Surviving the Blizzard in Philly

This was my first time being in a city for a snowstorm, and it was definitely a different experience. I was amazed at how the city really shut down, basically becoming a ghost town for two days. I spent the day relaxing with friends, watching movies, and eating delicious food. Luckily nothing inconvenient happened - no power outages or satellite issues! The snow looks so beautiful on all the rooftops, and it looks especially peaceful in Rittenhouse Park. I'm usually not a big fan of winter, but I enjoyed experiencing city life during a blizzard! Hope the snowstorm didn't ruin your weekend!

Webinar Tomorrow!

The Graduate School of Education Office of Admissions is hosting a webinar tomorrow, January 21, at 7 pm. We've had one before, and it was a really great opportunity for prospective students to learn more about Penn from students who are currently in various programs at GSE. You can ask us any questions you have about Penn, Philly, schoolwork, professors, etc. There will be a bunch of us there from different programs, so hopefully we'll be able to answer any questions you have about the specific programs. The whole webinar lasts from 7-8pm and you can join it anytime between then! I definitely recommend it if you have any lingering questions before you apply.

In other news, I've officially had all of my second semester classes and met my new professors. I'm excited about the courses we have this semester, which focus a little more on how people develop and become who they are. My professors have increased the workload a little bit (aka more papers or projects), but the nature of the work is extremely useful for our professional and personal development. The further along I get into the program, the better I feel about my potential to be an empathetic and effective counselor, which is exciting. 

Back at it

Classes began again today! I'm excited to be back, but not so thrilled to already have a paper to write for next week. Although I do get to write about my childhood, so it's more of a reflection paper, which I really like. 

The past couple days in Philly have been rough - since it's finally cold! It snowed Tuesday night for a little bit, which was so pretty, but made my walk to my friend's apartment a bit difficult since I forgot gloves and a hat. So while I like getting to wear my winter boots and bundle up in  scarves, I'm reminiscing about my trip to Florida two weeks ago. 80 degree weather sounds phenomenal right about now, but I'm not a huge fan of winter. If you're struggling to get used to the cold also, here's a picture of the warm, sunny weather down at the beach that I can't stop staring at.  

New year, New adventures

Happy New Year! Although it's common knowledge that New Year's resolutions are rarely followed, I've decide to make some anyway, with the hope that my professors' constant reminders about self-care will actually make me stick with my goals for 2016. All of mine have a self-care theme, since it is such an important part of balancing the demands of graduate school. 

1. Learn how to cook

I'll be honest, the majority of things I know how to cook involve serious carbs (i.e. pasta, rice), or are just getting old since I eat it so often (how often can you eat sautéed spinach and grilled chicken?)  So with such easy access to delicious recipes on Pinterest, I want to start teaching myself how to cook. And by that I mean I'll be burning lots of food until I finally get the hang of it. 

2. Take yoga classes

Before I started at Penn, yoga classes were part of my weekly routine and were my go-to for stress relief and "me time." But since moving to Philly, I haven't been able to find a convenient, reasonably-priced studio. I've been so busy that I have rarely had time to keep up with my yoga practice, and I didn't realize how much I missed it until I picked it back up again over this break. I think I'm going to try the classes offered at Penn Rec because they're a pretty convenient location if it's on the days I have class. 

3. Establish a regular sleep schedule

I'm a night owl, and it makes it hard to stick with a normal sleep schedule since my body naturally wants to go to sleep later and wake up later, despite early classes and commuting to practicum. I need to give myself a bedtime.

4. Explore more

There is so much more of Philly, and other cities close to me, that I want to see and explore. I want to visit Washington DC sometime soon and go to the Jersey Shore once it's summer again.

5. Meditate

My mind resists meditation, despite all of its scientifically-supported benefits. Goal is to teach myself mindfulness and set aside time for meditation (using guided tapes so my mind doesn't completely wander). 

6. Be more open to vulnerability, failure, & rejection

Being in a counseling program makes you realize a lot of things about yourself . One thing I've learned is I am more closed off than I originally thought. As scary as it is, I want to be able to face fear head-on and not shy away from it. 

7. Reconnect 

With good friends, with my values, with people that inspire me & things that motivate me. 

8. Be grateful

Positive psychology loves gratitude, with good reason. 

I could go on and on, but I'm happy with my list so far. I know that being at Penn, surrounded by my classmates and professors, will encourage me to follow my resolutions as best as I can. Here's a great 2016!