Let's talk about college! (Cara)

Rinaldho’s post reminded me that my posts, few and far between as they’ve been, don’t talk about what is, let’s face it, pretty much the biggest part of my uni life: college livin’. I know that I haven’t always been totally positive about being here, and have moaned on many an occasion about the injustice of not being able to go barefoot on  , or eat breakfast as and when I like, but these are such mere trivialities as to make me look horrifically shallow, so let’s forget about that, hm?

I really, really love like feel deliciously happy here.

Although, to be fair, it is the week when I’ve best liked it, being the much-loved Secret Angel Week. To any prospective students who are debating whether or not to come to college, SA Week is probably enough to tip the scales of decision to YES! YES! YES! I’m not saying it’ll be the best week of your life, but it probably will. A whole week where you are allowed, nay, requested to be a)sneaky b)creative c)hilarious d)generous and e) spoilt rotten. It’s amazing. I don’t want to give away too much, in case my Mortal (ie the person I am giving thrilling and vaguely stalker-ish gifts to in the dead of night) just might be reading and I don’t want him her it them that individual to know about my identity. It just fosters a really fun and sharing sense of community among the students. Which is ace.

Another big part of how I feel about college comes, oddly, from doing dishes. I’m talking about Work Scheme, which some colleges have, and some don’t. Basically, for two hours a week you’re asked to give back to the college staff who look after keeping you fed/living in a clean building for the rest of the week. Yes, groan, it sounds awful. But I’ve actually read about the psychological benefits of manual labour, so it’s totally worthwhile. plus good gossip-time with fellow pot-scrubbers. I plan my blogs while rinsing pumpkin soup off plates, so we all benefit!

I promise I’ll stop singing my college’s praises at the end of this paragraph, but one final note. I was wondering the other day what this whole moving-to-Melbourne lark would have been like if I weren’t living here, and it’s an utterly terrifying concept. I am full of admiration for those of you who managed it, and met people and settled in and made rent and stuff, without being cared for and given extra tutes and costume parties and food alarmingly often throughout the day. I don’t think I could have done it, but maybe I’m just displaying how institutionalised. I’ve become.

Okay, I’m off to put on my ushanka (http://www.fashion-era.com/images/2006_7_trends_fall/2006_hats/JACOBS_WCFFW06_031Fox%20hat.JPG) to get me in the mood for reading Chekhov. Have a fabulous day. And don’t despise me for being a spoilt college kid, please!