I was discussing my personal progress with the head of my program on Friday and it got me thinking about the person I've become over the past year. Let me start off saying that I still desperately miss my friends and chosen family back home but only having myself to focus on this past year has been surprisingly good for me. I have done so many things that I never knew I was capable of since I moved down here.
First off, after the shock of the new and getting back on anti-depressants first semester, I have gotten high pass grades on every class and incredible, encouraging reviews on the papers and treatment models I've worked on for those classes. I have never been a straight-A student and it's so mind-boggling that this thing that I care so much about is something I'm actually excelling at. I'm actually strongly considering a PhD program right now which is also something I never thought I'd be capable of.
Second, despite my initial reservations, I have made friends here. I was sure when I arrived that everyone would be too cool to hang out with someone 10 years older than them. As it turns out, there were a few gals my age and even the younger ones in my cohort seem to enjoy my company. I never thought I could be fond of North Carolina but I am definitely going to be pulling up some painful roots when this program is over.
Third, I've really made progress in living a healthier life. I've lost nearly 20 pounds since moving to North Carolina. I drastically changed my diet last November and then, in May, I joined a gym around the corner from my apartment. Now I run three days a week and meet with a personal trainer one hour a week. My running has improved immensely and I am running longer uninterrupted than I ever have in my life. My trainer has helped to better my posture and given me great exercises to help improve my running. I have been able to do rock climbing classes and hot yoga and, in general, I just feel more athletic and healthy than I ever have. I like this stronger version of Emmy and I can't wait to see where I am one year from now.
