Hello blog, and happy Wednesday!
I’m writing my post a little later in the day than usual because I just finished my first essay of the semester! It was for Happiness, the pre-eighteenth century literature class I’m taking, and I wrote the first paragraph while the Help Desk was slow this morning and the other four pages in the three hours after dinner tonight. I’m actually very happy with how quickly I was able to get that done; if there’s one thing I’ve learned in college so far, it’s how to write a paper efficiently. I’ve pretty much got it down to a science at this point. My other two English classes both have essays due this time next week, so I’m trying to start on those as soon as possible and stay ahead of the game. I think what my overbooking is teaching me this semester is that there are some things I do that are very important to stay on top of and there are other times when it is not as necessary to follow my to-do list to the letter, and it’s okay not to always get every page of the reading done.
One item on my to-do list that I haven’t been able to check off yet that I have to get done is mailing back the textbooks that I didn’t need for my French class. My friend Emma and I are walking into the town of Wellesley tomorrow to visit CVS and the post office and I will be buying flat rate shipping envelopes to send these textbooks back. I’m speaking it into existence.
It’s happening.
This weekend was my first floor program as an RA! My header picture for this week is actually Emma- the Bates second RA- posing for the Bates Hall group chat to invite them to Crafternoon. Only one of my own residents was in attendance, but we had a really good turnout with the first years and residents on other floors so I was pretty happy with it regardless. I’ve already started planning for the programs I’m planning for the next couple of months- next month I’ll be holding a viewing party for the premiere of Michelle’s season of the Bachelorette, and I’ve already come up with ideas for my November floor program and all-hall as well. My residents have also slowly started scheduling one on one meetings with me, so I feel like I’m getting to know them all so much better. I had one earlier this week that was supposed to last twenty minutes and we ended up sitting and talking for over an hour because we just keep coming up with things to talk about, which really helped with alleviating some of my anxiety about one on ones and was also just very fun.
On Monday Anastasija and I went into the Ville after our Shakespeare class to go on a post office adventure, but that ended up being a bit of a bust and there was no one actually staffing the post office so we couldn’t buy my shipping envelopes (hence tomorrow’s trip). We ended up going to Truly’s and sitting on a bench next to the bookstore eating ice cream for about an hour and a half, then we went to Lulu for dinner and we sat there talking for another hour and a half, and it was really nice to finally have some one on one time to catch up about our semesters so far. We’ve had dinner at least once a week since coming to campus and I still see her all the time, but it’s a lot different than the “Andy and Anastasija Against the World” situation we were in last semester; a lot healthier, but definitely different, and I do miss being across the hall from her sometimes.
Tomorrow is the Sophomore Resource Fair, and Emma and I are going during our lunch break, mostly to pick up the red class swag they’re apparently handing out at the door. On Friday after my carillon lessons we have plans to visit a Trader Joe’s with Abby, the Bates first RA, and Katharine, the Lake House HP, which I’m really excited about because I’ve never been to a Trader Joe’s before. On Friday night Abby and I have CE and we’re planning to declare love on a certain very large, very central dorm to campus, which I will elaborate on next week when it is no longer classified information. This weekend I also have my second one on one with a resident, and Emma, Anastasija, and I have plans to visit the Natick Mall. Anastasija just joined the water polo team and needs a one piece swimsuit, and Emma and I are hoping to get a head start on our Halloween costumes. My friend Georgia from Freeman and I are on CE duty the night before Halloween, and I think it would be fun if we had some sort of matching costumes, but I’m still workshopping ideas for that. We still have to figure out what we’ll be doing that night, but I’m thinking of a classroom Halloween party type deal. I’ll update you as we figure it out.
I hope you’re all enjoying the fall weather, and that you’re as excited as I am about ending this week in October!
Sending you joy,
Andrew