Convocations

Well, the semester has officially begun.  We just got back from our convocation ceremony and now we are officially matriculated.  It was very special because all of the staff was in their full regalia and the seniors were presented with their robes so everyone but the "freshmen" (as I keep getting called) were all dressed up making it feel even more official.  The president gave a nice speech and we had all of the hoopla that usually goes with these type of things, and afterwards, Hilary (new friend) and I went over to the coffee shop store where she got Cheetos, macaroni and cheese, and a red lollipop for dinner.  Nutrition was obviously not the goal here.
Class registration was interesting and a bit stressful.  We were all scrambling around to find the right table to sign up for our individual classes before they opened the doors for the freshmen.  Thankfully we had ten minutes, and the majority of the transfers were able to finish before then.  I was one of the lucky few who was able to get all of the classes that they wanted, so I got the schedule I wanted.
Today I was also able to meet again with my mentor and I am one step closer to building a degree plan.  It is great fun as I get to run around campus trying to meet with all of the professors and heads of departments and everyone who has to give their input before I can draw up a final draft and then get them all to give it their blessing.  Despite the hassle it is fun to be so involved in one's own educational path.
Well, I must get to bed in anticipation of fun fun fun Statistics at 8 tomorrow morning.  Yeah!!!

I love the smell of textbooks in the morning...it smells like victory*.  

Love and miss yall!
-Kate

*vic-to-ry (n.) the smell of sleep deprivation, caffeine, public showers, really big books, pink erasers, shredded homework, and brain smoke.]

The Epic Saga

I truly have missed my calling in life; I should have been a car thief.  The ecstasy that comes with breaking into a car is very rewarding.  However, before you think me a criminal, I will explain.
It all started as a hunt for my French dictionary in the many boxes of books that are still in my trunk.  After finding said book, I closed the trunk and went to lock my car.  Epic slow motion palm hitting forehead.  My keys were still in the trunk.  I looked all over for them just in case they weren't in there, but alas, to no avail.  Now, to make matters worse, my room key was also now locked in the trunk, and I didn't have Viana's number on my phone yet.  I then decided that the best course of action would be to call the campus police and ask for their assistance.  Repeat that no phone number thing.  I then made my way to the closest open office (aka coffee shop) to find that number.  The nice police man was then able to meet me at my car, and after some paperwork and suspicious questions about what was growing in my terrariums, he got out his box of tools and went to work.  It only took about two minutes to get it open, but this is where the real saga started.  Firstly, you cannot release the backseat lever unless you have a key.  Secondly, you cannot release the trunk latch unless you have a key.  Am I the only one who thinks that this is bad car design?  The policeman eventually had to give up but promised to check back in and do a bit of research with the advice to call a locksmith.  By this time roughly 30min. had passed, and we were both very hot, very sweaty, and about to break out an ax and just rip the trunk open.  I then traipsed around the campus looking for Viana to let me into our room.  Yada yada yada, the locksmith I called quoted me $150 to replace the entire lock.  Nope.  Not gonna do it.  After a few minutes on The Googles, I found this unreputable looking site that suggested a flat-head screwdriver and some brute force.  Obviously, I decided to try this method.  As yall may remember, the trunk lever in the driver's floorboard has been broken since I got the car, but it provided the perfect spot to perfect my lock breaking skills.  Armed with a flat-head and a rather large hammer I proceeded to pull off the plastic covering, and pry out the entire lock mechanism that looks a bit like this one.

After a few bangs with the hammer and some fiddling around, I heard a subtle "clunk".  Excitement reigneth!  And thus my saga came to an end.  I am now a bit tired and still debating whether or not to go to Monte Carlo night for some legal gambling and loud music.  But lesson learned: when all else fails, hit it with a hammer.

xoxo

-Kate

--Insert Witty Title Here--

After I sent the last post, I resumed studying when this nice middle age couple walked by with their dog.  Seeing my with my nose in a book they commented on my diligence and tried to convince me that I would do great on the test.  The lady and I talked back and forth in French a bit and ended up having a nice conversation about the various French activities around campus.  Fast-forward 2.5 hours later; I was sitting in a classroom with the rest of the transfer students about to have a welcome/info lecture, and I see the same lady.  I said hi and she asked how the placement test went and blah blah.  Then, the guy in charge got up and introduced that same lady as...wait for it...the president of the school!  I was flabbergasted and honored to have already had a one on one conversation with the president on my first day.  How cool is that?  I guess that's what you get at a small school.  

As for the previously mentioned placement test, it went awesome and I was able to test out of the first two semesters of French.  I am so glad that all of that studying in Colorado and over the summer paid off.  I have, for now, decided to make French my minor, and I think it will tie in well with art history.  I also met with my adviser today and we laid out a schedule.  I will be taking Cardio and Flexibility (it was that or Weight Training), a Survey of Latin American History, Italian Renaissance Painting and Sculpture, French 3, and Statistics.  Technically that is five classes, but the P.E. is only 1/4 of a credit so it doesn't really count, but I am still in for a lot of reading and a lot of studying.  I can't wait to get started!

I went to the grocery this afternoon as well and picked up a few breakfast things.  I decided to make that my meal to fix myself since those are pretty easy foods to fix generally. I didn't quite get a whole lot of sleep last night due to a rather loud dorm, but I think a blind-fold and ear plugs will do the trick :)  

Well, off to do something (I haven't decided what).

-Kate

    

Off Again

I will have to make this brief because I need to study for the language placement tests, but I thought I would kick off the blog once more and make the transition official.  After an exhausting moving in process, most of my stuff is out of my car.  I have met tons of nice people (whose names have long flown my mind) and am in love with the huge oak and pecan trees everywhere.  It was a rather interesting experience trying to take a shower in a tiny 3x3 stall but I am sure that I will get better at it with time.  Thus far Viana and I have gotten along great and everything has been very civil and sane.  She does have a ton of stuff though, so I think that part of my closet may eventually be donated to her.  This morning is breakfast, orientation, and then the language test and that is pretty much as far as my mind goes, but I hope that yall are well and wish you could be here on this beautiful cloudless morning.

-Kate