New Faces, Old Places

Have you ever felt the atmosphere of a place so strongly that it instantly effects your own attitude towards it? Perhaps it happens more often than we know, like when that buzz of excitement passes through you when you enter a stadium full of people for a hockey game or a concert. Or even when entering a coffee place with mellow music and sweet smells. The place has a 'vibe' that you become part of.
Coming back to school there is a sense of peace. So many people have left; I suppose us freshman really are the same in that we have no exact notion of where to be, what to do. Many have left, but many have also come. The cafeteria is just as full, but is much quieter. I keep seeing new faces, but unlike my first semester, I don't dread the process of trying to remember names and discover personalities. People are less obnoxious; they aren't trying to stand out or 'present' themselves anymore. There is a vibe, a mixing of old and new, that makes the campus more calm.
We are all more settled, even the blanketing snow falling on campus emphasizes it.