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Published: January 18th 2007
campuscommons1
A picture of campus commons on a walk through campus. There are three little ponds like the one in the picture with fountains and little bridges all around. Turtles and aquatic insects inhabit these ponds. Behind the pond is the Fischer Student center which has the bookstore, cafe, a small theatre, and more.Wow! I can't believe that it has already been over a week since I've been here in North Carolina. I was so excited to get down here and then when I finally did, it didn't start off so well. You see, as a freshman at the University of Alaska Southeast, I decided to apply for an exchange. Not sure just where I wanted to go internationally yet, I decided to apply for a national exchange to see a little bit more of the country that I live in. My first thoughts were North Carolina and Maine.
It's no surprise that even after browsing through the NSE magazine my exchange coordinator gave me, I narrowed down my top two choices to North Carolina and Maine. After getting my first semester grades and begging a couple of professors that didn't know me very well to write me a recommendation letter, I submited my application and waited until March to see if I would be accepted at the conference.
During spring break, the day after returning from my short excursion to Sitka, AK where the temperature was down to -17 with cold chill, I got the thrill of a lifetime. I had
campuscommons2
Another view of the pond from a small bridge. The building in the background is the University Union that is under construction. been accepted to my #1 school, the University of North Carolina Wilmington for a spring semester exchange the following year. I was ecstatic and I did what every person does when they have great news...I called my mommy.
It was almost 10 months (about one and a half semesters) later that I finally got to go on my exchange. I left my little hick home in Lewiston, Idaho (where I spent X-mas vacation) the night before my early 6:54am departure from Spokane, WA. Being the procrastinator that I am, I wasn't fully packed until about ten minutes before walking out of the door. Luckily though, I didn't have to sit on my suitcase to get it to closed (like I usually do when I go back up to Alaska) so packing wasn't a huge hassle. I was in a daze all that night and even the following morning when my 4:30am wake-up call happened.
I said goodbye to my Mom and older sister and boarded my plane to Chicago still in that same daze. And after a LONG day of traveling and transfers that took me from Spokane, WA to Chicago, IL to Charlotte, NC to finally Wilmington,
Clocktower
The large clocktower in the center of campus. This huge clock goes off almost every hour and at certain times, plays a UNCW theme song. It was a gift from one of the graduating classes. NC, I was still in a daze. The next day, I moved into my very small on-campus housing accomodations and was still dazed.
The next few days were pretty much a blur. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was feeling a little homesick and some severe jet-lag. Those 4 hours I lost (Alaska to Eastern time) hit me much harder than I thought that I would. And my first week of classes was just a nightmare.
Luckily, I am feeling much better now. I've made a couple new friends who have showed me around and helped me adjust to life in a big university. I've finally realized where all of my classes are, the shortcuts to class, the greatest coffee stand, and my favorite study spot. So far, life in North Carolina is turning out pretty well. I'm feeling much more like myself now and very rejuvenated. Although, I still can't believe that it has already been a week since I've been here and I haven't seen the Atlantic Ocean yet 😞.
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tim
non-member comment
Large thing? Monument?
Again, very nice photos. You are down in my part of the country now. I live in Virginia and went to William and Mary (B.S.Biology, 1977) Don't forget Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) for graduate studies if you continue on that career path. Anyway, I wasn't sure if you were familiar with water towers of the type shown in your photo, or if you were being humorous! In Virginia, some folks call them "Devil's Doorknobs". Apparently, water held in the tower provides water pressure for local plumbing. With this style, it is much more difficult for budding artists to climb up and paint things on them! I'm going to figure out how to work the U.S. map to show which states I 've visited. So, is winter in NC almost as good as summer in Alaska? Study Hard, tim