I Spy A Cool Costume!

October 31, the one day a year when you can where whatever you want and not have people question why you're doing it.
I'm going to Swing Kids later tonight and expect to see tons more amazing costumes but here are the really cool ones that I've seen so far today.

1. Ash (Pokemon)
2. Peter Pan
3. Pirate
4. Waldo
5. Artemis (I think)
6. Green Lantern
7. Several Flower Children
8. Harvey "Two-Face" or a Zombie (not quite sure which but her makeup was amazing!)
9. Flo, the Progressive girl
10. A blue M'n'M
11. Rafael (TNMT)
12. Frog
13. Johnny Depp from "Sweeney Todd" or "Dark Shadows" (again, not sure but amazingly done)
14. a vampire, possibly Sooki
15. Harry Potter
16. Referee
17. A raven
18. Tigger
19. A really creep scarecrow 
20. Giraffe 

Now I'm hoping to see a bunch more at Swing Kids

I am My Mother's Daughter

For those of you who don't know my mom, she has a few nicknames. "Madre." "Larry." "The Camera Ninja." The last was bestowed upon her by a family friend during one of our many European extravaganzas together. My mom likes to take lots of pictures; she always wants to document what we're doing. And she always has to take five versions of the same picture to make sure one of them turns out right.
I giggle at her a lot for that quirk.
Anyways, I'm trying to do a better job of documenting my life with pictures because, well, pictures are fun to look at. Here's what I've been entertained by over the past few days. Well, maybe "entertained" isn't the right word. But these are thing I want to remember.

Count Dracula guards my door. Be afraid.

 I got home from "Rocky Horror Picture Show" Saturday night (or Sunday morning, depending on which day you consider 2 am to fall) and found Dracula drawn onto my dry erase board. It's quite a wonderful rendition, which really means that I giggled for a while after I saw it. The artist is actually my suite mate, and she's had to redraw him once already because people think it's amusing to erase bits of him.

Courtesy of the UGCH

There's this place on campus called The Underground Coffee House and it's one of the the places to hang out. I've been hearing about it since school started but didn't know where it was. Today, I got out of my first class early and had an hour before my next one. That seemed like ample time to go find it. I had a delicious hot chocolate and finally (finally!) got some serious writing time in. It was amazing. I want to make going there a thing but I can't afford to buy something every time I want to go there. And it's culturally unacceptable to go and just sit in an establishment, right?

"Excuse me, sir, can you tell me where I might find Platform 9 3/4?"

Look at it!! Isn't it great? This has been my project at work for the past (maybe) two weeks. We're supposed to theme the desk and, since we all like "Harry Potter" it was a unanimous vote.
Or maybe only two of us care and the others are just happy it's being decorated. Either way, ta-da.
So this is Part 1 of my contribution, the "9 3/4" sign. Originally, I thought it was going to go above the desk but it's super big so, for now, it's going to go behind the desk. It might have to move somewhere else but I don't know yet.

There's a couple other things on campus that I really want to take pictures of so I'll probably be posting those every once in a while. Plus, tomorrow's Halloween. You never know what I might see...

Speaking of which, here's wishing everyone a Happy Halloween.

Boo. :)

Well, This is Awkward

Let me tell you about a little something that happened today at the end of my group meeting for my theatre project...
Somehow, as things were wrapping up, we (the girl and the boy that I was talking with) got on the topic of self-destructive tendencies. The girl said something like, "I don't know why people do that, or how they get to that point. It's so strange to me. I hope they know they're not alone." The boy nodded, adding "Yeah, I knew these two guys who talked about how they had to cut and I told them that we couldn't be friends anymore." (That sounds a lot more harsh than the way he made it sound; I just can't remember what he said verbatim.)
Normally, I actually forget about the scars that brand my arms but I instantly pulled my sleeves to my wrists as this conversation continued. I don't think these two noticed--people tend to see what they want to see as opposed to what's really there--so it was weird, sitting there and feeling attacked as they talked.
It makes me wonder if people notice and--if they do--if it makes them avoid me. I'm not scary, I just had some hard times.
I was relieved that, a few minutes into this whole conversation, everyone had to leave. I'm all for listening to people's opinions and, if you were brave enough to ask me about why I did it, I'd explain it do you. But having to sit there and knowing that they probably would judge me if I owned up just made me kind of scared. They're some pretty great kids and I like hanging out with them.
"Well, this is awkward," was exactly what was running through my head as I fixed my sleeves and hoped they wouldn't notice my fidgeting. I don't want to think that they'd be the types to stop hanging out with me if they discovered something they didn't like about my past. But maybe they are.
Awkward.

"Rocky Horror" and other strange occurances

Okay, so the Costume Ball was a little bit of a let down. It was a little too 'high school' except that I didn't know everyone on the dance floor.
Saturday was much more wonderful than Friday. On Saturday, work was a little ridiculous but I got a lot done. When I say "ridiculous" I mean that a couple residents were asking for their mail as soon as I pulled up the gates of the desk. It was the first time I've ever been really grumpy at anyone whilst at work. This was my thought process, "I just opened. You can see the packages--the unsorted packages--sitting on the ground. What do you think? Do you think that the mail is done yet? If you do, you are unreasonably expectant and I don't appreciate it."
But these also came when I was at work.

My packages from the family :)

The flowers are from my Mom and Dad; the box is from my brother. The flowers are because this weekend was family weekend and they are, of course, far far away. The contents of the box were some things I forgot at my brother's house (a cardigan, my hairbrush, my laptop manual) and a couple presents (a scarf, a hat, a box of milk chocolate pretzel balls, and yogurt raisins). I wasn't aware that I like yogurt raisins. And I don't. I love them. They're amazingly delicious. And they go very nicely with the chocolate covered pretzels. (I'm betting that my brother planned that). I'm also refusing to think about how many calories I consumed over the weekend.
After work, I went to see "Pitch Perfect" with RA6. We're becoming quite good friends, he and I. Anyway, the movie was amazing. It was secretly sexist and mean but also quite hilarious. It was a bonus that it contained a bunch of guys who choose to dance and sing a capella in their spare time. I thought it was a great time. I do not, however, plan on going to the movies very often. I miss movies costing $3. Maybe I'll try to find a second run theatre in town somewhere--somewhere that I can bus to. That'd be nicer than the $10 or so it costs to go to the real theatre.
Then came my (possibly) favorite part of the weekend. Once we got back from the movie, I spent about an hour trying to get in touch with some friends that live on North campus since we were supposed to go to "Rocky Horror Picture Show" together. For this and that reason, I couldn't get reach them until I was all dressed up and walking across campus. I debated going for a little while--just because I didn't know if they were still planning on going--but ultimately decided that going to see RHPS would be a good college experience for me. My friend that I was supposed to meet called while I was walking across campus, saying that she was sick and therefore not going. Instant reaction from me was "Major sad face." But my friend was quick to add that a bunch of cool people from her floor were going so I could just tag along with them.
That I did.
And I would have to say that RHPS is probably my favorite experience since arriving at college. It was two hours of complete ridiculousness. I'm so so so happy that I went. I had a great time and made some new friends. One boy that I walked back to my dorm with gave me his jacket because he wasn't cold and I was freezing in my Rocky attire.
Sunday was comprised of homework and laundry for the most part. I did get all dressed up and go to the Haunted House in my dorm community with a few friends but that was all. Haunted Houses aren't really my thing but the girls didn't want to go trick-or-treating so majority wins.
Today was been pretty productive and wonderful so far. I got up early, did some homework, almost fell asleep in both of my classes today, went to work, watched a bunch of "Sherlock", submitted my first ever college project/paper thing, and have almost finished the "9 3/4" sign for the desk.
My slight annoyance right now is that my speakers, they like to make this weird little crackling noise that I thought was just from my headphones; I hear the sound the most whilst I'm wearing those headphones and they really need to be replaced. 
Now, considering that I have a test on Friday and a midterm paper due next week (I think) I should probably get started on the homework side of my evening.

One of Those Moods

I've spent pretty much all week looking forward to the Costume Ball that's happening in, like, an hour. I went costume shopping today with one of my friends (thanks again, RA6!) and spent an hour helping my suite-mate decide what to wear. I've been soooo excited for sooo long.
Why is it that, all of sudden, all I feel like doing is going back to my room and watching Netflix: Instant all night long?
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I forgot to eat dinner...
But it just makes me sad that I don't feel like going right now. I'd rather be excited to go than simply knowing that I will be going. I know I'll have a good time...three hours of music, dancing, and costumes!
I guess it's just one of those moods...

Words to Live By

I was taking a quick study break today, which, of course, involved wandering around on Facebook . Whilst there, I ended up finding a link to a blog, which led me to another blog post, which inspired me to write. Really, this is a wonderful development in my morning. I can only take so much of the funness that studying provides, ya know?
Like I said, I found this blog post...here, go read it really quick. It won't take long.
Click on me, please!
You clicked on it, right? And read it all?
Do you think it's amazing advice? Or is that just me?
"Don't worry about the idiot who didn't text you back"
"Start getting enough sleep"
"Stop. Bad. Stop. Stop the bad."
"Start getting enough sleep."
"Start eating tasty things."
New personal goal: incorporate all of the things on the "Start Doing" list into my life. I feel like it would make my already wonderful life even more wonderful. And I'm all about things being wonderful.
Other new personal goal: finish watching "Sherlock." My suite mate got me addicted but all the episodes are an hour and a half and I have midterms that I'm supposed to be studying for! Sad face times a bajillion.
I guess the "start trying new things" might get put into action over the next few days. I'm supposed to be going shopping tonight, along with a movie (maybe). Tomorrow is the Costume Ball on campus and I haven't been to a dance since prom, and never with tons of people I don't know. Saturday might involve "Rocky Horror." I ran into some friends last night who said they were going and said that I should come. Sunday will include trick-or-treating in my dorm community. I's so excited. Free candy! Then Wednesday is Halloween and more Swing Kids.
Oh! Speaking of Swing Kids, Ben's in trouble. He skipped out on the birthday dance last night. -_- Not okay. Other than that, Nelson has been added to my list of favorite leads. Yes, he's an older fellow but he's such a good lead and such a good dancer. And I found a friend at Swing Kids who is also in my Psych class. Macy or Marcy or something like that. And I got tons of compliments on my dress that I wore. It was nice. :)
Okay, I should return to the studying now.

Another Sign that I'm an Adult Now

Okay, maybe this one is silly but I've not had one of these before so I feel grown-up.

My Haggen Card

It's kind of exciting to have my own grocery store card. :) Maybe that's lame but oh well. I feel special; I'm getting discounts on things now. Is it weird that having one also makes me like part of the community? Almost like I know I'm going to stay here for a while so it's a good idea to save money by getting this card.
Today was a good day. I kicked butt on my studying this morning (thank goodness my Tuesday-Thursday class doesn't start until 1 pm) then took my first Art History exam. At this moment, I'm feeling pretty good about it. Then I got a hot chocolate and PB&J bagel from the bagel place on campus, which was so amazingly delightful. One of my group members shared part of their Pop-Tart with me in Theatre. Theatre was just good all around today, now that I think about it. For some reason, the computer wasn't working so it just turned into a big discussion rather than a lecture, which was actually really entertaining. I think I'm going to try to take another class with this professor later in my college experience; he's hilarious. Another thing that made Theatre so great was because I caught this guy looking at me a couple times; he's cute. I know, I know, I'm ridiculous. And I'm trying not to make anything of it but it's always a nice confidence booster.
After Theatre came my run--I'm trying to make running a more regular activity but it's getting cold!--and my weekly excursion down to S. Village for apples and bananas. I'm kind of obsessed with having fruit available to eat at any moment I want it.
I worked the closing shift, as I do on Tuesdays, and am almost finished the with the sign I'm making for the desk. It's Harry Potter themed :)
I don't know why I feel so nice about today. But it feels good to feel nice about a day. I guess I'm finally settling in to college life and am feeling pretty good about it.
Tomorrow should, hopefully, measure up to today. I'm supposed to go Halloween shopping with my suite-mates. Fingers crossed that it actually happens. And there's Swing Kids to go to. Today is actually my friend's birthday and he's a lead so I'm excited to 'encourage' him into the Birthday Dance tomorrow. I'm also just plain excited to dance with him tomorrow; he's a really good lead. My favorite leads so far are Ben, Forest, Nathan and Michael. They're all fun to joke with and they're all really good leads. Forest and Nathan are really good dancers, as well. Ben and Michael are good but not quite as good as the other two. Yes, by the way, there is a difference between a good lead and a good dancer.
Anyway, I should probably do some more review. I have two more tests this week and one on Monday. Can I get a "Boo!" for midterms?

One Month

Today's the day. I've been at college for a month.
Geez, it feels like a lot has changed since I moved out here.
Maybe a lot has changed. I mean, I have a job for the first time in my life. I'm attending a university. I almost enjoy studying (sometimes!). I've met some amazing people while I've been here and been exposed to some things I really didn't know about before. I'm really starting to learn about me (what I like, what I'll tolerate, what I want to do). I get to go swing dancing every week. I'm actually looking forward to Halloween.
And, do you know what?
I'm having the greatest time with all of it. Almost everything since school has started has been "no worries, man" so I'm basically just hanging out. (Don't worry, Mom and Dad, I haven't missed a class yet.)
I'm surrounded by tons of people who are trying to decide which is the right step to take next. I'm learning all about myself. I'm being introduced to tons of new topics and ideas. I get to vote in the upcoming election. Everything's crazy different than what I'm used to but I really like it.

Oh, let me tell you about some interesting things that people have said to me over the past few days. I was telling RA6 about how people are surprised when they find out that I'm a freshman. (I don't think their surprise will ever cease to surprise me.) He said something to the effect of, "Maybe it's because you look like you know what you're doing." The fact that I might be presenting  that notion to people freaks me out a little bit, if I'm being honest. Sure, I work at the desk. Sure, I'm not afraid to go to meals by myself. But I don't know what I'm doing yet; I'm only a freshman. :P (By the way, thanks RA6, you've many, many, many good insights.)
I don't know if I've told you guys this bit but it's making me excited: it's suggested and encouraged that the DAs decorate the desk with some theme each year. Last year, I've heard, they did a forest theme. Since all of us DAs are at least quasi-into Harry Potter, we settled on that. Somehow or another--mostly because I like decorating--I'm the one making our "Hogwarts Express" sign, which is almost finished. I just need to finish the rest of the Hogwarts crest. My RA--RA1--was at the desk last night while I was working on said crest and she made a comment about how I'm really creative. DAE told me she was glad that I was in charge of decorating because she has little faith in her own artistic ability (I wasn't aware that I was in charge of it but okay). Anyway, the point is that it's been really fun, so far, making this sign. And I'm really appreciating the recognition for my efforts. Plus, I like being called creative. That makes me feel good about myself. :)

All right, time for work.

Lyrics

Do you ever have this experience: you're listening to music and, all of sudden, you feel like the lyrics were written for the exact situation that you're in?

Is that just me?

If it is, that's weird because it's been happening all afternoon. 

Generally, I try to avoid saying that a certain song describes my life perfectly (because there's always some big point that the song makes that isn't part of my life) but some lyrics just get to me. 

Right now, it's a line from Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved"...
It's not always rainbows and butterflies
It's compromise that moves us along, yeah
It's a simple enough notion but sometimes the simple ones are the most powerful.

Jumpy

Observations, for multiple dates

1. A girl in my Anthropology class was watching a soccer match on ESPN
2. Humans vs. Zombies is an intense undergoing. Campus the past few days have been hilarious.
3. Sorting 50 packages takes a lot out of me

So my observation lists are getting shorter, I know. But I've been a little too jumpy to document things.
Let's see...what's happened since Wednesday?
I watched American Beauty in my Theatre class. Oh my goodness, that movie is intense. Honestly, I really want to watch every movie from now on with my Theatre professor; the movies seem more meaningful. Everything looks different when I'm in that classroom, subscribing to the "31 flavors" doctrine our professor preaches. He also talks about how every single thing that you see in any given frame was discussed and thought about for several hours before it was put in the scene. It's amazing the amount of work that goes into movies.
I also came to the conclusion that crushing on someone before you're friends with them is a really bad idea. It's not bad for any particular reason, it just sucks when you see them around and you don't know them well enough to talk to them.
You know, sometimes I wish I wasn't such a hopeless romantic. I think that my life might feel simpler if I didn't romanticize every situation I found myself in. I wonder what my life would be like if I was a cynic instead.
But then I remember how much I actually enjoy life and how much I enjoy being that silly girl who dreams up tons of possible futures. "It could happen, it might happen. Who knows? If it doesn't, oh well. There's a thousand more ways that life could go."
Speaking of enjoying life, I'm having a really good time at college. And I'm learning a lot. Not just in classes (I have a test I need to study for...yikes) but from interacting with people. I'm learning a lot about who I want to be and, in some ways, what I want to do. It's a good feeling :)
I guess all that's left to tell you at the moment is that I need to do some serious shopping at the thrift stores in town. There's lots of Halloween stuff going on within the next week and a half so I need costume supplies. I also feel like I don't have enough dresses to support my swing dancing habit so I need to add to that collection.

Rain, Hot Chocolate, and Voting

It's looks prettier in real life.

Can you tell that it's raining?

 This is what campus looks like right now. It's full of colorful leaves and it's just great.
I've made a couple people smile and shake their head at me because of how enthused I am about the rain. I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THE RAIN!!
I haven't seen weather like this in a long time. Sure, it rained in Italy. But it was hardly ever at this stage beyond sprinkling but still light enough to walk through. It was never like that in Italy. If it rained, it poured. I like this weather better.

Do you like-a my boots?

I finally got to wear my rain boots. Rain boots are basically a fashion statement on campus. It's kind of funny. I might need to get another pair...
But, anyways, it finally rained hard enough for me to need them yesterday. I had to go meet my director for our theatre project and it was raining really hard on the way there. Walking through it was actually wonderful. I find the rain peaceful and view it as something to be enjoyed.  Unless there's a hurricane going on. Then get inside and stay there.
I expected that it would be raining just as hard on my way back to my dorm so I stopped into one of the coffee shops on campus and got a hot chocolate for the walk home. That was wonderful as well. I'm betting that's going to turn into a habit when it gets really cold and really rainy.
Honestly, I love the rain. The sound of it. The smell of it. The cleansed feel I get after walking/running/dancing in it. It makes for a wonderful time. It's been raining off and on for the past three days and I've been smiling like a maniac. I think that's what my psych professor would call a correlation. It can't be a causation because there may be other variables contributing to my happiness.
Would you look at that? I'm learning things!

I'm an adult now. I can vote.

That's right, I get a say in who becomes President this term.
Now I just have to figure out who I want to be President this term...

Observations: Oct 15/16, 2012 

1. I was sad when someone referred to "Herbie Fully Loaded" with Linsday Lohan as a Herbie movie
2. I love that hot chocolate is served on campus
3. The hip-hop crew that practices during my Tuesday work shift makes me happy
4. Someone stopped me as I was walking toward the bus stop at S. Village and said, "I just saw a sticker that said, '667, the Neighbor of the Beast.'" He was incredibly amused by it and we proceeded to have an incredibly awkward conversation. Well, awkward from my point of view. He seemed perfectly content; he even called me a pretty girl before he left... Okay, maybe "creepy" is a better word than "awkward."
5. I want to know what kids do when they don't go to class
6. I talked to someone in my Art History class today. That's a step toward friendship...maybe
7. There was Captain Crunch in the cereal bar at dinner...I hope it's still there at breakfast when I'm actually in the mood for cereal 
8. I never noticed the dips in the pavements until it rains and they become huge puddles
9. 20 pages of reading as homework doesn't seem as bad as it did in high school

Also, I want to thank a friend of mine. I was telling him today about my goal to do the Freshman Fifteen backwards and he asked me why I wanted to lose weight. I replied that it's better than the alternative. He asked, "Why not just stay the same?" I told him that I'd just prefer to be 140 than 160 (which is partially in hopes that any future boyfriends will carry me around; silly, I know). He gave me a little pep talk about how 160 isn't that heavy; how I should just date a ROTC boy (because they're all in shape...) and how he believes that I can achieve my goal of losing fifteen pounds this year. So, thank you, friend; not only was that conversation most amusing, it was a confidence booster. :)

New Life Goal

Over my extensive eighteen years of life, I feel like I've met a lot of individuals who think that people in general are inherently bad. I'm one of those types that subscribes to the "a person is good until they prove me otherwise" doctrines but a bunch of my friends seem to believe the opposite.
In short, that makes me sad. Sure, some people are insanely annoying but I like those random people that smile at me as they walk past or hold doors for me or come over in the dining hall to ask if they can sit with me. I feel like the human race has lots of potential for good and that potential needs to be realized.
It's a new life goal of mine to prove to that there are good people in the world to as many people as I can.

This College Girl's Favorite Things

Here's a list of some of my favorite things right now:
(in no particular order)

1. Running in the rain
2. Ritz crackers and peanut butter
3. Bananas
4. My earliest class being at 10 MWF
5. That fall exists in Washington
6. That my suite mates are two of the coolest people I've met on campus
7. My job
8. Meeting new people almost everyday
9. Waking up three days in a row with a happy feeling
10. Eggs and toast 
11. "Pitch Perfect Riff-Off" clip
12. Pandora: Internet Radio
13. Professors who let class out 20 minutes early for no particular reason
14. Being able to text people all over the country
15. Continuous dining hours and an unlimited meal plans (Thank you, Mom and Dad!!)
16. That it's raining
17. Netflix Instant (Thank you TB and CB!!!)
18. Being able to leave my class as soon as I'm done with a test
19. Dancing in the rain
20. Psychology class

It's Fall All of a Sudden

Let me tell you guys about my new favorite spot to be: the lounge in my building. I first came down here because it's really hard for me to study in my room and it's just grown on me. Very rarely is anyone actually down here with me and the couches are super comfy. Even if someone is down here, they're usually studying too. Or watching a football game but that's just super entertaining so it's all okay. It's nice and quiet but it makes me feel better to be lazy down here rather than be lazy in my room. Plus, my roommate has company over now so I just feel insanely awkward in the room.
Anyway, I had a study group today for my Anthropology class. Since my class has at least 100 people in it, I was expecting a big group to show up. But, no, there were six of us. That's probably in part because college kids think 10 am is too early to be somewhere. (Seriously, I was in the main computer lab in my community before I went to the study group and no one else was up; it felt like I was the only person who believed in Sunday mornings.) While I was in the study group, I was really pleased with how much I felt I was contributing to the group; I knew things and could discuss the concepts. Talk about a confidence booster. I guess that's probably how I should feel about it but, hey, there's no shame in liking that feeling to be renewed.
Fun fact: Jousting is the official state sport of Maryland. I found that out last night while eating dinner with this boy named Rob. He wants to teach, and he's really into ancient Greece and Rome. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it was really easy to talk to him, which was nice. I like comfortable connections. Plus, he lives in my building so maybe we'll hang out sometime. Maybe.
I see what people mean when they say, "Sleep; grades; social life. Pick Two. Welcome to college." I mean, I'm being plenty social but I haven't made tons of friends. Granted, I'm not really a "tons of friends" kind of person anyways. I'm mostly having a good time meeting lots of random people. Like at meals; I can almost always find someone at a table by themselves. Between that and working at the desk and going to class, I feel like I'm actually getting lots of social interaction. And I think my anthropology project will help me get to know some more people. Ugh, I really don't want to do that project.
You know autumn? That picturesque scene where all the leaves are turning colors and falling to the ground and it's starting to rain just a little bit? Well, that's what campus is turning in to now. I cannot even tell you how happy that makes me. I haven't seen an autumn like this in about seven years. It's beautiful. The only downside is that it's harder to convince myself to go running outside when it's raining. Ah, well. I guess that's motivation to go to the gym.

That's kind of what campus looks like right now. I'll try and take a picture to put up soon but, right now, it's time for homework.
I've been doing lots of homework this weekend.

Satisfied

Happy, happy Robyn.
Do you ever have those days when you wake up and you just know it's going to be a good day? Well, that's exactly the feeling I woke up with this morning. Since I put off a bunch of my studying until today, that's what I have to do all day (that and work) but it should be good. Getting things done always tends to make me feel better about myself and about life.
Let's talk about last night because last night was super great. I honestly love Friday night shifts at the desk; they always end up being a lot of fun. Except for the brats that were complaining about RA6; I wanted to punch those guys in the face. Anyways, I'm getting better about joking around with people and making conversation at the desk, which is a really good thing. Remember Joaquin? Well, I actually met him yesterday; his name is Justin. My friend is really proud for being relatively close with his name. And I'm really excited because now I can talk to him. Or, at least, say 'hi' when I see him in classes. Other good things that happened...RA6 came by and hung out for a while; I finally got a start on my Art History flash cards; and I sang "That's Amore" with RA2.
I know I haven't written much since Wednesday so let me just say that life is going pretty well. We watched "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" in Theatre. I like that I'm being exposed to "classic" films in that class. What else? What else?What else? Friday was really great because we were supposed to have a quiz in Anthropology but our professor lectured for too long and we ran out of time. Friday was also really scary because I had my first ever college exam. Hello, Psych 101. I'm really not sure how I did but I survived it so here's hoping for the best.
Oh, tonight's "Open Door Night" in our community, which I'm really excited about. Maybe I'll be able to make some new friends. And it's "Bigger or Better" too so that should be fun. I'm always excited to meet new peoples.
I'm really curious about the people on the other side of this wall. I'm in one of the computer labs and it sounds like there's band practice going on next door. It's kind of funny, really.
But I should try to get more of my Anthropology study guide done before I have to go to work. Yay, homework.

(Late) Observations and SWING KIDS!!!

Okay, I've been really bad about doing my "Observations" section for a few days now. So here's all of those plus my excitement about Swing Kids tonight.

Observations, Oct 5-10, 2012

1. Awkward eye contact is aptly named
2. I'm really jealous of this girl in my Psych class who was wearing a Batman shirt and Converse
3. I'm really proud of people with disabilities 
4. Americans have a thing for logos
5. Other people sitting on tables instead of chairs makes me happy
6. Humans really are social creatures
7. The doors in my dining hall are my favorite doors on campus; I can push them open at the same time and walk through them like I'm someone important
8. People are pretty consistently surprised that I'm a freshman
9. How cool is it that modern technology allows me to text people across the country?
10. So far, my moving seats in Art History class hasn't gained me any friends
11. Being in my room alone all weekend put a damper on my thinking/observing abilities
12. It makes me smile whenever anyone steps over chairs in a row to get up to a higher row
13. I missed how running makes me legs feel
14. I love when I turn my head and catch a guy looking at me
15. My Anthropology professor talked about Italy today; and got it right

Okay so those are the observations I think you guys will actually be interested in. I've been spending a lot more time in my room so I haven't seen as many of the funny things that makes college so entertaining. Except for the shirtless-shoeless guy in the game room. That was weird.
So, anyways, I really want to tell you guys about Swing Kids!!! Last week seems like so long ago all of a sudden. Anyway, I had the most amazing time tonight. I'm hoping I'll say that every Wednesday. The lesson was really fun, which I attribute to the good attitudes of my leads. It's not as fun when a lead is being pouty. If they're up front and say, "I'm not super good at this." I say, "That's totally good; I'll help you out." I was even pleasantly surprised with some of my leads.
But, anyway, the lesson isn't the best part of the evening. The best part was the Social--when everyone and anyone can dance with whoever they want. I danced with Michael, Brian, Ben, Nathan, Boy Whose Name I Forgot, Boy Whose Name I Never Got, Boy Whose Name I Think is Emory, Boy in the Striped Shirt, and two girls during Snow-Ball. I feel like I'm missing someone but I can't remember for sure.
ANYWAYS...Michael loves to spin me (and asked me to dance twice). Brian was fun to talk to (and was surprised that I'm a freshman). Ben's really confident (it's only his second week but he's already a pretty good lead). Nathan is insanely, insanely good. (He gave me a couple tips and complimented me on my following skills.) I danced with Boy Whose Name I Forgot last week and he was just as good tonight (he loves style steps). Boy Whose Name I Never Got was better than me, which I knew from watching him before we danced during Snow-Ball. Boy Whose Name I Think is Emory is new at dancing but I danced with him last week so it was easy to invite him to dance again. I danced with Boy in the Striped Shirt during the lesson and I think it's good for the new boys to dance during the Social so I asked him. The girls were fun to dance with but a little awkward since I ended up leading for a second and wasn't prepared for that.
Geez, I feel bad for all these guys who are just now coming out and having to lead.
"Kurt! That's the one I left out. God bless Kurt."
Not really.
But points to anyone who can name the movie that line is from.
Zach (I think) is the name of the one I missed. He was new too but I mostly remember his cologne. It smelled really good.
Let me explain Snow-Ball really quickly. Four or five couples start in the middle the dance floor, surrounded by all the other dancers. Music plays, the four or five couples dance--la ti da, life is wonderful. Someone yells out "Snow-Ball" and the couples all break up. Then, each person who had just been part of a dancing couple pulls a new partner out of the crowd. Music plays, eight or ten couples are now dancing--la ti da, life is wonderful. Someone yells out "Snow-Ball" and the couples all break up. Then, each person who had just been part of a--yeah you get it. Until everyone is dancing.
Everyone should dance. It's wonderful. And so happy making. I love it.
Another observation, I say "anyways" a lot when I'm excited.

Rewards

Yay, chocolate. :)

I was surprised to find these Lindt balls when I went to the grocery store today. It's rewarding in two ways: it's chocolate and it reminds me of home. Yes, home is Italy in this case.
So, let me fill you in about what I did over the weekend...I watched "How I Met Your Mother". All weekend. I think I must've gotten through three seasons. This activity was mainly because I was the only person in my suite all weekend and, therefore, could laze around without truly feeling lazy.
Here's what I should've been doing all weekend: homework.
But, luckily, since I think I've finished almost every episode that exists of HIMYM on Netflix Instant, I would be distracted by it anymore. It's a great show with some hilarious characters and an endearing premise. But it's been six seasons, and I'm a little bored of watching the protagonist go through girls that may or may not turn out to be his wife. So there's another reason to stop watching it. Another reason to stop watching it is that I start acting like the characters. It's weird. And I'm betting there's a psychological reason that I do it.
Anyway, I managed to do a little bit of homework on Sunday but I couldn't get through my Psych chapter. It's all about the neuroscience of the brain and body. It sounded way too much like a biology textbook. Ugh. Not fun. So I meant to read that on Monday along with a few other readings but I was tired and distracted all day so I couldn't focus at all.
Thus, I went to bed early and decided that I'd get up early to do the homework I needed to do.
Well, getting up early didn't work out as well as I'd hoped because my roommate was still asleep when I woke up and I didn't want to bother her by turning on the light or making much noise. So, instead of getting up at 7, I got up at 8. And, sadly, a headache came with consciousness. Again homework was delayed because I went to get breakfast so I could take some pain meds and then I had to wait for said pain meds to kick in before I felt like I could focus.
Then, finally, around 9:30  I settled down to do my homework. By noon, I'd read four chapters (each of my classes) and done one online quiz for Psych. I'm super impressed with myself. And I felt a lot better because my stuff was all done.
Then came lunch, where I made a couple friends. One thing I'm noticing is how often people are surprised when I tell them that I'm a freshman. I don't feel like I look that old so I'm guessing it's because I work at the desk that confuses people. I think it's more typical that my position goes to a returning student, someone who knows about the school and the town. On that note, I'm trying to learn about it.
Funny story, this girl just showed up at the desk, asking questions about this new thing that Obama Administration is putting out: the Shopping Sheet. Apparently, like no one knows about it; it's supposed to help college students understand their options when it comes to financial aid. But the point of me mentioning it is that it reminds me of my Anthropology project that I have to do. I have to interview 6 people about their political views...
Where am I going to find 6 people willing to talk to me about politics?
Back to the original point, after lunch I had classes: Art History and Theatre. Did I tell you guys that I'm the producer in my theatre group? Well, I am. I'm actually really excited about it at the moment. That's probably because I have a lot of respect for the director and I think we'll get along really well.
After Theatre, I managed to get the rest of my homework done in the computer lab (which was delightfully warm after my chilly walk) before I headed down the hill to the grocery store. I think Tuesday afternoons might become shopping afternoons. I probably wouldn't have to do it once a week if I didn't buy and eat all my fruit.
Since I wasn't really in the mood for dining hall food (or the last half-hour dining hall rush) I decided to get dinner at Wendy's. There's one across the street from the grocery store. That probably won't become a Tuesday afternoon habit but it was nice for tonight. Now I really need to go for a run, though.
Work has been pretty good so far. RA2 came by and shared a little thing of ice cream with me. She's really nice. Also, I found out from a few residents who just got tattoos today that "Old School Tattoo" is a good place in Bellingham to go. Maybe once I have $100 that I feel comfortable spending, I'll go get one. :) Hopefully it won't actually be that much (the design I have in mind is pretty simple) but I feel like it's a good amount to have set aside, just in case. And, if it's cheaper, then I have extra money all of a sudden.
I'm going to do today's observations in a different post because this one's already long enough. So that, a run, shower, and (fingers crossed) Downtown Abbey are on my list of things to do this evening.

My New Purple Hat

My New Purple Hat

Fun fact about my weekend: I am the only person in my suite.
Yes, that's right. All three of suite mates have gone home for the weekend.
Since home is far far away, I'm here alone for the weekend.
Tomorrow and Sunday are intended for studying but tonight was completely full of HIMYM and crocheting.
I have a hat.
And no one else in my suite for the weekend.

The Power of Words

Have you ever heard someone say something and immediately think, "Why in the world would you actually say that?"
Well, there's a guy like that in my Anthropology class.
He likes to talk and make points, some relevant and some not.
Today, he pointed out that our professor says "I don't know" pretty often, which is a valid statement. But it was the fact that this student felt comfortable enough to point it out seems insanely dangerous to me.
After he said it, though, I didn't hear the professor say "I don't know" once. Not once in the forty minutes of class he had left.
That's the power of words for you. A little vocal observation by one person can change another person's behavior in front of an entire auditorium of college kids.

Italy Spoiled Me

After seven years of living in Italy, my perspective changed on a lot of things. Crazy drivers aren't as terrifying to me anymore; I'm really used to some things just taking a while; and technical difficulties at shows don't bother me because "Everything in Sig starts five minutes late anyways."
One thing I hadn't really noticed though was how bitter living in Italy made me toward Americans. I don't mean individual Americans, I like those people a lot. But my generalized picture of Americans has been tainted pretty badly.
This realization came when I was doing my Anthropology discussion readings. (By the way, RA6, you're right. The readings are pretty good in and of themselves.) Since this is my first real discussion at college and I don't know what to expect, I'm making little notes to the questions we were given. As I was writing in some of those answers, I was slapped in the face with how negatively I view Americans--at least, Americans as a whole.
There are some great things about America, truly.
Everyone is promised life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Everyone is equal.
Everyone is willing to help others.
Okay, so we're still working on those but the idea of these ideals is probably what drew so many people in their first place. "America! The land of opportunity!"
But let me tell you about a quick encounter that happened at Swing Kids last night. A little bit of background...as we went through the beginner lesson, all the follows rotated leads. The proper form when you rotate is to thank the lead you just danced with, move to the next lead and introduce yourself. If you're feeling brave, you may inquire further.
One of the leads I danced with (and I feel so bad that I can't remember his name!) asked me where I was from. My new response to that question is "I have two answers to that question: the easy one and the complicated one. Which would you like?"
He wanted both.
When "Italy" came out of my mouth, he was really impressed, and he asked the next logical question, "Do you speak Italian?"
I replied with my standard, "Un po, si." (Translation: "A little bit, yes.")
His next comment was something like,  "So you're not part of the tons of Americans who only know one language, English." And do you want to know what word I would use to describe his tone? Relieved.
(In case you're wondering, I asked. He speaks a little bit of French.)
Like him, that's one of my big problems with America. Americans--as a generalized whole--aren't cultured at all. They assume they are superior even though we're really not. We're one of the biggest countries and one of the most famous, for sure. But I don't know many Americans who can switch between Italian and English like it's nothing. That's impressive.
I wish America was more like that. More cultured. More aware of what was going on the rest of the world. My mom made an excellent point one day: most German college students could hold a very intelligent discussion about politics. American politics. I'm really not sure that most American college students could do that about their own politics, much less another country's. I'm ashamed to say that I couldn't. But I'm trying to learn. I am planning on voting this year.

Okay, I think that's the end of my rant. I still have a little bit of reading to do this evening.
I just want to add that I've been slightly homesick for Italy: I've been using balsamic dressing (sparingly) and eating pasta. I'm so happy they make pasta in my dining hall.
Also, on a completely unrelated note, I think I'm going to find that scores are the best music to listen do whilst doing my homework.
Back to the homework I go.

Just A Few Things

Considering what a studious college student I am, I have a bunch of homework that I need to do tonight. However, my mind is in about a million places at a moment so, hopefully, a post about my thoughts will help calm me down.
I guess this whole post is my observations about today, so...

Observations, Oct 4, 2012

First off, my theatre class and my psych class are tied for my favorite class at the moment. Both of those professors are enthusiastic about their subject, and that makes the class really interesting. Today was theatre and a few things occured to me. 

1. I have lots of responsibility on our short film project. Not only am I script writer, I am also the producer now. I'm a little bit still wondering how in the world that happened but, as far as I can gather, it's because I've been the one taking notes whenever our professor relays any criteria or during the little meeting my group had the other day. 
2. I'm really excited about my theatre project. But I'm already preparing myself for how stressed I'm going to be around Week #4 or #5 of this term. I have this short film project; a midterm paper for theatre; two hours of research for my psych class; another something for psych, I'm sure; two Anthropology projects; and lots of Art History studying to do. Don't worry, my professors are giving me most specifics than what I just gave you but that's the general idea. And that is on top of the readings that I'm supposed to do in order to be prepared for class. I'm making endeavors to not freak out early but that's going to be a lot to handle.
3. I think my professor and I would get along really well if we had to work together. I don't know what made me think that but I do. 
4. That's the only class I really feel comfortable speaking up in so far. It might have something to do with his "Who likes ice cream? Great. Do you know why Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors? because we all like ice cream but we don't all like licorice ice cream" speech. Basically, it's his way of saying, "No two of you are going to have the same opinions about anything we watch or talk about, and that's completely fine. So tell me what you think." There's also the little tidbit of I don't have to know what I'm talking about to ask questions or speak up. I'm only taking one 100 level course this quarter and that's psych. I don't feel like I have to have a background in theatre or psych to say anything, but we have more discussion chances in theatre. With Anthropology and Art History, I'm way too intimiated. Even if we did spend almost forty-five minutes joking about the Terracotta warriors today in Art History. (Wow, that was a long observation.)
5. "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920-ish) is a great movie. It's German, old and silent, but it's pretty twisty and wonderful. A tribute to my high school string instructor as well for teaching me last year about how the music can impact a movie. For the first bit, we listened to the movie with a soundtrack created in the 1990s (or so my professor believes). A little after halfway, he put Ben Folds in the audio. Good-bye, Mr. Seriousness.
6. I need to do "Dark Side of Oz."

So that was Theatre class today. Oh, wait. And there was the fact that one of my group members has this habit of leaning over every few minutes and saying something to me. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet...
But, anyways, I managed to grab dinner before work (something I'm not expecting to become a norm on Thursdays). Work was very uninteresting, yet busy. I got to make some posters. I realized I have no mail. (Anyone want to change that for me?:P) La ti da.
Did I tell you guys already, about Demo Week? Well, if not, here you go: Demo Week is the first week of the quarter at my school where all the "X-Pass" classes are free. After Demo Week, you may purchase an "X-Pass" at $45 to get you into any of the "X-Pass" classes. Zumba is an "X-Pass" class. Now, there was a class tonight at 7:30. (That's 1930, for any military time people out there). I got there maybe ten minutes early and it was already full. MAJOR SAD FACE. And that meant I was faced with what to do. There was lots of energy in my body but I didn't feel like confining myself to a treadmill or anything like that. I wandered around for a minute, seeing what else is actually in our gym. Then I was resigned to walk back to my dorm. Major sad face again. But, as soon as I stepped outside, I realized that I could just go for a run.
And I did.
And it was wonderful.
I've missed running, odd as that may sound.
But now I'm back to debating about the X-Pass. I'm wondering if the price with deter enough people that I'll actually be able to get into classes. Maybe I should just buy the $5 ticket that'll get me into one class and see if I can actually get in. I really want to do Zumba but I could get into running again if it looks like the classes are always going to be full. 

The Long Awaited Night

So, hi.
It's Wednesday.
And Wednesdays from now all will mean Swing Kids.

Here's what I learned about life this evening at SK...
Lots of girls are interested in dancing but boys are always going to be persuaded by the statement, "There are lots of girls there." Seriously, at least two of the leads I talked to admitted to that being the reason they came. And I put no shame on them. SK needs leads; I don't care why leads come. Plus, their assumption that they'll get lots of attention is true.
Doing the beginner lesson is a lot of fun, even if you already have a foundation. I think that the beginner lesson is a really, really good way to get to know some new people as well as getting to know the leads. Yes, there's a difference even though people are leads. Getting to know people starts with "Hi, my name is...". Getting to know a lead starts when you step into position. It's almost comical how much you can tell about a person's experience just from the way they hold themselves and their partners. Another thing you can tell about leads from their stance/position is if they've done any other time of ballroom dancing. People who salsa like to work their shoulders and hips more than swing usually calls for, and their form is too stiff (the same generally holds true for people who waltz.)
When almost everyone in the room belongs to one of the two groups (Beginner or Advanced), it's hard to be an intermediate (which is where I'd place myself). It's also hard to be new. Most of the beginners seem to bond over that status, or they all met at the meeting I missed last week. There's less pressure for a beginner lead to dance with a beginner follow because neither of them has a very big vocabulary. The advanced people know each other already and have extensive vocabularies so they all dominate the dance floor. Basically, I learned that they best way to dance was to ask a lead if they wanted to dance, which isn't really a new phenomena. Still, I look forward to the day when the leads gain enough confidence to do most of the asking.

What I Plan to Teach Myself

Remember how I said I was really good at riding the tram in Heidelberg? Well, I am now getting pretty good at the bus system in my new town. That is...if you count riding the bus twice by myself "good at the bus system".  Unsurprisingly, perhaps, I have braved the bus both times because of a need to shop. Thankfully for my bank account, it was grocery shopping.
There's a little shopping center down the hill from my university that you all shall know as S. Village. I maybe would've liked to go to Fred Meyer simply because I'm accustomed to it, but ultimately I decided that it'd be a wise to explore S. Village.
I caught a bus down there and wondered around. There's a grocery store, a Rite-Aid, a pet store, massage clinic, REI, beauty shop and a couple other little things. All of that is wonderful news for me because S. Village is a tad most convenient than Fred Meyer. (S. Village is kind of within walking distance while I have to ride the bus to Fred Meyer.) Here's where part one of my planned lessons come into play.
I went into the beauty shop, desiring new nail polish; I only have one purple right now and felt the need for more. Of course, I splurged and bought OPI. (For anybody who doesn't understand the significance of that, OPI is a $10 bottle of polish.) But, see, I forgot about that price since I've been buying OPI on military bases, and they believe in discounts. At first, I was a little worried. "That's a lot of money," ran through my mind quite a few times. I've come to a conclusion that I think fits the situation wonderfully. Yes, $10 is a lot for a bottle of polish. However, I really like the color and know that I'll use it. Additionally, this polish can count as a little bit of a reward. I've been in college for almost two weeks now; I've survived. My finances can handle a little reward for not completely breaking down. I also know this...when I want to buy nail polish in the future, I'll just go to Rite-Aid and get the cheap stuff.
I know Rite-Aid has the cheap stuff partially because it's a Rite-Aid and, seriously, what drug store doesn't have almost everything you could need? But I also know because I stopped in there to buy envelopes and index cards. The envelopes are, yes, for letters because I like sending mail almost as much as I like receiving it. (Almost). The index cards were suggested by my Art History professor as a way to remember all of the objects we talk about and their significance.
Lastly came my stop at the grocery store. Since there'll be a picture, I won't list everything I bought; mostly, it's just snack food for in my dorm. The lesson I learned there is that I am going to be spending money in an unavoidable way now. (Buying new clothes and new CDs on a whim is avoidable; buying fruit is not.) I'm not used to that kind of spending. So I'll get to have a fun time easing into the mentality of, "It's okay to be spending money right now, Robyn. You have a job and you're not overspending. You have a real use for everything you're buying."
Now, the promised picture...

My rice cakes are butter flavored :D

Look, I'm a relatively healthy college student...crackers and fruit. Another observation of mine is that yellow is apparently becoming my new favorite color. I see four shades of it in this picture alone, and would see five if my pillow was in the photo.
But, yeah, these are the things I shop for.

rawr

This is the postcard that Kris sent me. (Yes, it's another Navy postcard.) It was intended as a tester item because I wasn't sure that my address would work.
It did.
And now I have this to add to my cork board.
That's really what I plan to do with any bits of artwork that I come across (whether I find them or if they're given to me). Hopefully it won't take too long for my cork board to be all decorated.
Side note for my Harry Potter fanatic-friends reading: my suite mate has an amazing poster of Alan Rickman on her board. SME, not SMH. SMH's board is covered in pictures of her with her friends.

Observation Time: Oct 3, 2012

• Asking bus drivers if their route goes through campus is an okay question to ask
• I always think it's funny when a new person comes up to the group you're in and starts talking as though they were asked a question. I don't mind that they want to be included but it makes the assumption that there wasn't another conversation going already. That puts me on edge a little bit.
• It's harder to come up with story ideas when you are representing a group with your writing. We're going a little film project for my theatre class and I'm script writer. Luckily, my director is being pretty nice about letting me work with one the genres I'm good at writing.
• Lots of people in my Psych class have Macs (thank the boys who sit behind me for this one)
• Sigmund Freud knew 11 languages
• I get to go to Swing Kids tonight :D I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am that everything worked out with our schedule rearranging at work. 
  

Dear Residents,

Dear Residents of my Dorm Community,
I collect the mail. I sort the mail. I put the mail into the boxes for all of the residents in all twelve of the stacks in our community. I, then, mark and record every package for every resident in all twelve of the stacks in our community. If there are pieces of mail marked wrong, I look up the intended recipient in my database. Hopefully, it's a simple mistake. If not, that piece of mail goes back into the box to go back to the post office.
This is hopefully all done by 5 each evening.
But, here's a surprise for you! Even though you've never come up to me and said, "Hi, my name is BlahBlah," I have no idea what your name is. (Shocking, right?) So it's really just unhelpful to all of us when you come up to the desk and ask "Is there mail for me?"
I don't know your name and I don't remember the name on every piece of mail or package I logged. How am I supposed to know if you have mail? I'm part of the mail service, not your mail service.
So FYI...the mailboxes are in the game room. Your room key gets you into said mailbox. If you have a package, there'll be a slip. Bring that slip to me and I'll get you your package.
Thank you,
Have a nice day,
The Desk Staff

A Funny Thing...or Two

Lots of stuff is running through my mind right now.

I'll try my best to be coherent.

Story #1

There's this guy (who shall be referred to as "Guy" for the rest of this story) that I met while at freshman orientation for my school this summer. Guy is an interesting mix of nice and sarcastic, and I thought we got along pretty well. We hung out the evening of Day I, and during an info session on Day II. Then we had to go to our separate advising classes and I thought that that would be it. 
But it wasn't.
Guy came to find me afterward our advising classes. He asked for my number but (as you all know) I didn't have one until a few days ago. So, instead, we traded Facebooks and then hung out in Red Square (one of the courtyards on campus) until our respective parents showed up to whisk us back to the rest of our summer. 
Later, he Facebooked me, wondering if I had any time/desire to hang out that weekend. (I'd told him that I was staying in Seattle with my brother and Guy lives very near Seattle.) To me, all of these signs pointed to the conclusion that maybe he was interested in me, which was welcome knowledge because I was intrigued (to say the least). So I said "yes". And we had a fun time.
As life (or luck, whichever you prefer) would have it, we didn't talk very much after that. We've only seen each other a few times since school has started. But now we're working together (and 5 other people) on a project in our Theatre class. (Complete and distracting side note: I'm going to be a script writer this quarter!) Back to the point at hand, I overheard one of our other friends asking Guy about some girl that he is apparently going on a date with this evening.
The fact that he is already going on dates is a surprise (mostly just because there's no way he's known this girl for longer than two weeks) but it doesn't suck as much as I thought it would. Granted, it would be really shallow of me to assume that he was automatically and solely interested in me (if he was ever interested in me) considering how charismatic and good-looking he is. Well, maybe "shallow" isn't the right word...naive. It would be really naive of me to assume that he would only be interested in me when we're in college (surrounded by lots of other possible dates) and when we know each other as much as we do (which isn't much).
I guess that's the nice thing about being in college, though...there are 15,000 students attending school here. I've heard that about 4,000-5,000 live on campus. That's about the same size as my old community. Except (for the most part) all of these people are within five years of my age. Yes, it's a little bit saddening for me to realize that Guy isn't into me. However, it's not a big deal. He's not into me, so what? There are probably at least 6,999 other males on campus.
That's a lot of males to choose from :)
And Guy and I can be good friends. Hopefully, that's not a naive thought as well.

Story #2

I realized the other day that, by the time I sit down to write a post about my day, I've forgotten a bunch of the funny nuances that make being at college so entertaining. I'm going to try to get in the habit of documenting more of these observations so here it is:

Observation Time: Oct 2, 2012

You should note that today was really windy...

• I saw a boy flying a kite 
• There was a boy studying shirtless outside, which I consider a great feat because my hands felt frozen just in the time it took my to walk from South to North campus
• I saw doppelgangers of the following people: Kurt Hummel, and BYU Amanda (the latter is a real person so I shall refrain from using her real name)
• Whenever I get stressed out, I listen to my "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" audio book. The book itself is hilarious and the escape to another universe is appreciated  
• I'm planning to keep moving seats in my Art History class until I make friends. So far, no one's talked to me. (Granted, I haven't talked to them but not the point!) I'm wondering if this could be considered a psychological study, if a few key people moved seats every class period?
• Did you know that almost everything we know about ancient Chinese culture comes from the artifacts we've found in their tombs?
• There's this boy who lives in my dorm community and hangs out with an acquaintance of mine that I think is cute. My friend (who will be getting her own pronoun soon) has dubbed this boy "Joaquin" until I find out his real name. Anyway, the point is that he's not only in my dorm community but in my Psych and Theatre classes as well. Now I'll just be seeing him around all the time.
• I'm really glad that I look online courses in high school because I'm having to do a bunch of online stuff with all my classes this quarter and having the background is going to make it a whole lot easier.
• (BIG NEWS!) There was a boy in my Theatre class today, wearing a Ramstein Wrestling t-shirt! Funny how your worlds can collide, even when you least expect it...I should talk to him.
• I love getting mail. Kris (who you might know as "Boy with the Navy Diver Postcard") sent another postcard, which arrived yesterday. It is wonderful. (I shall insert a picture as soon as I get around to taking one.)

Story #3

There's lots of reading to do at college. I have two chapters to read today, at least. Plus work and dinner and Facebooking. Time to get to the reading. 

Work

This post is bound to be short, partly because it's specific and partly because I don't have long to write it.

Anyways! Yesterday, I came down to the front desk (my place of work, for any of you just now starting to follow my life) to ask DAE about a time sheet complication that I still haven't totally figured out. Although that presents a slight problem for me, it is not the point.
The point is that DAE and RA8 were hanging around at the desk, playing with the schedule. They were playing because RAs are not supposed to have mail shifts yet, somehow, RA8 got one; DAE and RA8 were really concerned about this. (There are a few legal reasons why RAs should not have mail shifts; DAs are the ones trained for such shifts.) When I showed up, they asked if I'd found anyone to switch shifts with me. I told them that I still needed to talk to DAK about the possibility since everyone else had obligations the night I wanted to switch.
Thus began the craziness. The three of us must have spent an hour toying with the schedule and calling the various RAs and DAs that might be effected by the changes. An hour of saying, "Is it possible that this would work?" "No, well, what about this?" It was insane. And really funny. At one point, RA8's phone went off and the three of us jumped because we'd been so focused on our task of moving people around in the schedule.
The result of all that is that everyone who changed their schedules now has a more desirable work schedule for their life.

It also means that I get to go to "Swing Kids" on Wednesday!

:D