I woke really really late, about noon. I bummed around my room, cleaning, organizing, then I went to dinner and ate alone.
After eating, I went on a walk, visiting the library for the first time.
I came back to the room, and like last night, someone was going down the hallway handing out frat party invitations again.
I went to Ben’s Underground because I saw poker advertised. I played a game of pool, and won. Poker was another question. I was out before the first rotation of dealers. Oh well, it was free.
Today was a very anti-social day, I don’t think I shared more than a handful of words with anyone. Complete sentences were out of the question.
I go to bed listening to Eve 6 – Promises.
P.S. Even though its annoying, I added the word verification for comments. Supposed to keep some of that spam out.
9/03/2005
9/02/2005
Friday Sep 2
Got up, showered, skipped breakfast, went straight to classes.
Japanese – this is okay! I can handle this! Other student’s are uhhhing too.
Chemistry – this is fun! I’m going to love it! Intellectual stimulation! Mercedes Benzene!
I eat lunch alone.
I go to move floor mats for Aikido in the afternoon. Nothing better to do. Afterward went out for ice cream with the people. Have to say it was the first really positive social experience I've had here.
I spent lots of time alone in my room today. I cooked some rice in the microwave for soul food, and went to sleep without music.
Japanese – this is okay! I can handle this! Other student’s are uhhhing too.
Chemistry – this is fun! I’m going to love it! Intellectual stimulation! Mercedes Benzene!
I eat lunch alone.
I go to move floor mats for Aikido in the afternoon. Nothing better to do. Afterward went out for ice cream with the people. Have to say it was the first really positive social experience I've had here.
I spent lots of time alone in my room today. I cooked some rice in the microwave for soul food, and went to sleep without music.
9/01/2005
The First of September
I wake late after a snooze, then a snooze, then a snooze.
I eat breakfast alone.
I go to my Math & Art class which actually meets outside the D-Hall.
We go to the Hackman building and put tape on the windows.
This illustrates how based on the perspective on the viewer, lines are different on a pane non-parallel to the lines in nature.
The vertical lines are fine, because on those axes, it is parallel.
All the slanted lines will intersect because they are not parallel. The interesting thing is that they'll all converge to the same point.
I had lunch, then I met with chemisty teacher. He gives me lab information and tells my that my lab googles I brought were unsuitable. I buy a pair from the office.
Soon after, I had and interview with the Health Services department for a job. It didn't go all that well, I don't think I'm qualified, and by the hours avaliable, and rumors about really low pay for on-campus jobs, I won't be unhappy if I'm turned down.
I went to the mail center and bought stamps, picking up my 2009 directory.
I go to someone's room in another building and write something on their door.
I go back to the dorms and do a load of laundry. Its free, I like that. Only have to provide the soap and the time. There's also some other internet thing where you can do all sorts of interactive stuff. Don't know, haven't checked it out much.
I get a lot of Japanese reading done here.
Our pod meets for Ice Cream at our leader's loft, just a ways off campus.
I leave and go straight to Aikido practice.
On the way into my dorm building I see the girl in my Organic Chemistry class that I borrowed the notebook from. She asks if I did the homework. I didn't even know there was homework. I think its optional. Meh, I did the reading just now.
I talk to someone online, then go over to his room to borrow some books. (Semi-entertainment purposes.)
I get back to my room, and fold my now somewhat wrinkled laundry.
I go to bed reading chemistry and Japanese, listening to Reactor – Feeling The Love.
P.S.: Sorry about tenses and style, its not matching up. Its partially because I don't care, and partially because I like it that way.
P.P.S.: You may also notice that I'm leaving out personal names. That's intentional.
I eat breakfast alone.
I go to my Math & Art class which actually meets outside the D-Hall.
We go to the Hackman building and put tape on the windows.
This illustrates how based on the perspective on the viewer, lines are different on a pane non-parallel to the lines in nature.
The vertical lines are fine, because on those axes, it is parallel.
All the slanted lines will intersect because they are not parallel. The interesting thing is that they'll all converge to the same point.
I had lunch, then I met with chemisty teacher. He gives me lab information and tells my that my lab googles I brought were unsuitable. I buy a pair from the office.
Soon after, I had and interview with the Health Services department for a job. It didn't go all that well, I don't think I'm qualified, and by the hours avaliable, and rumors about really low pay for on-campus jobs, I won't be unhappy if I'm turned down.
I went to the mail center and bought stamps, picking up my 2009 directory.
I go to someone's room in another building and write something on their door.
I go back to the dorms and do a load of laundry. Its free, I like that. Only have to provide the soap and the time. There's also some other internet thing where you can do all sorts of interactive stuff. Don't know, haven't checked it out much.
I get a lot of Japanese reading done here.
Our pod meets for Ice Cream at our leader's loft, just a ways off campus.
I leave and go straight to Aikido practice.
On the way into my dorm building I see the girl in my Organic Chemistry class that I borrowed the notebook from. She asks if I did the homework. I didn't even know there was homework. I think its optional. Meh, I did the reading just now.
I talk to someone online, then go over to his room to borrow some books. (Semi-entertainment purposes.)
I get back to my room, and fold my now somewhat wrinkled laundry.
I go to bed reading chemistry and Japanese, listening to Reactor – Feeling The Love.
P.S.: Sorry about tenses and style, its not matching up. Its partially because I don't care, and partially because I like it that way.
P.P.S.: You may also notice that I'm leaving out personal names. That's intentional.
8/31/2005
Tue & Wed 30-31
Tuesday:
Last day of orientation!
Had a more normal morning, showered, ate breakfast (they started scanning our ID cards), went to the ASFC to ride a bus into Lancaster to view a community service thing. The Claire House takes in women and women with children, gets them back on their feet.
I met another facebook person today, she works on the college newspaper, the Dispatch.
Went in for lunch, saw a theatrical performance at the ASFC covering current socialisms, very raw, and then had a sort of indoor grill dinner, where they ran out of ketchup. I was joined by a pair of upperclassmen, one of which is pre-med like me. She said she's taking Organic Chemistry, which is a make or break for many pre-med students.
My room is cold because I run the AC in hopes of deadening the musty smell in here. Can't open the windows because there's dumpsters right outside.
I go to bed listening to The Section Quartet - Yellow.
Wednesday:
Today is the first day of classes!
I have breakfast with another person from Facebook. Join her party of three actually. Still feel like the odd one out everywhere.
I go to Japanese 201, and I still wonder if its too high level. There's at least 1 senior in there, and only one other freshmen. He thinks he wants to switch out. I'm intimidated. All in all theres 11 people in that class.
I need to run to chemistry, because Japanese lets out only minutes before chem is supposed to start in another building.
I sit through the class, and read the syllabus, and realize that the year would all be review, so I have a talk with the teacher about moving up a level. When I leave the room, I saw that someone left a calc book under their desk. I know who sat there so I take it with me. (She's one of the three from breakfast.)
I go and talk to the head of the chemistry department, and he has a slow speech/discussion/lecture with me. He seems reluctant to let me go to the next level, I don't know what I'm getting myself into he says. I say I'd rather push on than sit back and just get an easy A.
I needed to buy different Japanese books, which raises my books bill.
I go to lunch.
Afterwards I stop by a friend's room with my laptop to get some of his music. He has class really soon, so I leave the laptop there as he locks the room and goes off.
I tried changing my schedule myself at the registrar's office, but she tells me I need a signature from the chemistry chair, so I go over there with the paper, and he tells me that I can go into the next class, which happens to be Organic Chemistry. It doesn't click until afterwards, but there it was, the make or break class for pre-med students. I'm only a freshmen, dear god. What have I gotten myself into?
He tells me lab is going on at that moment, so I go upstairs without supplies, join in and do the lab on borrowed materials, finish it sucessfully (with no experimental error, huzzah. Didn't make a fool of myself from the get go anyway.)
I have to buy different chem books, this once again raises my books cost. Most of this is going on the credit card, but some of it is straight cash.
Since I missed the class section, and was only there for the lab, I needed to borrow someone's notebook. I'm slow, so I catch the last person there. She semi-reluctantly agrees, which makes sense, I wouldn't want to lose my stuff either, but she lives just feet away in the same building.
I talk to several people on the phone while I'm copying the notes, go to her room and drop them off with her roommate.
I have dinner, then go to one of the last meetings for my pod.
I'm going to sleep. I don't think I sleep soundly here. I haven't felt rested since the day I came. I'm now stressed too about the workload from the two not-intended-for-freshmen-courses I'm in. This is either going to be a tough battle, or a catastrophe.
I go to bed listening to The Verve Pipe - Colorful.
P.S.: I need to start taking pictures, will try in the near future.
Last day of orientation!
Had a more normal morning, showered, ate breakfast (they started scanning our ID cards), went to the ASFC to ride a bus into Lancaster to view a community service thing. The Claire House takes in women and women with children, gets them back on their feet.
I met another facebook person today, she works on the college newspaper, the Dispatch.
Went in for lunch, saw a theatrical performance at the ASFC covering current socialisms, very raw, and then had a sort of indoor grill dinner, where they ran out of ketchup. I was joined by a pair of upperclassmen, one of which is pre-med like me. She said she's taking Organic Chemistry, which is a make or break for many pre-med students.
My room is cold because I run the AC in hopes of deadening the musty smell in here. Can't open the windows because there's dumpsters right outside.
I go to bed listening to The Section Quartet - Yellow.
Wednesday:
Today is the first day of classes!
I have breakfast with another person from Facebook. Join her party of three actually. Still feel like the odd one out everywhere.
I go to Japanese 201, and I still wonder if its too high level. There's at least 1 senior in there, and only one other freshmen. He thinks he wants to switch out. I'm intimidated. All in all theres 11 people in that class.
I need to run to chemistry, because Japanese lets out only minutes before chem is supposed to start in another building.
I sit through the class, and read the syllabus, and realize that the year would all be review, so I have a talk with the teacher about moving up a level. When I leave the room, I saw that someone left a calc book under their desk. I know who sat there so I take it with me. (She's one of the three from breakfast.)
I go and talk to the head of the chemistry department, and he has a slow speech/discussion/lecture with me. He seems reluctant to let me go to the next level, I don't know what I'm getting myself into he says. I say I'd rather push on than sit back and just get an easy A.
I needed to buy different Japanese books, which raises my books bill.
I go to lunch.
Afterwards I stop by a friend's room with my laptop to get some of his music. He has class really soon, so I leave the laptop there as he locks the room and goes off.
I tried changing my schedule myself at the registrar's office, but she tells me I need a signature from the chemistry chair, so I go over there with the paper, and he tells me that I can go into the next class, which happens to be Organic Chemistry. It doesn't click until afterwards, but there it was, the make or break class for pre-med students. I'm only a freshmen, dear god. What have I gotten myself into?
He tells me lab is going on at that moment, so I go upstairs without supplies, join in and do the lab on borrowed materials, finish it sucessfully (with no experimental error, huzzah. Didn't make a fool of myself from the get go anyway.)
I have to buy different chem books, this once again raises my books cost. Most of this is going on the credit card, but some of it is straight cash.
Since I missed the class section, and was only there for the lab, I needed to borrow someone's notebook. I'm slow, so I catch the last person there. She semi-reluctantly agrees, which makes sense, I wouldn't want to lose my stuff either, but she lives just feet away in the same building.
I talk to several people on the phone while I'm copying the notes, go to her room and drop them off with her roommate.
I have dinner, then go to one of the last meetings for my pod.
I'm going to sleep. I don't think I sleep soundly here. I haven't felt rested since the day I came. I'm now stressed too about the workload from the two not-intended-for-freshmen-courses I'm in. This is either going to be a tough battle, or a catastrophe.
I go to bed listening to The Verve Pipe - Colorful.
P.S.: I need to start taking pictures, will try in the near future.
8/30/2005
Sat Aug 27
I'll post when I get around to cathing up with things...
First day of F&M and orientation!
I hear the water is hard. Good.
My room smells like hairspray, and musty. Still trying to get it a little fresher in here somehow.
I take a nap and I dream about someone chewing bubblegum with broken glass in it, spitting blood.
The day was a whirlwind, greetings and mixers so fast I don't know what hit me.
First day of F&M and orientation!
I hear the water is hard. Good.
My room smells like hairspray, and musty. Still trying to get it a little fresher in here somehow.
I take a nap and I dream about someone chewing bubblegum with broken glass in it, spitting blood.
The day was a whirlwind, greetings and mixers so fast I don't know what hit me.
Sunday and Monday 28-29
Sunday:
I gluttonously slept in till 10:30, showered, and left for brunch at 11.
It was a crowded place. I got my food, and sat down alone.
The scrambled eggs couldbest be descibed as chalky, but in addition, I had green beans, chicken, and skim milk. It worked. I put ketchup on the eggs, made them more palateable.
I was joined by one guy, whom I saw at karaoke the night before. He brought another friend. I heard the names, and think I remember one. Maybe I'll add him on Facebook. Then again, maybe not. A single-serving friend.
I was done by 11:30, there were meetings of sorts, and the day ended without significant event.
Oh wait, no, I did go sit out on the lawn to see Crash. The new one, the racist one, not the one with all the sex in it. It was surprizingly good. I met one of the first people at fandm that I've met on Facebook.
Monday:
I think I really let this day get away.
Woke up at 7, no make that 8. Fell asleep after the alarm. (Shh, I skipped my shower and went straight to breakfast.)
That was followed by a seminar, which lead into lunch.
Having a choice for my time, I dragged along a guy in my pod to a Multicultural gathering thing. We went for the food, which was good, but then we ran off before the slideshow. Hmm, bad practice?
Had dinner, not alone this time surprizingly, joined by some guys from my pod.
I followed them to their room, where we started a DVD of Spaceballs. We intermissioned, throwing around a frisbee in the courtyard.
We got back to the room, and heard a guy playing Forgot About Dre on the accordion. It sounded sweet. A guy brought his accordion to school. Nice.
Afterwards, had a mixed journey to find something called the PJ Parade. That was pointless.
I got back and went to sleep to The Beatles - Here Comes the Sun
I gluttonously slept in till 10:30, showered, and left for brunch at 11.
It was a crowded place. I got my food, and sat down alone.
The scrambled eggs couldbest be descibed as chalky, but in addition, I had green beans, chicken, and skim milk. It worked. I put ketchup on the eggs, made them more palateable.
I was joined by one guy, whom I saw at karaoke the night before. He brought another friend. I heard the names, and think I remember one. Maybe I'll add him on Facebook. Then again, maybe not. A single-serving friend.
I was done by 11:30, there were meetings of sorts, and the day ended without significant event.
Oh wait, no, I did go sit out on the lawn to see Crash. The new one, the racist one, not the one with all the sex in it. It was surprizingly good. I met one of the first people at fandm that I've met on Facebook.
Monday:
I think I really let this day get away.
Woke up at 7, no make that 8. Fell asleep after the alarm. (Shh, I skipped my shower and went straight to breakfast.)
That was followed by a seminar, which lead into lunch.
Having a choice for my time, I dragged along a guy in my pod to a Multicultural gathering thing. We went for the food, which was good, but then we ran off before the slideshow. Hmm, bad practice?
Had dinner, not alone this time surprizingly, joined by some guys from my pod.
I followed them to their room, where we started a DVD of Spaceballs. We intermissioned, throwing around a frisbee in the courtyard.
We got back to the room, and heard a guy playing Forgot About Dre on the accordion. It sounded sweet. A guy brought his accordion to school. Nice.
Afterwards, had a mixed journey to find something called the PJ Parade. That was pointless.
I got back and went to sleep to The Beatles - Here Comes the Sun
8/29/2005
Pre-College Novelty
I arrived at my uncle's house, to stay for a few days before I can actually move in on campus. Good for building up tension and excitement.
My uncle... he's a real progressive guy. Sent me this review about a book commenting on America's need for MORE. He said to me jokingly, "If some is good, then too much must be better."
We went down to his little garden patch, quite a few things growing actually. Picked beans, carrots, and raspberries. There were some eggplants and corn which he said were over the hill, and some strawberry plants that didn't put out this year.
I ate heartily, and had some stomach disorder.
My uncle... he's a real progressive guy. Sent me this review about a book commenting on America's need for MORE. He said to me jokingly, "If some is good, then too much must be better."
We went down to his little garden patch, quite a few things growing actually. Picked beans, carrots, and raspberries. There were some eggplants and corn which he said were over the hill, and some strawberry plants that didn't put out this year.
I ate heartily, and had some stomach disorder.
8/28/2005
Life on Airports and Planes
Schedule has been pretty busy with freshmen orientation here, so I haven't been putting much time into blogging. Once things get into the swing of things... I can't promise what won't change.
It seems as though much of my time lately has been spent in these places. There’s almost always activity there, and when they’re not, its one of the most surreal things.
I just heard someone say, “I love airports!” (Yes, sitting at BWI right now, waiting.)
I have a clip of the tunnel at DIA in reverse motion. I haven’t found a way to host video yet.
Copyright 2005 Chelsie Oehlkers
It starts with this, (after passing through security) a ride on the train, subway, bus, moving walkway, or simply on foot to arrive at the gate.
This is commonly followed by waiting at the gate with a whole crowd of other people who happen to be going where you are.
Interesting listening to or watching them. Everyone's got something to do.
At first, I thought the flight I was getting on would be really nice, I had a center seat, but the flanks had no sign of people in them. The seats were sort of a plastic leather, with head rests with wings so you didn't have to sleep on your neighbors shoulder. Suddenly, the couple behind me told me their daughters were coming, so I moved over. They sure liked to talk. and sware. profusely. It was mildly entertaining, but I slept for most of the flight. (Tried to anyway.)
You take off, see the cookie cutter communities...
...see the houses with aqua-blue lima bean swimming pools...
...majestic expanses of land...
...and sky.
Night flights provide some scenery too, with all the light pollution from the cities.
Then you get off, go to the metal carousels or conveyor belts, pick up your bags, and you're set to go.
That's not all that much fun when you sit back and look at the big picture, but one can always hope that those oxygen masks will drop down, the emergency doors will fly wide open, you actually have to use your seat for a flotation device, or you make a brilliant fireshow in the sky for the people below.
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