En Route #4
Settling into Fall
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As we settle into the Fall semester, one thing occupies the forefront of my mind even before I step outside and make my way to class: Warmth. Despite the little flirtations with colder weather we’ve been enjoying, come October things will start to get seriously chilly. Word to the wise: Invest in your warm weather gear now. It’ll be Winter before you know it and you do not want to be running around with only a jacket to keep yourself warm.
Unlike the last two weeks, by the third things start to settle into a rhythm. You memorize your class schedule, know which days to do which class’s homework, and gradually remember how to balance school and life, a skill that seems to atrophy for some (read: me) over the summer. It’s easy to slip into a routine that just barely keeps you afloat, but I would recommend building in some fun activities on a weekly basis so you’re not just racing towards the weekend.
Maintaining a life on your own is hard, and often the challenges that come with living in Paris are the things you could have never predicted. For anyone who witnessed the sketch comedy fodder that was me hauling a 10kg pack of Evian water bottles down Rue de Rennes the other day, just know that I was fully aware that my earbuds were dragging on the ground behind me, I’ve found that the music of the city is all I need thank you.
Yet just when I’ve decided to feud with the city’s more difficult hurdles for everyday life (don’t even get me started on package deliveries) Paris finds a way to reel me back in. I was frantically running errands before class, when I happened to glance to my right and was stopped in my tracks. The Eiffel Tower rose before me and I was powerless to resist an appreciatory photo, nearly tripping over a few rogue influencers in the process. Luckily they were too distracted to notice my lack of professional lighting and I was able to snap my photo unobserved.
It’s easy to find yourself at odds with this beautiful, dirty, contradiction of a city, but don’t let yourself get too jaded. For all it’s faults, it’s an amazing place to live and you’ll find yourself appreciating both the joys and the struggles when you least expect it. Make time to wander and discover something to marvel at, from a quest to find the perfect croissant to a list of the top 10 museums you don’t want to miss.
The second half of my week was another sort of wake up call: homework does not magically take less time just because you give yourself less time to complete it. Turns out, things do catch up with you in the end and I was reminded of this on a particularly lovely weeknight where I had to pass on dinner with friends in favor of homework for class. Learn from my mistakes and don’t let your work get too backed up this early in the semester. It’s a slippery slope that can get dangerous faster than you can say Midterms. Fortunately for you and I, Week 3 is the perfect time to reset and form better habits that will help you throughout the semester.