Four final examinations over two days come between me and more than a month long winter break. Even though there aren't any plans at the moment, I'm looking forward to break even if it only consists of me lounging around at home.
However, there are a few things I need to get done over break...I really need to find a job. After leaving my job as a security monitor, I haven't had the time to apply for anything yet. I have found a few so far on Callisto, but I still need to revise my resume and work on my cover letter (another two things to work on). With that is also my major transfer application, but before I can do that, I need to meet with the department advisor as well as my college advisor (another two things to do). Then, I'll be able to work on my application.
I'm sure there are many more things to take care of over break, but it will definitely be worth the time and effort. It is all for the better.
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Friday, December 10, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Meet Me Halfway
Are two years of college almost over? Come May 14th, I will be done with another year at UC Berkeley. This year was not any easier than the one before and it will only get tougher.
Reflecting back, these last two years have been somewhat of a blur. So much has happened, but I can recall so little in detail. There are those notable college milestones like getting the first A in a class, failing an first exam for the first time, failing a class for the first time, but there are also those funny, random, odd moments that occur in between. It's those little things that have been clouded over by struggles, personal battles, and other seemingly more important concerns.
Time passes so quickly that there are times I can't even remember how it passed. Zoom. And once it hits me, the weekend has ended, it's 9pm Sunday evening and I haven't finished any of my work. Not even my math assignment due the next morning at 8am. There are so many times when I can't even wake up that early to attend math discussion.
This semester, I've had math discussion three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) at 8am on the other side of campus. Because I'm not much of a morning person (even though I like to think of myself as one), my attendance has not been spectacular especially since I've slept through most of them and missed at least four or five quizzes in the past month or so. There are mornings when my friend will call to wake me up at 7:30am...and I will pick up the phone, mumble a few words, go back to sleep, wake up at 11am and freak the fuck out. More than once have I wondered if he called or not and then check my call records to see that I actually picked up.
My sleep schedule has been turned on its head. There are times when I'm in Etcheverry until 2am working on my group final project or a weekly assignment for my engineering graphic design class. Sleepless nights and missed quizzes, all for a three-unit class. Is it worth? I'm not sure. Most days I don't get to bed until 5am, but it's an improvement from my all-nighters from last semester. I'm getting some sleep, but not getting all my work done. My lack of sleep affects my mood and my mood in turn changes my motivation.
Because of the design class, I've pulled so many late nighters for the group project and assignment. I've spent 14 out of the last 24 hours in that building finishing up the engineering drawings for our project. We were there from 9pm until 5am. It didn't help that a few group members were gone either out of the town for the weekend or out partying (?!?!?!) instead. I have pretty much lived in that building this semester slaving away for things that are worth so little points. I have to strive to earn as many points as I can, and at the same time not disappoint my teammates who are working just as hard.
In these past two years, my personal standards have gone down the drain. There are entire days when I have no desire to attend lecture or discussion. Looking through my notes, my attendance was impeccable before spring break. But after the onslaught of the second wave of midterms, I had no motivation to learn. With no parent to supervise what I'm doing, it makes it easier for me to slack off.
In high school, I was able to get so much done. I was able to participate in so much. The first thing after I got home was to watch TV and then promptly work on my math assignment. I was able to get my homework done relatively early and sleep at a decent hour around midnight or so. Granted this was partly because my mom would always check up on me to see if I was finishing up.
In college, it is much easier because I have to look out after myself. If I am not keeping up, then I am the one falling behind. There is no person to hold my hand to make sure I finish all that I need to do. I am still learning to be more independent and find that spark to drive me through the toughest material because my response to any concepts or material relatively challenging is to give up and to come back to it which rarely happens. Those trouble spots build up and I fall more and more behind.
My lack of interest in the classes I'm taking might be a contributing factor to my performance in the classes. Some material which I have already learned still seems foreign and new. This is a good indication that mechanical engineering or engineering in general might not be a good idea. However, a part of me wants to tough it out for just one more semester and see if things change for the better. But I need to make sure that it doesn't hurt me in the long run. There is still time this semester to improve and catch up on all that I missed.
One more week. There is one more week for me to learn four weeks of math material and also review the rest I've already forgotten. I must push through and do well. There is still so much left to do that requires my attention like housing (which I still haven't found yet), but I must find a balance to things and manage it all. I can't let my worrying about housing get in the way of my studying. There is still time.
Here's to the last two weeks of the school year. One week of studying and one week of exams. After that, it will be time to party...or rather get ready for summer school.
Reflecting back, these last two years have been somewhat of a blur. So much has happened, but I can recall so little in detail. There are those notable college milestones like getting the first A in a class, failing an first exam for the first time, failing a class for the first time, but there are also those funny, random, odd moments that occur in between. It's those little things that have been clouded over by struggles, personal battles, and other seemingly more important concerns.
Time passes so quickly that there are times I can't even remember how it passed. Zoom. And once it hits me, the weekend has ended, it's 9pm Sunday evening and I haven't finished any of my work. Not even my math assignment due the next morning at 8am. There are so many times when I can't even wake up that early to attend math discussion.
This semester, I've had math discussion three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) at 8am on the other side of campus. Because I'm not much of a morning person (even though I like to think of myself as one), my attendance has not been spectacular especially since I've slept through most of them and missed at least four or five quizzes in the past month or so. There are mornings when my friend will call to wake me up at 7:30am...and I will pick up the phone, mumble a few words, go back to sleep, wake up at 11am and freak the fuck out. More than once have I wondered if he called or not and then check my call records to see that I actually picked up.
My sleep schedule has been turned on its head. There are times when I'm in Etcheverry until 2am working on my group final project or a weekly assignment for my engineering graphic design class. Sleepless nights and missed quizzes, all for a three-unit class. Is it worth? I'm not sure. Most days I don't get to bed until 5am, but it's an improvement from my all-nighters from last semester. I'm getting some sleep, but not getting all my work done. My lack of sleep affects my mood and my mood in turn changes my motivation.
Because of the design class, I've pulled so many late nighters for the group project and assignment. I've spent 14 out of the last 24 hours in that building finishing up the engineering drawings for our project. We were there from 9pm until 5am. It didn't help that a few group members were gone either out of the town for the weekend or out partying (?!?!?!) instead. I have pretty much lived in that building this semester slaving away for things that are worth so little points. I have to strive to earn as many points as I can, and at the same time not disappoint my teammates who are working just as hard.
In these past two years, my personal standards have gone down the drain. There are entire days when I have no desire to attend lecture or discussion. Looking through my notes, my attendance was impeccable before spring break. But after the onslaught of the second wave of midterms, I had no motivation to learn. With no parent to supervise what I'm doing, it makes it easier for me to slack off.
In high school, I was able to get so much done. I was able to participate in so much. The first thing after I got home was to watch TV and then promptly work on my math assignment. I was able to get my homework done relatively early and sleep at a decent hour around midnight or so. Granted this was partly because my mom would always check up on me to see if I was finishing up.
In college, it is much easier because I have to look out after myself. If I am not keeping up, then I am the one falling behind. There is no person to hold my hand to make sure I finish all that I need to do. I am still learning to be more independent and find that spark to drive me through the toughest material because my response to any concepts or material relatively challenging is to give up and to come back to it which rarely happens. Those trouble spots build up and I fall more and more behind.
My lack of interest in the classes I'm taking might be a contributing factor to my performance in the classes. Some material which I have already learned still seems foreign and new. This is a good indication that mechanical engineering or engineering in general might not be a good idea. However, a part of me wants to tough it out for just one more semester and see if things change for the better. But I need to make sure that it doesn't hurt me in the long run. There is still time this semester to improve and catch up on all that I missed.
One more week. There is one more week for me to learn four weeks of math material and also review the rest I've already forgotten. I must push through and do well. There is still so much left to do that requires my attention like housing (which I still haven't found yet), but I must find a balance to things and manage it all. I can't let my worrying about housing get in the way of my studying. There is still time.
Here's to the last two weeks of the school year. One week of studying and one week of exams. After that, it will be time to party...or rather get ready for summer school.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
A Brighter Future
Great. On the day that I plan on going into the city, it rains. Why couldn't have it rained YESTERDAY? Seriously...
Anyways, recently I've been getting good news from many of my friends. My friend Dylan, with whom I volunteered at The Tech, is now a realtor!! He works for Prudential and has his own office. It's been a while since I spoke with him and he im-ed me on Facebook to tell me the news. To think that he's practically the same age as me and he's already working professionally while still in school( majoring in electrical engineering). Maybe I should take the test to get a realtor's license.
And this morning, my friend Sophia im-ed to tell me that she's going to South Africa for study abroad. She had been put on the waiting list and was expectantly waiting to hear back. She was determined to go and was planning to apply through the university. I guess she found out this morning and is leaving in mid-July. How exciting!! It's hard to imagine studying and living in another US state let alone a foreign country... considering I've lived in the Bay Area my entire life, and now that I'm going to college here as well. It would be nice to have a change of environment maybe for just a couple years.
Hearing the news from my friends make me excited for them, but at the same time disheartened for myself. I'm struggling to keep up with school and can manage little else besides school. My hope is that things will change in the near future and I'll be able to get back on track. Many important decisions are coming up. Most of them are short term, but still are very important for me.
It's the start of a new month. And April is when I will find out whether or not I'll be able to make the next leap to a different future. But in the meantime, there are still next year's classes and housing to figure out! Here's to hoping for a brighter future!
Anyways, recently I've been getting good news from many of my friends. My friend Dylan, with whom I volunteered at The Tech, is now a realtor!! He works for Prudential and has his own office. It's been a while since I spoke with him and he im-ed me on Facebook to tell me the news. To think that he's practically the same age as me and he's already working professionally while still in school( majoring in electrical engineering). Maybe I should take the test to get a realtor's license.
And this morning, my friend Sophia im-ed to tell me that she's going to South Africa for study abroad. She had been put on the waiting list and was expectantly waiting to hear back. She was determined to go and was planning to apply through the university. I guess she found out this morning and is leaving in mid-July. How exciting!! It's hard to imagine studying and living in another US state let alone a foreign country... considering I've lived in the Bay Area my entire life, and now that I'm going to college here as well. It would be nice to have a change of environment maybe for just a couple years.
Hearing the news from my friends make me excited for them, but at the same time disheartened for myself. I'm struggling to keep up with school and can manage little else besides school. My hope is that things will change in the near future and I'll be able to get back on track. Many important decisions are coming up. Most of them are short term, but still are very important for me.
It's the start of a new month. And April is when I will find out whether or not I'll be able to make the next leap to a different future. But in the meantime, there are still next year's classes and housing to figure out! Here's to hoping for a brighter future!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
One of Those Nights
Tonight is one of those that I feel like staying up. The coffee might have contributed to my alertness and I have been fairly productive. This semester has been a drastic change from the previous one...seldom am I pulling all-nighters and rushing to finish assignments. Now, my body just shuts down on me and I fall instantly asleep. How convenient. This has contributed to more than one incomplete assignment, mostly those for programming.
Matlab (programming in general, rather) is not any easier the second time around. I still have trouble grasping various concepts such as recursion and least squares regression. Programming is basically conceptual math and physics. We have to spend countless hours writing functions that calculate fairly simple tasks such as matrix multiplication and solving linear equations. It just does not interest me whatsoever. At least now I know I hate two things with a burning passion: organic chemistry and now programming. At least my engineering graphics design class is somewhat fun.
On a different note, I haven't been very successful in keeping with my New Year's goals/resolutions. My plan was to work out at least once every two weeks...at the time it seemed like a practical goal. Even then, I haven't exercised once since the new year began. In the past, I've been fairly good with keeping up with my goals, but after entering college, I have been much lazier. I would much rather watch a TV show or movie for hours on end than spend just 15 minutes running. My lack of motivation is also very evident in this very blog. Posts are few and far between. This is all going to change (I hope). I will try to update more often and start exercising...soon.
Matlab (programming in general, rather) is not any easier the second time around. I still have trouble grasping various concepts such as recursion and least squares regression. Programming is basically conceptual math and physics. We have to spend countless hours writing functions that calculate fairly simple tasks such as matrix multiplication and solving linear equations. It just does not interest me whatsoever. At least now I know I hate two things with a burning passion: organic chemistry and now programming. At least my engineering graphics design class is somewhat fun.
On a different note, I haven't been very successful in keeping with my New Year's goals/resolutions. My plan was to work out at least once every two weeks...at the time it seemed like a practical goal. Even then, I haven't exercised once since the new year began. In the past, I've been fairly good with keeping up with my goals, but after entering college, I have been much lazier. I would much rather watch a TV show or movie for hours on end than spend just 15 minutes running. My lack of motivation is also very evident in this very blog. Posts are few and far between. This is all going to change (I hope). I will try to update more often and start exercising...soon.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Recursion
Yet another late night and my third update in less than 36 hours. Like every other all nighter I've pulled this semester (which is literally every other day), I am at a dead end trying to figure out the correct coding for my programming assignment... For my programming class, we are assigned an assignment each week which contains problems where we have to code to perform a certain task/function. These packets with the prompts are getting thicker...let's take a tally shall we?
Assignment #1
Assigned: August 31st, Due: September 11th
(11 days)
Pages: 5
Assignment #2
Assigned: September 11th, Due: September 18th
(7 days)
Pages: 6
Assignment #3
Assigned: September 18th, Due: September 25th
(7 days)
Pages: 10
Assignment #4
Assigned: September 25th, Due: October 2nd
(7 days)
Pages: 9
Assignment #5
Assigned: October 2nd, Due: October 14th
(12 days)
Pages: 10
Assignment #6
Assigned: October 16th, Due: October 25th
(7 days)
Pages: 18
If you couldn't tell, we are assigned a new assignment the day our previous one is due. These assignments haven't gotten any easier and at the same time, they are getting longer and longer (for the most part). It is a guarantee that at least forty-eight hours leading up to the due date, I get no sleep. My next one is due in seven hours yet I have barely finished a few problems. One of the parts deals with recursive functions, which are functions that call itself (in a loop). It is trial and error. If one command does not work, then try one after another. Essentially if you don't use the right commands, you could be going at it for hours on end to no avail...that is happening to me right now.
It doesn't help me that I had to turn in the past two assignments for this class incomplete...there are only seven weeks or so in the semester and I am struggling in all three of my technical courses...looks like I really need to pick up the game and get some help...some sleep would be nice.
Assignment #1
Assigned: August 31st, Due: September 11th
(11 days)
Pages: 5
Assignment #2
Assigned: September 11th, Due: September 18th
(7 days)
Pages: 6
Assignment #3
Assigned: September 18th, Due: September 25th
(7 days)
Pages: 10
Assignment #4
Assigned: September 25th, Due: October 2nd
(7 days)
Pages: 9
Assignment #5
Assigned: October 2nd, Due: October 14th
(12 days)
Pages: 10
Assignment #6
Assigned: October 16th, Due: October 25th
(7 days)
Pages: 18
If you couldn't tell, we are assigned a new assignment the day our previous one is due. These assignments haven't gotten any easier and at the same time, they are getting longer and longer (for the most part). It is a guarantee that at least forty-eight hours leading up to the due date, I get no sleep. My next one is due in seven hours yet I have barely finished a few problems. One of the parts deals with recursive functions, which are functions that call itself (in a loop). It is trial and error. If one command does not work, then try one after another. Essentially if you don't use the right commands, you could be going at it for hours on end to no avail...that is happening to me right now.
It doesn't help me that I had to turn in the past two assignments for this class incomplete...there are only seven weeks or so in the semester and I am struggling in all three of my technical courses...looks like I really need to pick up the game and get some help...some sleep would be nice.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Death and Taxes
Today is a big day for me; after much hesitation and struggle, I finally declared my minor in Theater & Performance Studies! For a long time, a part of me was conflicted in minoring in theater and also not falling behind in the classes I need to take for my major. Since the year started, I have a lot to consider and to think through in regards to academics, the ideal career, life, and certain personal issues.
This past weekend, I visited home for the first time after the second week of school; for the most part, it was good to see my parents again. I finally brought up the idea of minoring in theater to my parents. Suprisingly, they were somewhat receptive to the idea. Both of them mentioned that I should minor if I am interested, but also make sure to keep up with schoolwork. In addition, my mom added that although she is fine with me minoring, I can't major in theater, reasoning that I wouldn't be able to make money
I don't completely agree with her. A career shouldn't solely be about money; it should also be something one is passionate about. The key is to find the balance between following a passion and also having a well-paid job. As long as I'm not starving and going into poverty, I should be able to pursue what I want even if it isn't a high-paying job. For the most part, money isn't the key to happiness. It can definitely help with being happy, but it is also the cause of problems and arguments.
So my compromise is to major in engineering (pursuing a job as an Imagineer, I hope) and to minor in theater. That way, I can follow my interests in acting and not completely drown in the depths of science, math, and technology. It's only the first day...we'll see how everything turns out...
But in regards to the minor, I have shown some dismay with the department. I feel that they try to be too "innovative" and "cutting edge" and ends up failing in what it sets out to be. There isn't much variety in the styles of pieces which in turns shuts out a lot of possibility and appreciation for theater. More popular plays and musicals are never produced here on campus by the department. Because of this focus on this mindset of being innvoative, it draws on selected few who will take the effort to explore this theater. Thus, the appreciation for the arts and theater of campus is very selective. Very few people know about the department or choose to see shows. Let's hope my views of TDPS will change sometime in the next two and a half years and that I will end up eventually embracing theater on campus.
This past weekend, I visited home for the first time after the second week of school; for the most part, it was good to see my parents again. I finally brought up the idea of minoring in theater to my parents. Suprisingly, they were somewhat receptive to the idea. Both of them mentioned that I should minor if I am interested, but also make sure to keep up with schoolwork. In addition, my mom added that although she is fine with me minoring, I can't major in theater, reasoning that I wouldn't be able to make money
I don't completely agree with her. A career shouldn't solely be about money; it should also be something one is passionate about. The key is to find the balance between following a passion and also having a well-paid job. As long as I'm not starving and going into poverty, I should be able to pursue what I want even if it isn't a high-paying job. For the most part, money isn't the key to happiness. It can definitely help with being happy, but it is also the cause of problems and arguments.
So my compromise is to major in engineering (pursuing a job as an Imagineer, I hope) and to minor in theater. That way, I can follow my interests in acting and not completely drown in the depths of science, math, and technology. It's only the first day...we'll see how everything turns out...
But in regards to the minor, I have shown some dismay with the department. I feel that they try to be too "innovative" and "cutting edge" and ends up failing in what it sets out to be. There isn't much variety in the styles of pieces which in turns shuts out a lot of possibility and appreciation for theater. More popular plays and musicals are never produced here on campus by the department. Because of this focus on this mindset of being innvoative, it draws on selected few who will take the effort to explore this theater. Thus, the appreciation for the arts and theater of campus is very selective. Very few people know about the department or choose to see shows. Let's hope my views of TDPS will change sometime in the next two and a half years and that I will end up eventually embracing theater on campus.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Back at Berkeley
A month has passed since my last post. Time sure does fly. So much has happened since then; the most significant being the start of a new academic year. As mentioned in my previous posts, summer was spent back in Berkeley taking summer classes, most specifically, organic chemistry. It has been a tough battle, but I was victorious the second time around. I used knowledge from the first encounter to my benefit, so it was slightly easier the second time around. Especially since the professor whittled down the material to the basics.
Anyways, I have been back in Berkeley for a week now. This year, I am living in campus housing: a double in Unit 2 Griffiths. The living conditions haven't been too shabby. My bed is currently lofted (it was like that when I got there), but I am most likely unlofting it. I am paranoid of injuring myself while climbing up and down to my bed when I am half-awake or half-asleep. Still need to talk to my roommate about that. And things are going pretty well with my roommate. He's fairly quiet. This past week, I've been so extremely busy with Welcome Week events, so I haven't been in the room all that much. I feel really bad for leaving him and not interacting with him much. This will change after this week is over. I hope.
This year, there is still empty space left in my closet and drawers! I've learned my lesson from last year and minimized what I brought to school. Let's hope it stays this way and I don't accumulate too much more stuff. It set me aback when moving out that I filled the entire Honda Odyssey with stuff from my dorm room. There was no free space besides a seat for the driver and a passenger. I am NOT going to let that happen again. This is just one of MANY things I learned from my experience at Berkeley this past year.
This year, I am looking forward to:
Anyways, I have been back in Berkeley for a week now. This year, I am living in campus housing: a double in Unit 2 Griffiths. The living conditions haven't been too shabby. My bed is currently lofted (it was like that when I got there), but I am most likely unlofting it. I am paranoid of injuring myself while climbing up and down to my bed when I am half-awake or half-asleep. Still need to talk to my roommate about that. And things are going pretty well with my roommate. He's fairly quiet. This past week, I've been so extremely busy with Welcome Week events, so I haven't been in the room all that much. I feel really bad for leaving him and not interacting with him much. This will change after this week is over. I hope.
This year, there is still empty space left in my closet and drawers! I've learned my lesson from last year and minimized what I brought to school. Let's hope it stays this way and I don't accumulate too much more stuff. It set me aback when moving out that I filled the entire Honda Odyssey with stuff from my dorm room. There was no free space besides a seat for the driver and a passenger. I am NOT going to let that happen again. This is just one of MANY things I learned from my experience at Berkeley this past year.
This year, I am looking forward to:
- more food options (not necessarily BETTER food though)
- using my meal points to get Peet's
- meeting my floor mates and hopefully getting along with them
- Theater 119: Asian/American Performance Across Media!
- taking more courses for my Acting and Performance Studies minor
- my technical courses (even though they're not THAT interesting, my professors seem to know what they're doing)
Things to be missed:
- late night at Foothill (still haven't tried steak plate)
- an ice machine, especially on hot days
On the other hand, there are things not to be missed:
- long treks up many flights of stairs, to and from Foothill to class, meetings, and any other event
- the lack of food options on North side (Foothill area)
- crappy food at Foothill
There is probably much more I'm missing on these lists...forgive me. I still need to finalize my class schedule for this semester. It depends on the lone class that I'm wait listed for. Once I get off the waiting list, everything will fall into place. For once, I am looking forward to taking my technical courses because all of my professors seem like they know what they're doing. In addition, they're all fairly interesting, especially my Asian/American Performance professor/class. In development...
Saturday, July 18, 2009
An Unexpected Warning
This past week I received a letter, but I did not personally receive it. Rather, it was forwarded to me by my dad. I wasn’t expecting to receive this letter and surely, this was not the manner I wanted to learn of it. The content of the letter shook me and this was the first time I understood the severity of the situation. Who knew that this could be happening to me?
This past year has been rough; it has been a whirlwind of a ride. College wasn’t all that it turned out to be. During the application process, I wanted to be over with it and get into a college. There was a lot of pressure from parents as well as myself to do well and I did not want to disappoint them. I was naïve in thinking that once I got into college, things would fall nicely into place.
I had always been hesitant to come to UC Berkeley in the first place; a part of me wanted to be far away from home in a different place, to start from a clean slate. A school where I wouldn’t constantly be followed by shadows from my past. In high school, everyone had known each other for so many years starting from middle school and even from elementary school. I felt like I had to conform to a mold that already had been laid out for me. There was no room to expand or grow and I was hoping to start over in college. However, it was difficult being so close to home (being only an hour away) and at the same time surrounded by so many peers from high school.
First semester consisted of weekly outings to San Francisco, my sole outlet to turn to whenever I needed to escape the frustrations of Berkeley. There was the occasional phone call to friends from high school, but that could only help to a certain extent. I joined several groups in hopes of making friends, but the effort was fickle. Luckily, the musical Spring Awakening was in the city and it was the one thing to keep my going. During the run of the musical here, I attended many performances to keep myself motivated. I barely got by in the fall and hoped that the following semester would be a little easier after the past several months of biting my way through courses.
Throughout the semester, I had second doubts of continuing with Bioengineering. A part of me enjoyed the biology aspect; a part of me enjoyed the technical aspect of engineering. However, I wasn’t so sure I enjoyed it as much when the two sides collided. When it came to choose classes for the spring, I decided to venture away from technical courses and explore the humanities to give myself time to decide.
January came and spring semester began. I was dead wrong in thinking that things would be any easier. Towards the beginning of the semester, a part of me was hoping for some change. Change came before I could even realize it. It all happened so fast; things started and ended quickly. It was a growing experience for me. During that time, there was a lot of exploration of myself and who I really was. Some issues had never come up before and I was left there trying to piece things together. There was a lot to consider and was an emotional time for me. A lot of questions left unanswered. I know I’m being vague, but it’s difficult to find the right words.
I tried to pick myself back up and had the musical to keep my mind busy. It took me a while to move on, but I had little time to dwell on all that had happened. However, during this time, I had met new people. A lot of new people. Little did I know that there would be one person out of many that I would ultimately turn to and that I would encounter another person along the way.
This semester, even though I was taking a lighter course load, for some reason, I was having even more difficulty than before which became more apparent as the semester went on. Classes were too much to handle even though I was taking several classes P/NP. Organic chemistry was a constant struggle. There was so much material to learn and I had no time at all. I also got cast in the musical, City of Angels, and rehearsals consumed a large chunk of time, especially towards the end of the semester. But it was my way to get through organic chemistry, my way of escaping the reality. I knew that I was falling fast. Sooner or later I would hit the ground. And it came by means of the letter.
After many rough nights with the help of my two friends, I somehow made it through the semester. I don’t know what I would have done without them. Many times I didn’t know where to turn, and I have had to rely on them to keep me going. I am very grateful that they have been very accepting and letting me be apart of their lives. There have been so many fun and interesting times getting to hang out with them. This summer would not have been the same if it weren’t for them. I constantly feel bad because I feel like I’m intruding on their live. There is so much more that I want to say, but can’t express myself properly in words.
If I want to continue on at UC Berkeley, I know that changes have to be made. I will need to get my priorities straightened out. Time management will be very important as well. I will need to find the balance between academics and life, making sure I do well in courses, but also setting time aside to be with friends. This upcoming semester will be crucial since my performance will ultimately decide the outcome. I disappointed many people along the way, including people very close to me. This shouldn’t have happened and I know things could have be different. I need to put the pieces back together and work harder. There are still many decisions left to be made, many questions left to be answered. It won’t get any easier, but I am determined to navigate my way out of this difficult situation.
I know this post probably made no sense at all, but this is my way of gathering my thoughts.
This past year has been rough; it has been a whirlwind of a ride. College wasn’t all that it turned out to be. During the application process, I wanted to be over with it and get into a college. There was a lot of pressure from parents as well as myself to do well and I did not want to disappoint them. I was naïve in thinking that once I got into college, things would fall nicely into place.
I had always been hesitant to come to UC Berkeley in the first place; a part of me wanted to be far away from home in a different place, to start from a clean slate. A school where I wouldn’t constantly be followed by shadows from my past. In high school, everyone had known each other for so many years starting from middle school and even from elementary school. I felt like I had to conform to a mold that already had been laid out for me. There was no room to expand or grow and I was hoping to start over in college. However, it was difficult being so close to home (being only an hour away) and at the same time surrounded by so many peers from high school.
First semester consisted of weekly outings to San Francisco, my sole outlet to turn to whenever I needed to escape the frustrations of Berkeley. There was the occasional phone call to friends from high school, but that could only help to a certain extent. I joined several groups in hopes of making friends, but the effort was fickle. Luckily, the musical Spring Awakening was in the city and it was the one thing to keep my going. During the run of the musical here, I attended many performances to keep myself motivated. I barely got by in the fall and hoped that the following semester would be a little easier after the past several months of biting my way through courses.
Throughout the semester, I had second doubts of continuing with Bioengineering. A part of me enjoyed the biology aspect; a part of me enjoyed the technical aspect of engineering. However, I wasn’t so sure I enjoyed it as much when the two sides collided. When it came to choose classes for the spring, I decided to venture away from technical courses and explore the humanities to give myself time to decide.
January came and spring semester began. I was dead wrong in thinking that things would be any easier. Towards the beginning of the semester, a part of me was hoping for some change. Change came before I could even realize it. It all happened so fast; things started and ended quickly. It was a growing experience for me. During that time, there was a lot of exploration of myself and who I really was. Some issues had never come up before and I was left there trying to piece things together. There was a lot to consider and was an emotional time for me. A lot of questions left unanswered. I know I’m being vague, but it’s difficult to find the right words.
I tried to pick myself back up and had the musical to keep my mind busy. It took me a while to move on, but I had little time to dwell on all that had happened. However, during this time, I had met new people. A lot of new people. Little did I know that there would be one person out of many that I would ultimately turn to and that I would encounter another person along the way.
This semester, even though I was taking a lighter course load, for some reason, I was having even more difficulty than before which became more apparent as the semester went on. Classes were too much to handle even though I was taking several classes P/NP. Organic chemistry was a constant struggle. There was so much material to learn and I had no time at all. I also got cast in the musical, City of Angels, and rehearsals consumed a large chunk of time, especially towards the end of the semester. But it was my way to get through organic chemistry, my way of escaping the reality. I knew that I was falling fast. Sooner or later I would hit the ground. And it came by means of the letter.
After many rough nights with the help of my two friends, I somehow made it through the semester. I don’t know what I would have done without them. Many times I didn’t know where to turn, and I have had to rely on them to keep me going. I am very grateful that they have been very accepting and letting me be apart of their lives. There have been so many fun and interesting times getting to hang out with them. This summer would not have been the same if it weren’t for them. I constantly feel bad because I feel like I’m intruding on their live. There is so much more that I want to say, but can’t express myself properly in words.
If I want to continue on at UC Berkeley, I know that changes have to be made. I will need to get my priorities straightened out. Time management will be very important as well. I will need to find the balance between academics and life, making sure I do well in courses, but also setting time aside to be with friends. This upcoming semester will be crucial since my performance will ultimately decide the outcome. I disappointed many people along the way, including people very close to me. This shouldn’t have happened and I know things could have be different. I need to put the pieces back together and work harder. There are still many decisions left to be made, many questions left to be answered. It won’t get any easier, but I am determined to navigate my way out of this difficult situation.
I know this post probably made no sense at all, but this is my way of gathering my thoughts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)