With 19 credits crammed into a semester, one would think that I had time for little else. False! Instead of embracing my precious free time, I have instead taken on a part time job for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Consequently, I have even less free time and am just getting a chance to write about it now.
I really do enjoy my job. I am revisiting old programming languages and learning new ones. I love building maps and figuring out how to make them more appealing and useful. I am happy, despite sore eyes from staring at two 22-icnh monitors of code for four hours at a time. I am happy that I have found a job that I enjoy.
However,it is sad to say that I am officially in a semester where I dislike more classes than I enjoy. The workload has increased significantly and I'm essentially just keeping my head above water. I am not motivated because I am not enjoying the subjects and the assignments for the classes I do enjoy aren't the highest priority because they tend to be worth less and can be easily put off. I am excited about learning another new scripting language, I am excited to learn about Alexander the Great, and I am excited that I am going to Ireland, but there just seems to be too much to do and hardly any time to do it.
I know that many of my friends have been in this boat before and I feel like this is a more than common feeling shared by the majority of college students. I suppose it's all in how you handle it and stay organized. I'm sure I'll get the hang of managing it all eventually!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Senior Citizen
Twas the night before classes
And at her workspace
Every notebook was labeled
And put in its place
The pencils were stacked
The binders were full
Sitting next to her tower
Of yarn made of wool
Everything was in order
The was nothing to fear
With the anticipation
Of her last school year
Just a few more classes
and a study overseas
Was all that stood between
Her and her degrees
"But what then?" she wondered
With concern and some doubt
"I only have a year
To figure it out?!"
"It's always been
So clear-cut before
What will I do
Without school anymore?"
She reassured herself
That all would be fine
People graduate from college
All of the time!
It is official, I am a Senior at Virginia Tech. This is going to be a huge year for me and I am extremely excited, but also very nervous. I'm kind of ignoring that fact that this time next year I will have graduated from college and will be either in Grad School or working. It really is very intimidating, put I am looking forward to what will come next.
Other big things that will happen this year:
-I will vote in my first election (I was too young by 3 months for the last one)
-I will turn 21
-I will go to Ireland
-I will begin my on-campus job as a GIS analyst... for Parking Services
-I am determined to get my license (it's getting a little ridiculous)
This semester in and of itself contains most of these things, so it will be very exciting. I am taking a good round of classes, which are as follows:
French Literature
The World of Alexander (The Great)
Geography of Wine
The U.S. City
Algorithms in GIS
With a newly reimaged computer and a fresh stock of school supplies, I am ready to take on anything! Here goes a new semester!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Battered Batteries and a Photo "Shoot!"
With my new camera having eaten through six batteries in two days, I feel that I'm going to give it a break until I can invest in rechargeable or consider actually getting my old camera fixed. My mom was kind enough to let me borrow her camera and, while trying to figure out my Project 366 entry for the day, I decided to revamp the photos from my Etsy Shop. I'm going to wait until the current postings expire to post the new pictures, but here you can see the before and after based on the photos that I took today.
Before:
After:
Before:
After:
Before:
After:
As well as a couple of new ones:
It was a little overcast today, so the natural light didn't illuminate the pieces as much as I had hoped, but I think that this is a stop in the right direction as far as getting more appealing photos to advertise my products.
I am having a lot of fun figuring out how cameras work with different lights and angles and I am really enjoying making more jewelery!
Before:
After:
Before:
After:
Before:
After:
As well as a couple of new ones:
It was a little overcast today, so the natural light didn't illuminate the pieces as much as I had hoped, but I think that this is a stop in the right direction as far as getting more appealing photos to advertise my products.
I am having a lot of fun figuring out how cameras work with different lights and angles and I am really enjoying making more jewelery!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Handbook for 2012
Today I went to work and after helping a few customers, a man came in to deposit a check. The deposit scanner was acting up, so that prompted small talk which eventually led into a really good conversation.
This customer talked about his experiences and how he has learned and wants others to learn and the ways in which he has been inspired. At the end of the conversation, he handed me two pages of guidelines titled "The Handbook for 2011". They were simple, honest, and small ways in which a person can improve their life physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually and I would like to share this "handbook" as the year is just beginning.
Health:
1) Drink plenty of water.
2) Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.
3) Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less foods that are manufactured in plants.
4) Live with the 3 E's: Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5) Make time to pray.
6) Play more games.
7) Read more books than you did last year.
8) Sit in silence for as least 10 minutes each day.
9) Sleep for 7 hours.
10) Take a 10-30 minute walk daily and, while you walk, smile.
Personality:
11) Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12) Don't have negative thoughts over things that you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive, present moment.
13) Don't overdo. Keep your limits.
14) Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15) Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16) Dream more while you are awake.
17) Envy is a waste of time. You already have all that you need.
18) Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes in the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19) Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20) Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21) No one is in charge of your happiness except you
22: Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply a part of the curriculum that appear and fade away, but the lessons that you learn along the way will last a lifetime.
23) Smile and laugh more.
24) You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
Society:
25) Call your family often.
26) Each day, give something good to others.
27) Forgive everyone of everything.
28) Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6. You will learn so much.
29) Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30) That other people think of you is none of your business.
31) Your job won't take care of you when you are sick, but your friends will. Stay in touch.
Life:
32) Do the right thing!
33) Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.
34) God heals everything.
35) However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36) No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
37) The best is yet to come.
38) When you awake alive in the morning, thank God for it.
39) Your Innermost is always happy, so be happy!
40) Share this with everyone you care about, I just did :)
This list isn't made to be done all at once. Just pick a few and work on them. I certainly see a few that I could really improve upon and use to better myself and my life.
I always makes me so happy to have a really good conversation, especially with a complete stranger. It is refreshing, inspirational, and it often shows some of the good in this world that can be shadowed by the bad.
I hope that you all will take this into some consideration. The parts in which "God" are mentioned don't only imply a Christian God, but whatever deity you may follow (I used "God" because I am Christian).
I feel that this is becoming a very strong and good beginning to the New Year :)
This customer talked about his experiences and how he has learned and wants others to learn and the ways in which he has been inspired. At the end of the conversation, he handed me two pages of guidelines titled "The Handbook for 2011". They were simple, honest, and small ways in which a person can improve their life physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually and I would like to share this "handbook" as the year is just beginning.
Health:
1) Drink plenty of water.
2) Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.
3) Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less foods that are manufactured in plants.
4) Live with the 3 E's: Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5) Make time to pray.
6) Play more games.
7) Read more books than you did last year.
8) Sit in silence for as least 10 minutes each day.
9) Sleep for 7 hours.
10) Take a 10-30 minute walk daily and, while you walk, smile.
Personality:
11) Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12) Don't have negative thoughts over things that you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive, present moment.
13) Don't overdo. Keep your limits.
14) Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15) Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16) Dream more while you are awake.
17) Envy is a waste of time. You already have all that you need.
18) Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes in the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19) Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20) Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21) No one is in charge of your happiness except you
22: Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply a part of the curriculum that appear and fade away, but the lessons that you learn along the way will last a lifetime.
23) Smile and laugh more.
24) You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
Society:
25) Call your family often.
26) Each day, give something good to others.
27) Forgive everyone of everything.
28) Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6. You will learn so much.
29) Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30) That other people think of you is none of your business.
31) Your job won't take care of you when you are sick, but your friends will. Stay in touch.
Life:
32) Do the right thing!
33) Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.
34) God heals everything.
35) However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36) No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
37) The best is yet to come.
38) When you awake alive in the morning, thank God for it.
39) Your Innermost is always happy, so be happy!
40) Share this with everyone you care about, I just did :)
This list isn't made to be done all at once. Just pick a few and work on them. I certainly see a few that I could really improve upon and use to better myself and my life.
I always makes me so happy to have a really good conversation, especially with a complete stranger. It is refreshing, inspirational, and it often shows some of the good in this world that can be shadowed by the bad.
I hope that you all will take this into some consideration. The parts in which "God" are mentioned don't only imply a Christian God, but whatever deity you may follow (I used "God" because I am Christian).
I feel that this is becoming a very strong and good beginning to the New Year :)
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Project 366
A new year has officially begun! I have stuck to my resolutions for a whole day and actually monitored what I ate. Didn't do too bad, but it's going to be really hard to cut out those carbs!
I thought I'd try a little experiment this year. One of my bible study friends did "Project 365" last year, in which she took a photo every day to familiarize herself with her camera and to reflect on what she had done that day. I saw it as a wonderful expression of creativity, so I will take a page from her book and do a "Project 366", as 2012 is a Leap Year!
I did receive a new camera for Christmas this year, so I am going to try and figure it all out and take advantage of its features while taking the time to really observe what is going on around me and what I am doing. I think that it will be fun and I will really enjoy taking photos everyday. It will take a lot of thought, a lot of consideration, and a lot of batteries, but I believe that it will be a great experience for me.
Here's to a new year with new experiences and hopes! Happy New Year!
I thought I'd try a little experiment this year. One of my bible study friends did "Project 365" last year, in which she took a photo every day to familiarize herself with her camera and to reflect on what she had done that day. I saw it as a wonderful expression of creativity, so I will take a page from her book and do a "Project 366", as 2012 is a Leap Year!
I did receive a new camera for Christmas this year, so I am going to try and figure it all out and take advantage of its features while taking the time to really observe what is going on around me and what I am doing. I think that it will be fun and I will really enjoy taking photos everyday. It will take a lot of thought, a lot of consideration, and a lot of batteries, but I believe that it will be a great experience for me.
Here's to a new year with new experiences and hopes! Happy New Year!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
New Year's Eve 2011
Another year has passed and with it, both happy and sad memories and experiences. I've lost both my grandfather and my aunt, but I have gained countless friends. I have traveled, I have tried many new things, I have gained many new skills, and I have learned much. This year has been amazing and I cannot wait for another year to begin.
With the ringing in of 2012 comes my last year of college. I have less than a year at Virginia Tech, which has been my home for nearly three years. While this makes me sad, it also makes me realize how far I have come and what I have to look forward to when I graduate. I am excited for what I still have to learn and what I will have to do to prepare myself for "the real world". I feel very fortunate to begin my GIS job at Virginia Tech, which will be a nice sort of training ground for what a GIS job will really be like.
I also feel that while I am away from both my immediate and extended family for the majority of the time, this year has brought us closer together. I'm not sure if we all just had the urge to keep better contact or if social networking has made it easier, but just the love that I have felt from my family this year has been amazing and has provided tremendous support for what has been a very challenging school year.
Well, as I have found it tradition to do, I have made my annual list of New Year's Resolutions. I know that I am not the best at keeping them (then again, who really is?), but I know that I need to make some changes, both in a gradual and immediate sense. So, here it goes:
1) Better monitor what I eat (lay off the sweets!)
2) Exercise at least twice a week
3) Get my Driver's License (for goodness sake!)
4) Stay organized; don't let messes build up
5) Speak up more often
6) Ask; the worst they can say is "no"
I know, pretty general goals, but I really need to improve on these things. I realize that not have my license can be a hassle for others as well as myself. Having a job during the summer will be great, but only if I can get to it and I can't always rely on the bus.
I also gained a bit of weight this year and it is in part because I do not eat very well when I am at school and I do not exercise nearly enough. I am going to try to prepare more home-made meals instead of eating out so much and I am going to try to cook more often with meats, as horrifying as that thought is to me.
What are some of your New Year's Resolutions? Did you accomplish any from last year?
I hope that everyone has a Happy New Year, ringing it in with a new hope and an optimistic outlook for 2012.
With the ringing in of 2012 comes my last year of college. I have less than a year at Virginia Tech, which has been my home for nearly three years. While this makes me sad, it also makes me realize how far I have come and what I have to look forward to when I graduate. I am excited for what I still have to learn and what I will have to do to prepare myself for "the real world". I feel very fortunate to begin my GIS job at Virginia Tech, which will be a nice sort of training ground for what a GIS job will really be like.
I also feel that while I am away from both my immediate and extended family for the majority of the time, this year has brought us closer together. I'm not sure if we all just had the urge to keep better contact or if social networking has made it easier, but just the love that I have felt from my family this year has been amazing and has provided tremendous support for what has been a very challenging school year.
Well, as I have found it tradition to do, I have made my annual list of New Year's Resolutions. I know that I am not the best at keeping them (then again, who really is?), but I know that I need to make some changes, both in a gradual and immediate sense. So, here it goes:
1) Better monitor what I eat (lay off the sweets!)
2) Exercise at least twice a week
3) Get my Driver's License (for goodness sake!)
4) Stay organized; don't let messes build up
5) Speak up more often
6) Ask; the worst they can say is "no"
I know, pretty general goals, but I really need to improve on these things. I realize that not have my license can be a hassle for others as well as myself. Having a job during the summer will be great, but only if I can get to it and I can't always rely on the bus.
I also gained a bit of weight this year and it is in part because I do not eat very well when I am at school and I do not exercise nearly enough. I am going to try to prepare more home-made meals instead of eating out so much and I am going to try to cook more often with meats, as horrifying as that thought is to me.
What are some of your New Year's Resolutions? Did you accomplish any from last year?
I hope that everyone has a Happy New Year, ringing it in with a new hope and an optimistic outlook for 2012.
Monday, December 12, 2011
It's Meteoancienthistoryremoteseningaladocious!
Finals are here and with that comes the lovely realization that some of them are really, awfully, terribly squished together into a very short time. Today marks the beginning of a 24 hour period in which I will take not one, not two, but three exams. I opted for this option because I honestly work better under pressure, but I think that the title of the this blog accurately depicts how I'm feeling just about now.
The first exam will be today at 1:05 and will be meteorology. Altogether not a difficult subject, but I have found that the professor isn't exactly fair with what is put on the tests, with the graduate students scratching their heads wondering if they could have passed them. I will have ample time to study for this one, but I honestly wonder if it will do me any good.
The next exam will be at 7:45 tomorrow (that is in the a.m.) and it will be Ancient History. This one I am not too worried about, as I love this topic and have had it several times before in other classes. I am simply not thrilled that it is that early in the morning.
The last exam of this round will be at 10:05, directly after Ancient History, and it is Remote Sensing. This subject I have a pretty firm handle on, but it does require a good bit of studying.
These are just the middle three finals. I have already completed French and will still have to do GIS. This is the most finals I have ever had to take for one semester, but I think I can handle it :)
The first exam will be today at 1:05 and will be meteorology. Altogether not a difficult subject, but I have found that the professor isn't exactly fair with what is put on the tests, with the graduate students scratching their heads wondering if they could have passed them. I will have ample time to study for this one, but I honestly wonder if it will do me any good.
The next exam will be at 7:45 tomorrow (that is in the a.m.) and it will be Ancient History. This one I am not too worried about, as I love this topic and have had it several times before in other classes. I am simply not thrilled that it is that early in the morning.
The last exam of this round will be at 10:05, directly after Ancient History, and it is Remote Sensing. This subject I have a pretty firm handle on, but it does require a good bit of studying.
These are just the middle three finals. I have already completed French and will still have to do GIS. This is the most finals I have ever had to take for one semester, but I think I can handle it :)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)