Kicking Off a New Year

Please accept my apology now for the poor grammar and short, broken sentences of this post. It's been a very long day today, and it's late!

Today brought lots of events to open the new academic year. New student convocation was held to welcome new and transfer students (but really the new class of 2014). It's a little depressing. The seniors are celebrating, as are the freshmen. And here I am stuck in the middle. It's exciting, and yet it's not at the same time. There's isn't a lot for the class of 2012 other than the student branch of the General Alumni Association. It's costs a few dollars ($20), but it seems like a good organization to belong to. Lots of networking to be done with people who hold big, important, jobs. So there's all this celebrating going on, and yet, it makes me a little downhearted. I don't have time to mess up here. I don't get to change my major. I don't even get to change my concentration. Because a new policy says that if I don't finish in 2 years, I'm out. Gone, done, finished, goodbye. It really makes things feel pressured.

But on a better note, tonight was FallFest. It's where they close a portion of the road and all the student organizations come out to recruit and pass out information. I think I probably signed up for two dozen different email lists. It's crazy how much is out there! I was most excited though to find the Kendo, Iaito, Judo, and fitness clubs. Go figure Kyoshi tried for years to get me into Iaido and it seems like I may be starting here. Looks like I'm going to need my nice bukuto and my judo gi from home. Oh mom! It's going to be so weird wearing a white belt and knowing "nothing" again. Although of course, that is our constant state of course. Knowing nothing. Because that way we are always able to learn. I'm happy because it seems to be classical judo even though they refer to themselves as "playing". Ugh. Have a little more respect for yourselves people! But anyhow, that makes me happy that they're not all macho and stuff. The people next to them were though. It was a modern Jujutsu group. And calling that Jujutsu...it's just disgraceful.

Also exciting at FallFest was the free Indian food! There's enough events on campus this week that I shouldn't really have to go to the dining hall much. Yay! But I didn't manage to score any T-Shirts. Ah well. I'm sure there'll be plenty more opportunities throughout the year.

Today also brought my first full day with a roommate. It's okay I suppose. She woke me early this morning (9am) booting up her computer, chatting on Skype, and talking on Skype. She also turned on the very bright fluorescent overhead light in our room, when there was plenty of natural light filtering through the blinds. She also has 8am classes 3 days a week. Dear me... But anyhow, I just felt like turning on the light wasn't necessary, and she could have talked on Skype out in the hallway. I'll give it a week, and then we'll talk. She also leaves the light on when she goes to bed (if I'm not in the room yet). It's...odd and unnecessary. I mean, it can't be nice to sleep with the light on. We walked this morning to get free bagels for breakfast and locate our classes. We had to walk since she doesn't have a bike. That's also difficult as biking is so much faster and easier. She wanted to look for more classes, but I split back to the dorm. While I did end up taking the long route, I wanted to be sure to make it clear that we roommates do not have to do everything together. It's an easy habit to fall into since a roomie is an almost guaranteed friend to do stuff with. It was fun this afternoon though, to walk up and down the hall meeting folks who left their doors open. Met some very nice folks on my hall. We also had a learning community meeting today, with one each day for the next two days. Seems like a nice group of people to live with for the year.

Tomorrow, and this whole week really, is insanely busy! Although I know it's going to be fun I kind of can't wait for it to be over. To have less things to do (homework not included of course), or maybe I'll really end up with more. I'm not so sure about Kendo club, but I'll deefinitely be checking out Judo, Iaito, and the fitness clubs. I sure hope all these meetings are in the evenings. Judo's gonna be perfect though. They don't meet till late, and well after classes are over. Should be exciting! I hope they like me, and I them. They seem to be a decent group of martial artists. Even if they do "play". Dear me. I'll get over it eventually. Well...no, I really won't I suppose. I first heard the term back in 2004 and it still makes me cringe to this day. Anyhow, busy day tomorrow. Hopefully I can get back into the room and into bed without waking the roomie. Time to test my ninja skills! lol!

Peace,
Elina

Enjoy the photo from Dublin! It's a little closer to what my new home is like (it's not as cool as Dublin, but still), than the one I left.

A Change is Gonna Come

Here I sit, marveling at the sky. A sky that is free of stars and glows purple as if illuminated with an ultraviolet lightbulb. I breathe air that is not tinged with salt, but instead tainted with the exhaust of countless cars and city busses. Made stronger by the beating sun and nonexistent breeze. Tonight, I miss the beach. The actual beach. The sand in your toes, the salt in the air, and the breeze that stirs your hair. Even the crowd at the Jack Johnson concert tonight was different from the concert back home. Well, yes. Of course they would be comprised of different people. That is a given. But the sheer mentality of the crowd of a landlocked city was completely different. It's like an alien world that I've been sent to masquerade in. One with people who hold 9-5 jobs, office hours are kept, and there is public transit. What the adventure the latter is! Apparently the bus system around here is being revamped so the bus routes and times may not be those which are actually listed. Plus there are different schedules for holidays, weekends, and non-peak times of year. Heavens be! The roomie and I waited for over an hour for a bus that never came. We ended up having to catch a cab to my car. Turns out the lot is nearly 3 miles off campus! It's way farther than I ever thought it'd be. This has been one huge adjustment. The walking or taking the bus thing. It's just not something you do back on the beach. You get in your car and go to the store. Not wait 30 minutes for a bus. I mean, how inconvenient is that?! Plus they smell awful, and slow traffic for all the other drivers. But it's not like they were thinking of driving and parking when the university was founded over two centuries ago.

Classes begin on Tuesday. I can't believe it's been nearly 5 days since I moved. I've been kept so busy there's been no time to sit and "miss home" per-say. From new student orientation, to getting lost on campus, finding the bookstore, to moving in while rain is lashing from the sky, it's been quite a crazy few days. I made some friends at orientation and went to lunch the next day. Good people, or so it seems. And most surprisingly, so far at least, I've been able to keep my part of the room relatively neat and clean. Go me!

My roommate moved in today (Can anyone say "major adjustment"?), and we plan to figure out our routes to class tomorrow. Plus there's free brunch given by one of the Jewish societies here on campus. Lots of free food this week. It's quite exciting! But along with finding free food, one must also find the gym. That's on the list for tomorrow too. Apparently we have not one, but two gyms here on campus. I'm quite happy about this fact.

But anyhow, I must be off. While my roomie is apparently a heavy sleeper (most excellent), I don't want to push the time boundaries too much the 1st night!

I'll try to write soon on more adjustments to college life in the big city!

Peace,
Elina

The photo is of Dingle Bay at the change of day and night.

Less Than A Week...What?!

Alright, so I've been a very bad blogger over the summer. But truth is, there's not much to report. Being that I'm saving money for college it's been work, work, work all season. And speaking of university the countdown is getting very short! It's less than one week till I leave the beach I've called home for many, many years. This is another reason for the lack of blogging. Do you know how much work it takes to prepare for a move such as this?! You have to consolidate your life down into something that will fit in half of a 12x13 room for the next eight months or more. Thank heavens we keep our roommate for the full academic year.

After the essentials, - bedding, laundry soap, a paper shredder, mini fridge, etc. - it's so difficult to choose what to pack! Here I wish I could take my guitar, but need to look at how often I really play it. The same goes for so many other things. Things that right now I feel like I couldn't live without, but will really just pack the dorm full of things that I don't need. And hey, I'm a messy person. Like, really messy. I truly feel bad for my new roomie and do pledge to do my best to keep the room clean. Yeah, we'll see how well this is gonna go!

Anyhow, it's off to get more things together. Can't believe the days have flown by so quickly!

Peace,
Elina

I felt it only appropriate to post a photo of the beautiful place I will be leaving behind.