Sunday, August 26, 2007

basking in good ol berkeley berzerkeley

i'm in berkeley and loving everything about it. wow, to think that the past two years have been the most life-changing and defining years of my life, im so excited to find what's in store here.

i moved into my new place, it's wonderful. the location is perfect, only two blocks from campus, the gym, shattuck and telegraph where all the major shops and eateries are, i can't ask for more. the apartment's great..big kitchen which was probably most important for me when searching for a place and my own room for the first time.
a little preview:

my huge desk..

this is bear territory..



and that 'tis my room! via my macbook photobooth. i would certainly have more pictures had my little sister tiffany rightfully return my digital camera.

anyhow, that's only the beginning of berkeley and how great it is..this past week was welcome week and it was so exciting. i thought twice about going to the chancellor's reception for new students, but decided i had nothing better to do, and i'm so glad i did because i met a handful of really good friends i'm hoping to get to know better, and it's so exciting because at that event i was a small fish in a sea of freshmen, and coi, do they like to swim in schools, all by my lonesome self, i go up to the president of the student body and tell him i'm interested and that i'm a transfer, and then i turn around and there's a group of transfer students and i feel like i'm in heaven. yayy. i was so excited to see other students, like me. hah. silly, but it was very comforting. their names are kathrine, hugo, dennie, beth and frances. we spent the next couple days of welcome week together..holy moly for all the free stuff they like to give away at cal. i think i have enough pens, highlighters, stickies, water bottles and notebooks to last me this school year. oh and there are a bajillion student clubs that i want to join and way too many list-servs that i signed up for, but having gone through them all i think i am most serious about the cooking club and kalx, the radio station on campus..sounds interesting. and surely i'll participate in all that political/social/environmental happenings on campus, that's just a given.

i have to remember to keep focussed on studies and know that i can't possibly do everything although i want to every time. oh, and about working! i'm a work-aholic and ive realized, i got a job as the communications assistant at Berkeley's Boalt School of Law, but turned it down because it's an actual job, which i was really pumped about having discussed the responsibilities, i just know this being my first semester, i should take it easy. bummer. but i did get accept a job as the office assistant for the Academic Senate, and hey it's clerical work, it's brainless but having interned for barbara, it needs to be done. and as my supervisor, terry said, i can save the brains for the studies. i'm liking the job already.

campus is beautiful, so many trees and lawns i'll be cozing with a book or two, and the town is epic. at the farmers market yesterday they had not only trash and recylble bins but compost bins! i'm going to work with the city on getting the same at my apartment complex. hooray. at the flea market, i got a bike for veinticinco dolares! 25 bucks, not too shabby i just need a good lock, and those cost a bit more, but i can't wait to explore more on wheels, the 2wheel kind. i'm so happy, i can't even sleep much because each day there's something new to look forward to, something new to be excited about. at the moment i'm sore but still really happy. i took my first kickboxing class at rsf (our rec sports facilities) and am aching all over. the good-youknowyou'redevelopingmuscles-and gettinginshape kine of sore. it just hurts.

the bay area is also beautiful. so much more to explore. dylan and i went to palomarin in pt. reyes, near bolinas, this really exclusive hippie beach community. we did some hiking and had a picnic at bass lake. i like dylan.

last night was a welcoming night, i hosted my first of what will be many dinner parties. i invited some of my new friends and my old, mariel (from ghs and pcc!) funny, we're all transfers, even my roommates ric and isa. and we cooked a spanish feast, paella and patatas bravas with alioli..oh it was so good and no one knew it was all vegan! even the alioli, typically a mayonaise-base, but i put my magic bullet to work and puréed firm tofu with olive oil and garlic and it tasted so much like the alioli from jaleo, mm garlic, and of course there was red wine to compliment the meal. :)

a little taboo..

and apples to apples, only the funnest game in the world with some seriously silly debating..


good food, music games and best of all, friends. splendid night.

i remember having moved in on my first day here, i was walking that sunday morning on university drive and it occurred to me that i'm in berkeley, and i'm not just here for a visit or a debate tournament or some kickass animal rights conference. i'm here because i'm a cal bear. i'm going to attend berkeley. i'm going to be living here for the next two years of my LIFE. everything i had learned and worked so hard for in the past six years has paid off, all those books about ecofeminism and cases i researched about the united nations that sparked my wanting to go to such a politicaly and socially progressive school like cal with a community so free and freethinking, now i'm here. and i'm party of the community. since high school i've wanted to come to berkely, it was my dream for so long and these past years have paid off for it..i can't ask for more, i'm living my dream.

2 comments:

Vanessa said...

I am SOOOOOO excited and happy for you. You're apartment sounds top-knotch. Can't wait to visit!

Unknown said...

whiteorchid1@gmail.com

Hello Connie,

I just saw you on my group for the 30 corp on CS.

We should talk

http://whiteorchid.wordpress.com/about/

Ryan