"T.A." should stand for "terribly anxious"

So today I had my Calc I course, and predictably, it is not taught by the professor. The plus size to this is that the class isn't in a large lecture hall, but a normal classroom consisting of about thirty kids.

Anyways, I took my place in the front desk and right at the time class is scheduled to start, in rushes a boy who looks like he's only pushing 21.

Let me tell you the multitude of ways this boy differed from a professor.
1. No facial hair.
2. No "nerdy-chic" glasses on his person.
3. He was wearing cargo shorts (I mean really? Cargo shorts? If you're going to stand up in front of people and teach them about derivatives, at least look the part.)
4. He constantly. Constantly! Had to refer back to the syllabus while he was explaining the course. I think I had it memorized in the first ten minutes. Professors make it very clear that everyone should know and understand the syllabus. I think this should apply to not only the students, but the TA's as well.
5. He was so anxious and nervous he worked up an awful sweat in the wonderfully air conditioned classroom.
6. He dropped his piece of chalk no less than seven times in the hour class period.

The worst part is, apart from these six small things that probably nobody else but me noticed, the TA actually did a good job!

Clearly gifted in the art of mathematics, he really didn't have anything to worry about. He was just teaching a bunch of undergraduates (by the way, as a side note. I was the ONLY freshman in that class.)

All in all, I thought I would be bothered by the TA's teaching me a lesson, but I actually find that I don't mind. They are less intimidating then the professors, and all of them have responded to the ten + emails I have sent regarding class questions over the past two days.

So seriously. TA's, relax! And if I'm telling you to relax. Something is definitely wrong.

I love the smell of classes in the morning!

Right, so. I have to make this particular post quick because gone are the days of fun Orientation events and free food.

That's right people - today REAL college started!

And I honestly didn't think it was possible to love Syracuse more than I already did. But after attending my first day of college class ever, I don't foresee myself ever leaving! I think I might try and make a career out of being a student here at SU.

So my first class (which started at the lovely time of 11:40) was the Nature and Study of Language, and it was in the biggest lecture hall I've ever seen. I wouldn't even really classify it as a lecture hall, but more of a mammoth auditorium. So anyways, I got there significantly early because you know. I get awful anxiety about being late. But being there early allowed me to get the best seat in the house! Which, knowing me, I'm sure all of you have guessed is right in the middle in the front row. Accurately classified as the Overachiever Seat of America, that is where I feel most at home. Then, true to college form, the professor walked in without saying much, and skipping attendance, put a PowerPoint up and class began.

I loved every second of it. No more immature classmates who aren't prepared, no more people who don't actually want to be in class, and no more agonizingly slow pace. The professor asked if everyone had done the assigned reading (I had read it twice) and then quickly moved on to the lecture.

A whole page of notes and an hour later, class ended. I made sure to introduce myself to the Professor with a very firm handshake and a question about the material, because how else would he remember me in a class of one hundred??

I then moved on to a very scary Communications 101 class with the Dean of Newhouse School. While relatively intimidating, she clearly knows her stuff and I look forward to her weekly quizzes.

One absolute great thing about college is that every teacher hands out a syllabus that maps out the entire course. Homework and everything. This is truly a gift...it's so easy to get ahead!

Which brings me to the end of my post, since I'm looking at about six hours worth of reading for my next set of classes.

I just absolutely love it here.

Solitary Dining.

So they say that college is nothing like high school. And for the most part, that is totally legit. But there is one thing that appears to plague both college and high school kids alike, and that is the terrifying fact of knowing where to sit in the lunch room.

While the social hierarchies are not as defined here as they were in my previous academic experiences, there is certainly a social order that definitely isn't talked about, but expected. Cool kids sit by the windows. Big groups sit at the long tables down the middle. Solitary diners seem to unwisely choose the tables wayyyy in the back.

Here are some rules to hopefully avoid the awkwardness of residence hall dining.

Rule #1 - NEVER go to down to the dining hall alone! You're just asking for it then. Later in the semester, it'll be okay to fly solo for your blueberry pancakes and grilled cheeses, but right now!? When every freshmen is trying to make new friends and are all feeling a little bit lonely ourselves? Definitely take someone. Take your roommate, take the girl down the hall, take whoever. But do not take your imaginary friend.

Rule #2 - If you completely disregard Rule #1 and do happen to go down to the dining hall alone, don't wander around aimlessly after you get your food. Unfortunately, the dining halls here are designed for maximum embarrassment. There is absolutely no way to fly under the radar to get to a seat. After you get your food, you're on full view to everyone! If you wander around aimlessly, you may think you're being discreet. But you're actually just drawing attention to yourself.

Rule #3 - Seriously, don't sit at a table by yourself! It truly breaks my heart. We're all interested in meeting new people, so come up and introduce yourself. Me and Jess (my roommate) don't bite. We WANT you to come sit with us!

Which brings me to this; Jess and I have now taken in eight meals at the SU dining halls, and subsequently, have made eight new friends! We usually go sit with people who are eating alone, or make complete fools of ourselves by flagging them down and pulling up chairs. Honestly, it's just a great way to meet people. I don't want you to sit alone, you don't want to sit alone (or maybe you do. In which case, sorry in advance) so lets all sit together!

But if for some reason you don't want to dine with an awesome Scottish girl and myself. Seriously. Remember the rules.

Frat Houses: Just Like the Movies!

Fraternity - (Noun) : a group of people sharing a common profession or interests.

...and in the case here, those common interests include a desire to live in a big house off campus, an unnatural liking for the consumption of alcoholic beverages, and the fight to host the largest, most obnoxious campus parties.

And as I witnessed last night, these frat parties are exactly like what you see in the movies.

Now, before all of you become alarmed (mom, grandma, ect.) I obviously didn't attend one of these parties. I had Linguistics homework to take care of last night. But on my walk home from the Quad after the freshmen ice cream social, I could see that these parties were rapidly growing in size, attendance, and general rambunctiousness.

People were legitimately swinging from the balconies. There appeared to be a variety of homemade slip and slides and lots of shirtless people. Red cups littered the lawn. And an appalling number of girls were flocking to Frat Row (a term I have affectionately coined for Comstock Avenue).

As I observed people coming in and out of my residence hall, I noticed that there appeared to be a certain ratio upheld by the attendees of these gatherings. For every one male, at least three females were in the group. I later learned that although women get in to frat parties for free, males have to have female companions or, god forbid! They don't get their beer.

All of this makes up for a very confusing dynamic that I am glad I'm not apart of.

Luckily, after the completion of my Linguistics homework, I discovered a group of like minded people who were more than happy to play Bananagrams with me. :)

All Dining Halls Are Not Created Equal

I don't care what they tell you at Orientation.

Because more often than not, your dining hall is absolutely not the best on campus. The problem is, there is no handy list that tells you what hall offers the best meals. It's like a secret, underground society. You hear snippets of conversation around campus about the "awesome grilled cheese" at BBB and the "totally rad meat lovers pizza" at Ernie Davis, and you suddenly realize that you have been deprived at your own dining hall!

Don't get me wrong, Sadler is great. Lots of options and the macaroni and cheese is always discernible from the scrambled eggs. But when I went to Ernie Davis yesterday (which is a mile and a half walk across campus but totally worth it), it was like stepping into a whole new world. The kids that live in that residence hall are blessed. The atmosphere, the selection, the quality. Ernie is where it's at. But nobody at Syracuse told me that! I had to go hunting all by myself. It's like they are trying to keep the delectable goodies away from you.

Just know that when you are staring unhappily at  your plate of egg rolls, the kids at Ernie Davis are practically dining gourmet. And definitely take advantage of the nice weather now, before the blizzards make the trek across campus there impossible.

...even though I'm considering buying heavy duty boots (Denny!) to make it possible.

Honors or bust.

Seriously, I just took the tour of the Honors suite.

I don't know why you wouldn't do it if you had the opportunity!

For one thing, there appears to be an abundance of free food provided to the students in the Renee Crown University Honors Program. Today there was free breakfast. Sunday night a free dinner, and on Monday a huge BBQ out on the Quad. Sadly, that makes the Freshmen Fifteen a reality...but who can resist free muffins??

There is also this top secret room that the Honors kids get a key for. Open 24/7, this top secret room (which I'm sharing to all of  you for the sole reason that none of you go here) is home to Mac computers, a popcorn maker, couches, and way more Scrabble boards then anyone would ever need.

I was also reading the bio of the Director for the program...and he is quite distinguished. Not your average professor! He's been on Oprah, a noted author by the New York Times, and has published an absurd number of personal poems.

I guess I'm in good company!

My First Day!

      So here I am! At Syracuse University, all moved in and geared up for Orientation tomorrow.

      It's bizarre, this feeling of complete and total independence. Like tonight, I met a huge group of other curious, adventure seeking freshmen, and we set out on an adventure towards Marshall Street! This adventure was irregular from my previous endeavors in high school mainly because....I didn't have to tell anyone where I was going! My mom didn't even know I was there until AFTER I had returned to my dorm and called her on the phone (because old habits never die!)

     Another weird thing, is that apparently, college kids don't sleep. I mean I just glanced at the clock - 12:34! I'm never up this late! Yet my new college friends were just go, go, go! I like it. It's a change. And what's more, is that there are still people marching up and down the hallway! They clearly aren't going to sleep anytime soon. But this being college, and with the aforementioned independence, nobody cares! These night roamers probably don't even have to go to sleep if they don't like.

     I guess that these things are just part of the new experiences that everyone is always talking about with college. I'm loving every minute of it. I can't wait for class to start on Monday, and I'm ready to go! My books are alphabetized by subject, my calendar is color coded, and my planner is sufficiently sticky noted...you can take the girl out of high school, but you can't take high school out of the girl!