With the new near, I closed one chapter and opened a new one. On the second of January, I made the eight and half hour drive from Kansas City to Denver. I said goodbye to my old life in Kansas and said hello to my new life in Denver. Getting to Denver wasn’t easy, and there were a few times I almost gave up. The hardest things in life are things worth doing. I’ve been in Denver now for about a month and I love it. For the first time in my life, I feel like where I belong and that I’m on the right path. In 2021 I went from being stuck, unhappy, searching for a purpose to someone who’s happy and excited about life.
2020 was rough but I learned some important lessons. I’m grateful for every experience because it brought me to where I am now. I’m in a much better place than I was, and I’m looking forward to the future.
New Place
Moving wasn’t fun. At my old place, I lived on the fourth floor, and carrying everything down the stairs was exhausting, plus my dad and I moved everything down during a winter storm. It was exhausting and I won’t miss going up and down those stairs.
Finding a new place in Denever, CO wasn’t easy. I wasn’t able to view places in person, and I struggled with getting places to do virtual tours and send me information. I wanted a place that fit my budget, was close to campus, and in an area of the city where I felt safe. Luckily, I was able to find a place in Denver that was a good fit after months of searching. It’s an industrial-style loft, and it has an elevator. I’ve always lived in the suburbs, so it’s my first time living in an urban area. It’s completely different, but I like it. I plan on doing a tour once I finish unpacking and getting it together.
Back to School
January 19th marked the start of the spring semester. I went from taking four classes down to two. My mindset when I first decided to go to school was to take as many classes and possible, so I could finish as soon as possible. After taking a step back and giving it some thought, I decided that wasn’t the best plan if I wanted to be a successful student. Instead of overloading myself with a full load of coursework and a full-time job, it’s better to take little by little. It’s not a race, it doesn’t matter how fast I get my degree, but that I get my degree. If I’m burnt out and unable to focus, then I won’t do well in school. And as a result, it’ll waste money, time, and it’ll take longer for me to get my degree.
Classes
For the spring semester, I’m taking Multiculal American and Health Career Foundations. Both of my classes are online so that I can still work full-time. At first, I wasn’t excited about taking a history class, but after going through the syllabus and virtually meeting my professor. Dread turned to excitement. It’s structured to be self-paced, so there are no due dates and you can go at your own pace. I also have a great professor for the course. One of the textbooks for the course was on backorder at the bookstore, so some students had to wait to get their textbooks. I’ve had professors in the past who would have chastised students in a similar situation. But my history professor was kind enough to upload the first couple of chapters of the book for students. He gets a gold star in my book.
My Health Career Foundations class is about design thinking and how to design your life. It’s a class that would have been helpful when I first started college. I plan on writing blog posts about some of the things I learn in class. So far I’m doing well in both of my classes, and I’m glad I didn’t take four classes. Two is a great place to start, and maybe in the fall, I’ll feel comfortable taking four classes.
Exploring Denver
Before moving to Denever I had never been to Denver. So when I moved to Denver I was excited to explore. Since we’re still in a pandemic, my options are limited. I’ve been sticking to sightseeing so that I get a feel for where everything is in the city. I live in the downtown area, so I’m within walking distance of a lot. I’ve walked around the Rino Art Distrait and admire some of the artwork, and checked out a couple of donut shops. There are lots I want to check out, but I know I have to be patient. The pandemic is going to last forever (at least I hope so) and things will go back to normal. Plus I’m not on vacation, so I have plenty of time to see all that Denver has to offer.
What’s next?
As of right now, I don’t have any bigs plans for 2021. For spring break, I might visit my family back in Michigan, and in the summer I plan on doing a lot of hiking. One thing I’m guilty of is putting way too much pressure on myself to be perfect, and it’s something I’m working on stopping. Instead of putting a bunch of pressure on myself, I’m taking things one step at a time. For 2021 I’ve set three goals. My first goal is not to be so hard on myself, step outside of my comfort zone and get out more, and lastly to get involved with a group or organization. I’m excited for what’s to come and to take you all along with me.
Related post: Dear Kansas City, it’s Over and I’m Moving on
Moving is quite honestly the worst, but it feels good once you unpack and you get settled.
Love this post! Moving to a new place can be scary, but once you get used to the environment you’ll wonder why you were scared in the first place. I remember when I first moved to university I was both homesick and overwhelmed, but after spending lockdown at home, I am definitely ready to jump back in.
Thank you! Denver is out of my comfort zone for sure. But I’m starting to get used to it.