My Least Favourite Thing About University

University is great until I remember that grades are a thing.

Then again, either I did well and life goes on or I didn’t do well and life goes on.

Part of the reason why I want to graduate and get a job is because I don’t want to be graded anymore. I know grades are just grades. They don’t dictate my future. They aren’t a measure of my self-worth. But my ego has a mind of its own.

For my own sanity, I don’t obsessively check my grades. In first year, I focussed on doing work and the results worked themselves out.

I’ve done well before. There’s no reason why I can’t do well now.

To be completely honest, my GPA has dropped every year. It’s okay though. I’ve made peace with that.

In the past, I would check many of my grades all at once. That way, I wouldn’t get too hung up over one bad mark.

As long as I pass every class, I can graduate on time. That’s the main goal.

I keep getting emails about updated grades on my final essays and exams. A part of me wants to look at my grades but another part doesn’t. I haven’t worked up the courage to check any of them yet.

Thoughts I Have About The First Day Of School

I’m writing this before I go back to school, but by the time I edit and publish it, I’ll probably have survived my first day. Or not. I don’t know. Even though I want to predict the future sometimes, I can’t. Ever.

(I survived.)

While the first class is an easy one in some ways, I’ve never felt great in the days leading up to it. Nervousness and excitement don’t mix well for me. I’m just a ball of stress in the mornings.

Fortunately, university hasn’t been as horrible as high school.

I think I’ve experienced enough first days to know I’ll get through another one without the world crashing down on me.

I’m going into my third year of university. Been there, done that. Twice. So I’m not as nervous or terrified. I think I’m more excited than scared at this point. I just want to make this year the best one yet. At least better than last because second year is not one I want to relive. Thankfully, I don’t have to.

(Now I only have one more first day to go. That’s insane. I can’t wrap my head around it.)

I’m wondering if I was more worried about my first day of work. Technically, first days. I think not. There’s something scarier about school, I guess.

To all the students who have gone back, I hope you had a great one. To all those yet to go back, I wish you the very best. If you already graduated, congrats on making it through.

I don’t really know what else to say, except that I’m looking forward to seeing what this year has in store. I have no idea what to expect, so I’m not expecting much.

I know it won’t be easy. But challenge makes life interesting.

I’ll write about my trials and tribulations, so you can laugh at me as I wallow in my misery.

I like to think whatever happens, happens for a reason. I can’t control everything, but I can control myself.

Over the course of this semester, I will do my best to look after my health (physical and mental). That’s important to me. And my happiness too, of course.

Here’s to an amazing year. May you achieve all your goals, academic or otherwise. I hope 2017-2018 is everything you hoped for and more.

Why I Love English Classes

• I’m encouraged, more like expected to read.
• I pick up books I wouldn’t normally even glance at.
• I get to write about fictional worlds.
• I have my own opinions, but more importantly, I can share them.
• I am reading and writing a lot more than I would on my own.

How I Procrastinate

I read a book to avoid reading another book.

That ladies and gentlemen is actually how I procrastinate. I was talking to a friend about it just now.

I’m proud of my procrastination tactics. It works fairly well if I do say so myself.

Do I want to read Jane Austen for class? Or would I rather read Red Rising by Pierce Brown for the sake of saying I did?

There’s no contest.

I know. My priorities need to be prioritized.

So This Happened…

This happened.

I’ve been debating whether to share this or not.

It’s for a university class so I don’t have all the freedom in the world. But maybe that’s a good thing. I have plenty of freedom here and look what has happened, what is happening, what will happen.

That’s supposed to be a self-defeating comment since I felt very self-serving today while writing my two posts for class.

I figured if anyone is going to be honest with me, it’s you. My followers, my readers, my friends.

How much do I sound like a pretentious jerk?

I will warn you not to read anything I write on that blog because I respect you.

Short Story Share

I often write about reading and when I do, the posts tend to be centered around books. What doesn’t get as much recognition, sadly, are short stories. In fact, some people consider them to be dying. So even though I can’t revive the form on my own, I figured I’d share a short story I read and enjoyed. Also, it may or may not be a feature I bring back whenever I read a piece I can rave for days about.

Now I don’t normally recommend products or services on this blog. And even when I do, I do so honestly. Besides this isn’t much of a recommendation. The post is called ‘Short Story Share’ for a reason.

I’ve been rambling because I’m writing this on the subway. Forgive me.

It’s called “The Turing Test”. Google it. There’s a whole different kind of story behind the concept. Wikipedia has a better explanation than anything I could write. Chris Beckett, a science fiction author, wrote the piece.

Since this happened to be an assigned reading for a class, I didn’t think I’d enjoy it. That isn’t to say I haven’t liked anything I had to read for school. I just lower my expectations so I’m not terribly disappointed. So reading through the entire story during my commute, which can be very distracting, is impressive enough. I don’t know whether I’m more proud of myself or the author. Okay okay. The author wins.

Without giving away too much, which is something I’m prone to do, the story revolves around technology, humanity, and how implications of the former affect relationships of the latter.

Not only am I terribly wordy on the subway, I also fail at reducing confusion.

This post looks insanely long on my phone so if you had the patience to sit through it all, without skipping a single word, I applaud you. Some day I shall reward you generously.

Hoarding Textbooks

Even though I haven’t purchased my textbooks for school just yet, I’ll hang on to them for as long as I live.

Asking me to share or sell my books is like asking me to give up a limb.

I already started the collection by buying a text I don’t need for any of my classes.

Why?

Why not?

Why I Don’t Do What I Want To Do More Often

What do I want to do more often?

• Generate quality content.
• Read articles written by others.
• Leave meaningful comments on many different blogs.

And why don’t I do these more often?

• I am at school eight hours a day.
• I have to pass all of my classes with good grades.
• I must complete homework, finish assignments, and write papers.