Back in the Bubble

And so, another summer vacation passes. Like all previous ones, it wasn't nearly long enough. But I'm satisfied. I did lots of great things the last few months, and I feel like I've grown and matured in many ways. So it's all good.

I'm now back at good ol' Furman University, nestled into my new address in room 101 of Geer Hall. Many folks have expressed surprise at my choice to set up in what is considered a dorm for freshmen and sophomores. My reasons are simple. I wanted to avoid the North Village rush. I knew going into the Housing Lottery last year that because of a bigger-than-expected freshman class and some reduced housing options, North Village wouldn't be guaranteed to juniors (not that it ever was, for those who actually take the time to read the Housing Regulations). Translation: lots of unhappy juniors. And I wanted to steer clear of that at all costs. So I figured with most of the junior class focused on gobbling up the limited North Village apartments, my odds at reserving a new single room would be reasonably good. Turned out I was right. And so here I am, with a room all to myself once again. The joy of maintaining your privacy is worth the long hours of agonizing over housing options, and that you may tie to.

To my relief, moving in was much, much easier this time around. I got most of the work done yesterday with the little stuff, leaving only a few large pieces of furniture to bring over this morning. It pays to save things, my friends.

After a tearful goodbye on my parents' part (okay, I'll admit, I shed my share. I have emotions), I went grocery shopping at Publix. I needed a few extra items like Advanced Listerine for my pesky gums that keep puffing up and bleeding when I brush. Time to put a stop to that. I also needed a fresh bottle of Motrin for inevitable head pains that will come up during the year. Other than that, it was mostly the essentials. Tricuits, Chex Mix, frozen fruit bars (strawberry and lime...mmmm, sublime), cupcakes for L-Team, and two bottles of Lemon-Lime and Riptide-Rush flavored Gatorade. Those will definitely come in handy when I get back on my exercise regimen.

I settled for a snack lunch, and then headed over to the chapel for L-Team meeting. Happy belated birthdays to Jon, Lauren, Jenn, and John! We celebrated with a chocolate-chip cookie cake Hilary and Dawn baked, as well as my cupcakes. Then we spent the next couple of hours planning the agenda for our BCM events taking place during Orientation Week. As you might expect, lots of idea-bouncing ensued.

The evening was great. My Dad came by to drop off a desk table to set my phone and answering machine (and I still need to hook those up), and we ended up going out to Pizza Hut for dinner. I ordered a Personal Pan Pizza for the first time in years (I'd forgotten how small they were). Then we stopped off at Lowes so I could pick up some Plasti-Tac to hang up my posters. One of them, naturally, is a mountainous landscape, since I simply adore the mountains. Another is a lighthouse in the midst of a raging storm. The third is a three-squared depiction of a live tiger. Add two Clemson cloths and a dry erase calendar, and the room looks a lot more dimensional now. :)

So, in sharp contrast to last year, settling in at Furman went splendidly today. It helps to actually know many of my dorm-mates this year. Taylor, TJ, Jon, and Bryan are downstairs on base, and Chandler, Jenn, and Chibuzo are on the second floor above me, with Markey all the way up on the third floor. So yay for having good friends around. Hopefully, I'll make more in my hall before too long. And that's it for today. Goodnight from the Bubble!

Song of the Day: Steven Curtis Chapman - "Much of You"

Verse of the Day: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4