Day 1 in Missouri!

Holy cow, has this been unreal. I'm sitting here in my dorm room as I write this (I even have my own room!), having finished up a morning of classes and an afternoon of running errands....I'm ready for a nap. :)

My flight got in last night about 10 St. Louis time and my friend Stephen picked me and my huge suitcases up from the airport and took me to the dorms. No one was there to check me in, so Stephen called some people and found an RA to let me in to my room for the night. By the way, Stephen, I can't even tell you how grateful I am and what a blessing you are! We carried my stuff to my room, I was briefly introduced to my suitemates, and then I was left alone to put away my things. As soon as Stephen said goodnight and walked out, it finally started to hit me that I'm going to be living here for the next four months or so...that is still a very strange thought.

I woke up this morning, ate a granola bar that I forgot I had put in my purse, had a short devotional time, grabbed my things, and set out with map in hand to find the music building. I've really begun to take the college spirit to heart....I'm already timing the walk from building to building so I know exactly how long I can sleep in the morning. ;)

My first class was Music Theory with Doctor Ott. Doctor Ott is an older professor with a deadpan sense of humor...for much of the class I was quietly cracking up about things I wasn't sure were meant to be funny. We took a diagnostic test and I only knew about half of the things on it (those dog-gone key signatures...), but I'm excited to be able to decipher the rest of it by the end of the class.

Next was Piano Proficiency with Professor Durham. After fidgeting through learning where the notes on the keyboard were and how to finger a chromatic scale, I promptly spoke with her after class and tested out.

My last class of the day was Music History with Doctor Tou......Tou.........Tousomething.......awwww man.................Touliatos! She is going to be a hard professor, I think, but she is really passionate and also fun. I'm really looking forward to this class. I've never had much pre-Baroque music history, and this class starts with the Mesopotamians and ends in the early Baroque period!

Normally I will have orchestra on Mondays after Music History, but I discovered today that we're having auditions for chairs today and Wednesday....two solo pieces, sightreading, and scales. hahahahaha............oh man..........It is rather unfortunate that I didn't know about this audition before today because I only brought one solo with me....the rest is going to be shipped later. But I think I can borrow Stephen's Bach suites and attempt the d minor Prelude again, so it will be fine. I'm not even really nervous, which is slightly odd for me. Maybe I'm finally getting used to being a musician. :)

After classes, I went to the Millenium Student Center, which looks kind of like a mall. I got my ID card, asked about Campus Crusade and intramural soccer, talked to career services, bought my books, got my dorm keys, checked in with the honors college, started to figure out my meal plan, and explored a bit. Everyone I've met so far has been very nice and friendly and I already have a few new acquaintences.

There you have my first day in a nutshell! I love you all and thank you for your prayers. I'm going to go take a nap and then practice for my surprise audition. :)

with hope,

Maren