Allie Goes to Washington

Let's just say that my first flight/traveling alone experience could've gone smoother. (More smoothly?)
I'll start off by letting you all know that I did make it to Virginia safely, but this did not come easily.
First, I dropped my 35 pound suitcase on my big toe and started bleeding while checking my luggage. This is only the beginning of my luggage problems.
After an hour and 10 minute flight delay because of rain in Washington, the plane finally took off. But not without me feeling like I was on a roller coaster. There was a lot of turbulence during the whole flight and I was sure we were going to crash. However, all of the other passengers seemed relaxed and I was sure they were far more experienced in flying than I am, so I just gripped my copy of Water for Elephants and tried not to think about the fact that I was 4,000 feet in the air without anything underneath me.
After landing in Washington, I ventured my way over to baggage claim. Thank you, United Airlines, for screwing up the claim number and causing me to walk back and forth in search of my bags for a good 40 minutes. Apparently, announcing that my bags will be at the first claim station really means they will be at the fifth one.
By this time, I hadn't eat for over eight hours and I was starving and exhausted. But I had to catch a cab to George Mason University in Fairfax, where I am living this summer. My cab driver didn't really know where he was going, so once we found campus I just had him drop me off at a random building because I had no idea where my housing was. Turns out that I was about 100 yards away from my room, but I took my total of about 100 pounds of luggage and wandered around campus for over an hour. And one of my suitcases doesn't have good wheels so I had to push it for a few yards, leave it, go get my other one and bring it along, and repeat. I looked like a complete disaster, but managed to (sort of) hold back my tears until I made it to my room. Thank you to those random students who carried my bags for a little while for me. It must have been pretty obvious that I was a helpless outsider. And once I said I am from Iowa, they just nodded in confirmation.
I still have yet to unpack the majority of my clothes because I don't have any hangers for my closet. I can't even get to a Target or a grocery store because apparently the shuttle doesn't run during the summer. I'm stranded. I still have to figure out how to get to the Metro so I can get to work on Tuesday morning, but I'm trying not to freak out about that yet.
I managed to find the campus convenience store so I got the necessities: paper towels, toilet paper, Honey Nut Cheerios, and bananas. Just count this as part of my summer diet plan. Discredit the fact that I ordered in pizza and cheesecake last night. Give me a break, I was upset, lonely, and starving. It didn't hold a candle to Gumby's back home, though. Reason number 1 why I am missing Iowa City.
But even after all these struggles, I know I am so blessed to be given this opportunity. I start work on Tuesday and can't wait! My nerves are kicking in, but I know this internship will be a great experience.
P.S. If you want my address to send me sustenance in the form of baked goods, email me.