My brother and I were talking, and he said he hates reading, he likes movies cause he's a hardcore movie fan and he watches at least one movie a day. He then told me I should pull my face out of books more often and watch more movies.
I seriously broke out into loud laughter. Where have I heard that before... ;)
I can't help but smile at things like this. Little echoes of a familar voice bitching at me for familar things permeate my world. I might have to start believing Warren's on to something. Like I need to encourage his ego though. We hate admitting the other is right :P
But I'm going to have to cede this one to him. He's right on this one and has been. I can't shrug off both him and my bro saying the same damn thing. Both know me pretty well and don't steer me wrong, plus both look out for me. The least I can do is take their advice, they wouldn't recommend something that would make me miserable/unhappy.
Damn you two! It's hard to be right when outnumbered :P
~A.
In this pic, and the other two I posted, pay close to attention to what will make you a badass ninja like myself.
DWOID! :D
So I'm slowly putting together my application packet for my safety school, their deadline is like May/June. Obviously I'm not as enthused about this application as the other. Which kinda makes no damn sense. Even though they are a "meet our minimum requirements and you're in" school, academically they have a program basically exactly in line with what I'd like to study and have a program similar to how UNM's is set up. The only thing I like about UNM's set up is that instead of taking a bunch of lab science classes (like chem, ugh) to get a BS, if you minor in computer science or even cognitive science (which they have) those count as far as getting a BS. Plus I'm studying more along my area of interest. At the other school I'd have to do a minor in Cog Sci AND take a bunch of damn general bio/chem lab classes to do the same thing. The biology/chemistry of psychology does not interest me, the cognitive/computational side does. So does NOT being a BA Psych major :P (seriously, I want to slap most of them)
Because I'm rather superstitious, very few know my number one choice. If you do, consider yourself ridiculously lucky. I'm not telling anyone else until I get a decision, and even then I may not until it's 100% for sure one way or another. I really dislike being asked about or talking about something before it's a sure thing. Also, I received A LOT of criticism for my choices in schools, even when said choices were justified and explained, when I released my first list of schools. Not criticisms about my personal situation and going there like my dad voices, but "oh, why would you go THERE, that's not a well known school" and shit like that. This pissed me off. So, I kept these close to my heart. I think even fewer know of my safety school, but only because I had people edit my first choice's essays so more know.
I specifically told my dad FOR criticism. If there's anyone who can make a strong argument against something I want to do, it's him :P However, that's EXACTLY what I wanted. If I couldn't justify my choice through his concerns, then it really shouldn't be in consideration. My original list got obliterated because I couldn't justify some of my dad's major concerns regarding me specifically. These two pass, so they stay :P
Even though academically choice B is more what I want than choice A, choice A wins out due to proximity of something choice B can't offer. Experience means just as much as academics, and I can't ignore the opportunity for experience at choice A. Choice B has none, but is perfect academically. Choice A has the experience, and I can fudge the academics and wouldn't need to do so extensively.
I went online to this website that compares my stats to other current applicants and previous admitted applicants. But it also compares me and what I'm looking for to the college itself and whether or not it's a good fit. So I compared my two choices and UNM. To everyone's surprise (not) UNM was the poorest fit, and we're talking like a 17% but the thing also said you are the kind of student this college wants. I fucking laughed. I'm also in the top 2% academically of students UNM has admitted for Spring 09 and Fall 09. I fucking laughed again. Choice B wasn't really much better at 33%, but it also took a major strike for being in a large city and not a suburban area. That's REALLY important to me. I hate large cities, and after attending UNM which sits right smack in the middle of a large city, I'd prefer to not attend a big city school. Choice A was the best at a 75% fit, but gee that kinda makes fucking sense. Of course, I'm 100% chance to get in for the other two (considering I already am at UNM...) but about 60% for Choice A. I'm right middle of the pack academically of students who applied previously.
What will set me out is those essays that I gave myself gray hair over. That's WHY I obsessed over them. I know I can write pretty well, and I'm an interesting person. So I think my essays bump up my chances a bit (75% maybe), but that's still not guaranteed. However, I'm feeling cocky enough that I dare them to find better essays out of all their applicants. Having read some of the previous essays of people who got accepted...I think I'm good, REALLY GOOD, on the essays. The only editing people did was mostly mechanics and shit, the words are mine. I'm kinda terrible at punctuation and have a habit of fucking making massive sentences because I abuse commas. What gets me (and really ticks me off) is some of these kids are having their essays written by professionals/retired college English professors. They're online BRAGGING about they're sure to get in because their essay was professionally written. I'd stack my essays against those too. Am I being a bit egotistical? Yeah. But I know my style is very distinct, descriptive, unusual and yet easy to read. No college is gonna teach you that. Professionally written essays have a very mechanical feel about them. Very structured and rigid. Mine is inherently conversational because it's my preferred means of communication. This is why I am terrible about answering my phone but answer text messages immediately.
I want to send the apps off so I can forget about them. I realized the longer I keep them with me, the more I'm going to obsess. So, fuck it, put it together, send it out and then get lost in my classes this semester and forget. I WILL forget. I forget a lot of things like that, when stuff is due, when I can expect a reply, when whatever will be ready...I have major trouble with those. And this semester is so much fun and interesting for a million reasons they won't be on my mind for long.
Expect me to be on here flipping the fuck out starting about a week before decisions. That'll be about the time I get the email telling me decisions are being released soon, and the time frame is about a week. I haven't decided if I will check online the day they come out, or wait a couple more days for the letter. And then make someone else open the damn thing :P
Now, depending on how things go, I MIGHT even stay here at UNM. Trust me that's a last resort. UNM is an academic hellhole, sure. But after all the stuff I've done here, AMSA, research, making friends, honors out my ass, just going to class, befriending many professors, going to basketball games...
I feel like I'm not just a student, but a Lobo. And that some part of me will always be a Lobo. Admitting that feels dirty, but it's true. And I will definitely be a Lobos basketball fan. I don't think another team in the country has a basketball environment like the Pit. I'd probably have to behave myself at games elsewhere. Or if the Heels are there get thrown out by Roy Williams :P Somehow me getting thrown out of a game doesn't sound absurd. I can see some of you hearing about some fan getting thrown out and saying "probably Aeris" :P
I don't think a new school would appreciate the large amount of UNM/Lobos gear I have either :P
~A.
Today is my dad's birthday! He's turning the big 60. Now, any commentary about him being old would make ME feel old, so he gets a pass there. I spend my days in class with 18-22 year olds and that's my age range as far as I am concerned. :P It's funny, sometimes when classmates ask me my age they call me a liar and want to see my driver's license. I prove that I am indeed 26. People think I'm 19-21 usually, so I guess I'm not aging like milk. :P
It blows my mind my dad is 60. Mostly because where the hell did the years go? It's tragic we spent so much time at odds with each other. But I'm glad as hell he's in my life now. He's probably my loudest, if not biggest, fan. He's always bragging about me all over the place and also encouraging and supporting me. So a big hug and a couple of margaritas to my dad. Since you're not here dad, I'll drink yours. :P
He's also been taking better care of himself, and he is definitely impressed with how I changed by taking care of myself. I'd kinda like him to stay around a little longer. There will be more things to brag about. :P
So once again, Happy Birthday Dad! I love you :)
~A.