Adventures in Grad School - Pt 1 of ?

I'm in Vermont, a state I never even thought about before researching low-residency graduate school programs. Until yesterday, here's everything I knew about Vermont:

• It's next to Canada
• It's really cold
• Maple syrup
• Ben & Jerry's
• Gay marriage
• Art community

That's it.

Now I'm here, standing out like a chocolate chip in scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's like being in another country.

Apparently, Montpelier (pronounced Mont-peel-ee-ur... no, not the French way) is the smallest capital city in the United States. Population 8,000. (7,995 of whom are totally bohemian or artists or students or all 3).

It's like walking into that show on IFC, Portlandia.

So far, it's great.

Today was the first day of the actual residency in this program. I met the other students in my cohort and my faculty advisors. I swear I couldn't invent more colorful characters. For the purpose of this blog, all names will be changed to famous people or other people I know to whom these characters bear a striking resemblance.

Faculty Advisors:

• Female Fred Armisen (she looks just like him...as a woman. I'm so serious)
• Rev. John Turner (Carissa, I swear he reminds me of your dad). My program advisor.

Classmates:

• Drew Barrymore - young natural science chick
• Bad Santa - obnoxious-yet-endearing older guy
• Linda Hamilton - my roommate
• Carlton - the only black guy in Vermont
• House - cynical, tall guy who looks EXACTLY like Hugh Laurie)
• Larry the Cable Guy - named based on his flannel shirt and trucker cap
• Kid Rock - cool guy, long hair

There are more, but I have a feeling that these are going to show up in more posts.

Tomorrow, I have a meeting with the Reverend, several seminars and then I have to work on my powerpoint presentation with Kid Rock and Larry. Good times ahead.

Stay tuned.

:)