The School Year Begins

When I was an Assistant Hall Director at my alma mater, two of my staffers teased me that I spoke way too much with my hands. The above picture, taken as I was MC-ing the department orientation confirms as much. Every picture of me has some element of hand movement - at times, it looks like I'm attempting flight. I'm Italian; that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

Today's move-in day. Approximately 7000 freshman and their anxiety-ridden parents are moving into the dorms today, throwing the entire city of Bloomington into a frenzy. Traffic has been rerouted, out-of-town visitors are driving the wrong way on one-way streets, and there are people EVERYWHERE, which makes it an excellent day to stay home and begin the coursework that is coming. Unfortunately, grass is being planted at the House of Whelmed today so I'm spending the morning at Kroger, munching on Dunkin Donuts and attempting to finalize my syllabus.

I do like thinking that this is someone's first day of college, though, and hope their own adventures in the coming school year are meaningful, enlightening, and empowering. For today, I just wish they stay out of the way of my car.