Orientation

This is the big week. The interviews have begun for Orientation Assistants. To be an Orientation Assistant or OA here is a huge deal. It's a really respected position here on campus over 250 people apply for less than 100 spots. OAs are out of control. For an entire week they run around campus doing cheers and trying to welcome new students and their families. Everyone wakes up at 7 AM every day and from there the cheering and constant excitement begins. All of it is completely volunteer work too. No pay checks get handed out for this, but you seriously don't need one. I was an OA last year and I don't think I have ever had that much fun. It's a two week commitment (one week of training) and there is absolutely nothing else like it. It is impossible to even describe unless you live through it. But I think its safe to say if you are looking to see some people acting crazy, probably dressed absurdly for one of the themed dinners, make sure to stop by campus the week before classes start in the Fall. The OAs are the ones "shaking their rumpuses" and dancing like it’s their job.

Out of State

Having some of my family in town this weekend really made me think about how far I am from home. I'm not getting all weepy or anything, I just have never really thought about being an out of state student until now. It’s really interesting being so far from home, and I'm really glad I did it, but I do miss being close to family sometimes. With half my family in Texas and the other half in Washington State, being in Southern California is a long way. I've driven to Orange from both places and any way you look at it means driving for two days. The flights are shorter, but they can get pricey too. Times like this make me think about it even more, because I'm so busy that I don't get to spend a lot of time with them when they do come down. It really makes me think about all the times I took for granted that they would just be at the house when I came home. But I would make the same choice to go out of state if I was asked again. I have formed such strong friendships because of it; my friends are my family here. I think I appreciate my family a lot more, being so far away. It's easy to get annoyed or take things for granted when I see them every day, but I really (and it sounds cheesy but its true) cherish the time I do get to spend with them, It's also cool getting to be the one who gets to show them around my new life that I built for myself here.

Disneyland

Disneyland is probably one of my favorite things about going to Chapman. It's only 20 min away (if that) in Anaheim. I know I sound like I'm 7 and 1/2 right now, but Disneyland really is amazing. I'm not one of those people who covers their house with Disney paraphernalia or has a Disney backpack. Disneyland is just a good time. You don't have to worry about anything but having fun on the Peter Pan ride (one of my personal favorites). You can just be carefree again. It's fun just to be surrounded by families that are having a good time. I just renewed my annual pass, and I'm so excited. As a Southern California resident I am eligible for discounted season passes and other opportunities at Disneyland. I haven't been since before last summer and I am so pumped to get back and try out the new Nemo ride. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I love Disneyland and I'm not ashamed of it.

Southern California

I don't know what is up with the weather right now down here in Southern California. I am absolutely befuddled, and considering changing my major to meteorology just to understand what is up. First it was cold, but not terrible, just a bit chilly. Then it was really nice back to traditional Southern California weather. People were going to the beach in February, and everything was back to normal. Cut to today the temperature is back to chilly and the wind is blowing at Gale force with a chill of -2 (it's possible that is a slight exaggeration). I know we are spoiled down here with our warm weather, but my dad and two of my four brothers are coming down to visit and I wanted to rub our superior weather in their faces. They always mock me for complaining about the Washington weather and I was really looking forward to the chance to show them why I complain. But I guess I just have to sit and endure their taunting, luckily not tonight though. I wish you all a happy Feb. 14th, my view on Valentines Day is a completely different post.

Burrito People

I know I know two blogs that reference burritos? Is that really necessary? Well, the answer is yes it is. I have this strange need for people working in the service industry to not only like me, but absolutely freaking love me. I try to make jokes and I am as kind as possible to everyone working in retail, food service, etc. I don't know why I have this need, it isn't logical at all most people are content just to be polite; I just have this need to go above and beyond. It can actually get to the point where my friends get embarrassed when we go out to eat. But now I'm starting to blather, this all started because the man who works at the burrito station downstairs never seemed receptive to my usual tactics. I would smile, be beyond polite, ask him all sorts of questions but he never seemed to want to be my friend. Until today that is, I have officially won over who I like to call "Burrito Man." Now I don't mean to say he was ever impolite or less than courteous to me before, he just didn't seem to enjoy my jokes, like his co-workers did. But today after weeks of being way over the top and mortifying Jeanne at 8:30 Burrito man saw me and smiled and actually started a conversation with me! It may seem insignificant, but it's all about the little things in life.

Where is 5pm when you need it?

It is 3:40 on Friday afternoon, and I am dragging. I need this week to be officially over, I love my job but 5 o'clock needs to get here now. With rush and all the other activities I've listed ad nauseum I am EXHAUSTED. Recently my body has decided that 7:30 am is the best time out of any to wake up. And at the risk of sounding whinny waking up at 7:30 after falling asleep at 2 does not make for a vary restful night. I have tried telling my body that I am a college student and should have trouble getting an alarm to wake me up before noon, but my body refuses to listen. I think that the most aggravating part is that it's not an alarm that wakes me up, it’s just my body's alarm clock, and I don't know how to break it. Due to my sleep depravation my plans for the weekend include, lying in bed until 8 hours of sleep has been accomplished in one stretch. I am determined to get some rest before the sandstorm of next week starts. Rush will be over, which is bittersweet. I will no longer have one of my most time consuming responsibilities, but I also won’t get to do all of the fun activities and meet all of the great guys who come out for rush every semester. Also all the activities are free (including free dinner tonight) so my bank account won’t be too happy either. Luckily all the hours I've put in at work are starting to pay off, literally. OK only one hour left I'm going to see if I can find some brainless task to amuse me for another hour to pass the time. I'll probably just end up playing Bejewled, man I love that game.

This Summer

I have plans laid out for the best summer ever. I know it may be a little bit premature right now; I did just finish the second week of school. I'm so excited though; I really need to talk about it. One of my good friends is studying abroad currently in Florence (go with me, this is the exposition). We had been talking, before he left about two of our other friends who had gone backpacking last summer. We decided that we needed to take a trip of our own. I knew he would be tired after such a long time abroad, and as I can't take a semester abroad (double major) I decided to look into a summer study program for after the trip. We recently sat down and planned everything out and I was accepted to the summer program in Grenoble, France.... here
It's a little village nestled in the French Alps, you know no big deal. Then as if that wasn't enough we started planning, what sounds like the best six weeks of my life. My friend who actually has his own blog, and I decided that Athens would probably be the best place to meet up. We will hang out there in Athens for a few days and then take a 7-day cruise around the Greek isles, and our trip just takes off from there. We are hitting Budapest, Prague, Krakow, Warsaw, Berlin, Munich, Barcelona, Madrid and Paris. I’m so excited for this trip I can hardly contain myself. I just have to push through this semester and then watch out Europe here I come.

Breakfast burritos

I'm not sure if I have mentioned breakfast burritos on this blog before, but I love them. Every morning that I have to come into work at 8 I sit expectantly until 8:30 when Salsa Rico (one of the on-campus restaurants) opens and I can order my "the works" breakfast burrito and a large coffee. Is there a better way to start a morning? I have recently made an ironic discovery in the vein of these burritos, however. You would assume that an on campus eatery called Salsa Rico would include salsa in their burrito and the restaurant across campus called subversions would not. In that assumption you would be completely mistaken, it is the exact opposite. My burrito cohort, Jeanne and I have a debate going as to which burrito is superior. I say the salsa adds a nice kick in the morning while Jeanne believes that salsa makes the burrito "gross." Today we made the trek across campus to subversions in order to test this theory, Jeanne of course chose to abstain and get a bagel instead (with jelly). All I can say is I enjoyed my burrito immensely, Jeanne missed out.

Spring Semester

Second week of school and I'm exhausted already. Taking 18 units, rehearsing for three hours a night, working and being in charge of rush for my fraternity is really doing a number on my sleep time. I'm not sure if I knew what I was getting myself into when I volunteered for all of these activities; it’s a lot of work. But I'm having a great time. My classes this semester are a lot harder, but they are also much more rewarding. The higher level classes are less general so I really feel like I'm gaining a lot of knowledge on very specific topics. I think my favorite class right now (granted it’s only the second week of school, so this is subject to change) is my African American literature class. The professor is really fun and the range of literature we are going to be reading is really impressive. But enough about school, I have all day for school. I've been rehearsing every night for a play entitled "How I Learned to Drive" by Paula Vogel. It’s a Pulitzer Prize winning script. I had read the script for class my freshman year and loved it so I was really excited when I was cast in the show. Rehearsals are a lot of fun, the cast is great and I think we are going to put on a really good show in March. I wont be able to make it to rehearsal at all this week though because its rush week. Greek life is really big here at Chapman, a huge percentage of our students are Greek. I think that is because Chapman Greek life is very different from traditional Greek life. We don't have houses for our Fraternities and Sororities so we meet on campus and center most of our activities on the campus as opposed to a house. I never thought I would go Greek, and I think that’s why I like to talk about it. My friends at home are still surprised to hear I am involved in Greek life, but that is just Greek life at Chapman.

PICTURES!!!!

OK here are the pictures I promised.

This was a sassy sign on the door of one of the actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company. I didn't know that at the time I took the picture, but it was prety cool to find out. The Actors actually lived just a few doors down from the hotel and we would constantly see them walking around town.

This is the giant spider statue that is in front of the Tate Modern, which is a really cool museum in an old abandoned warehouse.

This is a friend of mine at Kensington Gardens in Hyde park, most of the plants were dead, but the gardens were still really amazing.

This is one of the black swans that live in St. James's park that I spent an entire day feeding.