Really Nude in Public After my breakthru last weekend in which I walked naked outdoors across the grassy commons from my dorm to the other girls' dorm in our quad, I knew I wanted to do that again. And I got a perfect excuse to do so when it turned out that Kell couldn't drop that econ class after all becuz she'd missed the deadline. She's kinda stuck because when basketball practice starts she'll have a schedule conflict (which is why she tried to drop the class). BUT the prof has said several times that 98 percent of what we'll be tested on comes right out of the book. Since we're sharing the book we agreed to study together and I graciously agreed to come to her dorm two evenings a week so we can do all the assignments together. So twice now (not counting the time I already wrote about) I have made that walk -- totally naked -- from my dorm to hers. Like I said, it's really not that far, like walking across a street, but there's always people around so it's definitely public. Nobody seems to mind and the only shouts I've heard have been positive (if sometimes a bit crude). I was more bothered by the cameras. I've also been dealing with the camera issue in the dorm becuz I've been hanging around in the first floor common area and guys have whipped out their cameras without asking first. I ask them not to do it or to at least agree to keep it to themselves. At least these guys are my friends and I can explain things to them. It's not so much that I mind them taking my photo; I just don't want it to end up on somebody's MySpace page or something. Anyway, so I walk across the way between the dorms carrying our shared economics book and our shared workbook and I go thru the halls of Kell's dorm saying hi to whoever is around and they are getting to know me. Up on the second floor where all the jocks seem to live I get whistles and hoots as I pass. They act worse than guys sometimes! The first time we studied together it was just in Kell's room, but the second time we were in their kitchenette sitting at one of the tables and about eight other girls from the floor were in there too, some studying like us and others making food or just hanging out. They were all athlete types like Kell and most of them seemed to be lesbian. Which is fine. In fact, I really enjoyed being the object of their teasing comments and looks even tho I am not gay myself. I guess I have a sufficient bisexual streak to want to flirt with them, but that's probably all. ANYway. I've ALSO started experimenting a bit with public toplessness. People keep telling me that a girl can get away with being topless on campus wherever a guy can go topless, but NObody seems to actually do this. Now you might think that if I walked naked across the commons that going topless would be no big deal. But the commons, though definitely public, is just the enclosed area behind the four dorms. In front of the dorms it's a different story. There's a main public "street" (mostly pedestrians, but cars can go on it at certain times) and across from that there are lecture halls. So that's public in a much bigger way than the quad commons. Lots more people and more chance of being seen by non-students. But I just felt compelled to do it. So what I did Friday was take off my top when I was almost in front of the dorm walking back from class -- but still on the main walkway. When I was practically, but not quite to the stone steps going up to the main entrance, I untied my top and stuffed it quickly into my bag and just walked on topless among the crowd of passersby. I was only out on the main roadway a brief time. There are about 20 stone steps that lead up to a wide landing and there are always girls and guys hanging out and sitting on the wall. It's the main entrance leading to my dorm and to one of the guys' dorms so there were a LOT of guys to walk past. And yet amazingly, this went really well -- though again some camera phones came out. But instead of being off in the distance as they were when I walked through the commons, they were right there because we're all on the stone steps which are maybe 20 feet wide. A lot of the guys I know now because I've met them here or there around the dorms, and some have already seen me completely nude either in the commons or in my dorm, so it wasn't a total surprise. And I feel a lot more comfortable when I've met a guy and know his name and he knows me. Then I'm not an object, I'm a friend. And some of them greeted me by name, with "Hey Claire, lookin' good today" or "nice outfit, Claire" or things like that. And I felt wonderful! So anyway, that was more progress. I've really gotten addicted to this and I have no idea where it will lead. I'm sure I'll reach the limit of what I can do publicly pretty soon, but privately among friends I am totally free. I have made a zillion friends already and they support me and understand me (sort of) and they know that this isn't sexual (even if it IS a bit sexy -- there's a difference). So I know I will get to do this as long as I want even if the university cracks down on my public adventures. And speaking of adventures, I'm writing this on Sunday night and normally we'd have early classes tomorrow but it's a holiday so it's like another weekend night. Amy and I are going over to Steph and Tony's apartment in a little while and I know there will be some other people there, some that I know and some that I don't know. Steph told me I can either stay dressed or take off my clothes when I get there, whatever I decide. That would be cool --and another first for me, going nude somewhere else but the dorms, but I'm not sure I'll actually do it. We'll see . . .