Surprisingly, I kind of enjoyed writing in this blog. I don't really keep a journal... so it was nice to kind of have an outlet for some of the things that I'm thinking.
I think time kind of speeds up as you get older. Back in Elementary school an hour seemed like an eternity but now you blink and an hour goes by. I think this is one reason why it's so important to catalogue one's life because it really does fly by without waiting for you to write it down. I can't even remember half of what I did 3 years ago, much less 12 or 13 (not that I was doing much writing when I was 5...). Writing things down is kind of the only way to retain them.
I also really enjoyed the classes where we stayed home on our computers and commented on each other's blogs. I liked the comments taht fellow classmates made on my blog posts and I liked to be able to see what was going on with everyone else. I like college a lot and I think my BYU experience has definitely been amplified by my keeping of this blog so I won't forget my experiences and what I was like when I was just 18.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Medical School - Blog 20
Why do I want to be a doctor?
It seems like a lot of high school graduates who don't know what they're gonna do with their lives decide they want to be doctors. Why? Well why not? They get paid a ton and have loads of respect within their communities. However, once these students realize how much work it is to actually become a doctor, their perspective changes somewhat along with their majors.
With me I think it's a little more than just an infatuation with the idea of being respected. I have lived all over the world and I have always felt as if there is more that I can do to help others. And what better way to do this than to learn how to heal them. I really would like to do humanitarian work overseas sometime in the future and I feel as if becoming a doctor would really facilitate the execution of this desire.
I have been blessed with the opportunity to actually acheive this dream and I think I'm up to the challenge of the work it involves. I think this is the kind of work I would really feel satisfied doing. I wouldn't have to sit behind a desk all day, bored out of my mind and I would constantly be able to challenge myself mentally.
Of course, the money and prestige is a nice bonus too, and if I can help other people at the same time... well then it's kind of a no-brainer.
It seems like a lot of high school graduates who don't know what they're gonna do with their lives decide they want to be doctors. Why? Well why not? They get paid a ton and have loads of respect within their communities. However, once these students realize how much work it is to actually become a doctor, their perspective changes somewhat along with their majors.
With me I think it's a little more than just an infatuation with the idea of being respected. I have lived all over the world and I have always felt as if there is more that I can do to help others. And what better way to do this than to learn how to heal them. I really would like to do humanitarian work overseas sometime in the future and I feel as if becoming a doctor would really facilitate the execution of this desire.
I have been blessed with the opportunity to actually acheive this dream and I think I'm up to the challenge of the work it involves. I think this is the kind of work I would really feel satisfied doing. I wouldn't have to sit behind a desk all day, bored out of my mind and I would constantly be able to challenge myself mentally.
Of course, the money and prestige is a nice bonus too, and if I can help other people at the same time... well then it's kind of a no-brainer.
Working Out - Blog 19
Working out. Pumping Iron. Going to the gym. Exersizing. All of these terms can mean only one thing: Being totally manly.
There are a number of types of people that you see at the gym. There are the heavy lifters, who go there to grunt and lift ridiculously heavy weights, there are the casual gym-goers who just kind of go through their routine and leave, and then there are the people like me: the noobs.
I started going to the gym with my friend mark about a month ago whereupon I strained my biceps doing some lame amount of weight and we didn't go again for another 2 and half weeks. Basically what people like me do is walk around looking at weight machines while contemplating whether or not they want to look like total fools and attempt to learn how to work them. Once they actually make the decision to take the risk and try to lift something because, after all, why else are they there, they inevitably have to go through the humiliation of adjusting the weight about 100 pounds to the lighter and still struggle to push or pull or do whatever they end up feeling like the will of the machine is.
Admittedly, this is a bit of a hyperbole, but in essence, it's quite accurate. Being an inexperienced gym-goer is rather lame. But, oh well. At least no one else really cares... or notices haha.
There are a number of types of people that you see at the gym. There are the heavy lifters, who go there to grunt and lift ridiculously heavy weights, there are the casual gym-goers who just kind of go through their routine and leave, and then there are the people like me: the noobs.
I started going to the gym with my friend mark about a month ago whereupon I strained my biceps doing some lame amount of weight and we didn't go again for another 2 and half weeks. Basically what people like me do is walk around looking at weight machines while contemplating whether or not they want to look like total fools and attempt to learn how to work them. Once they actually make the decision to take the risk and try to lift something because, after all, why else are they there, they inevitably have to go through the humiliation of adjusting the weight about 100 pounds to the lighter and still struggle to push or pull or do whatever they end up feeling like the will of the machine is.
Admittedly, this is a bit of a hyperbole, but in essence, it's quite accurate. Being an inexperienced gym-goer is rather lame. But, oh well. At least no one else really cares... or notices haha.
Subway - Blog 18
So I've eating Subway for lunch practically every day this year and I'm therefore pretty much an expert on what is good and what is really not a winner. As such, I would feel remiss if I didn't try to somehow impart some of this knowledge to my fellow freshmen.
To begin, my highest recommendations are primarily on the 5 dollar menu. This is mainly because of my frugal nature and the fact that I buy my brother lunch everyday and buying anything other than what's on this menu would break my bank. Also, bear in mind that in my opinion the best bread to use in these sandwiches is 9-grain honey oat. Although the type of bread is not a huge deal, I have found this type to maximize deliciousness.
Let's go through the options shall we?
Black Forest Ham -- A staple of the 5 dollar menu, this offers a rather basic sandwich if you're not looking for anything too fancy. I get this one quite a bit.
BLT -- I really like bacon on my sandwiches and the BLT is one of my favorites. Despite the fact that it's a little on the meagre side when it comes to actual quantity of meat, it's pretty good if you're not ravenous.
Spicy Italian -- This may be the best 5 dollar footlong with a great deal of meat for the same price as other less meaty sandwiches. With a spicy zing to it, it's really good with southwest chipotle or ranch dressing.
Cold Cut Combo -- Not a bad sandwich. The meat is rather low grade but hey it's just a sandwich right?
Meatball Marinara -- Bleh. This sandwich actually makes me rather sick to the stomach to think about. Idk. If meatballs are your thing then go for it, but i found the vast quantity of meat juxtaposed with its low quality rather disgusting. I had it once or twice but never again.
Tuna -- never had it personally... I guess if tuna's your thing then go for it.
Veggie Delight -- Meh. Not really my thing. May as well get a salad if you're not gonna bother with meat. Never tried it personally.
This might not be all of them but these are the main ones that i remember. With respect to vegetables, I usually get olives, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and green peppers. Any more condiments than this and I think you run the risk of overpowering the meat in the sandwich and then all the sandwiches end up tasting the same which is rather lame to say the least.
Well, there you have it. There are a lot of other good sandwiches at subway not on the 5 dollar menu (Subway melt, chicken teriyaki, philly cheese steak, etc...) but these are the ones that I can speak with the most authority on. Eat fresh everyone.
To begin, my highest recommendations are primarily on the 5 dollar menu. This is mainly because of my frugal nature and the fact that I buy my brother lunch everyday and buying anything other than what's on this menu would break my bank. Also, bear in mind that in my opinion the best bread to use in these sandwiches is 9-grain honey oat. Although the type of bread is not a huge deal, I have found this type to maximize deliciousness.
Let's go through the options shall we?
Black Forest Ham -- A staple of the 5 dollar menu, this offers a rather basic sandwich if you're not looking for anything too fancy. I get this one quite a bit.
BLT -- I really like bacon on my sandwiches and the BLT is one of my favorites. Despite the fact that it's a little on the meagre side when it comes to actual quantity of meat, it's pretty good if you're not ravenous.
Spicy Italian -- This may be the best 5 dollar footlong with a great deal of meat for the same price as other less meaty sandwiches. With a spicy zing to it, it's really good with southwest chipotle or ranch dressing.
Cold Cut Combo -- Not a bad sandwich. The meat is rather low grade but hey it's just a sandwich right?
Meatball Marinara -- Bleh. This sandwich actually makes me rather sick to the stomach to think about. Idk. If meatballs are your thing then go for it, but i found the vast quantity of meat juxtaposed with its low quality rather disgusting. I had it once or twice but never again.
Tuna -- never had it personally... I guess if tuna's your thing then go for it.
Veggie Delight -- Meh. Not really my thing. May as well get a salad if you're not gonna bother with meat. Never tried it personally.
This might not be all of them but these are the main ones that i remember. With respect to vegetables, I usually get olives, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and green peppers. Any more condiments than this and I think you run the risk of overpowering the meat in the sandwich and then all the sandwiches end up tasting the same which is rather lame to say the least.
Well, there you have it. There are a lot of other good sandwiches at subway not on the 5 dollar menu (Subway melt, chicken teriyaki, philly cheese steak, etc...) but these are the ones that I can speak with the most authority on. Eat fresh everyone.
Rescheduling Exams - Blog 17
Don't leave halfway through exam week. It's not cool to have to reschedule exams. As it is i'm only missing two but now I have a lot more work to do a lot sooner than I was hoping to have to do it.
Not only do I now have to come up with a creative presentation idea in English by Friday's class, but I also have to take my Chinese final on Wednesday. This means I'm really gonna have to hit the books studying since most of my Chinese character learning is extremely short term. Not to mention I also have to do everything else that my class has to do this week such as my final oral exam also to be performed on Wednesday.
Sigh... This week is gonna be a lot more busy than I thought it would be.
Not only do I now have to come up with a creative presentation idea in English by Friday's class, but I also have to take my Chinese final on Wednesday. This means I'm really gonna have to hit the books studying since most of my Chinese character learning is extremely short term. Not to mention I also have to do everything else that my class has to do this week such as my final oral exam also to be performed on Wednesday.
Sigh... This week is gonna be a lot more busy than I thought it would be.
Freeze Fest - Blog 16
So on Friday, BYUSA held an event called the "Freeze Fest." This event entailed going down to the peaks arena skating rink, drinking (rather diluted) hot chocolate, decorating cookies, dancing, skating, broom balling... lots of stuff to be honest.
It was actually really fun. Mainly cause I went with a bunch of friends and we ended up skating for 2 of the 45-minute skating sessions where in reality were were only allotted one time-slot... no one checked our colored wristbands...
The hot chocolate, as previously mentioned, was rather disappointingly dilute, although the condiments were many and varied, and I grabbed as many as I could to stick in to try and bolster the taste. It kind of worked.
All in all, a pretty fun night. Even though my skates very painfully chafed my legs.
Finding this poster on google images was rather frustrating as it appears this event used to be free. I want my 3 dollars back.
It was actually really fun. Mainly cause I went with a bunch of friends and we ended up skating for 2 of the 45-minute skating sessions where in reality were were only allotted one time-slot... no one checked our colored wristbands...
The hot chocolate, as previously mentioned, was rather disappointingly dilute, although the condiments were many and varied, and I grabbed as many as I could to stick in to try and bolster the taste. It kind of worked.
All in all, a pretty fun night. Even though my skates very painfully chafed my legs.
Finding this poster on google images was rather frustrating as it appears this event used to be free. I want my 3 dollars back.Christmas Broadcast - Blog 15
I don't even remember the last time I saw one of these. I think I may have seen it in 10th grade but if I did then my recollection of it is about as lucid as looking through a vat of molasses.
I was pretty satisfied going to this one though. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir was amazing, as usual and the messages of the first presidency were enlightening and uplifting, also per the usual. President Monson's stories are always really good and I particularly enjoyed the story yesterday about people waiting in the Atlanta Georgia airport, hoping to fly home for the holidays. Having spent countless hours waiting for delayed flights in airports, I could definitely relate.
The only problem with this being a CES fireside was how it caused the Cannon center to close 30 minutes early. Waking up from a 3 hour nap at 5:30 pm, I had narrowly missed my opportunity to satisfactorily break my fast with real meal. I therefore had to settle with a quick prayer and some gummy worms and goldfish crackers. Oh well. I guess it was worth it.
I was pretty satisfied going to this one though. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir was amazing, as usual and the messages of the first presidency were enlightening and uplifting, also per the usual. President Monson's stories are always really good and I particularly enjoyed the story yesterday about people waiting in the Atlanta Georgia airport, hoping to fly home for the holidays. Having spent countless hours waiting for delayed flights in airports, I could definitely relate.
The only problem with this being a CES fireside was how it caused the Cannon center to close 30 minutes early. Waking up from a 3 hour nap at 5:30 pm, I had narrowly missed my opportunity to satisfactorily break my fast with real meal. I therefore had to settle with a quick prayer and some gummy worms and goldfish crackers. Oh well. I guess it was worth it.
Rules - Blog 14
I get rules. I understand that some rules are necessary to keep the world from anarchy. Rules such as: no vandalizing, no smoking/drinking on campus, no food in the library, no cheating, lying, or stealing. These rules, I get.
Other rules however, seem to be little more than an arbitrary exercise in petty control. Rules such as no watching movies in the lobbies at the dorms/outside, no throwing snowballs on campus, no riding your bike during class breaks, or no girls in the lobbies past midnight I just don't quite understand.
Ok let's take a look at this first one. Honestly, how is watching a movie in the dorm lobby with a bunch of friends ANY different from watching it in the basement of your home with a bunch of friends. Copyright laws are ridiculously stupid sometimes, but not nearly as ridiculous as BYU's inexplicable need to scrupulously enforce every single one of them. Sure it may count as a public place but srsly, who cares? I doubt even the people who made the laws would enforce them as rigorously as RA's, campus police, and other officious BYU busy-bodies do. I've been kicked out of so many places trying to watch movies with friends it's beginning to exceed the number I can count on one hand. Ridiculous.
And then the next rule. No throwing snowballs on campus? I can see no other explanation for this than that the rule-makers here simply want to suck all the joy that we could possibly bring into our sad existence. Seriously. Killjoy.
No riding your bike during class breaks? Ok this one has a tiny tiny bit of merit. But honestly, I think we, as college students, have enough coordination and intelligence not to run into people milling about between classes. Honestly. Not that I even have/ride a bike to class... but still.
I understand why the "no girls in the lobby past midnight" rule is in place. But I still think that the campus should trust that we, as students who signed the honor code, will not do anything inappropriate just because girls are in the lobby past midnight.
Anyway, just thought I'd rant a little about the state of campus strictness. Mostly the movie one bugs me.
Other rules however, seem to be little more than an arbitrary exercise in petty control. Rules such as no watching movies in the lobbies at the dorms/outside, no throwing snowballs on campus, no riding your bike during class breaks, or no girls in the lobbies past midnight I just don't quite understand.
Ok let's take a look at this first one. Honestly, how is watching a movie in the dorm lobby with a bunch of friends ANY different from watching it in the basement of your home with a bunch of friends. Copyright laws are ridiculously stupid sometimes, but not nearly as ridiculous as BYU's inexplicable need to scrupulously enforce every single one of them. Sure it may count as a public place but srsly, who cares? I doubt even the people who made the laws would enforce them as rigorously as RA's, campus police, and other officious BYU busy-bodies do. I've been kicked out of so many places trying to watch movies with friends it's beginning to exceed the number I can count on one hand. Ridiculous.
And then the next rule. No throwing snowballs on campus? I can see no other explanation for this than that the rule-makers here simply want to suck all the joy that we could possibly bring into our sad existence. Seriously. Killjoy.
No riding your bike during class breaks? Ok this one has a tiny tiny bit of merit. But honestly, I think we, as college students, have enough coordination and intelligence not to run into people milling about between classes. Honestly. Not that I even have/ride a bike to class... but still.
I understand why the "no girls in the lobby past midnight" rule is in place. But I still think that the campus should trust that we, as students who signed the honor code, will not do anything inappropriate just because girls are in the lobby past midnight.
Anyway, just thought I'd rant a little about the state of campus strictness. Mostly the movie one bugs me.
Snow - Blog 13
It is snowing. Hard. Having grown up primarily overseas in Beijing, South Africa and Hong Kong, as well as spending a little time in Virginia, snow is like a magical substance that rarely graces me with its presence. To me, snow is a herald of a day off, the streets too icy to consider driving on.
I have always loved snow. The most snow I ever saw in Beijing was about 6 inches with an average of about one. Lame. Hardly enough to even have a decent snowball fight with. Not that BYU rules really allow such hooliganism. I hear there's a 50 dollar fine for snow ball fighting. Rather ridiculous if you ask me. Snow is meant to be enjoyed. Otherwise it would just become something of a nuisance. Then again, check back with me in six weeks, I'm sure this captivation with snow won't last and i'll get tired of slipping everywhere to and from class and constantly having to step through snow drifts...
I have always loved snow. The most snow I ever saw in Beijing was about 6 inches with an average of about one. Lame. Hardly enough to even have a decent snowball fight with. Not that BYU rules really allow such hooliganism. I hear there's a 50 dollar fine for snow ball fighting. Rather ridiculous if you ask me. Snow is meant to be enjoyed. Otherwise it would just become something of a nuisance. Then again, check back with me in six weeks, I'm sure this captivation with snow won't last and i'll get tired of slipping everywhere to and from class and constantly having to step through snow drifts...
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Green Writing and Rhetoric Booklet - Blog 12
I actually don't mind reading this green booklet. Even though I haven't really picked it up in a while, it seems like the only course reading I could really respond to and check off that little box on the rubric. Luckily, I do have some stuff to say about it.
First of all, everything in here makes sense. It really does. I seem to understand all these points intuitively, as if I've already kind of figured out on my own but not really described it as this book tries to do. I feel like I utilize a lot of the stuff in here but I don't know what I'm doing when I'm doing it.
The only problem for me is the terminology. I mean, heck, if I know this stuff already, then why do I need to learn fancy words like Kairos and Ethos and Logos just to describe timing, credibility, and logic of an argument. It's not rocket science or anything and I think that sometimes this book likes to throw in fancy words just to make the reader think the writer is really educated and intelligent.
Good job man. You wrote a book. Hooray.
But really, I think a lot of the stuff in this book is really obvious, but I guess a lot of formal education is learning big words to sound smart...
To improve ethos... or something.
First of all, everything in here makes sense. It really does. I seem to understand all these points intuitively, as if I've already kind of figured out on my own but not really described it as this book tries to do. I feel like I utilize a lot of the stuff in here but I don't know what I'm doing when I'm doing it.
The only problem for me is the terminology. I mean, heck, if I know this stuff already, then why do I need to learn fancy words like Kairos and Ethos and Logos just to describe timing, credibility, and logic of an argument. It's not rocket science or anything and I think that sometimes this book likes to throw in fancy words just to make the reader think the writer is really educated and intelligent.
Good job man. You wrote a book. Hooray.
But really, I think a lot of the stuff in this book is really obvious, but I guess a lot of formal education is learning big words to sound smart...
To improve ethos... or something.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Thanksgiving Break - Blog 11
Well, now that thanksgiving break is pretty much over, I feel justified in looking back at it and wishing I hadn't squandered so much time. Unfortunately, it's much easier to wish you had forced your past self into doing more homework than actually forcing your present self into such a course.
I think this picture pretty adequately expresses my feelings towards doing homework over holidays. Even though I really didn't have that much, I still feel as if I should've been at least studying a little more chemistry for the upcoming test which I don't feel 100% secure on the material.
Oh well. At least I was able to spend a lot of time with my extended relatives as well as my siblings. I had a delicious meal over at my aunt's house and definitely noticed for the first time the power of turkey in compelling one to sleep. I recently learned in Biology that the tryptophan in the turkey is what causes this and I'm pretty sure the fact that I was thinking about it made it all that much more apparent. Power of suggestion.
Also, over the break, BYU went from looking like this:
To this:
Yeah. It was really eerie. I honestly did not fully comprehend the extent to which everyone would just clear out after tuesday night. I was lucky enough to have my brother and sister still here because more or less all of my friends went off to stay with some far flung relative. The dorms were a spitting image of the ghost town pictured above. Kind of peaceful. But mostly boring.
I think this picture pretty adequately expresses my feelings towards doing homework over holidays. Even though I really didn't have that much, I still feel as if I should've been at least studying a little more chemistry for the upcoming test which I don't feel 100% secure on the material.Oh well. At least I was able to spend a lot of time with my extended relatives as well as my siblings. I had a delicious meal over at my aunt's house and definitely noticed for the first time the power of turkey in compelling one to sleep. I recently learned in Biology that the tryptophan in the turkey is what causes this and I'm pretty sure the fact that I was thinking about it made it all that much more apparent. Power of suggestion.
Also, over the break, BYU went from looking like this:
To this:
Yeah. It was really eerie. I honestly did not fully comprehend the extent to which everyone would just clear out after tuesday night. I was lucky enough to have my brother and sister still here because more or less all of my friends went off to stay with some far flung relative. The dorms were a spitting image of the ghost town pictured above. Kind of peaceful. But mostly boring.
BYU Football - Blog 10
Today, I went to the rivalry game against the University of Utah and I have to say, it was pretty intense. Even though I've never lived in Utah before, I can't help but feel an emnity towards U of U even though they really haven't done anything to me. Mob mentality I guess.
Today's game was pretty intense. Somehow, U of U was able to close a 14 point gap and force the game into overtime. Only able to get a field goal in their overtime push, they were handily defeated by a quick BYU touchdown. Even though I maintain that rugby is a much more intense and manly sport than football, it's still fun to get involved in the festivities and I found myself storming the field with the rest of the die-hard BYU fans ecstatic at today's win.
Today's game was pretty intense. Somehow, U of U was able to close a 14 point gap and force the game into overtime. Only able to get a field goal in their overtime push, they were handily defeated by a quick BYU touchdown. Even though I maintain that rugby is a much more intense and manly sport than football, it's still fun to get involved in the festivities and I found myself storming the field with the rest of the die-hard BYU fans ecstatic at today's win.
Random Internet Searches
Bored on skype with my friend and we discovered that pretty much every pokemon name has it's own internet domain.
Goldeen.com = some insurance company
Magicarp.com = another blog (which actually reminded to write on this one)
Zapdos.com = blocked by BYU restrictions (just further evidence that random internet searches can get you into trouble)
Raichu.com = actually for sale so... act quick!
...And then there are a whole host of pokemon searches that actually just lead you straight back to pokemon.com. These searches were in no way related to the fact that I recently downloaded a gameboy emulator on my computer so I could play pokemon ruby. Great idea though.
Disappointingly, Charizard.com links you to pokemon.com. His website would be so epic too...
Goldeen.com = some insurance company
Magicarp.com = another blog (which actually reminded to write on this one)
Zapdos.com = blocked by BYU restrictions (just further evidence that random internet searches can get you into trouble)
Raichu.com = actually for sale so... act quick!
...And then there are a whole host of pokemon searches that actually just lead you straight back to pokemon.com. These searches were in no way related to the fact that I recently downloaded a gameboy emulator on my computer so I could play pokemon ruby. Great idea though.
Disappointingly, Charizard.com links you to pokemon.com. His website would be so epic too...
Monday, November 23, 2009
Personal Narrative - Blog 8
“Crazy good weather,” I thought to myself as I sat down with my tray. It was true. Typically, Beijing’s summer climate was hot, humid, and polluted. Looking out the window was about as interesting as closely examining a grey concrete wall. Today, however, soft rays of sunlight streamed through the cafeteria windows blanketing the tables with light. I looked down at my food as I picked up my chopsticks. Gong Bao Ji Ding stared back at me; it had been amusingly labeled Kung Pow Chicken by the cafeteria catering service as if none of us could pronounce the real Chinese name even though pretty much the entire school was either enrolled in a Chinese class or already spoke it natively. “No peanuts,” I observed with chagrin. Any self-respecting Gong Bao Ji Ding ought to have peanuts in it. In fact, I often enjoyed picking them out with my chopsticks long after the chicken had already been --
“Sup man?” My thoughts scattered as my friend Lucas sat down across from me. Lucas and I had been pretty much best friends since the 7th grade. Initially, I had had an extremely low opinion of him due to his rather unruly behavior in my 6th grade choir class (he had been affectionately christened by one of the older guys as a member of the “four stooges” singing in the tenor one section). Somehow we had gotten past all that and had spent most of the rest of middle school narfing (to cause a substance to come out of one’s nose through voracious laughter or astonished surprise) our drinks at lunch and laughing at our own side splitting hilarity.
“Hey dude! How’s your first day of high school going?” I replied before shoving a bite-full of spicy rice and chicken into my mouth.
“Pretty good so far. My English class seems pretty sweet. There are a lot of cool people in it and Mr. Roberts seems really awesome. Yay! More Gong Bao. First day back and they’re already serving this crap again,” Lucas laughed.
“Yeah man. Could be worse though,” I conjectured. “So who is in your English class?”
“Well Julie’s in my class which is cool,” I felt a sudden pang of jealousy. I had liked Julie since 7th grade and Lucas was definitely vying for her attention under my very nose. “Along with Nick Watkins, Jeff Dunn, and a whole bunch of weird new kids.”
“Weird?” I laughed, trying to change the subject, “weird like how?”
“I dunno. Just like really quiet and stuff.” Lucas leaned back in his chair.
“Yeah it seems like that’s usually the case. Oh well. I’m sure someone will befriend them eventually.” My Gong Bao Ji Ding was half-finished, but lunch was an hour earlier than it had been in middle school and I just wasn’t hungry enough to eat the rest. I picked through it looking for peanuts.
Seven thousand miles and three hundred and sixty-five days away, rain drizzled against the window of my English class at Yorktown High School in Arlington, Virginia. I sat in the back corner and studied my pencil. It was yellow, with a distinctly pink eraser and somehow, staring at it seemed to help me control my almost insuppressible urge to cry.
I had known for about nine months now that I was going to have to move here but it really hadn’t made it any easier. Right when I stepped off the airplane into the run-down and weather-worn Dulles National Airport, I had known this was not going to be fun. Within three months I had lost my circle of friends, my familiar and comfortable school environment, and my brother, who had graduated and was now a thousand miles away in Utah attending BYU. I had stepped out of the familiar flat and tree-less Beijing landscape into the densely forested rolling hills of North Virginia. On top of that, it had hardly stopped raining since I had arrived with my parents five days before and the dark gloominess of the weather mirrored my own depression.
The bell clanged in my ear and I sprang out of my seat. The International School of Beijing didn’t have bells. I quickly gathered up my things and stuffed them into my ridiculously undersized backpack (our shipment hadn’t yet arrived and so I had to use our tiny travel backpack, making me feel even more conspicuously out of place than I already did), attempting to escape the classroom before having to make awkward conversation with some other student I didn’t know. Head down, I exited into the hallway, not entirely sure where the cafeteria was. I wandered the halls for about ten minutes before the general flow of traffic led me to it.
Bright fluorescent light revealed a number of large white tables while the sound of chairs grating, dishes clanking, and students chatting assaulted my senses. I slowly made my way to the lunch line, feeling as I did so that I was being watched by approximately seventeen thousand pairs of eyes. As I neared the available selections, the options did not look appetizing. Line one contained some strange brown mixture mystifyingly labeled “taco pie.” I gave it a wide berth as it bubbled ominously in Styrofoam dishes. How any sane person could be expected to actually ingest that stuff was really beyond my comprehension. Line two displayed some highly processed “Mexican” food that really did not interest me in the least so I finally settled on line three: a unexceptional hamburger in a paper envelope. The lunch lady eyed me suspiciously as I paid my three dollars and I looked for a place to sit down.
I spotted an empty table in the center of the cafeteria and headed for it. I sat down, pulling out my scanty meal. As I did so, I realized two things. One, my hamburger had absolutely nothing on it and I certainly had nothing to put on it and two, I wasn’t even hungry.
So I sat there. I'd like to say that I sat there oblivious to the rest of the world but I was all too aware of the people at the tables around me. Every bout of laughter seemed to taunt me. Every intimate couple reminded me of my own isolation.
A sudden wave of homsickness hit me making the room leap and dance like a troupe of Chinese acrobats. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stood to leave. To walk away somewhere, anywhere.
“Ian?” I looked up. A familiar set of eyes stared back at me through small, circular glasses. It was Roland, a guy I had met in church the day previous. I stared at him stupidly, afraid that if I tried to speak I might burst out in an embarrassing bout of tears.
“My friends and I are outside if you want to join us,” Roland offered.
“Oh yeah. Sure thing,” I mumbled back, slowly picking up my backpack.
“Alright let’s go then.”
Looks like I had somewhere to walk to after all.
“Sup man?” My thoughts scattered as my friend Lucas sat down across from me. Lucas and I had been pretty much best friends since the 7th grade. Initially, I had had an extremely low opinion of him due to his rather unruly behavior in my 6th grade choir class (he had been affectionately christened by one of the older guys as a member of the “four stooges” singing in the tenor one section). Somehow we had gotten past all that and had spent most of the rest of middle school narfing (to cause a substance to come out of one’s nose through voracious laughter or astonished surprise) our drinks at lunch and laughing at our own side splitting hilarity.
“Hey dude! How’s your first day of high school going?” I replied before shoving a bite-full of spicy rice and chicken into my mouth.
“Pretty good so far. My English class seems pretty sweet. There are a lot of cool people in it and Mr. Roberts seems really awesome. Yay! More Gong Bao. First day back and they’re already serving this crap again,” Lucas laughed.
“Yeah man. Could be worse though,” I conjectured. “So who is in your English class?”
“Well Julie’s in my class which is cool,” I felt a sudden pang of jealousy. I had liked Julie since 7th grade and Lucas was definitely vying for her attention under my very nose. “Along with Nick Watkins, Jeff Dunn, and a whole bunch of weird new kids.”
“Weird?” I laughed, trying to change the subject, “weird like how?”
“I dunno. Just like really quiet and stuff.” Lucas leaned back in his chair.
“Yeah it seems like that’s usually the case. Oh well. I’m sure someone will befriend them eventually.” My Gong Bao Ji Ding was half-finished, but lunch was an hour earlier than it had been in middle school and I just wasn’t hungry enough to eat the rest. I picked through it looking for peanuts.
Seven thousand miles and three hundred and sixty-five days away, rain drizzled against the window of my English class at Yorktown High School in Arlington, Virginia. I sat in the back corner and studied my pencil. It was yellow, with a distinctly pink eraser and somehow, staring at it seemed to help me control my almost insuppressible urge to cry.
I had known for about nine months now that I was going to have to move here but it really hadn’t made it any easier. Right when I stepped off the airplane into the run-down and weather-worn Dulles National Airport, I had known this was not going to be fun. Within three months I had lost my circle of friends, my familiar and comfortable school environment, and my brother, who had graduated and was now a thousand miles away in Utah attending BYU. I had stepped out of the familiar flat and tree-less Beijing landscape into the densely forested rolling hills of North Virginia. On top of that, it had hardly stopped raining since I had arrived with my parents five days before and the dark gloominess of the weather mirrored my own depression.
The bell clanged in my ear and I sprang out of my seat. The International School of Beijing didn’t have bells. I quickly gathered up my things and stuffed them into my ridiculously undersized backpack (our shipment hadn’t yet arrived and so I had to use our tiny travel backpack, making me feel even more conspicuously out of place than I already did), attempting to escape the classroom before having to make awkward conversation with some other student I didn’t know. Head down, I exited into the hallway, not entirely sure where the cafeteria was. I wandered the halls for about ten minutes before the general flow of traffic led me to it.
Bright fluorescent light revealed a number of large white tables while the sound of chairs grating, dishes clanking, and students chatting assaulted my senses. I slowly made my way to the lunch line, feeling as I did so that I was being watched by approximately seventeen thousand pairs of eyes. As I neared the available selections, the options did not look appetizing. Line one contained some strange brown mixture mystifyingly labeled “taco pie.” I gave it a wide berth as it bubbled ominously in Styrofoam dishes. How any sane person could be expected to actually ingest that stuff was really beyond my comprehension. Line two displayed some highly processed “Mexican” food that really did not interest me in the least so I finally settled on line three: a unexceptional hamburger in a paper envelope. The lunch lady eyed me suspiciously as I paid my three dollars and I looked for a place to sit down.
I spotted an empty table in the center of the cafeteria and headed for it. I sat down, pulling out my scanty meal. As I did so, I realized two things. One, my hamburger had absolutely nothing on it and I certainly had nothing to put on it and two, I wasn’t even hungry.
So I sat there. I'd like to say that I sat there oblivious to the rest of the world but I was all too aware of the people at the tables around me. Every bout of laughter seemed to taunt me. Every intimate couple reminded me of my own isolation.
A sudden wave of homsickness hit me making the room leap and dance like a troupe of Chinese acrobats. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stood to leave. To walk away somewhere, anywhere.
“Ian?” I looked up. A familiar set of eyes stared back at me through small, circular glasses. It was Roland, a guy I had met in church the day previous. I stared at him stupidly, afraid that if I tried to speak I might burst out in an embarrassing bout of tears.
“My friends and I are outside if you want to join us,” Roland offered.
“Oh yeah. Sure thing,” I mumbled back, slowly picking up my backpack.
“Alright let’s go then.”
Looks like I had somewhere to walk to after all.
Jaded - Blog 7
I am very jaded pertaining to pretty much anything Chinese. Having grown up primarily in China, an amazing and unique tourist attraction that people come from miles around to see to me became rather commonplace and mundane.
I have been to the Great Wall at least 15 times and it really does not get any more exciting with each visit. It actually became a huge chore to bother going downtown into Beijing to see some "interesting" temple. You've seen one Buddhist temple you've seem 'em all. That's my motto.
I think probably another reason for this was my automatic aversion towards doing anything my parents wanted me to do. Because they were the one's with the initiative to go to any of these places, my initiative was to do anything but be forced to accompany them.
This isn't to say I don't find certain places extremely fascinating. But the Great Wall, Buddhist temples, and the Forbidden City... Pretty much dead to me.
Yep. That's me in the background. This is at the Qing tombs when our parents wouldn't take us home after wasting far too much of our day at this tourist trap.
I have been to the Great Wall at least 15 times and it really does not get any more exciting with each visit. It actually became a huge chore to bother going downtown into Beijing to see some "interesting" temple. You've seen one Buddhist temple you've seem 'em all. That's my motto.
I think probably another reason for this was my automatic aversion towards doing anything my parents wanted me to do. Because they were the one's with the initiative to go to any of these places, my initiative was to do anything but be forced to accompany them.
This isn't to say I don't find certain places extremely fascinating. But the Great Wall, Buddhist temples, and the Forbidden City... Pretty much dead to me.
Yep. That's me in the background. This is at the Qing tombs when our parents wouldn't take us home after wasting far too much of our day at this tourist trap.Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Chemistry - Blog 6
So I actually really like Chem 105... Call me a nerd. I guess I am one but I find the class incredibly interesting. I love how Dr Wood explains everything in such a way that we learn not only what we need to know but also why everything happens the way that it happens. I know a lot of chemistry teachers spend more time focused on memorization and drilling facts and information into their students but I much prefer Dr. Wood's approach of teaching us ideas and ways to predict chemical behavior based on structure and, well, mainly Coulomb's Law since it's Dr. Wood's favorite.
www.chem.byu.edu/chemcompanion/ is also a really great resource where you watch clips on different concepts while Dr. Wood, in a small box in the upper left-hand corner, explains it to you. This website is great if you miss class or just need some extra explaining on certain concepts.
Unfortunately, the latest unit is proving to be one of the more difficult ones to understand and I should really be checking this website out instead of writing blogs haha.
www.chem.byu.edu/chemcompanion/ is also a really great resource where you watch clips on different concepts while Dr. Wood, in a small box in the upper left-hand corner, explains it to you. This website is great if you miss class or just need some extra explaining on certain concepts.
Unfortunately, the latest unit is proving to be one of the more difficult ones to understand and I should really be checking this website out instead of writing blogs haha.
Leonid Meteor Shower - Blog 5
Last night I stayed up until 4 am.
This morning, I woke up at 11:15 am.
Why would I do this when I have 8 am chemistry and a 10 am Book of Mormon class? That's a very good question... The answer: I was lying under a blanket and the warmest clothes I have and still freezing to death watching the Leonid Meteor Shower.
I think staying up that late for any reason on a school night is definitely a very horrible decision and now i have to figure out everything that I missed in class... But hey, school's everyday, this was a one time thing. Meaning i most likely will not ever be doing it again even if given the chance.
I wish we had seen something this spectacular...
This morning, I woke up at 11:15 am.
Why would I do this when I have 8 am chemistry and a 10 am Book of Mormon class? That's a very good question... The answer: I was lying under a blanket and the warmest clothes I have and still freezing to death watching the Leonid Meteor Shower.
I think staying up that late for any reason on a school night is definitely a very horrible decision and now i have to figure out everything that I missed in class... But hey, school's everyday, this was a one time thing. Meaning i most likely will not ever be doing it again even if given the chance.
I wish we had seen something this spectacular...Thursday, November 12, 2009
Halloween - Blog 4
So Halloween rolled around again about a week and a half ago and as usual everyone was gearing up to wear something super creative. I hadn't dressed up for years but this time, in a sudden burst of creativity, I decided to go as an indie hipster. What's an indie hipster? Well I'm glad you asked. An Indie Hipster, as described by wikipedia, is a term identifying "young, recently-settled urban middle class adults and older teenagers with interests in non-mainstream fashion and culture, particularly alternative music, independent rock, and independent film."
Here is a picture of a typical hipster:
Provo has a rather large hipster population and in fact, most of my sister's friends fall into this description. As such, I was able to enlist her help in procuring an appropriate outfit. We went to DI the day before Halloween and found a really ridiculous, and oh so ridiculously fitting costume including drastically undersized girl pants, an ironic oversized sweater, and some vintage dress shoes. The outfit was then completed with some pretentious thick-rimmed non-prescription glasses, a straw fedora, and a scarf, all of which were found at my sister's house in south Provo.
I think the humor and irony of it was lost on most of my friends and acquaintances, but i found it rather hilarious. Unfortunately the shoes and pants are not in the photo as full body shots of my costume have not yet been posted on facebook.
Here is a picture of a typical hipster:
Provo has a rather large hipster population and in fact, most of my sister's friends fall into this description. As such, I was able to enlist her help in procuring an appropriate outfit. We went to DI the day before Halloween and found a really ridiculous, and oh so ridiculously fitting costume including drastically undersized girl pants, an ironic oversized sweater, and some vintage dress shoes. The outfit was then completed with some pretentious thick-rimmed non-prescription glasses, a straw fedora, and a scarf, all of which were found at my sister's house in south Provo.
I think the humor and irony of it was lost on most of my friends and acquaintances, but i found it rather hilarious. Unfortunately the shoes and pants are not in the photo as full body shots of my costume have not yet been posted on facebook.Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Naps - Blog 3
Lately, I've been napping a lot.
Before college, I positively disdained naps and didn't quite appreciate their importance in keeping one sane. Then again. Before college, I didn't consistently stay up past midnight while having to wake up at 7 am for Chemistry...
With a schedule like this, I can't help but wonder if there's another, more efficient way to sleep. Remembering something I heard back in high school Psychology about a Da Vinci shedule of sleep, I turned to the source of all knowledge: Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphasic_sleep
Hey, I'm in college, I might actually do it. That is once I find a week or two to transition to it haha.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Research Paper - Blog 2
Man. This paper is turning out to be way harder than I thought it was going to be. Although I am really interested in my topic, I keep reading sources that I want to incorporate into my paper and then when I'm getting ready to cite them I totally forget which source it was... So I have to go back and comb through my darn sources so I can cite it. Or, failing that, find a new source that has the information that I'm looking for.
I have to say that research papers are one of the toughest assignments you can get. Having a test is a walk in the park compared to having one of these hanging over your head haha.
I just hope it takes me less time to finish the final two thirds of my paper than the 5 and a half hours it took me to get my first third down.
...Focusing might help...
I have to say that research papers are one of the toughest assignments you can get. Having a test is a walk in the park compared to having one of these hanging over your head haha.
I just hope it takes me less time to finish the final two thirds of my paper than the 5 and a half hours it took me to get my first third down.
...Focusing might help...
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Luck - Blog 1
Luck is a strange phenomenon. Impossible to quantify, pin down, or indefinitely retain, it is nearly impossible to understand, much less predict. Is there only a certain amount of luck in the world? If one person is having a lucky day, does that mean someone else's day will be inherently unlucky?
Two weeks ago I won a PS3 at a football game in one of those sweepstakes no one ever really expects to win. A PS3 was being given out that day no matter what; however, it seems as if my extraordinary luck may have in some way contributed to BYU's humiliating loss against Florida State. Obviously, any straight-thinking person would describe this feeling as irrational and illogical but my superstitious side says otherwise. Was my luck the cause of other people's misfortune?
Must luck always balance out? If you're lucky one day does that mean the next day will compensate by being exceptionally unlucky? Waking up the next morning with a painfully sore throat heralding a week of sickness with a debilitating cold, I can't help but feel that this is the case. Did my winning of the PS3 cause my illness?
Luck is weird. Luck is variable. It could not even exist. If every event causes another event and predetermines what the future will be, then it follows that it's just natural that some people randomly come out on top. Is there anyway to make it so that certain people come out randomly on top more than others?
Who knows? Who cares? I won a PS3.
Two weeks ago I won a PS3 at a football game in one of those sweepstakes no one ever really expects to win. A PS3 was being given out that day no matter what; however, it seems as if my extraordinary luck may have in some way contributed to BYU's humiliating loss against Florida State. Obviously, any straight-thinking person would describe this feeling as irrational and illogical but my superstitious side says otherwise. Was my luck the cause of other people's misfortune?
Must luck always balance out? If you're lucky one day does that mean the next day will compensate by being exceptionally unlucky? Waking up the next morning with a painfully sore throat heralding a week of sickness with a debilitating cold, I can't help but feel that this is the case. Did my winning of the PS3 cause my illness?
Luck is weird. Luck is variable. It could not even exist. If every event causes another event and predetermines what the future will be, then it follows that it's just natural that some people randomly come out on top. Is there anyway to make it so that certain people come out randomly on top more than others?
Who knows? Who cares? I won a PS3.
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