Today was my first day of studying. I didn't have any classes today, so I was able to work from 9:00-4:00. I took my books outside and sat on a bench in front of the dorm during the morning. Then I took a break for lunch (where I managed not to drop my salad on the floor, like I did yesterday). After lunch I found a quiet stairway in an unfrequented part of the campus and did as much studying as I could there, until I had to go back to my dorm to use the computer. (Lesson: bring the laptop next time.)
It was lovely in the shade, but the studying outside does have its drawbacks. Stairs, however unfrequented by human traffic, are not therefore free of ants, gnats, bees, and other bugs of less certain description. (The sweat bees got me twice today.)
After that was choir practice. We did a few warm-ups, and then went right into sight-reading our music. And the sound! So many voices singing together, four parts dancing in and out with each other, coming together at moments of shimmering harmony to make chords that are almost tangible--sound that envelops you and lifts you up and sustains you until the last breath--that was glorious. It seemed to be over very quickly. Even some of the seasoned choir-members, juniors and seniors, said that they don't often sound that good.
After that I went to the school's annual Fiesta on the commons, where they had quasi-Mexican food (spicy rice-and-bean egg rolls?) and a cliche Mexican band. After dinner was convocation, which today meant a guest speaker in the chapel. The speaker was pretty good, but it took them half an hour to get to him. The president of the college introduced a local judge who introduced the lieutenant governor of the state who gave a short address and then turned it back over to the judge, who introduced the speaker for the evening.
When that was over I went back to my dorm and did some more studying, breaking it up with piano practice--I tried sight-reading a Beethoven sonata. It went fairly well, but then I had chosen the easiest one I could find. I attended the mandatory residence hall meeting in the evening, and came back and did some more studying. (I did actually finish my homework.) Luckily I have a 10:00 class tomorrow morning, so I can sleep a little.
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