In addition to finishing up my RYT 200 yoga teacher training while working the front desk at my yoga studio and teaching a couple of classes a week, converting to Judaism, starting a health coaching business and writing a HCG diet cookbook with my chiropractor, I am still in school. My classes at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition are my than halfway done, but I am still a student and have a lot of classwork to do. Yes, I even take tests. They’re online and mostly just common sense, but still – it’s a lot of time and stress.

 

I have always loved school. In elementary school at Good Counsel Academy, I was the dork who raised my hand whenever the teacher asked a question. I would throw it up so high that my body would sometimes come up out of my seat. I was THAT kid. I won the General Excellence award a few years in a row for best all around student (it isn’t bragging if it’s true) and proudly accepted my framed medal on stage in front of my 16 classmates. Looking back, I’m shocked I didn’t get beat up – I was so annoying.

 

In high school, I toned it down. I transferred in to White Plains High School at the beginning of my sophomore so I had a clean slate to work with. I didn’t have to be the eager pupil. But I couldn’t help it. In some classes, I passed notes, daydreamed about driving to Fordham to pick up some weed or napped. But in others, I reverted back to the know-it-all I had been growing up. My friend Andrew, who sat behind me in chemistry, once joked about me to my own mother, saying I was always the goody-goody raising my hand.

 

There was definitely a lapse in my studious ways once I got to college. I preferred to buy the notes for my classes at the Newman Center. That way I could nap through class – hey, I had been out partying at The Pub or Delano’s LATE. I was just trying to catch up on sleep – or just skip it altogether. I didn’t fail classes or anything like that but I was not interested or focused. I switched majors 3 different times and ended up settling as an accounting major with a minor in Spanish.

 

After college, and entering the work force, I longed for school again. I have always had an endless thirst for learning new things and have always wished I could be a student forever and ever and ever.

 

So I enrolled in a class at The New School Writing for NYC Newspapers and Magazines with Sue Shapiro. The class changed my life but I was too nervous to ever read any of my pieces out loud in front of the room. Instead, I quietly snagged an internship at the New York Daily News and began my career as a celebrity chaser.

 

But my desire to take classes returned yet again. I had always wanted to be a yoga teacher, and almost signed up for the program at Om Yoga Center in NYC a few times. Now, living in Florida with a lot of free time, I decided to enroll in the RYT200 program at my local studio, YogaFox. Sure, it isn’t in the middle of NYC but that has actually been a good thing. With the smaller classes, I’ve been able to really focus and learn a lot. After 7 months, I’ve already taught about 10 yoga classes. I have added yet another possible career option to my growing arsenal.

 

Once a week, I’m also taking a Jewish studies class at the local temple, preparing to become a Jew. This entails not only discussions on Shabbat and Shalom but also an hour-long Hebrew lesson. Oy!

 

But becoming a yoga teacher and a Jew just wasn’t enough. With all of this going on, I also decided to become a health coach through NYC’s Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I must be nuts. The school offered live classes at Lincoln Center, but being that I live down south most of the time (for now), I was forced to do the online course. Ideal, no, but still a good option. Or so I thought.

 

I absolutely loved the classes when I first started. I was learning so much about food and nutrition and general wellness and I became totally obsessed. I cut out processed foods (barring the VERY occasional Annie’s Mac & Cheese – it’s a weakness) and focused way more on my own personal health. And I loved how flexible the schedule was. A class was released every week but there was no pressure to finish it right away. In fact, there was no pressure to do anything ever. And I’ve found myself falling behind.

 

Days and weeks go by where I have do nothing for my class. A day of yoga or doing errands or just catching up with friends at Brule or Starbucks always sounds more interesting even though I’m totally obsessed with health and nutrition. I’m just being lazy and I know it. It’s pathetic. I wish I could harness just a little of that grade school enthusiasm. But life gets in the way – and I let it. Sadly, I know that I’ll regret my lack of effort when the program ends in March and beat myself up for not doing more.

 

So I’ve made a pact – I must catch up on the 6 (yes, 6) lessons I’ve missed by Christmas. Thankfully, I’ve aced both exams so far and am very familiar with most of the material. Still, It’s a lot to get through but I just have to do it. Inside, I’m still a dedicated student – I just have to go find that person again.