2+2=4

...I wish studying for the quantitative reasoning section of the GRE were that basic!

Today I woke up hungry for breakfast. On a side note, I live in my sorority house, which means I don't have access to a kitchen. The only groceries I buy on a regular basis are oatmeal, Greek yogurt, cereal, nuts and nut butters, and apples and bananas. Usually only things that I can store in my room and know will keep for a long time. We have a refrigerator for in-house girls only, so that's where I keep my yogurt. Living in the sorority house definitely has its pros and cons.

Pros: I get to live with my friends! There is always something to do, and I know I will never get bored. I also love the convenience of walking to class and living on campus. It's only about a 2 minute walk to my 8 AM class on Tuesdays and Thursdays (can't beat that). I also have every meal prepared for me (except on weekends), which definitely has its perks, especially when I'm crunched for time.

Cons: My room is tiny! Luckily, I have a GREAT roomie, so it hasn't been too much of an issue. I'm easily distracted. It is SO hard to get work done, even more so with senioritis in full swing. I am not able to prepare my own healthy meals and eat foods that I would typically eat on a regular basis. I'm also more likely to eat foods that I wouldn't normally eat. I miss having a kitchen!

All in all, it has been a wonderful experience, and I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Today I had a pretty standard breakfast of oatmeal, which consisted of a packet of Kashi Maple and Brown Sugar oatmeal (For the sake of convenience. I prefer rolled oats while at home.) and 1/2 C skim milk. I sprinkled the oatmeal with granola and a big spoonful of Justin's chocolate almond butter (from my own personal stash of food).

Not the best quality of a picture, but you get the general idea. I ate breakfast while watching the Today Show and reading blogs, which is my typical morning routine. I also read a little for class and studied for the GRE. I didn't go to class today, because I had a graduate school open house at UAB for Health Behavior. I ran a few errands and met my friend Callie (also interested in the Health Behavior Program) for lunch before heading to Birmingham. We ate at Manna, which is Tuscaloosa's one and only health food store. There is a tiny cafe in the back of the store that is open for lunch. We got there a little after 11, and it was PACKED. Most students don't know about Manna, but it is a popular Friday lunch spot among the locals. We decided that we didn't have time to wait in line to order, get our food, and eat by the time we needed to be on the road. We decided to grab a pre-made sandwich from the refrigerated section of the store. 

I decided on a turkey sandwich. The sandwich comes on Big Sky Three Seed bread, and I love the grainy texture of it. I'm not usually a big fan of potato chips, but I do love cheddar Kettle Chips! The open house was really informative, and I got to meet some other students interested in the program. While I was there, I snacked on a few apple slices and a small cookie. After the session was over, I decided I needed coffee, so I stopped by Whole Foods on the way home. Once I got home, I realized I was starving! I have been dying to try a Green Monster, but have not been able to make one, because I don't have access to a blender at school. I threw a banana, 1 C skim milk, 2 handfuls of spinach, 1 T chia seeds, cinnamon, and a few ice cubes into the blender, and voila, I had my first Green Monster! It was delicious.

Due to the abnormally cold weather Alabama has been experiencing this winter, I have not been able to run outside as much as I would like to lately. Since today was pretty sunny, I went for a 3.5 mile run around my neighborhood. I decided to spend the night at my house in Birmingham tonight, since I really need to study for the GRE without distractions. My parents already had dinner plans with friends, but that was ok with me, since I need to be productive. I picked up dinner at Taziki's Greek Fare, which is my go-to place when I want a quick and healthy meal. I got the Friday Special, which is one of my all-time favorite foods. Penne pasta and chicken tossed in balsamic vinaigrette topped with tomatoes and basil and served over a bed of lettuce. Yum!

Now I'm about to curl up by the fire with a cup of hot tea and hit the books!

Have a good night!

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