Some people prepare for an intense semester by reading ahead, or making flashcards. I prepare by systematically baking, labeling, and freezing casseroles. I may not have already read 3/4 of my textbooks by mid-October, but at least I will be able to eat a square meal with little to no effort or expense.

Tonight I am headed to a release party for the September issue of Urbanite, a monthly Baltimore magazine “dedicated to addressing the issues affecting the relationship between the city and those who live there.” I have a short piece in the magazine about that very week, thirteen months ago, the week that made me want to become a nurse. There’s a great symmetry in having this piece published just as I’m starting school.