How To Tuesdays: Grocery Shopping in Grad School

Well, we all need to eat, even us grad students. Today, I went grocery shopping. The snack foods I brought from home just would not cut it for meals the week before the cafe opens. I realized this last night when I was about to go sans dinner for the second night in a row (in all fairness, I just forgot to eat the first night - I was so enthralled in getting my room in a live-able state). I was wondering whether I wanted peanut butter crackers or Ramen noodles (without the seasoning - too much sodium!) and I was really lamenting the fact that I'd forgotten about bread, tuna, and beans when buying food back home. 

Turns out, when you need something, all you have to do is ask! Who knew?

So, I was talking to my new friend about the lack of protein filled, life sustaining foods in my room and she offered to drive me down to the store! She's so sweet! I thought she'd also be getting something, but she really wasn't there for any other reason except to drive me. And, on top of that, she gave me a chocolate cheesecake bite that she'd bought at the grocery store! She drives me somewhere and gives me chocolate? I think that's grounds for Sainthood right there.

My mantra on this shopping trip: Protein. Protein. Protein. 

(My friend, Greg, would be proud.)

Okay, you can see this isn't really a how-to guide, but let me tell what I did learn from my first real grocery shopping experience all on my very own:

1. The push cart is definitely preferable over the basket. Especially when you plan on getting glass bottles of juice and cans of beans.

2. Fruit is really expensive. I'm hoping a certain mother will see this and send me a few packages of diced peaches...

3. Canned vegetables don't go bad (well, at least not in the next year or two)... Plus, if I get fresh vegetables, I'm going to bike to the farmer's market and get them there.

4. Just because the brand you love is on sale does not mean it's going to be cheaper than the store brand. I got the store brand because I am a college student who still has not found a job (what... three days later?).

5. Planning is important. I saw a lot of stuff I'd love to have but didn't need (Rose tea for $8.99/15 bags), it was more important to buy protein and filling foods... hence the beans, burritos, canned veggies, and mac and cheese... I did splurge on the Sweet Leaf teas because they're on sale for $1 each and... I love them.

I'm going to do some more job hunting in the morning (who knows - maybe the Newton music shop will put up a "help wanted" sign while I'm asleep) and then go to Faneuil Hall, maybe some other places...

My New Space:

Settled In at School

Well, after waiting for what seemed like forevvvvvverrrrr... I am settled in at school! I spent most of the day with my family, pilfered some hangers from Raph (because I forgot mine, of course), and then went back to my dorm to set up my space... It's a great little space, but it photographs much better in the light...

As a little teaser, I'll show you what it looked like earlier in the day:

Home Sweet Mess

I'll post the pictures of my room all set up tomorrow... For now, I'm going to go to bed and try and wake up by 6 AM.

<3

Don't You Forget About Me

My sister gave me and my brother going away presents today:

My going-away present from Shelbie.

She's too cute. This is what she put in the box:

• A picture of her silly, wonderful self. It's a very funny picture... On it she wrote, "Don't you forget about me" a la Simple Minds.
• A Halloween craft/recipe magazine and a Whole Living magazine.
• A laundry bag for my drrrrrty clothes.
• A gift card for Starbucks (yay! I don't have to give up coffee because I'm broke... yet!)
• A 6 pack... of Ramen! 
• Hello Kitty bandaids!!
• Gigantic paperclips
• Q-Tips
• Ear plugs
• A rubber band ball
• A funky little pen
• Some cash money and
• A roll of quarters so I can do laundry!

She put tags on some of the stuff... for instance, on a package with a map and a Bible she channeled Carrie Underwood and wrote "if you ever lose your way" <3

A map of Boston... and two faces I'm going to miss a lot!!

She's my bestest friend in the whole wide world... I don't know what I'm going to do without her! Who will finish my sentences? I'll have to speak whole thoughts! :(

Well, I'm going to pack up the computer now and get to work on packing the car... Next time I write, I'll be on the other side of the state line.

One Day Left

There's only one day left until I leave for school. Today I went to the doctor thinking that maybe I should get the sore throat I've had for the past two weeks checked out and, yes, I do have something going in the ears/throat. Great. So I got medicine to take and hopefully I can kick this thing before classes actually start on the twelfth.

Do you see anything, Doc?

So when I went to get my prescription at the supermarket, I also went grocery shopping for the first couple of weeks when I'm at school. Buying groceries for one? An interesting experience. Horizon Organics milk (that's the kind that doesn't need to go in the fridge before you open it), cereal, crackers, peanut butter, fruit cups, and - of course - ramen noodles. :)

Now the tricky part, getting it all into the one pink crate I've reserved for food...

Tetris: Kitchen Edition

Overflowing? ... Fail.

Okay, so it doesn't all fit... But that's okay... Hopefully I can fit everything in my stepdad's SUV. Hopefully.

Maybe I can fit in another blog post before I pack up my laptop tomorrow... Otherwise, I'll see you post-move!! 

My Whole Entire Life

I can't believe it - with the exception of a few things I know I'm going to need over the next few days (clothes, pillows, alarm clock, this computer, etc.) I'm all packed up and ready to move! This is, pretty much, my whole entire life!! 

1 Trunk

7 Boxes

2 Bags

1 Hamper

and some miscellaneous stuff it just didn't make sense to pack...

I think there might be one more box if I can get some grocery shopping done while I'm still at home...

What's staying at home?

Knick knacks

A huge dresser full of books

My guitar and piano (for now)

My sewing machine (maybe - it's not that big... and I kind of need it for my etsy store... and to mend anything while I'm at school...)

My furniture (my bed, three bookshelves, a dresser)

My drumset

Three hampers of clothes/shoes

I wonder why I have all this stuff if I'm not going to use it... though the furniture and instruments make sense, so many books and knick knacks really don't...

One of my goals at school this year is to simplify, simplify, simplify... Hopefully living in the smaller space will help me with that. I hope.

I am going to miss this face!

Is it a bad thing that the one thing I'm worried about is never seeing my previous little fluffball? Do you think that dogs understand Skype? And that I'm not gone forever, just for a few months at a time?

Aww, little Fiona, please, don't be sad.