2002-12-08 - 9:52 p.m.
Wow, this year was a good symposium. As I told an aquaintence of mine this evening, getting tremendously drunk the weekend before finals might not be the greatest of ideas, but I am quite happily accustomed to it because every single fall here I have done it (it being the party, not getting "tremendously drunk, because my first symposium was the first time I drank, and I just had one drink). And each time, I get a bit drunker. This time, I had too much. It has been suggested to me that the reason I threw up was the combination of orange juice drinks and milk drinks, but whether it was that or the amount of alcohol I had (four mixed drinks over about 5 hours, so not that much in the general scheme of things), it made me a bit ill. But after the vomiting (by the time that started I had already moved on to saltines and water) and wee bit of sleeping, I felt great. The next morning at First Watch I was by far the most cheerful and healthy. This came in part from the fact that I, unlike a few others, wasn't ill to begin with, but it also came from my nap and the fact that vomiting got that alcohol out of my system rather quickly. ;-)
The preceding paragraph might not make all that much sense to many of my readers, but the illness was so short and the symposium composed of so much more than my health, that it really isn't meant to sound that strange. The conversational part of the party went extremely well, even though, and perhaps because, a record number of people made it through to the symposium part.
Last evening I walked by myself to see Pipin in Sainer, and this evening I walked by myself to see the Chamber Music Concert at Sainer. Last evening I met friends there, but this evening I only happened upon aquitences. I really like partaking in the entertainment my fellow novo collegians create. I'm not sure if I like partaking as part of a group who troups down there or as a solitary individual directed not to be social but to experience that which those not of my social group have to offer. In some ways I feel a bit lonely, doing things by myself. In other ways, I feel totally me and fulfilled with my self-direction.
After pippin, though, I did feel it bit lonely. It was the contrast between that evening and the mass of humanity, all of whom I consider my friends, pressed into my room to drink and make merry.
No-one else I know was interested in going to the Chamber Music Concert, and they correctly pinpointed my strongest motivation as seeing that first year cellist whom I like but whom is totally indifferent to my presence. After listening to the concert, though, I must say that I am very glad to have found some sort of motivation to go, because the music itself was exquisite. I wish I knew more and could appreciate it better (and could be more sure that that piano solo of a bit of Bach included something decidedly not Bach), but even as an uneducated listener I did enjoy it much.
Now let's just hope I enjoy my finals this upcoming week as much as I enjoyed this weekend! *shudder*
