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Monday, August 10, 2009

OU Orientation

A few notes about Ohio University:

--It is not Oklahoma University or Ohio State University, and it is certainly not a "lesser branch of Ohio State University." You've probably heard about OSU because it's the biggest college in America (with 60,000 students), and it has a famous football team. OU is also a very large school compared to the rest of the world (with 20,000 students) and is one of the oldest in the country. We're also better.

--It is frequently voted one of the most beautiful campuses in America. Save the national parks around my house, OU is, in my opinion, the prettiest place that has ever existed. It's a big, open, secluded town in Appalachia with mountainous hills in every direction, vast patches of thick green grass, and ancient trees that change brilliant colors in the fall. All the buildings and streets are worn red brick. Whereas the local university I took classes at during high school was all glass and whitewashed cinderblock, the OU dining hall I've visited has dark wood paneling on the walls and long tables with comfy green chairs. The mealtime atmosphere is so Hogwartsian, I wouldn't be surprised if the lights were replaced with floating candles. Though I haven't yet seen the inside of my dorm, it's a gorgeous brick building in the (still sunlit) umbra of trees that line the sidewalk and create a canopy over the street. The campus is very similar to Joey Potter's fictional college in Dawson's Creek, except OU is SO beautiful, it'd be less believable on screen.

--I'd always worried before that perhaps I chose OU because, as my siblings all went, it was easy. I feared I'd be suffocated by the wild party scene for which it's known, or that I'd feel like I was constantly at a Cool Kids' Party that I hadn't been invited to. But sitting in classrooms with other Creative Writing majors, listening to them discuss their passions for linguistics and literature in their downtime, I feel truly comfortable. Instead of characteristically rolling my eyes when the upperclassmen advisors tell us that pretty soon Athens will feel more like home than home will, I can seriously understand where they're coming from. I think I could feel at home here. 

--While I will forever despise having handouts read aloud to me by some doofus with a microphone, today's orientation didn't make me want to puke. This, I'm going to assume, is a good sign. Justin Timberlake found during his college orientation that he wanted absolutely nothing to do with his school at the time, and I think he's been waiting for me to tell him I feel the same about mine. But even after session after session about scheduling classes and not drinking and remembering to use the library, I felt energized and excited. It's as if high school never happened, and I'm back buying fresh crayons for third grade, when school was the greatest thing imaginable.

As content as I am, I'm also really tired from huffing up the hills all day long. I'm going to go take a good shower and sleep sleep sleep before round two of orienting myself tomorrow morning.

Chipotle burritos this year: 26
S'mores this summer: 6
Subscribers: 19,196

Bye, guys! Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow. <3

47 comments:

-___- said...

Congratulations on the happier times ahead! OU sounds like a really cool place. (:
Justin Timberlake gets smashed by the fail whale. ^__^

Brad said...

I have a feeling that college will suit you well. Best of luck. :)

Hilary said...

Dear Hayley,

I'm glad you loved your orientation. However, I want your advice Oh, Great One. As you, I am headed to my freshman year of college next week. And I'm getting less excited due to the fact that I am at a branch campus (still, it's the largest one) of Penn State. And it sucks. I'm excited for the college part (it'll be a better environment for me), just not the location.
What I'm trying to ask is: How do I turn my frown upside down and be okay at college?

Yours, the idiot girl who asks for help that will never get answered.

Morgan said...

Does JT read your blog?

The Vagabond said...

Your orientation sounds pretty fun. Instead of warning us not to drink, the upperclassmen and professors all just assumed that we already did and, instead advised us to "drink responsibly". They even did a skit... you can imagine.

There was, however as Severus Snape look-a-like that attended my orientation and then later lived in the same building as me. I always wanted to talk to him, but was too afraid. He was also very illusive so I didn't see him much. Maybe this year...

tranquilily said...

Hayley, I want to thank you for this blog. Everyone's talking about college and even though this will be my second year, I know it will be hard to adjust again after 3 months home, but I'm glad I can (hopefully) count on your blog to be on of the things that stays consistent.

OU sounds nice. But do you have 13 cafeterias and an unlimited meal plan? I do :) haha, but seriously, I believe you will have an awesome time there.

Anonymous said...

What does OU stand for then?

Leah said...

=) good.

Lyndi said...

I'm so glad you're having a good time at orientation! I had some of the same worries as you about my college, thinking I had just chosen it because it was "easy" and because a lot of my family has gone there, but I had a good experience at orientation as well. As for what you said about fitting in, I keep hearing that no matter what kind of reputation your school has, you can find people like you, and I think that's going to prove to be very true.

Caroline said...

I'm going to be a freshman too...in highschool. I can basically see you roll your eyes now, Hayley. Maybe you should give do another Ask Hayley and give me some advice.

Megan said...

I loved OU! I have a few friends who are going there and I probably would have too but they don't have my major. I know you'll love it there, I have yet to meet one person who didn't like Athens. Good luck!

آميلي said...

I resent the "We're also better" statement >.<

Obviously you prefer OU, but 'better' is mean.

Yeah, I sound whiny, but I love OSU, though I wouldn't call it better than another university unless I had a particular topic, such as academic departments, party scene, beauty of campus, and a legitimate argument.

And fuck sports. I sell my football tickets for book money.

آميلي said...

FYI, OU definitely kicks OSU's ass regarding the gorgeousness of the campus. My comparisons are fair.

meaghanlittle said...

I'm so glad you like your campus! My Orientation was so much fun and it did make me want to leave high school asap and go to college.

I would be afraid of going to a school that large, I'm from CT and UCONN is huge here and I have a feeling OU is bigger.

I hope you enjoy/enjoyed the rest of your orientation!

cassiumpotassium said...

Hayley, you're sooo giving me hope that college isn't going to be as scary as I see it being. :] thanks!

cassie.

Cat (: said...

glad you loved it!

hope you love the rest of college just as much (: (im sure you will. (: )

comelygrace said...

Sexy: Growing up and being part of something infinitely better than the hell hole more commonly referred to as 'high school.'
Unsexy: Justin Timberlake.

Anonymous said...

Oklahoma University also reminds me of Hogwarts. It's very castley, I've only visited once, but it was beautiful. There is something about visiting colleges that I just find fun. I can't wait till it's my turn. (:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sabrinamb/3319566497/

Sarah Mowrey said...

You are actually going to the college my dad went to. I've been to ohio but I've never ever been to athens. It sounds so gorgeous. I've always wanted to visit.

Also, me and my man friend were having a lengthy conversation about college today after our trek to the campus book store and man are you lucky you know what your major is. Hopefully I'll find mine soon down here in New Mexico.

Unknown said...

Long time reader, first time commenting...

I just felt the need to say how happy his sentence makes me: "It's as if high school never happened, and I'm back buying fresh crayons for third grade, when school was the greatest thing imaginable."

I absolutely can not wait until next fall when I can feel this too. High school, the first three years at least, could have sucked more, but they still managed to suck pretty hardcore. 'Back to School' used to be my favorite time of the year, and the thought of feeling that again makes me oh so happy.

traderbob11 said...

I don't think I've actually formed a thought in 3 days.
Didn't want another day to slip by without saying hi.

Becky S. said...

Hayley,

So i've been reading your blog since BEDA and i'm addicted now, but i've never commented before. When I read that you're going to OU I knew I had to say something because my dad went there and absolutely loved it. He can still talk about it for hours if you let him. I'm sure you are going to have a wonderful time there. I am going to be a freshman at college this fall also, and I'm currently freaking out. I hope I feel as much at home at my school as you do at OU. Thanks for showing me that college orientation doesn't have to be super scary and may actually be fun?

-Becky

flitwicks_choirgirl said...

The cool (subjective term) thing about my Uni is that the guy who paid for the land that it's on, like, murdered people. So we have a building and cafeteria named after a known murderer.

Oh, and the drinking... where I am the engineering students are stereotyped as the drinkers. I wonder if that's the same everywhere? You know it's bad when your learning about flooding and there's a picture of a flooded pub.

I'm glad your liking it so far. I reckon it's going to be marvelous. Sounds awesome!

Katyisgoing said...

Go Hayley.
This makes me excited for college! Even if I'm stuck in Texas.

Sara said...

Congrats, it sounds like Ohio U is a good fit for you Hayley.

The best advice I can give you right now is to take your time finding a group of friends you're comfortable with. When I started at UF last year I spent a lot of time with a few groups of people that I could never be myself with. But, I continued to meet new people and now I have a group of fantastic best friends. I cannot wait to go back and see them (two more weeks)!

Good Luck and Best Wishes!

PS. say Hi to Osei in OU!

janitorbud said...

OU is better just cause you're going there
;-)
(i really didn't want to sound creepy, but i typed tha anyway..now that's dedication)

Nokorola said...

Glad to hear that your college life is starting off good Hayley. Now go get that box of crayons and color the world.

Anonymous said...

Wow, it sounds like a great school! Good luck (not like you need it) :)
I'm starting college on saturday.

VicMorrowsGhost said...

I think I see the beginning of a big new love affair.

Nicholas said...

I looked at the website and it does look like a very nice university. And by US standards, it sure is old.

I can imagine 20k students, but 60k? That's just far and beyond...

Treasonably Reasonable said...

Enjoy it while it lasts! It doesn't last long.

babyporridge. said...

Every time I read something from you referring to university or Ohio in general, I kick myself for leaving the state before I ever got a chance to meet you.

You'll be such a star at university, H-dawg. The ones excited about their futures always succeed. Love you!

Marie said...

I love reading your blog...sometimes it just feels like so much of a story, and then I get to the end and I'm like, "Wait, no. That was real!"

Anywho, I'm glad you're excited about college and that it seems to suit you so well. I'm still in high school, but I know what happens when you pick the wrong place. I'm glad you were spared the agony!

VTBurninator said...

Yay college!! It sounds wonderful =) I was so excited to start college, but I too went to orientation with reservations. The skits were lame and some of the ice breaker games were juvenile, but I came away from it feeling like I was taking some large steps towards finding myself and who I was in the larger scheme of things. I wish you all the best. Virginia Tech was my Hogwarts away from home; I hope OU can be the same for you!

Sophie said...

I hate to say this Halyey, but Ohio State is better than Ohio University!
Maybe not as beautiful, but definitely more prestigious, with Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize-winning alumni - I'm suprised you haven't acknowledged the former, being a writer! It is also vastly wealthier and ranks amongst the best universities in the world. Sorry, but Ohio State
rocks my socks!
Oh yeah, Ohio University received a donation from the CEO of FOX News - ew. Surely that's enough to dissuade someone from going??

Anonymous said...

Wow, your college sounds awesome.
I hope you have a great time there!

--K

Mel said...

Some of my friends are going off to college this year, and all of them have been talking about how scared they are, and how they'll never make any friends, and that everything will be miserable.
It makes me really nervous that that's how I'm going to feel at the end of my senior year.
And then, of course, your blog showed me a different side to pre-college experiences, and now I don't feel nearly as stressed :)

Because I have yet to do so, I thank you for writing this blog.

Emily said...

Good Luck in college, Hayley!
I hope it turns out to be great for you:)

Laura said...

Ahh Ohio College sounds wonderful, if only I lived in America haha :]

I defiantly do think you'll fit in great at College. Like you already said, you'll meet people on the same wave length f you and respect you for you, unlike high school. Don't worry and savour every minute of it (but I'm sure you already are!)

On anther side note Hayley, I love reading your blog. It makes me want to become a better writer and well, actually care about my future/education (long story, but I'm basically an average student!) and that I'm embarrassed/lazy to care about my work and "just go with what everyone else is doing" but when I read your blog, it makes me want stand up for myself and be like "I like writing! I like writing blogs and stories" and not actually care what people may think of me or my writing, only care about the ones who matter.
So

Thank you! Keep up the good work in everything you do because you truely deserve, Hayley Hoover. You truely do. You're a gem in a world of nuggets. :]

Once again, enjoy college!

xo

ifmemoryserves said...

I want to go to OU just so I can sarcastically say "Oh, you!" all the time. But... I'm not going to OU. hah

Marlena said...

You want to know something embarassing? Even though we talked about JT today, even though I know about JT's college apathy, even though I've read your blog since the beginning...I still thought you meant Justin Timberlake, the singer.
Just...wow. Wow. I guess that's proof that you've not mentioned him in a while? Yay. =]
Seeyousoooonsoooonsoooooon.

madhu~ said...

AH i'm so jealous. extremely. i've heard Ohio is gorgeous and i've seen (albeit measley, compared to the greatness that is OU) pictures of it. HOGWARTS-ESQUE? I'M THERE!

seriously though, i wish i lived somewhere as gorgeous as that. i love houston because it has a great art district and diversity and some places ARE beautiful but it is one, flat area. huge, but flat.

Ariane said...

Aw, you're lucky. My campus is all parking lots and concrete.

http://www.campusdurable.ulaval.ca/pano.jpg

Oh well :)

Good luck for your next day of college orientation !

Erin said...

I'm really glad you enjoyed your orientation. I don't have to worry about that for a couple years, but I'm already freaking out a little on the inside. I'm afraid that I will have forgotten how to make friends and hate college because of that. I really hope you keep up your blog once you get to college.

Anonymous said...

Man, my college of 3,500 sounds so puny compared to 20,000. Yeesh... but after having to deal with a ginormous high school, I was tired a large campus population. Have fun but please be safe :D

Anonymous said...

It's things like this that make me excited for college!
It sounds like you're going to have a great time, and I'm excited FOR you.
What are you going into at OU?

-Alex

Kyla Muhlberger said...

I'm glad that you're so excited about OU. My brother's going to be a senior film student there this year, and he has really enjoyed his last three years. I think he said it was a bit of a culture shock at first coming from Maryland, but he really respects his classmates.

I'm also going to be a freshman in college this year (U of Delaware) and I've really enjoyed reading the blog of someone who's going through a lot of the same stuff. It's comforting :)