Don't play with it

*perplexed face*

Moving along...

***

So it's been a long while....

Right now I'm in the library. I should be studying but my late night, last night is catching up with me. My large coffee is leaving, and just the weird buzz remains... you know like skating on the edge of thin ice.

Today was my last class... of my first semester back since my 2 year break.

So.... my half conscious post write now shall be callleeeeeedddd....... wait for it...
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What I've learned, being back at college :

Life Lesson #6: Pay attention to instructions

I've learned that no matter how complicated the professor... American professors(or all professors) are very clear about what they want/expect. If you pay attention from the get go, and play by the rules, there's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't get an A.

I realized that late. None of my classes were particularly hard. It's just that I was not paying full attention to the system and placing my focus accordingly. For eg., many American professors differ from school back home in that for some bizarre reason they love multiple choice exams. Anyone who's been through the English system, or CAPE, learned that they don't give two hoots about M.C.... the entire CAPE exam is writing and more writing... You learn how to write 4+ pages in an exam. Whereas, over here, they focus more on M.C. To me, M.C. exams require a more detailed throrough study as opposed to mere understanding of basic theories, supported with selective (supporting) details.

If you understand this from the beginning and wrap your head around it... things are easier.... which brings me to the next point... of studying..

Life Lesson # 7: Start studying early.... why yuh lazy so and so not studying every night huh?

This technique is more a tool for college, not just applicable to prepare for m.c. exams. Reality is, if you're doing a little revision every night from day one. Then you're studying as opposed to cramming. The work ends up being stored in your long term memory as opposed to there up until two minutes after the exam has passed. That way, you actually learn something. Some how, I have the most ridiculous notion that the purpose of college and university is to learn the skills and material that will last with you and be helpful with your career choice. Not, have a degree on paper, but only remember a fraction of the material.

Ofcourse, it helps if the teachers are interesting and passionate about the subject. My Bio teacher made it very easy to get interested and stay awake during classes because he made the subject so much fun, and practical. Everything was related to how it affects us as individuals and how simple things that happen within the body are not complete rocket science.

My 7.55 am class was a pain, because it was so early and I was always late... but in my most waking moments that was interesting too.. The prof was very passionate about Political Science... and really tried to convey this passion to us... Perhaps, if I drank more coffee in the morning, and actually did my readings prior to the lesson, and overall, came more prepared for class, I would've done better. However, like Bio, I remembered certain topics, such as welfare and the Judicial branch of government, that was discussed in class almost vividly because of my interest(in law and some politics) and background (coming from a 3rd world country...). However, some parts were frustrating because I don't agree whole heartedly with some of the American ideals. It sounded like a nation of scared, confused people that are so caught up with having rights that they found even better ways to trap and delude themselves in some not-so-free ways unlike other democracies......but that's another story.

Point I'm trying to make is... try to find something that is interesting about the course. You're doing it for a reason, whether mandatory or optional, and so long as you're there might as well make it worth the while....so making a special effort to find a topic of interest, or angle of interest, helps to keep the focus and retain more in class.

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This will have to be continued.... my coffee buzz is wearing off now... now I just feel like seconds away from my head hitting the desk.

Ciao for now...... till later on tonight or this week.
Deuces...!

I miss my little woof woofs.

On my way to building 23, I saw the most adorable big white fluffy dog at the end of the block walking with its owner in my direction. This quickly help me get over my guilt over making my final art purchase... (which was an absolute necessity... it's a sketchbook filled with black paper, so I could finish up the pieces that require techniques on black paper... MUAHAHAHAHAAA... my repertoire is complete. Now I shall go forth and reproduce... digression complete.)

But it caused a new emotion to set in... I stood before the steps to enter the building in complete indecision as whether I should walk down the street and greet the owner and ask to touch the cuteness, or.... m.m.o.b. (mind my own business) and go inside... I looked into the doors of the building, I looked at the dog. Building. Dog. Building. Dog. Building. Dog... *sigh* I went inside.

The security, looked at my sympathetically and asked, "Whats the problem? I know something is wrong.. I saw how you were looking at me indecisively outside...? You forgot your ID didn't you?"

LOL. Actually, I wasn't looking at any one thing inside the building... but... I said, "Naw.. *dips hand in jeans cargo pocket and flashes it* I just miss my doggies..."

She says, "Well.. hmm.. why don't you get a new one...?"

*Eyes widen briefly*... Now even if my doggies had passed away.. that's a rather insensitive thing to say. That's like saying, "Oh your baby died... get a new one..."

I then said, "...nothing like that.. I miss my doggies... It's different having a dog in NY than in the Caribbean.." and walk off to the elevator.

***

On a side note... I feel really weird.

My head feels faint. I ate a hearty bowl of Manhattan Clam Chowder, with wheat bread, coffee and a banana. I also had two snicker mini bars for extra energy boosts. It doesn't feel like it's an energy problem though... Perhaps it's the studying for the library... I wrote 4 (back and front) index cards worth of notes for Political Science... 2-3 hours of writing and research and neck being cricked in one position... that might not sound like much, but considering how small my handwriting gets when frugality (aka save the rain forest/paper conservation) and laziness (desire to have all my notes on one page) kicks in, it's atleast a couple well typed pages long...maybe like 2-3 at most.

You know... I was in the study pods, which thus far, only seem like a handful in the library. I realized that it took me at least 15 minutes to find it... this is my rationale for why there is atleast one always free. It comes equipped with a comfy sofa-ish chair, which a mobile desktop attachment and the 3 wall (separator) has 4 electric ports to plug in laptops, ipods, etc... The first time I came here last week, I thought it was so nifty an idea....

So this week, I kicked my shoes off. Tucked my feet up. Swerved my comfy movable chair. Laid back and started to delve into my work............

....AND then across the partition in front of me I hear voices. -.- .... A female student talking to someone else about her Spanish teacher giving her a text on the syllabus and how stupid it is... REALLY. I agree.... BUT... *ahem* We are in a place of silence conducive for studying... If I could hear your voice a passageway, studypod, and perhaps another passageway away - trust me - that is too loud. I'm sure she was 8-10 ft away... -.- *exasperated sigh* THEN after she finishes her convo, I resume my work... Next thing I hear a techno radio approaching me. This guy is walking with HEADPHONES on blazing techno or spanish music, I really don't care what KIND of music it was... but it was loud. He goes into the pod right next to me. *SIGH* He turns it down slightly... Then like a memo went out it's ok to play music audiby because someone started playing a game or something loud enough that I could hear... I put on my mp3 to tune them out....

Somehow it's ok to talk incessantly, play music and such and such and such in the library... Perhaps I'm just picking the wrong spots.

I really shouldn't have to suffer like this in a study environment... I don't recall SGU library ever having this problem. You could hear a pin drop in SGU... and the only sounds were the occasional sounds of footsteps, the rustling of pages turning and the occasional printing of paper.


On a good note... I'm going to be swimming. That shall be my fitness activity. I brought up my goggles (knew they would come in handy) and I have to get a shower cap... then I'm good to go. YAY.

Take that any illness coming my way. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA....

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I have class at 2.55pm... *sigh*

Good news, thats 10 minutes away... Bad news, it took 6 hrs and 45 minutes for it to become 10 minutes away...

Afterwards I'm heading down to 59th street to go see the crazy guy hanging upside down. Pity I can't throw paper balls 6 stories high. Shucks.

Shelli out.
Holla back young'n TooT TooT

***

Yea yea yea... you swear it's not you, it's someone you used to know... blah blah blah.

I seek solace in the knowledge that karma is a b*tch on training wheels.

Today was exhausting... I had a 6 hour break between classes. I must have been an idiot to not see this being a potential issue when I was planning my class schedule. It's thoroughly depressing to be in school for so long... studying, or trying to find something to keep you awake.

Also, I discovered playing with Pandora's box isn't that fun afterall. In a quiet corner, I find out more than I ever dreamed of...

Now if only all this information excess was of some academic value....

And since it isn't it shall be disregarded and discarded as unimportant...



Just remember like our faithful ex-PM used to say...

"Brothers and Sisters... what goes around, comes around..."

Shelli out.

I think I just like to think too deeply about unthinkable things.

That's my problem... yes yes... I just like to think too much.

Ever feel out of your element but not quite? Ever feel like there's so much more you could be doing, but you're doing what you can... and it still doesn't feel like enough?

There's so much I want to achieve this term... Adjusting back to college is... well it's awkward being on the other side of the classroom now. I find myself even more quiet in the classroom not because of shyness but for the reason of not wanting to offend the professor when things are said that make my eyebrows raise... Or perhaps, in some instances, it is shyness because I feel as if I should know the material already even though I never did it before - because I was a teacher, regardless that I never taught the subject or desired at the point of initial college days to do the subject.

And I still don't know what I really want to do.

I wanted to be a lawyer so badly... but now it just seems like a nice big compromise to my principles, of course it would depend on what area of law I go into... but yea.

oOOoOoo... I'm going to practice being a Life Coach. My godsister Devian, wants me to come practice with her church's youth group. I've been invited to come give a talk when I so desire and am ready.

I have a paper to write on the legalisation of Gay marriages, whether or not it's a violation of the constitutional rights and etc etc. Oh joy.



Anyways, that ends my mini-morning Sunday rant.

Only positive vibrations for the rest of the day..

Shelli out.

***

I miss Grenada.

For perhaps all the wrong reasons... I'm sad I'm missing all those parties in August.. NOT that I would've been able to go to them all, or even made it to half, but the mere fact that I couldn't even if I wanted to.

I miss the beach....

I miss my friends. I get to speak with some online... and there were some I used to talk to more in person or on the phone... and now.. well... yeah.

I miss cussing about high school (my job). I had a dream last night where I saw Ms. Greenidge and she was like "Aw.. you couldn't even tell anyone you were going?" and Ms. Henry was happy to see me in her usual merry way.

And I was driving along the road by Hanky's going down by the market. And the car kept going...

***

Nostalgia is a bitter, sweet taste that lingers for a while.

Shelli out.