Now that the semester is over, I can’t claim schoolwork as an excuse for not posting–although I can say that at times, I just don’t feel like posting. Sometimes sitting in front of my computer is just not where I want to be. I certainly manage to do enough of it without posting, anyway.
I see that the last post was back over Thanksgiving break, after the soccer victory over Notre Dame. As most people must know by now, the team went on to win over Penn State in a (nerve-racking) shootout, and then to beat UCLA 4-0 in the championship match. It was hardly a game, with the first goal scored at 1:32 into the game, and the score 3-0 by the half. Still, there was celebration. The Drum Squad had showed up in force at the live “watch party” in the Chiles Center, and after the game, we went outside to ring (and actually, break) the victory bell that we traditionally ring after a win, and then we paraded all around campus. We went by the 6 dorms, and even decided to go into the commons and walk around the perimeter. Let me tell you, all those drums in there sounded impressive, that’s for sure. About 20 m inutes later, we arrived in Villa. Certainly a day to remember.
So many things have happened this semester, I can’t make up my mind which of them to try and type, and which to leave for later (which will likely be never). A few recent notes-Finals week was quite busy, and I ended up with three finals on Wednesday, never fun. All in all, I think I did pretty well, but I will find out later in the week, when final grades are posted online.
I’m currently listening to the latest CD from a a capella group called On the Rocks, a student group from UO. They’ve become quite popular around the dorm, even though we’ve never heard them in person. It’s a few hour trip, but would be worth it. I bought their most recent CD, and have been listening to it more or less non-stop ever since it arrived on Thursday. So far, everyone that’s heard it has liked it quite a bit, too.
The semester has been pretty fun, overall. I’ve been spending a lot of time with a group of friends, so it’ s been good. I’m also getting along with Cean pretty well–I’m not exaggerating much when I say that I have the best roommate I could ask for.
When I get to thinking about my college experience, at least in social terms, I see that I have had three more or less distinct semesters. The first was perhaps a “getting to know” (the school and myself) sort of semester. People I was likely to hang out with were Nik’s friends, generally. Somewhere near the end of the semester, things must have changed, although it was a pretty gradual change.
Second semester last year was a beginning to “fit in” sort of semester, where I found a group of friends I was more comfortible with, and attempted to integrate myself into that group. As Jake had asked me several times, I decided to go to Stible Buddy (the dorm Bible Study) for the first time, and rather liked it. I began to make a few friends through there, and would often come away with several things to think about. By the end of the semester, I was no longer an outsider, although I was neither a core member of the group.
Third semester (this last one), I began more or less where I left off, and advanced from there. For a while I was feeling as if I was back into the old routine, as Cean was better friends with about everyone that I was friends with, or so it seemed. But as time went on, I developed a few of my own friendships, and activities, and so on, and also got to be better friends with many of the people I was with last year.
This next semester may well be different again. I should begin where I left off, but there’s one more person. Michael R. has spent last semester studying in Granada, Spain, and will be back next semester. He’s good friends with several people in the dorm, and has kept in touch with them, but I have not been in touch with him. I don’t think his coming will be bad, but I think if will change the dynamic enough to make this next semester distinct from the previous one. There’s other issues with him coming, too, but I think they’re mostly in my head. In fact, I think a lot of what I notice occurring is actually just me forcing my hypotheses on the situation, and thinking that it fits. But I digress.
All of a sudden, it’s gotten a lot later than I had planned to stay up, so I think I’ll call it a night. Until next time, which could well be in 2006,
–Nathan