These past few weeks have been hectic. This end of the year rush to get everything finished--papers, my thesis (can't wait until I no longer have to mention that word), moving out of my apartment--has left me drained. I have been working on three to four hours of sleep and any attempts to try and nap midday are always interrupted by my own anxiety and mini freakouts over the next task that is due.
In trying to get this mountainous amount of work finished, I've been a shut-in lately. I'm either in my apartment, locked to my laptop, sifting through messy piles of paper or I'm in the library, holed up in a cubicle listening to others like me, typing what is left of our social lives away. What makes it all the more painful is the beautiful weather and listening to the energy outside of my window of people laughing and taking advantage of this fantastic weather in this fantastic city. When I walk back from the library to my apartment, I catch those sweet spring moments--in the way everyone's face lights up under the warm sun, the sunbathers on Memorial Glade, the blooming flowers outside VLSB--and I get a little envious and resentful that I have to return to my cave and continue working.
But this weekend, with all the anxiety of getting my thesis finished finally reaching its breaking point, my friends suggested a break was necessary. They suggested we go somewhere to get away from books and just enjoy the weather, to stop and smell the roses...literally. So, we went to the Berkeley Rose Garden, a short walk from the northside of campus up Euclid. We, however, took the long route and drove through the Berkeley hills, up Grizzly Peak, where we were able to clearly see the Golden Gate and San Francisco. With the top of the car down, we drove past fields of dandelions and quirky little houses. It was gorgeous. The scenery, the wind rushing through the car, the sun casting its warmth on my face--it felt freeing from sitting on my bum all day writing about TANF.
When we got to the Rose Garden, we were all feeling giddy from our drive and ready to navigate through rows of roses. It's a sweet place to go for a little peace and to surround oneself around roses of all breeds. The perfume from the roses, too, were just wonderful. But rather than describe the garden myself (and because I'm tired from another all-nighter), I've included a slide show of pictures.
It was a nice mini-trip and it was exactly what I needed to remind myself to sometimes lift my head up from all my work to stop and smell the roses.
Berkeley Rose Garden
1200 Euclid Ave
Berkeley, CA 94709
(it's open for free to the public)
In trying to get this mountainous amount of work finished, I've been a shut-in lately. I'm either in my apartment, locked to my laptop, sifting through messy piles of paper or I'm in the library, holed up in a cubicle listening to others like me, typing what is left of our social lives away. What makes it all the more painful is the beautiful weather and listening to the energy outside of my window of people laughing and taking advantage of this fantastic weather in this fantastic city. When I walk back from the library to my apartment, I catch those sweet spring moments--in the way everyone's face lights up under the warm sun, the sunbathers on Memorial Glade, the blooming flowers outside VLSB--and I get a little envious and resentful that I have to return to my cave and continue working.
But this weekend, with all the anxiety of getting my thesis finished finally reaching its breaking point, my friends suggested a break was necessary. They suggested we go somewhere to get away from books and just enjoy the weather, to stop and smell the roses...literally. So, we went to the Berkeley Rose Garden, a short walk from the northside of campus up Euclid. We, however, took the long route and drove through the Berkeley hills, up Grizzly Peak, where we were able to clearly see the Golden Gate and San Francisco. With the top of the car down, we drove past fields of dandelions and quirky little houses. It was gorgeous. The scenery, the wind rushing through the car, the sun casting its warmth on my face--it felt freeing from sitting on my bum all day writing about TANF.
When we got to the Rose Garden, we were all feeling giddy from our drive and ready to navigate through rows of roses. It's a sweet place to go for a little peace and to surround oneself around roses of all breeds. The perfume from the roses, too, were just wonderful. But rather than describe the garden myself (and because I'm tired from another all-nighter), I've included a slide show of pictures.
It was a nice mini-trip and it was exactly what I needed to remind myself to sometimes lift my head up from all my work to stop and smell the roses.
Berkeley Rose Garden
1200 Euclid Ave
Berkeley, CA 94709
(it's open for free to the public)
2 comments:
I hope I can join you on these adventures!!
You will! soon enough!
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