This isn't Point Loma official. This is just a random blog, written by a random girl, living her dream at Point Loma Nazarene University. Enjoy!
August 24, 25 2012:
See that date up there? For over 500 (definitely a horrible guesstimate) incoming freshman, this date is HUGE. We've planned and prepared for this weekend for a long time.
I've been here for a week already.
Let me explain. I'm on the PLNU cross country team and we've been here since last Friday for training camp. Let me also point out that I've never run for a team before. Ever. And I've been home schooled for the past 12 years of my education. Two firsts in the beginning of this new "life chapter". Here goes nothing right?
Training camp has actually turned out to be fun! Ten new freshman girls (woohoo!). Let me tell you, that made for a pretty awkward first 2 days. But now? These are some of the coolest girls that I could be stuck on a team with. Actually, I'm totally in love with the entire team! But us "fresh meat" runners have had fun getting to know each other in some of the most random ways, connecting on weird levels, and getting spoiled with our first actual training rooms! (hello whirlpool ice baths!) Our coach is pretty awesome too. He's not the youngest coach in the bunch, but hey, it keeps things interesting.
Back to NSO, New Student Orientation for those of you who didn't know.
I was woken up pretty early by screams from all of the student workers who were welcoming each and EVERY one of the cars coming into the parking lots. Great. Maybe I shouldn't have stayed out late the night before. Oh well.
I was greeted by my upper class men neighbors with "this is going to be like Christmas for you!" And yes, they were very right.
Since I already moved in, my NSO move-in experience was a tad different than most's.
I spent those first few hours meeting up with friends, checking out their various rooms, connecting with people, going through what I like to call "the super friendly wind tunnel of check-in." Introducing myself, where I'm from, and my major became second nature in that crazy 10 mins that it took to get from one end of the Caf to the other side. But hey, it's how you should register a bagillion freshman in a short few hours.
I think I walked from one end of campus to the other a solid 8 or so times. Speed walking is something I will have to capitalize on here at Loma.
I also got to joke around with the various sports teams that were helping everyone move their stuff, practicing saying hi to everyone(I'll need it if I ever became a student worker), and I even got to go on a recycling run in a cool little blue recycle truck with one of the guys from the campus recycling/SustainPLNU crew, who just HAPPENS to be a close friend of mine. It was pretty awesome.
Then after all of that came the actual frenzy of all of the things that were on the schedule for that day. Greetings from university staff, meeting your professors, and no one can forget the good old Get Acquainted Party. Or GAP. Or as all of the freshman now know it as the Get AWKWARD Party/speed dating. Going through that spirit tunnel and cheering like crazy with my friends on the bleachers was definitely an experience that I'll never forget. It was like Homecoming. But just for us freshies.
And even after all of THAT we still had our first "time out" with worship music and got to know our hall mates a little bit better at the "Know Your Neighbor" hall meeting. I for one am blessed with an AWESOME hall and RA. This year is going to be so much fun. Seriously.
You would think after all of that I would be completely wiped. Which I was. So I walked around campus until 1 the next morning. I don't recommend doing that, just so you know.
Then this morning was a little easier. Because the parents were finally getting the hang of things, the dorm rooms were getting a little cozier, and we freshman were finally exhausted. The morning was pretty much spent in the chapel getting loaded with even MORE information, and the afternoon has been nothing but club/group sign ups.(I may have signed up for a bit too much stuff...) Oh and FREE STUFF. A lot of free stuff.
Looking at my schedule now, I realize that I should be at dinner. Oops! I'm sure I'll get the hang of balancing everything out sooner or later! And the night is still young, there's still some NSO to get done. So I'll end this for now.
I just want to say thank you to ALL of the student workers, university staff, and all of you wicked cool freshman for giving me something to write about. This is going to be a great year! And I hope it never gets too crazy that I can't keep this little blog up ;)
Ta ta for now everyone!
-Em
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