I shouldn't overanalyze friendships...

The ski trip this weekend was great. I can tell that my ability is on an exponential curve. (Well actually, the graph is probably more logarithmic....but people don't use that terminology colloquially and I'm at the beginning where you improve by leaps and bounds.) I'm sure being on the slopes three days in one week helped.

The highlight was spending time with some of the other people in my organization. I don't hang out with them much. This weekend, I was reminded that the reason for that is because I don't like hanging out in large groups. I really like the people and they like me. (I was told as much several times.) The reminder that there are people here who I want to know better is reassuring.

In another sector of life, I found out from my sister that my college is canceling its orientation trip program. The basic reason given is that not all of the incoming students who wanted to go on the trip were able to (this year 40 students were waitlisted). That the students who go on the trips have friends before the mandatory for all orientation and the students who don't go on trips feel left out.

If you knew me in college, you can imagine that my reaction is visceral. If you didn't know me then, suffice to say that I went on the service trip for four years. Two of my best friends were in my room (of four) my freshman year. I feel like at least half of my friendships were influenced by the trip, whether or not people went on it. (For example, I think of one friend on the trip who then hung out on my freshman floor. And her roommate who came with her. And the way that then her roommate ended up living with people from my freshman floor. I don't know if that group of friends would exist if not for the trip. See what I mean about how I shouldn't overanalyze friendships?)

My mom observed that one of the things I'm dealing with this year is how community is formed. I don't think my organization does a good job of formally building community. There are second-years who I still don't really know. So the idea of my college getting rid of something that works (and that really worked for me) is infuriating.

I think for me there's also a sense of this is a frustration that I can direct, can do something about. There's so much in systems here that I can't influence, I want to exploit the system that I can.

I've written my "strongly worded letter" to be sent to appropriate Deans and campus life coordinators. (It does need to be revised before I send it. For some reason I suspect I should cut lines like, "Canceling the trips is STUPID. DUMB. And a little bit crazy."

If you went to college with me and have the time, I'd love for you to work the system too. Whether you went on a trip or not (maybe especially if you didn't), consider writing a letter of your own. If you need information (newspaper articles or senate minutes), feel free to e-mail me. Even though we won't be going on these trips again, it's one of the traditions that I think should be passed on to future students at out school.

That is all. For now. Maybe.