When I graduated college this past December, I was concerned that this meant my life would come to a screeching halt as I began to work full-time. I thought it would mean I’d be stuck in a cycle of waking up, working, coming home, and going to sleep (sans the work part on weekends).
On the contrary, I find that each day is filled with a different sort of hustle and bustle, whether it is expected or not. It keeps me on my toes, and I enjoy this newfound level of activity. Instead of having a jam-packed schedule consisting of classes, homework, studying, and various other student activities, my days are filled with things that I actually want to do and didn’t necessarily have time for in college. For instance, I’ve taught myself how to knit. I’m able to read books – a favorite pastime of mine – that I truly want to read. I value having time to try new things when I’m not at my office job – things that push me out of my comfort zone.
This is where my recent trip to Washington, D.C. comes into play. My boyfriend recently moved to that general area, and I’ve eagerly anticipated paying him a visit. The opportunity struck for a visit consisting of four days and three nights at the end of April, so I jumped at the chance.
Unfortunately, this meant doing something that I was terribly anxious about: flying solo on a plane. I’ve flown only a handful of times in my life, and it’s not something that I particularly like. That stomach-lurching feeling as the plane ascends thousands of feet into the air, head jerking back abruptly as your ears begin to pop uncontrollably…all these sensations make flying positively dreadful. Not to mention the fact that my diabetes added to my anxiety. All sorts of terrible scenarios ran through my mind, such as the possibility of a pod failing mid-flight or forgetting a crucial component of my supplies at home.
But then I had a thought: these are daily risks that I take; therefore, mostly invalid concerns. I mean, there is never a convenient time for a pod to fail. It will piss me off at 3 in the morning just as much as it would in an airport. Either way, though, the solution remains the same – get a new one and set it up. It’s as simple as that. Likewise, any other issue I could think of that I may encounter was something I knew how to handle. For instance, if I had a low on the plane, all I would need to do is have some glucose tablets or juice. Really, it would be easier to fix than if I was driving myself.
After this sequence of notions, I knew that it was more than worth it to travel alone to see my boyfriend and explore his new home with him. And it couldn’t have happened more seamlessly. I transported myself to Boston and was landing at the Baltimore airport before I knew it. I spent the next couple of days visiting monuments and museums I’d only ever read about or seen pictures of. I shared many laughs and made new memories with my boyfriend as we acted like tourists and dined out for nearly every meal. And my diabetes wasn’t a problem. Even when I did experience a random high or low, I did what I normally do to treat it and continued on in our adventure.
As a whole, this trip was multi-purpose. I got to spend time with my boyfriend as well as boost my confidence in a major way. I’m feeling better than ever about traveling independently, and I can’t wait for the next opportunity to do so again.
