Back from Smith

I'm back from Smith and it was really a great trip. I took the bus from Port Authority on Saturday morning and got into Northampton, MA around 2:45. Alex, my best friend from Smith, picked me up from the bus station in a Zipcar and we drove to Walmart to try to return her fridge that wans't working. We made it to Walmart and they wouldn't take it back because they don't sell it at that Walmart. So, we put the fridge back in the car and walked around the mall a little bit before heading back to Smith. When we got to Smith I put my stuff down in Alex's room, and headed to Cushing (the house I live in when I'm there) and started looking through the trunk room for all of my sheets and towels that I left at the end of last year. What I didn't think about was how none of my classmates are here this year because they're all abroad. That meant I needed to move everyone's boxes that were blocking my boxes so I could get into my area. Finally I was able to squeeze into the back and find all of my boxes. I started packing up the empty suitcase that I brought to take my things back in to NY, but then realized it was time for dinner (and for Smith, that's 5:30pm). Alex and I went to dinner on Davis Lawn along with the rest of campus because it was Dine Around, which is when all of the different dining halls serve their food so you can try what each house has. It was pretty good. After dinner, Alex went downtown with girls from her house while I went back to Cushing to pack some more of my things. Around 7:30pm, I headed back to Alex's room to change out of my sweaty clothes because there was a free Matisyahu concert on Smith's campus. Matisyahu is an American Hasidic Jewish Reggae musician. He was pretty good but Alex and I were getting tired by the end so we headed back to her room early. Here are pictures from the concert:

Matisyahu and his band

Me and Alex at the concert.

This morning we woke up at 10am and got ready to go to brunch in Cushing. It was so crazy being back on campus knowing that I wasn't going to be part of Smith this whole year. Every time I bumped into someone I knew I had to explain why I was there and why I wasn't going to be at Smith the rest of the year. It was great seeing and talking to everyone, but I feel like I had already distanced myself from Smith for the year so it was really weird to be on campus. After brunch, I finished packing up the rest of my stuff from the trunk room and I headed back to Alex's house. When I got there, Alex saw how much stuff I had and said she was thinking of renting a Zipcar for the day and driving me back to NYC. I told her over and over again that she didn't need to, but she insisted (and I'm soooo glad she did)! We rented the Zipcar from 4pm-11am. At 4pm, Alex and I got in the car and started our road trip to NYC, with a couple stops on the way.

The ride was 3 hours but we always have fun singing, dancing, and talking in the car with each other. (And pigging out, of course, on unhealthy food!) When we got into the city we drove around the corner from my apartment so we could park the car in a parking garage. It only costs 12 dollars, but Alex has to be out of there by 7am (which is actually perfect because she needs to get on the road early to head back to Smith). Now, it's after midnight and I have finished hanging up posters on my walls that I brought back from Smith. I also have all of my own sheets, pillows, and comforter on my bed. I feel like I'm finally in my own room. I'm still finishing up hanging my pictures of friends and family up on my walls, but I have more time to do that tomorrow. I will take a picture of my room when it's light out in the morning and I will post all of them here! Now it's time to get some sleep before sending Alex on her way at 6:30am.

Miss you and love you!

Love Always,

Jess