For my Italian Adventures

A trip blog:
http://amhinitalia.blogspot.com/

Nel mezzo del cammin: it translates to "In the middle of the walk," and happens to be the first few words to Dante's Divine Comedy.

We shall see what unfolds.

Of Home, coming and leaving

I've been in New Jersey for...2.5 days, give or take, and am surrounded by piles of my own stuff. I'm still settling in, unpacking, and getting the lay of the land. Dead Week flew by, complete with all nighters pulled for the sake of video editing, and marathon events serving the parents of Morsels. It was good, but now it's good to be home. I've slept a lot, and enjoyed television on an actual tv.

I've rediscovered the joys of reading for the hell of it-- I'm reading a collection of david sedaris, "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim," in addition to "Breve Storia d'Italia," or a Brief History of Italy. The vocabulary is tough, but I just made it through the Punic wars relatively unscathed. It's oddly satisfying, reading in Italian-- it puts you in a different mindset, but one that is just as relaxing as reading in English. Sometimes I wonder whether I am developing a super secret Italian subpersonality that only surfaces at times of linguistic need... I suppose I'll test out this theory in Italy.

I have about two weeks until I depart for the continent. My visa is MIA. I haven't packed. But I have my textbooks, and I just get more excited as the days tick by. In a few more weeks, I'll be in the Palazzo Pubblico at a cafe, sipping an espresso, or perhaps enjoying some quality gelato. And maybe reading for my course, too.

Dead Week Continues

Things I have learned during dead week:

1. Salvaging is wonderful
2. Cooking is fun
3. Pasta is delicious
4. Swing is very far away from everything
5. The YPMB is very fun to hang out with
6. The Minibus is AWESOME

Things I still have to do:

1. Pack
2. Pack
3. Pack

The Insanity begins, or, Dubs and Pickles

Dead week has begun on Campus, with the band cozily settled in in Bingham, and I in my high tower of the North, Swing Space. It's weird being around all the abandoned rooms here, and already I realize that I probably should have just stayed with the band. But the bright side is that I'll make bunches of money while I'm here with little actual hardship, as the office is open for the hours. It's been three days since this week started and already I've racked up nearly eight hours of work; Dead week in this aspect is awesome.

I have a scooter outfitted to commute back and forth to the band, and my ID has swipe access to Bingham, for which I am thankful. Which means that I can pass back and forth between the two quite easily-- this is all I've hoped for.

And now, some quality sleep, and then a nice morning shift tomorrow. And so it begins...

I suppose I should get a move on with packing...

Free at Last

It's weird, being done this early in finals season. The first final at Yale was Tuesday, and I was done on Friday.

Now I'm packing up my things, rendering the room the blank slate it was when I moved here last august. I'm a little sad to see the walls so bare, and to see my things in disarray, but on the other hand, it only signals the greatness to come: dead week and then the summer.

It's been a good year. My grades were higher, I've done more, and I've really made some solid friendships (or solidified existing ones) that I know I'll keep for a long, long time. I've discovered the hidden value of free time (only realized when you haven't any), and I realized my loves in life included romance languages and their literature. I've been to concerts and explored New Haven, and I've really taken control of my circumstances. It's been a very good year.

And now I'm taking some quality relaxation time, and just getting my stuff together so that dead week will be amazing.

All Quiet at the Fort

There are eight of us here, holding down the fort. I have the long watch. I see people across the courtyard in their little "weenie bins," each isolated and in their own little world. Some stand and pace, others lean dejectedly, just wanting to melt into their textbooks. There is food here, and drink, despite the rules that dictate otherwise. I've traced the path of the Sun before, here, in this comfy leather chair, and seen rainstorms come and go. I've played games, written papers, and stared at paintings until Jackson Pollack made sense. And so I stay here.

Yesterday we made Finalsaurs, like last semester. The amount of effort placed here into our little play-doh formations is formidable and endearing, because in our hearts of hearts we all want to be five again.

I should probably get back to studying art history now. I'm in the stage where I have studied dates and painters ad nauseum, but don't quite feel qualified yet. Perhaps I shall reread the book now.

A new beginning

My life seems to have gotten in the way of me blogging about it. Whether this is a side effect of being busy, or whether my schedule doesn't have proper reflection time, I don't know, but in any case, so much has happened and I haven't documented any of it.

It's now finals period, as of a half hour ago, and thus tonight was the semiannual "finals fairies" run through the libraries that certain....confident folks partake in, passing out candy to the oppressed in the nude. I have yet to witness this, as I'm for whatever reason out of Bass at its moment of occurrence. Which is strange, because I live in bass.

You see, the band has a Fort that lets us collectively have a study group and a support group, all whilst pulling insane hours in the same area. Yesterday I spent 8 hours (minus about 40 minutes) in the same chair, and I made so much progress. It's how to do finals right.

April was the cruelest month for me here, in that housing happened. Like last year, it was full of drama and re-shufflings, but this year I think it was more luck than anything that alternately screwed me over and then blessed me. I am terribly excited for my room in Morse Tower next year; it's large, spacious, has a walk in closet, and a huuuuuuge built in desk that I am very very excited for. And my suite will be awesome and a wonderful place; I only hope I can spend more time there in the future.

I went to New York City with two friends today; after wandering through most of Manhattan, we finally came back to Yale and are now in various states of collapse. It's been a very good day.

And now, summer beckons, and along with it, dead week. I'm excited for this year; I feel like sophomore year is great in that I know precisely what to look forward to. And then after that? I will be in Italy for 5 weeks. I cannot wait.

Truly, this has been the best School Year EVER. I'm having the time of my life here, and can't be happier. Just, perhaps, a little less busy.

Allora, ciao. For it's time to sleep.