Today marks a beginning. The beginning of this blog, the beginning of a new life in Chicago, the beginning of a new career (or at least the first baby steps to achieving a new career), but mostly just an overall beginning.
It also marks an end. Or maybe a temporary hiatus. The fact that I am leaving DC didn't hit me until I was driving to my parents tonight after eating takeout from The Heights on my couch with Athina (I refused to join polite society at a restaurant due to my exhaustion and lack of a shower after moving all the things this afternoon). Driving through Rock Creek Park, I realized I was tearing up. I didn't feel this way after college because I knew college was supposed to end after 4 years. But, my life in DC wasn't supposed to be temporary. I even bought big girl furniture (i.e., not from IKEA) because I was supposed to stick around DC for a while. So it feels like I'm actually leaving behind a life.
Athina is probably sick of hearing that I'm leaving. I've done this to her a couple of times - after college when I moved back to DC only to tell her I was moving to Dubai the next week, and then again when I actually moved to DC and ended up traveling for work 4-5 days a week and was too exhausted to be an awesome friend every weekend.
There have been benefits to the end of this current DC era. I was able to convince my friends to make this the summer of Teri. Totally selfish, but whatever. Everyone helped me check things off of my DC bucket list, and I have some great new memories thanks to them. I may not have completed all of my "planned" activities, but it doesn't matter.
--
It also marks an end. Or maybe a temporary hiatus. The fact that I am leaving DC didn't hit me until I was driving to my parents tonight after eating takeout from The Heights on my couch with Athina (I refused to join polite society at a restaurant due to my exhaustion and lack of a shower after moving all the things this afternoon). Driving through Rock Creek Park, I realized I was tearing up. I didn't feel this way after college because I knew college was supposed to end after 4 years. But, my life in DC wasn't supposed to be temporary. I even bought big girl furniture (i.e., not from IKEA) because I was supposed to stick around DC for a while. So it feels like I'm actually leaving behind a life.
Athina is probably sick of hearing that I'm leaving. I've done this to her a couple of times - after college when I moved back to DC only to tell her I was moving to Dubai the next week, and then again when I actually moved to DC and ended up traveling for work 4-5 days a week and was too exhausted to be an awesome friend every weekend.
There have been benefits to the end of this current DC era. I was able to convince my friends to make this the summer of Teri. Totally selfish, but whatever. Everyone helped me check things off of my DC bucket list, and I have some great new memories thanks to them. I may not have completed all of my "planned" activities, but it doesn't matter.
--
Teri’s DC Bucket List
- Sweetlife Festival (5/11)
- Dinner at Thai Xing
- Jazz in the Garden (7/26)
- Go to a gallery opening
- Drag brunch
- Brunch at Mad Momos (7/14)
- Champagne Tour of Mansion on O St (7/14)
- Tour of the Capitol (6/13 thanks to RM!)
- Eat lunch in the Folger Library garden
- Cooking classes at Culinaerie (6/21 with LC)
- Go out for Ethiopian food (Cheated with Fojol Bros on 7/8)
- Nats game (First game on 5/28 w/ Boothies)
- Use Bikeshare
- Play minigolf at the Building Museum (6/27 with CM and lots of the gang)
- Eat crabs at Cantlers
- Go to an embassy party (Swiss National Day Celebration at the Swiss Embassy on 8/3)
- Hike Roosevelt Island
- See a movie outdoors (Willy Wonka on 8/5)
- Salsa dance at Sabor Monday’s at Lima
- Yoga in Meridian Hill Park (7/29 with Sweetgreen and the gals)
- Brunch at Room 11 (6/2 w/ NHFW)
- Eat homegrown veggies from our garden (Peas and corn!)
- Ballet classes at Washington Ballet
- Go sailing
- Play True American
- Tour a DC brewery
- Bottle Green Hat Gin Go to an event sponsored by Green Hat Gin (Wasn’t able to get a spot through the lottery to bottle, so I went to a Green Hat event at the American History Museum on 7/25)
- Hike Old Rag
- Go to Truckeroo (Truckeroo scheduled for 7/19. TOO HOT!)
- Start playing tennis again (First game on 6/1 with BD)
- 1368 Pig Roast (No weekends worked prior to my departure, but I’ll come back to DC for the next one)
- 4th of July BBQ (Scheduled for 7/4)
- Go to Upshur Pool
--
While I'm sad to leave behind a fabulous life in DC, I'm also incredibly excited to start a new one in Chicago. I may think the name Chicagoland is stupid, but Chicago is a pretty great city. I'm ready to explore the city, start business school, make new friends, and who knows what else. Also (nerd alert!) I'm stoked to go to class and learn new things on a daily basis.
This is likely the most sentimental post that will appear on the blog. From here on out, this will be my place to talk about whatever new awesome things I've learned, maybe an internship or two, and whatever other adventures happen along the way. Next stop: Chicago!
Love,
The newly minted Chicagtonian
No comments:
Post a Comment