Christine's Column

This past Friday, I spent the night in Toledo celebrating my friend Jai-Lin’s birthday. For some background, I worked at a golf course for many years and, through that job, met some of my closest friends. Jai, Kayla, Lamai, Abby and I all worked together, and while we always have a blast during the summer when the golf season is in full swing, we don’t get to see each other much during the school year. That’s mostly because I don’t go to school in Toledo. Despite the distance, one tradition we’ve kept alive is celebrating each other’s birthdays. No matter how busy things get, we make sure to show up for those moments. Jai’s birthday fell on Thursday this year, but the official celebration took place Friday night. The birthday girl also requested a "cowgirl/country" theme, so of course we delivered.  To mark the occasion, Jai rented a pedal bar downtown. For the record, we are all over 21. The group was bigger than usual because she invited several of her other friends, wh...

College life is often described as a balancing act between academics and work. While those two areas deserve attention, the real challenge — and reward — comes from balancing everything else too: self-care, friendships and simply taking time to breathe. Schoolwork and jobs can quickly consume many hours of the day. Between classes, assignments, client projects and part-time shifts, it sometimes feels like my calendar fills up weeks in advance. Organization helps. I rely on my planner, sticky notes and Google Calendar to stay on top of deadlines and take care of business. But here’s the thing: school and work alone aren’t everything . Those are important parts of my college career, but I believe other areas of life should be prioritized just as much. It’s important to put myself first sometimes too. If I ignore my health, my energy crashes. If I skip out on friends, I burn out. That’s why I see self-care as just as important as academics or paychecks. Going to the gym is more tha...

 As I finish my third week of senior year, I can’t help but think, “Can it go by faster?” I know, I know. Last week I wrote a sappy blog about senior year and “soaking it all up,” and while that is true, I also can’t wait to start my life after college. I have always been the type of person who dislikes school and wanted to throw myself into adulthood at a young age. While not everything about being an adult is glamorous, like taxes and bills, other aspects entice me. First and foremost, I love money. I love money so much that I believe the song “That’s My Lady” by Baby Bash is one of the most romantic love songs ever written, because what could you compare a woman to that is more beautiful than money? Anyway, I work while I am at school so I can fund my shopping habit, and I would be lying if I said I never struggled to manage work with school. My biggest problem is that I prioritize working over schooling, which sometimes spreads me very thin. I work a lot, but I still have t...

  This past week I started my senior year of college, and I still can’t quite believe how fast time has gone. It feels like I was just moving into my freshman dorm, nervous and excited about what was ahead. Now I’m pulling up to campus for my last first day. People always say college goes by in the blink of an eye, but I don’t think I truly understood that until now. Walking into classes this week carried a different kind of energy. In past years, the first week was about finding classrooms, buying the right textbooks and settling into new routines. This year, though, there’s an added layer of nostalgia and anticipation. Every first is also a last—my last first syllabus week, my last first icebreaker introductions, my last time setting up a schedule that only lasts one more year. Part of me feels like I should have everything figured out by now. The reality is, I don’t. College has been full of surprises, challenges and opportunities I never could have predicted. I know this ye...