Today I have officially been a college graduate for one month and five days. While that is by no means a long amount of time, so much has happened these past 35 days that it feels like a much longer stretch of time! Since graduating, I got a new (used) car, I watched one of my best friends get married, I started a new job, I spilled not one, but TWO whole containers of black pepper onto my kitchen floor, and I moved into my own house smack-dab in the city of Pittsburgh.

Since I haven’t been writing much since finishing my “book” last month, today I’m jumping back in with an update on the postgrad life. Consider this Part 1 of 365+, in which I review the good, the bad, and the funny parts of this strange experiment called young  adulthood.

The Bad

I’ll start with the bad because it’s always better to get these things out of the way first.

• COMMUTING: My first fews weeks of work, I commuted from home, which was about an hour each way, totaling to at least two hours a day spent in the car. I could probably drive from the North Side of Pittsburgh across 376 and to my house in my sleep by now. I spent too much time in the car and said too many swear words while trying to merge lanes. (meme below accurate beyond words) 

• I MISS MY FRIENDS: Friend sickness is a real thing, and I already miss my college friends very much. Thank goodness for cell phone and weddings, because both are making this separation much easier!
• PRODUCE SPOILS EASILY: No single human being can consume the quantity of grapes packaged by Aldi comfortably in one week and still have a normal digestive system and/or still find eating grapes a pleasurable eating experience. REST IN PEACE, HALF MY RED GRAPES THAT I GOT ON SALE FOR 99 CENTS A POUND.
• ADULTHOOD IS MYSTERIOUS: There’s many questions I have about being a good adult. Should I schedule lots of outings? Should I eat more kale? Should I try cultivating a taste for seafood? Should I get rid of my smartphone and disconnect from the world of email? Should I ask people to be my friend? All these things are mysterious and I am trying to figure out the best way to go about this new life that I have.

The Funny 

Mistakes have been made.

• PEPPER: Pepper is Satan’s spice. I have dumped not one, but TWO containers of pepper on the floor and to its demise. The first occasion I was attempting to grind some peppercorns into an omelette, yet did not realize the top was not screwed on, and ended up with a dish entitled “Peppercorns with a Side of Omelette.”

• MYSTERIOUS GRANDMA AESTHETICS: Just going to say that while I was away this weekend and returned back to my apartment, a set of pastel, hyrdrangea printed  curtains appeared on the kitchen windows in my absence, placed by a certain member of the household I am staying at who is not me. I like hydrangeas, but I’m going to say that they should never, NEVER be put on curtains. ONLY OUTSIDE. IN THE GROUND. RIP minimalist kitchen aesthetic. #MuchaNOTapproved
• MUSICIANS/PITTSBURGH MUSIC VENUES ARE FUN/WEIRD: I have been to two concerts by myself so far since moving to the Burgh, and both have had their unique moments. One of my favorite, yet stranger moments of life came last week when I attended a concert held in the basement of a bar with multiple bands playing. It was not exactly Pittsburgh’s finest venue, and hardly anyone was there at first, so it ended up that I got to talk and hang out with the musician I was there to see for about 2 hours! I had met him before at a Penny & Sparrow concert, and we occasionally tweet ironically at each other, but now after discussing the merits of pugs and the eccentricities of America, we are pals. Corey Kilgannon is the real deal, folks. I helped him write his set list and we talked about Marilynne Robinson. (AKA: I yelled about Marilynne Robinson because she fires me up.) Weird? Solid? What is life??? Listen to his beautiful voice here.

The Good

Coffee + goat cheese + spinach + wait is it bad that all the good things I’m listing are food?

• SPORTS: At my new job, I got to meet the head coach of the Steelers, Mike Tomlin, at a special conference we were hosting. He was super nice and I didn’t even make any crude jokes about the Bengals! Also, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup and I got to go to the victory parade! It was insanely fun and I felt such camaraderie with my fellow Pittsburghers.
• GROCERY STORES: I like going to grocery stores, and there are many close to me! Always have. Always will. Shout out to the palace-like Aldi in Shadyside with its funny hipster people who make me chuckle. Go ahead, you buy that organic Kale. I’m buying the chemicals kale, and I’ll like it.
• SPINACH: IT LASTS SO LONG IN MY FRIDGE, PRAISE BE!!!!!!
• MY HOUSE: The house I’m living is is super close to work and downtown. It is super old and cool, and has giant windows to let light in. It’s also like one minute away from a running trail that leads me past some of the most beautiful views of the city.  I run pretty early in the morning or after work, and it is just a delightful experience–amazing sunrises and sunsets! Also, my house has INSANE city views, and at nighttime during thunderstorms, you see a spectacular show with all the lighting bolts stretching across the sky.

• COFFEE MIRACLES: Two weeks ago I had Friday off to recuperate from a weekend of events, and I took that time to visit a local coffee shop in a really cool part of Pittsburgh near my house. I loved the coffeeshop’s setting, and the barista, Frank, made a DELICIOUS cappuccino. He also had an impressive beard. RESPECT. Then, to top it all off, I happened to run into some people who I later found out I had mutual friends with, including the pastor of the Anglican church where I am thinking about going. I couldn’t help but laugh as I left the coffee shop a few hours later, as it was so insanely awesome to have such a great morning at such an amazing morning at the coffeeshop, AND run into so many kind people and finding a spot I really feel comfortable in. I will be back many more times I am sure of it! THANKS BARISTA FRANK! LET’S BE FRIENDS

In Summary

Life these past 35 days has been pretty DARN good. (Now that I’m an adult I’m trying to cut down on my swearing, as you can see in the previous sentence). I am lucky to live close to home while still being independent, meaning I can enjoy things like home cooked meals on weekends, and spending Saturday mornings playing with my nieces and nephews. I have steady employment, and have not poisoned myself yet through the cooking or undercooking of meat that I have purchased!

I am being pushed out of my comfort zone already, but am learning so much. I am loving the independence, and am learning how to do activities well alone, something very different from the social arena of college. I am excited for what this summer and this future holds, and look forward to the memories that are ahead that are mine for the making! I look forward to the eating, the running, and all the mishaps to come.

Thanks for reading Postgrad Part 1: The Good, The Bad, and The Funny, and until next time, I encourage you to watch this HILARIOUS video capturing the spirit of Pittsburgh. So proud!