Here I am cuddled up on my purple futon watching the VMAs with a couple of my new friends. (Go Ke$ha, Go Ke$ha!) I have completed my first week of classes, and am at the tail end of my first college weekend (the last one doesn't count thanks to all of the orientation madness--see last week's post.) How do I even begin to write about all that's been happening? All the adjustments? All the innate "college-ness" I've already experienced in my first 13 days here at the U? The beginning I guess!
Thanks to that glorious holiday called Labor Day that nobody really understands the meaning of, I started my academic career at the U on Tuesday. At 8 am. Now, this means I need to leave my dorm room at 7:35 to make the long haul across campus to Spanish class. Monday through Friday. Thank God that 3 days a week this is my ONLY class (so yes...naps at 9:30 am are starting to have a special place in my heart.) I actually really like all of my classes so far, at least they seem pretty interesting! And I'm very proud of myself...I'm doing really good at "reading critically" and taking notes in the meanwhile. Hopefully this diligence lasts :S
Yay...now I can talk about the weekend! The "Big 10 Atmosphere" is so awesome on Saturday afternoons, just as you would expect. Every single person on this campus is donning their maroon and gold Gopher gear (I even made sure my earrings were these colors!) This weekend we took on the USD Coyotes which, unfortunately, didn't end in our favor. Yeah yeah...I KNOW Minnesota isn't that good of a football team but it was still so much fun! It was a pretty high scoring game so at least I got the excitement of cheering after touchdowns and getting into the groove of all the Minnesota traditions (like the "key jingling" at kickoff, the counting of Goldy's push-ups after each point scored, and the first-down cheerings and chants.) And of course, Saturday nights are, to say the least, "bumpin'." Huge houses. Legit DJ, (indoors and out). Strobe lights. Enough said.
I decided Sundays are the universal "sleep in too late, chill in pj's, do a little homework, watch the Packer game (that's right-Go Pack Go!), chill more, eat, sleep" kind of day. Its weird how I can walk around in sweats and barely any make-up on and I'm not the only one! Today I went out and layed in the grass in the middle of the lawn by my dorm and did a bunch of reading, I felt so college! I also feel this way when I have to walk up a floor to print one sheet of paper (annoying), when I text Mom asking her what setting to dry my clothes on (I'll get the hang of it eventually), and when I receive care packages from the best mom ever complete with a coffee mug, Packer jersey, and bucket of Minocqua's famous chocolate & caramel and cheese popcorn (I am so loved!)
I still miss home alot. It's getting better each day, which I knew it would, but I mostly miss the comfort of being with my family, and the familiarity of all my friends who are now spread across the Midwest. It helps to know that I'm not the only one who feels like this though, that every freshman in every college across the nation is adjusting to a new life. I'm blessed to know the people who have already walked into my life as new friends, this fact alone lets me know that I'm bound to love college. People always tell me that their best friends are from college, and I see that proof with adults I know, my parents included! I just need to be patient, let things fall into place, and enjoy each new day at this new place with SO much to offer.
Oh! PS) My "tight" jeans now just fit normally. Maybe this enormous campus with all the mundane walking it requires
will do me some good. :)
reading the local paper and enjoying spotting the errors (for instance, an article this week attempted to write "voila" at the end of a recipe, but instead the author wrote "walla")
