Reflecting on My Summer of Setbacks and Lessons in Adulting

“Making plans is a game. Life chooses for you.” - Anita Diamant

Lately, I've been losing the game of making plans more frequently than usual. After two weeks of moving and living in a one-room Airbnb, I was eager to settle into my new apartment and begin my summer of interning, fashion, blogging, and learning French. As fate would have it, the night I finished moving in, I experienced an unexpected health issue that lasted the entire summer and more or less eradicated all my energy and ambition to be productive.

My life has not been absent of challenging periods, but this was the first time I felt like I had no control over what was happening. Worst of all, I had no prior experience with any of the events that complicated my summer, and my mom was several hours away. Before June, I was under the impression that my independent nature was indicative of my ability to live alone. However, as I learned, navigating medical, banking, or emergency situations alone is very different from being able to master day-to-day activities. Every week summoned a new lesson in the terrifying topic of adulting.

So, in summary, it has been a summer of unfortunate events that prompted some physical/mental health repercussions, as well as some much-needed lessons in adulting.

That said, I believe there is something to be gained from every experience. I have a new appreciation for being able to do mindless things (like walking) and for the fact that I have woken up healthy almost every day for twenty years. I’ve learned that being too prideful can make a situation much worse, and it’s better to just ask for help when necessary. And last but definitely not least, I have gained a deeper understanding of how privileged I am to have the support system I do. So while the past couple of months have not been particularly enjoyable, my experiences did emphasize the most important (often taken for granted) aspects of my life.

So, what’s next on my adventures and attempts at adulting? Well, today is the first day of my junior year! This semester is sure to be a test of my time-management skills as I will be continuing my internship and taking more challenging classes. In addition, I'm hoping to find time for my various passion projects. While I'm a little nervous and will undoubtedly be stressed in a few weeks, I'm looking forward to being busy again!

Wishing all the best to everyone starting school!

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