Vandwelling

I lived in my van from Jan. 2009 - Jan. 2011. It was my goal to graduate from Duke, debt-free.

FIRST SEMESTER - Spring '09

1/6/09- I find my the van on craigslist and buy it. 

1/8/09- I renovate (or pimp out) my van.

1/14/09- I read "Walden" for the second time, reflecting on why I've decided to live in a van. 

1/16/09- It gets down to about 10 degrees F. 

1/26/09- I spend five hours trying to figure out how to combine the Flight of the Conchord's "Business Time" with 20 seconds of footage of my backseat turning into a bed. 

1/28/09- With funds rapidly dwindling, I resort to doing MRI studies for money.

2/5/09- My van leaks and I deal with smells. Not the first, nor the last time I deal with this chronic issue. 

2/11/09- I'm lonely as hell, so I tell a bum my secret. 

2/16/09- I describe how I cook in the van.

2/18/09- I unveil my cookbook. 

3/1/09- My mom finds out about van; thinks I'm crazy. 

3/25/09- I hike the Appalachian Trail with my friend Luke for 6 days. 

4/5/09- I get food-poisoning and throw-up in the van.

4/19/09- I take pictures of myself doing resourceful things. 

4/22/09- I get my tax return and reflect on wealth

5/5/09- Some passersby compare my van to the A-Team's while I try to nap. 

5/6/09- I entertain my first guest and discuss what it's like to tell other people that I live in a van. 

5/8/09- I clean out the van and reflect on my first successful semester of vandwelling. 

5/9/09- I break down my finances and compare them to the average American's.

[I go to Alaska to work as a backcountry ranger for the summer. Click here to view my Alaska Stories]

SECOND SEMESTER - Fall '09

8/26/09- I shave off my summer beard and reflect on celibacy during the process.

8/27/09- North Carolina is F-in hot in August. 

9/3/09- Ants take over my van. 

9/30/09- I'm lonely in my library. 

10/3/09- I almost witness an orgy unfurl. 

10/9/09- Mom finds out about the blog. 

10/16/09- I read aloud an article about living in my van to my travel writing class. The article would later be edited and submitted to Salon where it printed. 

10/19/09- I eat trash for the first time and enjoy it. 

10/22/09- Another 4 days on the Appalachian Trail.

10/25/09- I cook up another pot of spaghetti stew. 

11/4/09- I go to halloween dressed as Thoreau. Also reflect on the miseries of grad school. 

11/9/09- Some guy inspects the van while I'm in it. 

11/16/09- A family has a picnic next to my van for 4 hours. I must remain still. 

11/20/09- I record the sounds of vandwelling.

12/2/09- I find a pile of something mysterious in the back of the van.

12/7/09- I print an article in Salon. Chaos ensues. 

12/13/09- I reflect on my newfound fame. 

12/26/09- I visit Thoreau's Walden Pond.

1/6/10- The Buffalo News does a story on me. 

THIRD SEMESTER - Spring '10

1/11/10- I talk about going to the gym. Videotape myself shooting the hook.

1/25/10- I get in an accident and sprain my knee, cleverly blaming my blunders on a girl

2/2/10- I'm interview by radio host, Dick Gordon.

2/22/10- I stroll through Duke's infamous K-ville.

3/1/10- A picture tour of the van.

3/5/10- I have some mice problems.

3/20/10- A sleeping bag company sends me a free bag. I review it. 

3/21/10- Another expedition with pals Josh and Luke on the Appalachian Trail.

4/7/10- I go to Cameron to watch Duke win the NCAA Championship match.

4/18/10- Second installment of my "Image of resourcefulness" series

4/25/10- I hurt my tongue in a game of pickup basketball and use the opportunity to reflect on my lack of health insurance.

4/30/10- ABC News airs their interview of me and I get preoccupied with my image

5/9/10- I participate in a campus study by taking a drug.

5/16/10- My parents visit me.

5/24/10- A girl has a seizure and I reflect on the ridiculousness of school.

5/30/10- I talk about the people I met this past semester, including David who'd let me stay at his home for the summer.

6/8/10- I issue a belated manifesto and give back all the money people had given me over the past couple years.

6/16/10- I describe the inhabitants of my new home--Acorn Abbey

7/6/10- I go on a three-day fast. Day 1. Day 2. Day 3. Epilogue.

7/26/10- I describe the animals of Acorn Abbey

8/27/10- I sum up my summer at Acorn Abbey with lots of pictures

7/16/10- I respond to a letter from a father seeking advice about his daughter.

FOURTH SEMESTER - Fall '10

9/3/10- I clean out my van and discuss my first impressions of being back on campus

9/10/10- I go shopping and wax philosophical about anti-consumerism

10/2/10- Uh-oh P.1--I get an email saying I have to move out of my lot

10/4/10- Uh-oh P.2--I learn more details about getting kicked out of my lot

10/7/10- Uh-oh P.3--I decide that I'm not going to leave my lot

10/13/10- I spend fall break on Appalachian Trail again.

10/18/10- Uh-oh P.4--I say goodby to the Mill Lot. I put together a video montage

10/20/10- I learn that I've been illegally parked on private property so I say goodbye to my lot. Also, Duke decides to prohibit all students from living in their vehicles.

10/22/10- I write a letter to Duke complaining about their new law to prohibit on-campus vehicle-dwelling.

10/27/10- I create an adventure scholarship.

11/3/10- I reflect on why I've enrolled in graduate school.

11/13/10- I'm running out of money!

11/17/10- A local TV station does a segment on me.

11/25/10- I go to Wal-Mart on Black Friday, and reflect on the ridiculousness of our economic superstructure.

11/29/10- I publish Part 1, of my op-ed to the student newspaper in which I complain about how the "university experience" makes us into debtors

11/30/10- I publish Part 2, also complaining about a new anti-vandwelling parking campus law

12/5/10- Images of resourcefulness Part III. Getting desperate.

12/12/10- I explain how I keep warm during cold nights

FIFTH SEMESTER - Spring '11 (Final Semester)

12/19/10- I return to Acorn Abbey where I'll spend the rest of the semester writing my final project.

12/26/10- I reflect on my religious upbringing

12/31/10- A fellow Duke student conducts a video interview with me

1/7/11- I write a guest post about David's three chickens

2/6/11- I start writing my final project, which is also a vandwelling memoir.

3/6/11- Spring at Acorn Abbey

3/17/11- I visit Duke for a class and reminisce.

4/7/11- Summer's coming to Acorn Abbey.

4/14/11- I'm getting worried about my future.

4/19/11- I prepare for my last week at Duke

4/24/11- I take some pictures of Duke's natural scenery

5/2/11- My last day at Duke and in the van

5/5/11- I move out of the van for good and prepare it for sale.

5/8/11- I take note of spring growth at the Abbey.

5/8/11- I capture a groundhog on film

5/11/11- Is Duke evil? 

5/12/11- I get frantic about my graduation robe and the speech I'll soon have to give.

5/21/11- My conclusion to my vandwelling experiment. My mom films the speech I give at my department's ceremony.

POST GRADUATION

5/26/11- I say goodbye to two baby chicks who were eaten by a racoon.

5/29/11- I wonder aloud why members of my generation aren't revolutionaries

5/31/11- I get rid of most of my stuff and take off for Alaska to write my book.

6/3/11- I leave Acorn Abbey

6/10/11- I do an experiment wrap-up radio interview with NPR Buffalo.

6/16/11- I review a student loan documentary.

9/2/11 Some tips on how to afford college

2/11/12- I get a book deal (Part I)

2/12/12- I get a book deal (Part II)