It's the end of August. The weather has been shockingly mild this summer, so the air already feels like a Virginia September. The light quality is changing, too. I'm noticing the days getting shorter; I see the way the sunbeams slant in the afternoons a bit more richly than in high summer. I caved; despite saying I would wait until September, I've bought both Woodchuck Fall cider (my favorite) and pumpkin ale. I even drank a pumpkin ale last night at our back-to-school Pizza/BBQ party that EGSA hosted. It ended up being a great party-- we got pizza from Pizza Paradiso, everyone mingled, lots of laughter, new faces, old faces. I still haven't seen a few of my closest friends, as they are spread across the world currently (they don't have class 'til next week, either), so I'm still looking forward to a few joyous reunions.
Today, too, is the first day of classes, so perhaps it's alright that I'm embracing that autumn feeling and those autumn flavors. I don't technically have a class until next week, but I have spent the past two days on campus, and yesterday I had a meeting with my thesis adviser. It was a reassuring meeting. Just after it, I felt very confident in my lack of solid direction, but last night the anxiety started to return a bit. I know I've been instructed to read, think, and make notes for the next month-- without hardening my thoughts and feelings-- but I want to have hard feelings. I'd feel so much more secure-- even though I know my adviser is right, and the more reading I do this month, the better my words will be when I do finally start writing. Looks like I'm going to become very well acquainted with the library this September. I also want to become familiar with the Library of Congress. A few of my classmates mentioned getting a reader card there, and I think I will, too.
Plus, I have a bit of personal research to do on some very interesting eighteenth-century personas and the history of science...and I can't wait to dig in!
No comments:
Post a Comment