month in review: september

What a busy month it has been, but it has been so full of many wonderful things! As I wrote about before, I started my first year of my PhD program this month. While it was overwhelming to begin with and some of my other priorities slipped in keeping up with all the work, I think I am finally back into the swing of things and feeling more balanced.

I finally got all my books arranged for the semester – a necessity for me feeling organized and on top of things.

I also caught up with an old friend for brunch and she introduced me to this adorable place in Soho.

I finished my September book choice: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. To be honest, I was disappointed by it. I had a hard time getting into the story and relating to the new characters. That being said, from reading the stage direction it seems like it could be a fantastic production. Now if only I could get my hands on some tickets to see it…

While I did a pretty good job sticking to my health goals this month, I am excited to add some more to work on in October. I have successfully gotten to the 5th week of my running training program which means I am up to running 20/30 minutes (a total of 2 miles)! This is a huge accomplishment for me, especially at a 6.0 speed. I can’t wait until I hit 3 miles.

protein pumpkin pancakes

eggs over roasted sweet potatoes

cava grill chicken bowl

clinton street baking company

scone from midwinter kitchen

I also made an effort to do some more cooking, but I definitely had a few indulgences over the past few weeks.

The biggest highlight of this month, however, was checking a big thing off my bucketlist: taking a Hudson river cruise. My boyfriend and I opted to do one at sunset to celebrate our 2-year anniversary and I could not recommend it enough. If you are ever in NYC add this to the top of your to-do list.

staying on track

Starting off the school year has been much busier than I originally anticipated, hence my late check in! Despite feeling a little overwhelmed, I think I’m finally getting into a rhythm and have come to accept that there will never not be a time that I could be doing homework or research or something school related. I am especially excited that I have been able to keep up with my running and cooking goals for the month in light of this craziness.

I have started week three of the running training program now, which means I am now running over a mile at 6.0 pace (over intervals). I am currently doing these workouts three times a week. That’s what was suggested by the program and I’m also nervous about getting any injuries, so I’m sticking with that for now.

Week One // Run 2 min, walk 2 min (repeat 3x)

Week Two // Run 3 min, walk 2 min (repeat 3x)

Week Three // Run 4 min, walk 2 min (repeat 3x)

While the first day of week 3 was beyond difficult (is grueling too extreme of a word?), I managed to make it through! I know the hardest shift will probably come next week when I jump from 4 to 8 minutes, so stayed tuned for how that goes.

I’ve also been trying out some new recipes and cooking at home more the past few weeks. I’m finding that I really need to bring a lot of food with me on days I’m at school as I leave my house at 11am and don’t get back until 8-10pm depending on the day. Meal planning is probably going to be a monthly challenge coming up in the future. Here are some of the things I’ve made (and indulged in).

veggies, turkey, and hummus

blueberry yogurt and kashi

pumpkin cheesecake muffin

taco bowl

I’ve also gotten about halfway through my book this month…check out my review in my upcoming monthly recap!

yoga mat: running + cooking

This summer was full of travel, moving, and disorganization. The result: lots of take-out, eating out, and too much ice cream! As I ease back into a weekly schedule I am taking on two health challenges for the month.

running

I have never been a huge runner, but I really want to get to a point where I can run 3 miles without stopping. Once I get there, I am hoping to work on my speed, incline, and distance but baby steps haha! I am going to be trying out a 7-week training program to get me to the 3-mile goal and will be checking in after each week. Below is my schedule for week one.

week one //

Friday: run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes (6.0 speed)

Sunday: run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes (6.0 speed)

Tuesday: run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes (6.0 speed)

cooking

Now that I am settled into my new apartment, I want to make an effort to get back in the kitchen and try out some new recipes. Luckily this is also coinciding with my favorite season to cook and bake, so look out for snaps and links to everything!

reading nook: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

In an effort to read more books (other than my required reading for school), I have decided to pick one new book to read each month. A long-term goal of mine is to join or start a book club, but this is where I plan on starting for now. My choice for September is the new addition to the Harry Potter series. I’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews so I’m looking forward to diving in.

welcome

I decided to start this blog as I start the next chapter of my life. I am beginning graduate school and wanted a space to organize how I balance life and school and to provide a creative outlet for me. I’m hoping to have some recurring posts as well as random musings as I am inspired to share with you. But here’s a brief introduction to me:

hometown // minnetonka, minnesota

current city // new york, new york

occupation // student (counseling psychology doctoral program)

likes // the ocean, candles, sleeping in, grapefruit, waffles, pinterest, photography, long walks, chocolate covered pretzels, autumn, brunch, fresh flowers, laughs, traveling, interior design, collecting quotes, exploring nyc, concerts, movies, museums, skiing, cheese, mimosas, gilmore girls, road trips, books