fresh as freshman

I am sitting in the "Student Union" listening to an Indie musician play a live show. This is so much fun.

College so far has been amazing. I'm trying to be as involved as possible and am succeeding so far.

I auditioned and got accepted into the campus improv comedy group: Rice Pilaf. Only 3 students were accepted into the group, so I feel honored to be one of them. Our first show is in a week. I'm so excited!

Me and another student may be having our own radio show for the campus-wide radio. He'd be the anchor and I'd be comedic backup. We'd have a few shows a week for an hour slot. It sounds kind of difficult, but i think I would love it like nothing else.

I joined intrameaural (i think I spelled that wrong, but I really don't care) football. But, I think I will be quitting it because everyone "plays angry". It's ten steps past competative. Already (it's flag football keep in mind) there has been a broken leg, a broken collar bone, two black eyes, a dislocated shoulder, and a broken arm. Yeah. I dropped it because it's no fun. Afterwards I just feel mad.

But, other than that, I still have a blossoming social life that sometimes prohibits a doctor's recommended 8+ hours of REM sleep for the average college student.

I am in an "airband competition" with some guys on my floor. It is where a floor gets together and choreographs a dance and lip-syncs to a popular song, creates a crazy background to the stage, makes band instruments out of nothing, makes crazy costumes, and performs their hearts out. It is awesome. 17 floors tried out, 11 were accepted. We were accepted.
Over 15 hours of choreography paid off.

I got a job as a tutor. Usually freshmen can't tutor, but they made an exception. I feel really special. But, it's like having another full time 4 credit hour class. For example, (I am a tutor for reading comprehension in general, so I can get students in any class). I have to read the material that they are reading before we meet, and I am not in their classes. I was just assigned someone who has a test on Wednesday, and the test is over a book and a half, and I need to know a bunch of definitions and stuff. So, I need to know all that by Sunday. I get paid for it, but it's so hard. So, i'm learning to balance my time well but make time for personal enjoyment.

Yesterday I was like: "I need some Ben time". So, I ignored my homework and spent time in my room, wrote, watched a TV show, and just sat and thought for a while. Afterwards I felt so refreshed and ready to tackle my homework.

Needless to say, although I have a bunch to juggle in my busy schedule, I am having a blast doing so.

and here it goes

College life is interesting to say the least. Where else can you eat at a buffet style commons area three meals a day, blast music and no one complaining, visit friends at 2am and learn so much that business will be like: "Woah" when they see my resume.

That's Taylor University for ya.

The guys on my wing (about 35 of them) are really nice, we went on a wing retreat to someone's house and hung out and bonded. It was a nice way to start off the semester.

Now, clases have started and have been going for a week. I've already read over 200 pages, completed 5 tests, written an essay, and plently of random assignments. They push us hard to say the least. I have about 4 hours at the very least of homework a day. But, hey, it's fun, and i'm learning a lot.

The "city" is soo small. But, i've already imprinted into my subconscious that I will not be going to any social establishments while i'm at college aside from the campus provided entertainments.

I already have a ton of friends, and we hang out like three times a day. Two of my friends already had a DTR (define the relationship) walk. Hahaha. I thought that was halaarriioouss. First week and they fell for each other. My roommate is goo-goo for a random girl. He's been hanging out and talking with her all the time. He's planning on getting her flowers.

I think i like my approach the best. I am simply being myself and making a ton of awesome friends without making relationships complicated by drama. I've been dubbed the "ladies man" of the entire floor of my dorm. Haha. I think that's halarious. But, all the girls I hang out with are almost all attracted to some other random freshman dudes, which I'm glad about or else it could get awkward.

I'm sick with a cold. I've gotten a lot better; already two girls invited me over for tea with them, one for a movie night, and one just to hang out and talk because I didn't feel well.

So, i've been busy. Between reading systematic theology and critical approaches to literature, studying for tests and writing reports, i've had plenty of time for a social life, and i've been getting a minimum of 7 hours of sleep a night.

I heard it said that there are 3 goals for a college student: Good grades/acedemia, social life, and sleep. And it is only possible to have two of the three goals at the same time. So far i've managed to have all three, but we'll see how long that lasts. The way my Spanish teacher has been pushing us, I think I may need to pull a few 4am nights memorizing abstract preterite verbs.

But, overall, college is fun. The people are amazing. I've gotten closer to God. I've been able to have amazing walks and talks with Him and just hang out by myself. I've been able to get some really close guy and girl friends. I am really looking forward to this semester.