A Lazy Sunday

The Clock Tower

My first night in the dorms was actually quite pleasant. My roommate lives in New York, so he brought a bunch of his own gear including a refrigerator, 3 fans, and plenty of snacks. We were very comfortable. I slept well, and for the first time this trip I had no set wake up time. Unfortunately my body did not let me take advantage of this and I was wide awake by 8:45. Luckily, so were my friends, so we headed off to breakfast.

After breakfast we used our free time before the "College Crash Course" at 1:30 to explore the campus. First, we made sure we knew the way to class and checked how long we needed to get there. Then we headed to the clock tower with the intent to climb it, unfortunately it is only open at specific times during the day and we missed our slot. On our way back to the dining hall for lunch we explored Science Department's building. Then it was back to the buffet.

Beach Balls!

 The College Crash Course was essentially a 2 hour long speech with brief intermissions given by a Cornell faculty member, named Janet. She talked about four main topics: perspective, autonomy, connectedness, and tone. Within those topics sleeping habits, alcohol and drug use, and time management were addressed. We were given some basic tests to help assess how we think and start to think in different ways. According to an assessment that I am an "assimilator," which means I like abstract conceptualization and reflective observation. During the intermissions, beach balls were thrown out in to the crowd and we had innocent fun hitting them around the building. I think the summer program is run really well and I already feel very comfortable in this new environment.

A View From the Base (unfortunately)
 of the Clock Tower

After the crash course we did laundry for the first time and played catch with a tennis ball while waiting. Since we did not have enough laundry individually we combined loads. Unfortunately we had some technical errors and everything came out a little damp. Right before dinner was an activities fair where we could sign up for various clubs and groups. I signed up for intramural sports and ballroom dance. We also got our free Cornell Summer College t-shirts. Then it was dinner time, during which I enjoyed a plate of various casseroles and a root beer float for desert. After dinner we hung out in the lobby blogging. Then I headed up to my floor to spend time with my neighbors, shower, and go to sleep. We had our first glimpse of East Coast weather patterns today when it went from a beautiful sunny day to a rainy afternoon.

Tomorrow is our first day of class and I cannot wait! I am very excited to start class with Professor Kramnick.