I've discovered a new sense of growing up. It's called exhaustion, and I don't mean tired, I mean exhaustion. Really, there is a difference. Tired means I'm sleepy and want to go to bed. Exhausted means I'm beyond tired and not only need to sleep, but I need to relax and not do anything after I've slept ten hours. This is something I've rarely felt before my college years. Since I've been in college I have nights where I stay up late just so I can relax from the day, not necessarily because I have homework that needs to be done. I'm pretty good at doing my homework and getting my projects done on time. The stress of college isn't super stressful for me right now anyway. What makes me exhausted is work. I've been working part-time at my retail job for a little over six months now. And even though to me that isn't a very long time, I'm considered one of the girls there that has been there the longest. This is a good thing. It means I get more hours and if someone is sick I'm one of the first people they call. This also means that I have less time to relax and do my own thing on the weekends since the weekends are our busiest days. So, the cure? I have to find a new "weekend," so to speak. I need to find a day or maybe two in the week where I most likely am doing nothing and can chill for a few hours. The problem? I have zero days like that. If I'm not working, I'm at school, and vice versa. And if I'm not at school or at work then I'm hanging out with friends (which is rare) or I'm doing homework. There really isn't "me" time anymore. So sad. But it makes me wonder if this is how life is supposed to be. I mean, I think this really is a part of growing up. I look at my parents and can't complain because they have real jobs to worry about and even though me and my sister are grown up now, a few years ago my parents had to worry about us and where we were at night and stuff like that. I mean, frankly, this little cycle I'm going through right now is only minor compared to what I will have to deal with once I graduate and get a real job and get married and start having kids. So what am I doing complaining? Hmm...I guess, I could be wrong. I guess, I should just savor these few years I have when the biggest thing on my mind is getting a passing grade on my finals. So, I guess what I'm telling myself is that I need to suck it up. Great. I can do that, I think.