Eleven More Days Til School... 8/17/2002
Today is Saturday and I'm actually going out. One of the girls I work with, Brittney, is having a going away/graduation/birthday party at her house today. Most of the other camp staff isn't going, but I figured, 'fuck it.' I need to get in the mind set of school: being thrown into a situation with a bunch of strangers and all. So we'll see.
This week I went to the psych ward on Wednesday and Thursday nights. I realized how few hours I was working this summer, so I tried to get my hours up a little before I leave for school. Its just that after working with the babies for eight hours a day, I'm so tired when I get home. Even volunteering one day a week was tough. I would've loved to volunteer over the weekends since I have tons of free time then, but volunteers are only allowed to work during the week.
When I went in on Wednesday, Shab was there. (Mentioned in my 7/7/02 entry 'Lies, Leaving, and Disco'). Shab is a girl I met a few months ago when I had to switch my volunteering night from Thurdday to Wednesday for a week. I found out she also goes to Binghamton and is the same year I am. We're both bio majors, and we actually have a class together this semester.
Because of my stupid lie, I had to keep up the belief that I was in Binghamton last year. I said something like, "Yeah, I got my dorm assignments and found out that I'm in a designed triple." She gives me an odd look and asks, "How come you didn't know your dorm assignment?" (Returning students find out where they're living in April, but freshmen and transfers find out over the summer). I corrected myself by saying that I knew the room, but just found out my roommates. I'm so weird.
Normally, transferring isn't a big deal to people, but it is to me. I feel like an oddball because I didn't like college. Frosh year is supposed to be the best, and I spent most of it trying to figure out ways to visit home more. I can't tell the truth now, because A) I wouldn't know what to say and B) I'm going to look like a massive idiot. I mean, what do I say, "Yeah, remember all that stuff I told you about being at Binghamton last year? Well, I lied because I hate the fact that I'm a transfer student and I have some really odd complexes. Wanna be my friend anyway?" Um, no.
She seems like a really nice person and told me that we should hang out on the Friday of the Opening Weekend. She also told me that she never checks her e-mail over the summer, so at least I know why she never replied to my e-mail. It was funny, but a few days ago, I was thinking about the unanswered e-mail, and I just thought, "You know what? Fuck it, I'm not going to let it bother me." Ah well...funny how things work out. She's even offered to give me the names of some organic chemistry tutors she knows, so I'm pretty happy about that. One less thing for me to find.
As for the kids in the psych ward...they're awesome as usual. CSMO left the unit, along with RYN, whose sister goes to my school. I know its wrong, but I usually pictured that the kids in the psych ward to come from poor, underprivileged familes or were orphaned by uncaring parents. RYN's sister went to high school with me; I don't know her personally, but its weird to think that people have such severe problems in my hometown. Not that I'm problem-free, but still...I leanring that some of the parents aren't uncaring exactly, but they're fucked up as well, which affects their children. And even when these kids are taken out of dysfunctional homes, they're placed in foster families, where they may encounter sexual abuse, like BRNNE. Its amazing that the kids are so awesome, despite the crap in their lives.
We played a frisbee game in gym, which I lost miserably. Most of these kids are about ten years younger than I am, and were just kicking my ass. Its funny, but outside of most academic stuff, I'm pretty much useless. Not an athletic bone in my body. I'm flexible and incredibly strong for someone who's 5'3", but I can't toss a Frisbee or play basketball to save my life.
I played a board game with MTTW, DNY and FLOWER. FLOWER is in the psych ward simply because she's crazy. She flips people off randomly, kicks people, is an obsessive, lies about everything, and doesn't speak English. DNY and MTTW were pretty good sports about it though. MTTW kept making fun of me because I call kids things like 'honey' and 'babe.' Its a habit from camp that I bring to the psych ward. I can't help it. Besides, they're kids, they're supposed to be called stuff like this. I dunno, my mother stills cals us this stuff, and her kids are 21, 19, 16, and 11.
Thursday sucked. MTTW was there when we left for gym, but was gone when we came back. He had left the unit, and I didn't even get to say good-bye. Its the only thing that sucks about being a volunteer there. You're never told when the kids are leaving. Half the time, the kids aren't even told until the last minute, depending on their age. CRLS and KEHARA were in isolation because they had pink eye, so it was just FLOWER, DNY, and a new boy named MCHL who I think has ADD and a host of other behaviorl problems. Obviously, most of these kids do, but in some its a lot more apprent than others. Darcy, the other volunteer, told me that she told Ron that the wrd should have a small going away party for me next week. I always thought that she kind of didn't like me, so it was a nice thing to hear. I'm working next Wednesday and Thurday, which are my last days in the psych ward. I asked Ronald if I coud work in the unit over my winter break two or three days a week, and he said it shouldn't be a problem. :O)
There's all kinds of stuff going on at work, which I just don't feel like talking about. If you live near or on L.I., read Newsday. My camp is involved in a huge case right now, which is bringing all sorts of bullshit on the other counselors who work there. That and the fact that one of my parents gave me a $5 tip after her kid was there for four weeks. That's just fucking insulting seeing that she can afford to spend $5000 on summer camp AND send three kids to private school at 10k per year. But I'm not bitter...
Phobia of the Day: Plutophobia- Fear of wealth (I sure as hell don't have this fear)
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