplies! We danced some, but wanted to stick around the tables for when the guests came to talk to us. Every guest had a few minutes to let us ask them questions and stuff. I asked Jodelle if she was a fan of the books before she auditioned for the movie, and she said she was. :) I looked at Charlie more than I talked to him. XD And I'm pretty sure when Gil was there, I was still bouncing.
I didn't want to leave, because I knew the next day was Sunday and I'd have to go back to my normal, dull life. We got back to the hotel room at about 2 AM and I crashed pretty fast. The next day was really quiet and uneventful compared to Saturday. Brianna and I volunteered to hold stuff up at the auction, and we got 2 free shirts each for doing that! It was easier being on stage that time because I was wearing comfortable shoes. :)
Mike and his mom both got general admission tickets for Sunday, and I got Mike one of Gil's autograph tickets because he said he wanted one. Apparently he was joking, and didn't tell me till AFTER I spent the $20 for the ticket. When his turn came to sign, his mom went up there for him, and say that her 21 year old son wanted an autograph. XD I still laugh hysterically when I remember how awkward that was. Charlie also came back, and we had one Sunday-only speaker, Guri Weinberg. He was SO friendly, making conversation with everyone. Fame probably hasn't hit him yet. :P
After the last autographs, the convention basically shut down. I ran into the Hillywood girls (Hannah & Hillary) on their way out...they look completely different when they're not dressed up! I told them I had fun and wished them a safe trip home. I'm pretty sure I talked to their mom more than I talked to them over the weekend. Their booth was much less busy in Minneapolis. Back then, they played games with the rest of us. Not this time. It was more fun when the guys came along. Too bad funds were too low to fly them out this year!
(By the way, look up the Hillywood Show on Youtube if you don't know them. Their parodies are SO GOOD.)
I had to say goodbye to Brianna soon after. I don't remember how many times I glomped her. It was a lot though. I have "separation issues." I really do. XD We promised to Skype. :) Which we haven't yet, but we still talk on IM almost every day. Towards the end of Sunday's events, I also talked to a woman named Kristi, who I'd talked to a few times on the Facebook group, but never knew what to say when I was actually there in person. We both had to deal with long trips, though she was lucky and got to spend hers in a car. We're Facebook friends now too. :)
There are some people I talk to regularly, some I only hear from once in awhile, and some I've lost contact with. EVERYBODY I met was great, though. I don't think I met one rude person at either convention. It must just be a fandom thing...if you have something in common, there's no need to judge one another. I've met people who are old enough to be one of my parents, and people who are still in high school. Age doesn't matter. Location doesn't matter. Just that common bond is enough to keep at least an online friendship going.
Going to these events has given me more faith in humanity. I really believe there's good people everywhere. I didn't use to think that. I used to be very bitter and untrusting, and I still am to some extent, but I've learned to give people a chance instead of writing them off right away.
Brianna, Sam, Kristi, Lisa, "Luigi," Candace, Mariah, Emily, Michelle, (+ ALL the other people who were so friendly but never gave me names & Facebooks) and Lori who I haven't met yet but probably will soon (Chicago? Yes?), this goes out to you. Thank you for making my world a little brighter. :)
He should have totally entered the costume contest. XD B&I did that too. We didn't win anything, but people complimented both of us on our efforts. :)
After the autograph lines, we didn't have much time to get ready for the dance. We were *rushing.* I realized I had left my jewelry at the other hotel, and I knew Mike & his mom couldn't get it to me in time, so I had to go to the gift shop and VERY QUICKLY find replacement jewelry. The necklace I found wasn't that interesting, but I loved the earrings! Rainbow and sparkly!
At the dance, Brianna entered the centerpiece contest. She didn't place, but I think she should have. The Hillywood girls liked hers the best, I think (OMG! How could I forget? More about them later!). I wanted to enter, but I had ended up blowing so much money on clothes and photo tickets, I didn't have enough to buy art supplies! We danced some, but wanted to stick around the tables for when the guests came to talk to us. Every guest had a few minutes to let us ask them questions and stuff. I asked Jodelle if she was a fan of the books before she auditioned for the movie, and she said she was. :) I looked at Charlie more than I talked to him. XD And I'm pretty sure when Gil was there, I was still bouncing.
I didn't want to leave, because I knew the next day was Sunday and I'd have to go back to my normal, dull life. We got back to the hotel room at about 2 AM and I crashed pretty fast. The next day was really quiet and uneventful compared to Saturday. Brianna and I volunteered to hold stuff up at the auction, and we got 2 free shirts each for doing that! It was easier being on stage that time because I was wearing comfortable shoes. :)
Mike and his mom both got general admission tickets for Sunday, and I got Mike one of Gil's autograph tickets because he said he wanted one. Apparently he was joking, and didn't tell me till AFTER I spent the $20 for the ticket. When his turn came to sign, his mom went up there for him, and say that her 21 year old son wanted an autograph. XD I still laugh hysterically when I remember how awkward that was. Charlie also came back, and we had one Sunday-only speaker, Guri Weinberg. He was SO friendly, making conversation with everyone. Fame probably hasn't hit him yet. :P
After the last autographs, the convention basically shut down. I ran into the Hillywood girls (Hannah & Hillary) on their way out...they look completely different when they're not dressed up! I told them I had fun and wished them a safe trip home. I'm pretty sure I talked to their mom more than I talked to them over the weekend. Their booth was much less busy in Minneapolis. Back then, they played games with the rest of us. Not this time. It was more fun when the guys came along. Too bad funds were too low to fly them out this year!
(By the way, look up the Hillywood Show on Youtube if you don't know them. Their parodies are SO GOOD.)
I had to say goodbye to Brianna soon after. I don't remember how many times I glomped her. It was a lot though. I have "separation issues." I really do. XD We promised to Skype. :) Which we haven't yet, but we still talk on IM almost every day. Towards the end of Sunday's events, I also talked to a woman named Kristi, who I'd talked to a few times on the Facebook group, but never knew what to say when I was actually there in person. We both had to deal with long trips, though she was lucky and got to spend hers in a car. We're Facebook friends now too. :)
There are some people I talk to regularly, some I only hear from once in awhile, and some I've lost contact with. EVERYBODY I met was great, though. I don't think I met one rude person at either convention. It must just be a fandom thing...if you have something in common, there's no need to judge one another. I've met people who are old enough to be one of my parents, and people who are still in high school. Age doesn't matter. Location doesn't matter. Just that common bond is enough to keep at least an online friendship going.
Going to these events has given me more faith in humanity. I really believe there's good people everywhere. I didn't use to think that. I used to be very bitter and untrusting, and I still am to some extent, but I've learned to give people a chance instead of writing them off right away.
Brianna, Sam, Kristi, Lisa, "Luigi," Candace, Mariah, Emily, Michelle, (+ ALL the other people who were so friendly but never gave me names & Facebooks) and Lori who I haven't met yet but probably will soon (Chicago? Yes?), this goes out to you. Thank you for making my world a little brighter. :)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
How I spent my spring break - Part 1
A few days ago, I blogged to everyone on the convention facebook group: What do expect, how to buy tickets, logical stuff. But I didn't share any of the fun! So today I'm gonna show what I did in for my first three days of spring break, as well as a little bit from Minneapolis last September. The only people who really know my experiences were my mom, Mike, the kids from my public speaking class, and of course everyone I hung out with in the 2 cities. So. Read on!
After leaving Minneapolis on Labor Day weekend, I knew I wanted to go to another convention because I had enjoyed myself SO much and met a lot of people...but I hadn't been prepared, and I had gotten there without knowing anyone, which turned my first day into a bit of a drag...lots of standing in corners waiting for people to talk to me. I forgot half my clothes at home and my hair straightener broke, so I looked horrible in one of my photo ops that I paid for...I wanted a do-over where I could fix the things that didn't go so well the first time.
Mostly, I paid for it with my financial aid overage, selling my flute on Craigslist, and some Christmas money.
I got my tickets for Minneapolis as a gift from family members and I also sold things at a garage sale.
Now, on to the trip. The 24 hour bus ride from Moorhead to Nashville was uneventful as it could be. (Though I was incredibly happy to find out the Greyhound buses had free wireless internet!) We were a little late, but nothing major. The hotel was already reserved for us. All we had to do was check in.
The next morning, we all got up early to get ready and head over to Opryland. That hotel was HUGE and possibly the most beautiful building (inside) I've ever seen. I'd never seen any place with real trees and water on the inside before. The fake river even had fish in it!
I had my e-friend Brianna waiting for me at the hotel. We met through the convention's Facebook group a few months before and we had been IMing and Skyping almost daily ever since. I was expecting some super-awkward introduction, but after a few minutes, it was like we had been real-life friends for a long time. We kinda dressed up together. ^_^
Not really planned, it just kinda...happened. I liked getting to go on more shopping trips and buy stuff I wouldn't normally wear. My only mistake was the shoes. You have no idea. I was in pain for 75% of the weekend. Thank God for flip flops that fit in my purse!
The line for registration was REALLY long. Guess who was behind me? Three women who had also been in Minneapolis! We talked about how grateful we were to be away from the snow, and how weird our accents probably sounded to everyone else. Once we were registered, I got my seat (E26), only a few seats away from a guy who had come dressed up as Luigi. He introduced himself to me in an Italian accent and everything. Mike was convinced he was there to crash the con, but I think he was a genuine fan because he had been to one of the other tours in North Carolina and had gotten lots of the actors to sign his green hat.
Friday's guests were Leah Gibson and Nikki Reed.They were both SO sweet and not puffed up with a big ego AT ALL. They were so...normal. That's one thing I had learned about celebrities from attending conventions. They're no different than anyone else. They just have different talents and a lot of luck. I had met Nikki once before (previously mentioned bad picture? yep...) I got another photo op with her, that turned out better but still incredibly awkward. I guess that's fate. XD When I went to get it signed, she smiled at me and said, "HEY! How are you? I know I've seen you before!" I told her I was in Minneapolis that September and she said, "Yep! That's what I thought!" ...I had a bit of a fangirl moment when I got out of the autograph line. I knew her far before the Twilight movies. She co-wrote and starred in Thirteen, which was my favorite movie throughout high school.
Karaoke was also on Friday night. I liked it better when my twitter-friend Candace sang (And Mike Welch too! He was hilarious), but sadly, she couldn't make it to Nashville this year.
(Me & Candace in Minneapolis. She is super cool. :) )
Leah sang instead. I was impressed. Brianna and I put in our song request, but Leah had left by the time our names were drawn, so I didn't get to talk to her much. I was off-key and terrified, not to mention a little unsteady on my feet under those hot stage lights, but I finished the song and no one booed! Our other Skype-friend, Sam, put in a request for a song all 3 of us could do together, but we hadn't practiced AT ALL. I didn't know the song, so I stood in the back mouthing the words as best as I could. Towards the end of the song, Brianna threw down her notecards and said "I'm sorry, I can't do this," quoting a South Park episode, and we got offstage as fast as we could.
Mike's mom got lost for something like 7 hours that day, trying to come pick me up, so I took a cab back to the EconoLodge. I think I got about 4 hours of sleep that night. Saturday morning between 9 and 10, I took another cab back to Opryland. I must have looked odd, carrying a garbage bag and a cheap backpack into this fancy hotel...to save money, Brianna and her aunt let me stay in their room so I wouldn't have to take any more cabs.
Saturday was the day I was looking forward to most! I was sooo excited to meet Jodelle Ferland. My friend James and I watched every episode of Kingdom Hospital a couple years ago, and she was in it. Such a creepy little kid. Now she's in high school and not so creepy anymore. XD The picture I got with her actually turned out okay, though I felt like a giant because I was already 5'6" without heels and she must have not been more than 5'2". I wish I could have talked to her more, but the fact that I got to meet her at all (she cancelled MPLS last-minute) was AWESOME. :D Saturday's other guests were Leah (again), Charlie Bewley, Gil Birmingham, and Patrick Brennan. I got a pic with Charlie too. He's so pretty. :D
When I went to get Gil's autograph, I was super hyper from not ingesting anything but an energy drink and some string cheese all day. I was bouncing. He asked me, "What's the song in your head?" I told him I didn't have a song in my head, I just had a lot of energy. He asked, "So if I just sit here and stare, will you keep bouncing?" I tried to stop bouncing because I felt stupid. He laughed and stared harder and said "Oh no! She's gonna explode!" ...I kinda wanted to. Holding in that sugar rush was HARD!
...Speaking of exploding, I think that's what my blog is gonna do if I write any more! I wanted to fit the whole weekend into one post, but I think I may have to split it halfway because there are just too many things to talk about. Tomorrow I will be back to share part 2 - Saturday night & Sunday. STAY TUNED! ^_^
After leaving Minneapolis on Labor Day weekend, I knew I wanted to go to another convention because I had enjoyed myself SO much and met a lot of people...but I hadn't been prepared, and I had gotten there without knowing anyone, which turned my first day into a bit of a drag...lots of standing in corners waiting for people to talk to me. I forgot half my clothes at home and my hair straightener broke, so I looked horrible in one of my photo ops that I paid for...I wanted a do-over where I could fix the things that didn't go so well the first time.
Mostly, I paid for it with my financial aid overage, selling my flute on Craigslist, and some Christmas money.
I got my tickets for Minneapolis as a gift from family members and I also sold things at a garage sale.
Now, on to the trip. The 24 hour bus ride from Moorhead to Nashville was uneventful as it could be. (Though I was incredibly happy to find out the Greyhound buses had free wireless internet!) We were a little late, but nothing major. The hotel was already reserved for us. All we had to do was check in.
The next morning, we all got up early to get ready and head over to Opryland. That hotel was HUGE and possibly the most beautiful building (inside) I've ever seen. I'd never seen any place with real trees and water on the inside before. The fake river even had fish in it!
I had my e-friend Brianna waiting for me at the hotel. We met through the convention's Facebook group a few months before and we had been IMing and Skyping almost daily ever since. I was expecting some super-awkward introduction, but after a few minutes, it was like we had been real-life friends for a long time. We kinda dressed up together. ^_^
Not really planned, it just kinda...happened. I liked getting to go on more shopping trips and buy stuff I wouldn't normally wear. My only mistake was the shoes. You have no idea. I was in pain for 75% of the weekend. Thank God for flip flops that fit in my purse!
The line for registration was REALLY long. Guess who was behind me? Three women who had also been in Minneapolis! We talked about how grateful we were to be away from the snow, and how weird our accents probably sounded to everyone else. Once we were registered, I got my seat (E26), only a few seats away from a guy who had come dressed up as Luigi. He introduced himself to me in an Italian accent and everything. Mike was convinced he was there to crash the con, but I think he was a genuine fan because he had been to one of the other tours in North Carolina and had gotten lots of the actors to sign his green hat.
Friday's guests were Leah Gibson and Nikki Reed.They were both SO sweet and not puffed up with a big ego AT ALL. They were so...normal. That's one thing I had learned about celebrities from attending conventions. They're no different than anyone else. They just have different talents and a lot of luck. I had met Nikki once before (previously mentioned bad picture? yep...) I got another photo op with her, that turned out better but still incredibly awkward. I guess that's fate. XD When I went to get it signed, she smiled at me and said, "HEY! How are you? I know I've seen you before!" I told her I was in Minneapolis that September and she said, "Yep! That's what I thought!" ...I had a bit of a fangirl moment when I got out of the autograph line. I knew her far before the Twilight movies. She co-wrote and starred in Thirteen, which was my favorite movie throughout high school.
Karaoke was also on Friday night. I liked it better when my twitter-friend Candace sang (And Mike Welch too! He was hilarious), but sadly, she couldn't make it to Nashville this year.
(Me & Candace in Minneapolis. She is super cool. :) )
Leah sang instead. I was impressed. Brianna and I put in our song request, but Leah had left by the time our names were drawn, so I didn't get to talk to her much. I was off-key and terrified, not to mention a little unsteady on my feet under those hot stage lights, but I finished the song and no one booed! Our other Skype-friend, Sam, put in a request for a song all 3 of us could do together, but we hadn't practiced AT ALL. I didn't know the song, so I stood in the back mouthing the words as best as I could. Towards the end of the song, Brianna threw down her notecards and said "I'm sorry, I can't do this," quoting a South Park episode, and we got offstage as fast as we could.
Mike's mom got lost for something like 7 hours that day, trying to come pick me up, so I took a cab back to the EconoLodge. I think I got about 4 hours of sleep that night. Saturday morning between 9 and 10, I took another cab back to Opryland. I must have looked odd, carrying a garbage bag and a cheap backpack into this fancy hotel...to save money, Brianna and her aunt let me stay in their room so I wouldn't have to take any more cabs.
Saturday was the day I was looking forward to most! I was sooo excited to meet Jodelle Ferland. My friend James and I watched every episode of Kingdom Hospital a couple years ago, and she was in it. Such a creepy little kid. Now she's in high school and not so creepy anymore. XD The picture I got with her actually turned out okay, though I felt like a giant because I was already 5'6" without heels and she must have not been more than 5'2". I wish I could have talked to her more, but the fact that I got to meet her at all (she cancelled MPLS last-minute) was AWESOME. :D Saturday's other guests were Leah (again), Charlie Bewley, Gil Birmingham, and Patrick Brennan. I got a pic with Charlie too. He's so pretty. :D
When I went to get Gil's autograph, I was super hyper from not ingesting anything but an energy drink and some string cheese all day. I was bouncing. He asked me, "What's the song in your head?" I told him I didn't have a song in my head, I just had a lot of energy. He asked, "So if I just sit here and stare, will you keep bouncing?" I tried to stop bouncing because I felt stupid. He laughed and stared harder and said "Oh no! She's gonna explode!" ...I kinda wanted to. Holding in that sugar rush was HARD!
...Speaking of exploding, I think that's what my blog is gonna do if I write any more! I wanted to fit the whole weekend into one post, but I think I may have to split it halfway because there are just too many things to talk about. Tomorrow I will be back to share part 2 - Saturday night & Sunday. STAY TUNED! ^_^
Sunday, March 27, 2011
& It's my heart I'll follow this time...
Some people might be confused about why I want to leave Minnesota again.
After all, the extent of which I hated Williamsburg is well known.
That hasn't changed. The college is still filled with lots of entitled rich kids while the town itself is falling down, there are no good stores in sight, no bus system, and no way of entertaining myself when nearly everyone goes home for the weekend.
I used to think anywhere south of Ohio and east of the central time zone line would be the same.
Then I went on this trip to Nashville. Maybe Nashville was just another city, but I fell in love with it. Being there just felt...right. Then I had to come back down to reality.
Living near Fargo (which is more of a 'big town' than a city) is expensive enough. There's no way I could find an apartment in Nashville at a price I can afford. If money was no issue, I'd probably be living in Chicago right now. I've felt drawn to that city even before I saw it for the first time.
Thinking logically, I clicked around on webpages for other nearby towns,
and I found one that looks right, only an hour away from Nashville. A friend that I met at the convention told me about the town she lives in. Rent is cheaper than I could have imagined for a town of its size, there is a good bus system and enough stores of all kinds to satisfy me.
The school there is one of the best public colleges in Tennessee.
I'm done filling out my application. I'll probably get in, but even if I don't, I'll probably still move there and take distance classes from home.
The thing that got me interested in TN Tech is their financial aid requirements.
I could qualify as an independent student if I could prove I had no financial support from my parent, which is easy enough to do. I pay everything...rent, bills, food, clothes, every thing I own these days, I've bought for myself somehow, and I could get in-state tuition if I can promise I will live there year-round and not go home for the summer.
What home? No family member of mine opens their house to me for 3 months of the year rent-free.
Even if one did, I LIKE apartment life. I don't want to go back to having just one room to myself. I've also fallen in love with the cute little 2 bedroom townhouses Mike & I could be living in for less than I'm paying now for this one bedroom in a sketchy part of town...
(Come on! My bike got stolen from our parking lot!) If he's working and I have money coming in, we could possibly even rent a house for ourselves. Either way, the kitties will have a yard to run around in.
Food is also cheaper in southern grocery stores, so even if I don't qualify for food stamps anymore, I can eat good, healthy meals more regularly. I will be happy because I can go outside at all months of the year, and not be afraid of freezing to death.
My anxiety will decrease because I won't have to constantly worry about snow making the buses late every day from November to March.
The friends I met (and reunited with in KY too) totally made the trip...
I can't imagine never visiting them more than once a year.
Old friends from college seem to genuinely want me to visit more than that. We had fun together.
The people here who think they can control my life will no longer be able to...
On this trip, I've learned that I'm a lot more independent than I thought I was.
This town doesn't need me, and I doubt my "family" would miss me much.
Why stay where I'm not needed?
I'm ready to find another new chapter of life on my own.
(and of course Mike will help.)
After all, the extent of which I hated Williamsburg is well known.
That hasn't changed. The college is still filled with lots of entitled rich kids while the town itself is falling down, there are no good stores in sight, no bus system, and no way of entertaining myself when nearly everyone goes home for the weekend.
I used to think anywhere south of Ohio and east of the central time zone line would be the same.
Then I went on this trip to Nashville. Maybe Nashville was just another city, but I fell in love with it. Being there just felt...right. Then I had to come back down to reality.
Living near Fargo (which is more of a 'big town' than a city) is expensive enough. There's no way I could find an apartment in Nashville at a price I can afford. If money was no issue, I'd probably be living in Chicago right now. I've felt drawn to that city even before I saw it for the first time.
Thinking logically, I clicked around on webpages for other nearby towns,
and I found one that looks right, only an hour away from Nashville. A friend that I met at the convention told me about the town she lives in. Rent is cheaper than I could have imagined for a town of its size, there is a good bus system and enough stores of all kinds to satisfy me.
The school there is one of the best public colleges in Tennessee.
I'm done filling out my application. I'll probably get in, but even if I don't, I'll probably still move there and take distance classes from home.
The thing that got me interested in TN Tech is their financial aid requirements.
I could qualify as an independent student if I could prove I had no financial support from my parent, which is easy enough to do. I pay everything...rent, bills, food, clothes, every thing I own these days, I've bought for myself somehow, and I could get in-state tuition if I can promise I will live there year-round and not go home for the summer.
What home? No family member of mine opens their house to me for 3 months of the year rent-free.
Even if one did, I LIKE apartment life. I don't want to go back to having just one room to myself. I've also fallen in love with the cute little 2 bedroom townhouses Mike & I could be living in for less than I'm paying now for this one bedroom in a sketchy part of town...
(Come on! My bike got stolen from our parking lot!) If he's working and I have money coming in, we could possibly even rent a house for ourselves. Either way, the kitties will have a yard to run around in.
Food is also cheaper in southern grocery stores, so even if I don't qualify for food stamps anymore, I can eat good, healthy meals more regularly. I will be happy because I can go outside at all months of the year, and not be afraid of freezing to death.
My anxiety will decrease because I won't have to constantly worry about snow making the buses late every day from November to March.
The friends I met (and reunited with in KY too) totally made the trip...
I can't imagine never visiting them more than once a year.
Old friends from college seem to genuinely want me to visit more than that. We had fun together.
The people here who think they can control my life will no longer be able to...
On this trip, I've learned that I'm a lot more independent than I thought I was.
This town doesn't need me, and I doubt my "family" would miss me much.
Why stay where I'm not needed?
I'm ready to find another new chapter of life on my own.
(and of course Mike will help.)
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