And so it begins...

Tomorrow begins a new semester, the second semester out of four total semesters in grad school. It's been kind of nice that I could ramp up to it, too. This week I have been back in state college, seeing some friends I didn't see over break (and a few that I did see over break), working 9-6 on my research and doing fun things after work, enjoying the lack of homework. Tomorrow I will essentially be doing the same thing, except without the fun things after work and with homework and the need to physically attend classes added.

Am I ready for it? No. But this semester is already beginning to look better than last. My classes will be (hopefully) ever-so-slightly easier. I already know what to expect in the realm of combining 35 hours a week of work plus classes. I have friends with which to study (although most of my fluids 1 study group is not taking fluids 2. In fact, Dave and Greg are the only two I have left. We will just have to expand our study group I guess. And form a completely new study group for convection...). And I'm used to state college, and actually like it. Today I drove to a house that was out of town a little bit, and almost crashed my car because I was looking at the beautiful mountain range surrounding me instead of the road. It's gorgeous. I have been told it's 100 times more beautiful in the springtime. I can't wait.

This morning I went to a new church with a friend. With the exception of the on-campus Catholic campus ministry, I'm still a bit of a church orphan in state college (or vagabond I guess... there are a few churches that I like to attend but I haven't found a regular one yet where I feel like I belong...), so this was a pretty good time to continue my exploring of the state college area church scene. This one was a small baptist church community (probably about 30 people or so) that seemed to be a mix of half college students and half young families with babies. Everyone was very welcoming and sweet. The pastor who spoke was incredibly energetic, and the message was extraordinary! A few people went to the pastor's house for lunch afterward, and I feel like I made some new friends. And I got to play with kids.

It wasn't a bad way to spend my last day before classes start.