Saturday

Today I was supposed to run around campus completing a lot of last minute tasks before classes start. I had to go see Julie Andrews about finding a church and bus routes to it as well as say hello, talk to the Literature Dept. about seminar times, buy notebooks and folders, buy milk and orange juice, and locate each of my classes so I'm not completely lost on Monday.

Most of this did not happen because everything is apparently closed on Saturdays. I decided I would locate the Study Abroad office first, because that would be the toughest meeting to get through. At orientation they had given us the location - south side of square five. Ok. I know where that is. So I walk over there.

The only thing on the south side of square five is a lake. (I later found out that that's acutally North... but the office wasn't in square five anyway!) And some geese. So I ducked (hee) into the library to ask them where the Study Abroad office was. A very nice man told me "Square two. It's definitely square two. The Law offices."

Ok, a bit strange, but I head over to square two. On the way to square 2 I passed through square four and just happened to notice the law offices tucked into a corner in this square. So... hmm. I went in. Sure enough, the study abroad office is listed in the directory, so I head over to the lift.

In the lift were two other girls who were going to the same floor, so I guessed and asked if they were also going to the study abroad office. They said yes, but they were worried it would be closed because the whole building was dark. So we went there, and it was closed. So we went back outside.

They told me that they were from Denmark, and had arrived late on Thursday, and so had missed a lot of information from orientation. They didn't know what sections of their classes they were in, and had no idea how to find out. I told them to go see the departments that their classes were under, because that's how I had found out. So they went to find the literature department and I went to go buy notebooks.

The bookstore was closed. So was the Campus Shop. Phoo. Well, my next stop was the Literature Office. That entire building was dark, too, but I ran into the two girls there again. They couldn't find the office itself, which I could completely relate to since I had spent quite a bit of time looking for it yesterday. So I showed them where it was, but it was closed too. They had a really familiar look on their faces - the "I have no idea what I'm going to do and no one is willing to help me, and I may burst into tears from sheer frustration!" look. So I told them that they should attend any of the sections just so they didn't miss anything, and then find out which one they're really in when the office opens after class Monday (The office doesn't open until 10, and class starts at 9). That seemed to calm them down a little, and we talked a bit more.

Their names are Lina and Anette. Lina looks a lot like Holly! They're both going on the Cambridge trip tomorrow, so I'll see them again then. They seemed really eager to be friends, so maybe that'll actually work out.

After we parted, I went in search of my classes. Unfortunately, even the hallways are closed on Saturday, the doors locked and the lights off. Come to think of it, there are an AWFUL lot of doors in those halls. Weird. Well, anyway i'm just going to have to leave much earlier on Monday to find them all.

I went back to my dorm much earlier than I had been planning, which was ok since i was feeling a bit ill. I put my pajamas back on, grabbed a book, and proceeded to read/sleep until dinner time. I had my first bathroom conflict though... both bathrooms were occupied for a REALLY long time. There's simply nothing you can do in this situation. You can't get onto the other floors without a key. I guess you could walk to campus, but really that's sort of ridiculous...

Anyway, I thought it high time that I tried out my pots and utensils, and the macaroni and cheese I brought from America : P As I went out to the kitchen, I ran into a guy named Ben who lives on my floor. He was really really helpful, and showed me the ins and outs of how things work in the kitchen. A bunch of other poeple who live here also popped up, including my neighbor Phil (who is, in fact, female). They dropped a bunch of army guys with parachutes out the windows and then introduced themselves and started raving about American food, especially Reeses, and about how there's a website where you can get American food, but for some reason they don't have Reeses, and Ben would just about die for one.. yes, they are very energetic people, but Ben and Phil are the only names I can remember. I don't know how close we'll be because they did say that they don't take school very seriously, but they're nice to hang around with for meals and stuff if nothing else.

After eating, I went back to my room, hung up my big calendar and prepared my sharpie for marking off days. I get to start Monday. I think, other than blogging, crossing the day off will probably be my favorite daily activity. This is an improvement: just yesterday, the thing i looked forward to most was sleeping.

I think, perhaps, I need a life. Or some very enjoyable classes.