Summer is. . .

. . . reading tons of books, both for my humanities project and for pleasure
. . . waking up (eventually) without an alarm
. . . learning to golf, with a lesson and several trips to the driving range each week. I can even play 9 holes now!
. . . traveling to CA, upstate NY, VT, CT, and even just exploring other towns on Long Island for a change of scenery and a yummy dinner
. . . sailing in a few races on the Great South Bay with my dad
. . . lots of wedding planning, including hiring a florist and an officiant and, most importantly, finding my wedding dress!
. . . spending tons of quality time with Mom, Dad, Bijou, and Tay
. . . being a bridesmaid in my cousin Kate's wedding
. . . rearranging the bedroom just for something new and in celebration of the fact that this is the first time in 9 years that I am spending more than one year in the same apartment
. . . seeing more movies in the theater than I have seen in the past year
. . . cleaning the apartment from top to bottom and organizing it (even the hall closet!)
. . . writing in the fancy journal I bought in Iowa while sitting out on the patio in the afternoon sun

. . . over.

Today was the first day of my second year of medical school. I have been juggling a huge mix of emotions, but I am back in action and embracing the coming year with the most determined and optimistic outlook I can muster. Ready, set, go! . . . study microbiology.