(no subject)
So I never mentioned... UPS is good. So good. Life is good, I'd say.
I mean, by this point I've adjusted, and there are relative highs and lows, but for the most part, everything is high..er than it's been so far. When I think about it, I realize that I've basically made a total shift in perspective. I've always had a basically positive outlook - I think I would have gone crazy a while ago if I didn't. But now, it's like... good is coming of my life... and will continue to come for four years and beyond. I'm beginning to be able to do things I've always wanted to, and be the kind of person I should have been becoming when I was killing myself in high school. The kind of person who laughs a lot and actually has a social life and spends time on herself. Life is just a lot more balanced here. I think people who go to Metro have some idea that they're wiser than the average kid. But the kids here have a lot of what I've lacked. They've spent high school discovering themselves, which is what everyone should do. But I could rant more on that later. Anyways, there's a lot I can learn from them, and from being part of this community.
It just seems so balanced. So natural I can't really put it any other way. For that reason, I really wouldn't be anywhere else (plus the other benefits I'll outline soon enough). I'm not going to go on and on about how wonderful the people are and how they're the nicest I've ever met and everyone gives each other hugs 24/7, because that's just not true.
It's really friendly, but genuine. There's humor, there's athleticism, there's intelligence, there's stupidity, there's even a speckling of rudeness (but not much). And 'tis all good.
Basically, I spend a lot of time with people on my floor. I live in the basement ("The Dungeon") of Todd-Phibbs, on a co-ed floor.
The Dungeon is one of the most hoppin' floors. By that, I don't mean totally crazy shit goes on (although this really funny party dude livens things up sometimes), but we sit in the halls a lot and just chat. And everyone knows each other, and almost everyone is friends or at least pretty friendly. I'm really growing to like some of the people like a lot a lot, which is good. They're mostly all pretty impressive and special in a lot of ways, and there's a lot of musical talent on my floor, which is pretty cool. Like, this one girl sings... and I've never really known people who sing. Oh, and this one girl is going to be a baker, and I just ate some of her DELICIOUS peach cobbler. Fuck yeah.
Cuz I'd say the hardest part about college is the whole friendship thing. For a while I started feeling lonely (even though I had the people on my floor, I felt like I was relying too much on them), and that made things tough. But I'm trying to make sure I meet new peeps often enough, and meanwhile I'm getting closer to my dungeon-mates, so it's going really well. And I've definitely done well in meeting new people and putting myself out there.
So more specifics.
My roommate is incredibly nice.
My schedule is really manageable - not a lot of reading/writing (which I'll pay for next semester, fuck).
Statistics (I like this class!), Art 101 (mixed feelings), Dionysus: Crisit and Culture, Elementary Spanish, and Beg. Jazz Dance (my fav class!).
So yeah, I'm dancing here. Like a lot. I mean, I still suck. But I've danced around at least a wee bit basically every day since I've been here, because I'm a. happy and b. comfortable. It's a good sign, you know?
And I think my craziest news is that I'm in the REPERTORY DANCE GROUP! That's right. Oh yeah. I had to audition and shit (everyone gets in, but it was still crazy), and it was like, whoa. I can't believe this is happening. So now I'm in RDG, and I'm gonna be in the big show at the end of the semester, and hopefully for every other semester I'm at UPS (imagine the possibilities!)
So I'm break dancing for one of them. The choreographer is this Haiwaiian guy (there are a lot of Haiwaiians at UPS, relatively) who lives on my floor (I like him a ton, btw - he's just one-of-a-kind). Oh man it's so fun. But incredibly painful.
And then I got to be in my numba one first pick dance: MICHAEL JACKSON'S THRILLER!
Oh man, awesome. I haven't practiced yet, but I'm so super pumped.
I mean, lookit me, making it happen. I've always wanted to dance, and there you go.
I'm also in a play! A student-written play, Metro-style (i.e., not that great), and it's fucking weird. Like, it makes no sense. But I play a pretty cool part: a whorish plant. A straight up slutty rhododendron. It's pretty fun. Whatevs. Plus it's kinda cool that I got a part in the first play I auditioned for.
So yeah. I would be doing overnight hosting and the Outdoors Program and the Student Senate, but I have to wait on those for reasons I won't bore you with. Just another reason next semester'll be way busier.
And yeah, I love living here. It's way too fucking cold, which sucks cuz I didn't bring proper jacket/coatage. But I feel like such a tourist. I just want to see and do everything (not so easy without a car). I haven't been off-campus much, but that's typical and not a bad thing. It's just crazy knowing that there's a million and one things to do in the outside world.
I feel like the perception of UPS is typically way off-base. Like, I didn't really get it before I visited either. For one thing, people assume that because it's in Washington it's either a. Seattle or b. Some woody oceanic hippie oasis.
And the school itself is not a big unversity, like U of implies; it's got a liberal arts focus. It's not average, but it's not super super selective. It's pretty much a Goldilock school, ya know?
Oh, and we are the Loggers. Fuck yeah.
A couple of final highlights:
I had a week-long orientation (so valuable, I think), including a couple nights at a camp, where I swam in saltwater and saw a jellyfish and went to a hoe-down and shiz.
I went to the Puyallup fair, which was effin' amazing and fulla character. It's also the biggest single event in Washington. So cool.
I went to a couple of epic concerts.
I had sex with strangers. JK! LOLZ.
I went rollerskating with the outdoors program.
So cool so cool.
I've really been jonesin' for a visitor.
I mean, by this point I've adjusted, and there are relative highs and lows, but for the most part, everything is high..er than it's been so far. When I think about it, I realize that I've basically made a total shift in perspective. I've always had a basically positive outlook - I think I would have gone crazy a while ago if I didn't. But now, it's like... good is coming of my life... and will continue to come for four years and beyond. I'm beginning to be able to do things I've always wanted to, and be the kind of person I should have been becoming when I was killing myself in high school. The kind of person who laughs a lot and actually has a social life and spends time on herself. Life is just a lot more balanced here. I think people who go to Metro have some idea that they're wiser than the average kid. But the kids here have a lot of what I've lacked. They've spent high school discovering themselves, which is what everyone should do. But I could rant more on that later. Anyways, there's a lot I can learn from them, and from being part of this community.
It just seems so balanced. So natural I can't really put it any other way. For that reason, I really wouldn't be anywhere else (plus the other benefits I'll outline soon enough). I'm not going to go on and on about how wonderful the people are and how they're the nicest I've ever met and everyone gives each other hugs 24/7, because that's just not true.
It's really friendly, but genuine. There's humor, there's athleticism, there's intelligence, there's stupidity, there's even a speckling of rudeness (but not much). And 'tis all good.
Basically, I spend a lot of time with people on my floor. I live in the basement ("The Dungeon") of Todd-Phibbs, on a co-ed floor.
The Dungeon is one of the most hoppin' floors. By that, I don't mean totally crazy shit goes on (although this really funny party dude livens things up sometimes), but we sit in the halls a lot and just chat. And everyone knows each other, and almost everyone is friends or at least pretty friendly. I'm really growing to like some of the people like a lot a lot, which is good. They're mostly all pretty impressive and special in a lot of ways, and there's a lot of musical talent on my floor, which is pretty cool. Like, this one girl sings... and I've never really known people who sing. Oh, and this one girl is going to be a baker, and I just ate some of her DELICIOUS peach cobbler. Fuck yeah.
Cuz I'd say the hardest part about college is the whole friendship thing. For a while I started feeling lonely (even though I had the people on my floor, I felt like I was relying too much on them), and that made things tough. But I'm trying to make sure I meet new peeps often enough, and meanwhile I'm getting closer to my dungeon-mates, so it's going really well. And I've definitely done well in meeting new people and putting myself out there.
So more specifics.
My roommate is incredibly nice.
My schedule is really manageable - not a lot of reading/writing (which I'll pay for next semester, fuck).
Statistics (I like this class!), Art 101 (mixed feelings), Dionysus: Crisit and Culture, Elementary Spanish, and Beg. Jazz Dance (my fav class!).
So yeah, I'm dancing here. Like a lot. I mean, I still suck. But I've danced around at least a wee bit basically every day since I've been here, because I'm a. happy and b. comfortable. It's a good sign, you know?
And I think my craziest news is that I'm in the REPERTORY DANCE GROUP! That's right. Oh yeah. I had to audition and shit (everyone gets in, but it was still crazy), and it was like, whoa. I can't believe this is happening. So now I'm in RDG, and I'm gonna be in the big show at the end of the semester, and hopefully for every other semester I'm at UPS (imagine the possibilities!)
So I'm break dancing for one of them. The choreographer is this Haiwaiian guy (there are a lot of Haiwaiians at UPS, relatively) who lives on my floor (I like him a ton, btw - he's just one-of-a-kind). Oh man it's so fun. But incredibly painful.
And then I got to be in my numba one first pick dance: MICHAEL JACKSON'S THRILLER!
Oh man, awesome. I haven't practiced yet, but I'm so super pumped.
I mean, lookit me, making it happen. I've always wanted to dance, and there you go.
I'm also in a play! A student-written play, Metro-style (i.e., not that great), and it's fucking weird. Like, it makes no sense. But I play a pretty cool part: a whorish plant. A straight up slutty rhododendron. It's pretty fun. Whatevs. Plus it's kinda cool that I got a part in the first play I auditioned for.
So yeah. I would be doing overnight hosting and the Outdoors Program and the Student Senate, but I have to wait on those for reasons I won't bore you with. Just another reason next semester'll be way busier.
And yeah, I love living here. It's way too fucking cold, which sucks cuz I didn't bring proper jacket/coatage. But I feel like such a tourist. I just want to see and do everything (not so easy without a car). I haven't been off-campus much, but that's typical and not a bad thing. It's just crazy knowing that there's a million and one things to do in the outside world.
I feel like the perception of UPS is typically way off-base. Like, I didn't really get it before I visited either. For one thing, people assume that because it's in Washington it's either a. Seattle or b. Some woody oceanic hippie oasis.
And the school itself is not a big unversity, like U of implies; it's got a liberal arts focus. It's not average, but it's not super super selective. It's pretty much a Goldilock school, ya know?
Oh, and we are the Loggers. Fuck yeah.
A couple of final highlights:
I had a week-long orientation (so valuable, I think), including a couple nights at a camp, where I swam in saltwater and saw a jellyfish and went to a hoe-down and shiz.
I went to the Puyallup fair, which was effin' amazing and fulla character. It's also the biggest single event in Washington. So cool.
I went to a couple of epic concerts.
I had sex with strangers. JK! LOLZ.
I went rollerskating with the outdoors program.
So cool so cool.
I've really been jonesin' for a visitor.