I am safely at PHC. Have been for a few days now, in fact. We have four people in our room this semester, and the place is covered with boxes. My mind is therefore a little distracted, since I don't like things to be out of place. Emily H. and Maggie D. are unpacking slowly but surely, though, so the room is slowly achieving a state of normalcy. My computer, as y'all can see, is now set up for the student network, and I have borrowed Gabi's network cord until I can buy my own on Monday. Life is good... my heart is peaceful, but lonesome for my family. Why must some of the people I love always be in another part of the country?

I think I will feel more settled once classes start on Monday. I'm enjoying meeting the new freshmen, and they seem acceptable. :) I've played four Frisbee games over the last couple of days, which gives an excellent opportunity to learn names of new students. I think there are about 100 of them again, and this time 2/3 are guys. This means a lot of new Frisbee players. It also means a lot of Public Policy majors. It appears to be the dominant major, at least.

My feelings are unsettled, because I am again experiencing the sensation I felt at the beginning of summer: I feel old. Many of the new students are so young! I am a senior, and many of them are looking up to me and respecting me already, but all I want to do is help them learn. They are young and brash, and not ready yet for this hard but beautiful world we live in. I feel a deep, deep sadness and happiness at the same time, the unique mix of nostalgia. I pray that this will be my year of service, and I pray for joy.  ¶ 12:38 PM