The Low Down ...

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Live Strong
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Today I just came back from orientation at my school. My grandparents and I drove up to Newton a day early( Sunday) to stay at a hotel and then go in the morning to the school.

I will admit I was nervous about going to this, of course not knowing anyone and really haven’t a clue as to what I was doing aside from following everyone else. After the opening speeches from the Dean and who ever else, we broke up into groups.

After meeting up with our groups as we were assigned by numbers (groups 1-10 , I was 8) we began doing a few ice breakers. After that we began to tour the campus, meet up with people and take placement tests. It wasn’t until after the placement tests and a few hours later where everyone was waiting around in a stairwell that people began to talk and come out of there shell. More intelligent and longer conversations began. I had called a friend on my cell phone out of anxiety of this entire situation. He said to me I needed to either take a firm stance on making friends and having a good time, or just be able to “get by.” From then on I decided I was going to make attempts to have real conversations with people.

Though I had talked with everyone in my group all day at least small talk, I began to really have good conversations with people and everyone including myself let there guard down.

At dinner I sat with the football type guys and the “already declared cool guys”. This was something that I hadn’t expected to do but one of the guys in my group is “one of them” and asked me to join him and his buddies at dinner. That was good because I was able to bounce in and out of already formed different social groups.

After dinner the groups all went to see a comedian in the gym. This is when I think the point of just talking to people to knowing people and spending actual time with them began. I was having a good time with a lot of people from my group as the comedian got the crowd how you say ... hands on with one and other. Now make no mistake, this didn’t turn into some sexual orgy of any sort but rather trust exercises that really allowed for people to be more of them selves and have a good time.

After that there was a socializing with a DJ and dancing on the dance floor until 1:00 am. From about 10:00 to 2:00 am I was hanging out with about 3 or 4 people that had been in my group. Hanging with these people really brought me out of my element and comfort zone as I will admit they were all girls and girls who enjoyed dancing and having a good time but also just talking and learning about one and other. So if you are asking whether I was dancing at all that night, the answer is yes as I was "dragged" onto the dance floor by a few people. :) To my complete surprise it was a lot of fun. After that and the heat being what it was we all sat down and hung out. We began to really talk and enjoy each others company.

Around 2am we parted ways and went to sleep, all in the same dorm but on different floors. I sit organizing my things when a guy from my group came into my room as my door was open and just asked how things were going. We began talking and one hour later we decided to be room mates. He shares some of the same theories and values as I , not being the biggest drinker on campus and fairly against drugs. Though I don’t care what others do, I just don’t want certain things in my room constantly, let the occasional thing happen that’s ok.

At around 315 a.m my room mate for the night came in and he was pretty cool. He plays soccer and is on a part scholar ship. We went to sleep around 3:30 and woke at around 8 am. I got dressed, washed up and went downstairs to the cafe where some of my friends were sitting and eating breakfast. After they were done eating they decided to go to the campus store. I stayed back in the cafe as the girls and guys I was hanging with from last night came down to the café. I decided to get breakfast with them. We then gathered back in our groups and went on to sign up for classes an hour after breakfast ( 9am) . After that there was a BBQ and then a closing ceremony. By 3:00 my grandparents showed I packed my stuff, turned in my key and left in the car back to hotel where I took a much needed shower and nap.

The bottom line is that I met some cool people, I have a excellent impression of the school it self and can see myself doing well there. Overall things are looking up college wise.