The sunset view from my beautifully wooded and greatly admired (by me) backyard.
BLOG- Making Moves
- Published: August 15, 2017
Moving is scary. The good scary that makes you jump a little, but ultimately giggle at every unexpected discovery. But it’s also scary scary. You know, the kind that incites hard-to-interpret stress dreams that hinder sleep.
As this past April came to an end and the stress of finals subsided, my sleep deprived self was hurriedly boxing up my small basement apartment hidden under the floorboards of my insufferably rude upstairs neighbors. I was filled with sadness, fear and excitement as it really began to set in that I was leaving Athens, Ohio, my chosen home of five years. It was a total amalgam of good scary and scary.
This big move felt similar from my last even though the process was largely different. This time around was less planned, way more irritating and definitely more improvised. I can chalk that up to the moving experience I’ve acquired over my time in Athens as well as my older age.
It’s actually really funny when I think back to the meticulous planning, incessant organization and triple-checking of my belongings that I did the summer before my freshman year as a journalism student at Ohio University.
I bought a new computer, new bedding, matching-but-not-too-matchy décor, and packed all my clothes far sooner than I needed to in an attempt to discourage my two younger sisters from pilfering my favorite articles of clothing.
That was my first time ever branching out and making significant choices for my future and I was determined to make sure it all went according to my plan. Present me wishes I could go back, hug my 18 year old self and tell her to spend more time savoring her last few weeks of her old life rather than stress-planning her new one.
Present me also wishes I could visit April me, who was riddled with anxiety over accepting my internship, moving somewhere new, dealing with finals, and just about every other thing a 23 year old could have to worry about. I’d tell her that yes, adjusting to this new place is scary, but once you’re settled in everything has a way of falling where it should.
The thoughts and feelings in the weeks leading up to my moves five years ago and mere months ago are eerily similar. Fears of making friends, finding success and anxiety surrounding adjustment to a completely new environment worried me. To be quite honest, these things still do worry me a whole lot even though I have mostly settled into my new home of three months.
I made the decision to migrate to Yellow Springs after my partner Myles and I planned to move in together. He works at Antioch College as an admissions counselor, we love Yellow Springs and I landed my current internship at the Yellow Springs News. The serendipitous timing and location just felt right.
When I finally arrived in Wilmington, Ohio to collect my boyfriend and his belongings, I discovered we still had to get a moving van, load up his insanely heavy bedroom set, unpack said van, then return it all that same night.
This wildly unplanned evening led to a few stress-induced skirmishes, and I wish this part of the process had gone more smoothly. But alas, by the end of the night that bled into morning, we were snuggling on our floor-bound box spring and mattress amidst a sea of boxes and undecorated walls, content and exhausted. It’s a very special memory for me.
I want this blog to reflect the trials and tribulations, positives, negatives and realities of relocating to a new place. I look forward to experiencing Yellow Springs as a resident rather than a visitor, and I hope readers will want to follow my contemplations and discoveries of the community we share.
*Jessica Sees is an Ohio University student interning with the News.
The Yellow Springs News encourages respectful discussion of this article.
You must login to post a comment.
Don't have a login? Register for a free YSNews.com account.
No comments yet for this article.