I didn't think I'd ever actually write a post but I'm tired of hearing about my own college experience from Ben. So, I thought I'd chime in with my own comments. Although I've only been here since last Tuesday, it feels like nearly a month already. I've never had so many jam-packed days, especially during orientation. I think I was one of the first to head off to college. I made like the Baltimore Colts and shipped out in the middle of the night without warning.
Move in was exhausting but also interesting since I got to meet my roommate for the next year, Elad. He's about five feet (margin of error +/-5in.), loves football, 24, the St. Louis Cardinals, and apparently not speaking a lot to me. We hardly see each other, but as long as he's neat (the jury's still out) everything should be fine. Orientation was a whirlwind of fun, information, and lots of new people. Activities included "Crazies on the Quad" where you go up to random people on the quad and introduce yourself (not awkward at all), "A Taste of Duke" where a whole cow and pig were BBQ'ed (oh, the south), and, as Ben mentioned, a Durham Bulls baseball game.
One of the highlights of Orientation was a convocation address by Maya Angelou (yes, the person from the Rent song, Matthew). She spoke about wiping the ignorance from our backs and sailing down the river of truth…or something like that. As Ben wrote, I described my college experience thus far as “bizarre,” and no activity was more bizarre than partying at Shooter’s (a local bar and club) with…Sam Reiss! I’ve also run into Zach Kazzaz (still full of pizzazz…and one night pizza) and David Eisenband.
The real reason I’m writing this post is that we’re cooped up inside for the moment because of serious rain. Damn you, Ernesto! It’s been raining for the past two days but the news says it should blow over soon and hit…the northeast. There’s obviously much more to say, that Ben will probably say first, but I’ll save other stories for the next rainy day.
Until then, UMD is still not our rival and UNC sucks big time…and its not even b-ball season yet!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Flying the coop
I feel that one of us must undertake the duty of preventing Ben from scoring three straight posts, and so I have decided to take one for the team.
Tomorrow morning I leave for New Haven. One bag has been shipped, the rest are packed, and the floor is back to its normal clean state. I was planning on having an unsentimental evening and getting to bed early, but the DVD of our last winter concert showed up and I couldn't resist. Now I'm back to the laptop, the only item remaining to be packed, and procrastinating before I hit the sack.
It's an odd feeling- you've lived your entire life in one place, and then you hit this point where it's time to pack your life up into a few black bags in the corner of your room, pick up and leave. It's like somebody said, matter-of-factly: "Ezra, you're going to have to start everything over," and I nodded and said (also matter-of-factly) "Well, if that's what people do," and did it without really thinking much. There are a lot of things I'll miss about calling this place home, and I probably haven't realized most of them yet.
The drive tomorrow, split between my dad and me, should be around 6 or 7 hours, barring any major traffic problems in NYC. We'll stay tomorrow night at a friend's house in Fairfield, CT and drive the last half hour Friday morning. I've been trying to predict what state I'll be in when I realize it's for real- I think my best guess is New Jersey. I'll do my best to arrange it so that my dad is driving when it happens.
Tomorrow morning I leave for New Haven. One bag has been shipped, the rest are packed, and the floor is back to its normal clean state. I was planning on having an unsentimental evening and getting to bed early, but the DVD of our last winter concert showed up and I couldn't resist. Now I'm back to the laptop, the only item remaining to be packed, and procrastinating before I hit the sack.
It's an odd feeling- you've lived your entire life in one place, and then you hit this point where it's time to pack your life up into a few black bags in the corner of your room, pick up and leave. It's like somebody said, matter-of-factly: "Ezra, you're going to have to start everything over," and I nodded and said (also matter-of-factly) "Well, if that's what people do," and did it without really thinking much. There are a lot of things I'll miss about calling this place home, and I probably haven't realized most of them yet.
The drive tomorrow, split between my dad and me, should be around 6 or 7 hours, barring any major traffic problems in NYC. We'll stay tomorrow night at a friend's house in Fairfield, CT and drive the last half hour Friday morning. I've been trying to predict what state I'll be in when I realize it's for real- I think my best guess is New Jersey. I'll do my best to arrange it so that my dad is driving when it happens.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Why I'm Like a Politician...
I know I said in my last post that I wasn't going to talk about college stuff anymore, but I'm going to have to break a promise for the purpose of expediency. I guess I know how politicians feel now...
Today was the first day of classes, so there's much to talk about. My first class, American History to 1865, was at 10 AM. I thought it was an Honors section, which is supposed to be smaller (around 15-30 people), but when I got into the room it was packed with over a hundred people. There was barely any space to sit. But as we got into it, there was a reason why this class was packed - the professor was great. He touched upon issues in his opening lecture (just telling us where we were going with the course) that I had debated in previous debate meets. He talked about how freedom only exists with limits, as he said: "you aren't free if others are free to prey on you." He talked about the inherent contradiction of enforcing democracy on other peoples, and segued off of that into an interesting question about Iraq. Why, he asked, are we willing to send troops over to Iraq and sacrifice lives, but not sacrifice money? Why are we not taxing the present population, the population that essentially "voted" for this war (if you believe the process of democracy worked)? Instead we're taxing it to the future, which is a problem. If you view it as a mistake, we're making the future pay for it.
Off of that he talked about a very interesting topic. He said history is the study of the individual, and one individual he loves is a lawyer from Baltimore, who wrote a book about how human history is the story of escaping God's biblical curse ("you shall live off the sweat of your brow"). It's a very interesting theory. When you think about it, that's where the class system comes from (in fact, any economic system at all), and even more basic, that's where forming collective societies come from. We band together in order to make it easier to aviod the curse.
Anyway, that was great, but they wrote a bunch of discussion sections up on the board, and the one on my schedule wasn't there. So I'll go to it on Friday, and see if perhaps I was in the wrong classroom. But I went to where it said on my schedule, it was the proper class title, but I don't know about the Honors part. If it isn't Honors, I'm still happy.
The next class was my creative writing class, in the basement of the Honors building. It was an Honors Seminar, and proved right off the bat to be a little odd. That stems from the teacher, who's a little off kilter. We spent the class going around the room, saying one truth and one lie about ourself - getting to know each other, and getting to make up stories. The rest of the class had to guess. That's what I think the class will be like - my break class, essentially. A fun class that I like, that gives me credits, and won't be that much work.
I high tailed it over to lunch, ate quickly, and started back across campus to the Math building (a 15 minute walk). I got there around on time, so that worked out. But that was about the only thing that worked out about that class. The professor was this small, bald, hunched over man, with a voice that you could barely hear. He scratched around in chalk on the board, and wasn't particularly clear. This was an Honors section that I switched into because I figured Honors sections were usually better. But I immediately went home after the class (an absurdly long one, 1 hr and 50 mins) and switched out. I switched into a huge class, but with a professor that, from what I've read, is very energetic, lively, and entertaining, a la Mr. W-C. That math class really made me miss Mr. W-C. But this new class will make me a bit late to Gemstone on Tuesdays (I figure that's not that bad, since Gemstone is a layed back class first semester), and make it hard to get lunch that day. I figure I'll plan for that ahead of time, maybe get two sandwiches at lunch the day before and store one in the fridge, and take it on the run. But anything to get out of that class. I want to do well in Calc, and I know I can't in the other class.
I needed to chill afterwards - I haven't learned since January, remember. So I played some Madden and FIFA World Cup with the roomies. That helped. Now it's off to dinner and some reading.
Today was the first day of classes, so there's much to talk about. My first class, American History to 1865, was at 10 AM. I thought it was an Honors section, which is supposed to be smaller (around 15-30 people), but when I got into the room it was packed with over a hundred people. There was barely any space to sit. But as we got into it, there was a reason why this class was packed - the professor was great. He touched upon issues in his opening lecture (just telling us where we were going with the course) that I had debated in previous debate meets. He talked about how freedom only exists with limits, as he said: "you aren't free if others are free to prey on you." He talked about the inherent contradiction of enforcing democracy on other peoples, and segued off of that into an interesting question about Iraq. Why, he asked, are we willing to send troops over to Iraq and sacrifice lives, but not sacrifice money? Why are we not taxing the present population, the population that essentially "voted" for this war (if you believe the process of democracy worked)? Instead we're taxing it to the future, which is a problem. If you view it as a mistake, we're making the future pay for it.
Off of that he talked about a very interesting topic. He said history is the study of the individual, and one individual he loves is a lawyer from Baltimore, who wrote a book about how human history is the story of escaping God's biblical curse ("you shall live off the sweat of your brow"). It's a very interesting theory. When you think about it, that's where the class system comes from (in fact, any economic system at all), and even more basic, that's where forming collective societies come from. We band together in order to make it easier to aviod the curse.
Anyway, that was great, but they wrote a bunch of discussion sections up on the board, and the one on my schedule wasn't there. So I'll go to it on Friday, and see if perhaps I was in the wrong classroom. But I went to where it said on my schedule, it was the proper class title, but I don't know about the Honors part. If it isn't Honors, I'm still happy.
The next class was my creative writing class, in the basement of the Honors building. It was an Honors Seminar, and proved right off the bat to be a little odd. That stems from the teacher, who's a little off kilter. We spent the class going around the room, saying one truth and one lie about ourself - getting to know each other, and getting to make up stories. The rest of the class had to guess. That's what I think the class will be like - my break class, essentially. A fun class that I like, that gives me credits, and won't be that much work.
I high tailed it over to lunch, ate quickly, and started back across campus to the Math building (a 15 minute walk). I got there around on time, so that worked out. But that was about the only thing that worked out about that class. The professor was this small, bald, hunched over man, with a voice that you could barely hear. He scratched around in chalk on the board, and wasn't particularly clear. This was an Honors section that I switched into because I figured Honors sections were usually better. But I immediately went home after the class (an absurdly long one, 1 hr and 50 mins) and switched out. I switched into a huge class, but with a professor that, from what I've read, is very energetic, lively, and entertaining, a la Mr. W-C. That math class really made me miss Mr. W-C. But this new class will make me a bit late to Gemstone on Tuesdays (I figure that's not that bad, since Gemstone is a layed back class first semester), and make it hard to get lunch that day. I figure I'll plan for that ahead of time, maybe get two sandwiches at lunch the day before and store one in the fridge, and take it on the run. But anything to get out of that class. I want to do well in Calc, and I know I can't in the other class.
I needed to chill afterwards - I haven't learned since January, remember. So I played some Madden and FIFA World Cup with the roomies. That helped. Now it's off to dinner and some reading.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
The Much Anticipated Update
The Much Anticipated Update is here! Hadn't written anything since my kick-off-the-blog post, but that's all changing now...
I'm all moved in now. Got a pretty nice room (incredibly nice by college freshman standards), and we also have a monstrous common room with a kitchenette. It's posh. The common room is big enough that we're thinking of putting a ping-pong table in. Gotta find one first, get it here, and then clear it with the roomies. #3 shouldn't be too much of a problem, #1 might not be that bad either, but #2 is the real killer. To get something that large here, and then in the door could be a major issue.
Anyway, the roomies are real nice. Got some fellow sports lovers here, so that's pretty cool. Our 4th Musketeer didn't move in until just a couple hours ago, because of some complications. He's got type 1 diabetes, and an allergy to wheat gluten. On top of that, he got a meningitis vaccine this past weekend that, in his words, "didn't exactly agree with him." So he was a couple days late. He isn't even sleeping here tonight, so his move in officially starts tomorrow night, I suppose.
Right now I'm still in the "need people to hang out with" mode. That is, haven't met that many friends yet. Talking to David (Duke), it sounds like he jumped right into that whole business. Not so for me. Have met some nice people, but not like David who said he's been with a "different crowd every night."
A bunch of us former HS classmates went bowling last night at the student union, had dinner, and watched a movie. That was fun. But I hope to make a bunch of friends at classes - I suppose that narrows the potential "friend" pool down to some people interested in similar topics as you.
Picked up my books and walked to my classes, to get a sense of where they are today. Not all my books were there, but my classes were so that's a plus. Books can get damn expensive. Spent over $200 and didn't even get my math or economics textbooks, which are my two most expensive.
Overall, I'm in wait-and-see mode. Got a great living space, but gotta wait and see how classes and social life go.
I will post more as things happen, but mostly I'll probably start talking about non-collegey stuff (like the news), because I've read a lot of interesting stuff lately.
I'm all moved in now. Got a pretty nice room (incredibly nice by college freshman standards), and we also have a monstrous common room with a kitchenette. It's posh. The common room is big enough that we're thinking of putting a ping-pong table in. Gotta find one first, get it here, and then clear it with the roomies. #3 shouldn't be too much of a problem, #1 might not be that bad either, but #2 is the real killer. To get something that large here, and then in the door could be a major issue.
Anyway, the roomies are real nice. Got some fellow sports lovers here, so that's pretty cool. Our 4th Musketeer didn't move in until just a couple hours ago, because of some complications. He's got type 1 diabetes, and an allergy to wheat gluten. On top of that, he got a meningitis vaccine this past weekend that, in his words, "didn't exactly agree with him." So he was a couple days late. He isn't even sleeping here tonight, so his move in officially starts tomorrow night, I suppose.
Right now I'm still in the "need people to hang out with" mode. That is, haven't met that many friends yet. Talking to David (Duke), it sounds like he jumped right into that whole business. Not so for me. Have met some nice people, but not like David who said he's been with a "different crowd every night."
A bunch of us former HS classmates went bowling last night at the student union, had dinner, and watched a movie. That was fun. But I hope to make a bunch of friends at classes - I suppose that narrows the potential "friend" pool down to some people interested in similar topics as you.
Picked up my books and walked to my classes, to get a sense of where they are today. Not all my books were there, but my classes were so that's a plus. Books can get damn expensive. Spent over $200 and didn't even get my math or economics textbooks, which are my two most expensive.
Overall, I'm in wait-and-see mode. Got a great living space, but gotta wait and see how classes and social life go.
I will post more as things happen, but mostly I'll probably start talking about non-collegey stuff (like the news), because I've read a lot of interesting stuff lately.
Monday, August 28, 2006
The calm before the storm
And thus enters Ezra the second, possible cause for confusion. The height comparison is questionable.
The past few days have been an exercise in putting off the inevitable. You would think that sending people off to college one by one might make me slowly aware of my own impending departure. Not so. I leave in a mere three days, and all energies are focused on preparing to leave. My normally unteenagerly clean floor is covered with 17 distinct piles of clothing, and most of the day is spent shuttling among the usual stores picking up last minute odds and ends. I'm about to apply for an absentee ballot. And yet none of these things have hit home. No amount of preparation has awoken my mind from its stubborn position that nothing is new. I'm waiting for the shell-shock to kick in.
In the meantime, I'm learning new things every day, like the fact that I have more clothes that I haven't worn in years than I ever might have realized, or that you can vote for a primary while you're 17 as long as you'll be 18 for the election. In short, business as usual.
The past few days have been an exercise in putting off the inevitable. You would think that sending people off to college one by one might make me slowly aware of my own impending departure. Not so. I leave in a mere three days, and all energies are focused on preparing to leave. My normally unteenagerly clean floor is covered with 17 distinct piles of clothing, and most of the day is spent shuttling among the usual stores picking up last minute odds and ends. I'm about to apply for an absentee ballot. And yet none of these things have hit home. No amount of preparation has awoken my mind from its stubborn position that nothing is new. I'm waiting for the shell-shock to kick in.
In the meantime, I'm learning new things every day, like the fact that I have more clothes that I haven't worn in years than I ever might have realized, or that you can vote for a primary while you're 17 as long as you'll be 18 for the election. In short, business as usual.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Sleeping at home
Alright, this is Matthew (Northwestern). I find myself in a similar predicament as a Mr. Ezra (UChicago), in which Northwestern has a quarter system and I will be at my humble abode until the 10th of September.
Until this point in time, I will be doing all the work Northwestern has asked me to do over the summer. Specifically, this means read Othello, take 6 online courses, read two incredibly long packets about French-American relations, and reading Northwestern's newsletters.
In addition, this means I get to entertain myself listening to everyone else struggle with making new friends, fitting it, and relearning for the first time in 6 months, while I sit at home and sleep until noon.
Then of course, you will get to laugh at me in September, when you are seasoned veterans and I am a mere rookie playing the ropes at Northwestern.
Until this point in time, I shall be updating you at my fancy to whatever mood I am in, and watching the season premiere of Bones on Wednesday Night..
Sayonara until then.
Until this point in time, I will be doing all the work Northwestern has asked me to do over the summer. Specifically, this means read Othello, take 6 online courses, read two incredibly long packets about French-American relations, and reading Northwestern's newsletters.
In addition, this means I get to entertain myself listening to everyone else struggle with making new friends, fitting it, and relearning for the first time in 6 months, while I sit at home and sleep until noon.
Then of course, you will get to laugh at me in September, when you are seasoned veterans and I am a mere rookie playing the ropes at Northwestern.
Until this point in time, I shall be updating you at my fancy to whatever mood I am in, and watching the season premiere of Bones on Wednesday Night..
Sayonara until then.
Hi guys, it's Ezra
So I finally got this website to work, and I can post something and tell you about myself. My name is Ezra, and you will probably get me confused with another Ezra who might start posting here as well. Here's how you can tell us apart: I'm going to the University of Chicago, hence Ezra (UChicago) and he's going to Yale, hence Ezra (Yale). Also, I'm taller.
Now, U of C works on the quarter system, which means that, among other things, we don't start classes until September 26th. That is really, really late. Orientation starts Sept. 16th, and I will leave home on Sept. 15th.
So right now I'm watching all my friends pack and leave for school while I wait for two and a half more weeks to leave.
I guess until then I'll fill you in on all of the developments in the sitting-at-home-watching-TV action I'm going to be experiencing.
Now, U of C works on the quarter system, which means that, among other things, we don't start classes until September 26th. That is really, really late. Orientation starts Sept. 16th, and I will leave home on Sept. 15th.
So right now I'm watching all my friends pack and leave for school while I wait for two and a half more weeks to leave.
I guess until then I'll fill you in on all of the developments in the sitting-at-home-watching-TV action I'm going to be experiencing.
Topics and Moving In
There are no real guidelines for this blog - my hope for it is just that it evolves however we want it to. My feeling is we'll start out just posting whatever pops into our minds to write about, and go from there. It doesn't have to be bound to any kind of theme. The posts could be about college, or crazy astronomers in the news, or that the Steelers can't seem to win a game in the preseason.
That said, I'm moving into UMD tomorrow. All packed and ready, should be an interesting transition. David (Duke) - who should never be confused with David Duke - is apparently already down in Durham, so he's gone through the process already. I talked to him a bit, and he said it was "really bizarre" because he'd met more people in a short amount of time than he probably had at any other point in his life. That said, he sounded like he was having fun, and said he went to a Durham Bulls game the other night.
We'll see how the first couple of days go. Classes start on Wednesday, the 30th, and before that UMD has planned all these social events to get people to meet each other. I suppose I'll go to some of those, and spend other time scoping out the campus and stores around there, so I know where I can go if I need anything.
If I'm not absolutely exhausted, I might write something up about how the move in went tomorrow. Until then...
That said, I'm moving into UMD tomorrow. All packed and ready, should be an interesting transition. David (Duke) - who should never be confused with David Duke - is apparently already down in Durham, so he's gone through the process already. I talked to him a bit, and he said it was "really bizarre" because he'd met more people in a short amount of time than he probably had at any other point in his life. That said, he sounded like he was having fun, and said he went to a Durham Bulls game the other night.
We'll see how the first couple of days go. Classes start on Wednesday, the 30th, and before that UMD has planned all these social events to get people to meet each other. I suppose I'll go to some of those, and spend other time scoping out the campus and stores around there, so I know where I can go if I need anything.
If I'm not absolutely exhausted, I might write something up about how the move in went tomorrow. Until then...
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