oneline

"Remember, petite frame. No breaking."

"How about almost?"

First Day, Orientation Day

• stayed up until 3 AM ish on skype
• woke up at 7:30 AM groggy and nervous, tummy hurt but not like normal
• took shower between 7:35-7:45 AM
• found clothing I wanted to wear after hard contemplation of pants (black slacks, khakis, or jeans)
• blow dried my hair to auto-tune the news
• put on makeup (just mascara and lipgloss, then some blush then some powder)
• go downstairs to get wallet and keys
• got call that lasted me from townhouse all the way on my 10-minute ride to the parking garage
• walk up and find the hall I need to go to - door is open I didnt think would be
• finish phonecall with flourish
• get free bag with info in it
• go to the far right and sit down in aisle seat
• eventually am joined by a woman but shortly after a male who sits to my left
• this male I realize bites his nails and is tired - just like me! I am totally reassured
• another woman sits beside me, more fashionable
• I am struck by the myriad of smells of cologne and perfume and deodorant on top of the building's natural scent
• a salsa band is playing, I am pleased with the sound
• things get started nearly 15 minutes late
• dean talks, followed by a long line of people who speak for five minutes
• even though I think I'm aware, I dont think I actually am all that much
• I fixate on table 12 so I can go pick up my information for my T.A.-ness
• when things disperse, I move quickly to the information fair and am fast in line to table 12
• I get my packet easy and turn around to see 100 or so people in the line behind me
• I slide out the same door I entered and make my call
• drive home discussing things
• am totally distracted by shirtless young men in short shorts who run across the road in front of my car
• make it to my townhouse
• change back into PJs
• take a 1.5 hour long nap
• wake up deliriously to phonecall
• go make chicken sandwich
• change back into clothes
• another 10-minute ish drive to my parking spot I'll use all year
• made a call
• walked across the red-wooden bridge across the road
• hiked up the incline to the history building
• went in front doors, discovered I was on the second floor
• found staircase, went down
• looked around, finally found where I was supposed to go, ended phone call
• room was about 15 people with two administrators - very interesting bunch
• I feel nervous but confident confident and go in and sit down
• they offer again to us cookies and drinks, folks move to get them, I go and get an orange drink because it's the easiest thing and it'll keep me awake
• the graduate coordinator speaks, gives us good info
• an admin lady speaks, humorous like coordinator, explains T.A. forms
• I'm all "oh lord must do this asap" in my head
• the librarian moves in from the hallway, she's humorous too and informative
• she leaves, two graduate leaders come in (president of PhD and Masters)
• they're informative to a degree, seem a bit unsure what to say, but humorous
• the male (phd) is more bitter - he's in his fifth year, but he's strong and gives good warnings like he should be doing
• the female (masters) is much more cooperative and cares about our opinion more strongly, wants us to be welcome - blonde, in her second year, only one year under her belt
• I ask two questions (what recommendations do you have for us in our first few weeks? and are most of the classes late?) - they aren't sure what to say to the first one (be close to your buddies here, figure out athens, and don't procrastinate) but say yes to the second and explain why (professors have other classes, etc, they will go as late as 6-9 PM sometimes)
• the oldest man there who got his phd or masters in astrophysics in '65 asks a lot of questions (he's already bought -all- of the books, something they suggest not to do)
• they discuss gutting, something I already know about and do - this was explained to me by a professor in my undergraduate and I'm already fluffy knowing that they dont need to explain it to me!
• I realize I am the only person from athens, and am so happy for this <3
• I go and turn in my blue note of information to the admin lady, she says my name clearly without hesitation and I'm sort of shocked as I walk up the staircase and out the front door back down the incline
• make a phonecall on the way out, discuss going to camp as kids and my day thus far
• ride home is easy and I get more excited the farther away I get from the university
• write in this blog