It was easy.  It was the first day of school.  The student to teacher ratio is low, so we will be getting good one-on-one time in these settings.  I walked in with my computer bag and purse.  I had a 3 hour wait period between classes and although computers are available…everywhere it seems, they are theirs – and I like mine.  I can save stuff here, I know where everything is.

I walked in and got to the back of the line, albeit short, for the lockers.  Yes, they offer lockers.  And I’ll need it with my gym clothes, work clothes, school stuff, and winter coats and such when it becomes time for all of it.  It is however, a bottom locker.  Sad face.  I had mixed feelings about it, then reminded myself I needed one and to shut up about it, it’s even on the floor I wanted.  Next stop the Center for Student Services.  I needed some paperwork filled out.  En route to said department I passed every stereotype I could think of.  At least all the “new” ones, the ones you’d name off the top of your head.  I wondered if they saw me and stereotyped me right away too.  Shrug, I didn’t judge I just smiled and nodded and kept moving.  Time paused for a brief moment when I noticed a girl with her pant leg pulled up to her knee revealing pink tights.  the ones with footies that you had holes in the bottom of the sole so you could wear them with shoes, or be barefoot.  I immediately knew she had dance.  Regardless if she was a dance major, minor, or Musical Theatre minor.

I auditioned for the Musical Theatre minor, and I didn’t get accepted.  I wasn’t disappointed right away, although as people introduce themselves and say they are a musical theatre minor student, I feel…sad – kind of.  I immediately go to the standard thoughts “why didn’t *I* get in?”  “is it because I couldn’t be at the dance audition in New York?”  “am I to fat?”  I guess if and when I really want to know I can just ask the guy who auditioned me, he IS in charge of the department.  I try to say things in my favor to convince me I’m not envious somehow “he thinks I can do better”  “it trains you to be an ensemble member, and I can be a lead or feature.”  Then I shrug those thoughts away too, work is work in this field.  Ensemble is awesome and needed, leads are few and far between, character actors are come and go.  So where do I fit in?

Oh good, my brain can stop because it’s almost time for class.  I head over to my first class at a new college.  Voice & Speech.  We fill out a short vocal health sheet, then he goes around the room and asks us a little of our goals or fears.  He chose me first, fate?  Nah, I was the last to turn in my sheet, so I was the first on the pile.  He DID say my name correctly, although it is IPA appreciated.  (IPA = International Phonetic Alphabet.  Symbols that denote sound) It so happens my name is spelled just how you would write the symbols down to pronounce it.  Heidi Ewarts voice echoed in my head “oh, just like its spelled” and I smiled at him the same way.

Class finished, and I immediately headed for the bookstore, and by bookstore I mean the store Shakespeare & Company on Lexington avenue,  to obtain my “course pack” that we were told is required.  I hoped it was less than $20, since that’s all I had in my bank account.  Fifteen dollars later it was mine, and in my bag and I headed back to the campus.  I had 3 hours to kill.  The “commons” was loud, as anticipated, the cafe was crowded, as expected the only place I wanted to be was the library.   Second floor.  It was quiet when I walked in and settled on a couch.  I looked over my course pack at what to expect from the semester then hopped online for the beginnings of my assignment.  I stopped only to go grab food (luggage in tow) in the cafeteria, where there are chefs, and organic foods, and made-to-order stations like sandos, pastas, and a salad bar.  I made a very small salad and ate it, then went back to the library.

I didn’t bother people watching, I had some years I could do this.  My business was food and then back to the quiet place.

Finally 7:15pm rolled around and I had my second class, Writing.  A class all students whether new or transfers have to take.  This class lasts until 10pm.  There is a person in this class with a whistley high pitched “s” that made my ears tickle annoyingly.  it’s all I could hear when this person spoke, the “S’s”  In fact, it’s all I can remember.  That and I have 3 short stories to read and write about, and we will start every class with a “free-write.”  Today my free-writing mind took me from “I’m fine in general” to food talk, money talk back to food talk and back to money talk, then ending with the word peanut butter.

Then we had to go around the room with small intros, name, majors, experience with writing.  It seems I may be the one who “writes” the most, this here is considered writing, I am however going to be the underdog when it comes to reading and writing.  Discussing literature has never been my strong suit.  I read a story, then it is read.  The end.  This class will require me to find the symbolism, and themes and discuss why the writer chose those words, discussions I was never really good at before. When I read, I read it for what it is without dissecting it.  So, really, in order to do well in this class I will have to do with it, as I do plays.  Read it once for what it is, then re-read for the work.  I can’t wait. . .

Class was let out early, and I headed to the bus stop and waited for it for 20 minutes.  I took the bus over to the west side, then the train uptown to home where Ro was waiting for me with “how was your day at school?” grin and smile.  So she heard, everything I’ve written down, and more.  =)

Hunger struck me, hard.  I had only eaten my oatmeal earlier, and the small salad, and I did have a fiber 1 bar on the ride home, but I was marvin for sure.  So I ate my Target purchased frozen chicken, garlic herb seasoned.  Made some noodles “barilla plus” and some more greens on the side.  Nothing added to make the salad more then the leafs.  I enjoyed it in my room watching Dexter Season 3.  And now, it’s 12:30am.  I have school tomorrow (only 1 class) and work after.  Tomorrow is Acting.  Due to an excellent acting placement audition, if I do say so myself, I was placed in Acting II.  By excellent I mean, I believe I did the very best *I* could.

My hopes, that The Trilogy would be proud of my little monologue, and maybe my acting teachers from PCPA too.  It occurred to me last week after orientation that I would be representing PCPA.  Marymount used to have transfers from PCPA at least 1 or 2 a year, then there was no one for a bit, then…there was me.  That feels like a weight of impressions to hold and meet, and expectations to meet and surpass, but I think I’m cut out for it.  Well, at least, we’ll see if I am.