What college doesn't teach you

As I sit in my room, Pandora playing, gnats flying around me, staring at a television I wish would work, I reflect on a few things I've realized since I came here:
1. No matter how clean a place is, if you live in a basement, there will be bugs. Back in my vegetarian days, I would have let the critters prosper and call this home their own-- thank goodness that's over. I've stomped and smashed more gnats since mid-May than the average person will in their whole life. I've actually gotten pretty precise in it.
2. It is possible to get rashes later on in life. I think they're from stress, but they itch like crazy.
3. It is possible to miss a small, quiet town that has less to do than one block in a busy city. Oh Moscow, your simplicity is but a pleasant memory and the bulk section of your market, something I can just dream about.
4. By the end of a 9-5 shift, I'm over people and want to crawl into bed. This will sound bad, but being social after work sounds awful. I find myself talking to the same handful of people often and old friends sporadically, and that being good enough. Don't get me wrong, Nick and I would love to make a great group of friends here and have tried, but there is some disconnect with personalities. We're going to continue to try but until then, I'm so grateful for the great people I do know. Now, to just get us all together in a place we all love...
5. I don't want to do PR for a theatre or performance organization. For many reasons, it just is not my place. In my ideal world, I'll find a job that combines food and writing and/or marketing/PR. I'm going to really try for that and be happy. I'm very grateful for this summer opportunity and in some ways, it not "working out" is great. I now know what I don't want to do and have shaped my hobbies and interest that I have gained over the last several years into something I can see myself utilizing in my career.

This past week at SCT was difficult, but I'm sure the next several weeks will just get better. My mom is coming to visit for a weekend in mid-July! Some familiarity will be incredible. Nick made my birthday one I'll never forget. It was both relaxing and action-packed, casual and formal-- what more could I ask for? Probably not to have gotten sick at the concert, I probably would have asked for that, but, really, my 21st was amazing. I'm really lucky he was here and so grateful for the people that thought of me on my day... Thanks, Facebook, for reminding so many that I can now legally drink wine.