Orientation

First things first--why are Minnesotans so tan?

The day started out with a bang as the Shuttle Express to take me to the airport was 15 minutes early. I abandoned my oatmeal and raced out the door, scaring K-Ice to death when I woke him up to kiss him goodbye. The next people we went to pick up had a much more reasonable response--they told the driver that she was 15 minutes early and they weren't ready. Getting checked in was fine, so I had plenty of time for my 7 am flight. That didn't leave until 7:45. Took a cab to the Uni--expensive, but easy. I was working on a pretty good headache by then, what with the early get up, racing out the door, late flight, etc. Had to kill time for an hour until the orientation, which was long on introductions and speeches.
It's a good group, an interesting mixture of overseas folks and Minnesotans. I think the only out of area US students are me and a woman from Virginia.
But get this--I was hurriedly reading to make sure I wasn't behind, and some don't even have the books yet! I am so not as intimidated as I was at 5 am this morning.
My housing, Wales House, is awesome! One other student from my program is here in the house with me. I have my own cabinet in the kitchen, there's a TV room, all very homey. I have a shared bathroom, but only with two other people, but one is out of the house until Tuesday, and then he checks out on Friday.
My mom brought her bike to me from LaCrosse, but the back tire is flat :o( There's a bike shop nearby, so I can get it fixed, but it's just another detail to worry about.
Anyway, the U of M area and my neighborhood, Dinkytown, are great, so I think I'll like being here for 3 weeks.
Oh, that headache still hasn't gone away. No wonder we have such a hard time with getting students to come to our Orientations!!!