Collegeness: The First Days and Beyond

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

*Hugs internet* I've MISSED YOU!!!

. . . not that I even have you. Silly lab computers . . .

I called the people so I have to be back up at my room to find them relatively soon. Dang it . . . I have so much to write.

The opening ceremonies were CRAZY . . . We all got on shirts, different colors depending on our dormitories (I'm in "Greenleaf Whittier" or something . . . they call it "Wiggy"-- or Danforth): red, yellow, blue, green, navy, and burgundy. Oh yeah, so the Hogwartsness-- plus, erm, navy and burgundy can be Beauxbatons and Durmstrang ^_^ Lol . . .

. . . and guess who's in Slytherin?

Yeah. Heehee.

The opening ceremony was very Hogwarts Feast-esque, too. We all gathered in chairs according to our dormitories, and then the head professors and some students of their departments marched up the aisles in their robes, carrying banners of the crests of their colleges. It was very collegiate, academic, ceremonial, etc . . . ^_^

Lisa (the girl I met on Facebook-- she and I have been hitting it off pretty well, I think ^_^-- fellow Harry Potter obsessee-- though maybe not quite as bad . . . lol . . . -- Shakespeare lover, and cello player) and I were pointing out Hogwarts-esque things for some of the time, too. The chancellor said something about "bravery" being the greatest virtue, because it gave you consistency, and she was like, "Be a Gryffindor!"

Then, after the speeches and such, our parents filed out (I was amazed I could actually see mine in the audience-- it was HUGE, like . . . parents for 3000-some-odd students!), and then we all paraded with red glowstick halos (made me think of Alice's and my sleepovers from way back in the day ^_^) and green glowstick shaker-thingies, through our parents, who had lined up all the way from the building we held the ceremonies in to the building we had the reception in (and, since it was raining, we couldn't have it out on the Quad )-: which is a really beautiful, very college-looking place ^_^ like Hemsley, lol . . . not so much like Hogwarts; a little less gothic and a little more red-brick school . . . though one view of the field looks completely Eton or something, over the cricket pitch or something, lol . . . ). They all had glowsticks, too. It was a cool effect.

Then . . . there were bagpipes playing!!! A big company of bagpipe players!!! It was crazy! So then we went in and ate ice cream, and I sat with Lisa, her dad, and my parents.

I have to find out about auditions for Symphony Orchestra. They're on Sunday (crap-o-licious; I have that Shindler's List piece BARELY prepared, and certainly not enough for anything special, lol . . . lol maybe I'll just fudge out "Song from a Secret Garden," since I have that memorized and it sounds impressive ^_^), but I have to sign up first, for a time and everything.

My roomate is nice, and I've talked briefly with the girls who share the bathroom with me (Lisa doesn't). One of them is from Guam, which is so cool, and she's taking Japanese, too; she was there when I went to test out. She's nice; quiet, like me, but nice . . . though, actually, I think I'm being a lot louder than usual here. There's another girl on my floor who was testing out of Japanese, too. Carol (roomate)'s self-conscious about her accent but I think it's cute . . . lol, she wasn't there when I moved in; I didn't see her until the floor meeting . . . she DOES know a lot of people . . . I feel dumb when they come and walk in and I'm just like, "Hi . . . I'm Carol's roomate? You're here for her?" She seems to be surrounded by boys a lot, lol . . .

In other news, I completely f*cked that Japanese test up. I tried to test out of 2nd year, first, but the test was too hard-- I got about half of it, which wouldn't have been enough, I'm sure (I would be like in the . . . second . . . semester of 2nd year Japanese?), so I went down a level-- because you could do that. The oral was HORRIBLE. I was so unconfident.

. . . at least Clara (girl sharing bathroom) thought it was hard, too. This makes me feel just a LITTLE bit better . . . erm . . . misery loves company?

I also took this "baseline" test, where they score me as a freshman and then again as a senior, as a random sample to get the school accredited. Hence, I could f*ck this up. In fact, it would make the school look better. The English portion is based mostly on Composition essays I write during this year, but the Math was an actual test. I totally fudged it. It was based a lot on memory, though, so I was like, "Yeah, you solve this like this. I would solve it, but I don't know how many feet are in a mile. So, I'll call that number 'x.' The answer is *this number* times 'x'." Lol . . . it was kind of fun. I think I would amuse the graders . . . either that, or piss them off, for not taking it seriously . . .

Hey, at least I wasn't getting worked up about getting answers wrong. I had already done that once today ^_^

Here's the crazy thing: LISA'S ROOMATE (PATRICIA) KNOWS SETH. She was like, "I know someone from your town!" and it turned out it was Seth. I busted up laughing and I think she thought I was crazy. I was like, "Yeah . . . . been in class with him since 2nd grade. I could . . . probably tell you all sorts of stories." Lol . . . it was pretty darn funny.

Facebook . . . SO MUCH GOING ON . . .

I almost broke down today a couple times. Leaving is overwhelming. I kept thinking I was going to cry when my parents left-- and I actually did, a little bit.

With the Japanese test and the fact that none of my (home) friends are here, I feel so lost . . . it's like I don't have a personality anymore, at least none that I've established . . . I'm just reverted back to a sensitive, weepy, shy, insecure, rather awkward little girl who really has nothing except bare interests, like musicals and HARRY POTTER (which, sadly, so far on my floor only has like two groupies . . . *sniff* . . . lol . . . ).

The thought that I'll be "reshaped" here is now suddenly started to scare me. I liked who I was (am?). I hope I can keep it that way. Maybe make it better? I don't know . . .

A good thing, though: Everyone here is strong, and with lots of energy. Our floor actually has spirit (yes, for our floor . . . ), only it's not dumb, hokey, I'm-doing-this-because-I-have-to spirit . . . it's not like fake cheerleader spirit . . . it's just like an outlet for a lot of creative people's energies. Our RA's are very cool; they're perky and nice and not annoying. The students seem serious, but with some quirks, obviously (though not as quirky as I can handle ^_^ I'm probably on the quirky end of the spectrum, at least that I've found yet, lol . . . ), and everyone seems, for the most part, pretty sincere. There's some teenage sarcasm, but it's not insane cynicism and apathy. I like that . . . and, yet, for some part, it scares me, because my idealism will not shine, perhaps, amongst the blinding idealism of others.

I don't know if I work better against the flow or with it.

I ate good Japanese food with Mom and Dad today, before they left.

It stormed-- BADLY-- today. Tiffany, did you get it? You're really the only one close enough, I would think. That was the CLOSEST storm I've ever experienced-- so close above our heads! It was like the thunderhead cloud was going to hit the building! It was scary . . . and I was outside, and in quad where Mom almost got struck by lightning when she came here . . . it was scary . . . *shudders* Lol . . .

. . . but the campus is still pretty, so, even in the rain ^_^

Jessica, four people in college in the world share your name.

Tiffany, I love you! Today I just wanted to curl up and cry for most part of the day. I almost did . . . and I kept thinking about how, darn it, I just wanted to go find a corner and find you and we could just curl up and be homesick together, only that would sort of defeat the purpose, lol . . .

Tory, I am going to use your "Phwee?" cartoon as a background for my computer once I get my scanner/printer set up (which, apparently, needs a new cord, damn it . . . they sold me the wrong one . . . grr . . . lol . . . ).

Kristina, Nichole, I have your shirts . . . I don't know when I'll be mailing them . . . maybe when everything makes sense . . . and I love you guys, too ^_^

Shoot, I love everyone. ALL OF YOU!!! I MISS YOU ALL!!! EVEN THOSE OF YOU WHO I ONLY TALK TO ONLINE-- I'VE MISSED SEEING YOU ONLINE!!!

God, I'm so glad I can be on the internet. It just makes me feel a little more back in focus with who I really am.

Collegeness: The First Days and Beyond

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

*Hugs internet* I've MISSED YOU!!!

. . . not that I even have you. Silly lab computers . . .

I called the people so I have to be back up at my room to find them relatively soon. Dang it . . . I have so much to write.

The opening ceremonies were CRAZY . . . We all got on shirts, different colors depending on our dormitories (I'm in "Greenleaf Whittier" or something . . . they call it "Wiggy"-- or Danforth): red, yellow, blue, green, navy, and burgundy. Oh yeah, so the Hogwartsness-- plus, erm, navy and burgundy can be Beauxbatons and Durmstrang ^_^ Lol . . .

. . . and guess who's in Slytherin?

Yeah. Heehee.

The opening ceremony was very Hogwarts Feast-esque, too. We all gathered in chairs according to our dormitories, and then the head professors and some students of their departments marched up the aisles in their robes, carrying banners of the crests of their colleges. It was very collegiate, academic, ceremonial, etc . . . ^_^

Lisa (the girl I met on Facebook-- she and I have been hitting it off pretty well, I think ^_^-- fellow Harry Potter obsessee-- though maybe not quite as bad . . . lol . . . -- Shakespeare lover, and cello player) and I were pointing out Hogwarts-esque things for some of the time, too. The chancellor said something about "bravery" being the greatest virtue, because it gave you consistency, and she was like, "Be a Gryffindor!"

Then, after the speeches and such, our parents filed out (I was amazed I could actually see mine in the audience-- it was HUGE, like . . . parents for 3000-some-odd students!), and then we all paraded with red glowstick halos (made me think of Alice's and my sleepovers from way back in the day ^_^) and green glowstick shaker-thingies, through our parents, who had lined up all the way from the building we held the ceremonies in to the building we had the reception in (and, since it was raining, we couldn't have it out on the Quad )-: which is a really beautiful, very college-looking place ^_^ like Hemsley, lol . . . not so much like Hogwarts; a little less gothic and a little more red-brick school . . . though one view of the field looks completely Eton or something, over the cricket pitch or something, lol . . . ). They all had glowsticks, too. It was a cool effect.

Then . . . there were bagpipes playing!!! A big company of bagpipe players!!! It was crazy! So then we went in and ate ice cream, and I sat with Lisa, her dad, and my parents.

I have to find out about auditions for Symphony Orchestra. They're on Sunday (crap-o-licious; I have that Shindler's List piece BARELY prepared, and certainly not enough for anything special, lol . . . lol maybe I'll just fudge out "Song from a Secret Garden," since I have that memorized and it sounds impressive ^_^), but I have to sign up first, for a time and everything.

My roomate is nice, and I've talked briefly with the girls who share the bathroom with me (Lisa doesn't). One of them is from Guam, which is so cool, and she's taking Japanese, too; she was there when I went to test out. She's nice; quiet, like me, but nice . . . though, actually, I think I'm being a lot louder than usual here. There's another girl on my floor who was testing out of Japanese, too. Carol (roomate)'s self-conscious about her accent but I think it's cute . . . lol, she wasn't there when I moved in; I didn't see her until the floor meeting . . . she DOES know a lot of people . . . I feel dumb when they come and walk in and I'm just like, "Hi . . . I'm Carol's roomate? You're here for her?" She seems to be surrounded by boys a lot, lol . . .

In other news, I completely f*cked that Japanese test up. I tried to test out of 2nd year, first, but the test was too hard-- I got about half of it, which wouldn't have been enough, I'm sure (I would be like in the . . . second . . . semester of 2nd year Japanese?), so I went down a level-- because you could do that. The oral was HORRIBLE. I was so unconfident.

. . . at least Clara (girl sharing bathroom) thought it was hard, too. This makes me feel just a LITTLE bit better . . . erm . . . misery loves company?

I also took this "baseline" test, where they score me as a freshman and then again as a senior, as a random sample to get the school accredited. Hence, I could f*ck this up. In fact, it would make the school look better. The English portion is based mostly on Composition essays I write during this year, but the Math was an actual test. I totally fudged it. It was based a lot on memory, though, so I was like, "Yeah, you solve this like this. I would solve it, but I don't know how many feet are in a mile. So, I'll call that number 'x.' The answer is *this number* times 'x'." Lol . . . it was kind of fun. I think I would amuse the graders . . . either that, or piss them off, for not taking it seriously . . .

Hey, at least I wasn't getting worked up about getting answers wrong. I had already done that once today ^_^

Here's the crazy thing: LISA'S ROOMATE (PATRICIA) KNOWS SETH. She was like, "I know someone from your town!" and it turned out it was Seth. I busted up laughing and I think she thought I was crazy. I was like, "Yeah . . . . been in class with him since 2nd grade. I could . . . probably tell you all sorts of stories." Lol . . . it was pretty darn funny.

Facebook . . . SO MUCH GOING ON . . .

I almost broke down today a couple times. Leaving is overwhelming. I kept thinking I was going to cry when my parents left-- and I actually did, a little bit.

With the Japanese test and the fact that none of my (home) friends are here, I feel so lost . . . it's like I don't have a personality anymore, at least none that I've established . . . I'm just reverted back to a sensitive, weepy, shy, insecure, rather awkward little girl who really has nothing except bare interests, like musicals and HARRY POTTER (which, sadly, so far on my floor only has like two groupies . . . *sniff* . . . lol . . . ).

The thought that I'll be "reshaped" here is now suddenly started to scare me. I liked who I was (am?). I hope I can keep it that way. Maybe make it better? I don't know . . .

A good thing, though: Everyone here is strong, and with lots of energy. Our floor actually has spirit (yes, for our floor . . . ), only it's not dumb, hokey, I'm-doing-this-because-I-have-to spirit . . . it's not like fake cheerleader spirit . . . it's just like an outlet for a lot of creative people's energies. Our RA's are very cool; they're perky and nice and not annoying. The students seem serious, but with some quirks, obviously (though not as quirky as I can handle ^_^ I'm probably on the quirky end of the spectrum, at least that I've found yet, lol . . . ), and everyone seems, for the most part, pretty sincere. There's some teenage sarcasm, but it's not insane cynicism and apathy. I like that . . . and, yet, for some part, it scares me, because my idealism will not shine, perhaps, amongst the blinding idealism of others.

I don't know if I work better against the flow or with it.

I ate good Japanese food with Mom and Dad today, before they left.

It stormed-- BADLY-- today. Tiffany, did you get it? You're really the only one close enough, I would think. That was the CLOSEST storm I've ever experienced-- so close above our heads! It was like the thunderhead cloud was going to hit the building! It was scary . . . and I was outside, and in quad where Mom almost got struck by lightning when she came here . . . it was scary . . . *shudders* Lol . . .

. . . but the campus is still pretty, so, even in the rain ^_^

Jessica, four people in college in the world share your name.

Tiffany, I love you! Today I just wanted to curl up and cry for most part of the day. I almost did . . . and I kept thinking about how, darn it, I just wanted to go find a corner and find you and we could just curl up and be homesick together, only that would sort of defeat the purpose, lol . . .

Tory, I am going to use your "Phwee?" cartoon as a background for my computer once I get my scanner/printer set up (which, apparently, needs a new cord, damn it . . . they sold me the wrong one . . . grr . . . lol . . . ).

Kristina, Nichole, I have your shirts . . . I don't know when I'll be mailing them . . . maybe when everything makes sense . . . and I love you guys, too ^_^

Shoot, I love everyone. ALL OF YOU!!! I MISS YOU ALL!!! EVEN THOSE OF YOU WHO I ONLY TALK TO ONLINE-- I'VE MISSED SEEING YOU ONLINE!!!

God, I'm so glad I can be on the internet. It just makes me feel a little more back in focus with who I really am.