From Such Great Heights

Professor Coleman opened class today by asking us what movies we researched for homework. After a vote, my suggestion for “Blood Diamond” won with 20 votes. I explained to the class that the movie had economic concepts of supply, demand, and black markets.

We were assigned some hefty homework. One part of it is bookwork and the other is a worksheet that requires us to look up key terms and write down definitions. Professor Coleman and John the TA told us not to stress about the homework. It is assigned for our benefit only. They told us that it is better for us to retain the information from doing homework rather than completing the assignment on cruise control.

We were also assigned a group project for the end of our course. So far, I am in a group with Andrew and Jose (I sit next to both of them in class). Some topic suggestions are globalization, budget deficits in the United States, the stimulus package, bank bailouts, and the gold standard.

Today’s focus in class was on models. We learned how to graph different economic situations. Linear and nonlinear graphs represented opportunity costs. I read more on the graphs after class just to solidify the concept. Pictures really do speak a thousand words. I am understanding macroeconomics more and more. Tomorrow we are going over the graphs for supply and demand.

After class, I went up to the Science Library (or Sci Li in Brown jargon) to put money on my ID card to do my laundry. There was detergent up for grabs in the laundry room. I put a huge load of colors in before heading off to explore more of the Brown campus with Rachel.

Rachel, Steph, and I went to grab “Pizza in a Cone”, a delicacy in Providence. We went for the buy two, get one free deal. I got a Fire Cone. It was spicy and delicious. I also made friends with the pizza cone salesman.

Afterwards, Rachel and I checked out the greenhouse and the Episcopal Church on campus. The church was very dark but open for visitors. We both lit candles for people in our thoughts before we left to scale the Sci Li.

At 6:00PM, the Jameson basement floor group (aka 007s) met at Sayles Hall for a campus scavenger hunt. We were competing against 7 other floor groups. We had to take pictures of:

-Two bear statues

-The OMAC

-A squirrel

-the Van Winkle Gates

-The Marc Aurelius Statue

-The Pembroke Seal

-The Stairway to Heaven (Nobody knew where this was, but apparently it’s the Grad Center)

- A waffle in the waffle-maker at the V-Dub (Verney-Wooley Dining Hall)

-3 of the 6 Brown Libraries

-50 rubber ducks (they were on display on Thayer Street)

-A Brown police officer

Here’s the catch. One member from each team had to be in each photo in the scavenger hunt. Guess who that one person was for 007? Our team ran through the entire campus searching for everything on the list. We talked to students and others on campus. I had to run after my team member with the camera, Ellen Paik, who is in track and field. We were booking it! I also ran into Ms. Larson during the hunt! She was headed to the movie theater on Thayer Street, but I think she misses Cohort #1. We miss her too!

An hour later, we ran back to Sayles hall to conclude the hunt. We won! We had the most items on the list. Ellen and I collapsed on the grass as our RA congratulated us. Mikalei told us that our prize was a pizza/Ben and Jerry’s ice cream party for our floor. I don’t know when this will be, but I will document the event.

After the hype, I relaxed with my Brown buddies, Rachel and Scott. They are hilarious.

I am busying myself with homework and reading my textbook. Many girls from my floor are socializing in Mikalei’s room and I can hear them from my open window. Although I’ve only been at Brown University for 3 days, it seems like 3 weeks already. We are already creating strong friendships and families here. I will be down and out after my second shower of the day. Until tomorrow!