Tick Tock Goes the Clock

It's hard to believe that I'm finally in Providence, blogging alongside my Brown II cohort. Just hours ago, I was struggling to rise from my bed to head to El Cerrito High. At exactly 2:37AM, my parents and I drove up EC's driveway. Don gave us his last briefing and took our final group photo before the shuttle arrived to bring us to the SFO Airport. As we grabbed our baggages and said our farewells to our families, we anxiously (and groggily) took off to the airport.

Mine and Maddie's view of Newark, NJ

The line for the boarding passes and security checks were horrible! The extra weight of my backpack and luggage didn't help the situation. You can only imagine the relief that we felt when we finally settled into our airplane seats. Before we knew it, we were off!!! 

After 5 of the longest hours of my existence, we safely landed in Newark, NJ. I was so excited to leave the plane and grab what was supposed to be my first meal of the day. Unfortunately, we only had enough time for a bathroom break. I thought to myself, "It's okay, this flight will only be 30 minutes long." Wrong.

Sure, we arrived Providence within half an hour, but the ride there was absolutely terrifying. Small airplanes were always my biggest enemy -- I mean, who doesn't hate endless shakiness and fearful thoughts in an airplane? Let's not forget to mention my completely empty stomach that growled throughout the flight. Despite the uncertainties of surviving, however, we still made our way to Providence. 

Waiting makes us very happy.

Right when I thought all the waiting was over, the car rental company slapped me in the face and proved me wrong. We had to wait for another 2 excruciating hours before we got our van. Zero sleep, inconvenient lines, frightening plane trips... What more can I ask for? 

When Ms. Timmes and Ms. Williams (with Don's help, I assume) finally resolved the unanticipated issue, we found ourselves in the midst of yet another problem: the luggages. It was such a challenge trying to fit ten luggages in the van's compact trunk space. Fortunately for us, our chaperones are geniuses and were able to cram them all in. As soon as Ms. Timmes started to drive out of the parking area, I knocked out face down on my pillow. Evidently, I was exhausted enough not to wake up to the bumpy roads. It wasn't until we were one minute away from the hotel when I regained consciousness. The wait was over at last. Everything is so worth it in the end.

I love the Providence neighborhood! Everything seems so peaceful. At one point, I lost track of time because the atmosphere felt so laid-back. It was even safe enough to simply walk down to a nearby restaurant called Viva Mexico. No words can describe the joy that I felt when my food (my first meal of the day) was finally served. It was a huge plate of spicy enchiladas but I managed to finish it with no trouble. I would have taken a photo of my meal but I was too anxious to eat it all immediately. 

Ynah, my roomie for the week

Now my cohort and I are having the time of our lives blogging together in Destiney's and Abby's room. We have a long day -- or should I say a long week -- ahead of us. We have yet to meet new people and explore numerous colleges. In about 9 hours, our journey officially begins.