Welcome or welcome back to “In the key of E.” If you’re new to reading this, this is a column written with the intention of acting kind of like a page out of my journal. Scary, I know.

This column was created so that, regardless of what I have going on each week, I at least get to write something. So, here we go.

Weekly recap

This past week was pretty mundane for all but one of my classes. The class that took up most of my time was my journalism class, and I had a big project due.

I conducted interviews all week, eventually picked out quotes to use, did research and wrote all of it on Sunday afternoon before turning it in with two minutes to spare. But I got it in, and that’s all that matters.

Blugold Radio Monday consisted of the typical Monday night news hour and recording for this week, and SPJ was canceled. So those two organizations were pretty calm this week.

The Spectator, on the other hand, was anything but calm. It was layout night on Tuesday following the meeting. The news section, which I do the print spread for, was looking a little scarce. So, I wrote a full story before actually starting the layout.

In the end, I left at 1:30 a.m. and four stories of mine ended up in the paper. At this point, my first class should just assume I won’t be there on Wednesday. 

When the week finally ended, I went home. Weirdly, this is only my second time going home this semester. Now that I think about it, too, both times have been to work. Not just for fun. 

From me to you

This week I think I’m going to go on a little rant. The topic: How out of body it can feel when you visit home as a college student. For me specifically, going home during the fall semester.

Fall and winter have always been my favorite seasons. I grew up looking forward to every part of it. The leaf piles my grandpa made, the colors changing, the pumpkin patch, cutting down a Christmas tree, decorating the house for the holidays. It was a gradual transition, every step of which I got to witness. 

Now, only going home a couple of times a semester, I miss that stuff. I get to see the leaves turn but by the next time I’m home, they’re dead. I don’t get to go to the pumpkin patch with my family and eat caramel apples. And don’t even get me started on holidays.

Holidays and other events that would normally seem like a huge deal sometimes don’t even feel real. Going home the day before Thanksgiving or a few days before Christmas. By the time I get home, the house is already decorated, and it usually feels like I blink and the day is over. 

Outside of this, I can’t help but feel kind of like an outsider. Not that I had a super strong connection with my town to begin with, but I did spend 13 years of my life there. In summer, I definitely get back into the swing of things. But it’s still weird to have that disconnect.

I am the type of person, though, who will always prefer the people over the place. So, as long as I have them, it doesn’t really matter where I am.

Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T.

Reading: “My Life With Words” by Barbara F. Luebke, “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert and “City of Ashes” by Cassandra Clare.

For those of you who are new to reading this column, I’ve been “reading” these books for the entire semester. Please don’t judge me.

Eating: Chili (White person chili, let’s be clear)

Shoutout to my mom. She sent me back to Eau Claire with chili. My roommates and I had a little family dinner tonight.

Playing: “Snow Angel” by Reneé Rapp

I love Reneé Rapp so much. I love this album. I rediscover it every month or so and listen to it over and over again.  

Obsessing: My exam.

This really isn’t an exciting addition to this section, but I have an exam this week. Therefore, it’s kind of on the forefront of my mind.

Recommending: Go vote.

This will probably be the last of these you’ll be able to read before the election Nov. 5. Please educate yourselves on the candidates, make a voting plan and go do your civic duty. Trust me, if I were allowed to use exclamation points in ap style, I’d use one right now. 

Treating: Take breaks.

I have a lot going on in the upcoming week, so I’m mentally preparing for that by giving myself spaces of time to breathe in between all the chaos I know is about to ensue.

That’s all I have for you this week, thank you so much for joining me. See you next week.

-E.

Braun can be reached at [email protected].