It's About Time

Sincerely speaking, I have been meaning to blog for over a week now, but I just never got around to it. The television is always on, I'm always evading homework by turning to Facebook and Twitter; other than that, I'm either walking to and from class without ever really paying attention to lectures or even discussion or brisk-walking to the gym to work out. And unlike many of my friends and even my roommates, I haven't been doing homework or reading at all. I feel like such a bad student. And then I go to the gym and feel better. How odd.

My first English paper rough draft is due next Wednesday, and I hope to start it this weekend. It's called a "close reading paper" on contemporary poetry, four pages required. I am quite excited to do it. And I don't recall if I have mentioned this yet, but college English is no joke. Especially in a class full of other English majors. It's a bit comforting, though, to know that I am no longer one of only a few English people.
Other than that, I haven't cared very much about oceanography or history. My attention span has greatly diminished--or even disappeared--since the last of high school. No matter how long and how hard I try to stay awake and pay attention and listen to the lecture, I almost always end up nodding off. Even when I'm sitting in the second row of the lecture hall. On the other hand, on the rare occasion I do stay awake, I still can't pay attention! I'm always distracted by divergent thoughts, texts messages, or even the walls... Perhaps I should leave my phone in the room when I go to class. But I have come to believe that it is what helps me to stay awake! Oh, dear, the dilemmas. How am I going to get through the next four years of lectures? I hope I won't have many more large lectures after this year, because they drive me sleepily crazy!

This past Tuesday, I attended Intervarsity for the second Catalyst, and although it wasn't nearly as lively as the first meeting and I nodded off (it wasn't even lecture, either...), I enjoyed it and I believe I will continue to as I continue to kindle my spirituality (or perhaps the current slow development of). Religion aside (actually, not really), I feel that this is something that can and probably will be good for me now and later. So, yay, me!

Another yay is appropriate for the following news: I am now a copy editor for the Daily Bruin. After the excruciatingly long application process (because I tried to make everything as intricately perfect as possible), I turned it in one hour before deadline and thought that they had rejected me before they even read my application because of the lateness. In any case, I shall be attending three five-hour workshops for the next three Saturdays, starting with tomorrow, in addition to one two-hour workshop next Tuesday. Sure, I will probably be extremely bored and sleepy throughout those "classes", too, but I think the three Saturdays will be worth finding out if this is something I really want to do in the future.

Lately, I have been reminiscing particular moments from high school. The most prominent moment was when the CHS Deca team was announced as part of the top 15 in the LAUSD Regional Competition in the Hollywood High School auditorium. That was a beautiful moment because it was a goal, finally accomplished. Just...wow. For some reason, I don't quite remember any of the others that have popped into my sensitive mind. But I have also replayed the moment that somebody took my lipginity. It was a beautiful...few moments, actually, haha. My heart was beating so fast because I didn't know what to do! Okay, I'll stop there before it gets embarrassing for both parties.
ANYWAY.

I kind of miss performing. In the past two or three years, I have not played the piano nearly as much as I should or near the level I ought to be playing at, especially considering that I took and passed the last exam for piano-playing. Years ago, sometimes when I practiced, I imagined that I was playing to serenade the boy I liked, or performing to impress an entire audience. But even with such scenes in mind, I still made mistakes. Now, I feel a bit ashamed to play in front of people because my performance level has reduced to almost basic, with mistakes soaring all across the keyboard. From the level above advanced to basic in two years. Go figure, huh?

Remember when I used to constantly whine about how much I wanted to go to UCSD instead of UCLA and how I always questioned whether or not I made a mistake? Hmm, well, no more of that, because I am sincerely happy--albeit not exactly studious--here. I'm sure that no matter where I would have gone, I would have been happy, but UCLA happiness is perfectly fine for me. I like where I am, and I am more than happy to say that I made the right decision for myself. And I thoroughly enjoy hanging out and talking with my roommates, who will now eternally think of me as the weirdest person they know. But they know they enjoy my company, as I enjoy theirs.

Yesterday, I caught up on "Days of Our Lives" online. Around 3 p.m., I began watching September 29's episode. Around six, I went to dinner and then to CCM (another fellowship, but I don't think I will be sticking with that one), and then to the gym at nine. After that and our long-awaited roommate contract meeting with the RA, I continued with my soap opera saga and finished watching at 2:30 a.m. And then I couldn't fall asleep until past three! My sleeping pattern here is obviously not good.

I really want to watch "Life as We Know It" later. I hope I do, oh, how I hope. In spite of that, I do have one reservation about it because it got just okay reviews. Hmm.

And now, I shall wait for my Microsoft 2007 package (and then some) to arrive to start my (birthday) weekend.

And for those of you applying to college, remember either or both of the following:

College is the best time of your life. When else are your parents going to spend several thousand dollars a year just for you to go to a strange town and get drunk every night?
~David Wood

-Mark Stivers

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