Friday!

Nicole, Me, Keaton, and Abbie

Today was insane! There were so many people moving in! The Provost Scholars had a special program at 9:00 at the Inn, so my neighbor Nicole and I walked together. As we walked out the door at 8:45, there were already about 50 people waiting to check in and unload. Traffic was insane all day, and people were everywhere. The line for the elevators was so long it extended down the hall and out the front door! I used the stairs at least 10 times today. After lunch, Mom and Royann picked me up, and we ran some errands then also said our goodbyes.  What did I do my second night in Oxford? I went to the square! Abbie, Nicole, Keaton, and I all hung out and took our time getting dressed. We decide that we want to go to the The Lyric to the Sigma Chi Rave. It's Ladies Night! Then the question comes up: "Do we really want to drive a car to the square and fight the awful traffic and parking?". We all agreed NO! So it's John Bartley to the rescue, we think. He picks us up, and we squeeze in his car with he and his two friends. To the square we go. It is packed, and we are looking for parking. John Bartley misses about 5 parking places before settling on the Newk's parking lot about 6 blocks from The Lyric. Now this would be ok, but, yep, we are all wearing heels. We finally make it to The Lyric and the line to get in is half way down the street. Again, John Bartley to the rescue. Somehow he manages to get us all throught the crowd and in the door. When I say packed, I mean packed! Dancing and heels...not the best of friends. The Lyric closes at 1, so everyone is told to leave at about 12:45. Thankfully, my bed and flip-flops are waiting when I return to the dorm.

The Lyric

Fire at Stewart!

After Rocky dropped me back off at Stewart. I went upstairs and began settling in. I was busy organizing and was just getting a system going when the fire alarm goes off. Great! My first day at college and already either my dorm is on fire or someone already has pulled the fire alarm. I was foretold about the 3 a.m. fire alarms of Martin and Stockard! At least this one was at 3 p.m. So I grab my phone, student ID, and my key, and head downstairs. All of the new girls moving in are standing across the street with cell phones, ipods, keys, student IDs and computers in hand waiting to see the building go up in flames. After standing in the hot sun for about 2 minutes, I become impatient and just walk up to some girls and introduce myself. After a few minutes everyone else gets the gist and we have an introduction circle. My neighbors, with the boxes piled to the ceiling in the hall, are from New Orleans! Nicole and Maggie! They are really the only girls outside who are on my floor. Nicole is in the Provost Program also, and Maggie just wanted to move in the same day as Nicole. After about 30 minutes, the fire truck pulls up and the firemen go inside to diagnose the problem. After another 10 minutes, they all agree that the building is not on fire! So we all go back to unpacking and setting up our dorm. About 10 minutes later, another fire alarm. Nicole and I decide that we can't hear it, turn up the music, and continue unpacking until an RA forces us out of our rooms. This time I decide that I can make use of the wasted time and go to Kinard Hall and get my decal. When I got back, my building was nothing but a pile of ashes, again!

Move In Day!

Today I officially became an Ole Miss Rebel! I am part of a new program at Ole Miss called the Provost Scholars Program, and one of the perks of being in this program is moving in a day before the general move in. I am living in Stewart Hall with my roommate, Abbie Sandifer, from Greenville. My wonderful brother-in-law, Rocky, helped me move in while my sisters, Royann and Ashley, and Mom went to the furniture market in Tupelo. As soon as we get here, we have to park on the really steep hill beside my dorm to unload. This was a challenge! I had to hold the dolly to keep it from rolling down the steep sidewalk while Rocky loaded my boxes onto it. The elevators were so small that only about two people, who were carrying dorm stuff upstairs, could fit in them. Thank goodness there weren't that many others moving in today too.
Abbie was already moved in because she has to train for her job at the Turner Center a few days before school starts on Monday. When Rocky and I finished bringing the storage boxes upstairs, I thought Abbie was about to die. Her eyes got so big, and she asked, "Is all this yours?". Now my hanging clothes needed to be gotten out of the car. For this challenge Rocky had the remedy. Rocky and I toted the probably fifty pound car hanging rack over our shoulders down the steep hill and into the dorm. On our way in the door this lady passes us and tells her daughter that they should do the same thing. While we are waiting for the two small elevators, still holding the fifty pound rack of my clothes, I see the same lady out of the corner of my eye. What is she doing? She is holding a hanging rack full of her daughters clothes over her shoulder.
Our closets in Stewart are VERY SMALL! Our hanging area is probably 2 feet x 2 feet. This poses a challenge for a hanging rack full of clothes. All I can say in defense for my hanging clothes is thank God for wonder hangers! My shoes, however, now live a crowded life piled on top of each other in this four square foot space; and I only brought 1/3 of them!
As we carry this last load of my stuff upstairs, I notice that I am not the only light packer on our floor. My neighbors right next door have boxes piled to the ceiling on both sides of the hall. This made me feel so much better.
Rocky and I went to Nagoya for Japanese after we stuffed everything in my room. I ate sushi, and, of course, Rocky ate hibachi. What is it with men and sushi? I'm just curious? After lunch, Rocky took me back to the dorm and said his goodbyes. I was on my own! What did I do my first night in Oxford? I went to bed at 10:00!