Tuesday, May 18, 2010

AppState

I have completed my first year at Appalachian State University. This is my memoir.

Leah and I moved in our dorm room on August 21, 2009. East Hall, room 14, sub floor. Classes started August 25, and we had a massive shaving cream fight the next day. I soon realized that the residents of the sub floor were awesome, and I will never be able to thank them enough for making my freshman year so unforgettable.

While the weather was still warm, we spent a lot of time outside. We took multiple road trips to the Parkway, Hebron Falls, Beacon Heights, and Howard's Knob. We went to all the home football games (rain or shine, freezing cold or blazing hot), screamed our lungs out, wore eye black, and fell in love with some guy named Armanti Edwards. We became obsessed with Mario Kart, formed a hatred for all the hills on campus, learned just how much East was haunted, and became indifferent to rain. We climbed trees, played frisbee, watched the leaves change colors, carved pumpkins, and dressed up for Halloween. We watched meteor showers, played Twister and Catchphrase, and built snowmen. Some went diving through the snow with nothing but shorts and flip flops. Somehow, we managed to squeeze in going to classes. We baked cookies and had movie nights because it was too cold to do anything else, we had a hall-wide secret snowflake gift exchange, and then we went home for winter break.

We celebrated the new year with our loved ones back home, we risked our lives sledding down Suicide Hill, we had snowball fights, and we realized just how handy a hack-saw is. Some attempted to build an igloo in 45 mph winds at 10 oclock at night, others actually finished an igloo when the conditions were better. We called the snow hotline every morning before we got out of bed, we rejoiced when our classes were canceled, and we blissfully went back to sleep. We learned that 35 degree weather really isn't that bad, and 45 degrees meant a t-shirt and shorts. We feared for our lives walking under two-feet-long icicles, we celebrated (or boycotted) Valentine's Day, and we went to exotic places over spring break. We watched as the flowers began to bloom, and as the whole campus came alive again. Then, suddenly, we went home for good.

To me, Appalachian is perfect in every way, shape, and form. The people are awesome, the food isn't half bad, the weather is bipolar, the mountains are absolutely gorgeous. No matter how many times I try, I'm unable to comprehend how great Boone is. I know for certain that the friends I made will last a lifetime, and can only hope that my next three years at App will be as fulfilling as the first.