I had my first day of summer classes today. Public speaking looks like it's going to end up being my slack class. Not because it's going to be terribly easy, but because I'm more worried about doing well in Diversity and health. I've already got a shitload of homework. Reading and a speech. I managed to get it all done, but I'm afraid that won't always be the case. Damn, what was I thinking? I walked to Maverick Bookstore and bought books today. I didn't anticipate having a book in health, so that upped my projected textbook figure by thirty bucks. Ah well. At least I'm getting the Diversity books free, because I'm borrowing them from Carissa. I got a cup of coffee at the Hub and sat down to read for Diversity. I'd never been there, and I was curious as to what kind of food they've got. Looks like a great place to eat cheap sometime. Their coffee's not bad, but on the downside you have to pay extra for refills. Too bad there's not a HyVee or Cashwise within walking distance. Actually, that's probably a good thing, because then I'd be buying coffee there all the time. It still feels like a regular semester, except for when you see empty classrooms being deep-cleaned, desks piled up in the halls, parking lots being repaved - the sort of maintenance stuff they couldn't possibly do with 14,000 of us milling around on a daily basis. I have to keep reminding myself it's summer semester. Because if I don't, I'll end up going up to C-4, where I lived this past year, and boy will I feel stupid. Or I'll do something equally brainless. I wasn't sure if I had MSO tonight, but I needed to take my cello over to the PA soon anyway or I wouldn't get any practicing done. Turns out we didn't have rehearsal, but I sat and read for health while I ate my dinner. Every sound reminded me of a real semester. Someone whistling was Adam coming down the hall, or a cough was Kyle coming in from a smoke. A rattle was Katie J. opening her locker to practice, or the slap of flipflops was Ben going to put his saxophone away. Earlier I had walked by Crossroads and all I could think was that I wish it was Wednesday, during a real semester, and I was going to supper there, to see Jenny and Erin and Ben and Jacob and Andy and Kimberly, and Sam and Eric, and girl Sam, and Rick and Christine and Andrew and Pastor Elaine and all the dear, dear friends who won't fill that sanctuary with their stories and laughter until next year. Some not even then. :( What am I going to do this summer? I'm already lonely and it's only the first day! On the bright side, I'm seeing Neil on Wednesday! And my birthday present from him came in the mail today. I've been instructed not to open it because Neil has something special planned for it. On the label under my name, he put "the most beautiful girl". It was cute. And the packaging is from Victoria's Secret. I'm not sure what to think of that . . . I guess we'll find out on Wednesday.