I, for one, did not get the memo in my orientation guides that I should pack sundresses alongside my scarves and winter jacket for the fall quarter. Who knew that Chicago would have nice weather to enjoy while I have classes to attend and homework to complete? I (coming from Texas) was under the impressions that as soon as October came we wouldn’t be able to escape the brisk air, and our radiators would be cranked up to avoid getting a chill in the morning. Instead, I’m scouring my closet for shorts and wondering why I consciously decided against bringing a fan to college given that the University never bothered to install central air in Broadview.
My complaints are friendly, and almost nonexistent, since nothing can beat spending an afternoon pretending to do your homework on the Quad and people-watching as prospective students and their parents take their first looks around the campus.
Of course, the changing weather isn’t the only thing happening around campus. RSOs have begun regular meetings while 1st years continue deciding which to commit to; a campus wide Humans vs. Zombies game is going on until Tuesday (rumor is that the Zombies have it in the bag); and the dreaded 3rd week is about to commence, taking with it all of our social lives. Personally, I’ve been spending the last 2 weeks trying to get into a routine here—something easier said than done. Not only are schedules so different on a daily basis and time so limited (sometimes I get back to Broadview after dinner and wonder what exactly I did with my time all day), but there are just so many different ways to spend each day. I suppose this is the plight of the American college student. Again, my complaints are friendly.
One prophesy I received from the upperclassmen in my house as soon as they moved in was, “you won’t see half of these people (that are in our house) once school starts.” Sadly, this has been proven true, at least in my case. People develop different priorities when they have homework to do, and while some choose not to leave their room, others deal with the stress by moving and shaking 24/7. Unless your path happens to cross with someone else, or you make a concentrated effort to meet up for dinner or time in the Reg (since that’s what we do here), it’s likely that you will go to your house meeting on Sunday and think that a few new people moved in. I’ve put a lot of effort into staying close to the people in my house and think that there are some real benefits to it, such as always having someone to come home with at 2 in the morning, and knowing someone well enough to be offered some of the food that they spent the evening cooking.
That’s not to say that I spend all my time trying to hang out with as many friends as possible. (I did that already, it was called summer.) Over the past two weeks I’ve joined a few campus organizations; I’ve started taking ballet classes, and plan on auditioning for La Bayadere (the production put on by UBallet in the Fall). I’ve joined the Southside Scribblers, a program that teaches creative writing to local kids in elementary. I have also applied to be a moderator for this year’s MUNUC conference. Splash in some time with my friends, and the always necessary roommate bonding (we’ve started taking hip-hop classes together on Fridays), and you’ll understand why I’m starting to go to the library every day after dinner. Once more, if it sounds at all like I’m complaining, I’m not. I wouldn’t have it any other way, and I’m so happy that I go to a school that makes me push myself to squeeze everything I can out of the day.
So, here’s to celebrating Fall in all of its wonders, and this weather in all of its opportunities for procrastination. It’s something I’ll surely look back on fondly when the snow drifts are towering over my head in a few months, and the walk from Broadview to the bus stop feels like a chilling artic trek instead of a half-block warm up to the day.
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