wake me up when september begins

School starts in a week. This is my second taste of UChicago's idea of summer - an endless expanse of time that ends around the time you're double-layering socks and seeing on your breath on breezy, misty-blue mornings. Even the leaves are changing.

A late summer is not really something that warrants complaint, except that it's made up for by the absence of early summer.. we take our finals on hot, bright blue June days that take one back to baseball with the cousins, even if you don't know how to play baseball and know your cousins even less.

Anyway, this prolonged summer is shifting my nerdism into overdrive. Being home this past week has only worsened my symptoms. I barely survived the 3 1/2 hour car ride from Leelanau to Hastings with my entire family. I calmed myself down by writing a to-do list.

Later, I not only printed out my schedule, I used Excel to make a lovely visual. I adjusted font sizes and colors. I color-coordinated similar classes (Hindi is lavender, Hindi discussion is a darker mauve.) I then printed out all the information on majoring in both International Studies and Environmental Studies. I know that I must earn 13 credits in each/either. I now know that I possibly cannot double-major, thanks to the combined powers of the Core and Mandarin (why did I take you, Chinese, why did I invest so much time in your illogical scrawls?)

You'll imagine my excitement, then, when I checked my email this morning and found an email from my Environmental Studies prof (subject: "Hi Class"), saying he'd put a draft syllabus and our first week's homework online. I immediately went to Chalk. I combed joyously over the syllabus, as though it were a love letter. I opened and checked the size of each reading. I barely stopped myself from starting the reading for next Monday. I know, deep down, that I'm going to print it out when I get home. I know that I won't start it because I've yet to go get.. school supplies. Notebooks and neon highlighters, folders and pens. School supplies.

This is bad.

I wasn't even this bad last year as a dizzy first-year in sudden neo-gothic bliss, rescued from the dullness of rural public school. And that, my friends, was euphoria.

Vaulted ceilings and heavy wooden tables in the dining hall (dining hall!) in the place of lemon-scented linoleum and avocado-colored plastic chairs. Ivy instead of brown brick & plaster. The Middle Ages instead of the 1970's! And more: first-years instead of freshmen, serious readings instead of definition lists, profs instead of teachers. People might complain about pretension, but after spending time in apathy, pretension is like a beautiful thought.

But even then... I wasn't this excited about homework. Terrified, yes. But there was a lot going on. Excitement was being channeled in every direction. It was evened out. Now I know where I am.. the school, and the city.

Oh, UChicago. I have my complaints, but I love thee.