A Literal and Figurative Hurricane

Hello, everybody!

So sorry for the delay in posting!--things have been extremely crazy, as you're about to hear.

Since I last wrote, we made the 16 hour drive from good old NC to Massachusetts (technically, it's supposed to be 11-12 hours, but of course that's not counting traffic or the HUGE thunderstorm we drove through on the first night, in the dark, on a completely unfamiliar road we had ne'er travelled before. Yikes!) We arrived, I began and have completed Orientation, and have now plunged headfirst into the ocean of college classes. I am currently holed up in my dorm, and will be for the remainder of the day, as the remnants of Hurricane Irene are scheduled to blow through. But, to quote Alice In Wonderland, let me begin at the beginning, and go on until I reach the end, and then stop.

Aside from the thunderstorm, the drive was good. We stopped by our wonderful New Jersey Relatives on the way up for a sadly brief, but treasured visit. By the way, if you are ever in New Jersey or NY, I don't care how far you have to drive, make sure you find a Crumbs bakery!!! Their cupcakes are the size of large muffins (Large muffins), and their Blackout cupcakes are the embodiment of bliss. Hoffmans one and all, I love you!!!

After further driving, we arrived at our hotel in Peabody, close to where Gordon is in Wenham, and with a few days to spare, so we used that time to purchase a great deal of last-minute, but nonetheless essential, supplies.

Then came move-in day. We arrived for the early move-in shift, which was for non-New England residents. I knew I picked the right college the moment we pulled up in front of my new dorm. There was a crowd of orientation staff outside, i.e., older students, and as Sylvia (our silver minivan) pulled up, they all surged forward, cheering and clapping. They then immediately began helping our family unload our stuff onto the sidewalk, introducing themselves as they went. I went in, received my keys, and we all carried stuff up to my new room.

I'm in Lewis Hall, one of the older HUD dorms. The furniture is all attached to the wall because otherwise the funding wouldn't have covered it when it was built many years ago, but I don't mind. I like continuity. Even though it's not the most modern accommodations, I requested to live in a HUD dorm because I had heard they had the best sense of community, and I thought that would be extremely important for me in my first year. I'm not disappointed. Our motto here is "Lewis is for Lovers," and before you gasp at the seemingly inappropriate meaning, what it actually refers to is love between friends. And not just the fairweather kind of love, but the love that involves the storms, the kind of love that causes you to stage an intervention when your friend is doing something they maybe shouldn't do. That's our mission in Lewis. We're the dorm that's closest to the dining hall and the chapel, which is nice, but far away from the Barrington Center for the Arts (yes, that's its name!) where the theatre is, so it's a trade-off. :)

Orientation was crazy. They kept us busy, quite intentionally, so that in theory we wouldn't get too homesick. But saying goodbye to Mom, Dad and Rachel was one of the most painful things I've had to do in a very, very long time. I'm not ashamed to say that I cried. But I didn't have long to dwell on it because the Orientation staff once again burst out of the chapel doors cheering, and we all streamed through a human tunnel into the building where Orientation officially began. I met my O-Crew, who are all awesome, and from there it was a complete blur of Boston day, our crew mascot the llama, preparation sessions on things like how to study, auditions and introductions to our majors and advisor meetings and the crazy hilarious dance that all the O-Staff choreographed, complete with bling and plastic shades. Oh my word. By the end, I had begun to think that I was taking it rather well. I hadn't been too homesick thus far, though I missed Mom and Dad and Rachel like nobody's business.

And then classes began. Well, let's just say I'm a lot more homesick now. I still miss Mom and Dad and Rachel like nobody's business, but it's only just now sinking in that I really am on my own here. To go from being simply an independent teen to being truly alone and treated like a full adult in the span of two weeks is both extremely difficult and utterly terrifying. To say college is a lot of work is an understatement. The responsibility you have to shoulder is frankly just as great a burden in itself as the homework.

The goal of high school is supposedly to prepare you for college, but I can tell you right now that no matter how hard your school keeps your nose to the grindstone academically, nothing can prepare you for that sense of being alone and adrift in a sea of responsibility. Some people might enjoy the new freedom, but I'm not yet sure. And it's not exactly freedom, since I'm working most of the time.

To be fair, I do find some opportunities for fun. I watched a movie with a bunch of girls on the floor above Friday night; the entire population of Lewis and the whole of Chase dorm next door all had a cookout. Last night my roommate Hannah and our neighbor Sarah and Ashley all went out puddle-jumping after the rain, got utterly soaked, and loved it!

So, up here currently, it's just me and my wonderful new friends and my stress. A figurative hurricane of new information, crazy emotions, and new academic styles. And then there's the literal hurricane. The wind is picking up outside; I can see the trees blowing and the rain pouring. But I'm safe and cozy in here, just me and my roommate and my remaining homework. Which, to be honest, I really should get back to.

Thank you all SO much for all your prayers and support. Each and every one of you are still on my mind and heart, even when I'm so far away.

Lots of love from me and from Irene!

Blessings,

Sarah