Looking back on posts gone by.

Every so often, I take a look back at my first few months of blog posts to remind me where I came from, and how much has changed since then. I just came across this one again, which was the last July 4th I was in the US for. I just realized (belatedly) that I was wrong.

I WILL be in the US for July 4th 2014. Because I'll be in the first week of my internship. And probably still jet-lagged. And hopefully will be so busy I won't realize how tired I am.

Also, today has been a day of numbers crunching. I've spent so much money buying plane tickets in the past week, it's put me in a panic about my budget for next year.

Because what else do I worry about but money.

The good part: I now have plane tickets to fly back to the US after exams are over (the day after exams, to be precise), fly back to the UK before graduation, and then fly again to Boston (to pick up my car and drive back to Saratoga, oy). I don't have to worry about agonizing over prices of flights, or worry about buying them because they're already bought. The money is gone.

The bad part: budget panic. My original plan for this coming year was to have money left over from my last loan payment to give me a bit of a cushion during the internship year. I'm getting paid well for an intern, don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled. But because I opted to get an apartment by myself and in a very secure location close to the practice, I'm paying a hefty price for housing. I've already sent off the deposit check, it's done. I'm living there, and I'm glad of it. But I still get anxiety about spending so much on housing. So I have to make sacrifices in other aspects of my budget, AND I need that cushion to help me pay for car insurance/some other small bills in order to make ends meet.

I can totally do it. I'm selling my car in the UK (I will miss my TARDIS, but I'll be very glad of the cash that comes from her), I'm selling a bunch of my books that I know I won't need (Small Animal Surgery, anyone?), I'm selling my TV, and I'm selling my sister some of my bedroom furniture (she's staying in the UK).

So why am I anxious? Because I'm good at it. Or used to it. And it keeps me in line.

Ugh, I'm rambling now. I'm tired. Getting up early to help with morning treatments. Time for bed.