The first few months of 2015 have been a whirlwind, with barely a moment to take a breath and catch up on life.

I spent nearly four months serving as the producer on the morning news show, The Daily Buzz, while balancing my full-time job as a Supervisor of Admissions. It was a dream come true for me, but the sleep deprivation wreaked havoc on my body. I attempted to live on less than two hours of sleep for nearly the entire time, balancing both jobs and two graduate-level classes in the evenings. I gained weight, lost hair, and forgot what most of my friends and family looked like between the juggling act I called my life. I loved it, but it was slowly killing me.

I made the tough decision to resign my post at The Daily Buzz on April 10th, and a week later the show –completely coincidentally and not by my absence– was canceled after thirteen years on air. It was crushing, but also a relief to many of the staffers, as those were likely the hardest hours I’d ever worked in my life and I can imagine many of them felt the same. Waking up at 12:30am and working there from 2am to 8am, then heading to my full time job (from 9am to 6pm) was the most damaging thing I could ever do to my body, and while I do not regret a minute of my experiences there, it will likely take me several months to recover my full health and reestablish the relationships I put on the backburner during the year.

Yesterday marked the end to one of my two graduate classes this Spring, so we’re finally winding down. One class down, one job down.

My last class is next Wednesday, April 29th, and then I’m free for the summer. Yes, the full summer. I normally take classes during the break, but this year I’ve elected to take a true hiatus, a real summer break away from school.

For the first time since last July (when I first began my internship-turned-producer role at The Daily Buzz), I will have extensive free time.

One job. No classes. Freedom.

I almost don’t know what to do with myself. I have a stack of books to read, a list of people to visit and spend time with, and hours upon hours of sleep to catch up on. I’m overjoyed to be a little selfish and spend some time focusing on my health, mentally and physically, before diving back into school in the fall.

If I haven’t seen you in a while, let’s make a date. If you have a book recommendation, send it my way. And if you just want to know I’m alive, well …here I am.

Optimistic for a beautiful summer off,

~ Victoria Elizabeth