Oct 15, 2007
A Season's Change
I walked out of Morrill this morning with my head down, rushing, unkempt, not really talking to anyone. I felt slightly like Russel Crowe in A Beautiful Mind when he stumbles through the courtyard at Princeton yelling, "You're not real! You're not real!" Except I'm not at Princeton, and I'm like that every morning. Usually, I wallow in a kind of strange self pity for having chosen an early class that's a mile's walk from my dorm. It's gotten to be a part of my routine. Get up, shower, brush teeth, clothes, shoes?, no, sandals, iPod, Wilco!!, maybe breakfast, elevator, out the door, deep breath, and wallow. It's really quite sad, but today was different. This morning felt like fall, and I cannot describe to you how good that makes me feel.
I just got back from New Orleans, where I spent my fall break. I had a good time with my family--we went out to eat a lot, drove by my dad's school, went to a few small shops in the city, and watched movies. More importantly than New Orleans though, I just got back from the airport in Nashville. I think I could sit there all day; it's so interesting and busy. I had a great time listening to music (Adam Waddell), reading (Blue Like Jazz), and watching the people jogging so importantly to their flights, making up life stories for all of them in my head, trying to decide where they were all going and for what reason.
I wonder if any of them saw me and thought, "There's a kid who is going to a home he doesn't really know in a city he's never lived in before." See, my parents moved this past summer to New Orleans, because my dad is starting this really incredible school down there, and before that we lived in Collierville, outside of Memphis. I really miss my friends there. Even before I knew that they would be moving, I remember being really freaked out about leaving people behind in Collierville. I think that has been one of the hardest things about college thus far. You would think living within five square miles of 26,000 people all about your age would be an easy time, but it's really not.
Think about it, I've known some of those people from home since second grade, and it's hard to not see them that often. UT is big, and it feels big sometimes. If you go here, get involved in something and make new friends, because you can't always live with your heart in two places. I think if it weren't for RUF, people that I already knew before coming here, my roommates, and mainly God I would have gone crazy by now. I kind of feel like you are sitting there saying, "You just listed about fifty people." But it's a big void to fill. Yeah, that's been the hardest thing about college.
But then I woke up this morning and noticed it was fall, which reminds me that the seasons change, and fall is just as good as Summer. It's even better, because it changed, and the cool is so much cooler after Summer than in the Spring. Maybe college is the same, right? Even if it's not, the trees are pretty, and that's something, right?
I just got back from New Orleans, where I spent my fall break. I had a good time with my family--we went out to eat a lot, drove by my dad's school, went to a few small shops in the city, and watched movies. More importantly than New Orleans though, I just got back from the airport in Nashville. I think I could sit there all day; it's so interesting and busy. I had a great time listening to music (Adam Waddell), reading (Blue Like Jazz), and watching the people jogging so importantly to their flights, making up life stories for all of them in my head, trying to decide where they were all going and for what reason.I wonder if any of them saw me and thought, "There's a kid who is going to a home he doesn't really know in a city he's never lived in before." See, my parents moved this past summer to New Orleans, because my dad is starting this really incredible school down there, and before that we lived in Collierville, outside of Memphis. I really miss my friends there. Even before I knew that they would be moving, I remember being really freaked out about leaving people behind in Collierville. I think that has been one of the hardest things about college thus far. You would think living within five square miles of 26,000 people all about your age would be an easy time, but it's really not.
Think about it, I've known some of those people from home since second grade, and it's hard to not see them that often. UT is big, and it feels big sometimes. If you go here, get involved in something and make new friends, because you can't always live with your heart in two places. I think if it weren't for RUF, people that I already knew before coming here, my roommates, and mainly God I would have gone crazy by now. I kind of feel like you are sitting there saying, "You just listed about fifty people." But it's a big void to fill. Yeah, that's been the hardest thing about college.
But then I woke up this morning and noticed it was fall, which reminds me that the seasons change, and fall is just as good as Summer. It's even better, because it changed, and the cool is so much cooler after Summer than in the Spring. Maybe college is the same, right? Even if it's not, the trees are pretty, and that's something, right?
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8 Comments:
ok so alex i was super excited when i was filling out my application and i just so happened to look over to the left of my screen and see you! i was like OH i know him! haha. but anywho, i have a couple of acquaintances who are attending UTK this year and a couple more who are wanting to go there. so i applied. im ready to see whether or not i get accepted. I'm glad you like UTK. Good Luck with everything!
Hi Alex, I really like reading your blog. I'm from Mount Sinai, NY and an accepted student at UT for the Spring 2008 semester. I like you will be a freshman and am so happy that someone else feels the same way about college as I do. I must tell you that I too applied to Washington University in St. Louis and am going to UT, your the only person I've spoken to that is at UT and I will continue to read your blogs to hear about all the wonderful things happening at UT! UT must look beautiful in the fall, the picture looks really nice! Hope to meet you one day in January when I arrive! Keep blogging! :)
I was so excited to see your blog as I was on the website. I hope you are liking ut! I am completely lost on the essay topic for the Chancellor scholarship and was wondering if you had any advice to share!
Thanks, Lesley. Nice "Elf" quote, PS. I'm sure you'll be fine. Way to apply early, overachiever.
Thanks for the feedback, Bree. I hope UT is what you want when you get here. This is going to be my first fall here, but if it's anything like Memphis, I'm sure I can take so many more pictures before the season is over. I took that one on my way to class in the morning. I see it every day. Wow, now I really do sound like I work for the admissions department.
As for the essay, I'm going to have to look into that. If I haven't posted anything about it within a week, yell at me.
alex, i currently work at ut and enjoy the blog. like you, i came from shelby county. if you get the time, and haven't done so already, sneak away to the smoky mountains one weekend. if you like the outdoors, it's a world of endless entertainment and facination.
Hi,Alex,I am from China,wanna apply for admssion to biochemistry or pharmacology,any advice for me,really appreciated about that
The Nashville airports is by far one of the coolest. Did you walk by a guitar-playing Country singer?
I'm enjoying your blogs. Keep writing. I hope to see all these blogs end up being a book someday, Mr. English Major.
See you in class!
I'm glad you're enjoying autumn so much and that you love UT.
I'm even more excited that you love writing this, I know how frustrating classes can be for you, it's good to see you able to write this way...
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