Planning for the Future

I think I've decided to hold off on PA school for another year. I was going to apply this summer just to see if I get accepted, but I don't see any way that I could start in one year. There are many reasons why, and the biggest one is my wedding! How would we be able to have our wedding and honeymoon if I have to be in class on Friday, and again on Monday? That would be just way too hard. And it would force me to choose a school in Denver (unless I want to live away from Daniel which is NOT going to happen). That limits me to basically one school- UC Denver. Which is a fantastic school, but really competitive so there's no way I'm getting in anyways. And if I start PA school right away, I would have no time to celebrate graduation with my undergraduate degree. If I wait a year, I can go on vacation with my family in June, and then work until I'm ready to start. Working for a year will help Daniel and I become more financially stable as well. I wouldn't have to take out as many loans to pay for graduate school, and we would be able to pay our own bills for that first year. So... I think I've made the right decision. I just hope this doesn't begin a trend of putting off school. I'm really committed to finishing school, with a reliable degree, and getting on with my life. I may end up down a different path after that year, but I have already decided I have to get a master's degree, or some kind of professional degree. I really feel like a B.S. in biochemistry is not a guarantee for any kind of job security. Though a master's degree certainly isn't a guarantee either, it's much more so than a bachelor's degree. I can't believe that by the time we're 25 years old, Daniel and I will both have a master's degree. I am so proud of us! We are so responsible and mature, and we're making all the right choices. I feel like there is nothing that can keep us from being successful.

I am getting super excited about going back to Phoenix in a couple weeks. I miss it so much! Or rather, I miss all my friends and family so much! And it has been a very long time since I have been able to completely relax and have a real vacation with no homework or studying looming in the back of my mind. I will truly have an entire week to do nothing but enjoy time with family and plan our wedding! Which is in 18 MONTHS!!! A year and a half. All of a sudden, it doesn't feel like really far away. Since we've been engaged, it's felt like the wedding is in the distant future and we don't really need to think about it. But 18 months is when a lot of people get engaged in the first place and actually start planning. So that means, it's time to really make some decisions. Which I am very bad about. But I think once I make a decision, I will feel so much better about it and I'll stop flip-flopping. Or I hope so anyways.

So far Daniel has no job for the summer. I will be working full time, and he has nothing but a week in Phoenix at the beginning of June, a week in Florida at the end of July, and 2 weeks of orientation leader in early September. The worst part about it is that Daniel is the kind of person who has to be busy all the time. He isn't happy unless his schedule is packed from 8am-10pm. And he has months of nothing. So I'm trying to think of projects around the house he can do. 1) fix my new bike, and 2) put Jackson in obedience classes. He may also paint, though I'm not thrilled about that because it sounds expensive. He also can spend some time finding a roommate for us. We still haven't found one for the summer, which starts in about 2 weeks. Yikes! I just cannot deal with all of this right now. I was talking to my parents on the phone, and I realized how much I have going on right now. I have finals in the immediate future, then trying to find a roommate or two, planning a wedding, figure out what I want to do after graduation/ PA school, and my job which is going to take over my life very soon. There is no possible way to keep track of all of this at once. So, I've made a mental list. First, get through finals. Once that's over, I'll feel way better. Then, wedding planning. Hopefully we'll get most of the big decisions made during that week in Phoenix. Next, my job. That shouldn't be too stressful. Finally, figuring out my future plans. Oh, and somewhere in there- find a roommate! Then I'll be able to take a deep breath :-)

Time to make dinner! Daniel will be home soon.