After quite a few days of pretty chilly weather, the past couple days here have been hot. As in, Dirty South hot. Saturday's high temperature was somewhere around 95. I had been complaining about the chill, but since I don't have air conditioning, I did what any reasonable person would do and went to the beach. Actually I was hoping for at least one beach day before the summer ended. So on Saturday afternoon I packed up a blanket and towel and headed to Revere Beach. Getting there, I had the same problem as last weekend because it seems they will be working on the Blue line for some time. But it wasn't so bad. Lots of other people decided to take advantage of the weather that day, but there were still plenty of decent spots on the sand. The sand was burning hot, just like I like it, and I stuck my feet in the water for a few minutes before finding a place to lay out. I brought along a book and attempted to read while sunning myself but positioning the book so I wouldn't have weird tan lines proved to be too complicated, so I abandoned the book. This led to a little boredom, so I turned over onto my stomach and continued reading. I'm pretty sure my back got a bit of color, and my legs did somewhat, but my shoulders and chest are still pretty pale. But I was still bored, so I packed up my stuff and went to play in the water for a few minutes. Then I headed to the same ice cream shop I went to last week, enjoyed some cake batter ice cream with sprinkles, and headed home.
Earlier today I decided that I needed to get myself back on track spiritually and go to church. When I visited Boston in June I checked out a Unitarian Universalist church in Brookline, but before I committed to a church I wanted to see a few more. So I decided to go to Cambridge today. Getting there was easy enough. I was a little early but luckily I was right in Harvard Square and, surprise surprise, found a Starbucks. I almost didn't want to go in because someone was begging for spare change right out front, but my desire for an Orange Passion iced tea won out. So I just ignored the person on the way in and out, then went on to church. At first it was okay--a woman came up and introduced herself, then offered me something to eat since they were having a breakfast. The selection was pretty limited but I helped myself, then started talking to some guy. Later he introduced me to two other people. We chatted but the conversations lapsed a couple times. I couldn't think of many questions to ask about the church, and they offered up very little information. After I finished breakfast people started heading into the service. I tried to walk in with one of the people I had been talking to but he went off somewhere else so I just walked in by myself. I ended up sitting by myself, which made me feel kind of awkward, but I noticed that most of the people were pretty spread out. At one point they had visitors stand up to be greeted, then we had to greet our neighbors. There was only one person close enough to me to talk to. She shook my hand but refused to let go and invited me to come back when their regular services began (and when the majority of the membership would actually be there.) Finally she released her grip and I could sit down again. Then they took collection. Ordinarily I would happily give money, but I didn't have any $1 bills, and I felt strange about giving change. And since I was by myself, the usher was looking straight at me when I shook my head that I had nothing to give. She gestured that it was okay, but I know she was probably thinking bad thoughts about me. I felt guilty in any case, so I guess I have to make it up later. The sermon was excellent though, and very timely. It was about stress and how you shouldn't really worry but just focus on the important things in life. Definitely going to be useful in the coming weeks and months....as long as I can remember it. But other than that I just didn't get a good vibe from the church. After the service there were refreshments, and I was chatting with someone very briefly, but the conversation fizzled out almost as soon as it began, so I just decided to slip out.
After I left I attempted to recall my brief exploration of Harvard Square in June so I could figure out where I was supposed to catch my bus. I walked the wrong way, of course, and as I was heading in the right direction, I saw the bus I needed pass. And this time I know it really was the bus I needed. Fortunately that bus runs every half hour on Sundays. Also, the lovely bums who occupy Harvard Square (of which there are several) provided some amusement. One in particular gave me a little chuckle when I saw his sign, which read "Spare change for housing and weed...the necessities of life." Well, at least he was honest. And if I was the change-giving type, I probably would have rewarded that honesty. So anyway I just walked around a little more then popped into Staples to buy some pens, which turned into spending $25 on things I wanted but probably will not use with any regularity. Then I headed back to the bus stop where I waited a few minutes until my bus came and I headed home.
In other news, I'm still kind of bored and friendless. And my room is still a wreck. I really plan on getting it together before classes start but I can't make any promises. My living room now has a futon, the DVD player is hooked up, and the TV is on the TV stand now. All we need now is some side chairs and a coffee table, and to position everything properly. The dining room is empty except for some large boxes that will have to wait until trash day to be discarded. The kitchen has everything we need so far, so I can cook and bake to my heart's content (which isn't very much.)
The roommate situation is working out well. We get along and we seem to be cooperating very well where the household is concerned. We opened a joint bank account to pay rent and household expenses from. For the most part they have been at math camp and studying a lot. At this point we are probably all on our best behavior, and soon each of our peccadillos will come out. I'm looking forward to that actually, just to see who I'm really living with. The only complaint I have so far is with Devlin's boyfriend. He is a very nice, friendly guy, just a little messy. Nothing major, and it seems everything was picked up before he left, but there had been cups and plates left in the living room and on the kitchen counters. But really it wasn't a big deal...not like I want to ban him from our apartment or anything.
This week the grad school prep kicks into high gear. We have orientation on Thursday, and the rest of the week will be spent ensuring that things are in place before classes start. I have to admit that I'm a little nervous about getting back into school mode, but there is a reason why I'm here. I mean other than meeting hot law students.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
learn it. live it. love it.
The past few days have been really busy but a lot of fun. The roommates are finally both here. Meghan got here on Friday afternoon. She is a really cool girl. She's from New York and went to school in Rhode Island. We don't have too terribly much in common but we seemed to hit it off and chat a lot. Friday night we went to a bar not too far from our house with Meghan's best friend. It was nice and chill but really small. We just had a couple drinks and an appetizer and hung out. It was nice to finally go out and do something. Once we got home we decided to explore our basement. I had never been in a basement, and I was terrified. Meghan had peeked down there and said it had a lot of cobwebs. We went down and it was dark and kind of scary. We really just wanted to see where the washer and dryer were. But as we were heading out Meghan's friend spotted something weird on the floor. Meghan shined a light on it and we realized it was a dead squirrel. That was so gross, and we booked it out of the basement. There was some speculation about how it got there, but I didn't care, I just wanted it gone. That was disgusting. Luckily Meghan's dad came the next day and took care of it for us.
My other roommate Devlin came on Sunday morning. She is really bubbly and seems a lot more like me personality-wise. She is from Oregon but went to school in Vermont. After she came we went out for coffee, so we got a chance to get to know each other. Since Meghan and Devlin are in the same program, they had a lot more to talk about with each other. But it was nice and chill, and they are both pretty awesome girls so I figure living with them is going to work out well.
Later that day I made the trek to Everett for the Boston ASA alumnae BBQ. Since the bus I needed to catch only runs once an hour on Sundays I left with plenty time to make it there. Or so I thought. I was fine until I got to Government Center and found out that the Blue line was shut down from there to the airport. So I got on the shuttle which had to go some long convoluted way to get to Maverick and then to the airport. Once I got there I had about 15 minutes to make it to Revere and catch the bus. I was a little concerned but I got there right about when I needed to be there. But then I walked outside and saw the bus I needed going down the street, and I was way too far away from the stop to make a run for it. I was so upset. Until I looked across the street and realized I was at the beach. That made it all better. Even though it was just a little bit warm outside and the sky was kind of cloudy, I took my shoes off, rolled up my jeans, and walked around on the sand. It felt so nice to have sand between my toes and I didn't get a chance to go to the beach at all this summer. I went in the water which was chilly but tolerable. Even though it made me miss Virginia Beach, Revere is such a cute, quaint seaside town. After I played in the water I saw someone with ice cream so I went in search of that. I walked back to the beach and watched the water as I ate it. After that it was about time for another bus to come, so I went to the stop and waited. Finally it came, but it went to the Wonderland stop and the driver got out. When he got back, we went back toward Revere Beach, and I realized that I could have gotten on the bus an hour before but I actually had needed to be at the stop across the street from the one I thought was right. Oh well. I was glad I got to go to the beach anyway and discovered a good spot in case there are any more good beach days this summer.
After I got on the bus it was a little difficult to tell where I was but the driver pointed out the street I wanted to get off on and I found the right stop thanks to the recording inside the bus. After that it was just a matter of finding the house. I didn't want to take out the directions I had written because there were some sketchy individuals around. So I kind of had to wing it. Street signs here are really weird, if there are any at all. They don't have cross signs, so you can never tell what street you are on, just the street intersecting it. I recognized the name of one of the streets I needed to be on. Unfortunately, the street was just a gigantic hill. It really had to be at about a 45 degree angle. After hiking up the hill I saw a street that I thought might be where I had to turn, but there was no sign. I figured I'd just chance it, even though it another hill and I would be so upset if it was the wrong street. As I was walking up though I could smell someone grilling so I figured I had to be close. Once I got to the top of the hill I saw it was the right street, thankfully. I looked to my right, the direction I smelled food, and saw a house on the corner with a ladybug banner on the front, and I knew it was the house. As I turned down the driveway there was a woman standing at the grill who looked up at me strangely. I hadn't even thought about the fact that I was just showing up to this woman's house and she had no idea who I was. But I told her I was there for the BBQ and introduced myself, and I think she recognized my name from Sister Circle. So she took me over to the rest of the sisters and introduced me. She said she was excited because 3 new people had shown up. I sat down with the sisters but there wasn't a whole lot of conversation going on, so I just munched on a piece of watermelon until people started talking. I asked some people a few basic questions like what chapter they were from, and a few people asked me where I went to school and what brought me to Boston. I had kind of expected there to be a lot more people and for it to be hoppin, but it was also nice to just chill and meet sisters. All the women there were about the same age and had been out of school for around 10-15 years. There were a couple of kids there, 2 of them being the host's kids. The conversation picked up after we ate, and we talked about the area and ASA stuff. Overall, it was nice and chill and I'm glad I went. The next event is apple picking, which sounds okay but I won't be heartbroken if I can't make it.
The trip home was much easier. The thing that sucked was waiting for the bus. Everett is kind of a sketchy little town. There were a lot of hard looking people, and I was right across from one of those kind of convenience stores you see in downtown Newport News. But then it also sort of reminded me of a little mountain town, especially because of the hills, except that you can see downtown Boston from there. I thought it would take me much longer to walk from the house to the bus stop, but I practically ran down the hills, so I had to wait about 15 minutes for the bus. I was so happy when it got there. I got on the train at Wonderland and made my way back toward the city, then switched to the shuttle bus. On the bus I overheard a guy mention he went to high school near DC, and since he was right in front of me I asked him if he was from VA. He said no, he just went to school around there. But he was friendly and he, his wife and daughter, another couple and I all chatted during the bus ride. The guy's daughter was so adorable, and she was so excited to go to the aquarium. When I got to Government Center, I was briefly tempted to get dinner at Wagamama, but I resisted and headed home.
Monday morning my roommates started math camp to prepare for the math they will need in their classes. I was afraid I'd be lonely all day, but then I realized I had a million things to do. I had to call Ferguson and find out why I hadn't gotten my last paycheck. I really didn't want to have to go through that, but I really do need the money. Then I went to campus to get my tuition bill fixed, which thankfully was painless. After that I headed to the bookstore to scope out the books I needed. Monday night I went to my friend Alex's house because he is moving so he offered me a lot of his furniture. I still needed a desk and dresser, so I said I'd take a look. Devlin came with me since she also needed stuff. We walked all the way over but I had forgotten to call him and make sure he was home, so I called him on the way but he didn't answer. There was a bunch of old furniture on the side of the road and Devlin looked through some of it, none of which was any good. I was worried we had a wasted trip until finally Alex called as we were about to leave. As soon as I saw the furniture I loved it and wanted it, and he offered me a really great deal, so I called Meghan and asked her to drive over so I could get some of the stuff home. I mostly needed her to take the dresser and Devlin and I were going to wheel the desk home, but the body of the dresser wouldn't fit, so we got everything else in her car. Later, Alex borrowed his friend's SUV so he could bring me the dresser. I was so grateful to him. He is a really sweet guy, and I was hoping to get to know him better. But he is moving home at the end of this week. It's sad, but it's a better situation for him.
Today I had to go to the bank to get the check for last month's rent. That was a lot of money. And going to the bank was a strange experience. The tellers were all behind glass with just a little slot to pass things through. I was at the counter for what felt like forever because she had to transfer money from my savings account to checking, then generate a cashier's check and a money order, then deposit 2 checks. I was so glad to get that taken care of though. It was good that I did because my landlord just randomly showed up a little while ago to pick up the lease and the check. I finally got to meet him and he was nice and willing to take care of the problems with our apartment. One of my keys doesn't work, a lot of our lights are blown out, and most of our outlets are two-prong, so he said he would get those things taken care of. I'm so glad we have a good landlord.
I'm still working on unpacking, but I'm glad my life here is pretty much settled. I'm still lonely and friendless, but soon everyone will be returning to the area and my social life should pick up. Until then it's just nice to hang out and have time to myself.
My other roommate Devlin came on Sunday morning. She is really bubbly and seems a lot more like me personality-wise. She is from Oregon but went to school in Vermont. After she came we went out for coffee, so we got a chance to get to know each other. Since Meghan and Devlin are in the same program, they had a lot more to talk about with each other. But it was nice and chill, and they are both pretty awesome girls so I figure living with them is going to work out well.
Later that day I made the trek to Everett for the Boston ASA alumnae BBQ. Since the bus I needed to catch only runs once an hour on Sundays I left with plenty time to make it there. Or so I thought. I was fine until I got to Government Center and found out that the Blue line was shut down from there to the airport. So I got on the shuttle which had to go some long convoluted way to get to Maverick and then to the airport. Once I got there I had about 15 minutes to make it to Revere and catch the bus. I was a little concerned but I got there right about when I needed to be there. But then I walked outside and saw the bus I needed going down the street, and I was way too far away from the stop to make a run for it. I was so upset. Until I looked across the street and realized I was at the beach. That made it all better. Even though it was just a little bit warm outside and the sky was kind of cloudy, I took my shoes off, rolled up my jeans, and walked around on the sand. It felt so nice to have sand between my toes and I didn't get a chance to go to the beach at all this summer. I went in the water which was chilly but tolerable. Even though it made me miss Virginia Beach, Revere is such a cute, quaint seaside town. After I played in the water I saw someone with ice cream so I went in search of that. I walked back to the beach and watched the water as I ate it. After that it was about time for another bus to come, so I went to the stop and waited. Finally it came, but it went to the Wonderland stop and the driver got out. When he got back, we went back toward Revere Beach, and I realized that I could have gotten on the bus an hour before but I actually had needed to be at the stop across the street from the one I thought was right. Oh well. I was glad I got to go to the beach anyway and discovered a good spot in case there are any more good beach days this summer.
After I got on the bus it was a little difficult to tell where I was but the driver pointed out the street I wanted to get off on and I found the right stop thanks to the recording inside the bus. After that it was just a matter of finding the house. I didn't want to take out the directions I had written because there were some sketchy individuals around. So I kind of had to wing it. Street signs here are really weird, if there are any at all. They don't have cross signs, so you can never tell what street you are on, just the street intersecting it. I recognized the name of one of the streets I needed to be on. Unfortunately, the street was just a gigantic hill. It really had to be at about a 45 degree angle. After hiking up the hill I saw a street that I thought might be where I had to turn, but there was no sign. I figured I'd just chance it, even though it another hill and I would be so upset if it was the wrong street. As I was walking up though I could smell someone grilling so I figured I had to be close. Once I got to the top of the hill I saw it was the right street, thankfully. I looked to my right, the direction I smelled food, and saw a house on the corner with a ladybug banner on the front, and I knew it was the house. As I turned down the driveway there was a woman standing at the grill who looked up at me strangely. I hadn't even thought about the fact that I was just showing up to this woman's house and she had no idea who I was. But I told her I was there for the BBQ and introduced myself, and I think she recognized my name from Sister Circle. So she took me over to the rest of the sisters and introduced me. She said she was excited because 3 new people had shown up. I sat down with the sisters but there wasn't a whole lot of conversation going on, so I just munched on a piece of watermelon until people started talking. I asked some people a few basic questions like what chapter they were from, and a few people asked me where I went to school and what brought me to Boston. I had kind of expected there to be a lot more people and for it to be hoppin, but it was also nice to just chill and meet sisters. All the women there were about the same age and had been out of school for around 10-15 years. There were a couple of kids there, 2 of them being the host's kids. The conversation picked up after we ate, and we talked about the area and ASA stuff. Overall, it was nice and chill and I'm glad I went. The next event is apple picking, which sounds okay but I won't be heartbroken if I can't make it.
The trip home was much easier. The thing that sucked was waiting for the bus. Everett is kind of a sketchy little town. There were a lot of hard looking people, and I was right across from one of those kind of convenience stores you see in downtown Newport News. But then it also sort of reminded me of a little mountain town, especially because of the hills, except that you can see downtown Boston from there. I thought it would take me much longer to walk from the house to the bus stop, but I practically ran down the hills, so I had to wait about 15 minutes for the bus. I was so happy when it got there. I got on the train at Wonderland and made my way back toward the city, then switched to the shuttle bus. On the bus I overheard a guy mention he went to high school near DC, and since he was right in front of me I asked him if he was from VA. He said no, he just went to school around there. But he was friendly and he, his wife and daughter, another couple and I all chatted during the bus ride. The guy's daughter was so adorable, and she was so excited to go to the aquarium. When I got to Government Center, I was briefly tempted to get dinner at Wagamama, but I resisted and headed home.
Monday morning my roommates started math camp to prepare for the math they will need in their classes. I was afraid I'd be lonely all day, but then I realized I had a million things to do. I had to call Ferguson and find out why I hadn't gotten my last paycheck. I really didn't want to have to go through that, but I really do need the money. Then I went to campus to get my tuition bill fixed, which thankfully was painless. After that I headed to the bookstore to scope out the books I needed. Monday night I went to my friend Alex's house because he is moving so he offered me a lot of his furniture. I still needed a desk and dresser, so I said I'd take a look. Devlin came with me since she also needed stuff. We walked all the way over but I had forgotten to call him and make sure he was home, so I called him on the way but he didn't answer. There was a bunch of old furniture on the side of the road and Devlin looked through some of it, none of which was any good. I was worried we had a wasted trip until finally Alex called as we were about to leave. As soon as I saw the furniture I loved it and wanted it, and he offered me a really great deal, so I called Meghan and asked her to drive over so I could get some of the stuff home. I mostly needed her to take the dresser and Devlin and I were going to wheel the desk home, but the body of the dresser wouldn't fit, so we got everything else in her car. Later, Alex borrowed his friend's SUV so he could bring me the dresser. I was so grateful to him. He is a really sweet guy, and I was hoping to get to know him better. But he is moving home at the end of this week. It's sad, but it's a better situation for him.
Today I had to go to the bank to get the check for last month's rent. That was a lot of money. And going to the bank was a strange experience. The tellers were all behind glass with just a little slot to pass things through. I was at the counter for what felt like forever because she had to transfer money from my savings account to checking, then generate a cashier's check and a money order, then deposit 2 checks. I was so glad to get that taken care of though. It was good that I did because my landlord just randomly showed up a little while ago to pick up the lease and the check. I finally got to meet him and he was nice and willing to take care of the problems with our apartment. One of my keys doesn't work, a lot of our lights are blown out, and most of our outlets are two-prong, so he said he would get those things taken care of. I'm so glad we have a good landlord.
I'm still working on unpacking, but I'm glad my life here is pretty much settled. I'm still lonely and friendless, but soon everyone will be returning to the area and my social life should pick up. Until then it's just nice to hang out and have time to myself.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
ready steady go!
Well, I'm finally in Boston. Actually, I've been here for 4 days. I've been kind of holed up in my apartment with almost no contact with the outside world. And let me tell you that was soooo much fun. Anyway, the last few days went a little something like this...
Packing:
Sucked. I hate packing. I have always hated packing. Oh and I pretty much finished, umm, right as I was leaving.
Loading the car:
Was a fiasco. As usual, my mother complained, but I told her I needed an SUV. But we got quite a bit in there.
The drive up:
Was not as bad as I expected. We finally left around 5:30am (after saying we would leave at 4). My mother decided she wasn't going to take 95 up, which was probably a smart choice but made for the most boring drive imaginable. It wasn't bad through Virginia and Maryland because at least there was stuff to look at. Once we got to Pennsylvania though it was just trees and hills. We stopped at Cracker Barrel and had breakfast somewhere near Harrisburg, PA. The food was pretty awful. Well, maybe people in PA have different tastes. But how they managed to mess up scrambled eggs and french toast I will never know. We were in PA for about 5 or 6 hours. I was so happy to cross into New York, even though the scenery was still the same. When we got to Connecticut it was about time to stop for lunch. We saw a sign for a Subway so we got off the interstate in some quaint little town and drove around on narrow little streets, only to find a tiny little Subway that we couldn't figure out how to get to. So we just got back on the interstate and looked for a bigger town. We had lunch at Friendly's in some other quaint town. Right after lunch we passed through Hartford, so there was at least something outside to look at, but after that it was just more trees. That drive just confirmed for me how happy I was that I didn't get into UConn. Finally around 5:30 we reached Boston. So the drive only took 12 hours with 2 hourlong stops. Not bad. Thankfully, finding my apartment was pretty easy.
Seeing my apartment:
I had only seen pictures since I didn't get a chance to come look at it on my last trip. The outside was, as I had heard before, kind of crusty looking. Once I finally got inside after fussing with the keys a little bit, I was surprised but pleased. I expected the inside to be really fresh and newer looking. There are a lot of scratches and cracks, but overall it looked pretty nice. I think it will look much better once everything is set up. My bedroom is perfectly sized. I was worried about it because I didn't see pictures of it, but it is spacious and has 3 windows so it gets tons of light. There are really only 2 major problems with my apartment. All of the outlets are 2 prong, so I can't use any of my surge protectors. Which has really complicated my TV/internet setup because now everything is stretched across my living room and I can't have everything plugged in at once. And that's no good. Luckily my roommate is bringing converters when she moves in on Friday. The other problem is that I am terrified of my stove. Yes, terrified. I've never had a gas stove before and even though my mother said you just turn it on like a normal stove, I'm beginning to think it's more complicated than that. Every time I turn it on I hear random clicking and hissing, and it takes a while for it to actually light. So I'm trying to limit my use of the stove until someone explains it to me. Thankfully I bought a lot of food that doesn't require cooking. And I hate cooking.
And the rest:
I'm still working on unpacking. It's kind of difficult because I don't have all my furniture yet. So far I've only gotten my bed and a bookshelf. And by the way, I put both together by myself. Not that it wasn't challenging, or that I didn't screw both of them up. But I did it, and neither has collapsed yet so I guess I'm okay. But my stuff is pretty much strewn all over the house. I full intend on having all my stuff in my bedroom by the time my roommates arrive, although we'll see how that goes.
I ventured outside today for the first time since I've been here (other than shopping the first morning.) I just walked to campus, near the reservoir, and then to CVS to get a few things for the apartment. It was good to get a little exercise and fresh air, and the weather was really nice. It was warm, not humid, and there was a nice breeze. I think I'm going to like the weather here. And yes, feel free to bring that up when I'm complaining that I don't like the cold.
So far I've been okay and not missing my friends too much. I'm really ready to make friends here. The ASA alumnae chapter is having a cookout on Sunday so I think I'll go to that. And I can't wait for my roommates to show up so I'll have people to talk to.
But I think I'll be happy here. Something about it just seems right. That, and going back home would be the ultimate failure.
Packing:
Sucked. I hate packing. I have always hated packing. Oh and I pretty much finished, umm, right as I was leaving.
Loading the car:
Was a fiasco. As usual, my mother complained, but I told her I needed an SUV. But we got quite a bit in there.
The drive up:
Was not as bad as I expected. We finally left around 5:30am (after saying we would leave at 4). My mother decided she wasn't going to take 95 up, which was probably a smart choice but made for the most boring drive imaginable. It wasn't bad through Virginia and Maryland because at least there was stuff to look at. Once we got to Pennsylvania though it was just trees and hills. We stopped at Cracker Barrel and had breakfast somewhere near Harrisburg, PA. The food was pretty awful. Well, maybe people in PA have different tastes. But how they managed to mess up scrambled eggs and french toast I will never know. We were in PA for about 5 or 6 hours. I was so happy to cross into New York, even though the scenery was still the same. When we got to Connecticut it was about time to stop for lunch. We saw a sign for a Subway so we got off the interstate in some quaint little town and drove around on narrow little streets, only to find a tiny little Subway that we couldn't figure out how to get to. So we just got back on the interstate and looked for a bigger town. We had lunch at Friendly's in some other quaint town. Right after lunch we passed through Hartford, so there was at least something outside to look at, but after that it was just more trees. That drive just confirmed for me how happy I was that I didn't get into UConn. Finally around 5:30 we reached Boston. So the drive only took 12 hours with 2 hourlong stops. Not bad. Thankfully, finding my apartment was pretty easy.
Seeing my apartment:
I had only seen pictures since I didn't get a chance to come look at it on my last trip. The outside was, as I had heard before, kind of crusty looking. Once I finally got inside after fussing with the keys a little bit, I was surprised but pleased. I expected the inside to be really fresh and newer looking. There are a lot of scratches and cracks, but overall it looked pretty nice. I think it will look much better once everything is set up. My bedroom is perfectly sized. I was worried about it because I didn't see pictures of it, but it is spacious and has 3 windows so it gets tons of light. There are really only 2 major problems with my apartment. All of the outlets are 2 prong, so I can't use any of my surge protectors. Which has really complicated my TV/internet setup because now everything is stretched across my living room and I can't have everything plugged in at once. And that's no good. Luckily my roommate is bringing converters when she moves in on Friday. The other problem is that I am terrified of my stove. Yes, terrified. I've never had a gas stove before and even though my mother said you just turn it on like a normal stove, I'm beginning to think it's more complicated than that. Every time I turn it on I hear random clicking and hissing, and it takes a while for it to actually light. So I'm trying to limit my use of the stove until someone explains it to me. Thankfully I bought a lot of food that doesn't require cooking. And I hate cooking.
And the rest:
I'm still working on unpacking. It's kind of difficult because I don't have all my furniture yet. So far I've only gotten my bed and a bookshelf. And by the way, I put both together by myself. Not that it wasn't challenging, or that I didn't screw both of them up. But I did it, and neither has collapsed yet so I guess I'm okay. But my stuff is pretty much strewn all over the house. I full intend on having all my stuff in my bedroom by the time my roommates arrive, although we'll see how that goes.
I ventured outside today for the first time since I've been here (other than shopping the first morning.) I just walked to campus, near the reservoir, and then to CVS to get a few things for the apartment. It was good to get a little exercise and fresh air, and the weather was really nice. It was warm, not humid, and there was a nice breeze. I think I'm going to like the weather here. And yes, feel free to bring that up when I'm complaining that I don't like the cold.
So far I've been okay and not missing my friends too much. I'm really ready to make friends here. The ASA alumnae chapter is having a cookout on Sunday so I think I'll go to that. And I can't wait for my roommates to show up so I'll have people to talk to.
But I think I'll be happy here. Something about it just seems right. That, and going back home would be the ultimate failure.
Friday, August 10, 2007
goodnight Virginia
In about 4 hours I will be leaving for Boston. This will be the first time I have ever lived outside of Virginia. So I am pretty much terrified right now. I'm excited to be moving on to the next chapter of my life, striking out on my own, and all that. I'm a little emotional though, because this is a huge step for me. Also, I think I'm a little depressed that I didn't get to spend time with Kate and Nick. It's strange to be going to a city that is totally different than what I'm used to, where I don't know many people, and I won't know where anything is. I'm going to miss my loves and Chanello's cheese bread like crazy. But I know this is absolutely right for me, and I can't wait to find new loves and a new favorite comfort food.
So all that's left is to finish packing and cleaning up my room. Then at 4am I will set off for a very long drive up there. I kind of wish I could fast forward through that part and be at my apartment getting settled in. But the drive will be nice and I'll be going down some roads I've never traveled before. That'll be a lot of fun. I can't wait!
So all that's left is to finish packing and cleaning up my room. Then at 4am I will set off for a very long drive up there. I kind of wish I could fast forward through that part and be at my apartment getting settled in. But the drive will be nice and I'll be going down some roads I've never traveled before. That'll be a lot of fun. I can't wait!
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