My first Month

Mom and Dad at Welcoming Mass on Sunday;
parents were asked to leave no later than 2:00
pm... kinda harsh but I guess you gotta
cut the cord at some point, right?

Hey friends, family, and randos who have stumbled upon my blog! I've just about spent my first month here at Gonzaga University. Move-in was the most frustrating, exciting, hot, sweaty, grueling process I have ever gone through. With moms and dads clogging up the hallways and throwin' in their two cents about every little thing, it was chaotic and frustrating. The first weekend was supposed to be for families but I think I only saw my mom a few times! And my dad, who decided to fly in on Saturday and skip the car ride with us, only once! Then, all I wanted to do was kick off my college experience and be free! Now I miss them like crazy and talk with them daily. That's not to say I'm not having a great time though...
One of the first nights we were here, they had a foam dance. Don't know what that is? Imagine an inclosed area outside with giant machines that generate mass amounts of foam. Its like a bubble bath but without water...and with all of your friends (actually mostly strangers.. it was only the second day). In certain areas, the foam was filled up so high that it literally engulfed me. It felt like I was drowning... but I mean that in the best way possible.

Gustie and I-Roomies

Here it is...Doolstar room #105. Pretty,
ain't it?

Then actual school started. Kinda a kill joy because I've found its not all "fun and games" as my dad would put it. I am taking Spanish 301, art: design, english: love and fear, Speech/comm, and this other freshman requirement class that doesn't matter... this is all probably boring you though.
My roommate Gustie and I live in a hall called Dooley. She's from a small town in Idaho called Gooding, has never heard of the Wall Street Journal, and has thrown away dead animals as opposed to properly burying them. We definitely come from different worlds, but it just works. We're already so comfortable with each other and getting along really well! She's down to earth, talks more than I do, and is such a nice, smiley person! She and I share a room that is about 5 strides by 5- its luxury. Through our bathroom you'll find Sydney and Mica's room which is easily 4 strides by 4 or smaller. They got screwed. Syd is from Mount Vernon, WA (just about an hour away from Seattle), and Mica is from San Francisco. We leave the bathroom door open (almost) always and both rooms are our shared domain.

5:30 am... waking up for the longest walk of
my young life. That's Syd on the right there,
always chipper. Jill, another Dooley resident
is on my left.

Last Saturday, Syd Gustie and I all went on a retreat called Pilgrimage. I decided to go out and spend some time with friends Friday night, and didnt get home until way past my curfew (heh dont have one anymore). I was then woken up at 5:30, hopped on the bus, and got dropped off 11 miles away from our destination. We then spent 5 hours walking, suffering, complaining...but I guess that's the point they were trying to get across. Real pilgrims had to suffer to get to where they were goin. I ended up walking and talking with Father Hightower (the head Priest or whatever you'd call him) here for about an hour. I asked some pretty stupid questions like "Can Priests marry?" and made some borderline comments like "the tradition in Catholocism kinda freaks me out." He was cool with it though and we proceeded to talk about service, religion, travel, and life. It was one of the highlights of my time here. Until our conversation ended and I realized I had easily 3 more hours to walk... We finally arrived at the Cataldo Mission and ate a lunch that, on any ordinary day, would have not been satisfying, but it tasted like a feast fit for kings at the time.
Anyway, Syd and I are about to go to our first club tennis practice! Though Gonzaga costs each kid about 50,000 dollars/year to attend, they do not have their own tennis courts, so we have to trek into "Spocompton" to get our game on.
Speaking of game, last night Doolstar 1 (thats us) lost to Coughlin on the Mercy rule... It was 35-0 before they showed us Mercy and let us walk back with an ounce of dignity.
Thats all for now!
Love, Nat