Big Steps

So now that I’ve finally gotten a moment to breathe… In, out, in, out (I’m taking full advantage of this 10 minutes).  Whew, it’s been a whirlwind, though a fun one.   I’ve wanted to write something now for a while now, like about LEAVING.  So then I could write one about ARRIVING.  But since I’m already here and settled, I’ll just have to recap.

Packing:  I’ve only moved once, 11 years ago, and we moved pretty much across the street.  I brought just about everything.  This was an entirely different experience.  Figuring out what exactly is worth lugging 4554 miles (yay google maps) across the country to take up residence in a tiny dorm room is harder than it sounds.  And me, being the procrastinator that I am, waited until the day I was scheduled to fly out to pack*.  This can be problematic in a number of respects, but for the most part I think I was lucky and managed to avoid those problems.  I did however forget a $1000 scholarship check, my coat, and my phone charger (which I actually found out that I had buried in another bag).  So there be my packing woes, thankfully though I had Ava to help my scatterbrain remember the essentials.  Two suitcases and a duffle bag later and I am done.

Goodbye Alaska:  I flew out Monday August 30^th at 9:35 PM.  We got into Anchorage at about 5 to meet the Schleichs for dinner at the Thai Kitchen (Valerie flew out just a few hours after I did).  After a delicious meal, the company of wonderful friends, and lots of socks,** I headed to the airport, boarded a plane with my mom, and took off.

Hello Boston:  After flying all night, and getting very little (none) sleep, we arrived in Boston at about 10:30 AM.  The hotel shuttle picked us up and brought us to the hotel where I promptly took a nap. 

NORTHEASTERN:  My time here has already been amazing.  I managed to sneak move in early because my roommate was here for orientation.  Her name is Margaret and she is from Denver.   It was right in the middle of International Orientation, so just about everyone here was from a different country, which was really cool.  We moved in slowly, a little bit at a time because it was all we could manage without a car.  The second day we went shopping and joined the hundreds of other college students dorm shopping.  Running around Boston in the crazy heat has been interesting… not too much fun…  Anyway, we went to Target and Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  Meghan and Linnea would both love my room, pink and orange.  I love it!  The dorm is small (I think that’s in the definition of a dorm room), but it’s new and clean, which is what really matters.  I’m in a suite, with two double rooms connected by a bathroom, which is also really nice.

So, move in complete, stocking up complete, goodbyes complete***, moving on to college.

It’s crazy how much this school has set up for this Welcome Week.  They gave me a book practically (44 pages counts as a book) of the schedule of events from Monday August 30^th to Saturday August 11^th.   There’s no way you could do everything, but you have like 20 choices of events each day.  A bunch of things are required, especially for the Honors Students.  Like ice cream socials…  No we do work stuff too.  Like this morning we had “Understanding Zeitoun, Faculty Panel and Breakout Workshops” from 9:15 to 12:30 about a book (Zeitoun) we were all required to read over the summer.  It was a good book, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone.  Tomorrow we have “Honors Teambuilding Retreat Northeastern University Ashland Campus Ropes Course” all day from 7 AM till 5 PM.

My dorm is in International Village, which is the newest building on campus (it opened last year) and has a work-out facility and dining hall in the building.  The food is actually pretty good.  There are lots of choices and you can eat healthy really easily.  You can also eat ice cream with every meal.  I like it.

Mail has been a challenge.  Like I said I forgot my scholarship check, which I need to buy books.  So my dad Express mailed it here.  That’s cool, except I randomly get a mail box in the one row of mailboxes without combination locks on them (it’s also the bottom row, about 3 inches off the floor), so I get a key instead, and guess what!? They aren’t ready to hand out the keys.  So I’ve been running around for the last few hours trying to work that out so I can get the check so I can deposit it before all the offices close for the weekend so I can buy books… It’s a vicious cycle.

I have more stories and experiences that I would like to relate, but I should probably go try to be social with people while everyone is still in the meeting-new-people mode.

Hope all is well!

~Emily

Oh! And there is a hurricane coming!  I’m excited.

*I did have one suitcase already packed, and a lot of thinking had gone into what I was going to bring, I just hadn’t put my plans to action.

**Sauce

*** This is my least favorite part.  I already miss everyone so much.  I really did have the best community, best friends, best family…  none of you will ever be replaced and I love you all so much.