The Calm After the Storm by Carla
It’s Friday evening – the calm after the storm. I haven’t heard about any trampling incidents or residents stuck in Sterilites, but neither would surprise me. My day started with a bang when I pulled my car into the parking lot of Harshman Dunbar at 7:45, almost to the second. There was talk of volunteers with moving carts, but I didn’t believe in such luck until I saw them, 15 minutes later, buzzing around in their orange shirts. Without their help, I’d still be pushing and pulling heavy boxes toward the entrance doors.
Raise your hand if your day has been seriously fun. I was shuttled first between stations and later between creatively planned events for the Honors Program and Honors Learning Community, where I met people from towns I’d never heard of and pledged to sign up for no fewer than 20 clubs and events. I arranged my room, rearranged my room, made me my bed three ways, had my bed repaired and stared at my “Electro-man” surge protector every so often for a good laugh. I exchanged good conversations with my resident advisor, my neighbors and the staff of Pita Pit. I lost shoes, found shoes, agonized over poor Wi-Fi, realized the secret to better Wi-Fi and explored the era-themed artwork sprinkled across my dorm. Oh, and I hit my head exiting my underbed storage. Twice. “You won’t make that mistake twice,” my father laughed as I caught my balance. Wrong. Of course, free pizza and hummus courtesy of my learning community healed that wound. Coldstone treats with a floormate didn’t hurt, either.
I’ve got to run to a floor meeting and a movie and all that other jazz, but on a final note – welcome to your new home away from home. I have not stopped sneezing since I got here—my price for growing up far away from anything that resembles farmland—but I brought three tissue boxes, so something tells me that will turn out okay.