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A Reflection on Full-Time Employment |
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How do you make an already stressed college student have an anxiety attack? Take them out of classes and give them a full-time internship for six months with a quickly growing e-business. If I were old enough to drink it probably would've been a grand old time--but I had only just turned 20 last summer when I started. Sad.
I replaced the alarm clock I'd had since grade school with something softer. The alarm clock that plays CDs is a blessing. A great among inventions.
1. Sliced Bread (always #1)
2. Some Celebrity (always changing and technically not an invention, but they count apparently)
3. Flush Toilets
4. Alarm Clocks that Play CDs Instead of Beeping
5. Fire (constantly getting knocked further down the list)
Since returning to campus I've found myself in a dorm at the heart of the university. When someone runs down the hall screaming, you know it's Friday night. I have adapted to sleeping with earplugs and a mask, and not even for the sake of a roommate (she moved out yesterday...perhaps I'm too wierd?) but all the other noises. The trash collectors show up around six thirty in the morning, the trash room is right below my bedroom, and the dorm next to mine is still being built. This makes for a lot of early noise, but as I said before, this country bumpkin is adapting to city life once again.
My next entry may be about Kit-Kats, I'm not sure yet.
 Ayeka_Penor · Sun Jan 22, 2006 @ 09:05pm · 0 Comments |
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Midterms: The Quest for Academic Survival |
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While not as bad as finals can be, midterms carry many of the same symptoms...
Stress
Lack of sleep (more an all-the-time kinda thing)
Mood swings from stress and lack of sleep
Acute depression
Loss of hair eek
Puberty's Revenge (aka acne)
Colds
My university has a particularly condensed academic year, so our mideterms and spring break come up sooner than most, but if you find yourself suffering from any number of these ailments odds are you have a deadline coming up like a smoochy aunt visiting from Georgia. You dread it, you can't get away, and ignoring her would only cause you great pain...
Let's try sorting out the best solutions for dealing with midterms.
Stress: Try reiki, yoga, walks, runs, squirrel fishing, whatever empties your head. TV and video games don't really work to settle your nerves, I've tried this.
Lack of sleep: Buy a club, preferably solid oak. If your roommate(s) have a habit of staying up late, you may use this tool to incur immediate quiet and get your much-needed z's. Sleeping pills in their diet coke/red bull doesn't work very well and can have strange side effects.
Mood swings: Ignore everybody. You love your teddy bear, hug the teddy bear, and it will be good.
Acute Depression: Ben+Jerry's is best, not all sugary/chocolaty stuff will properly serve as a cure. If a certain crimson friend is also present...lock up all sharp objects and keep a random list of compliments on your desk.
Loss of hair: STOP PULLING! (also see 'stress')
Puberty's Revenge: Washing often doesn't always help, just shower once a day--no matter how busy you think you are (also see 'stress')
Colds: I'm gonna pull a Mommy and tell you to wash your hands before you eat! It's amazing how little it takes to make you that much healthier. For a thorough job, 90 seconds minimum--that's why you were told to recite your ABC's as a child when washing your hands. Back then it took 90 seconds to get through the whole thing! And since your overall health can suffer as a result of stress and lack of sleep, and may be reflected by a breakout of acne...reread this list!
blaugh
Ayeka_Penor · Tue Feb 15, 2005 @ 04:11pm · 0 Comments |
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Join Me...On the Fire Escape |
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_Ah! What is this beautiful sound I hear? It rings! It calls!
I live in an old building in the city...not as old as last year, but still rather sketchy. The bottom ladder on the fire escape out my window has an alarm attached...the old ringing kind. Recently, it has started going off for no apparent reason. As a matter of fact, it's going off right now.
Last time it took over two hours to get the thing shut off--it started around ten and ended after twelve. I hope tonight will not be a repeat.
But listening to this bell makes me seriously rethink my alarm clock. It's the traditional psycho-sounding 'EH! EH! EH! EH! EH!" alarm I've had since junior high. (Minus the teddy bear stickers...I finally took those off sweatdrop ) My roommate uses her cell phone and spends about twenty minutes a night picking the song to wake up to. Me, I think the best way to wake up in the morning after a tense night is to start the day with a heart-attack, you know, get that blood pumping!
::cough:: Seriously however, I think I need to find something more easy on my nerves. When you think the fire alarm is less annoying than your bedside alarm, it seems like time for a change don't ya think?
Ayeka_Penor · Thu Jan 27, 2005 @ 01:25am · 0 Comments |
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As a noob on the anime scene I strongly defended dubbed anime merely bcs I could pay more attention to what there was to see rather than reading the dialogue.
After a few years I had more opportunity to watch subbed versions of new and old anime and I realized how much better the sound quality was when I watched anime with its original soundtrack.
Now, several years after watching my first anime, I find which format I prefer to watch depends almost solely on the anime. Some are just as good dubbed as subbed sound-wise, and without the subtitles to distract me they're better.
There is the occassional problem with the voice-actors, where a dubbed version includes a character with a truly annoying voice. Even when most dubbed anime include many of the same actors, if the voice suits, I don't have a problem with it. ^_^
That's just my thoughts... What about yours?
Ayeka_Penor · Mon Jan 03, 2005 @ 05:44pm · 1 Comments |
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They Ruin the Holiday Cheer: a cure to finals angst |
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It's the bane of my existence: the test. This morning was linear algebra, a class I know I'll have to take again anyway if I didn't ace the exam: chance of that being the case is nonexistent. So for the rest of you poor souls caught up in this truly evil cycle of stress and futility, here's some input I copied off this site: Laughnet.net
50 Fun things to do in a final that does not matter
1. Bring a pillow. Fall asleep (or pretend to) until the last 15 minutes. Wake up, say "oh geez, better get cracking" and do some gibberish work. Turn it in a few minutes early.
2. Get a copy of the exam, run out screaming "Andre, Andre, I've got the secret documents!!"
3. If it is a math/science exam, answer in essay form. If it is long answer/essay form, answer with numbers and symbols. Be creative. Use the integral symbol.
4. Make paper airplanes out of the exam. Aim them at the instructor's left nostril.
5. Talk the entire way through the exam. Read questions aloud, debate your answers with yourself out loud. If asked to stop, yell out, "I'm SOOO sure you can hear me thinking." Then start talking about what a jerk the instructor is.
6. Bring cheerleaders.
7. Walk in, get the exam, sit down. About five minutes into it, loudly say to the instructor, "I don't understand ANY of this. I've been to every lecture all semester long! What's the deal? And who the hell are you? Where's the regular guy?"
8. Bring a Game Boy (or Game Gear, etc...). Play with the volume at max level.
9. On the answer sheet (book, whatever) find a new, interesting way to refuse to answer every question. For example: I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that it conflicts with my religious beliefs. Be creative.
10. Bring pets.
11. Run into the exam room looking about frantically. Breathe a sigh of relief. Go to the instructor, say "They've found me, I have to leave the country" and run off.
12. Fifteen minutes into the exam, stand up, rip up all the papers into very small pieces, throw them into the air and yell out "Merry Christmas." If you're really daring, ask for another copy of the exam. Say you lost the first one. Repeat this process every fifteen minutes.
13. Do the exam with crayons, paint, or fluorescent markers.
14. Come into the exam wearing slippers, a bathrobe, a towel on your head, and nothing else.
15. Come down with a BAD case of Turet's Syndrome during the exam. Be as vulgar as possible.
16. Do the entire exam in another language. If you don't know one, make one up! For math/science exams, try using Roman numerals.
17. Bring things to throw at the instructor when s/he's not looking. Blame it on the person nearest to you.
18. As soon as the instructor hands you the exam, eat it.
19. Walk into the exam with an entourage. Claim you are going to be taping your next video during the exam. Try to get the instructor to let them stay, be persuasive. Tell the instructor to expect a percentage of the profits if they are allowed to stay.
20. Every five minutes, stand up, collect all your things, move to another seat, continue with the exam.
21. Turn in the exam approximately 30 minutes into it. As you walk out, start commenting on how easy it was.
22. Do the entire exam as if it was multiple choice and true/false. If it is a multiple choice exam, spell out interesting things (DCCAB. BABE. etc..).
23. Bring a black marker. Return the exam with all questions and answers completely blacked out.
24. Get the exam. Twenty minutes into it, throw your papers down violently, scream out "******** this!" and walk out triumphantly.
25. Arrange a protest before the exam starts (i.e. Threaten the instructor that whether or not everyone's done, they are all leaving after one hour to go drink)
26. Show up completely drunk. (Completely drunk means at some point during the exam, you should start crying for mommy).
27. Every now and then, clap twice rapidly. If the instructor asks why, tell him/her in a very derogatory tone, "the light bulb that goes on above my head when I get an idea is hooked up to a clapper. DUH!"
28. Comment on how sexy the instructor is looking that day.
29. Come to the exam wearing a black cloak. After about 30 minutes, put on a white mask and start yelling "I'm here, the phantom of the opera" until they drag you away.
30. Go to an exam for a class you have no clue about, where you know the class is very small, and the instructor would recognize you if you belonged. Claim that you have been to every lecture. Fight for your right to take the exam.
31. Upon receiving the exam, look it over, while laughing loudly, say "you don't really expect me to waste my time on this drivel? Days of our Lives is on!!!"
32. Bring a water pistol with you. Nuff said.
33. From the moment the exam begins, hum the theme to Jeopardy. Ignore the instructor's requests for you to stop. When they finally get you to leave one way or another, begin whistling the theme to the Bridge on the River Kwai.
34. Start a brawl in the middle of the exam.
35. If the exam is math/science related, make up the longest proofs you could possibly think of. Get pi and imaginary numbers into most equations. If it is a written exam, relate everything to your own life story.
36. Come in wearing a full knight's outfit, complete with sword and shield.
37. Bring a friend to give you a back massage the entire way through the exam. Insist this person is needed, because you have bad circulation.
38. Bring cheat sheets FOR ANOTHER CLASS (make sure this is obvious... like history notes for a calculus exam... otherwise you're not just failing, you're getting kicked out too) and staple them to the exam, with the comment "Please use the attached notes for references as you see fit."
39. When you walk in, complain about the heat. Strip.
40. After you get the exam, call the instructor over, point to any question, ask for the answer. Try to work it out of him/her.
41. One word: Wrestlemania.
42. Bring balloons, blow them up, start throwing them around like they do before concerts start.
43. Try to get people in the room to do the wave.
44. Play frisbee with a friend at the other side of the room.
45. Bring some large, cumbersome, ugly idol. Put it right next to you. Pray to it often. Consider a small sacrifice.
46. Get deliveries of candy, flowers, balloons, telegrams, etc... sent to you every few minutes throughout the exam.
47. During the exam, take apart everything around you. Desks, chairs, anything you can reach.
48. Complete the exam with everything you write being backwards at a 90 degree angle.
49. Bring a musical instrument with you, play various tunes. If you are asked to stop, say "it helps me think." Bring a copy of the Student Handbook with you, challenging the instructor to find the section on musical instruments during finals. Don't forget to use the phrase "Told you so".
50. Answer the exam with the "Top Ten Reasons Why Professor xxxx Sucks"
Ayeka_Penor · Wed Dec 15, 2004 @ 07:32pm · 1 Comments |
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And We're Back to Our Academically Scheduled Program... |
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Yes, back at school, back in the big city, away from Momsie and Popsicle and the happy lil sister and our loving dog...
::bursts out laughing::
I can't believe I just typed that with a straight face! But seriously, there's only a week and a half left of classes! o.O I fear for my life.
I got a big break this weekend, though: my first original art request! whee Thus far I've only got a pencil drawing, but I'm going to try painting it in instead of photoshopping the hell out of it. I'm almost dreading the results...
Thankgiving went by okay! The main topic of conversation was physics, something none of us have ever taken a particular interest in, but apparently all know a lot about. Basically we debated the big bang, multiple universes, dark matter, etc. Dare I say...we had a bonding experience?? Then we went on a walk with the dog and met about ten other families on walks---with Fido in tow. It was kinda scary in a horribly American stereotypical kind of way.
Ayeka_Penor · Mon Nov 29, 2004 @ 02:34am · 0 Comments |
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Giving thanks...for Thanksgiving break |
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This post is a quick thank-you to the US's unconscious founders, the Pilgrims, for their first act of politics: Thanksgiving. Think about it, a warm, smiling feast that paved the way for hundreds of years of genocide and repression. But enough of that...
Ah, how a holiday's meaning changes. While Christmas gives me convulsions, Thanksgiving has become just a well-earned break from classes and work that gives me a good excuse for eating too much and watching TV. Face it, if my family just talked in the ktichen all day only one person would be alive at the end of the day. How do you survive Thanksgiving when your family loves to debate/argue?
a) Spend as much of the day as possible visiting your significant other's family.
b) Insist on watching the entire Thanksgiving parade, followed by all of the Lord of The Rings films, which should safely carry you through to dinner...and beyond.
c) Clean your room.
d) Hide.
My plan will probably include a little bit of each as the situation changes >.< I cannot escape the dinner itself, but should be able to take a bathroom break every fifteen minutes and let the dog out a few times without looking too suspicious.
Ayeka_Penor · Thu Nov 25, 2004 @ 04:41am · 1 Comments |
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It's that time of year again... |
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Yes! Christmas!
::Roommate taps her shoulder and whispers in her ear::
Or...er...midterms? Wah! crying
In light of this EXCITING event, I will present you with some of things I've learned thus far this semester:
1. Drinking four diet cokes and taking sleep aids leads to dreams of puppies and talking your sleep.
2. You CAN read a 200 page book in an evening...you just won't remember it.
3. Math courses help you in real life, by helping you come up with the number of assignments you can miss and still pass.
4. While most peer2peer sharing networks feature mostly pr0n, you can also find Sleeping Beauty, Finding Nemo, and every episode of Sex in the City...or Full Metal Alchemist.
5. Baseball and football games are cause for celebration! Expecially if celebration means running around the streets without a shirt and climbing trees.
6. Class is at 8 am. If you're in bed by 11pm, you never do hw or have no life. If you're in bed by 12am, then you're normal. If you're in bed by 1am, you have a roommate. blaugh
Ayeka_Penor · Tue Nov 02, 2004 @ 06:15pm · 0 Comments |
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I love speaking in dots...But anyway!
Handed off the typing job, I just can't do it. With my lab report handed in incompltete and two days late I would be crazy to think I can handle it. Who loves the October donation items? I do!!! I think my eyes popped out of my head when I saw them. Since I almost have the perfect demon outfit, I'm going to start looking at something more angelic.
My father bought a new computer! I got home yesterday for his b'day and almost laughed. The monitor, mouse and tower, are the same as we've got in the math and physics lab at NU. ^_^ Of course, the NU machines have zip and floppy drives whereas this one doesn't, but it has a DVD burner! My sister and I can die happy. I'm looking forward to trying out Adobe Premiere on this thing, but first I need to download the usuall codecs and stuffs.
Now for a tidbit which was my theme for yesterday:
"I'm late! I'm late!
No time to waste,
I must make haste!
I'm late I'm late I'm late!"
::bows:: Thank-you.
Ayeka_Penor · Sat Oct 30, 2004 @ 06:08pm · 1 Comments |
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