I remember when I was a senior in high school how scary and enormous the decision of which college to go to felt. I was so nervous about making a wrong decision. I decided just before the May deadline, and wanted to come to the University of Minnesota, and it has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Hey everyone. Hope this blog finds you guys having a great morning, day, and or night. I just wanted to stop by and let you all know that, yes, it is true, we did win the intramural basketball champion.
So I was watching Gossip Girl last night, and it was a special episode where everyone was freaking out about ACTs and SATs and getting accepted into school. All I could do was laugh. I remember being in the exact same position a few years ago and thinking that my 3.8 GPA and thousand extra curricular activities and AP classes would leave me flipping burgers at McDonald or reminding someone "That We Have $5 footlongs" this week when I am forty.
It is strange for me to think that in the spring of 2004, the year I graduated high school, all I thought I wanted was to live a grand adventure. It seemed I needed to go to school far, far from home or spend a year backpacking through Europe or live two months on a remote desert island. It didn't matter what the adventure was, I just felt I needed something extraordinary, something almost tangible to prove my independence and rite of passage into adulthood.
In three weeks, I am going to graduate from the U. I'm anxious, excited and unsure about what I'm going to do with my life. I haven't felt like this in four years- when I was in your shoes.
As another school year comes to an end I sometimes find myself thinking about the end of my senior year in high school. I had applied to various colleges early my senior year but took awhile to decide where to go. While I was deliberating on which college to attend, I realized that choosing where to spend the next four years of my life was a very important decision and should be made carefully.
It seems that spring is finally arriving to the University! (in spite of this weekend’s cold, wet and windy weather.) With only two more weeks of classes and then a week of finals, I am starting to buckle down on studying. Perhaps the cold weather lately has been a blessing, forcing me to stay inside with my textbooks.
My registration date for classes next fall has come and gone, and I've probably changed my classes around approximately 800 times. Do I want to get all of my liberal education requirements finished with, or would I rather dive head first into journalism? With so many classes, tracks, interests to choose from, I'll most likely be refining my schedule for fall semester right up until the first day of class! This feels a lot different from where I was last year right around this time.
It’s been two years since I had to decide where to go for college. In my senior year of high school, I applied to seven schools and got accepted to six of them. By late April I had narrowed the list from six to two. My biggest problem in the college selection process was to gauge which of the two schools would be the better match for me.
I can vividly remember sitting in my favorite teacher's office with a few of my friends on May 1, 2006. Most of the students in the office were laughing, eating, studying, or simply listening to the hysterical anecdotes being told by my teacher. I, however, sat trying to relax on the faded blue fabric of his fouton while my mind raced with the question, Depaul or Denver?
With three exams, three papers, one lab and one concert left before my freshman ends, I am trying to stay on top of my schoolwork. It is so easy to get lost in the fact that we only have three weeks of school left and I want to spend all my time with my friends before they all leave to go home, and I start working full time this summer, here in Minneapolis. After spending 9 months in the city I now call my home, I can’t help but think what got me here.
As I study for my last finals of the second semester of my freshman year these past couple weeks it really makes me wonder. How did this year already go by so quickly? I've been reflecting on how I felt the exact same way my freshman year in high school. We were the babies of the school and definitely felt like it! My parents always told me that "it goes by so quickly." It makes me think of the saying, “you think you know, but you have no idea.� It's laughable how right they were.
This time of year always reminds me of track season; when the grass is wet from late-night showers, the sun shines intermittently through the rain clouds and of course, my legs were too sore to climb the stairs. On top of the stress of practice, homework and weekly meets, I was figuring out where I was going to spend the next 4 years of my life.
I remember this time last year. I can still picture it in my mind. I was stressing over finals (which were a joke compared to what they are now) and worried about how I was going to get my hair done on graduation, while also quite concerned about the shoes I would wear across the stage.
On the other hand, I was quite anxious—in a good way—to head off to Minneapolis.
As this week comes to a close, I can’t help, but reminisce about last weekend and about all the wondering things I’m doing this weekend. Last weekend, my friend and I took a road trip to Wisconsin to see a couple concerts and our families. It was a ton of fun, and coming back to school was a bit depressing, but I at least still have the memories. The only way this road trip was possible was because I decided, as a first-year student, to have my car on campus. I brought my car to school after spring break and it has been a wonderful addition to my college life, but I really only use my car when I go out of town or when I have to run a quick errand. Otherwise, there is always the Metro Transit system that is great to use as well. For only $64 a semester, students are able to receive unlimited rides on any Metro Transit Bus or the light rail, simply by scanning their U-PASS. I believe that there is no need to have a car on campus as a first-year student, but it is just more convenient than having to wait for the bus or light rail. The majority of the time I use the 16 or 3 bus to get downtown to shop or have a night on the town because parking is ridiculously expensive. Parking on campus is done through a lottery. You can choose the lot or ramp that you want to keep your car, and names are drawn at random to hand out parking spots. If you don’t get a spot, than there are alternatives available, such as side street parking or monthly downtown ramps. It all depends on what your plans are as a first-year student, but I would definitely say there is no need for a car on campus, but it sure is nice to have.
Besides being a little down after coming back to school after a fantastic weekend, I am excited for what this weekend holds. Some of Middlebrook Hall’s 3rd floor, including myself is walking in Relay for Life held at the Recreation Center. It’s going to be a crazy 12 hours of fun and little sleep. For those who don’t know what Relay for Life is, it’s an event that people walk and stay up for 12 hours (6 PM-6 AM) to raise money for cancer research. I get to spend 12 hours with some of the greatest people ever, listening to music, talking to survivors and meeting new people. I think it will be a great time had by all people involved.
Hey everyone, I’m sitting here in Walter Library on this rainy, rainy Sunday and I decided to blog for the first time in my life. Seriously, this is the first time I have ever blogged so bear with me here. I suppose you all are dying to hear what I have to say, so I’ll begin.
