New Semester

This semester has barely gotten underway, but I'm already focused on next fall. My boyfriend of four years is finally moving up to Gainesville and I've got a lot of figuring out to do about what I'll be doing with my final year here at UF.

Kenny's impending arrival has me making my living plans for August rather early. We hit up Apartment Hunters last week to get a list of our options and got some rather good news: a one-bedroom isn't too expensive. I immediately fell in love with a loft-style place over by the mall. We went to check it out, but they're closed on the weekends. I talked to the property manager today, though and we're going to go look at it (and probably sign a lease!) on Feb 2. The grounds are great. SO much open space and trees, so I won't feel guilty about adopting a dog from the humane society. At first I was concerned because we have to pay for our water, but the rent is only going to be 550 a month, so it shouldn't be any more than I'm paying now. It might even be a little less. I'm already planning out decor for the place. I'm going for an asian theme in living room and a beach theme in the bedroom. I've made lists for all the furnishings we need. Thankfully, my mom's giving us a sofa and I'm getting my wicker bedroom set from home. Still on the list: coffee table, bookshelf, bar stools, end table, lamp, bed frame. Craig's list, hopefully.

I'm super excited about moving in with Kenny, but also a little apprehensive. It seems like every time we get close to this point, something goes wrong. I'm a little worried about signing a lease with 6 months to go, but it lowers the rent.

I'm also starting to freak out about the fact that I only have three semesters left of college. I need to pad my resume. I'm doing an independent study with the Communications Office in the J school this semester. My boss promised me design work, but all I've done so far is grunt work. I'm hoping over the summer to intern at Insight, a local entertainment magazine, doing page layout. I'm really worried that I won't be able to find a job designing pages when I graduate, because I didn't do graphic design. I'd really like to work at a fun publication. Maybe something regional, like southern or coastal living. My dream would be Psychology Today or Play or HOW. My fallback plan is to get certified to teach and write freelance magazine articles.

I've kind of developed three imaginary lives for myself in my head.

In my first, and most ideal, fantasy future, I'm married to Kenny. He has a good programming job and I work for a relatively well known publication doing page design. We might live near the coast in some southern state (Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, whatever), California or in a New York suburb; it changes in my head (Do I want snow or sand?). We have a nice home and a couple of kids. We have lots of friends and I throw dinner parties. We save up and go on family vacations to interesting places like Peru and Prague.

In my second life, I'm single. I've climbed my way up to a good position at a magazine in NYC. I have a cozy, but stylish apartment. My friends and I go out on the town every weekend to art shows, concerts or plays. I'm a city girl and I like it. I buy expensive clothes, drive a mustang and travel in my free time.

My third life came to me briefly a while ago and never came to much fruition. The time has passed, but sometimes when I'm sitting in the movie theater next to my good friend Paul, this idea that flitted into my head for the briefest of instances flickers. I've stayed with Paul. We both teach english at the same high school. We argue about our interpretations of classic novels in front of students. We have tea and read the newspaper at night and go to the movies every weekend.

It's interesting to think about all the paths your life can take. The ones you walked down and the ones you turned around and turned your back on.