Saturday, August 28

First Week of School!

Hey everyone!



As promised, I'm here with a report on my first week of college!


AH! Read that again! First Week of College!!


I've mentioned this to several people in real life (I know- it's shocking- there's a life outside the internet!), but I think it kind of sums up why being in college is such a foreign idea to me: Doesn't everyone still sort of consider themselves as kids? Or at least as younger teenagers? I've never been an adult, all of my memories happened when I was a teenager or a child. So it's weird to think that I'm old enough to be a college student, basically an independent adult in charge of my everything- money, time, responsibility or lack thereof.


It's a little trippy.


But let's get back on track!


As a general summary, it would be about accurate to describe my first week of college as one of the best I've experienced. Ever.


Let me blurt out a vague list why:


* I've met a whole slew of new friends, all of whom I genuinely like to be around. That's a relatively rare thing, isn't it? It's easy to make friends with people, but as far as having the luck of truly being interested in them? It's sort of in that "We're lucky to have one real, true friend in our entire life" philosophy bubble. I guess I'm just really, really, really fortunate to be suddenly surrounded by a hundred people I consider friends. I didn't feel like I had many friends when I was in high school, but now I feel like I know and love everybody. It's a beautiful feeling.


* My classes! This sounds completely made-up, but I actually enjoy the learning part of college- everything is on such a different level that my high school classes ever were. I'm so interested in everything everyone else has to say- I feel like such an academic! I'll probably have some sort of "I Take It Back"  post when mid-terms and/or finals come along, but for now let's just sit in the eye of the storm and enjoy it, shall we?


*The city of Columbia is so wonderful- it's not the biggest city in the world but it's so much more interesting than my tiny little ex-town in Kentucky. Yesterday a few friends and I walked downtown to search for an appropriate flamenco skirt (which is another point in itself- Stephens has a flamenco dance class) and the downtown is so quaint and adorable, not to mention the thrift stores are to die for.


So shopping with my girly girls was fun enough, but being such the boy I am, I have to say I was most thrilled (and thrilled the next day over again thanks to my neighbor Mariah's oh-so-handy empty fridge) to find the most delicious Shredded Beef Torta at El Rancho's, the Mexican restaurant down the street from my dorm room. Oh. My. Goodness. Ohmygoodness. Is it okay that I only want to eat food if it contains shredded beef, avocado sauce and tons and tons of Mayo from now on? Cereal should be made in Torta flavors.


And I'm only mostly joking.


Here's me in heaven.




I know this post wasn't the most informative of posts, but so much happened that I can't possibly remember everything amazing to tell you. I can tell you, however, that at this exact moment I'm sitting in one of our male apprentices rooms (yes, we do have boys!) typing this up as the rest of them are sitting around singing barber shop songs very, very well. It's very much like walking onto a Disney movie set where Hilary Duff is sent to a music camp and a Jonas brother falls in love with her, but has to defeat twenty levels of music-themed obstacles in order to be accepted to the Julliard-esque school of his dreams- therefore finally becoming worthy of Hilary.


My point is these boys are amazingly talented- and that's just neat.



Anyway- I'm off to watch King Lear!



love, rudi


Tuesday, August 24

Orientation

What a fun weekend we've been having!


In a nearly summer campish way, my fellow freshman and I have been running around campus since we first arrived performing various tasks assigned to us by the infamous (and often missing) blue orientation books given to us when we first moved in.


And please don't think I used the word 'running' in a vague or figurative way- I personally have been spending a good deal of time briskly walking from one end of campus to the other in an attempt to pull my new life together (it's getting there), and a good chunk of the freshman class spent around 2 hours literally sprinting from one building to another during the Scavenger Hunt.


Here's my group in Mrs. Lynch's office, one of the destinations, after a good hour and a half of mostly sweating.


Despite my deep hatred of exercise and the fact that my team lost in an embarrassing manner, we all had an enjoyable workout, and I can now tell you were almost any building on campus is, and how to get there quickest, and how to get there slowest.



After a decent sized nap and a freezing cold shower, I was pleasantly informed by my roommate that my new group of friends had decided to go to Casino Night in costume! I love dressing up, and I was completely thrilled that, unlike my high school years where I was usually the one begging my friends to change from pajama pants to something more fun, it wasn't my idea to get all dolled up for no reason. I love Stephens girls!


And look how adorable my friends ended up looking!


Here's me and Cheyenne from down the hall:





My friends Taylor and Mariah:



Casino Night was a blast, even though I completely lost at every game I played. I'm more than a little humiliated that I failed so terribly at Go Fish.


But I did meet Raven Simone, a girl with the most amazing nails I have ever seen. My embarrassment at the card table was worth seeing this girl's more-than-radical manicure. They're simply mesmerizing...



So the overall verdict for Freshman Orientation?


Nothing but fun, although tiring, completely worth the extra effort.


Now on to classes! I'll let you all know how my first day of school goes!!



love, rudi

Saturday, August 21

Moving In

Hola ya'll!


Wow. I mean, wow. Yesterday, and I literally mean yesterday, I still somehow didn't quite believe that I would be going to college. I know it sounds like such a typical thing to say, but I just can't believe I'm here. I spent the last four years dreaming about college, and even though I didn't know about Stephens or anything about any college for that matter, everything I daydreamed about that "some day" place where I would flourish and become this amazing person I dreamed of being, with nice clothes and interesting pieces of art, surrounded by amazing people who I genuinely liked and who were interesting, and who were interested in me. So far I'm convinced that my dream college is real.


So let me start with the beginning. This past week has been hectic, with last minute last get-togethers and sorting the stuff I love from stuff I like, and filing last minute paperwork here and there. I can't even begin to tell you how tired my entire body is- but it's such a great tired! I was talking to a new friend (new friends! YAY!) about how my face hurts from smiling so much. My face muscles will be getting much stronger, I predict.



So here's my room just before packing. I'd like to say it's not usually this messy, but unfortunately.......


well, I'm a teenager. Let's just leave it at that, shall we?



Isn't that just gross?


But what an amazing result all of the packed then unpacked stuff delivered!! I'll post a few photos of my room when all our boxes are unpacked.


Let me explain something I find very important for not-Stephens people to understand. I was completely dreading moving in. I mean, I was seriously groaning about just the thought of carrying all of my heavy boxes and oddly shaped furniture pieces up a lot of stairs to the fourth floor of my dorm hall (the elevator is small because the building is a bit older).


But moving in was a breeze!! I barely had time to park my car before volunteers, faculty, and staff members were unpacking my car, and by the time I made it from the parking lot to my dorm room all of my things were already upstairs!! President Lynch was out there in her shiny red clogs helping girls and their parents tote up their suitcases and crates up the stairs! Not to mention there was a mini camera crew hanging around filming the girls move in. I'll post the video here when it's all done- maybe you'll see yourself!



And let me just brag about President Lynch for a minute. I was lucky enough to have lunch with her the day before everyone moved in, and I must say she is such a remarkable woman. I'll probably do a lot of posts about her because she makes herself such a part of Stephens life (or so it seems so far). Walking over to the cafeteria with her we were stopped several times by smiling people wanting to say thank you to her for this or that or just wanting to say hi. I was so impressed with how she seemed more like the most popular girl at school than the president of the college. People seem genuinely glad to see her. Stephens is so unique when it comes to Dianne- you should read her blog if you get the chance.What a keeper!



And speaking of keepers- Xander Kennedy, my admissions counsellor, juggled for me and my family while we were waiting to eat lunch. We were only joking when we said he was there to entertain us- but I guess that just proves that Stephens people take that little extra step.



Plus his shirt is really nice. There's something to be said for that.



After moving in (and several Wal-Mart trips) it was time for my poor mommy to start on her 9 hour car trip home. I was very proud of her considerably small amount of tears- she had been dreading that moment for months.



Can I even attempt to explain how I felt when my mom drove away? I was sad, of course, to see her, my little sister, and my good friend Mel drive off, never to be seen again (aka Thanksgiving break). But it was like this big breath of cool, jittery air entered my body and this glittery realization sunk in- "Omigod. I'm alone. I'm in college. Omigod." I felt so old! I was finally independent and away (far away) from home, on my own, for a while. I was never a particularly independent teenager in high school- I was more likely to sit at home with a book than go around town getting into adventures-so this step was kind of a big one for me.


So what did I do with my new adult, responsible, grown-up status? After a few "Here Are The Rules" meetings, I got some cotton candy and played in a giant bouncy castle. Of course.



Kirstin Raciot gave me a huge swirly glob of cotton candy on a stick (and can the world please agree that cotton candy tastes better on a stick rather than in a bag?) and I ended up having to share the giant thing with my roommate. I think even she had to result, although regrettably so, to the trash can to fully relieve us of the giantess of this treat.


But I'll tell you what- cotton candy might just be the best thing in the world. Either that or the little fruit cookies in the cafeteria. I'll have to snag a photo of those for you sometime.


Here's a few of my new pals in the bouncy castle. On the left is my roommate Olivia (whom I really like! Good matchmaking Stephens!)




This thing was so cool! They strapped you in this scary metal cage ball and pushed you down a little aisle to push over giant bowling pins. I met my new friend Brooke Woriledge, a fellow freshman and adorable dresser, while standing on the outskirts of the line for this thing. Neither of us were considering letting ourselves be trapped inside this thing, but Brooke finally manned up and plopped on a helmet. I held her purse.



That was day one! I'm looking forward to day two!


love, rudi

Wednesday, August 11

Nine Days!!

So maybe some of you good people read this title and wondered,


"Oh, hm, something exciting must be happening for this young lass in nine days."


Well you would be right you pondering, blog-reading citizens of the United States of Looking-at-the-Stephens-Website. Something totally exciting is happening for this young lass in nine days:


I'm moving into my dorm at Stephens!!!!


This event is kind of going to be the beginning of my life, since I'm officially moving out of my mommy's well kept house and into what will more than likely be a room resembling a clothes vs. general garbage war-zone (I'm just kidding, of course...I hope.)


I'm guessing, based on the type of people who are more than likely to read this blog, you fall in to one of these three categories:


1) The Experienced College Student, who has already gone through the exciting and terrifying experience of flying out from the nest, and can now gently scoff at their soon-to-be freshmen pals for being so silly and afraid of living on their own. "Aren't they just so naive?" Says one sophisticated college sophomore to another. "Oh, indeed. Do you even remember when we were that young?" And of course neither of them do.


2) The Panicked Parent, who is currently sifting through my blog posts in an attempt to reassure themselves that their beautiful baby girl will be just fine while away from the comforting boundaries of home. Either that, or they're looking for incriminating evidence that will allow them to gleefully announce at the dinner table, "I'm sorry daughter, but you must stay in this house for at least one more year." I'm pretty sure my own mother is in the last group.



I feel so sorry for my mommy. All she'll have when I leave is this little kitty to keep her company when I leave off for college. Well, and her husband and her friends and my baby sister. It's just that they aren't in this picture.


3) Fresh Faced Youth attempting to catch an inside look of what the first year of college is really like. Well, my beloved youth with fresh faces, I do hope with all my heart that I can help you out in that particular category. Which is why I'm going to tell you the truth right now:


I'm not scared a bit. I'm way too excited for classes and meeting friends, I'm too excited about meeting new friends and getting into adventures to be sad about leaving my old town. Of course I'll miss my mommy and my sister and house, and I already cried about how much I'll miss my boyfriend (I know, I'm such a girl!), but I know I'll only be sad for a little while.


But besides all the typical going-to-college positives- I'll be doing theater again!! I haven't been involved in my high school theater since the beginning of my junior year of high school, and I am so excited about jumping back into what I love most. I'll be able to properly show you later on in the year how much fun theater is. You'll have to guess until then.



love, rudi