Sketches of Princeton [first]

the first week of classes

is a whirl. 

at first i thought, 

"i've got this." 

and then 

the second day hit

with the force of a freight train. 

i don't got this. 

at least not right now. 

but i will. 

there's a lot of reading. 

so.much.reading.

thousands of pages of it. 

help?

there's also a lot of thinking. 

my brain feels overloaded. 

but then. 

there is in the very air here

beauty

and knowledge

and a wisdom 

that the world spins on 

and there is blue sky 

and that there are places for me to be 

and sit 

and breathe.

and that i will make this place a home. 

the other day

i saw a dad 

place his daughter in a shopping cart

(that's used to move things into 

the apartments here) 

and she squealed with joy. 

real things. 

beyond books. 

i like being reminded of reality. 

i find it in the curve of the river

and the stillness of the morning

and in how bugs buzz here

and birds chirp

and everything is a bit louder

and warmer

and muggier

than back home. 

those are real things, too. 

i think it's normal to feel overwhelmed here. 

overwhelmed by the amount to do 

but also overwhelmed by the sheer beauty and magnitude of this place

and of the people here. 

i don't just mean their brilliance and accolades 

(although that can be overwhelming, too)

but just that i've been overwhelmed by kindness

with hugs 

and greetings

and people offering to help me scan books upon books 

and deep discussions 

and invitations to dinner 

and lunch

and understandings that no one really knows 

what's going on. 

i haven't figured it out yet. 

but i will. 

i will. 

i will.