On August 22nd, I left Bangkok for Reed College in Portland, Oregon. 4 months on, it’s December 21st, and my first semester has ended. Despite spending 4 months in Portland, it's tough to articulate the crazy, intense, and special place that is Reed. My appreciation for Reed is now a sharp contrast to the defiant attitude I had for higher education before I started. I feel that Reed is starting to shape me as a person far more than I anticipated. While I do worry if these changes will stick with me, I am optimistic about it. Overall, it excites me to report back on my first semester.
To start, my parents and I flew BKK-NRT-SFO-PDX and reached Portland around 3:30PM on August 22nd, 2013. While I stayed with them for the first night, I was dropped off for orientation the following morning. I spent most of the day setting up my room while mom and dad went off to see the campus. Truthfully, I told them that I wouldn’t be able to give them much time in Portland. Unfortunately, that upset mom in particular. To justify myself however, I would be spending the next few years here. I therefore NEED to make friends. It would only become exponentially more difficult to make friends later in the semester.
I really tried hard to get to know people during international orientation meeting around 50 people in a period of 3 days. I did however hit saturation point when 300 more freshmen and the upperclassmen all arrived. This made me take a step back in the socializing process. While I enjoy getting to know people, it showed me my weakness where I get tired while socializing too quickly. I also need to be better at introducing myself to women, as I tend to become a turtle; either very awkward or in a shell. Unfortunately, I’m in wedding season right now, and it seems that I still have the same weaknesses, albeit in a slightly more challenging environment. I really want to learn how to fix this.
Apart from the socializing, orientation had many great highlights. I won the freshmen pool tournament, remaining undefeated throughout! I watched Arsenal beat the Spuds at 7AM at Beulahland! I went to Noize parade, which was one of the best parties I’ve ever been to. No drinking, just wacky, intense dance, with a purely joyful atmosphere. I also had my first proper American experience as the cops busted a college party I was at. I even recorded us leaving the party, sort of! I’ve put some footage from orientation below.
Overall, orientation was an extremely exciting and intense ten-day period. It showed me what an exciting and happening place Reed is.