This is my first journal post, and I can honestly say that after seeing SG, I think LiveJournal may get left in the dust.
Today was my first day of classes, and oddly enough I was really ready for it. This is all becoming old hat really. I've even been reclassified as a "5th Year Senior". Sooner or later I knew they would catch up with me. I'm slowly becoming aware that this really is the last year of my Bachelor's degree. I've been going to college since 1998 and honestly I'm more than ready to get this part of my existence behind me. I really love the college experience, but its just starting to get old. Life isn't waiting for me, its just waiting to get reacquainted with me.
It would also appear as though I have acquired a part time job, odd as that may seem. I really wasn't looking for one. I landed a summer internship in June (which I was looking for), and they found that they couldn't live without me. I can't complain too much, though. The people I work for are awesome. Both are graduates of MIT, and both have Computer Science degrees. As such, they are really good references for a future Computer Science graduate to have. Additionally, I can pretty much set the hours that I want to work, and they're totally willing to work around my class schedule. To top it all off, I'm actually working in the computer industry, and this is priceless when it comes to marketability.
Looking back on the past year, I somehow managed to achieve almost everything I wanted to achieve. Last year at this time, I was struggling with the concept of being layed off from a going-nowhere job in an industry that doesn't really use the type of engineer that I was learning to be. Things are really going well for me being a full time student. I have a 3.989 GPA and should, unless I totally hose my last two semesters, graduate with honors. My girlfriend is totally awesome, and without her help I don't know how I would do all of this. Money is tight, but money is always tight. I really need to apply for some additional scholarships and grants. I managed to get a $1700 scholarship this year, which definitely helps. One more of those, and I'll be able to afford the last semester of my degree with ease. In short, life is good.
Our Italy trip is slowly bearing down on us. I had a really bizarre experience while turning in my passport application. Went to the post office with all of the required documents, and was filling out my payments. Still no surprises. The second that the postal employee told me to raise my right hand to attest to what he was saying, something in me clicked and the guy received my FULL attention. It was so strange. It was almost as if I didn't want to miss a word of what he was trying to convey. I only remember bits and pieces of all that "do you attest that..." stuff, but I remember thinking that it was vitally important to pay close attention. That I would only experience this particular experience once. Again, odd, but at least I should have a passport in a month. I've never had one before, and it's almost like I have this previously inaccessible part of life suddenly made available to me. Having a passport makes you want to use it. Italy will be the first of may great trips outside the U.S., I think. Being a traveller by nature, and having to surpress those travel urges while I've been in college means that the release valve is almost ready to be opened again and when it is finally pried apart, the flood will be unstoppable.
There isn't any sense in trying to summarize my life up to this point. Anyone who reads my SG journal will be coming in at the current point in the stream of life anyway, so it's only appropriate to continue going forward. Besides, who wants to live in the past? Learn from your mistakes and evolve, but questions are always welcome.
Special thanks go to Klaire for turning me on to SG in the first place (and in general
) That is the scarf you gave me for my birthday a few birthdays ago is over my eyes in my profile picture. The really, really interesting part is that the scarf still smelled like you the night those pictures were taken. And no, don't expect me to post any more of those photos. Lets just say the involved parties would prefer that those photos remain in my private collection. hehe.
Today was my first day of classes, and oddly enough I was really ready for it. This is all becoming old hat really. I've even been reclassified as a "5th Year Senior". Sooner or later I knew they would catch up with me. I'm slowly becoming aware that this really is the last year of my Bachelor's degree. I've been going to college since 1998 and honestly I'm more than ready to get this part of my existence behind me. I really love the college experience, but its just starting to get old. Life isn't waiting for me, its just waiting to get reacquainted with me.
It would also appear as though I have acquired a part time job, odd as that may seem. I really wasn't looking for one. I landed a summer internship in June (which I was looking for), and they found that they couldn't live without me. I can't complain too much, though. The people I work for are awesome. Both are graduates of MIT, and both have Computer Science degrees. As such, they are really good references for a future Computer Science graduate to have. Additionally, I can pretty much set the hours that I want to work, and they're totally willing to work around my class schedule. To top it all off, I'm actually working in the computer industry, and this is priceless when it comes to marketability.
Looking back on the past year, I somehow managed to achieve almost everything I wanted to achieve. Last year at this time, I was struggling with the concept of being layed off from a going-nowhere job in an industry that doesn't really use the type of engineer that I was learning to be. Things are really going well for me being a full time student. I have a 3.989 GPA and should, unless I totally hose my last two semesters, graduate with honors. My girlfriend is totally awesome, and without her help I don't know how I would do all of this. Money is tight, but money is always tight. I really need to apply for some additional scholarships and grants. I managed to get a $1700 scholarship this year, which definitely helps. One more of those, and I'll be able to afford the last semester of my degree with ease. In short, life is good.
Our Italy trip is slowly bearing down on us. I had a really bizarre experience while turning in my passport application. Went to the post office with all of the required documents, and was filling out my payments. Still no surprises. The second that the postal employee told me to raise my right hand to attest to what he was saying, something in me clicked and the guy received my FULL attention. It was so strange. It was almost as if I didn't want to miss a word of what he was trying to convey. I only remember bits and pieces of all that "do you attest that..." stuff, but I remember thinking that it was vitally important to pay close attention. That I would only experience this particular experience once. Again, odd, but at least I should have a passport in a month. I've never had one before, and it's almost like I have this previously inaccessible part of life suddenly made available to me. Having a passport makes you want to use it. Italy will be the first of may great trips outside the U.S., I think. Being a traveller by nature, and having to surpress those travel urges while I've been in college means that the release valve is almost ready to be opened again and when it is finally pried apart, the flood will be unstoppable.
There isn't any sense in trying to summarize my life up to this point. Anyone who reads my SG journal will be coming in at the current point in the stream of life anyway, so it's only appropriate to continue going forward. Besides, who wants to live in the past? Learn from your mistakes and evolve, but questions are always welcome.
Special thanks go to Klaire for turning me on to SG in the first place (and in general
) That is the scarf you gave me for my birthday a few birthdays ago is over my eyes in my profile picture. The really, really interesting part is that the scarf still smelled like you the night those pictures were taken. And no, don't expect me to post any more of those photos. Lets just say the involved parties would prefer that those photos remain in my private collection. hehe.VIEW 7 of 7 COMMENTS
I was in college for 9 years and then I got a job in one, so I guess I never left...
Indeed, having a passport must make you want to use it. And, as an American coming to Italy, you might even get some stamps in it!! I don't think I've ever had a stamp in my passport in my adult life. But I'm going to Australia in a couple of weeks time, so here's hoping (it'll be just my luck if they've stopped giving stamps as a cost-cutting measure or some such...)
Bienvenue.