freshmen

One cool thing about being back at school is that I'm not a freshman anymore. Not being a freshman means I can see them as they are. i.e. Hilarious.

It really does impress me how they get around. We (the cool non-freshman masses) make fun of them for traveling in packs, but I can't think of a better way for them to arrange themselves. Each of them know a little tiny bit about Brown, and all of their knowledge together (if their pack is sufficiently large) might add up to the competence of one whole normal person! It really is fascinating. They just run around asking each other questions.

"Does anyone know where I change my meal plan?"

"Does anyone know where Smith Buononononono is?"

"Does anyone know how to get a package?"

"Does anyone know anyone who lives in Perkins?" (No.)

"Does anyone know what kind of tree this is?"

I totally remember doing this. Once, on my first weekend in college after classes started, I stumbled out of some frat (I don't even know where I was. DTau? DPhi? One of those) and wanted to go home, except... where was home? I turned to a group of complete strangers standing outside having a cigarette or something and asked pretty much the most embarrassing freshman question ever.

"Can anyone tell me how to get back to Keeney?"

And, I mean, I'm sure I entertained them, but I did make it all the way back to Keeney (a whole half-block, if you can believe it). That's what one has to do for the first little while. The first months of college, I'm almost certain, are there to break you a little bit so that you can handle yourself later on.

And so that the rest of us can laugh at you. Sorry.

Love always,
Clara