Life

'One time, at band camp

The blocky, red numbers stare me in the face -- "6:29." One minute away from another August day of band camp. One minute and a few weeks away from our first show, our first test. One minute and generations away from where this band has been and where it will be. The numbers blink "6:30." It's go time. I slide out of bed, careful not to wake my roommates -- I have the early shower shift -- and execute my morning routine, knees aching, thighs numb and voice hoarse from the previous day's drill instruction.

What's up with the Pav?

"It's bullshit," third-year Engineering student Dave Maderas said. "They can run that place with three people." For years Pavilion XI, better known as "the Pav," has been serving students favorite offerings such as smoothies, Chick-fil-A and wraps all day and even after the dining halls are closed.

'I guess I have a lot of things to ponder.'

Thoughts of a third year, inspired by the patronsaint of college students: Derek Zoolander. 4"I give you, 'The Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good.'" I went to the bookstore to get the books for the classes I'm enrolled in the other day.

Sold

As a new generation of University undergrads arrived in Charlottesville two weeks ago, there was surely one new and clueless first year who -- aided by parents, siblings and extended family -- slaved up three flights of stairs to find a dinky 10 foot by 15 ft room that would be his or hootr home for the next year.

Totally Tube-ular

Although yesterday's rain and classes helped remind students that their lazy summer days are over, there is still one way to reconnect with summer.

Manic Hysteria

There is an underlying humor hiding beneath the mundane excitement of returning to school. The mental shock of trying to remember all the names you should know and a necessary effort to learn new ones, stemming not from social interest, but more directly from social requirement.

Hypnotized

Last Friday evening, third-year College student Stanley Lau was furious. Someone was threatening his friends. "My friends were in pain," Lau said. They had been bitten, squeezed and bruised despite Lau's best attempts to protect them.

Strange tales from the heartland

Ah, Ohio. My home state, my pride and joy -- as long as I'm not living there. Ohio, because of its atomically similar shape and geographic placement, has the nickname "The Heartland of America," which, by the way, is so much better than Indiana -- "The Crossroads of America." While I'm absolutely overjoyed to be back in Charlottesville, sometimes there's just not enough exiting news here.So, if you've been wondering what goes on in Cleveland, which no doubt you have, I can happily announce that I'm here to help that situation.

Political pit stop

By Michelle Jamrisko Cavalier Daily Associate Editor With just one day's notice, students flooded the Newcomb Ballroom to catch a glimpse of 27-year-old Vanessa Kerry, daughter of the Democratic presidential candidate, as she fielded hardball questions voiced by University students yesterday morning. Not all students heard about the event in time to attend.

Summer lovin'

My favorite movie growing up was Grease. I would watch it all the time and can sing every song, hum each harmony and recognize every costume as well as any nursery rhyme.

The start of a new school year means many things to many people. It's all about new classes, old friends, hopes for the football season, even anticipation of the upcoming presidential election.

Real help from the 'real world'

Despite having over a year of schooling ahead of me, a creeping sensation of fear had already begun to form in my mind: I am graduating in May, and I will have to find a job. In high school, the effects of "senioritis" had caused an irritating condition of impatience as graduation approached.

Sept. 1st impressions

It was back to the books at the University yesterday, as students exited that summer-fall limbo and entered their first day of classes. A sizeable slice of students were new to the University, whether as first years, transfers or graduate students, and had their first chance to see the academic side of student life. First-year College student Elizabeth Gamino said she was eager for her classes to begin, and after finally attending them, she said they met her expectations. "I think it'll be a lot more writing and reading than I did in high school, but I knew it would be more difficult," Gamino said. With increased difficulty comes narrower focus, and that particular aspect appealed to first-year College student Sonny Duong. "I'm excited about going to all these new kinds of classes," Duong said.

Remnants of a summer abroad

Her name was Amparo. Short, stout and sporting the ever-popular and revealing "nightgown-as-a-housedress" and that fiery, red dyed hair-look so prevalent among elderly Spanish women -- from the beginning she was none too easy on the eyes and quite critical of our large suitcases.

Framed

Passersby on Rugby Road typically are scurrying to on-Grounds sites by day and off-Grounds parties by night, with little time or attention paid to the University Art Museum that fills a plot across from Mad Bowl.

TV is life.

A new school year allows us to reflect on the past, present and future. It dawned on me that it being 2004, we're much closer to the future world (2015) Marty McFly visits in Back to the Future than the 1985 from whence he came.

Bice-ing it up

"Once a crumbly, dilapidated building," according to the information packet given to new residents, Bice reopened this semester after an approximately $7 million renovation, according to Burt Joseph, assistant director of housing for facilities. Bice was closed for the last two semesters while the Housing Department replaced everything from appliances, furniture, paint, carpets and windows to essentials like the fire system and exterior bricks. "It's actually new," Joseph said. The new accommodations generally have received approval from incoming residents. On Monday Bice's newly-trained Resident Coordinators sat in the lobby, greeting their new residents, as second-year Engineering student Mike Pilat took his 10-second walk from the front door of Bice to his new apartment, number 101.

Furnishing frenzy

It's the start of a new year, and the student body faces many challenges. In the midst of buying books, trying to get into classes and surviving the humidity, some students are also dealing with furnishing apartments and houses. "I never knew how much there would be to buy for a two bedroom apartment" second-year College student Lindsey Horne said.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

One subject that is on everyone's mind at one point during their career at U.Va. is handling life after college.

The Prosaic Mundane

There are no cigarette breaks at U.Va., but working in an office makes me want to start smoking. True, I find cigarettes pretty disgusting (even though I will have one from time to time as my drinking dictates), but the idea of going outside to "take a break" from a job not requiring much stress in the first place sounds quite agreeable.