Independent Living

I've been in a relationship for seven years now. Seven. 7. SEVEN.  I've been married for two of those years, and it's been fantastic. Really. In this time, we've both been full time college students, full time employees, and all of our free time has gone into our relationship. It seems easy enough to find time to spend together, but believe me, when you work 45+ hours a week, and he has a crazy nurse's schedule and often works weekends, it can be challenging to find two hours to spend together. So, we have learned to cherish our free time and spend as much of it together as possible. I can't remember the last time I had a girls night out. Or the last time I actually completed one of my many, many, lingering Pinterest projects. I'm not actually upset about this. He is my best friend, and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

However, all of that is about to come to a screeching halt. Two words. Ten letters. 

GRAD SCHOOL

My husband is embarking on a remarkable, and exciting journey. He starts nurse practitioner school this week, and I am beaming with pride for him. It's going to be tough as he will be a full time nurse and a full time student, but I know he is more than capable of stepping up to the challenge. I just can't help but [selfishly] wonder, "What am I supposed to do with my life now?" Sure, I've had free time before. Usually I take that time to clean up around the house, buy groceries, run errands, etc. I have never had this much time to myself before, and frankly, I don't want it. Here's the deal, alone time is good every now and then. Of course, everyone needs to relax and recharge to some extent, but that's where I draw the line. I don't want an abundance of time to myself. I'm just not that type of person. I'm not ashamed to say that I am dependent on others. Mainly, I'm dependent on my husband. 

The thing that terrifies me the most is that I won't be productive. I'm scared that I will waste all of my new-found free time. I'll end up sitting on the couch, cuddling with my dog, and then I'll slowly slip into a Netflix coma. Or, I'll spend two hours scrolling through Facebook scaring myself with fake news stories. I can't let that happen. I won't let that happen. I am determined to make these next two years the most productive of my life. I will start new projects, learn new skills, and I will use my time wisely. I will learn to live truly independently for the first time in seven years. And who knows, maybe I'll find out something new about myself along the way. 

I will be using my blog as my platform to share what I'm doing, how the transition is going, and maybe even as a place to vent when I'm getting on my nerves. Feel free to follow along the way, and suggestions for new projects are always welcome.