After yesterday's busy day we had another day to sleep in, but I woke up at 9 AM which is considered to be pretty early. The stiff mattress of my bed was so uncomfortable. This left me with the definite decision of purchasing my own mattress when I attend college, but I hope it will take a couple of days to adjust to. As I woke up I heard the sound of suitcases strolling down the pathway of my window and the voices in the hallways of the new students that arrived just today for the program. For about 30 minutes I kept flipping sides on my bed until I finally gave up and got up. |
| The first thing I saw when I entered the dining hall. |
At around 10:35 AM I left my dorm to go fill my water bottle at Stephen Roberts also known as the "Campus Center" which is about 5 minutes from my housing residence. Once I entered the gates to Main Green, a courtyard, there were so many people left to right with their suitcases. It was shocking but so amazing to see the great amount of students that will be attending programs here at Brown. I kept on walking and entered the Campus Center and I filled my bottle. Then I made my way back to my dorm.
I entered my residence and went straight up to my room, just around that time I saw Komal and we decided to join each other to get lunch at Sharpe Refectory also known as the "Ratty", which is the biggest dining hall on the campus. At 11:00 AM we started walking to the Ratty, and surprisingly we happened to cross paths with Aimee on our way down the stairs and she joined along. We all got to our dining hall and then went straight for the food. There was quite a selection and since it was my first time eating from there I decided to try a little of everything from pesto pasta to chicken and even cereal. The quality of the food was acceptable, but honestly some things are good and other stuff is not so great, but the dessert has to be the best!
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| The pizza was pretty good. |
Once I got my food I saw Bailey, Lynda, and their new friend named Ariel so I decided to sit on the seat next to them with Komal and Aimee. I also introduced myself to Ariel who is a very cool and friendly girl from Los Angeles, so she is also from the California region like us. She is staying at Buxton which is the building right across from Olney, and she is also an rising senior in high school.
After eating brunch the girls and I headed to our dorms to get a few belongings. I stopped by Aimee's room and her roommate was just settling in and I had heard her speaking Spanish and I got really excited and decided to introduce myself. Apparently she is from Columbia. I think I got overly excited not just to hear other students speaking Spanish but because there is so much diversity. I don't think I had ever seen so many diverse groups of people in one day as I did today but I did and it was the best feeling ever.
After grabbing our belongings we met up at the Main Green with Camila at 1 PM. Then we sat down under the trees in the courtyard to freshen up from the overly heated sun. The air was so calm and refreshing. We were just enjoying a little moment of pace in nature in spite of the fact that there was still a whole lot of students roaming around with their parents to check in. We spent a few minutes discussing our days so far and our thoughts of the campus so far.
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| Enjoying the breeze at Main Green. |
At around 1:50 PM we met up with Ms. Cruzat to discuss and plan our group picture ideas and the time we would rent out our fans because they are indeed very much needed. After planning we went to the front of the very well known Van Wickle gates in the front of the university and the Old Green to snap our pictures. I must say our banner picture will be the BEST!
Then we attended our student orientation at 3 PM at Solomon Hall which is also located in the Main Green. We were given a review and reminder of Brown's rules and policies while we are staying on the campus and were given very useful information such as how to contact the Department of Public Safety (DPS). After the very quick orientation led by Markus, a Room Director we were assigned to meet up with the students and room advisor's of our dorm floor.
My whole floor and I got to introduce ourselves and performed a series of activities to help us to learn better about each other. After a couple of games we started bonding already. It was really great to meet everyone who was staying on our floor. We have a couple of international students from, Turkey, England, India, China, and Indonesia. I had never been around so many people from different countries all at once. It was just great and we headed to dine right after at the Ratty.
I sat at the table with different students in order to talk and get to know each other better. I sat with Tyler, Fia, Komal, and Krumar. We all spoke about our different backgrounds and experiences with school back at home. Most of the students were all from public schools but Krumar attends boarding school. It had caught my attention to hear all the things and differences boarding school students are required to do which differ quite a lot with a normal typical public high school. Boarding school is more similar to college but the requirements and the context are different.
After dinner we all as a group went on a mini tour guided by our wonderful and kind Room Advisors: Leshan and Kevin. We passed by buildings we had already known since we have already toured all of the campus before. Then we all headed back to our dorms to relax before our next activity.
At 7 PM, Tyler and Fia knocked on my door and asked me to come along with them to the Activities Fair on the Main Green. I decided to join them and we arrived at a courtyard full of summer students. We walked towards the tables that were laid across, there was a whole lot of clubs/associations to join.
After a couple of minutes of walking around I met up with Lynda and Bailey, we all together joined the Latino or Hispanic American Association and we also joined the Women Student Association. I am really looking forward into meting up with new people there besides the ones in my classroom.
Just to mention I also had the best lemonade ever! It was like a slushy lemonade flavor drink. It was not too sweet and not too sour, but just perfect.
After 7:40 PM we met with Ms. Cruzat once again and our whole cohort walked over to Wayland Hall. It is just a couple of feet from our dorms. There we rented our very much needed fans and headed back to our rooms to install them. I can finally say that I am not soaking in sweat. Then at 9 PM we were all called down to the basement lounge for a mandatory meeting with my floor. We reviewed all the rules once again and came up with community guidelines which we will need to follow while we are here for the next two weeks. Then we headed back to our rooms.
Tomorrow will be the first day of class so I am looking forward for a very fantastic day tomorrow.
Then we attended our student orientation at 3 PM at Solomon Hall which is also located in the Main Green. We were given a review and reminder of Brown's rules and policies while we are staying on the campus and were given very useful information such as how to contact the Department of Public Safety (DPS). After the very quick orientation led by Markus, a Room Director we were assigned to meet up with the students and room advisor's of our dorm floor.
My whole floor and I got to introduce ourselves and performed a series of activities to help us to learn better about each other. After a couple of games we started bonding already. It was really great to meet everyone who was staying on our floor. We have a couple of international students from, Turkey, England, India, China, and Indonesia. I had never been around so many people from different countries all at once. It was just great and we headed to dine right after at the Ratty.
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| Playing Ice Breaker with Olney's 3rd Floor. |
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| Couldn't dismiss Ice Cream |
After dinner we all as a group went on a mini tour guided by our wonderful and kind Room Advisors: Leshan and Kevin. We passed by buildings we had already known since we have already toured all of the campus before. Then we all headed back to our dorms to relax before our next activity.
At 7 PM, Tyler and Fia knocked on my door and asked me to come along with them to the Activities Fair on the Main Green. I decided to join them and we arrived at a courtyard full of summer students. We walked towards the tables that were laid across, there was a whole lot of clubs/associations to join.
After a couple of minutes of walking around I met up with Lynda and Bailey, we all together joined the Latino or Hispanic American Association and we also joined the Women Student Association. I am really looking forward into meting up with new people there besides the ones in my classroom.
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| We came to join the clubs |
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| BEST LEMONADE EVER! |
Just to mention I also had the best lemonade ever! It was like a slushy lemonade flavor drink. It was not too sweet and not too sour, but just perfect.
After 7:40 PM we met with Ms. Cruzat once again and our whole cohort walked over to Wayland Hall. It is just a couple of feet from our dorms. There we rented our very much needed fans and headed back to our rooms to install them. I can finally say that I am not soaking in sweat. Then at 9 PM we were all called down to the basement lounge for a mandatory meeting with my floor. We reviewed all the rules once again and came up with community guidelines which we will need to follow while we are here for the next two weeks. Then we headed back to our rooms.
Tomorrow will be the first day of class so I am looking forward for a very fantastic day tomorrow.
Welcome to the college experience, Krystal, which comes with uncomfortable beds and food that’s different from what your mother has made you these past 16 years. But, you adapt.
ReplyDeleteGlad you finally got the fans. Now do you see why this was listed as one of the very first things we wanted you to do when you got to Brown? Every now and then you all need to listen to Wise Don who would never steer you crooked. :-)