The Weekend

Dear Diane,
It's been a few days since I've updated you, and I'm sure you're starting to feel out of the loop... So let's get you up to date on the goings on of 4Shaw the law student.
I went through a difficult decision on Thursday about what I was going to do for the weekend. Long ago I had told Alex(my cousin) that I would come up to Des Moines for the first weekend after orientation because that would be the weekend that I had the least to do for, and the most time to hang out since I also had Friday off. At the last minute I started getting cold feet about going because of all the stuff I had to do, which consisted of approximately 200 pages of reading. In the end I chose to hold true to my word and head up to Des Moines, books in hand, right after my pro-bono seminar on Thursday. The seminar ended at 1PM and I was in the car by 1:15.
Alex is a student at Drake Law and, like me, is a 1L. Thursday night was a mixer on a patio just off campus for his 1L class as they finished up orientation. When I got there, I felt a strange feeling that I didn't expect; I felt like I didn't belong. For years I have always felt at home in the state of Iowa and I always assumed that Drake would be where I got my JD from. But Thursday night I felt out of place for the first time there. I knew that I'd made the right choice moving to Tulsa and I was more secure in my choice of law school than I had ever been.
Friday was the main event of the weekend...the Beer Pong Tournament in Ames at Iowa State. I went out in the first round. Even though I was out of the tourny early, it was still a great time and for the 9th consecutive night I drank but never even approached the now legendary "4Shaw Drunk". Mrs. Cardinal, it think you understand that is your name becomes an adjective for intoxication, you should probably take a step back from partying. I'm glad I've learned my lessons.
Saturday morning was my proudest moment; I left Des Moines early for the first time in my life. Like I said before, Iowa is like my second home, and for me to walk away from it because I had too much studying to do is probably the most surprising move of this entire experience so far. Lil'4Shaw is growing up.
On the way home, Lazurus suprised me again. For the past year or so, my old '98 Contour has been getting horrible fuel economy. I was actually considering getting rid of the old girl as the cost of gas went through the roof. But with all the driving I've been doing, something changed in Lazurus and she's getting better miles per gallon than I've ever seen. On the way home yesterday I went 661 Kms(around 425 miles) on my 42 litre tank, which is around 150 Kms over my average tank. At this point Lazurus is like Rocky at the end of a training montage.
Last night I got lost again. Tulsa's street grid is like a funhouse mirror. In some spots is is a perfect grid that can be navigated with ease, but at the drop of a hat, it can change, becoming distorted and winding, streets narrow and go in all different directions. Streets that once ran parallel to each other now intersect, and before you know it, you're on the other side of the city and you have no idea how to get back. That happened to me last night trying to find the apartment of one of my fellow 1Ls. Note to self: 71st St is not to be trusted as a way of getting anywhere.
Well, I think it's been enough of an update and I should probably hit the books. Tomorrow is the beginning of the real deal and I still have to brush up on my Torts.
Later Mrs. C