Merely Freshman

So, I just finished the first class of my second week of classes, and I thought I’d take a minute to jot down some thoughts about my first week.

I’m taking five classes—Intermediate Spanish II, Interpretation and Argument (theme: more human than human), Freshman Seminar (theme: human rights and global politics), Introduction to Astronomy, and Philosophy and Psychology. I don’t have any real lecture classes except for Astronomy (sort of), just bunches of little discussion-based classes that are heavy on pre-class reading.

It’s been an interesting transition getting used to how different everything is—classes, weather, living with new people… It’s been a huge change, to say the least. It’s all been really great, though. I’ve met some incredible people and have some pretty cool professors. There has been homework, though nothing overwhelming. I’m aware that may change pretty soon.

Went to my first party the other night. Didn’t drink (not really my scene), but had a lot of fun. I finished reading Perks of Being a Wallflower and Catcher in the Rye.

In other words, I’m in a different place with different people learning lots of new things, but I’m still me. I’m just me having some fun and a lot of new experiences.

Pittsburgh
Pitts-burgh
Armpit. Steel town. Robber barons. Industrial city that can’t be pretty because it has one thing: industry.

Try telling the decades-old bridges that guard the city’s riches
That there is no worth to be had in the city of champions
Tell the city lights flitting like fireflies in the river that they have no aesthetic appeal in the city of steel.

Try convincing the gothic chapel next to the glass castle that downtown is just too foul.
The museums and galleries aren’t enough to make up for the mismatched architecture built from the ground up over centuries.

Even those smokestacks—remnants of that Pittsburgh it seems everyone used to know—that steel town, that town of industry

Those smokestacks suddenly are so ugly silhouetted against the dusky orange sky.

You try to tell those smokestacks with the smokey black rings
That their creation is meaningless because they are ugly
Not because their slim shadows against the fallen sun are displeasing but because, let’s face it,
A city like this can’t be pretty

Not with the history, mystery, groves of trees, campus after campus, block after block, winding roads following carriage tracks following footsteps following the scenic route.

Surely the stars that peek out from above the cars and city lights don’t really point you home.

Unless you’re wrong and stereotypes don’t tell the whole story.

To say the last few days have been busy would be a major understatement. The RAs, orientation counselors, and everyone else have packed every day with tons of icebreakers and random activities, and most of my spare time has been used to unpack my space-bagged clothing. But, here I am, finally. And it’s still weird.

To recap, I moved in on Sunday—I only carried one box up to my room, the RAs are really nice—and start classes next Monday. So it’s my third full day here. I’ve made some really incredible friends and am excited for everyone else I’m going to meet. I’ve watch an up-and-coming comedian, participated in the world’s largest icebreaker, learned res hall cheers (Man-sion! Man-sion!), eaten lots of food, met a professor and an associate dean of my department, played the baby grand in the lounge, learned about rushing for sororities, and lived on little sleep.

All of which is to say that orientation is crazy and awesome. I still don’t feel like a college student, though. Which makes sense since classes haven’t started. I’m really anxious for that to happen. Not to buy textbooks, though—one of my two Spanish books is $180 new! Which is why I’m going to buy used.

My dorm room is crazy awesome. I’m in a quad, so I have three roommates, but we have a walk-in closet, four windows, and a private bathroom. My res hall (Mudge HOUSE!) is a converted mansion. Yeah. I got really lucky.

Well, time to get out of my dorm and go talk to people! I’ll try to update again soon!

Driving over that bridge after eight hours of travel today was unbelievable—one moment, you’re shrouded in nothing but trees and stars, and the next, the lights of the huge city sprawl before you and glitter in the surrounding water. The city is a beautiful sight, and it’s weird to realize that this is where I’m going to be living for the next four years of my life.

It was sort of surreal to finally reach the place I’m going to live in. I’ve never visited campus or even been to Pittsburgh before, so it was crazy to see what it looked like. I’m anxious to see the city in daylight and to actually get around the campus. First, though, we’re spending a couple days doing some last minute shopping and such. My actual move-in day isn’t until Sunday.

I’m crazy nervous. And excited. And scared. And starting to realize that my mom really is going to get in the car and leave me here all by myself. Well, sort of. I’m a little freaked out.

But really, seeing campus today, even in the dark, was pretty cool. And the city’s amazing—I think I could really learn to love it here.

It’s late night of moving day, and my mom and I are at a hotel in Lincoln, Nebraska. We just spent about eight hours on the road listening to my awesome road trip playlist, reading poetry, and just generally being us. Tomorrow, we’ll drive to Chicago, where we’ll spend the night (and finally meet my baby cousins), and then, it’s on to Pittsburgh.

Just a note about goodbyes: they’re both easier and harder than you think they are. They’re easier because your brain (or at least my brain) doesn’t seem to actually comprehend that you’re leaving. If you’re like me and have never been away from your family for more than a couple of weeks, you have no precedent for this. I’ve never even moved more than a few miles, so I’ve never had a real friend goodbye, either. There were lots of tearful goodbyes on all sides, but I just can’t imagine four months without being able to see my family or my best friends. They’re harder than you think, though, because this time, it’s real. You really can’t plan for it.

Sorry if I sound melodramatic. That’s just part of the package, I think. I’ve also been spending most of my time lately with my close friends and the rest with my family, so the change is a little jarring (at least in theory—I don’t think I’ll believe it until mid-orientation or so). 

I had a lot more last-minute packing than I thought. It also looked like just a couple boxes until we shoved them all into the back of my mom’s Pacifica with the back seats folded down. They filled up the rest of the car. I was kind of impressed, and kind of worried—I’m living on the second floor of my dorm.

On that note, while packing, keep in mind that you’re eventually going to have to carry these things to your room. I didn’t realize that more boxes that are smaller are much better than fewer boxes that are very large. I have a huge box full of space-bagged clothing, bedding, and dorm stuff, and my parents barely managed to get it down the stairs and into the car (I’m a weakling). When we get to campus, my mom and I are going to take up a smaller box, unpack it, and use it to repack some of the stuff from the big box. So, don’t do what I did.

Also, if you have a car charger for anything (iPod, computer, phone, etc.) and you’re driving to campus, make sure that the charger actually fits your device. My mom thought her charger would charge my computer, but it turns out that it won’t, and now I’m stuck with several hours in the car with no computer. Why, yes, I am a whiner, thank you.

Side note—my mom and I stopped to gas up in Ogallala, Nebraska, and they seriously had a cricket infestation. They were everywhere out by the pump. There were also a bunch of these bizarre green bugs chilling on the pump and a couple of other bugs I couldn’t identify. A giant beetle jumped into my hair (my mother says it was shiny enough to see your face in). It was pretty intense. Hello, Nebraska.

Also, driving in the night does interesting things to your imagination (or vice versa): at one point, there was a configuration of lights in front of us that looked uncannily like the silhouette of the Emerald City. We could not for the life of us figure out what it was. And then, as we got closer, we realized that it was just perspective of a string of street lights.

So, that’s all for now. I’ll probably update again tomorrow since I’ll be in the car all day. Makes for good blogging time!

Well, this is it. The day I leave. I’m frantically doing some last-minute packing (and blogging). It’s scarier than I would have expected, now that it’s actually here. I made myself a list of things to pack, but I’m going to have to pick some of it up once I get to Pittsburgh. Boxes are nearly full and my room is sort of empty, but some part of me still doesn’t believe I’m moving out.

I meant to write a longer entry, but packing needs to happen. Expect an update later!

kitesandkarma asked: Hello! I just survived my first year at CMU, so if you have any questions, I would loveee to answer them :) P.S. good luck! You probably hear this a lot, but orientation is actually one the best times. Take FULL advantage of the fact that classes haven't started yet ;)

Thanks so much! I’m super excited about everything, especially orientation. Definitely planning on having a good time. ;)

This is your friendly blogger Chloe, merely a freshman (aren’t I clever?) at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Well, actually, I don’t leave for campus for another 13 days, but it’s close enough. Right now, my main focus is packing. That, and making sure I can get everything I need for my dorm.

Okay, first tip: if your school sends you those packets with bedding packages in them, shop around before you decide to buy from them. They may look cheap at first, but after shopping around a little, you may find that other places are actually cheaper. The biggest hurdle is finding places that will sell twin XL fitted sheets (because for flat sheets and comforters, it doesn’t matter if they’re XL or not). I found mine at Walmart’s dorm store online, and I got a bed-in-a-bag for $45, but don’t hold me to that price.

Ooh, ouch. Tip #2: order it as soon as possible. Just found out my bedding is sold out and not at a store within 50 miles of my college… Oh, boy. Well, Walmart’s still got some pretty well priced bedding sets if you hurry.

That’s all for now! Let me know if you have any questions I can answer or any posts I can write about!