Devon Thomas' Journal- 09/15/04

My first couple of weeks here at UNH were very different from what I expected them to be. Up to the point when my parents left me outside my dorm, I had never really had to imagine what things would be like living out from under their wing. I definitely was happy to be here, but at that point I was a little hesitant as to what exactly it was I was supposed to do. I had a list a mile long of things I *had* to do. I feel the question that I was faced with was a little more profound. More like, "Crud, I'm on my own what the heck am I supposed to do now?" (keep in mind this cite is censored.)

As it was, I was at UNH a week early to partake in the Connect program. For those of you who don't know, Connect is a program for minority students that allows them to get to know one another and learn their way around the campus before anyone else shows up. They were a tremendous help. I got to speak with other people, get my stuff in order, and buy my books -- all before anyone else arrived on campus. The people are "really" nice, too. I think my most memorable moment of that first week was the Connect barbeque. We went to a pond. (I can't remember the name). Suffice it to say, it was not really a pond but definitely a lake. We were told to bring a bathing suit for swimming, but no one took advantage of the opportunity, except me. I was sitting out on a rock by the water, and I saw two swimmers swimming out to this island in the center of the lake. It looked to me like the island was less than a quarter of a mile out. I thought I could easily handle it after life guard training. So I donned my swim trunks and dived in.

It is relatively cold now, but the first week here was freaking hot. And the water in this lake was really nice. On a level from one to ten, it would have easily taken a twenty. I had never been so relaxed that entire week. I had a quarter of a mile swim ahead of me and after seeing me swim out by the guys paddling in the canoes, everyone would think I was beyond cool. That probably would have been the case if the island I was heading for was really a quarter of a mile out. I don't know if any swimmers will be reading this, but there comes a point when you tend to stop thinking of how much your body hurts or how many laps you have done and you just swim. This came quickly to me because the water got colder, deeper and less clear. This gets a person to thinking: maybe there's some scary stuff down there. Any sensible minded person would know that in a New Hampshire lake there is nothing but a few fish. But I'm from Vermont and can't go swimming in any lake without being reminded of Champ the evil placiasoure.

I had no idea of far out I really was until some person, indistinguishable to me from any other person in a boat, called my name and said everyone was heading back to the bus. I looked back and noted I was a bit further than I thought. A friend of mine had been in a kayak and pulled me back to shore. As it was, when I got there everyone was on the bus and ready to leave. I found myself in the awkward position of having to dress and run at the same time. It is not fun to run through a forest with rocks and twigs and other things that like to scuff off unprotected feet. But I made it to the bus. And even though my swimming trek was not exactly as awe inspiring as I had hoped, it did earn a few laughs at my expense, which is cool enough.

So that was my first week at UNH. To speak truthfully, it was one of the more memorable weeks of my life.