When you drive into South Carolina, there is a brick gate at its entry, welcoming you. But really, it’s just like I drove in some weird circle and am in a different part of Florida. Their flatness are the same, their greenness is the same. It’s like Miami but smaller. Like Gainesville but bigger. Like both but older.

The air smells like flowers and horses - there are horses everywhere leading carriages swarming with tourists. I am already frustrated by tourists; they walk slow and it‘s hard to get around them. It’s hot but so far there is always a breeze. I like that I’m so close to water. Living in Gainesville has shown me that landlock has a feeling and I don’t feel that here.

The buildings are all so old that they don’t seem real to me. I’ve never been around buildings with such age and so therefore they can’t be real. It’s like living at a theme park; everything looks fabricated. Main Street USA.

This place suits me. I’m not sure why yet. I don’t feel overwhelmed or suffocated. I haven’t made friends yet but I’ve spotted road bikes. I’ve found a coffee shop that sells peach French sodas and where I plan on spending my unoccupied time. There is a good record store and a good used book store.

I really like the Charleston City Paper. The environment is exactly what I expected and exactly where I will want to be once I graduate: A place where people are young(ish), conscious of important issues and what good shows are coming up and who casually use the word “fuck” in an office setting. I’m already getting opportunities to be published, even though they’re small (record reviews and the like).

Being totally alone is strange. My landlords are lovely but elderly and I know I should be keeping in touch with them but my proclivity to awkwardness is taking over. I’m trying to keep myself occupied but mainly I just do things in my temporary bedroom. I’ve been looking for a job so wandering has been taking up much of my afternoons. I’ve applied at about seven different places and I hope that I hear back from even just one of them, and at this one there is someone who will be my friend.