Okay, it's been a few weeks. Time for some updates. Not expecting a ton of response here, but I might as well put all this out there.

Actually, a bit of recent history first.

Last year, I went to university in Edmonton, Alberta. I took the summer and last semester off, and spent those eight months living with my parents again in Vancouver. The reason was that, having developed severe anxiety in my first year of university, I badly needed a break from the stress of school. Around August, I began experiencing depression just as the anxiety was becoming more manageable. I started seeing a psychologist, and having developed a number of strategies for dealing with depressive episodes, I made the decision to return to school full-time in Edmonton at the University of Alberta. That's where I am now.

It's a strange feeling being back here. I was in Vancouver for the better part of a year, but that time went by amazingly fast and although it's weird to be back it also feels as though I never really left.

My living situation is remarkably good; I was supposed to live in an on-campus apartment with three roommates, about which I was not enthusiastic, but someone moved out of their one-bedroom apartment at the last minute and somehow it went to me. Last year I lived in a dorm room in residence, so this is really the first time in my life I've got my own place.

As for classes, I'm more or less disregarding the requirements for the physics program that I'm in for this term, and focusing instead on making sure I succeed. Last year I finished with a GPA low enough for me to be put on academic warning, and with the added complication of my often-fragile emotional state, a lighter course load seemed like a good idea. It's going really well so far; for the first time since I started university, I'm actually enjoying my classes for the most part.

I'm also playing in one of the competitive dodgeball leagues on campus, and writing for the student-run campus newspaper.

In short, although I was downright terrified about coming back to university in a city away from most of my support network, it's going really well so far.

-Letagi