Adjustment

Update: I am currently taking Physics, Microeconomics and Wellness. I was accepted into Wheaton’s Men’s Glee Club, which I am really excited about. I will also be working at the Marion E. Wade center, which I am also really excited about. If you’re curious: www.wheaton.edu/wadecenter Those of you who know I am planning on majoring in engineering may be surprised that I am not taking any math classes. It’s a bit complicated, but for blog purposes, I’ll just say that I am reviewing Calc I this semester to make sure I’m ready for Calc II in the spring. I think in a future post I will have to post some pictures of the new science building where my Physics class is. It really isn’t totally complete yet. The museum in the basement is still being organized, the pendulum is in place, but its display is still being assembled, and a few of Perry’s (the mastodon) skeletal components are not quite in their proper places yet. In any case, the classrooms and labs are just fine and it’s a really nice building, with lots of room and natural lighting. I haven’t decided yet how much detail I want to go into on this blog, but I’d love to e-mail you about any questions you have, or if you want to know more about something.
I’m still trying to get into the routine of things. It’s a little weird just being on campus and being a student here. It’s especially strange (and in a way less strange) because I have visited here a few times as a non-student. It really is different. I remember sitting in the library by myself when I was visiting Andrew here before. I had this sort of feeling like I was in a place I did not belong. I remember going into the basement of the library and finding David Copperfield (which I had been reading at home). For those of you in book club, this should give you a hint as to how long it took me to finish it. I found my place in the different edition, which sounds easy, but remember David Copperfield is a big book, and I had not read it in a week or so. Then I sat down at a table. I remember the whole time, having this guilty feeling like I was doing something wrong. I don’t think I would have felt much different if there had been a sign right next to me reading, “Students only”. I hoped that I blended in, and that everyone would think I was a student, but everyone else I saw had a backpack (and a heavy looking one at that). I had no backpack. So I sat and read and hoped no one asked me any questions.
A few days ago, it must have been Friday, I went into the library. I had to print a worksheet. So I sat down at a computer and tried to login. I did something wrong, so I went to the desk and asked for help. He showed me some little thing I had missed, and of course he asked if I was a freshman. Maybe he was trying to be polite, because it seems obvious that only a freshman would not know how to log into the library computer system. After I finished printing, I went downstairs to the basement, and I went to the same table, right by the Shakespeare section. This time I didn’t have to try to look like I had something to do. I pulled some textbooks out of my backpack and started reading. While I was there I began thinking about how perfect this contrast would be for a blog post. I think you can see the contrast. For one thing, the basement was empty because it was too early in the year for any tests or research assignments. Beyond that, I actually belonged there. I had my student I.D. card in my wallet and I was actually a part of the community. About one quarter of the people I saw (upstairs) looked vaguely familiar. And I knew the names of one or two of them. It was an interesting experience. I’ll leave it at that.