The Free-est Free Time

Not having homework is probably one of the weirdest feelings I have ever experienced. When I was school I felt that free time came at a cost, so it never actually felt free. More often than not I would wind up feeling guilty that I was not doing something for school, because there was always a paper to write or studying to be done. Free time rarely seemed to exist.
But now a whole new world of legitimate stretches of unfilled time lies before me and I am still figuring out what exactly to do with it.
I really hate sitting and doing nothing and I like to feel productive. I might need a regular hobby, but until then let me elaborate on what I've been doing outside of my work weeks so far.

1. Although I am not a big TV watcher, I can binge watch Netflix television episodes with ease. And even though I own the entire Friends collection on DVD, the addition of the seasons to Netflix makes the transition between episodes so much smoother. Yes, next. Yes, I am still watching.
2. I slacked off on my foreign correspondence during my last semester at university, so in the evenings while I watch Friends, I try to catch up with letter writing. My friends should consider themselves lucky if a Friends quote or two drops into the message on accident. 
3. I recently began putting together a scrapbook of my study abroad journey and other adventures. Right now it is mainly just pictures and ticket stubs, but I will go back through and write my memories of the places and people in the margins. 
4. I pinterest a lot. Pinterest always makes me feel productive, even though I know making a tshirt quilt is way beyond my sewing skill level. And then Pinterest leads me to Etsy and before you know it I just bought a graphic skyline of Edinburgh for the low, low cost of $18 plus shipping. How did I get here again!?
5. I apartment hunt. The lease to the little grey house is up in May and I will move from Norman to Oklahoma City. I'm looking at one bedroom apartments all over so I spend spare time comparing floor plans and the prices per square foot. I have to make sure that Gable and I will be happy in our new abode! Yesterday afternoon I visited four different apartment communities and found a winner based on pet deposit, the presence of an in unit washer and dryer, and a monthly rent I can afford. Side note, why does being an adult cost so much? 
6. I visit vintage and antique stores and find treasures. The Feathered Nest and The Rink Gallery are my new favorite places to shop. I bought a turquoise coffee table last weekend (and added some perfect coasters from Anthropologie) for the bargain price of $68. Everyone should expect all future gifts from me to come from such a store. 
7. I cook. A lot. Not only is it budget friendly, but leftovers make great office lunches. Last weekend I made spaghetti one evening and the same meal fed me four days in a row at the office. I am currently exploring slow cooker options and plan on testing out Shari's crockpot to see what size I should invest in. 

January has been a transitional month. Monday marks week four of working for Heritage College and I can hardly believe I've almost spent an entire month with this school. Payday on Friday made it fairly real. On the hard days at work, when everyone seems to be hanging up on me when I've barely said hello, I think of the students I have been able to help. Like the young man who told me he had been living out of his car recently or the young woman who repeatedly told me she knew this vocational path was her calling. I can't imagine being A Luckier Girl anywhere else.