I could tell which stop to get off at mostly based on the amount of young people wearing backpacks who decided it was time to exit. I followed. A 20-something man with a green backpack was right in front of me, so I followed him off of the bus, through a tunnel and into a building on campus. It turned out to be the education building. Cool, I thought. I could totally pass as an education student.
Turns out it was harder to blend in to a place I had never been than I thought. I wandered around the building trying to find something interesting to do without looking like I didn't know where I was going, but I couldn't find ANYTHING but a little hallway with a lot of couches that people were studying on, and being REALLY quiet. I put my backpack down on one of the couches and pretended to be looking for something in my backpack, as I glanced around to look for a staircase, or SOMETHING interesting. Couldn't see a thing. I got up and left. Pshhh, education was boring.
I walked into the next building, which was the university center. Here we go! First off they were having a poster sale, which just brought me right back to my university days. Scouring through posters, trying to decide on one new one for my room, which I would hate by the following year and throw away anyway. Buying three other posters that were mediocre but on SALE for my family members as part of their Christmas presents for the following year, which they would eventually throw away as well. Then there was a display of a ton of clubs trying to advertise for their particular activity. A lot of flyers were pushed in my face, and then one very sweet lady asked me if I would like her flyer, which was refreshing. She was part of the meditation club, and they had a free meditation class happening later on. I gladly took one, and decided I would stop by later. As I wandered through hallways, I was stopped by a young man trying to survey University students. My plan to blend was working too well! I was tempted to go along with it, but right away I felt guilty and told him I didn't actually go there. He looked very confused, and just kind of stumbled off backwards. I think he thought I was lying to avoid him. Ah well.
As I made my way into the next building I saw some students wandering into a class room and I was feeling adventurous so I followed them in. They were heading into a class that had already started and was showing a film in mandarin. (I think...) It was interesting! From what I gathered, it was about a young girl who was forced into smuggling some kind of drugs by a group of scary-looking men. Why a language course (I'm assuming that's what it was) would choose to show this movie, is beyond me. I snuck out before the movie was over, and continued on my way. I quickly found the library and INSTANTLY started to look up Canadian playwrights, and off I went. I ended up reading "The Clockmaker" by Stephen Massicotte, a playwright I love, and found it to be quite an interesting tale. I tried to get onto the wireless internet, however, it required a student number and password. For a few minutes I glanced around the room and saw one new person just logging on, I thought maybe if I walked behind them I could try to see it, haha, but that seemed ridiculous so I gave up.
It was time for the meditation class after all. I made my way back to the center, and wandered up to the 3rd floor looking for 301, and could not find it for the life of me. I circled the floor three times, and finally asked some girls if they knew. They told me to circle the floor and look. I circled AGAIN, because I wanted them to feel they had been useful in their advice, and then gave them a shrug as I made my way down to the first floor. Maybe it had been 103 instead, I thought, and looked for 103. It was locked. Alright, I give up.
In my experience, if something doesn't quite work out, there is usually something much more interesting to come. And it did. As I wandered outside once more, I started to hear a bunch of dogs bark, and was way too curious to pass it up. I found a tiny winter festival happening behind one of the buildings with a dog sled and festivities going on, and french canadian AWFUL pop music blasting. It was GREAT!
I got in a line up, because it seemed like the thing to do, and as I made my way to the front some girl at the desk asked me what year I was in, I spouted out "first year, arts." She didn't bat an eye (of course) ticked off her list and handed me a pile of coupons. I got into the next line and in a few minutes had a free beavertail and snow-maple lollipop in hand, and was next up for a ride in the dogsleds!
The dog sled ride was lame. Just once in a circle around a small park (and I've had some pretty awesome dog sled rides before, so it just seemed silly!) Anyway, it was still hilarious!
I devoured the beavertail, and decided that after a successful day as a fake student, I was done. I found my way onto a bus, and headed off, feeling just a tiny bit mischievous, and with a little cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on my mitts.
Love and kindness all.
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