A New Place

So I am finally moved in and starting to feel at home at Guilford College. Moving in wasn't as bad or busy as I thought it would be (although I had my dad and brother to carry boxes and my mother to help me organize). What my roommate told me earlier was true, our room really is bigger than everyone else's. We have plenty of floor space even with a tv, and refrigerators. Other than the obvious advantage of having a larger room, we have really met lots of people because it is a good "hang out" place. On the first day or 2, if we had the door open, people would be walking by and then slow down or even stop to look and admire our room.

When I first arrived at Guilford I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. "I don't know a soul" I thought. It was weird to think that you would have to meet all these people and, eventually, you would fall into some kind of pattern with them. You know, maybe eating with a someone each day, or walking to a class together. It was a bit scary.

Last night they had this thing called "playfair." It was in the gym and was just a bunch of games for you to meet just about everyone that was there. It was fast paced and fun. I feel so much better now that I went to that. At least you have now said "Hi, I'm Emily" to everyone that was there (to a few people you got to talk longer). Now that I have said hi, it won't quite be so creepy and weird just sitting next to someone you have never even seen before.

Wow, this post has taken me a really long time to finish, I started at 3:30, who knows when it will end. Anyway, I just got back from dinner. This has actually been the first day I have eaten with people other than my roommate. In fact, tonight I ate with a whole bunch other people. This may seem small, but for me it is hard to start new.

The weird thing is the freedom I have. I'm not just talking about having to make it to my classes on time and knowing where everything is located. It's like it's own tiny community. I can go out at night and talk with friends or even just on my cell phone. I can (gasp) have boys and girls in my room to watch movies or tv. I can just walk around campus. There are all kinds of places you can just to sit and talk, use computers, work out. The resources here are pretty neat, or at least, I haven't had anything close to this available at home.

Also, I am realizing how sheltered I am. Some of the kids are dying for coffee from Starbucks while I have never even been in a Starbucks. I live in the 3rd level of Binford, the substance free level. Even on the substance free level, I hear stories about people being drunk. Even while at the "playfair" thing, I was invited to a party, I heard this morning it was very wild. I've definitely heard stories from lots of people about their experiences already. There is also a lot more swearing. Also, in my F.Y.E. class, people were talking about going out to clubs...even that idea was just foreign to me.

Anyways, I am pretty happy here. It's nice to be around different people, not that I don't love my North Davidson people.

PS-It took me over 5.5 hours to write this post, busy-busy.

"Be Confident"

So it is my last post from home. There isn't anything that interesting to say other than that seeing as I've spent most of my time getting ready to move. I did have a party the other day. It was kind of a birthday/goodbye party. It was fun, but odd. I don't think all the people there (even though they are all my friends) meshed very well with eachother. You can read accounts of the party here and here.

I'm sure I should write something about the party, but I just don't feel like it. That isn't a really good excuse, though, especially seeing as I don't know what I am going to write.

The party:
It was fun.
It was late.
An odd mix of people.
I didn't get to eat any of those mini bbq weenies.
Ace, you left the s'more stuff at my house!
It was kind of sad, but sometimes I was thinking "yay, I am moving."
Our fireworks were really sad this time.
The neighbors waged an unexpected illegal-fireworks-war on us...they won.

I think that is about all I need to say about it. The day after Ace, Carey, Nate and I went to church and then to Guilford and scoped out my dorm room. Afterward we went shopping (we were mostly just looking for air conditioning).

I worked Monday and Tuesday (a lot more that I was suppose to). Tuesday night Josh, Deanna, my mother, and I went out contra dancing. It was a great dance, there were so many people there. I think I only sat out one dance. Thank you Josh for going.

Today my mom took off work so we could, well, get some work done. We only had to pack one box with clothes and some odds and ends. Some stuff will have to just be thrown in the car tomorrow morning, you know, stuff like makeup and glasses. I hope I don't forget anything.

It's weird to think that tomorrow I am moving. I think that it's such a big change, you can't quite know how it is going to be, or what to think about it.

The wristband my boss gave me says "Be Confident." I think it is appropriate.

This one time at band camp...

I have been saying that for the last four years, and today I said it for the final time. For I have completed my final band camp (that explains my absence). While sad, I am happy that it is over for now begins my Senior year at Nordahi. I will always consider my time at band camp some of the best times I ever had in high school.

--Neko

Turning on a Dime

I value my life. My recent encounter with a jet ski made me value it even more. Therefore, I think any one who values their life should probably stay away from the jet skis.

After a long work week my boss invited all the employee's to his lake house. It was a 2 hour drive, but well worth the bath-warm water we got to swim in (surely it abnormally hot because of the large powerplant next door). We floated around, went tubing, road on his boat, did flips into the water, and rode on a jet ski.

I had never been on a jet ski before Sunday. They looked fun. The driver hoped on and so did my friend/co-worker Beth, I jumped on the back and naively said "um...what do I hold on to?" After someone replied "anything" we zipped off. I was surprised at how fast it went but got use to it really quick. "Man, this is great!" I thought. We went up and back and even bumped over other's wakes. Suddenly, we slowed down and did some crazy turn. I'm quite certain that from mid-calf down was in the water. I almost fell out and I heard Beth, who also owns a jet ski, give a little shriek. The driver proudly proclaimed "It might not have a reverse, but I can make it go backwards!!!!"

If it doesn't have reverse, isn't that a sign it shouldn't go backwards? I had no idea jet ski's could turn on a dime, or that is was that scary to turn on a dime.

It was an experience, mostly a "it's fun because I survived" experience. Of course, it did end up being fun, just much scarier than expected.

I'm also much more sun-burnt than expected.

Pirate Week and First Impressions

Arrgh! It's been a full work week. It was pirate week at the gym I work at...actually one of the better themes (soon it will be "Everybody Wins Week"). Pirate week has been a long one, for once I finally got more than the hours I have been wanting (more boys=more instructors). I am totally exhausted from work this week, 8+ hours a day can be tough.

This week I have:

• Been called "Captain M&Ms Emily"
• Worked for "Captain Tickle-toes Thomas"
• Searched for pirate treasure everyday before snack time (Wow, we found gummy bears!)
• Had a 3 year old teach me how to dance like a pirate
• Said "arrrrghhhh!" about 500 times
• Talked to Santa on the phone when the kids were bad
• Pulled parts of an eye patch out of a child's ear

Sound fun? Heck yeah! I am warn out but pirate week is awesome! I have a birthday party tomorrow and then on Sunday the mysterious all day "Work Outing" will be discovered. I have figured out that it has something to do with a lake, a long drive, and food. I'm there!

While I have been getting more and more excited about going to school, I have become increasingly worried about the work load. I received my textbooks the other day and all the novels I need (6 of them) are slowly coming in seeing as I didn't get them from the school (saving a lot of money). My textbooks simply made me dread Spanish. The first "regular" book (more like self-help) I got, "Loving Each Other," looked interesting (one of five for a class). Today another book came in, "The Mysterious Death of Mary Rodgers," for my history class. It has the smallest type ever. Just looking at the book scares me, luckily that is the only book in addition to a textbook.

Recently, I got a letter from one of my professors. Actually, I have 2 classes with her, but her letter was regarding my First Year Experience: I Read it in a Book-on truth and knowing class (FYE for short). The letter was on what the class was about and why she is teaching it, she also wants us all to email her (which I have not had time to do yet). It also gave us an assignment to have done by the first class. While it isn't an especially hard assignment (only 2 typed pages), it isn't one I am use to doing. The assignment "is to learn the 'truth' about a celebrity." We must choose someone from her list, follow them for the next few weeks, then write an introduction for them as if they were receiveing a major award. Anyone who knows me knows I am not up on my celebrities. I don't follow tabloids at all and I am not obsessive about any celebrity. It'll get done, it probably won't even be that hard once I start, but the though of it makes me nervous. It's a person that has never read my writing before. In fact, I don't even know them. That makes me nervous.

Well, I am sure I don't know everyone that reads this blog. Somehow that doesn't bother me as much. Probably because I am not trying to impress anyone here. But at school, I am writing to impress, and for a grade. Makes me nervous when, suddenly, someone new is reading the papers. Oh, and that first-impression-email to my professor. You know how much I am going to stress over that? To top things off, my personal proof-reader is out of town!

And today, I got carded to buy cough medicine. They wouldn't let me buy it because I wasn't 18. They didn't even ask for my id, they just said "um, you have to be 18 to buy this." Haha, the things they regulate.

Can you tell I have spent a long time around kids...quick, I better stop before my mind jumps again!