Appreciation for College.

College is awesome. We think as high schoolers but have the freedom of an adult and parents to call on if you really mess up and a place with free food that's opened at most decent hours. Though I am much more studious here than I was in Massachusetts, I have certainly lived more. For better or for worse, I've developed a strong taste for ramen and have learned to hide a hickey with toothpaste and foundation. I've broken minor laws and had to figure out how to take care of myself when I couldn't breathe. My door is decorated with condoms as a response to some stupid penis graffiti people left on our door signs (if you're drawing a penis on my door, you better give it a condom). It's 2 AM and instead of doing my russian homework, I'm writing. I've changed my major about 30 times in the past week. I love it here.

Nobody looks at you funny when you dance to Ricky Martin and Britney Spears. When you're first starting out at school, you make friends while wearing a towel after a shower, brushing your teeth next to each other. The concept of personal hygiene has lapsed a little bit and you take more risks.

I feel myself living my life to the fullest now, and I am one happy woman for it.

Part of me still wishes that next week was Thanksgiving because I do miss Massachusetts. Down there, you have to wear a sweater outside because it's so cold. Here, you have to inside because people jack the AC way up. I want to see the leaves change, but ours only fall from hurricane damage. When the Red Sox win, people aren't partying in the streets, in fact, some people get pissed at you for wearing a sox shirt. One (extremely drunk) guy I ran into on the quad tried to pick me up today with this line, "I have a problem. I love red heads, but they're all from Boston and I'm a yankees fan". It was so weird to be their concept of a Boston girl when I am really just from North Central Mass.

And I do miss Fitchburg. More than I can say.

<3Alymay

In Sickness and In Health

So this has been the most intense week ever.

I had a bad reaction to a medication on Sunday night that landed me in Tulane Pediatric Hospital. It was really scary because Andrew and I called TEMS (the tulane EMS service) and they had to come with their oxygen tanks and everything and take me to the hospital because my chest pain was bad and I couldn't breathe. Thank God I'm doing so much better- I feel fit as a fiddle now- and am off the medication that made me sick.

That made me miss some classes in the beginning of the week, but now I'm back in the swing of things. I played in the Tulane/SMU game last night (we won!), and I got to meet some cool band kids from SMU. Tonight, the marching band and kappa kappa psi (my co-ed music honors fraternity) are taking them to the quarter:-)

All of this medical excitement did make me a little extra homesick this week. I'm so used to being in Boston and having my primary care physician easily accessible. I'm used to my mom taking care of me and taking the pain away. It's very different, but it's all a part of growing up.

Classes are going well- I've already changed my major from public health to music and (i think?) psychology. I decided I'm much more interested in mental health, and I'd really prefer to be talking through things with people than giving them medications. I am thinking about becoming a counselor, but things are still very up in the air. Right now, I'm taking bio, harmony (music theory), russian, human sexuality, and four credits of bands. Besides a few difficulties in bio, things are going fantastically.

I miss everyone back home, but I am starting to like it a lot here. And I have tons of Tulane pride, I'm excited it's homecoming week. And not just because I get to see Reel Big Fish:-)

Love,
May