A world of my own
Spending a lot of time on campus… in the library… head in my books, I sometimes feel disconnected with the outside world. I have no idea who is on American Idol, the news is always 3 days old to me, and I catch up with people by the major event not by week or month. Finding time to maintain relationships with friends and family is one of the major challenges of any graduate program. I find it the most difficult to stay in touch with my younger sister, Lia, who has been living in Japan for the past two years. In this case, it isn’t just finding the time; it’s finding a time that works in both our time zones. During the short conversations I have with Lia, I hear about her escapades globetrotting while meeting people and seeing interesting things all over the world. I find it refreshing to hear that there is an even bigger world going on while I am camped out in my corner of the library, and it will still be going when I am done studying. I may be living in a world of caffeine and highlighters now, but I know it will all pay off. As I talk with Lia, updates on our lives bear few similarities. Her updates usually include a new stamp in her passport, while mine include another outlined chapter. While I do wish sometimes that I was navigating the streets of Tokyo, or reflecting in the Peace Park of Hiroshima, I know one thing, it will all be there when I’m done and I can go traveling as an Esquire. Keeping an eye on what waits in the future is what motivates me to stay focused on what has to be done now.