Ok, maybe not much more...
But anyway, I am taking a quick break from writing a paper. May not be the best idea, but I need to get away from studying for a while.
I have my toughest day today (Thursday). I have a British Empire exam in 8 hours and a Medieval paper due after that. TT.TT
But, earlier today I went to the crew Secret Santa "party". Apparently there was a mix-up in how Secret Santa is played. Some thought the secret part was just getting a random name and then telling that person that they were their Secret Santa. Others thought it was being anonymous in the gift giving and then having the person guess who gave the gift.
Anyway, we ended up doing the latter, of telling the person who we were. My Secret Santa gave me a lot of things. She gave me:
A Christmas tree cookie
A large brick of chocolate
Candy canes
Hot Choco mix
and this really cool candle thing that when heated, becomes a lotion. <.< I will have to try it out and see what happens. Nonetheless, it smells nice.
Well, back to writing about Medieval battles and studying why the British Empire fell apart in the 20th century.
Until next time,
"I love deadlines. I especially love the whoosing sound they make as they fly by." ~Douglas Adams
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Accents, Chocolate Chip Bagels, and Crabs
HI EVERYONE!
I hope all is well! I apologize immensely for not posting anything lately. School has been very stressful, with lots of papers, tests, and other fun things (like going to class). Crew has also taken up a great deal of time and dedication, but it is worth it.
So, as I kinda did with the last catch up post, I will post by week, since daily reports will be tedious.
Week of 25 October:
Not much has happened. Crew and school are pretty much the same. However, this weekend, I had my first regatta. It was called the Head of the Fish, so aptly named because the river we rowed on was called Fish Creek. I had a lot of fun rowing in a competitive setting, but realized that I have a lot to work on as far as technique.
EDIT: So , I forgot to post this a while back. Since not much has happened, I will just put down certain events that are interesting. n_n
30 October: Tonight was the school dance called Moorebid. It was a Halloween theme dance. Apparently Halloween is a much bigger deal here at Skidmore than UNC. So, out of some peer pressure, I went to the mall and bought a costume. It is a 50s sock hop outfit. n_n Surprised? Now I have a costume for the next lots of Halloweens and no one can say anything about it. n_n. Anyway, the dance was the craziest thing I have seen. It is WAY more hectic (and more fun) than the Homecoming dance at UNC. Pretty much the entire school was crammed into the student center here, which meant it was hot and there was a lot of people in a small area.
I also found out more about the alcohol culture here at Skidmore. As is normal for any college, there was a lot of drinking that night. A lot of people were clearly drunk, which allowed those of us who were sober (myself included) to laugh hysterically at how stupid the drunks acted. But, sad to say, some people went to the hospital due to alcohol poisoning. There is a drink called Four Lokos, which is a alcoholic energy drink. Whoever thought of that idea should be smacked. At least here in NY and other places in the northeast, the distribution of the drink is banned. I do not know about Colorado.
Anyway, overall, the dance was fun and I enjoyed myself.
So, not pertaining to a date, but being out here I have picked up some interesting culture notes. One of them is accents. People here talk with a more nasal sounding accent, it is really interesting. Obviously people from Long Island and the city have the stereotypical New York accent (wuatah - water). People from the Boston area have that accent (kaah - car). Most other people have less distinct accents, but I have noticed that people use more long "a" sounds. For example, aunt is pronounced "ont" instead of "ant". The same goes for Albany ("Olbany"). But anyway, one of my classmates in the Enlightenment class was talking with me over lunch one day and kind of out of the blue he told me that I have "a thick Mid-Western accent". I know everyone does not think that they have an accent themselves, but what does a Mid-Western accent even sound like? I guess I am so used to it that I have become deaf to the difference. However, thinking back, whenever I talked, people always seemed to ask first where I am from. I guess that was a clue that I do speak differently than the "normal" East Coast person. Oh well. I will be coming home to the actual "normal" people with normal accents. n_n.
Crew: Ended a couple weeks ago. We went to the boathouse every day and practiced. However, we had switched over to morning practices, so I had to drag myself out of bed at 5:30 to get to a 6:25 practice. Oh so much fun. TT.TT But, in some ways, I was able to be up for the day and get more done before my classes. The last day of practice (20 November) we had a fun regatta called "Head of the Turkey". We mixed up the novice men and women and the varsity did the same and we raced each other up and down the river. It was a lot of fun. My boat got first. \^o^/ However, we were all confused in racing because there was miscommunication from the coaches to the coxswain about when to start rowing and when to stop. This meant we did not actually start rowing hard when we were supposed to and we continued rowing hard long after the finish line. (oops). But nonetheless, it was a lot of fun. As a prize, I received a paper plate with a turkey design...and an apple cider donut.
Side note: Apple cider donuts are amazing. I need to find out if they exist in CO donut stores. Also, Dunkin Donuts is way more prevalent out here than in CO. In CO, we just have Starbucks all over. I think I have only seen 3 DD's in CO. Also, Saratoga is known for the apple orchards. There is a vendor who comes every Friday to sell apples and cider at the campus. I have bought so much cider here. It is much, much better than anything store bought or instant. I wonder how I could bring some home for the holidays...
Anyway, back to crew. After Turkey Break, my coach sent out a self-paced week of workouts. I tried to do each day's but ended up failing on most accounts. I will make it up during Winter break when I do the "Winter Challenge". I just received the workouts for each day during break. Very intensive with lots of erg exercises, weights, and cardio. TT.TT I do feeel guilty though. The mens team still has practice. They have been going to the erg room every day for the past two weeks. They are done tomorrow with a 6000m erg piece. o.O I have problems with a 2000m piece. But I will get stronger over break and it will better. I have my personal meeting with the coaches on Monday, where I talk about my goals and get fitted for a uniform! I will officially be a part of the Skidmore crew team! \^o^/
So, going back to being on the water, near the end of the season, I got a couple crabs. No, not anything bad, but "to crab" is to somehow lose control of the oar and it does funky things. A "crab" is when the oar goes out of your control and get stuck in the water in a weird manner. My crabs were only so bad that the oar handle hit my stomach, giving me an interesting bruise. Another side note, my hands are almost healed of blisters and calluses...just in time for the Winter Workouts where I will be getting more. TT.TT Let the pain and torture of toughening up my skin begin again.
Crew Party: So, the night before Head of the Turkey, the entire team got together and ate pasta (to carb up for the race). We had a lot of fun talking and getting to know one another. Anyway, when we were going around introducing ourselves, we had to say an interesting fact. Mine was that my favorite bagel was a chocolate chip bagel. Nearly everyone went crazy and kept saying that they had never heard of that. Shocking, yes? Einsteins is not a popular chain out here (pity), which makes it understandable that not as many people know about CC bagels. But anyway, I have also made my own CC bagels in the dining hall. I take the chocolate chips from the dessert area and put them on a bagel that I had toasted and buttered. It is a close enough substitute to being spoiled at UNC with Einsteins.
Turkey Break: So, instead of coming home to CO for break, I went to visit family in MA. My cousin lives in a city called Newton, which is outside of Boston. I had a lot of fun, playing with her children and having time spent away from the campus. Getting to Newton was interesting. I did not want to pay lots of money for a bus or train ticket, so I asked around to see if anyone was going to the area. One of my crew mates lives in a town called Acton, which is 45 minutes from Newton. So, I was able to get a ride to and from with her. It took us 5 hours each way. I slept for a large part of it. Although coming back, I needed to go pee, but the person driving did not want to stop. >.< I had to literally beg her to stop so that I could relieve myself. Oh so much fun. Anyway...back to Turkey. For the actual Turkey day, I went with my cousins to Ipswich, which is north of Boston. It was a very pretty place and the house of the cousin's friend was very lovely. And the food was good. We had a "trash can turkey". Apparently this is a New England thing. What happens is that you place a turkey in a clean trash can and then set coals and everything around it, turning it into a very large pressure cooker. The turkey came out very delicious. I get to see my cousins again in a couple weeks, since they are coming out to CO!
4 December: Junior Ring. This is another dance here at the school. It was much tamer than Moorebid, which is the opposite of what it usually is, so I am told. It was Disney themed, but I did not have time to go out and get an outfit for the theme this time, so I wore a different dress. I had fun at the dance; they provided food and drink this time, which was nice.
So, that brings us to the present and all its happyness and bubbles. My finals week and a half looks like such:
Monday - meeting with Enlightenment professor to discuss writing portfolio and final grade.
- meeting with crew coaches to discuss winter and spring goals, be fitted for uniform.
Tuesday - turn in Japanese history paper
- turn in Japanese language paper
Wednesday - study
Thursday - turn in Medieval history paper
- take British Empire exam
Friday - take Japanese history exam
Following Monday - take Japanese language exam, turn in final revised paper
Following Tuesday - come home to CO.
Well, this will be a fun week and a half. TT.TT But nonetheless, life will go on and everything will be happy for winter break.
Until then,
"I do not intend to tiptoe through life, only to arrive safely at death." ~bumper sticker
I hope all is well! I apologize immensely for not posting anything lately. School has been very stressful, with lots of papers, tests, and other fun things (like going to class). Crew has also taken up a great deal of time and dedication, but it is worth it.
So, as I kinda did with the last catch up post, I will post by week, since daily reports will be tedious.
Week of 25 October:
Not much has happened. Crew and school are pretty much the same. However, this weekend, I had my first regatta. It was called the Head of the Fish, so aptly named because the river we rowed on was called Fish Creek. I had a lot of fun rowing in a competitive setting, but realized that I have a lot to work on as far as technique.
EDIT: So , I forgot to post this a while back. Since not much has happened, I will just put down certain events that are interesting. n_n
30 October: Tonight was the school dance called Moorebid. It was a Halloween theme dance. Apparently Halloween is a much bigger deal here at Skidmore than UNC. So, out of some peer pressure, I went to the mall and bought a costume. It is a 50s sock hop outfit. n_n Surprised? Now I have a costume for the next lots of Halloweens and no one can say anything about it. n_n. Anyway, the dance was the craziest thing I have seen. It is WAY more hectic (and more fun) than the Homecoming dance at UNC. Pretty much the entire school was crammed into the student center here, which meant it was hot and there was a lot of people in a small area.
I also found out more about the alcohol culture here at Skidmore. As is normal for any college, there was a lot of drinking that night. A lot of people were clearly drunk, which allowed those of us who were sober (myself included) to laugh hysterically at how stupid the drunks acted. But, sad to say, some people went to the hospital due to alcohol poisoning. There is a drink called Four Lokos, which is a alcoholic energy drink. Whoever thought of that idea should be smacked. At least here in NY and other places in the northeast, the distribution of the drink is banned. I do not know about Colorado.
Anyway, overall, the dance was fun and I enjoyed myself.
So, not pertaining to a date, but being out here I have picked up some interesting culture notes. One of them is accents. People here talk with a more nasal sounding accent, it is really interesting. Obviously people from Long Island and the city have the stereotypical New York accent (wuatah - water). People from the Boston area have that accent (kaah - car). Most other people have less distinct accents, but I have noticed that people use more long "a" sounds. For example, aunt is pronounced "ont" instead of "ant". The same goes for Albany ("Olbany"). But anyway, one of my classmates in the Enlightenment class was talking with me over lunch one day and kind of out of the blue he told me that I have "a thick Mid-Western accent". I know everyone does not think that they have an accent themselves, but what does a Mid-Western accent even sound like? I guess I am so used to it that I have become deaf to the difference. However, thinking back, whenever I talked, people always seemed to ask first where I am from. I guess that was a clue that I do speak differently than the "normal" East Coast person. Oh well. I will be coming home to the actual "normal" people with normal accents. n_n.
Crew: Ended a couple weeks ago. We went to the boathouse every day and practiced. However, we had switched over to morning practices, so I had to drag myself out of bed at 5:30 to get to a 6:25 practice. Oh so much fun. TT.TT But, in some ways, I was able to be up for the day and get more done before my classes. The last day of practice (20 November) we had a fun regatta called "Head of the Turkey". We mixed up the novice men and women and the varsity did the same and we raced each other up and down the river. It was a lot of fun. My boat got first. \^o^/ However, we were all confused in racing because there was miscommunication from the coaches to the coxswain about when to start rowing and when to stop. This meant we did not actually start rowing hard when we were supposed to and we continued rowing hard long after the finish line. (oops). But nonetheless, it was a lot of fun. As a prize, I received a paper plate with a turkey design...and an apple cider donut.
Side note: Apple cider donuts are amazing. I need to find out if they exist in CO donut stores. Also, Dunkin Donuts is way more prevalent out here than in CO. In CO, we just have Starbucks all over. I think I have only seen 3 DD's in CO. Also, Saratoga is known for the apple orchards. There is a vendor who comes every Friday to sell apples and cider at the campus. I have bought so much cider here. It is much, much better than anything store bought or instant. I wonder how I could bring some home for the holidays...
Anyway, back to crew. After Turkey Break, my coach sent out a self-paced week of workouts. I tried to do each day's but ended up failing on most accounts. I will make it up during Winter break when I do the "Winter Challenge". I just received the workouts for each day during break. Very intensive with lots of erg exercises, weights, and cardio. TT.TT I do feeel guilty though. The mens team still has practice. They have been going to the erg room every day for the past two weeks. They are done tomorrow with a 6000m erg piece. o.O I have problems with a 2000m piece. But I will get stronger over break and it will better. I have my personal meeting with the coaches on Monday, where I talk about my goals and get fitted for a uniform! I will officially be a part of the Skidmore crew team! \^o^/
So, going back to being on the water, near the end of the season, I got a couple crabs. No, not anything bad, but "to crab" is to somehow lose control of the oar and it does funky things. A "crab" is when the oar goes out of your control and get stuck in the water in a weird manner. My crabs were only so bad that the oar handle hit my stomach, giving me an interesting bruise. Another side note, my hands are almost healed of blisters and calluses...just in time for the Winter Workouts where I will be getting more. TT.TT Let the pain and torture of toughening up my skin begin again.
Crew Party: So, the night before Head of the Turkey, the entire team got together and ate pasta (to carb up for the race). We had a lot of fun talking and getting to know one another. Anyway, when we were going around introducing ourselves, we had to say an interesting fact. Mine was that my favorite bagel was a chocolate chip bagel. Nearly everyone went crazy and kept saying that they had never heard of that. Shocking, yes? Einsteins is not a popular chain out here (pity), which makes it understandable that not as many people know about CC bagels. But anyway, I have also made my own CC bagels in the dining hall. I take the chocolate chips from the dessert area and put them on a bagel that I had toasted and buttered. It is a close enough substitute to being spoiled at UNC with Einsteins.
Turkey Break: So, instead of coming home to CO for break, I went to visit family in MA. My cousin lives in a city called Newton, which is outside of Boston. I had a lot of fun, playing with her children and having time spent away from the campus. Getting to Newton was interesting. I did not want to pay lots of money for a bus or train ticket, so I asked around to see if anyone was going to the area. One of my crew mates lives in a town called Acton, which is 45 minutes from Newton. So, I was able to get a ride to and from with her. It took us 5 hours each way. I slept for a large part of it. Although coming back, I needed to go pee, but the person driving did not want to stop. >.< I had to literally beg her to stop so that I could relieve myself. Oh so much fun. Anyway...back to Turkey. For the actual Turkey day, I went with my cousins to Ipswich, which is north of Boston. It was a very pretty place and the house of the cousin's friend was very lovely. And the food was good. We had a "trash can turkey". Apparently this is a New England thing. What happens is that you place a turkey in a clean trash can and then set coals and everything around it, turning it into a very large pressure cooker. The turkey came out very delicious. I get to see my cousins again in a couple weeks, since they are coming out to CO!
4 December: Junior Ring. This is another dance here at the school. It was much tamer than Moorebid, which is the opposite of what it usually is, so I am told. It was Disney themed, but I did not have time to go out and get an outfit for the theme this time, so I wore a different dress. I had fun at the dance; they provided food and drink this time, which was nice.
So, that brings us to the present and all its happyness and bubbles. My finals week and a half looks like such:
Monday - meeting with Enlightenment professor to discuss writing portfolio and final grade.
- meeting with crew coaches to discuss winter and spring goals, be fitted for uniform.
Tuesday - turn in Japanese history paper
- turn in Japanese language paper
Wednesday - study
Thursday - turn in Medieval history paper
- take British Empire exam
Friday - take Japanese history exam
Following Monday - take Japanese language exam, turn in final revised paper
Following Tuesday - come home to CO.
Well, this will be a fun week and a half. TT.TT But nonetheless, life will go on and everything will be happy for winter break.
Until then,
"I do not intend to tiptoe through life, only to arrive safely at death." ~bumper sticker
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Fun!
Hello again!
Well, this week was rough, lots of stress, not enough time, and definitely not enough ice cream consumption.
But, other than that, this weekend has been interesting. Friday was spent finishing an essay and then falling asleep watching a movie. I woke up the next morning at my desk. >.<
Saturday was fun, did not do too much except read and clean the room. I was able to talk on Skype with family and to see some people at home at a judo tournament. It was good to see some people and talk with them for a short while.
Yesterday evening was the most fun so far. For extra credit, I could go to the Schuyler House and take the tour. So, I called a cab to get there. I did not realize how expensive it would be. To go to the next town over, it cost $22. Plus tip, one way was $24. TT.TT However, I did not have enough to get home, since I did not expect it to be that much going one way. So, I took the tour of the house, which was a lot of fun and very interesting. I learned a lot about the history of the area as well as how connected Early Americans were to one another. For example, one of the daughters of General Philip Schuyler married Alexander Hamilton. Amazing information.
So, the entire time I was taking the tour, I was trying to figure out how to get home. Eventually at the end of the tour, I went up to a couple that was in my group and I asked them if they could give me a ride back to Skidmore. They were very nice and I was fortunate enough to ask them because they were making a mini-vacation of the Saratoga area and were staying close to the school. So, they gave me a ride and I am forever grateful to Martha and Bill from Rochester, New York. For the most part, I believe in the Hobbesian side of human nature. But this couple helped to further my respect for the idea that there are really good, kind-hearted people in the world.
I got back and was relaxing in my room when I heard a lot of big booms outside. Turns out they were fireworks. I tried to get outside in time and across campus, but it was a very short show and I missed most of it. But it was fun to see some of them anyway.
So, today I have a group workout for crew. We are to run lots of miles. TT.TT We shall see how that goes.
Well, until next time,
"Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else's life forever." ~M. Cho
Well, this week was rough, lots of stress, not enough time, and definitely not enough ice cream consumption.
But, other than that, this weekend has been interesting. Friday was spent finishing an essay and then falling asleep watching a movie. I woke up the next morning at my desk. >.<
Saturday was fun, did not do too much except read and clean the room. I was able to talk on Skype with family and to see some people at home at a judo tournament. It was good to see some people and talk with them for a short while.
Yesterday evening was the most fun so far. For extra credit, I could go to the Schuyler House and take the tour. So, I called a cab to get there. I did not realize how expensive it would be. To go to the next town over, it cost $22. Plus tip, one way was $24. TT.TT However, I did not have enough to get home, since I did not expect it to be that much going one way. So, I took the tour of the house, which was a lot of fun and very interesting. I learned a lot about the history of the area as well as how connected Early Americans were to one another. For example, one of the daughters of General Philip Schuyler married Alexander Hamilton. Amazing information.
So, the entire time I was taking the tour, I was trying to figure out how to get home. Eventually at the end of the tour, I went up to a couple that was in my group and I asked them if they could give me a ride back to Skidmore. They were very nice and I was fortunate enough to ask them because they were making a mini-vacation of the Saratoga area and were staying close to the school. So, they gave me a ride and I am forever grateful to Martha and Bill from Rochester, New York. For the most part, I believe in the Hobbesian side of human nature. But this couple helped to further my respect for the idea that there are really good, kind-hearted people in the world.
I got back and was relaxing in my room when I heard a lot of big booms outside. Turns out they were fireworks. I tried to get outside in time and across campus, but it was a very short show and I missed most of it. But it was fun to see some of them anyway.
So, today I have a group workout for crew. We are to run lots of miles. TT.TT We shall see how that goes.
Well, until next time,
"Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else's life forever." ~M. Cho
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Surprise!!!
Hello!
Well, this week was just another week: papers, classes, crew practice, &tc.
I turned in my first paper of the semester on Thursday, we will see how well I did. Although I realised afterwards that for my footnotes, I sometimes did Ibid. and other times I put the shortened form for the same source. >.< Oh well, at least it just proves that I know how to do both, right?
Friday was an interesting day. I had all of my classes as usual, but my Enlightenment class was probably the most fun and thought provoking. On Wednesday we had discussed education in general and education of women during this time period. It was actually a very intense discussion about what education is in itself let alone if women should be involved. Hence, on Friday, we had to think about the Social Contract we have with other people and institutions. It was a very philosophical debate about what each of us students wants and puts into our education here at the college. Point of thanks to the UNC education department for teaching me about the pedagogical ideologies and the history of education. They actually came in handy. I think last year when I took the introductory course, I thought the ideologies were fairly deep for the field, which they still are, but in this class we dug deeper into the field of education and the moral/philosophical foundations which drive our education system. Then the question arose, "Why are you here at school?" Each person had his/her answer and we were all different. Afterwards, I was thinking more about it and had to really think about why I am here at school. It is a difficult question that I am unable to answer at this moment.
But on to a much more happy topic!
I GOT MY HAIR CUT!!!
*pause for the shock to set in*
Yep, I got my hair cut in Friday after classes. I called several different hair places here in Saratoga, many of them were unable to fit me in on Friday before practice. Finally, I found one: Brooklyn Attitude Hair and Body. They made an appointment with me for 3:30. So, I called for a cab at 3. I waited for the cab, but when it got here, there was another person who had to go to the other side of town. So, the driver called for another cab. I waited another 10 minutes for a cab to show up. When he did, he said he was going to the train station. So, I had to wait for a third taxi. By this time it was about 3:20. My cab finally showed up, but there were other people at the school who also got in to go to the train station. When we dropped them off, it was 3:30 and I kinda panicked. I made it to the hair place at about 3:35. Fortunately, the appointment in front of me was just finishing up, so everything was alright. Then...it was my turn. I told the lady what I wanted with my hair. I wanted to donate to Locks of Love. So, she tied up my hair and cut it off. She then said, "Let's go to the basin so I can get your hair wet, if I were to use the spray bottle it would take forever." So I got my hair washed and everything. We then went back to the seat and she began to even out my hair. She asked if I wanted layers and bangs. I answered yes to both. Why? I have no idea. Its been about 8 years since I have had any kind of hair cut and forgot what it was like to have either. So it is something different. Anyway, she cut the back first, so by the time I saw how much she cut, I was kinda shocked. But she kept saying that it was still fairly long. No, no its not. >.< But she did a great job with the layers and it actually looks nice. It will just take some getting used to. For this weekend, I have not been able to stop playing with my hair and realizing that there is a lot less. In total, I think she cut some where close to 18 inches. Pretty much all off it will be going to Locks of Love on Monday when I can get to the post office.
Its been weird here at school, people have come up to me and have said that they have not seen me with my hair down. Of course not. I wore my hair in a bun everyday. Except on Friday. I wore it in braids that day. But people have said that now I look less dead-serious about school. According to other people, I looked very anti-social and intimidating with my bun. But now they say that I look more approachable and "bubbly". Which I guess is a compliment.
Here are some pictures! I finally figured out how to do pictures!!! \^o^/
This is before, after from the back, and after from the front.
Well, I have four papers and two tests this week. >.< I am hoping that can make it through! o.O
Until next time,
"I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific." ~L. Tomlin
Well, this week was just another week: papers, classes, crew practice, &tc.
I turned in my first paper of the semester on Thursday, we will see how well I did. Although I realised afterwards that for my footnotes, I sometimes did Ibid. and other times I put the shortened form for the same source. >.< Oh well, at least it just proves that I know how to do both, right?
Friday was an interesting day. I had all of my classes as usual, but my Enlightenment class was probably the most fun and thought provoking. On Wednesday we had discussed education in general and education of women during this time period. It was actually a very intense discussion about what education is in itself let alone if women should be involved. Hence, on Friday, we had to think about the Social Contract we have with other people and institutions. It was a very philosophical debate about what each of us students wants and puts into our education here at the college. Point of thanks to the UNC education department for teaching me about the pedagogical ideologies and the history of education. They actually came in handy. I think last year when I took the introductory course, I thought the ideologies were fairly deep for the field, which they still are, but in this class we dug deeper into the field of education and the moral/philosophical foundations which drive our education system. Then the question arose, "Why are you here at school?" Each person had his/her answer and we were all different. Afterwards, I was thinking more about it and had to really think about why I am here at school. It is a difficult question that I am unable to answer at this moment.
But on to a much more happy topic!
I GOT MY HAIR CUT!!!
*pause for the shock to set in*
Yep, I got my hair cut in Friday after classes. I called several different hair places here in Saratoga, many of them were unable to fit me in on Friday before practice. Finally, I found one: Brooklyn Attitude Hair and Body. They made an appointment with me for 3:30. So, I called for a cab at 3. I waited for the cab, but when it got here, there was another person who had to go to the other side of town. So, the driver called for another cab. I waited another 10 minutes for a cab to show up. When he did, he said he was going to the train station. So, I had to wait for a third taxi. By this time it was about 3:20. My cab finally showed up, but there were other people at the school who also got in to go to the train station. When we dropped them off, it was 3:30 and I kinda panicked. I made it to the hair place at about 3:35. Fortunately, the appointment in front of me was just finishing up, so everything was alright. Then...it was my turn. I told the lady what I wanted with my hair. I wanted to donate to Locks of Love. So, she tied up my hair and cut it off. She then said, "Let's go to the basin so I can get your hair wet, if I were to use the spray bottle it would take forever." So I got my hair washed and everything. We then went back to the seat and she began to even out my hair. She asked if I wanted layers and bangs. I answered yes to both. Why? I have no idea. Its been about 8 years since I have had any kind of hair cut and forgot what it was like to have either. So it is something different. Anyway, she cut the back first, so by the time I saw how much she cut, I was kinda shocked. But she kept saying that it was still fairly long. No, no its not. >.< But she did a great job with the layers and it actually looks nice. It will just take some getting used to. For this weekend, I have not been able to stop playing with my hair and realizing that there is a lot less. In total, I think she cut some where close to 18 inches. Pretty much all off it will be going to Locks of Love on Monday when I can get to the post office.
Its been weird here at school, people have come up to me and have said that they have not seen me with my hair down. Of course not. I wore my hair in a bun everyday. Except on Friday. I wore it in braids that day. But people have said that now I look less dead-serious about school. According to other people, I looked very anti-social and intimidating with my bun. But now they say that I look more approachable and "bubbly". Which I guess is a compliment.
Here are some pictures! I finally figured out how to do pictures!!! \^o^/
This is before, after from the back, and after from the front.
Well, I have four papers and two tests this week. >.< I am hoping that can make it through! o.O
Until next time,
"I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific." ~L. Tomlin
Saturday, October 2, 2010
The Past Two Weeks
Hello!
Well, to catch up on the past two weeks, I will start where I left off and go through up to today.
So:
15 September:
I had to attend the meeting for crew that required us to fill out the NCAA paperwork and all related health forms. This did not take too long, but afterwards, we had the swim test. This was to make sure that if something happened with the boat out on the water, we would be safe. For this test we had to swim 200m and then tread water for 15 minutes. In all honesty, it was easier than it looks.
After successfully completing this, I went to the dining hall's CLAMBAKE! \^o^/ It was amazing and I had a lot of fun. Mind you, I was still wet from the pool and smelled of chlorine, but I did not care. I went to the dining hall and got lots of food. I had clam chowder (which was not the best I have had here), Italian sausage, corn on the cob (from a local grower, but does not beat CO corn), and LOTS of clams. I went back to the clams station three times to get more. >.< I had a plate full of shells at the end and it was interesting to get it to the accumulator.
Side note: The Accumulator is this really cool thing they have at the dining hall which is a plate carousel. It has places for the plates and other dishes and it goes to the back where people clean off the plates and put them in the dish washers. So, basically it is like the thingy at UNC in TK or Holmes. Although, one thing here, they do not have trays. Instead they have brightly colored plates and plastic cups. boo. I much prefer the nice logo-ed UNC trays and glass cups. But anyway, back to the clambake.
I think that whatever calories I burned off during the day (since it was a Wednesday) and the swim test, I gained right back at the clambake. There was also a band made of Skidmore students who were performing in the dining hall. So it was loud, crowded (it was free and open to anyone on campus), and full of good food.
16 September:
So, this day was the bicentennial of El Grito de Dolores. This was the start of the Mexican Revolution, a part of which continues today. So, basically I was excited, mostly because I had taken a course in Mexican history, but also just because it is history and these landmark years are a time in which people should take a second and consider the importance of history and the continuing impact it has on us today.
Anyway, I watched the midnight salute on YouTube and wrote a part of the traditional salute on my white board on my door.
Apart from this, I went to an ice cream social at the Exchange office. For some reason, here at Skidmore, a lot of get-togethers or parties have a lot of ice cream. But it is good ice cream, so it is not bad. n_n. I talked with some of the people at the Exchange office, but had to leave early to get back to homework.
17 September:
Not much happened, but I did go to a NihonGO! club meeting. This club is based around talking and practicing Japanese. They watch movies, dramas, and play fun games which all help to learn more language. This is the only meeting I have been able to attend, since I have crew every day at the same time as these meetings. But I have found out that many of the people in my Japanese class also live in my dorm. So come test times, I do not even have to leave my dorm. In fact, I have begun to realize that there are many people from most of my classes living in the same dorm. It is rather interesting to learn about all of this three weeks into the semester. However up until now, I have been concentrating on my academic routine and making sure I do not dig myself into a hole from the beginning of the semester.
I also went into town with a friend. We went to a small restaurant called Esperantos, which severs some Mexican, some Italian, and some Greek foods. But we ordered a NY style pizza, which was really good. This restaurant also delivers to the campus, so it will be nice come cram time, that I have that option. After eating, we walked around town and then caught the bus back to campus. I forget if I have mentioned it here on the blog, but Skidmore has worked it out with the bus system around here that s students can ride for free. That is really nice and convenient. Also, it is rumored and mostly true that the taxi services are also free for students. We can go anywhere within the Saratoga Springs limits for free. I have not jumped on this opportunity yet but it may be soon, since I do need some things for my room.
19 September:
I went to the Saratoga Battlefield! This was one of the reasons I came to Skidmore and I am very happy that I got to go! This weekend was the 233rd anniversary of the first battle of Saratoga during the Revolutionary War. There was a man there who was impersonating General Burgoyne, the British general in charge who lost the battle. The actor was really good. He knew his history and could talk about everything on his uniform and about the area. After this, we went around to the historical locations of the American encampments and the British encampments. There were people at both places who talked about the battle and the mindset that would have existed during the time and the battle. The was one man who talked about a small piece of artillery and how it would have been used. He knew at what distances different projectiles would be used and the effects it would have on the men it would hit. I went with an American Studies professor and his FYE (First Year Experience) students. He was a nice professor who knew his material as well. He helped to make the trip a critical thinking exercise, since he asked questions about what it would have been like and what each of us would have done. This was really cool because not only were we standing in the exact places where battles happened, but we had to use our imaginations to think of what it was like. Kinda creepy, to know that you are standing in the exact place where past events happened, yet they are in a completely different time as you are presently. This is why I also like history. n_n
20 September:
So, not much academically, but today was the fitness/ try out test for crew. To start off, we had to run around the track. After each lap, we had to do a set of exercise, so for example we had to do 10 push-ups or 20 lunges. Then after this was done, we had to run another lap. We did this for about 45 minutes. In total, I think I ran about 4.5 miles. This is the most I have ever run. The second most is trying to run a 5K. But I will admit that I think being at sea level and doing this test helped. Had I been at home trying to do this test I would have been gasping for air after about 2 miles. Nevertheless, I ran the entire thing and felt mostly accomplished. After some stretching, we had to do 30 minutes of set exercises. So we did planks, push-ups, crunches, "jumpies" which are squats and a jump, and lunges. Needless to say, I was sore afterwards. I got back to my room, took a shower, and finished my homework.
21 September:
As I think I have mentioned, I place my alarm on the other side of the room. Today was not the best day to do that. I literally could not move my legs because they were so stiff and painful. Eventually I got out of bed, but had to walk slowly. I even had to leave an extra 5 minutes early for class, just to make it on time. Luckily today was Tuesday, so I only had one class, but it was up three flights of stairs and I could not find the elevator. >.< Oh well. I got done with class and then worked on homework until practice. This practice was on the erg machines in the gym. The erg machines are the inside rowing machines that I will be using from the end of this month until probably March, when the ice breaks. They are actually a lot of fun, and are a great workout. We just kinda got to get a feel for the machines and the basic technique of rowing. It was very exciting, since I have never done anything like it.
22 September:
Today was my grandam's birthday! My family gave her a nice party and I got to talk to her via Skype. It was nice.
School was nice, normal.
Practice was fun, we went to the boathouse for the first time. However, the car I got a ride in got lost and we were about 30 minutes late for practice. >.< But we got a tour of the boat house and watched a video. We also got to go out on the water! \^o^/ I really liked being out on the water and starting to get a feel for the rowing movements. We did push off, and we got to take a couple strokes.
23 September:
Nothing much, went back to the boathouse and got out on the water, but did not push off. We just worked more on being in sync.
24 September:
School was fine, but then had to get to the airport. I had to come home for some family things. I spent Friday afternoon and evening on planes. Although, I nearly missed the connection in Washington. The plane from Albany was delayed and I really had to run from one side of Washington/Dulles to the other. So much fun on a Friday evening. But I made it home and then went to sleep.
That weekend I spent little over 24 hours in Colorado, but about 12 hours of the weekend traveling. I left CO early Sunday morning. But yet again, I had plane delays and missed the bus from Albany to Saratoga Springs. It was at this point that I had a panic attack in trying to figure out what to do. In the end, I just got a taxi from the airport to school. It was expensive, but I figured that I would not be going to the airport again for another 2 months, so it was an ok expense.
However, because of the traveling and whatnot, I was behind for the week and had to work hard to keep up. Sadly, I am behind in one of my classes and have no idea when I will make up that time.
~~~
So, this week. Nothing exciting happened. Projects are beginning as are the papers. I think that within the next 4 weeks, I have 10 papers due! o.O So many. But I will survive and make it to November...if only barely.
Crew is amazing. I really like it. On Friday's practice we worked out on the erg machines more and got to get a feel of doing the motions repeatedly. Then we went out on the water and all 8 of us rowed together. It was a lot of fun. However I feel bad for the other 7 girls because the coach put me in the stern seat. This means everyone had to follow my lead. >.< I do not think I was very consistent and may have contributed to the other girls complaining that it was "scary". <.<
On Friday, I also had a paper proposal due for my Enlightenment class. I had it written early in the week, but forgot to get more bibliography sources. So, I had to rush around in the library getting books. At the high point of collecting books, I had about 50 books. I filtered it down to 25 books that I shoved in my backpack and two plastic bags.
I really think that my professor who I have for both Medieval and Enlightenment history thinks I am weird. For my Medieval project, I am doing torture. For the Enlightenment paper, I am doing prostitution. Two very morbidly fascinating topics. We shall see what she thinks of both at the end of November.
Anyway, phew, I think I have caught up with the time I missed on the blog. This next week is not too horrible as far as papers and workload, but I must prepare for the doom and terror of the three weeks which are to follow.
Pictures will be posted soon! I apologize, I just need to find more time to post them and put explanations with them.
Well, until next time,
"Who knows where the gods above will add tomorrow's hours to the total of today." ~Horace
Well, to catch up on the past two weeks, I will start where I left off and go through up to today.
So:
15 September:
I had to attend the meeting for crew that required us to fill out the NCAA paperwork and all related health forms. This did not take too long, but afterwards, we had the swim test. This was to make sure that if something happened with the boat out on the water, we would be safe. For this test we had to swim 200m and then tread water for 15 minutes. In all honesty, it was easier than it looks.
After successfully completing this, I went to the dining hall's CLAMBAKE! \^o^/ It was amazing and I had a lot of fun. Mind you, I was still wet from the pool and smelled of chlorine, but I did not care. I went to the dining hall and got lots of food. I had clam chowder (which was not the best I have had here), Italian sausage, corn on the cob (from a local grower, but does not beat CO corn), and LOTS of clams. I went back to the clams station three times to get more. >.< I had a plate full of shells at the end and it was interesting to get it to the accumulator.
Side note: The Accumulator is this really cool thing they have at the dining hall which is a plate carousel. It has places for the plates and other dishes and it goes to the back where people clean off the plates and put them in the dish washers. So, basically it is like the thingy at UNC in TK or Holmes. Although, one thing here, they do not have trays. Instead they have brightly colored plates and plastic cups. boo. I much prefer the nice logo-ed UNC trays and glass cups. But anyway, back to the clambake.
I think that whatever calories I burned off during the day (since it was a Wednesday) and the swim test, I gained right back at the clambake. There was also a band made of Skidmore students who were performing in the dining hall. So it was loud, crowded (it was free and open to anyone on campus), and full of good food.
16 September:
So, this day was the bicentennial of El Grito de Dolores. This was the start of the Mexican Revolution, a part of which continues today. So, basically I was excited, mostly because I had taken a course in Mexican history, but also just because it is history and these landmark years are a time in which people should take a second and consider the importance of history and the continuing impact it has on us today.
Anyway, I watched the midnight salute on YouTube and wrote a part of the traditional salute on my white board on my door.
Apart from this, I went to an ice cream social at the Exchange office. For some reason, here at Skidmore, a lot of get-togethers or parties have a lot of ice cream. But it is good ice cream, so it is not bad. n_n. I talked with some of the people at the Exchange office, but had to leave early to get back to homework.
17 September:
Not much happened, but I did go to a NihonGO! club meeting. This club is based around talking and practicing Japanese. They watch movies, dramas, and play fun games which all help to learn more language. This is the only meeting I have been able to attend, since I have crew every day at the same time as these meetings. But I have found out that many of the people in my Japanese class also live in my dorm. So come test times, I do not even have to leave my dorm. In fact, I have begun to realize that there are many people from most of my classes living in the same dorm. It is rather interesting to learn about all of this three weeks into the semester. However up until now, I have been concentrating on my academic routine and making sure I do not dig myself into a hole from the beginning of the semester.
I also went into town with a friend. We went to a small restaurant called Esperantos, which severs some Mexican, some Italian, and some Greek foods. But we ordered a NY style pizza, which was really good. This restaurant also delivers to the campus, so it will be nice come cram time, that I have that option. After eating, we walked around town and then caught the bus back to campus. I forget if I have mentioned it here on the blog, but Skidmore has worked it out with the bus system around here that s students can ride for free. That is really nice and convenient. Also, it is rumored and mostly true that the taxi services are also free for students. We can go anywhere within the Saratoga Springs limits for free. I have not jumped on this opportunity yet but it may be soon, since I do need some things for my room.
19 September:
I went to the Saratoga Battlefield! This was one of the reasons I came to Skidmore and I am very happy that I got to go! This weekend was the 233rd anniversary of the first battle of Saratoga during the Revolutionary War. There was a man there who was impersonating General Burgoyne, the British general in charge who lost the battle. The actor was really good. He knew his history and could talk about everything on his uniform and about the area. After this, we went around to the historical locations of the American encampments and the British encampments. There were people at both places who talked about the battle and the mindset that would have existed during the time and the battle. The was one man who talked about a small piece of artillery and how it would have been used. He knew at what distances different projectiles would be used and the effects it would have on the men it would hit. I went with an American Studies professor and his FYE (First Year Experience) students. He was a nice professor who knew his material as well. He helped to make the trip a critical thinking exercise, since he asked questions about what it would have been like and what each of us would have done. This was really cool because not only were we standing in the exact places where battles happened, but we had to use our imaginations to think of what it was like. Kinda creepy, to know that you are standing in the exact place where past events happened, yet they are in a completely different time as you are presently. This is why I also like history. n_n
20 September:
So, not much academically, but today was the fitness/ try out test for crew. To start off, we had to run around the track. After each lap, we had to do a set of exercise, so for example we had to do 10 push-ups or 20 lunges. Then after this was done, we had to run another lap. We did this for about 45 minutes. In total, I think I ran about 4.5 miles. This is the most I have ever run. The second most is trying to run a 5K. But I will admit that I think being at sea level and doing this test helped. Had I been at home trying to do this test I would have been gasping for air after about 2 miles. Nevertheless, I ran the entire thing and felt mostly accomplished. After some stretching, we had to do 30 minutes of set exercises. So we did planks, push-ups, crunches, "jumpies" which are squats and a jump, and lunges. Needless to say, I was sore afterwards. I got back to my room, took a shower, and finished my homework.
21 September:
As I think I have mentioned, I place my alarm on the other side of the room. Today was not the best day to do that. I literally could not move my legs because they were so stiff and painful. Eventually I got out of bed, but had to walk slowly. I even had to leave an extra 5 minutes early for class, just to make it on time. Luckily today was Tuesday, so I only had one class, but it was up three flights of stairs and I could not find the elevator. >.< Oh well. I got done with class and then worked on homework until practice. This practice was on the erg machines in the gym. The erg machines are the inside rowing machines that I will be using from the end of this month until probably March, when the ice breaks. They are actually a lot of fun, and are a great workout. We just kinda got to get a feel for the machines and the basic technique of rowing. It was very exciting, since I have never done anything like it.
22 September:
Today was my grandam's birthday! My family gave her a nice party and I got to talk to her via Skype. It was nice.
School was nice, normal.
Practice was fun, we went to the boathouse for the first time. However, the car I got a ride in got lost and we were about 30 minutes late for practice. >.< But we got a tour of the boat house and watched a video. We also got to go out on the water! \^o^/ I really liked being out on the water and starting to get a feel for the rowing movements. We did push off, and we got to take a couple strokes.
23 September:
Nothing much, went back to the boathouse and got out on the water, but did not push off. We just worked more on being in sync.
24 September:
School was fine, but then had to get to the airport. I had to come home for some family things. I spent Friday afternoon and evening on planes. Although, I nearly missed the connection in Washington. The plane from Albany was delayed and I really had to run from one side of Washington/Dulles to the other. So much fun on a Friday evening. But I made it home and then went to sleep.
That weekend I spent little over 24 hours in Colorado, but about 12 hours of the weekend traveling. I left CO early Sunday morning. But yet again, I had plane delays and missed the bus from Albany to Saratoga Springs. It was at this point that I had a panic attack in trying to figure out what to do. In the end, I just got a taxi from the airport to school. It was expensive, but I figured that I would not be going to the airport again for another 2 months, so it was an ok expense.
However, because of the traveling and whatnot, I was behind for the week and had to work hard to keep up. Sadly, I am behind in one of my classes and have no idea when I will make up that time.
~~~
So, this week. Nothing exciting happened. Projects are beginning as are the papers. I think that within the next 4 weeks, I have 10 papers due! o.O So many. But I will survive and make it to November...if only barely.
Crew is amazing. I really like it. On Friday's practice we worked out on the erg machines more and got to get a feel of doing the motions repeatedly. Then we went out on the water and all 8 of us rowed together. It was a lot of fun. However I feel bad for the other 7 girls because the coach put me in the stern seat. This means everyone had to follow my lead. >.< I do not think I was very consistent and may have contributed to the other girls complaining that it was "scary". <.<
On Friday, I also had a paper proposal due for my Enlightenment class. I had it written early in the week, but forgot to get more bibliography sources. So, I had to rush around in the library getting books. At the high point of collecting books, I had about 50 books. I filtered it down to 25 books that I shoved in my backpack and two plastic bags.
I really think that my professor who I have for both Medieval and Enlightenment history thinks I am weird. For my Medieval project, I am doing torture. For the Enlightenment paper, I am doing prostitution. Two very morbidly fascinating topics. We shall see what she thinks of both at the end of November.
Anyway, phew, I think I have caught up with the time I missed on the blog. This next week is not too horrible as far as papers and workload, but I must prepare for the doom and terror of the three weeks which are to follow.
Pictures will be posted soon! I apologize, I just need to find more time to post them and put explanations with them.
Well, until next time,
"Who knows where the gods above will add tomorrow's hours to the total of today." ~Horace
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Bells, bells, bells/ From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells. ~Edgar Allen Poe "The Bells"
Hello again.
Long time no posts. Sorry. School picked up its pace, which was to be expected, and I have had little time to do anything.
Hopefully this weekend I will have some time in which to catch up on what has happened in the past two weeks. So look out for a really long. Or a bunch of little ones.
This post is just to let everyone know that I am still hanging onto the fringe of sanity. And, that there is finally something that I miss about UNC (naturally apart from friends, the awesome professors and classes, and cow smell). I miss the Gunter bell. Whilst it was sometimes annoying, it was still a small comfort to hear it go off at the top of each hour. Granted, here the quietness and serenity of the campus is pleasant, but it is not quite the same. Oh well.
I suppose I should also say that often times the Gunter bell saved me from being late to class. So, maybe I miss that aid in the "morning" (since most of my classes were in the late mornings or afternoons >.<) So far, I have gotten up in time for all of my classes every day, and hope to keep it that way. n_n. I should, since I blast my alarm in the morning and place it across the room. I have to literally crawl out of bed to turn it off and either get up, or sleep with my body at an odd angle; with my head on the floor and my feet still in bed. The latter has been the more frequent of the options. >.<
Anyway, hope all is well with y'all. n_n
Until this weekend,
"Time you enjoyed wasting is not wasted time." ~T.S. Eliot
Long time no posts. Sorry. School picked up its pace, which was to be expected, and I have had little time to do anything.
Hopefully this weekend I will have some time in which to catch up on what has happened in the past two weeks. So look out for a really long. Or a bunch of little ones.
This post is just to let everyone know that I am still hanging onto the fringe of sanity. And, that there is finally something that I miss about UNC (naturally apart from friends, the awesome professors and classes, and cow smell). I miss the Gunter bell. Whilst it was sometimes annoying, it was still a small comfort to hear it go off at the top of each hour. Granted, here the quietness and serenity of the campus is pleasant, but it is not quite the same. Oh well.
I suppose I should also say that often times the Gunter bell saved me from being late to class. So, maybe I miss that aid in the "morning" (since most of my classes were in the late mornings or afternoons >.<) So far, I have gotten up in time for all of my classes every day, and hope to keep it that way. n_n. I should, since I blast my alarm in the morning and place it across the room. I have to literally crawl out of bed to turn it off and either get up, or sleep with my body at an odd angle; with my head on the floor and my feet still in bed. The latter has been the more frequent of the options. >.<
Anyway, hope all is well with y'all. n_n
Until this weekend,
"Time you enjoyed wasting is not wasted time." ~T.S. Eliot
Monday, September 13, 2010
The Doors
No, not the band. XP
Well, the second week of classes has started and I am about 63.1692870% prepared. I spent the weekend reading most of the books for the week. Tis a lot of reading, but all of it was very interesting. For this week the books I have to read, know, and understand are:
Musui's Story ~Katsu Kokichi (Japanese History)
Robinson Crusoe ~Daniel Defoe (British Empire)
The Consolation of Philosophy ~Boethius (Medieval)
The Marriage of Figaro ~Beaumarchais (Enlightenment)
These are only the novels I have to read. There are Blackboard readings and other smaller book sections that have to be read as well. >.<
Also, Japanese language adds to the amount of homework. In a previous post I stated that I had to take a placement test to make sure that the 203 class was the next logical step for me. Well, on the first day of that class (Wednesday 8 September) the sensei (professor) handed out last semester's final to those students who had had his class. Naturally, they went over it and I looked on another students paper. As it turns out, the test I had to take was parts of that final. However, this being said, I should confess that I did not pay strict attention when they were going over the exam in class. Thus, when I went to take the placement test I really did have to use my own knowledge for the majority of it. I did fine, missing a couple conjugations and translations, but overall the sensei said that I am in the right class. \^o^/ So I say "Doomo arigatou gozaimasu Li Sensei" (at UNC) for teaching me Japanese for two years.
But anyway, the purpose of this post is about the doors here at Skidmore. THEY ARE VERY LOUD. The majority of the people on my floor slam their doors and there is no rubber edging in the door frame to soften the sounds. >.< This makes for very interesting evenings when people are going in and out of their rooms. I think even the doors in Decker and at UNC in general do not make this much noise, even when you do let them shut on their own. This is something I am going to have to get used to, since I doubt many people are going to change and take the time to make sure they do not slam their doors when they leave or enter their rooms. Granted, I sometimes let the door shut and make a loud noise, but I do my part to not let it become a habit.
Also, the locks here are different. In Decker the door locks on the inside automatically. Here, you have a dead bolt you can lock on the inside, but you have to use your key on the outside to lock the door when you go out. About half the time I forget to lock my door. >.< Am working on that. Also, in Decker it is much easier to get in the room. When you put the key in the lock and turn it, it opens the latch and you can get in with one swift movement of the hand. At Skidmore, the deadbolt lock and the door latch are in two different locations. So you have to unlock the door first and then move your hand to the doorknob and turn it to open the door. So much work to get into the room. So, I have created a shortcut for my door. I have taped the door latch so that it does not click nor make as much noise when I open and close the door. This way, I only have to unlock the door and push it open when I am carrying books or what ever else in my arms. However this has caused some problems. The doors here are not as heavy as those at UNC. Thus, my door often swings open and closed, since it has nothing to keep it shut (unless I bolt my door). Oh well, I would much rather have an easily open-able door than one that makes noise all the time.
Anyway, this will probably one of the weirdest postings about Skidmore, but it served as a nice break from reading. n_n
Until next time,
"Knowledge of what is does not open the door directly to what should be." ~A. Einstein
Well, the second week of classes has started and I am about 63.1692870% prepared. I spent the weekend reading most of the books for the week. Tis a lot of reading, but all of it was very interesting. For this week the books I have to read, know, and understand are:
Musui's Story ~Katsu Kokichi (Japanese History)
Robinson Crusoe ~Daniel Defoe (British Empire)
The Consolation of Philosophy ~Boethius (Medieval)
The Marriage of Figaro ~Beaumarchais (Enlightenment)
These are only the novels I have to read. There are Blackboard readings and other smaller book sections that have to be read as well. >.<
Also, Japanese language adds to the amount of homework. In a previous post I stated that I had to take a placement test to make sure that the 203 class was the next logical step for me. Well, on the first day of that class (Wednesday 8 September) the sensei (professor) handed out last semester's final to those students who had had his class. Naturally, they went over it and I looked on another students paper. As it turns out, the test I had to take was parts of that final. However, this being said, I should confess that I did not pay strict attention when they were going over the exam in class. Thus, when I went to take the placement test I really did have to use my own knowledge for the majority of it. I did fine, missing a couple conjugations and translations, but overall the sensei said that I am in the right class. \^o^/ So I say "Doomo arigatou gozaimasu Li Sensei" (at UNC) for teaching me Japanese for two years.
But anyway, the purpose of this post is about the doors here at Skidmore. THEY ARE VERY LOUD. The majority of the people on my floor slam their doors and there is no rubber edging in the door frame to soften the sounds. >.< This makes for very interesting evenings when people are going in and out of their rooms. I think even the doors in Decker and at UNC in general do not make this much noise, even when you do let them shut on their own. This is something I am going to have to get used to, since I doubt many people are going to change and take the time to make sure they do not slam their doors when they leave or enter their rooms. Granted, I sometimes let the door shut and make a loud noise, but I do my part to not let it become a habit.
Also, the locks here are different. In Decker the door locks on the inside automatically. Here, you have a dead bolt you can lock on the inside, but you have to use your key on the outside to lock the door when you go out. About half the time I forget to lock my door. >.< Am working on that. Also, in Decker it is much easier to get in the room. When you put the key in the lock and turn it, it opens the latch and you can get in with one swift movement of the hand. At Skidmore, the deadbolt lock and the door latch are in two different locations. So you have to unlock the door first and then move your hand to the doorknob and turn it to open the door. So much work to get into the room. So, I have created a shortcut for my door. I have taped the door latch so that it does not click nor make as much noise when I open and close the door. This way, I only have to unlock the door and push it open when I am carrying books or what ever else in my arms. However this has caused some problems. The doors here are not as heavy as those at UNC. Thus, my door often swings open and closed, since it has nothing to keep it shut (unless I bolt my door). Oh well, I would much rather have an easily open-able door than one that makes noise all the time.
Anyway, this will probably one of the weirdest postings about Skidmore, but it served as a nice break from reading. n_n
Until next time,
"Knowledge of what is does not open the door directly to what should be." ~A. Einstein
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