Settling in.

I have been two weeks and one day at college, and every day I like it more and more. It's now just beginning to feel like I have one life, instead of two very separate lives; one here, one at Home. Today is the first day I can listen to my favorite music from this summer and not feel sad. It's starting to feel more like school than this alien world where nothing make sense.

Part of this is my busyness. I'm taking four classes and I need an A in all of them. I have meetings every night of the week except for Fridays - for the school entertainment board, hall council, and the paper. And I absolutely love working with the paper. I had two articles printed last week; one previewing the upcoming alumni weekend, and one was a bit on the first week as a freshman in college. I sent in the freshman bit on a whim, I didn't expect them to use it. But the editors said that it was good, and that I can send in anything else in the same genre. They also asked me to production nights, to get to know the editors and learn how to edit myself. So, this week I have three articles to write and maybe another column, and I'll be in the office Thursday night until the paper is done, which tends to be 1:00-2:00 am. I'll be meeting new people and learning how to make a newspaper - I'll be able to watch the pieces that I wrote go into print. Is that the coolest thing ever?

Yesterday was my first college game day on a Penn State campus. I wore my PSU t-shirt, and decorated the board on my door with things like "WE ARE......PENN STATE" and "I heart JoePa!" and "#31...Always." There was about 20 or so people in the lobby watching the game. It's fun watching football with people that know football. It's fun to watch football when your team is excellent, and really, truly belongs to you. College football is just plain fun - the massive stadium, every single spectator wearing white, the marching band, the noise, everything. Next time I'll go to the cafe - they project the game on a giant screen and I guess it's standing room only.

So, I'm starting to get to know people that don't feel the need to get fall-down drunk every night of the week. I have one of the best college teams in the country. The paper gives me something to participate in and belong to. I'm building up a resume and a portfolio and grades good enough to get me into my major. It finally, finally feels like I'm moving foward.