Day 2 - So far so good

I will not report such things from each and every day of my 16 months of nursing school, but I've decided that my utter shock at being back at school with undergrads, welcome events and the modern amenities of modern higher education is worth a post or two.

My classes are excellent so far. My professors are cool -- we're supposed to ask questions, reading is critical and organization is even more important. Books are expensive but everything seems to be working out swimmingly.

The scene here at Loyola is different from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Tufts University, Truman College and most other schools I've visited during my nationwide tours of colleges.

• Loyola is urban -- seriously urban. Crossing Sheridan Road (which is what Lakeshore Drive turns into this far north) is a challenge. The CTA Red Line tracks weave through the edge of campus and I got a U-Pass (free CTA!),'
• Undergrads are as ridiculous as ever. They smoke (!), wear silly outfits, line up for odd happenings, suggest laminating their U-Passes (no!), and using cell phones constantly. I guess I'm an undergrad too, but not so ridiculous as all of these youngsters. My silly outfit, however, is maroon scrubs with all-white shoes. Egads.
• The Illini Union Bookstore has spoiled me for all other bookstores. The Loyola University Bookstore doesn't have a million types of pens, an acceptable variety of university-themed notebooks or cool bright orange bags. It's a Follett bookstore and I'm an IUB girl -- what am I to do!?!
• The library here is, however, superior to the underground Undergrad of my favorite alma mater. It's a big glass building, with windows facing the (tiny) quad area and the lake. Beautiful. In fact, I think I'll spend much of this afternoon staring at the lake and reading Pathophysiology.
• It's nice to go home -- I'm lucky to have a sweet B, a non-undergrad apartment, my own kitchen and my setup to come home to. Our new apartment has plenty of study space, a kitchen I love to cook in and just the space we need right now. Hooray for peace at home.
• Living the undergrad life is pretty sweet.

This photo is the Loyola Library -- fancy! It does cast a shadow though, not on any experiemental corn fields, but still... a shadow!