Flipflops in FlebruaryOh wait, I'm a month off. My alliteration doesn't work. Hm, try this... Flipflops in Flmarch 
Hello everyone. Yes, you're all right. Five months is far too long to go without a new entry on a blog. Where has the time gone? Ah, life. It's wonderful to be in college. I have succumbed to the sad truth that I am now a full-blown nerd. Everyone at this college is. But what an amazing group of nerds. When I walk around campus and 80% of the conversations I overhear center on "the meaning of the liberal arts," "Aristotle vs. Machiavelli," "how the cigar is part of living the good life," "the pursuit of the good, the true and the beautiful," there is no denying that I am definitely removed a good distance from the real world. When I drop my credit card and get a call the next morning saying it's been found, I just have to acknowledge that this place I'm at is not representative of most colleges. I look around the student lounge and see that students have left all of their books -- and laptops -- lying there for hours at a time, sometimes even overnight. But they never get stolen. It's amazing. I think the spring bug is biting. The weather was a sunny and beautiful 70 degrees and I just had to pull out the flipflops. And capris. I'm utterly depressed at the forecasts telling me winter is coming back. In fact, I think I'll stay in a state of denial as long as I can. I gave my toenails a fresh layer of color, so I'm set for a nice long stint of sandal wearing. School is always fun. At the moment, I have open in front of me my Spanish text book (quiz tomorrow--on expressions of emotion that trigger a subjunctive case--yee haw), Aristotle's Politics, practice quizzes for political economy, and Voltaire's Candide. Evidence of a true liberal arts education...a little bit of everything. Once I get done with all of that, I will read Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and a speech by Frederick Douglass for my American history class Friday...bet you couldn't guess that our topic is the Civil War. Since I always like to spread myself around, I'll fill you in on my extra-curricular activities as well. I'm writing more and more for the school paper. I think I'm probably writing an average of 1500-2000 words a week. I am accompanying three vocal students and have decided I definitely do not like to play Broadway music--I just hate having to count out all those syncopated rhythms. I'm taking piano lessons and am really enjoying working on some Scriabin, Ravel, Mozart and Saint Seans (pronounce it like "Sa Sahn"). We had the one big dance of the semester--the President's Ball--and I got all dressed up, went out to dinner with a group of friends and danced the night away. Once in a long while, I'll get over to the weekly swing dances, but not as much as I would like. Today I went bowling with Best Buddies, a student outreach to special needs people in the community, and had a ton of fun. I hope to go back. Classes end Friday for spring break week. I'll be heading to Chicago to lose myself in the craziness of the St. Patrick's Day festivities with my sister and a few friends. I'm so excited to see the river dyed green. Green beer...well, that's a different story. Sounds sketchy to me. I think I'll try to avoid that one. Not a big fan of beer and definitely not a big fan of green...unless it grows that way naturally (like lettuce and broccoli do). I came home at Christmas break so happy at the new life I had begun here, but I have to say, I'm even happier now. The friendships that began in the fall have grown and multiplied. On a campus of 1200 students, I know most of the faces and many names. It's nice. I'm getting to know the profs better--both through my classes and through interviews for my news writing--and have enjoyed some long conversations with them on issues of philosophy, politics, religion and life in general. One prof always says at the ends of our conversations, "Good-bye, kiddo. You're doing great." It's nice knowing our profs care about us and take the time to get to know us. My friend who came here from a big state university never had that experience before she got here. The atmostphere of the close-knit community amazes all of us here. Well, I hope you all are doing well. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand time: I always love hearing from you people. Send me an email sometime telling me how you're doing. You don't even have to write full sentences. Just bullet-point the events of your life. That will do fine. Any news is wonderful. Cheers! Some of my Collegian team--at the bowling alley 
I don't know why this is so small...but anyway, it's us girls the night of the President's Ball 
What can I say? It's scary eyes. Actually, we painted on our own masks to go to a masquerade party. Fun times. 
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