Puritanism: the haunting fear that someone, somewhere may be happy.
This week was (and still is until Wednesday) orientation for new students at Emory University. Though a bit wary at first (Hey, all this energy you see me gushing out all the time? It has a limit too, you know. I get tired out surprisingly easy. Just the thought of having to expel such a seemingly natural positive aura for an entire week was frighteningly daunting) I quickly got into the swing of things. The hype of moving in and of course, of all the activities they had planned out for us. We were all assigned these darlings called PALS who ushered you around everywhere and memorized your room number and your habit schedule (no, I'm not kidding) such that they could arrange the perfect method of successfully stalking you. I say this of course with the utmost adoration for this lot of 25 because they have got to be some of the sweetest sweethearts this side of the country. My roommate and I (her name is Julie, though I call her Jules as she's a friend of mine, actually, so that really worked out well. A huge Whedon fan - she has watched the entire series of Buffy and Angel three times or more straight through. She also loves every single one of my favorite TV shows like Heroes and House MD and her naturally morbid sense of humor allows her to understand the amusement I find in things like, say, zombies and large guillotines. More on this later) basically pranced around all of campus, attending all the events no matter how late they ran and really, we've been enjoying ourselves. Sure there is the occasional worry spot about things that actually matter, say, homework or classes or the most popular: "What the hell am I doing with myself? 10+ years of school and I still haven't figured that one out". Bummer.
Last night we had a few presentations along with PAL skits which were hilarious as well as surprisingly effective in their messages. There was a lot of underwear involved and the occasional genital. There was the math placement test in the morning too. We are not talking about the math placement test. Pre-professional meetings too, being the only other vaguely academic related activity for the whole day. On the other hand, we had a scavenger hunt (where a PAL made us run in circles around campus for NO REASON. Well, we did occasionally pause to take pictures in front of greenery. No one really understood why). Jen McMillan, a young Canadian social worker of sorts, also came in around 10 at night to present to us the program "Un-Learn" which was highly informative as well as just plain effective. Even to someone like me who is pretty much set in her ideals and finds change a bit unsettling (not to be confused with adaptation. This is another entry entirely). I like her a lot especially since she pronounces "O"s and "OU"s in the same weird way I do (like "about" becomes "a-bOOAA-t". Then people look at me weirdly. Those of you who speak with me daily probably don't even notice. But see now next time, you might. Why do I sabotage myself like this, every day?). The night ended off with a rockin' coffeehouse at Dooley's Tavern (Dooley is our school's resident mascot. He is a skeleton in a top hat with a pimp cane - god, I love this school - that is said to haunt the campus - long story - and if he appears in your class one day, your class is let out no matter what and you have a free few hours. Funsies, right?). I've met just about the entire freshman class already (you really can't not) and most of them know me by name and face and all that other neat stuff. This is the South. You're either super nice or just plain weird. Take your pick. (There are neighbors who come on campus and go into the woods in the Meditation Circle and light bonfires. At 3 in the morning). I love how whenever I ask people if they watch TV they get this look of like: "What's a...Tee...Veee?". This is the only thing that sort of frightens me.
We also decided to one evening sit around with our RAs with a bunch of colas, an Xbox, and paint picture frames with glitter. Apparently, we have all turned 5.
I think Tylenol smells like a freshly opened bar of chocolate.
They have that saying that when you go to college you have "flown out of the nest", or something along those lines. I did not fly out of the nest. I freaking stumbled. I tripped. I fell onto my face, bounced, and somehow just toppled over the spiky sides and hit a few pine branches along the way down just for good measure. I haven't exactly hit the ground, not really, but I'm dangling somewhere not too far up above it, I'm certain. Still, I'm convinced I have a pretty strong grip - for now. We'll wait another year or two and see. Maybe then I'll have grown some guts and made something good out of my situation instead of just hanging pointlessly. You know, sticking with the metaphor, maybe a tree house or something. I've always liked tree houses.
Some of you may be wondering where I live, which I haven't ever really cleared up. There were two new halls built this summer, Alpha and Beta (they even SOUND cooler. But that's okay) but only Sophomores are allowed to live there. As freshman we get the older dorms which, personally, me and Jules both think have a lot more history and character. Our room is on the bottom floor of Bonnell Hall (a big hall connected to three other halls - Stone, Dowman, and Dickey - all together in one residential center called the Jolley residential center. Everybody parties here since it's the biggest residence. Cheers!) and it's practically a basement. It's very cold and rather dark. Me and Jules call it the Cave of Wonders (ELLLLLIIISSSS we even made a door hanger that says that. With a magic lamp). It's actually rather homey.
I still miss everyone back in NJ though. If I haven't called you yet, it is not because I don't love you enough, it's because I love you too much; it's because I'm afraid that the moment after I hear your wonderful voice on the other side, I will start bawling like a baby. Yes, I am a wimp. Give me a few days.
Classes start Wednesday. Ohmygodharakiri.
Last night we had a few presentations along with PAL skits which were hilarious as well as surprisingly effective in their messages. There was a lot of underwear involved and the occasional genital. There was the math placement test in the morning too. We are not talking about the math placement test. Pre-professional meetings too, being the only other vaguely academic related activity for the whole day. On the other hand, we had a scavenger hunt (where a PAL made us run in circles around campus for NO REASON. Well, we did occasionally pause to take pictures in front of greenery. No one really understood why). Jen McMillan, a young Canadian social worker of sorts, also came in around 10 at night to present to us the program "Un-Learn" which was highly informative as well as just plain effective. Even to someone like me who is pretty much set in her ideals and finds change a bit unsettling (not to be confused with adaptation. This is another entry entirely). I like her a lot especially since she pronounces "O"s and "OU"s in the same weird way I do (like "about" becomes "a-bOOAA-t". Then people look at me weirdly. Those of you who speak with me daily probably don't even notice. But see now next time, you might. Why do I sabotage myself like this, every day?). The night ended off with a rockin' coffeehouse at Dooley's Tavern (Dooley is our school's resident mascot. He is a skeleton in a top hat with a pimp cane - god, I love this school - that is said to haunt the campus - long story - and if he appears in your class one day, your class is let out no matter what and you have a free few hours. Funsies, right?). I've met just about the entire freshman class already (you really can't not) and most of them know me by name and face and all that other neat stuff. This is the South. You're either super nice or just plain weird. Take your pick. (There are neighbors who come on campus and go into the woods in the Meditation Circle and light bonfires. At 3 in the morning). I love how whenever I ask people if they watch TV they get this look of like: "What's a...Tee...Veee?". This is the only thing that sort of frightens me.
We also decided to one evening sit around with our RAs with a bunch of colas, an Xbox, and paint picture frames with glitter. Apparently, we have all turned 5.
I think Tylenol smells like a freshly opened bar of chocolate.
They have that saying that when you go to college you have "flown out of the nest", or something along those lines. I did not fly out of the nest. I freaking stumbled. I tripped. I fell onto my face, bounced, and somehow just toppled over the spiky sides and hit a few pine branches along the way down just for good measure. I haven't exactly hit the ground, not really, but I'm dangling somewhere not too far up above it, I'm certain. Still, I'm convinced I have a pretty strong grip - for now. We'll wait another year or two and see. Maybe then I'll have grown some guts and made something good out of my situation instead of just hanging pointlessly. You know, sticking with the metaphor, maybe a tree house or something. I've always liked tree houses.
Some of you may be wondering where I live, which I haven't ever really cleared up. There were two new halls built this summer, Alpha and Beta (they even SOUND cooler. But that's okay) but only Sophomores are allowed to live there. As freshman we get the older dorms which, personally, me and Jules both think have a lot more history and character. Our room is on the bottom floor of Bonnell Hall (a big hall connected to three other halls - Stone, Dowman, and Dickey - all together in one residential center called the Jolley residential center. Everybody parties here since it's the biggest residence. Cheers!) and it's practically a basement. It's very cold and rather dark. Me and Jules call it the Cave of Wonders (ELLLLLIIISSSS we even made a door hanger that says that. With a magic lamp). It's actually rather homey.
I still miss everyone back in NJ though. If I haven't called you yet, it is not because I don't love you enough, it's because I love you too much; it's because I'm afraid that the moment after I hear your wonderful voice on the other side, I will start bawling like a baby. Yes, I am a wimp. Give me a few days.
Classes start Wednesday. Ohmygodharakiri.