Hellooo from the South!

This was originally written 1/14/07.

As you may or may not already know -- I am now attending Graduate School for Library Science at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL. It's a rather large university with almost 28,000 students and about 200 in the SLIS Graduate Program.
I will be here a week tomorrow (Martin Luther King Day). My mom and I drove down last Sunday and Monday. It took about 14 hours. It all happened very quickly as the office forgot to send my acceptance letter before Christmas Break and ended up calling me. They knew of an available apartment nearby and so I took the plunge and started packing to come to Alabama.

Upon arriving and looking at the available apartment I began to worry as it was somewhere near one of Dante's circles of hell. Really - if you don't believe me ask my mom. It was extremely close to campus (which was really the only thing it had going for it) but it was dirty and the fridge was no larger than a small milk crate (approx 3 ft across) with the small sink and two burners on top.

I then had the idea to call the Catholic Student Center and see if they rented rooms or apts or knew of anyone who had some available. Thankfully they did and had an apt empty. So I live near the St Francis Church and Catholic Student Center. It didn't hit me until I came to look at the apt that the church's name was St Francis. Both my grandfathers love St Francis and that is my one grandfather's middle name. It was at that moment that I knew if I was meant to stay in Alabama that I was going to get this apartment. Plus my mother could rest assured knowing that I would be attending weekly mass as the church is practically right outside my front door.

My apt is very nice - it has 2 bedrooms, large dining/living/kitchen area and bathroom with parking nearbyand I am on the end. Yea! Less noise that way. I am close to the Library where all my classes are, the Football Stadium, the Aquatic Center, Baseball Stadium and Coleman Coliseum.

This past Friday I went to a Gymnastics Meet that was very cool. The student section is right near where they do the floor routine. The opening introductions were quite the to-do. There were fireworks, a tunnel of lights and huge blow-up things. Personally I could have done without the fireworks after every intro - the smell of sulfur got to me after awhile. There is an Olympic Silver Medalist that goes to Alabama - Terin Humphrey - she's a junior - she did really well until the floor routine and then she almost fell on her face. That was the most heartbreaking aspect of the whole meet - when ever someone would stumble or fall you could just see it in their face.

So far I had orientation into the SLIS Program and two out of the four of my classes. The four classes I have are: Organization of Information, Intro Library Info Study, Info Sources & Services and Material & Services Children.

I have met several nice people thus far. Some of my neighbors and some fellow students in the graduate program. There is a married couple from Milan, Italy that are graduate Students about and two artists two doors from them.

It is a very different experience than my undergrad as Clarion only had about 7,000 students and I don't think I've ever experienced the kind of enthusiasm that they have for sports down here. Alabama is the Crimson Tide and the mascot is AL the Elephant. Sports wise they are a member of the SEC and the new football coach came the same week I did -- Nick Saban who came from the Miami Dolphins in Florida. Thankfully I will have sometime to get acquainted and acclimated with the town before football season -- apparently that is something to behold. There is a bonfire the night before every home game and a parade and tailgating the day of the game around the quad. I read somewhere that fans attend wearing rolls of toilet paper strapped to their heads and tide boxes. I will have to take pictures if I see that!

Visitors are enthusiastically welcomed!!

I believe Graceland and Atlanta are about 4 hours away if I remember correctly from mapquest.com
New Orleans LA is about 8 hours and Orlando FL is 9 hours.
So if you are passing through or near -- Let me know!!
I have cousins in Huntsville which is about 2 hours from Tuscaloosa -- so I am hoping at some point that I will get to see them.The closest airport is Birmingham, AL which carries Southwest Flights (hint! hint! Cheap Flights)