My mom and I arrived in Durham on Monday morning. We planned to sleep through the red-eye but got hooked on the in-flight trivia game instead and stayed up all night competing with the guy in seat 19C, among others. We did get second place overall for highest score, so I guess it was worth it!

On Monday I felt like I had entered the witness protection program. Right after we landed, I got the keys to my brand new car, then signed the lease at my brand new apartment, then bought a brand new life at Target. I've actually spent more money at Target this week than I'll be spending on rent in a whole month. Crazy.

The Prius is great. I did kill a few squirrels on Tuesday, which was kind of traumatic (probably more so for them than for me!) Apart from that, though, I'm enjoying the 45mpg average - but if anyone knows how to disconnect the awful beeping noise that goes off when you're in reverse and that for some brilliant reason you can only hear inside the car, please let me know!

Our apartment building is like a Melrose Place version of preschool. Really. Muted primary colors, a pool table, shuffleboard, lounge area, free snacks, a business center / internet cafe that's rocking early 90's tunes, a movie theater, two big swimming pools, and a full-time social director. It's a little insane. But it's within walking distance of the Nicholas School building, which is amazing - especially since the good campus parking permits sold out the same day they went on sale. You would think it was a U2 concert or something.

We spent the week making many trips to Bed Bath and Beyond, antique furniture stores, and various campus buildings (some of them multiple times - apparently the concept of plugging in the scanner that's used to create student ID cards was a bit of a stumbling block for the staffer there!) My mom was insanely cheery throughout.

TGFAC (Thank Goodness For Air Conditioning) - it's been consistently 102 or 103 since we've been here. Even after the sun has set, it's still 97. Yikes!

Favorite restaurant name: Biscuitville. No kidding.

Okay, I have to go study for my calc and stats tests on Monday, Day 1 of orientation - welcome to grad school!