Day 88

So much information was processed today.  Oh my word.  This morning started out with a "New to Munice" meeting for graduate students.  Richard and I found a table with a lady named Jennifer.  Then I invited a lady from a nearby table to join us, because she was sitting by herself and all the other tables except hers were filling up.  I think her name was Stephanie.  And then about 3 other guys joined our table, but it was right before the meeting started, so I didn't get a chance to ask their names.


There was so much information, I don't remember it all.  I know we talked about parking, medical services, law help, and probably some other stuff.  There was just so much and it was hard to retain everything.  Hopefully I remember all the important stuff.  After the session was over one of the ladies who spoke came up and talked with us.  She asked me if what I thought of it. I said that I liked it and it was very informative, but I had a terrible time trying to remember everything.  I felt bad but there was just so much information.


Then we had a campus tour.  But before we actually went anywhere, we all got our new IDs.  That was exciting.  There were a lot of us, and it was a kinda slow process.  But we got it done.  And Richard and I look like thugs.  So yay. After that our tour guide showed us some stuff.  It was kind of hard to hear everything.  But I got the important parts of it... I think.  I guess I find out.


After the tour we got lunch.  Richard, Stephanie, and I went to the nearby food court and got lunch.  After a little bit some other people I met joined us.  Lark and... umm...  I can't think of the other girl's name.  But they were both getting a masters in teaching English as a second language.  During the tour we talked about our teaching positions.  Since my office is on their floor, I told them that they could come by my office any time they like.


It's really weird.  I feel so much older than the undergrad students here, even though I'm really not that much older.  We discussed this at lunch.  We didn't really come to any conclusions, just that we felt significantly older than the other students there.  I never liked that feeling, but I can't help it.  It's not quite as bad as the high school/college gap... but it's there.  And it's weird.  After lunch Richard and I were walking back to the Robert Bell building (where my department is) and he asked if I generally made friends with females better.  So I explained that it's mainly because females typically more willing to engage in conversation.  If a guy is someplace by himself, he is generally (I admit to generalizing and stereotyping) fine just staying by himself and not actively looking for conversation.  It's usually pretty tough for a guy to make small talk with another guy when they are both strangers.  But females (again stereotyping) are usually more willing to engage in conversation.  If a lady is somewhere by herself, she is usually more willing to be in a conversation.  So as I explained to him, I don't try to make friends with females just because they're female, but because they tend to be better at making conversation.  And since I'm usually not good at making conversation, it's makes the whole "getting to know each other" thing way easier if one of us is good at talking.


Anyhow.  After lunch Richard and I went to the resource fair and tried to get some free stuff.  I spent probably about 10 minutes talking with the head of one of the grad student groups. He was really nice.  I might go... we'll see how everything plays out.  After the resource fair I went to my office and filled out some paperwork for payroll.  So I took that to the graduate department. I told them my last name and instantly one of them says "Joel?"  Frightened, I admitted that it was in fact me.  She explained that they had been having some complications (yay) and that the paper work was still being processed because I'm getting more money!  Yay!  But I couldn't finish the paper work because I need another form of ID.  So I'll probably do that when I go home this weekend.


After running around and trying to find all the buildings I went to the meeting for graduate assistants.  They talked about more things.  Mainly how we're going to have to balance everything that's going on.  It was pretty good.  Afterwards Richard and I went home and I started making dinner.  I made a chicken/vegetable/pasta dish I like in the "30 minute cook book."  I had to modify it it a little bit, but it still turned out okay.  I made some for Andree and myself.  During dinner he talked about school and how he picked his major (basically his first choice was only accepting 20 students and he was always number 22), his family, and lots of other stuff.  It was really good to finally get a chance to talk with him.


When we were done eating, I relaxed for a little bit until Richard and I went to go play racquetball.  But as we learned, the racquetball courts were closed.  So we lifted weights instead.  I hate lifting weights... but it had to be done.  When we got back I showered.  Then I went to go hang out with some people I had talked to earlier.  They were kinda boring, so I wandered around the apartments a little bit.  I ended up yelling up to some people to see if I could join them.  I convinced them that I was, in fact, cool enough to hang out with them.  So we just sat around and talked for a while.  We started playing "never have I ever," but people kept having to leave so we didn't finish.  Um... then I came back... and here I am!  And now it is bed time.  Night!