Wow.
In three days, I will pick up my luggage, hug my family members, and bid Knoxville farewell. I have not posted in a while since I have been visiting my grandparents in Europe, but I figured one final post before my move was necessary.
My packing process has not exactly been fun. I have had some incredible frustrating experiences; from getting yelled at by a Walmart cashier when I challenged them for not honoring prices, to my local bike shop not including the front wheel of my bike in the box they packaged my bike in for shipping. But alas, I am getting to the final stages of departure.
This is what I am calling the staging room. It's my older sister's room, but because she is at college, I have been using it to organize and pack. As you can see, I have a large suitcase, a small suitcase, and two trunks. I already sent a large duffel bag with items such as sweaters, a sleeping bag, towels and shoes to Stanford. I have friends who live right next to campus and my dad was in the Bay Area a month ago for business, so he dropped it off there. This has resulted in my not needing the second trunk, but because I'll be giving it to a friend once I arrive on campus, I am going to put my small suitcase inside of it. Plus, I do need the length to fit some longer items, such as tripods, posters and backpacks. In addition to these items, I have my camera backpack which houses both my DSLRs, my laptop, iPad, camera gear, and other electronics. I have packed two other backpacks in the trunks that I will use for classes and books. I am bringing a safe with me to college to store my expensive items, and they are still covered by my home insurance, so that adds some relief. I also have a guitar that I'm bringing. I did ship my bicycle via Fedex, so I won't have to buy one when I arrive.
As I mentioned, I am bringing my guitar with me. For protection, I have placed socks all around the the guitar case to provide extra padding. They're new socks, so I don't have to worry about odor! I think it's a good idea. Maybe it looks dumb. Either way, I am happy I am bringing my guitar to college.
My other prized possession is my tie collection. These are just some of my ties. I am not sure if I will bring them all, because I'll never need more than two, but hey, options are always good! I am bringing a full, three piece suit with me, as well as a black blazer, professional khakis, and about half a dozen dress shirts. I probably won't need so much during this first quarter, but perhaps I'll need it sooner than later. Who knows when I might land a job at a local VC firm? I guess I like to have more options than less.
I found that all of the local stores, including Target, had huge sales beginning in September as most students went to college. Of course, I haven't started yet so I took advantage of this. This memory foam mattress topper usually costs $50. I got it for $13 in store. I also got an extra XL Twin bed sheet set (same color as the bed set that I've gotten already) for $10. I would've bought more items, but I do have space issues. I would recommend waiting for as long as you can. If your university is on the quarter system, definitely take advantage of these sales like I did.
I hope this helps! I am really excited to move. The feeling is hard to put into words. Part of me is anxious, since I am diving into something completely new - a new chapter of my life. The other part of me is excited, the type of feeling you experience the night before Christmas when you are younger. I cannot begin to imagine what is in store for me, I am very grateful for this opportunity. I am going to miss the people who were a part of my life here in Knoxville, and I know I'll carry a piece of them with me as I continue forward in the form of memories and shared experiences. Thank you to everyone who has been instrumental in my life, especially those who have helped me reach my goals and dreams. You are all the best.
My next blog post will be from The Farm!
God bless,
Jason
