After the Thanksgiving break, it's back to the proverbial drawing board. We are (although I've been saying this for the last two weeks) going on site any day – or rather, as soon as we can steal the long tape measure and surveying level back from the other teams in order to set out our site. Meanwhile, we discuss all the things of no design significance and major importance to the building process like how to fit the formwork for our foundations into the holes we dig and whether the weather will hold for long enough that the concrete will cure. The second year team have stolen a march on us, which is great as we can go down to their site and see all the things that have gone slightly wrong, hopefully learning from their errors.

Meanwhile, we got home tonight to find some kind of animal has been exploring the huge shed we call home. At least, we found its footprints on the countertop and unfortunately also its piss on my housemate's pillow. Possum? Racoon? A search in all the dark corners reveals nothing but a reminder to keep the doors firmly shut, and gets us slightly hysterically giggly at the thought of waking up to a possum's tail dangling in front of you. Not your usual student digs, one might say…but then again, not every student has 2000 square feet in which to paint on the walls, put up art shows and play hip-hop so loud the walls shake without worrying about the neighbours.

And Greensboro's Main Street now has its Christmas decorations up - absurdly pretty for a street where no-one lives.