an update before the semester whooshes over me

for the most part i have slipped back quietly into life here and i am happy that the transition has been pretty seamless, drama-less. i love being near pembroke campus, with the Vdub, cvs, and restaurants all seconds away. the house is comfortable and home-like with its stripey cushions and skylight. i love all of my housemates and am growing increasingly fond of the boys. my room is nice - i think my things clash somewhat with the furniture that came with the room (black desk, bookcase and chest of drawers) but it's okay: we adapt and make do with what we have.

i have resolved to be frugal this year, which is why my 8 summer/autumn tops shall suffice. (my mom sent over 2 more so that means that i will not have to exhibit a day-of-the-week rotation of shirts :P) it is really time to start appreciating the value of things and this includes the value of money... so here's to no more new clothes until it is imperative to buy warmer winter things!

classes are interesting but not terribly exciting. i am being pragmatic this semester and finishing up concentration courses. so, two seminars - one on Ovid and the Metamorphoses, the other on Milton's shorter poems. advanced japanese. children's thinking with the cogsci department. i find that Brown students often try to wear their courses on their sleeve and are often secretly proud of how funky or interdisciplinary their courses are. i guess i'm sticking with my comfort zone this semester - hopefully i can do something braver in the spring :).

i guess senior year for me is characterized by a "i don't give a damn what other people think". i just want to do what is right for myself and for my loved ones, and be happy and enjoy the year. oh and get into grad school or find a job. (the GREs are nightmares. i cracked open the practice booklet for lit today and was horrified to find that they ask identification questions on characters, authors, dates, works. studying for it will be exponentially harder than for the SATs.)

anyway, life as a college student is just amazing :). even though i sometimes catch myself counting down to the holidays, i know deep down that i want to savour this year, slowly, with heart, mind and eyes wide open - well, maybe eyes closed, for the more tender moments.