Holy Crap! It's been a crazy week! I left Aspen for college on Monday. It was sad and I don't think that its sunk in yet.

Packing up the car to go was quite an adventure all by itself. I had too huge purple duffels full of clothes and way more random assorted boxes than I had originally planned. But Steve is a genie with the car and he got most of it in the trunk area. Then we were able to put everything that we needed access to during the trip in the backseat.

The drive was fine. On the first day I was really tire, so I tried to sleep as much as possible. I watched some Sports Night and we listened to some music. We ate breakfast at the Golden Burro Cafe in Leadville. It was kinda weird...There were these "Please keep your children under control signs every few feet and a strange and slightly angry help wanted sign saying that people with facial tattoos or no clocks or watches or who only wanted money for drugs and were going to quit with notice or who only wanted money to pay for concert tickets and would be asking for a lot of time off need not apply. We stopped for the night in Omaha, Nebraska and ate at a ....well I can't remember the name of it, but they had decent pie. It was late when we got there, but I have to say a far as I could tell there is nothing in Omaha. Steve is not terrifically good at following the GPS, but with my help we only got lost once (and I was asleep when it happened so I had nothing to do with it). The second day was pretty simple. There was a tiny bit of confusion when we were almost to Glenview, but we straightened it out and arrived without getting lost. We talked more this day about politics and life and what I thought it was good. Steve and I got along fine and everything went well, but I prefer driving with mom, because with her you can listen to music and talk.

When we arrived in Glenview, I saw Lucas for the second time. Lucas is my 13 month old cousin who is the size of a two year old. He is very mobile. I was staying in the basement of my grandparents' house in Glenview on the pullout couch in front of a giant television. It was fun.

The day after I got to town (Wednesday), I went to visit my friend Sydney at Lake Forest College. I was driven to the North Glenview train station and got on a train heading north. I stayed on the train for three stops getting off at the fourth a station called Lake Forest. I looked around for my friend and found no one waiting. I called her and she said she was waiting at the train station. I looked again and still couldn't find her. Finally she went inside and asked the man if there were two Lake Forest stations. It turns out there were. I was at the West Lake Forest station and she was at the Downtown Lake Forest station. I ended up having to take a cab to get to her. We walked from the downtown train station to her dorm. I looked around her dorm and met her roommate. Then we went and ate in the dining hall (they had really good caesar salad). We talked a lot. She was having a hard time adjusting, but it seems to be a little better now that classes have started. When we were done hanging out, I had to take a cab back to the West Lake Forest station to take a train back to Glenview. I got back to Glenview and had to shower again because we were taking Christmas pictures. I had a mini breakdown for like no reason at all. My Aunt Nancy made dinner and it was very good and we all took fantabulous pictures. My Uncle Tim, Aunt Nancy and their kids Lily and Jack got me a bin with stuff for my room. We also celebrated the birthdays of Aunt Nancy, Uncle Brian and Lucas.

The next day (Thursday) was the big shopping day. My mom and Steve and I went to Pearle Vision, Costco and Target. First we went to Costco. We bought this awesome Shag blanket and lightbulbs and lots of batteries. Then we went to Pearle Vision to look at glasses. There were one pair at Costco that were okay, but nothing I really liked. We had been in Pearle Vision for about half an hour when the salesperson suggested that we pop the sunglass lenses out of a pair of Ray Bans and I was sold. After my mom had a little altercation with the salesperson we bought my glasses. Then we went to Target. We bought so much at Target it was ridiculous. We did two laps!! After Target we went to Steak and Shake for a late lunch. I had chicken fingers, because we were going to eat dinner in a short while and I didn't want to be too full.

We went to Giordano's for dinner and I dropped a piece of pizza in my lap. I am such a klutz. When we got back to the house, we organized the cars and made plans for the morning.

Friday was Moving Day!!!!!! We got up and were out the door by 7:15am. We drove from my Grandparents' house to my dorm. We had to do it in two cars and two people per car. We got to the University Center around 8:30am (half an hour early) and pulled right into the alley where we were given two carts and assisted in packing all of our stuff into it. While my family and the RAs did that I was instructed on where to take my bike. Then I met my family at the elevators and we all went up to my floor and were guided to my room. I was the first one here, so I got to pick my side of the room. I chose the side closest to the windows, which face south just like my windows at home. I unpacked my books and DVDs and made my bed. Then I went down to finish the official check-in process. We had to walk around and get our card stamped at each station. I got my key card for my room and my key for my closet (I'm not really sure why I need a key for my closet, but okay). I also got my mailbox combo and let me tell you, these mailboxes are not easy to open. I finished my process and was unpacking the rest of my stuff when my roommate arrived. She brought her entire family: mom, step-dad, grandmother, older sister, younger sister, younger brother, and two cousins. She didn't however bring much stuff. I have so much here to make me comfortable and remind me of home and then I look out the window and remember how far away I am. I stuffed everything in my closet and then we went to Target again. There is a two story Target in downtown Chicago and we got cubbies to put by the refrigerator for food and under my desk for drawers. We got a harp for my lamp and little drawers for on top of my desk and several more bins for toiletries and stuff. After we got my room all set up, we took pictures for my grandma and for Facebook. Papa had to leave to go help my grandmother babysit Lucas. My mom and step-dad and I went to Girodano's for dinner again. Then they walked me back to my room and I signed them in as guests and they came up for a little while and then I walked them out.

On Saturday, I got up around 9am and called my mom. She said that they were going to pick up my new glasses and then come down. When she got here she arrived with another shelving unit and another bin for under my bed. We set up the other shelving unit and then went to go get my books. First we stopped and I opened a bank account, because my previous bank only has locations in Colorado. Then we walked over to the bookstore and found that we needed a printed copy of my schedule and we didn't have it. Instead we logged on to Oasis with my mom's Blackberry. We got all my school books, and I didn't rent them I bought them. I found out that for First Year Seminar I'm reading Frankenstein, Things Fall Apart and The House on Mango Street. I read The House on Mango Street my freshman year of high school and Things Fall Apart my junior year. I just find that really funny. Then we walked back to my dorm, so that I could drop off my books. Then we walked all the way across the world to go to Maggiano's for lunch. After lunch we stopped at Pearle Vision and got my glasses adjusted. Then we went to Navy Pier. We were at Navy Pier for maybe an hour before I got fed up. I was tired and there were a tone of people, so we made our way back to my dorm. I said goodbye to parents and that was hard. I 'm going to miss them. I came back upstairs and went to dinner at the cafeteria and then I watched Sports Night. Now it is time for bed goodnight.

West Wing, Joe Walker of A Very Potter Musical and EMERGENCY!

I watched West Wing until 1am. The stupid thing is that I now have to
work and I was watching the 7th season, when I left off in the middle
of the fourth. It’s actually pretty good. The problem is that I
don’t really like any of the characters. There was this one Latino
character working on Vinick’s campaign that I liked, but he quit. I’m
hoping that he’ll go to work on the Santos campaign, but he’s a
republican so… Anyway, it’s weird having the team broken up. I miss
Donna and Sam and CJ. Well, CJ’s there, but it’s different. She’s
different. I prefer the original dynamic. I don’t really like the
new press secretary, she seems bitchy. Vinick is kind of an asshole.
I don’t like him, but that could have something to do with the fact
that I don’t like his politics or the way he campaigns. I like the
season, because the writing is still interesting, but it’s a funny
experience being attached to so few of the characters. I can’t wait
for Donna to come back, because I know Donna ends up with Josh which
is awesomeness. They were meant to be together from the first season.
But they made it okay that they weren’t together. It was never
really annoying that they weren’t together. Not like it was on
Smallville. The whole Clark/Lana relationship was so stupid. They
loved each other, but couldn’t get it together and be together, which
in some ways is good. Clark never really belonged with Lana, he
belongs with Lois, but in the first couple seasons all you want is for
Clark and Lana to be together.

Sexy Transition! (Sorry. What the Buck reference. :D) I am currently
totally obsessed with a little known actor named Joe Walker. He
played Voldedmort in A Very Potter Musical and Dolores Umbridge in A
Very Potter Sequel (both of which are on youtube). He is awesome as
both characters. He made Voldemort loveable, which is not an easy
thing to do. He is also pretty buff and shirtless for ¾ of A Very
Potter Musical. But the funny thing is that he was even more in shape
for A Very Potter Sequel and it makes his portrayal of Umbridge very
interesting. He is so funny and practically has a fan club at this
point, because he’s pretty boss. But he isn’t as famous as a lot of
the people I have crushes on and he’s way closer to my age, than
pretty much everyone, but Joe Jonas. He might actually be closer, I
don’t know when he was born. He is awesomeness in a buff package.

I’m bored and hungry and bored and hungry. I don’t feel good and my
throat is sore and apparently Strep throat is going around and so now
I am a little freaked out that I might have strep. Well, at least if
I get sick now I won’t be sick later.

I am panicking just a little bit about packing my room up. I have too
much stuff and not enough time. I don’t know how I am going to pack
it all. It’s pretty overwhelming. There is stuff everywhere and even
as I put things in boxes, it doesn’t even seem to be making a dent. I
am having a very hard time. I don’t know what to do. I am trying,
but it just doesn’t seem to go anywhere. I work all day and I don’t
make any progress. I just want to start dumping things in boxes. I
wish I could get it empty, but I try and it’s just not happening. I
don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to make it work I just want
to get some where I need to try to have everything that isn’t going
with me packed by Monday. I need help and I can’t get anyone to help
me. I need a voice of reason. I am going to beg her to help tonight
and hopefully I can convince, because I need to have two really
productive days this weekend. I need to get somewhere because as
stupid as this sounds feeling productive makes me motivated. I know
right how backwards is that. I feel like I’m drowning in stuff and no
matter what I do I can’t get out. I’m swimming as hard as I can, but
there isn’t visible shore in any direction. I know it’s there
somewhere I just can’t see it. Ok…that metaphor got a little awkward.
I am so… I’m not tired per say I feel like I got sucked into a gel
goopy substance and I’m stuck in this weird floating world where
nothing happens and everything is boring. I know…doesn’t that sound
like so much fun (*sarcasm*).

Now I’m back from lunch and I’m full and tired and bored. This day is
oddly busy and slow. It’s actually kind of annoying. I drink more
water in one day at work than I do in a whole week otherwise. It’s
like how I eat when I’m bored. It’s something to do. I just found
out that Governor Schwarzenegger supports gay marriage. That makes me
ridiculously happy.

I AM BORED! The phone just rang! JOY OF ALL JOYS! I had something
to do for approximately 30 seconds. We had to call the paramedics.
They just got here and it wasn’t nearly as exciting as it would have
been if this was a movie. If this was a movie there would have been
panic and screaming and such and as it was everyone was just very
calm. It’s more fun the other way. But perhaps not so good for the
paitent, although if it’s a movie there’s nothing really wrong with
him.

Orientation at Columbia College Chicago

I'm telling you, they should call this registration. I went thinking that I was going to get a tour and stuff like that, which though I have already had two tours I could use, but instead it was basically registration with a bunch of seminars.

When we got there in the morning, I was sent upstairs and was told to stand in a line according to the first letter of my last name. Of course my line was the longest. But it wasn't so bad standing there because there were things posted in the windows that said things like "5.5 miles to Obama's other house" and "78 yards from where Ferris started the parade" and "27 miles from where the time traveler met his wife". When I got up to the table they gave me a name tag and a blue bag and then I sent to take a picture for my Columbia ID. After that we went back to the first floor of the 1104 S. Wasbash building, which is the film building and apparently the oldest surviving skyscraper in the world (or something like that), and there was a speech. After the speech, we were split into groups and went to go do an icebreaker. I thought we were going to do one of the theatre icebreakers that I was used to, but all we did was the name game (say your name, your focus and one interesting thing about you).

After about 15 minutes we went back to the building and split up again to go to our seminars. My mom and I went to a financial aid seminar and then ended up siting through the next one, because the presenter wouldn't answer our question and the answer ended up being "click on this link". Then we went to a on-campus job seminar. The presenter there was also not very helpful, but afterwords we had an orientation leader named Caitlin chase us down the street and answer our question. She was very nice and energetic and a little more the type of person that I had expected to find.

On a side note, I discovered that I am more outgoing than most of the film majors. I think it is a direct result of my theatre experiences and friends. I never really hung out with the "film people," because there were none at my high school. I just hung out with the closest thing I could find. They were typical theatre people: outgoing and funny and creative and crazy and weird and awesome. To hang out with them you have to become like them. Not that its exactly a chore, because it all about expressing yourself. Besides all that, I was in IB Theatre (my hardest IB class) and I had to learn to get over things that were embarrassing and just do it. You can prepare all you want, but once you are onstage, you just have to go with it. Improv is key. Well at orientation, without even thinking about it, that training kicked in. I was nervous beforehand and I stressed about my outfit and what I should say, but once I was there I just went with it. I was just myself. I didn't feel scared or nervous anymore, because this was me and I couldn't do anything to change it. So, together my friends and my favorite class helped me be a more confident person.

On with the show, then we went to lunch. As I was walking to pick up my sandwich I broke my shoe. So then during lunch I had to walk 9 city blocks (7/10 of a mile) in one shoe. We went to a Payless and I wanted to just replace my shoes, so I didn't have to think about it, but they only had them in pink and I don't like pink, so I never would have worn them again. On the way back I had a small panic attack, because we had almost know time left, but caught a cab and made it back in plenty of time. Then we went off to pick our classes. First they talked about the required number of credits and types of classes and such and then they talked about film foundations which are the first year classes that all film majors are expected to take. They kept telling us that what we took was up to us and that we had to choose and be independent, but it turned out that we had four required first semester classes and so there really was no choice.

After we registered (which wasn't that hard and took some people way too long), we went to Grant Park and played Two truths and a lie. It was mildly shocking to me that there were people who didn't know what this game was. After that we picked up our Columbia IDs and were free to go.

At the end of the day it felt like a long way to go to click a couple of buttons on the computer. But I had fun and I met a girl who seems pretty nice and lives on my floor, her name is Hayley. After we were officially done, we went to the Columbia Computer Store and bought my film and Mircosoft office software, as well as an external hard drive. Then we popped into the Chicago public library and then went and had Giordano's for dinner. When I got back to my Grandparents, I crashed hardcore and ended up sleeping for more than 12 hours. All in all I'm glad I went.