The First Week

For fear of forgetting it, the first 'week' of school was really not school, but barn orientation.

I never knew there were so many different ways to do things! I now muck stalls, feed horses, clean Eagle's buckets every single day (Sigh. Between hauling bales, shoveling poop and carrying two buckets at a time, I'll be building up my muscles!) and various other chores that they can think up of.
Frankly, I think the freshman class will end up as the 'free labor' section.

I had to run the mile (and do situps and pushups) for a physical fitness evaluation. I can still run a mile in under 11 minutes! Really, I don't think it's hard to do. Eleven minutes is, after all, remarkably user friendly. I did mine in nine minutes -and something, seconds. Pushups and situps were easy. So. At least there's that.

My roommate and I blew off breakfast. We'd have to be in Henderson (our dining hall) at six forty-five. I'm not user-friendly in the morning. Not, at all. So, for fear of alienating people that don't even know me (I think they can deal with my grouchiness later!) I just stumble out of bed twenty minutes before I have to leave.

Dorm showers? Scary. The water here is all well water and it reeks of sulpher. The showers, not so much but when I brush my teeth, it's nasty. But back to the point. Kristen (roomie) and I have already pegged the 'good' showers. The ones that you can actually adjust the nozzle to, the temperature can fluxuate depending on what you want. Novel thought, that.

We pretty much are at the barn 8-5:30. Or, at least, that's the general idea. Because she has her horse (Tory) and I have Eagle, we ride after everyone's done for the day, so we get back around seven thirty.

At least we don't have classes yet!

The really great thing about this first week is that it's mostly, just the 'horse' people. Not even just the equestriannes, but it's the english riders. The pre-vets aren't here yet, nor are the western riders. So it's all the people I'll be around for the next four years.

I'm astounded at how fast I've made friends. There are, to date, three "Elizabeth"s in the english program. Two of them are "Lizz"s - yes, with two 'Z's. For the sake of everyone's sanity, I go by El. It's so much nicer (and less confusing.)

Eagle's settled in nicely. He's a bit excited and a bit full of himself (inconsistant work outs) but he's really not having a hard time at all. When I ride him he'll forget he knows how to stop, but I suppose that's to be expected.
Or, at least, I hope so. I'd hate to believe that my horse is defective!

The first monday that I was here (the 18th) the evening after dinner, Kristen and I were finalizing everything with my room. Leaving the door open (what better way to meet people?) it turns out that the first person I can say I 'really' met on my own, was my RA.

A sophomore by the name of Courtney, I think in the first two days, I learned her life's story. Heard it three times over, in fact.
It's nice. She's right across the hall from us and she's really, a phenomenal person. She's so easily accessible, if I have an issue, I know I can get a hold of her so fast, if anything ever comes up.
It's a comfort, I think.

P.S.
Cafe food = alarmingly good.
Freshman 15?!??!?!?