First month: my own orientation to the city life.

The first couple of days here were made of up half days of me driving/walking around the city and then unpacking and organizing my apartment.  I had kind of a strange mix of feelings.  I was excited to be in a new place, but reminded of old memories when unpacking.  When unpacking my artwork, I was not only reminded of the assignment or the conceptual meaning of the piece, but of what was happening in my life outside the studio at the time of making the piece. Kind of like how a photograph keeps a memory frozen in time, my pottery reminded me of what was going through my head when I was originally throwing the clay on the wheel.  It was a very unique experience!


The first week of school was real encouraging for me.  I kind of feel like a little girl with a crush when I'm in my classes, I LOVE MY CLASSES!  Everything that is being taught is exactly what I want to learn!  It is an adjustment from having mostly studio classes to having more lecture/discussion/reading classes, but the classes are all based around teaching art so it's very enjoyable for me to study the material for class.


The cool thing about this city is there is always something to do!  I have been very busy with school work, signing up for workshops, volunteering, and alumni events that I have just barley explored all the museums, parks, and nightlife that is here.  I love biking around, there are plenty of bike trails that are fun to ride when I need a break from studying.  I've also ventured out to the Zoo when Drew came to visit and we had a great time!  Sadly, not all the animals where out, but we got to see the Panda's and Drew made a unique connection with the Meerkat!    


I'm getting use to the public transportation after being dependent on driving a car for pretty much my whole life.  People watching on the bus and metro is fun, but it's also a good time to read the paper or review notes before class.  The one thing I don't have yet is an MP3 player and I feel out of place walking around with out one.  Hopefully I won't be an outsider much longer as I slowly but surely ease into the life of a Washingtonian!

Getting Ready for the BIG Move!!

In twelve days I will be making probably one of the most life changing moves of my lifetime.  I have moved many times before, but moving from different apartments in college that are still really only 45 minutes away from home isn't really that big of a deal;  but moving over 500 miles away from home by myself is.   My family is worried, my friends are sad, but I am excited!  I'm looking at this as a great adventure and a new chapter in my life.  I'm will be attending grad school Corcoran College of Art and Design and I'm pursing a career in Art Education.  Washington DC will be a great place to live and learn in the art world!

Finding an apartment was extremely tiring and stressful, but after 3 trips up to DC I finally got a place in Arlington!  I have a 500 square feet studio apartment on the top floor and I have a big bay window with great view of Georgetown!  It's going to be a project decorating and making the space as efficient as possible, but I'm up to the Challenge.

Checklist before the move:

• furniture- bought a table and four chairs, bought a bookshelf that swivels with a full length mirror on the other side (so cool!), need to paint my dresser and head board
  
• packing- all of my clothes from my Clemson apartment are packed, but my closet at home still needs to be done
  
• kitchen- pots and pans...check, silverware...check, plates...coming, need microwave and food processor
  
• art supplies- all of my art supplies are packed up , i just hope there is room for everything in the closet!
• car-my parents insist that I will need a new car, so in the 12 days I have left not only am I busy packing and taking care of last minute details at home, I'm also driving all over the place trying to find a car!  
  

Life in DC will be a big change from life in South Carolina.  Not only with the weather be extremely different, but so will the culture, people, and speed of life.  My dad has always called me his big city girl and now I'm going to be living my dream...or at least I hope I will!