Two quick things

[raven]

I am well. A little frazzled, a little lonely, but generally doing okay. In a minute I need to go and do some actual work for a class, omg, etc. I have lots of thoughts about how weird the US legal system is from my perspective, but they can wait, possibly forever.

Two things, quickly. Firstly, a rec:

Five Things Rosie Weasley Misses During Her First Year At Hogwarts, by deathbyshinies.
A Melbourne girl goes to Hogwarts. This is so, so, so lovely. It's a nuanced, thoughtful rendering of one particular postcolonial experience, and it's done with such a light, clever touch. I love the splashes of colour in it - snowball fights, international Floo - and I love its warmth. Everyone needs to read it, like, now; it's something we need more of in fandom.

(Also, it was a going-away present for me. <3, honey.)

Secondly, I need some advice, or some help, or something. I have met quite a few people on my course now, and they seem nice. They are nice: nice, staid, copyright-law-abiding types. Which is so far so hoopy and I'm sure I will make friends, yes, etc.

But, well, I have made some preliminary enquiries, and it seems Cornell doesn't have the tradition Oxford does of societies for, well, everything. I was variously a member of Docsoc, Taruithorn and the late great ou3fs, and in the end I made very few friends who weren't in some way peripherally connected to them. Societies here are Serious - you know, the Cornell Student Lawyers and Cornell Democrats and the Indian Students' Association, that sort of thing, and not what I'm after. There must be geeks and fannish people at Cornell - but how do I find them?

(Before anyone mentions it: yes, there is an LGBT society here, and I may check out their events, I may not. I'm just kind of reluctant about that, seeing as I am the stereotype of the queer-woman-in-relationship-with-man, and you don't know in advance how welcoming people are going to be to that.)

Any advice much appreciated, yes.

Comments

[thingswithwings]

Hey hey! I go to Cornell, actually. Welcome to Ithaca! I think we have a couple of mutual friends, in fact - such_heights and happydork. Anyway! I am not much of a clubs person, but most of the ones I know are interest-specific; there are a lot of glee clubs (choirs, other singing-type things), as well as a lot of dance clubs and theatre clubs. Then there's stuff like the juggling club, the bowling club, the boxing club, etc. Really depends on what you're into (although my experience with the LGBTQ societies at Cornell is that they're kind of meh). Anyway, here's a partial list of some of the clubs to give you an idea. A lot of students hang out a the Big Red Barn on campus (it's a big red barn, can't miss it) for TGIF nights, and a lot of grad students hang out at Felicia's Atomic Lounge (downtown just past the Commons), which is technically a lesbian bar but tends to be more a grad-student bar. But it's tiny and cosy and nice.

As far as geek stuff goes, I've not really run into any official geeky groups, but then, I haven't looked too hard. But if you want any advice about navigating the town - food shopping, other shopping, banks, where stuff is, all that, I'm happy to help. :)

[alreadythere]

I just have to say: I read your The Stand story for Yuletide months ago and loved it SO HARD, so if you and raven become friends, it will probably make my life. :)

[thingswithwings]

oh, thank you! I didn't expect anyone to remember that story, so that makes me happy. :)

[raven]

Hi there! I really, really appreciate your comment, I'm starting to feel like a stranger in a strange land. I think such_heights is here at the weekend, also? I was hoping to meet her, finally, so this comes at an apt time!

Re: the clubs and stuff, I'm not so bothered by structured socialising. Just, where the hell do I meet people, any people, who are fannish or geeky or queer or some combination? Thank you for the recs for places to hang out!

Oh, also! Where can I get a haircut? I have long thick layered hair that I want made into short thick layered hair, but I haven't come across a single hairdresser in all my travels.