No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems

I've been an anxious wreck for the last few weeks. I'm even worse than when I first started college two years ago, and that was bad. I can usually handle my anxiety pretty well, but my upcoming semester abroad has taken a toll on my poor little nerves. I've been worrying so much that my anxiety passed the "point of no return," meaning I can't just distract myself and take my mind off things by watching funny YouTube videos.

I know I'll be perfectly fine in Berlin, especially after spending this past summer alone in New York City. I've even been to Berlin before and know conversational German. So what is there to worry about? Well, I think I'm bothered most by the fact that my family, friends, and boyfriend won't be just a car ride away. I've never been away from my them for more than a few months at a time, and I can't even imagine spending Halloween or Thanksgiving without them. No going to crazy Halloween costume parties or binging on turkey and stuffing this year! I'm also dreading the inevitable culture shock from being in a completely different environment. Maybe I'll be the girl who freaks out when I can't find my favorite brand of shampoo at the German stores.

I really needed a nice break to ease my worries, and luckily my family went on a perfectly timed vacation to Florida to move my little sister into her dorm at Florida Gulf Coast University this weekend. Of course, we stayed a few extra days to take advantage of the beaches and boating weather.

Life on a beach is so much more peaceful than anywhere else. Time doesn't seem to matter and nobody has a set schedule, so I can sleep in every morning and stay up late every night. I love being able to do whatever I want during the day- I can read by the pool, go on a boat ride, walk the beach, go to dinner with my family... whatever I feel like, basically. I'm glad I was able to spend time with my family before trekking to Berlin, and (thankfully) the salty air and serene beach sunsets eased my anxiety a bit.