Oh School

Leah S.

October 28, 2009 - 5:58 PM

Running, running, running. Can I do anything else? I feel like I am constantly into something or always have something to do. What is great about this is that my stress level rises because my computer will stop working or blackboard (this lovely site that is supposed to be user friendly for all) won't load. It sucks!!!!!! I'm tired of having a slow computer where the internet will all of a sudden stop responding or so much homework. What really sucks about this term is that I feel like it is just a bunch of busy work. Classes where I just read and post comments on blackboard for others to see. I mean the papers I have to write are good for me and so is my German class that teaches grammar. The others just seem like busy work.

 

My German lit class is not as fun as I thought it would be. The professor is a little dry and always asks questions about the books we read. I know, seems totally reasonable. It would be if any of us had half a clue as to what was going on. We just finished one of the hardest text I have ever read in German, and that is saying a lot since I went to school in Germany for a semester.

 

Geology is alright, but it is nothing that really interests me for the long term so it's not my favorite. Rocks are cool, but I still want to interpret at this point. I find it a pointless class. I understand we need these general education classes to make sure there is no hidden passion within us and to give us a well rounded education. I'm just so passionate about German that I'm ready to just get going with it.

 

The paper I was working on I'm finally done with. I slaved over it for quite some time then the teacher gave me a note on the paper that said there was no argument at all and that it was vague; it does not pass at this point. Talk about freaking scary. I have never got anything lower than a B on a writing assignment. That was a tough blow. The biggest problem for me is all she wrote was that there was no argument and it was vague. Not very helpful, so I went to the writing lab. Pretty freaking cool. They are like miracle workers in just a half hour. OK, maybe that was just how it worked out for me, but still. I recommend the writing lab if you are every struggling with any part of your writing. They really know what they are talking about and they help you figure out what in the world you are trying to say. Now it is re-written and ready to be turned in tomorrow. Hopefully this time it is an A.

 

Well that is all I can dig up for now. So until next time...

 

 

 

 

 

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WORK ROCKS!!!!!

Leah S.

October 26, 2009 - 4:47 PM

Driving, driving, and more driving!!! It's a beautiful fall evening. The rain comes and goes (as usual in the Great Northwest). The roads curve around. Pretty soon it's dark. The wind picks up some, the rain dies down. It's calm even with the wind. Around another curve and there it is, the magnificent water. Even in the dark you know that it's peaceful and so pretty. The next day there is a seminar, but it breaks for lunch. Walking outside in the sunshine, it's cold and crisp, but I wouldn't change it for the world. The waves crash against the dock, these waves are softer than the ocean though. Across this body of water is Canada. It is so beautiful all around.

 

That was my weekend at the Semiahmoo resort in Blaine, Washington, check it out it is amazing. Yes, I really did see Canada. It was so beautiful (have I said that enough times?). I really did have a seminar too. Now I know some of you are thinking, how boring, but it was so amazing. I learned life skills. I learned how to schedule my time, how to relieve stress, the kind of person I am behaviorally (thank you DiSC test, I'm S which basically means I'm motherly), and how to deal with situations I don't necessarily like. Not to mention it was totally motivating for me. It got me excited about the little things. Let me tell you, the little things really do matter in life. They are what fill in the gaps between the big things in life, they help shape the person you are now and the person you are becoming and they are great experiences that other people would love to have. For instance, the speakers at this seminar (Dave Shoup, a guy from Microsoft, and the CEO of Southwestern) charge hundreds to thousands of dollars to hear what I did this weekend. I paid $70 and for my room. THAT'S IT!!! Who would not want a job with these kinds of perks?

 

Well for those of you who are saying....booooorrrrringgggg.... there was a dance. Four hours in a semi formal dress with high heel shoes with a bunch of people my own age that I worked with. How awesome right?!?!?!

 

If it was not for coming to the UO and meeting Katrina who sat through a whole info session on this internship just to get more info for me, I would not have got to do any of that this weekend. Thanks UO!

 

Well that is enough excitement for now I think. I'll save the rest for another exciting blog. So until next time...

 

 

 

 

 

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SMILE

Leah S.

October 21, 2009 - 7:43 PM

I'm going down the hall, just minding my own business when all of a sudden I come upon a person. I don't know who they are, but I know they live in my hall. I look up. I'm not sure what exactly I should do. Well I smile. Smiling is the best thing in the world. He smiled back. I love smiles. They make me happy. I love giving smiles and getting smiles. Somehow they just warm the heart. I feel all warm and fuzzy giving and receiving smiles. It is such a simple act. Anyway, just a little tangent there. This is just a perk of living in the dorms. It is an almost homey atmosphere. It might not be the coolest living with so many people; you know lack of privacy and being able to be alone on occasion, but it has its perks too.

 

You are never alone when you do not want to be, there is always food really close by and a café that is open until 2am, classes are really close, and my personal favorite is the fact that the UO is so green!!! The perks definitely outweigh the bad, even though it doesn't always seem like it.
Nights like tonight are always awesome too, no homework and actually ahead for the week. I have fall ball this weekend so it is a good feeling to know I should not be too behind when I get back.
Well I honestly don't have anything to say anymore. It has been a homework full week which is no fun to write about. So until next time...

 

 

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Summer Adventures

Leah S.

October 19, 2009 - 7:16 PM

Silence, complete and utter silence. It is so beautiful. Trees and fields full of cows or fields with farmers working on their hay surround me. It is kind of rainy. There is a house I need to get to. The problem is that the roads connecting it from where I am at are not drivable. The rain has made them way to muddy to drive on. Not unless you want to test your luck and then more than likely have a farmer dig you out. That is what my last week of the summer was like. Got to where I was working a little after eight in the morning and started knocking on the farmer's doors. I would catch one or two and then I would catch the others when they got back from farming, which was usually after dark. Oh yeah, the middle of my day consisted of honking at cows, knocking on doors where no one was home, and talking to myself or singing along with the radio. I would literally see about five to seven families a day. It was weird. In a way I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot about myself this summer. You realize what kind of strength you have as a person when you don't see anyone for so long a time. After being on a busy campus and living in a big city it was also nice to just escape, in a sense, for a while. I'm not going to lie though, I am more than happy to be around more people. Although it was a bit of a hard adjustment when I first got to campus, it's better now.

 

This summer also taught me how to be organized and taught me how to use momentum to keep going. I know it sounds weird, but never stop when you are on a roll. If you stop then you lose all your momentum and won't want to finish what you started or keep going. I now use every hole in my class schedule to do some homework and start on it almost always immediately after I get back from lunch. I will sit and do it all before I stop too. Like tonight I decided to read a part of my geology for Tuesday and next thing I know I'm done with Thursday's reading too. I just keep going. I hate sitting around and when it's dark and you're injured there is not a whole lot to do. There are friends to talk with too. I do that in the evening though.

 

Another great thing is to be positive. Life is so much better when you are positive all the time. I know this already. I learned to be positive about everything because of happenings in my past, but this summer just made me realize how very important it is. There is a silver lining to every cloud.

 

I don't know. I'm still learning about me and I'm still reflecting over my summer. I'm sure there will be tons more that comes. I'll share it with you all when I know.

 

Well I'm starved, it's dinner time!! So until next time...

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LLCN2

Leah S.

October 14, 2009 - 3:32 PM

No that's not some weird phrase that all college students need to know. It is where I live. I live in the Living Learning Center (most commonly known as the LLC) in the North hall (N) floor 2 (2). College is all about shortening things. I thought I would show you what the inside of my roommate and my dorm looks like. The LLC is nicer and newer than the other dorms on campus. Well I guess Carson and Barnhart have big rooms too so they could be considered nice as well. Especially Barnhart because they even have their own bathroom (although I have heard they are pretty tiny). The LLC is a great place to live. Food is not far away, classes are within like five minutes (walking distance that is, Bean was five minutes by bike to the closest class). You will have to please excuse the mess. I have had no time to organize. I moved in Sunday before school started, had tons to do Monday, classes started Tuesday, and I have had homework and meetings ever since. I can find everything though which is what is important (to me at least) in the long run. Anyway, we have a desk, drawers under our desk for desk supplies, a closet with drawers, and even more drawers under our beds. It is pretty awesome. The beds are loft beds too. That gives a little extra space which is kind of nice.

 

The weird thing is that I didn't have enough space last year and this year I have way more than enough. I have even brought more stuff. Maybe that will change as the year goes on, we will see. The LLC also has awesomely huge windows! That can be a plus because the other dorms have relatively small windows and sometimes it can feel like a prison. At the same time though one has to be careful. Everyone going to Dux Bistro can see you changing. It's kind of a catch-22 I guess.

 

 

Any who, classes are going well. My lovely paper has been shortened to at least four pages, which takes some stress off of me. I have a pretty cool writing teacher (Lesley).

 

Ok, this site is totally not school related, but this is the craziest, coolest thing I have ever seen and think it would be awesome to check out! JumpRopeDance

 

So until next time...

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