First day...what a hassle.

Well, I'm finally here. It's been a long day, and I'm ready to sleep. My plane had to go into a holding pattern about 150 miles outside of New York City, so I was about 30 minutes late. So my taxi took me to 113th and Broadway, which is where my residence hall is on the map. And on the Columbia website, it shows a picture of Broadway that is very misleading. It shows it from the Kim's Video and New York Public Library side, which is at 113th and Broadway (also the housing guy sent out an email saying that if you arrive before 5pm, you check in at your residence hall...it was 4:45)...so, naturally, that's where I had the taxi drop me off. Also, the website said the Broadway entrance was the same as the Hogan Hall entrance.

So, there I was with one 53.5 lb suitcase, one 40 lb suitcase, a heavy laptop, and a heavy backpack. And I couldn't find the entrance. Finally, I found the Hogan Hall entrance, and so I hauled each of my suitcases up the 15 or so stairs to find that the door was locked and no one answered when I called. I called my dad, and he called a number that I could see from the windows. The guy said they would send someone from security over. Well, they didn't, so then I hit the security button and got some guy who tried to transfer me to Hartley Hall because he said that's where I had to check in (where you are supposed to check in after 5 according to the email), but Hartley was busy. And it was all the way across the quad and I did NOT want to drag my stuff all the way over there. So, after about 40 minutes of standing there hoping someone would be coming to Hogan Hall so I could sneak in, I called the guy that my dad had called, and he told me that the Hogan Hall entrance doesn't work anymore. He said the Broadway entrance is at 544 W. 114th street, so I dragged my suitcases back down the stairs and headed around the corner. I finally found 544, but it was some lady's apartment. So I walked back down the street and finally found the Broadway entrance.

Meanwhile, all around me there are parents and kids pushing huge bins full of their luggage, so I just looked like an clueless idiot...which I was. No, I wasn't an idiot, I was just misinformed. I hauled my bags back up the stairs and found the security guard who was no help at all. He told me once again that I had to go to Hartley Hall. So I said, "Fine, but I'm leaving my bags here and you're going to watch them!" Okay, I didn't really say it like that, but I wanted to.

Then, I made my way across to Hartley, where the security guy there thought I was an international student, even though I told him I wasn't. When I finally communicated that to him, he took me down some hallway to a little room where people where packing up and left me there. I told them that I needed to check in, and they told me that was at the front desk, which is where I was going until the security guy intercepted me. So I went back over there. As I was waiting in line, the security guy called me over again, and some girl was there. He said something to her, and she said, "No, she's not one of ours." So, now I had lost my place in line. When I finally got to the desk, it took forever for them to understand that I was a visiting student and I didn't have my ID yet because they wouldn't let me register until tomorrow but I needed a BED tonight! Finally we got it worked out after some weird guy started speaking bad French to show off, but he thought he was speaking Spanish. This is Columbia?

So, I finally got into my room and hour and a half after arriving at 113th and Broadway, but I have no phone. Well, I have a phone, but the phone part is missing. And my internet didn't work. And the RA isn't in his room....well, first, the room that says RA is Henry Wong's room...and he's not the RA! But there is a nice girl across the hall from me. My door would not lock and she showed me what I have to do.

Well, I got everything in my room, then I decided to go get something to eat. I walked outside. Good news is there is a supermarket across the street and a Duane Reed down the block. Also, a block away is the diner from Seinfeld! I'll take a picture tomorrow! Anyway, got some dinner, came back, took a shower in the showers with nowhere to put clothers or anything (and one of them doesn't have hot water and the shower head is broken off so it just hangs there. Anyway, I used the "good" one. The curtain is tiny, though, and I'm a pretty modest person so this will be interesting. Also, my room was so cold. I couldn't figure out the air conditioner because the controls are hidden. I just found it...it was set on 62! And it's like 42 degrees outside anyway! So, now I'm warmer and my internet works obviously.

Well, I did say this would be an adventure! It has made me really appreciate Miranda from Grenoble! She was awesome, and I'd give anything to have a "Miranda" here in New York. I'd give even more to have THE "Miranda" here because she was that cool.

Tomorrow will probably be interesting as well. I've got to do registration and ID stuff. But, Morningside Heights is awesome, just like I remember it, and Columbia is gorgeous. And hopefully, most Columbians are smarter than the ones I encountered today!

Okay, it's 11pm here, so I'm going to sleep! And I don't know how many minutes I used on my cell phone today. My mom and dad had to figure all this stuff out long distance...especially since I didn't have an internet connection for a while! But now I've got them both on AIM, so they can talk to me that way and save minutes. I'm glad I was born in the age of the internet! Oh, by the way, I refused to wear my Columbia t-shirt today because I didn't want to look like an idiot. But EVERYONE and his dog was wearing a Columbia shirt! Losers. It is my favorite shirt, though. But I won't wear it on Day 1.