TSA, I Won't Miss You. (Boston, I Will.)

I'm starting this draft at Terminal 2 of the San Diego airport, waiting for the last Boston redeye I'll probably be taking for the foreseeable future. I'm committing to UCLA Law. In a few months, TSA will no longer be the bane of my existence. Instead, I'll be worried about drivers cutting me off on the 405 and the exorbitant gas prices in southern California.

I spent the past week at home, working remotely from 7am to 3pm as a time zone compromise with my boss. It was nice. I got to see my friends several times and spent quality time with my mom. It was her birthday the day before UCLA's Admitted Students Day, so we drove up a day early and went to The Getty. We were both more impressed with the architecture of the place itself than most of the art, though I did particularly enjoy the exhibit on medieval depictions of blood and medicine.

I hate driving in LA. I bitched and moaned behind the wheel about how nonsensically the city is laid out, how isolating I find it, how much I prefer Boston's walkability and extensive public transit. My mom took my laments in stride (a genuine trooper).

The visit day itself was nice, though in classic LA fashion it started with a parking fiasco that made me late to the campus tour. My old roommate from BU is a current UCLA Law student, and it was comforting to have a familiar face there. 

On the drive back, my mom and I stopped for enchiladas and nachos, respectively, in Laguna Beach. I've gotten to love long drives with her in the passenger seat. We'll usually chat in detail about whatever music I have playing (this time, Cowboy Carter) and what movies she's seen recently (Dodsworth). 

Back at home, my best friend Gabi dyed parts of my hair pink. It was a fun experiment, but the dye didn't stick to my hair very well. I think it'll fade to an awkward bleach-ish orange within a week, but I don't mind too much; I was itching for a change. Gabi feels bad, though.

Last night, Gabi and I met up with our other high school friend, Camryn. (Our fourth friend, Emmie, was supposed to come too, but she had an all-day exam for her nano engineering doctoral program at UCSD.) I'd seen Gabi a couple of times throughout the week, but I hadn't caught up with Camryn properly since before I moved back to Boston. 

Cam told us all about the people from high school she's seen recently, the parties they've been going to, and who's dating whom. She was always the most social and uninhibited of the four of us in high school, so it's no surprise she's the one with the most intel nowadays. The rest of us tend to veer dramatically in the opposite direction, avoiding anything that reminds us too much of our unstable teen years.

---

Now, it's 6:00am and I'm sitting on the floor of my bedroom in Boston. I barely slept two hours on my flight, so I'll probably spend a good chunk of today napping.

I'm happier than I expected to be back. Boston really does feel like a second home; seeing the sun rise over East Boston and the morning light reflect off the Charles River was an affirmation that I'm in the right place (for now, at least). I'm glad to have Monday off for Patriots' Day, so I can feel less guilty about spending all of today sleeping.

I'll be here for around three more months. I haven't decided exactly when I'm leaving yet, but I need to decide soon. (Putting in my two-weeks notice and finding someone to take over my sublease hang over my head.) Before my trip home, my time left here felt so long. I was getting fed up with the monotony of my job and missed my friends from home. Now, in a case of predictable irony, I'm preemptively mourning this interim period between college and law school. It's all getting too real, but I'm excited (I think).

With teeth, love, and many frequent flyer miles,

Anika

P.S. - My current favorites:

1. Natural Brown Prom Queen (album) - Sudan Archives

2. "Good Luck Babe" - Chappell Roan (DUH!!!)

3. "Be - Acoustic" - Hozier

4. "I Wanna Be Your Right Hand" - Nehmasis

5. "Let's Face The Music and Dance" - Nat King Cole