It's the third week of school...

Things are going well. Alysa (my roommate) and I have basically got our schedule down. We know when we need to go to bed, wake up, clean our dorm room, do our homework, do our laundry, hang out with which people which day, etc. It's really nice falling into a routine; I think I function better this way.

Nothing much to report. Alysa, my friend Sarika from high school, and I went to the football game on Saturday. It was technically my first UofA game as was it for Alysa, and it was Sarika's first time to a football game ever. The three of us had a lot of fun participating in all of the Wildcat traditions: the jingling of the keys at kick-off, the "OOOOO!"ing when it was appropriate, the repetitive cheers and hand clapping, etc. Unfortunately, though, we did not get to experience the infamous chanting of the quarterback's name, my favorite cheer. Better luck next time.

I am still lax in the friends department. Alysa is really my closest friend here, which isn't so horrible because the roommate is the most important friend you can make. Alysa is in the same spot as me, so it's nice to have someone to go through it with. The two of us have been hanging out with my sister, Katie, and a couple of my friends from high school. I think Alysa likes all of my friends and I know they like her back, so it really works out; I think we all have a pretty good time together. But that still does not shake our craving to make some new friends here. I think we're both feeling a little lonely.

I have been searching quite intently for a Christian group to be a part of. I tried out four different Christian groups on campus and I think I have narrowed it down to the one I like the best. It's a group called Intervarsity and it's a nondenominational Christian fellowship that focuses on campus outreach. My friends Andy and Stephen (brothers) told me I should try it out and they thought that I would really enjoy it, which I did. I took Alysa with me and she really enjoyed it, too. She knew someone who was involved with IV so she immediately felt a part of the group. We decided that we would go next week and hopefully that will be our new church family and possibly the source of our new friendships. I know I am going to have a hard time fitting in with the crowd just because I lack a lot of social and "making new friends" skills, but I am going to take Andy's advice and really try to be outgoing and talk to people. It scares me to death, but I am going to try.

My sign language teacher finally returned to Arizona after spending two weeks out of the state tending to her sick father-in-law. I spoke with her after class about possibly transferring to a higher level of ASL, and she said I had two options: 1) That I take the semester final and if I get a C or better on the exam, I would automatically have 4th level proficiency. The problem with that is that I am fairly confident that I would test out of it and then I would drop from 16 credits to 12, which I really can't do. 2) Email one of the professors and ask if I could join his/her high-level interpreting class. If he/she approves, I must take the semester final and score a C on it and then I will be transferred into an interpreting class. I was so excited when I heard that I could be joining an interpreting class because that's always something that I have been interested in doing, but my professor told me that the chances of the other professor accepting me into his/her class is a very slim one considering we are already in the third week of school. I am praying (and I want you all to pray, too!) that everything works out and I am able to switch classes; I don't know how much I can take of people asking what the sign for "have" is...

The other classes are fine. I am having a difficult time with my astronomy class, though, because the material is quite grueling and difficult for me to understand and the professor isn't very good. Katie is helping me with it, thank goodness. I am so blessed to have such and awesome sister! Other than that, school is school. Oh! Sarika and I are going to a ballroom dancing class this evening--I am so stoked! If we like it, it is going to be a weekly Monday night event. :)

That's pretty much it. Love to all. Updates will be coming soon. Comments are appreciated!