April 8

From Durham to Boston

As always, March Madness extended its lease into April. I’m finishing writing this while watching Houston and Florida fight to be the last team standing. Even though the Gators were my original pick to cut down the nets I’m finding myself cheering for Houston; not sure why. I was cheering against them 48 hours ago…

I spent my weekend in Durham, North Carolina at the Southeast Student Sustainability Conference. It was an event we planned and hosted at UGA last year, so it was a very fun full circle experience to go back as a staff member with a new university. I bought 4 students who all got to give 45 presentations and they killed it!!!! I really felt so proud watching them and so thankful to be a part of the amazing work we do at UVA.

Time was on my mind a lot this weekend. It’s wild to realize we’re just a month away from being a full year out of college. This first year out has stretched and compressed in strange ways that I probably don’t fully understand yet. Being around students made me feel both deeply connected to them and noticeably different. I’ve grown a lot since graduating, that showed in certain moments, but I’m still much closer in age to the students than to most of my professional peers. I felt that too, especially since I didn’t really connect with any staff members more than five years older than me. I don’t really have a concluding thought, but I am growing appreciative of the limbo state I live in, both a student and an adult with all the responsibilities, privileges, and possibilities that come with both stages of life.

I saw a TikTok that said something like, 'It’s okay to move forward before you move on.' I’m not sure it applies to my life this week, but it struck me as profound enough to write down. That distinction feels like a lens that could ease future guilt without bypassing grief. Maybe it’ll mean something different to you, but if you’re also thinking a lot about time I’d love to hear about it.

Other highlights this week - I applied for a new apartment next year, started a new book, and hit 100,000 miles on my car!

What I ate this week

I didn’t get any good photos but the dining hall at Duke was unreal. By far the best food I’ve ever had on a college campus, even better than the Panda Express at Tate. I had a Latin American bowl, but they had all types of cuisine, and so many pastries, smoothies, and crepes. That Masters program is looking a lot more appealing…

What I am listening too

“Golden Hour” by Kacey Musgraves. That album has no skips. “Happy & Sad” got me through the last semester of college and still hits. It just sucks that Kacey’s best album was when she was so in love… claiming that for her (and her music) soon.

What’s in my cart

I really want a pair of Birkenstock Bostons (“birkenclogs”). I think my office is casual enough that I could wear them to work this summer. My ideal pair would be a dark green suede - let me know your thoughts.

I think I’ll buy them as soon as my tax return hits. That’s all for now. Love you so much!