So I'm here, I’m Joya, I’m a music and chemistry double major blah blah blah. O-Week was fun, college food is good, books are expensive, blah, blah blah.

I am not here to tell you entirely too much about me, because I’m sure you’ll learn, or about how much fun I had at O-Week because 1) it could not possibly be described in words and 2) there are more pertinent issues at hand.

The first, and only, issue: Absolutely everything that could have gone wrong during this week...well, did. Somehow, in spite of that, I am not ready to go home, I still love it here, and I have not cried [well…REALLY cried] ONCE! Let's explore.

I drove up on freshman move-in day with my mommy and we were having a lovely chat in the car, and just coming up to Poinsett Highway. Almost there. Yes! However, Pearline [my white 2001 Maxima] was not ready to part with me quite yet, so she decided to just practically shut off in the middle of afternoon traffic. I can't get within two miles of school without having issues?! I somehow coasted into a parking lot, much to the dismay of everyone around me, apparent by their blaring horns, and shut the car totally off to give her a rest and then started back up. That helped!

Move-in was somehow not a nightmare. Everyone on staff was extremely helpful so I got everything moved in one trip! That was nice; my mom and I carrying boxes up 3 flights of stairs probably wouldn’t have lasted all too long.

O-Week was also extremely enjoyable. It was so relaxing to be able to easily make friends so I wouldn’t have to worry about being alone the whole year! All of the awkward, sketchy games and activities are totally for your benefit, trust me.

Then, classes started. Oh, boy. So I’m totally ready to go to my 9:30 class at around 9, so I get back online to WebAdvisor to check my schedule one more time to make sure I have all of the room numbers and times written correctly…and then I realize I read my schedule incorrectly. And I’m missing my first class. Calculus.

…FOR REAL? This would only happen to me. Seriously, only me. Who just misses their first college class ever?! So I shed a tear or two in anguish and called my daddy [yes, I’m 18 years old and I still call my daddy when things go wrong, don’t judge me] and he may or may not have made fun of me for even caring. He told me that it was the first day of class and my professor would understand that I’m still an idiot and I don’t actually know what I’m doing yet. I didn’t want to listen, but he was right! I emailed the professor and she was very kind, she told me she understood and that there was no need to apologize and I could come pick up what I missed in her office later.

Huh. So this is what college is like? Sweet.

I can’t even begin to tell you everything else that went wrong in my week [from sitting at the wrong table in the DH with a  bunch of strangers who found it hilarious, to losing my mind about leaving my calculator at home only to find out that I don’t actually need it for my class], but the incidents were numerous. Yet despite all of that, I haven’t once thought “I want to go home right now,” or anything similar. A few [or..a lot of] bad things happened, but I couldn’t imagine anything being bad enough to leave behind my awesome new friends on my hall or the exciting [and numerous] classes I get to take.

All in all, this whole Furman thing is a sweet deal.

Over and out,

-Miss Joya