Being New, Take Two (And a Few Other Things On My Mind)

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I really admire military kids. They move all the time (I know someone whose family relocates every two to three years), and they must redefine home, learn the layout and culture of a new place, start a new school, and make an entirely fresh batch of friends. It's insanely admirable. I've only been new twice. The first time, I was properly new, and this time, I'm sorta-kinda, kinda-sorta new. I suppose you could say I'm more of a quasi-returning student. And being new once and "new" for a second time... it's plenty. So I thought I'd take a moment to offer my kudos to all of the military children out there. You are brave souls.

Tomorrow is the last day of my first week of sophomore year. It's been a pretty decent experience so far. The classes are fun (my AP World History teacher made a Joey Tribbiani reference on the first day, a sure sign of good things to come), I've had a chance to see some of my old friends (helloooo choir kids), and have already memorized approximately 1/2 of the periodic table (my favorite element so far is Iodine, because all I have to do is think about eating at an Irish diner... even my dad cringes at my dad jokes...). But I won't lie. It hasn't been perfect. I've eaten lunch alone for the past three days, which has honestly been pretty lonely, but hey! That's what the first week at a new school is for. It's just the start to understanding where you fit in, how you stand out, and what group of weirdos will become your friends. The possibilities are endless.

All in all, I'm hopeful. This year will be a bright one, because I say it will be. It will be fun. It will have moderate stress levels and nine hours of sleep a night, and five water bottles a day. It will be theatre and new friends. Sophomore year will be stellar. Oh, oh, oh, and it'll also (hopefully) entail two blog posts a week. I'm trying, guys. I'm trying.

In other news, the rest of summer vacation was lovely. I had the pleasure of going shopping with my best friend Lily, had a movie and poké date with my Grandma, and watched in utter astonishment as my sister read The Lord of the Rings trilogy in a matter of days. I also went to therapy, and will now be going regularly for depression and anxiety (more on that later). Therapy has never been an easy experience for me, as I have trouble opening up to other people. But it is essential. Gotta take care of our minds, y'all!

I also have an update on my writing. As I am no longer attending the school at which creative writing was my major, I have to make an extra effort to fold the art form into my life. So, I've started submitting my work to literary magazines and blogs. If you're interested in my more creative work, feel free to check out Canvas Literary Journals' upcoming Autumn 2019 issue. My piece "Erasure" can be found in the Halloween section. When I discovered my piece had been accepted, I actually laughed out loud. See, I've been drafting a blog post all week on how to deal with rejection. I was that sure "Erasure" wouldn't make it. Its acceptance was a bit of a wake-up call. In the coming year, I need to work on being more confident in my creative material; after all, comparison and competition don't benefit anyone. You may as well be proud of the fruits of your labor.

A new year of school often means a new phase for The Avocado and Me. Every year, my writing voice changes, my ideas shift, and I experience the world in a new light. It's fascinating, really. For the months to come, I have big plans for this wee little blog of mine. I hope to publish new recipes, articles and anecdotes on mental and physical health, and more guest posts. Guest posts are beautiful to me because they express life through someone else's eyes. It's inspiring to read stories that are not yours, but that you can relate to; thus, I hope to bring more of them your way (and my way, because let's face it, I love reading what you guys write).

I hope your school year (if you're still in school) starts off on the right foot. You can do anything you put your mind to, opportunities are around every corner, and there's always a matcha latte waiting for you at the end of a long day. Keep your chin up. This is going to be one of the best years of your life.

With love and many new posts to come,
Maya

Photo by Katrina on Unsplash, Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash,
Photo by THE 5TH on Unsplash, Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

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