Thoughts on Sophomore Year

School is in full swing and I am officially in my second year of college. It's really weird not being part of the youngest group on campus, and making friends with freshmen originally was kind of different. Knowing all that I know now about college from last year, I can relate to them, but at the same time, I feel like there is something of a gap because of how much a person grows in their first year of college. I've actually found that a lot of the freshmen are older than me, at least the international students. (I guess I'm on the younger side for my year). Which is sort of strange since I'm still a teenager technically and they are not, but most of the time I feel older.

Sophomore year is definitely harder. I'm taking a full credit load, and am involved in several extra-curricular activities and I have a job on campus, which apparently totals to 67.5 hours a week. Huh. Does not leave much time for sleep or socialization. I feel like this year I am going to have to be a lot more careful about budgeting my time well and efficiently so that I can still hang out with people and do things with my friends. I was really stressed out last week with homework, but I think as long as I keep up and work a little bit ahead to give my self some wiggle room I will be fine.

I've learned these first two weeks that you really have to make plans with your friends if you want to spend quality time with them. Since people are starting to get into their major specific classes and you have less and less classes with your friends, you have to start initiating getting together or it won't happen. I really want to work on this this current semester, and grow close to my friends that I already have. I also want to really commit to a bible study of sorts. I think it is really important to be part of a close community and I wish I had gotten involved in something serious last year. But live and learn. Now I know what is important to me and who is important to me. 

Anyways, I am really looking forward to this year. I hope it doesn't go too fast. I am so excited about the new friends I have made and for the friendships I will strengthen. 

4 Things I Learned My Freshman Year of College

Just like that, my first year at college ended,  and now I am working full-time at my college library. I have quite a bit of time to think about things and read books while working the desk (the college is obviously not very busy during the summer months), so I decided to do a post about some things I found important and learned my first year of my college career.

1. Attend all your classes

This past year, the only time I skipped a class was to make it to work on a day the college was following a 2-hour delay schedule. Believe me, I thought about skipping class so many times. Having 8 Am's everyday is extremely hard. To keep myself in the right mindset, I reminded myself of how I was paying to get my college education, which meant I was not using what I bought if I were to skip class. So go to class! Your professor appreciates it, you are making good use of your money, and it will positively impact your participation grade.

2. A perfect match is not always best

While finding people with similar interests is a great way to make friends, don't limit yourself to people who share your exact interests. Sometimes being friends with people who share slightly different mindsets or have different views on things can be an excellent growing experience, and you may form a bond with those kinds of people when you each respect the others opinions. For example, I made a few friends whose theology beliefs at times vastly different from mine. This has helped me to be more open-minded as well as become strong in what I personally believe.

3. There will be drama


When a bunch of people around the same age live together in close quarters, there will be drama. No one in the world agrees on everything, and therefore conflict is due to arise when you spend all your time 24/7 with the same people. Many will tell you that if you make the right friends, you can avoid drama. The truth is, you can't. Instead, learn that it will come at some point, and be sure to be mentally prepared when it does. Keeping an open, gracious mind, is one of the most important things to remember when troublesome situations arise, and it is a skill that I wish that I had improved more upon before starting my college career.

4.  Sleep is more important than studying


I know, crazy concept. But the truth, nonetheless. Many studies have proven that your brain functions much better when your body gets an adequate amount of sleep. Cramming is not the way to go, although the temptation to pull an all-nighter before a big exam may be strong. Instead of cramming late at night, get a good night's sleep. You will do better on your exam for it.

Alright! These are some things that I believe are very important to know in order to succeed at college. I hope that this helps any future college attendees or serves as a good reminder for current students.
 

Book 2/50 Thriving At College

Ok, so I made this goal (that I thought) was realistic to read 50 books this year. So far I've read two. We shall see how this goes.

Today I finished perhaps one of the most helpful books I have ever read, Thriving At College. Written by Alex Chediak, this book is written to help the Christian college student navigate the academic life. It is divided into "Mistakes" as chapters and deals with the subjects of making your faith your own, keeping an organized lifestyle, and how to make the most of your academic career. I'd recommend this book to anyone - and I wish I had read it before I completed my freshman year.

Thriving At College focuses a lot on how to have a balanced life, which is something I tend to have a hard time doing. Besides that, this book also gives the reader tips on studying. It had never occurred to me until reading this book that I should be studying consistently year-round, not just when I have an exam. This is something I plan to change next year, and I am excited to see how it will change how I perform in my classes. Chediak also touches quite a few important topics of relationships, and how the way you choose friends is very detrimental to your character. You become who you hang out with, he says, and I think that is an excellent point.

This book changed how I viewed my academic career and helped me realize how important it is to set a decent schedule for myself and to budget my time wisely. I definitely suggest that every freshman read this book before starting college, or while attending, it can greatly benefit your life.

Say Geronimo

I am quite nearly 1/4 of the way through college. I realized this while talking to a friend yesterday about when we were leaving campus (nor not leaving campus in my case) after our final exams. Yes, finals week is upon me and the last two weeks have been nothing but stress and drama. Upon coming to college, I assumed that the general population would be significantly more mature than my youth group friends but upon approaching spring semester, I soon realized that is not true. Evidently my expectations for my peers were way too high.

Presumptuous or not of me, I have been a little surprised at the reaction of people older than myself to relationship problems and have been shocked at the lack of discretion some people seem to have. Currently, I am going through a little bit of heartbreak due to a situation with a guy, and apparently a friend has spread the word like wildfire, with intentions still unknown. This surprised me because I am not used to having to explain that something like a relationship problem is best left quiet. I have always assumed that this is common curtesy. How wrong I was, and it has led to a number of rant sessions and tears on my part as a result.

After going through a period of struggling with going back to secluding myself from my friends because of the guy situation, I soon realized that I was letting everyone control me. I am my own person, I am not defined by my quietness or my heartbreak. Letting people speak for me is ending this year. Basically, I'm done. I'm jumping off the high end of my college career and being me for once in my life. I realized that I am free to have the friends I want, dress the way I want, and I am free to like whomever I want. So say "Geronimo", because I have passed the point of essentially, caring. (The song by Sheppard has been my anthem this week). I'm done caring about what others think, God has called me to be myself.

3 Things I Learned Halfway Through Spring Semester

I cannot believe how much I have grown since starting college - it has been an amazing adventure so far. So, in the format of a previous post, I want to share with you what more I have learned halfway through my second semester of college.

1) Other people can be shy too.

I used to think that I was the problem because I am shy and everyone else seemed to be extroverted. I thought this was why I seemed to have trouble making friends. Truth is, a lot of people are shy and they just have different ways of showing it. For myself, I just have to get past thinking about what other people think and just be me; after all, why do you want to be friends with people who don't accept you for you?

2) Participation matters.

If you can, try to answer as many questions in class as you are able. A lot of professors have a "participation grade" as part of your assignments/final grades. It also helps your professor to put a name to your face. When he or she is grading your exam, he may be more likely to take off points simply because you participate more than others and he "knows" you. My mom gave me this tip, and it has helped me alot (I got the highest participation grade in my Marketing Principles class). It's awkward for professors to have students that don't answer any questions, so they appreciate your input.

3) Try new things

New things may be scary at first, but if you don't try them, you'll never know what you're missing. Who knows, you may end up loving your school's marketing club or enjoying the company of fellow nerds in an anime club. If you don't put yourself out there, you won't learn. Often you can drop out of things if you don't like them, so don't feel obligated to commit to anything your first year of college and try out things, finding what you like. If you have space, take classes that aren't in your major, but interest you. You are here to learn, and that is not merely limited to your major.

Ok that's all for now. As you probably have figured out, I prefer to write short blog posts, because as a reader I prefer to read shorter blog posts.

Have a fantastic swanky day. (Or not.)

Late Library Dates

If you asked me where I spent most of my time this week I'd have to answer

I live there. Apparently I signed myself up for two closing shifts at the library this semester, I have no idea how I was not aware that I did this, but anyway the point is that I am working at the library 9pm-12am Wednesday and Thursday every week. With 8am classes everyday. Like I said, no idea what I was thinking or why I ended up with these shifts.

Yesterday I spent 11 1/2 hours total at the library: 10-12:30pm studying, then I worked 3-7, waited two hours and then worked 9-12. Basically this place is my home.

< Picture of my library.

I really love the library, so I don't have a problem really, except for that I need sleep. Which I am not getting. Like, I got 4 1/2 - 5 hours of sleep last night. Not cool or healthy. So I'm trying to go to bed earlier on days I don't work but this becomes a problem because my roommates stay up past midnight usually. Funny, because when I come home from the library to my dorm after I close they are in bed with all the lights off. (Which is funny because my roommate just asked me to leave the light on for her if I go to bed before she does.) Interesting.

Yeah whatever. I can't wait till next year when I can pick my roommates (actually that's a really dramatic thing but I'm not going to talk about that right now). To be honest I don't mind that I'm at the library so much because a lot of my friends hang out there, and I get to see people come and go.

Random fact: my friends (especially guys) like to make jokes about me shushing people in the library. It's getting quite old, and in fact I would like to smack one of them the next time they shush me at my circulation desk.

Alas, Marketing is Over

Today is the second to last day of my J-term Marketing Class and I've never been ready to be done with a course in my life. Something about studying only one subject for an entire month at a rate of three hours a day is extremely energy-draining no matter what the subject is. With the final looming ahead tomorrow I should probably be studying, but hey, I'm working at the desk where I'm going to get interrupted anyway, so might as well share my thoughts on marketing.

I'm really glad I chose to take this class - I found it increasingly interesting as the term went on and was surprised at the things I learned about marketing that I did not know before. Being extremely non-exposed to how businesses work at all, I viewed marketing as advertising, or merely the selling of a product, which I typically looked down upon due to the annoying presence of sales people and telemarketing. (Not to mention the banner ads on websites) Marking is about satisfying customer wants and needs, not trying to sell a product, its about creating a relationship with people. My professor also showed a large interest for internet technology, which, being a computer science major, is right up my alley.

I learned the most in the area of marketing ethics. I realized I had unconsciously categorized marketing as an evil subject, something that God would not look upon with favor. I soon came to realize that marketing done with morals in mind and with a truthful mindset is a very successful career. While I have no intention of changing my major to marketing or entering that field in the job, I have a higher respect for marketers in general after learning what exactly marketing is. That being said, I did really enjoy marketing, but enough is enough.

5 Things I Learned My First Semester

So 2014 was the start of college for me, and today I am sitting at my college library, where I pretty much live, chilling with coffee and eating the orange that I stuck in my backpack this morning. (If you don't believe me, check my Instagram) As I sit here, I realized that I am not the same person that I was when I stumbled onto campus August last year, paralyzed by the fear of having to meet new people and *gasp* live with them. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to adapt to this new life, I was homeschooled, used to working at my own pace and making my own schedule. I'm here to say I survived, and here are five things I learned my first semester.

1.) Your roommates and hall residents don't have to be your friends.

I came to college thinking that the roommates to which I had been assigned to and the people on my floor would become my best friends. I could not have been more wrong. By the second month I soon discovered that the people on my hall had formed mini groups and cliques, of which I had no desire to be with. And, to be honest, I cannot remember all of their names. And it is all ok. I don't talk to my roommates on a regular basis; we try to coexist with each other in silence. I realized that I made friends on my own at the places on campus I am often at like the library and my classes. So, a tip: don't confine yourself to the people you first meet. It will change, and you will grow.

Of J-Term

Alas, I have chosen a college that participates in that unfriendly break-shortener referred to as J-Term, or January Term. This entitles the study of one class M-F 3 hours a day. I am taking Marketing, as it is required for my major, and do not expect to have a blast during this extremely cold month. While it will be nice to have Marketing out of the way in a month, the class includes speeches and presentations that I am not a fan of. I hated Oral Comm, and I am really hoping there is more to this class than practicing advertising a product. That being said, I realize that I will probably learn alot during this class and am exciting for what it has in store for me.

Self Confidence, or the Lack Of

So, hello, I am no longer a music major. I am officially a Computer and Information science major. It's funny that I'm in the mathematical sciences department and I absolutely hate math. I suppose I should explain this random extreme change in degree choices. So here goes.

It was that one class. 

So all the music majors have to take a class called "Keyboarding" which is preparation for the Piano proficiency test that all music majors have to pass. Me, being a piano major, was put in the Advanced Keyboarding Class. Advanced? Joke of the semester.

I do not know scales, or key signatures. Or the circle of 5th's. Or intervals. Everyone else in that class did. Here's the catch - I was going to have to learn all of them by the end of the month so I could pass the exam. Needless to say, I was freaking out. How does one do that anyway - I had never really taken theory and my old piano teacher never taught me scales. It was beginning to really stress me out. I was going to have to play in juries, and one of my voice classes required a solo. It was entirely too much pressure, especially for a first-year in college and someone who had never been in a classroom setting.

That aside, I was only a B.A in music, not education or performance. Job? No.

That class planted the seed of doubt in myself I had had been playing with for a while. I listened to all the other piano majors practicing - they even messed up pretty (if at all...while practicing). 

So, after a lot of tears (and I mean a lot, and in front of my advisor), I changed my major to CIS and I'm now minoring in music. I think I made the right decision, but I failed to note some things about my self that were very important - I had completely no self-confidence.

1. I was the only first-year piano major

Those piano majors in the practice rooms? All upperclassmen. So I was comparing myself to upperclassmen. Yeah, probably shouldn't have done that.

2. I DID pass the audition.

Yeah, what happened to that? In a teary conversation with my advisor, she told me that I had auditioned very well and she thought I had a lot of talent. She told me I didn't give myself enough credit.

3. Just because I'm a CIS major doesn't mean I can't pursue piano.

Contrary to popular belief, you DO NOT have to major in what you love the most. Sure, I actually really love technology, but I also really love piano. (they wouldn't let me double major.) Also, my piano teacher/advisor told me she still considers me a piano major, and is going to have me learn all the same things the piano majors are learning. So, basically, piano major with out the degree certificate. 

So basically, I lacked self-confidence, and I got scared. I started to switch my major for the wrong reasons. However, now I feel like I made the right decision in the long run for my future - now I can pursue music without all the pressure.

So anyways, I guess the point of this post was have self-confidence?

My next post will be on K-Pop...

Notes on the Last Day at the Office

I finished my schoolwork in late March this year. I was excited to be done, after all, it was the end of my high school days. I then began looking for work. (Mistake #1 - Don't wait until you are done with school before looking for a job) My art teacher had said that there was this Christian arts and music camp that was hiring for the summer. So I applied there first, kind of assuming I would get to work there since my teacher recommended me and said that I had the job. I didn't apply anywhere else and April came and was passing fast. I wasn't hearing back from the camp, so my mom told me to apply other places. Still pretty confident that I had the camp job landed, I applied to a local restaurant and Giant.

Well today ends my days working my office job. I just got back from a dentist appointment (those are fun), and thought I'd do a little post about my work experience while I have the time. I don't know how much time I'll have to blog while I'm at college, hopefully at least once a week.

I've learned a lot working at this office. I want to share the story of how I got this job, because I feel it marked an important checkpoint in my life about trusting God.


It was late April when I finally heard back from the camp. I wasn't hired due to a lack of space for more positions, they simply had filled everything with returning staff. This was a shock and a huge disappointment - I was really looking forward to working at the camp, and thought I had my summer planned out. But God had other plans for me.

Frantically I applied to around 20 other places, freaking out. I needed money for college, and the Penn State students would be taking all the jobs soon. I applied at Giant again, who I later called and they had apparently "lost" my application.

By the second week of May, I had given up. As a last hope, I applied to Giant again. They called me in less than 5 hours of me submitting my application and wanted to schedule an interview. I was so incredibly happy and thankful - I thought I was on Cloud 9. I got the job at Giant, and thought that my life was perfect (well nearly).
My mom then called me one day the next week after I started at Giant and said that a family friend had found a place for me at an office of a company that someone in our church owns. I was hesitant at first - I had the Giant job and I wanted to keep it. I then realized that I needed money - so I interviewed and got the internship position there. I really wanted to keep Giant, so I switched my availability with them to nights, hence why I have two jobs and work 12-15 hour days and nearly 60 hours a week.

But you see, I was so worried about finding a job when God was in control the whole time. He had a bigger picture in mind, while I only focused on the fact I wasn't working at the camp I wanted to. I was over-blessed. I wanted a job really bad - I needed a job really bad - and I got two. Too much job.

Pre-College Stress

Recently I have discovered the forest...nay the jungle... that is packing for college. Like, what exactly do you need? What should you leave at home? Will I really need a microwave...or a bath robe? Do I need food in my dorm or should I just take full advantage of the expensive dining plan? I don't know.

Since my college is only approximately 25 minutes away from campus, I decided that I really don't need to bring a ton of stuff. If I am missing something, my mom can bring it over or I can get it or whatever. Less is more in this sense, I suppose.

Getting what I need for college has been stressing me out a little because I've been at work a ton and haven't been able to do much shopping. Hopefully since this is my last week working my two jobs, I'll have a bunch of time next week.

I still need to finish my Fundamentals of Music Theory class and read the common reading book Silver Like Dust. Let's add those to the pile of things I need to get done next week. Ah college life. I can feel its pressure already.

Alright, Let's Get Caught Up Part II

Ok, so in my last post I was talking about my retail job at Giant food stores. Good ole retail life. Now I said that my other job was an office one - its' not as boring as it sounds. I do a lot of cool stuff. Really.

Actually I do a mix of social media monitoring, web design, graphic design, and other related miscellaneous stuff. This week I just finished created 6 ebooks for my company to go up on one of the websites. It's actually really cool and it's what led me to my decision to double major in college.

I have decided to double major in Piano and Computer and Information Sciences with a Concentration in Web Management. I know, I know, two vastly different subjects. But hey, I love piano, and I'm really awesome with computers, so why not? (I really should do a whole post on how I practically live the Family Tech Guy Meme, but that can wait)

To be completely honest, college is freaking me out. It's going to be a lot of responsibility. And when I say that, I'm not talking about being on my own - I'm used to that, plus I'm an introvert (us introverts thrive on being alone). It's more the social and financial aspects for me. I've never been good communicating with other people (especially guys), and the prospect of meeting so many new people is really kind of scary. Also, getting school finances has been extremely difficult. But it's in God's hands and I will survive.

On a more happy note, I got a macbook pro! It is fantastic and amazing AND I sold my soul to Apple....more like just my bank account. But I think it was worth it. So long, Microsoft.

Welp that's all for this one, I'll try to post mini updates like this throughout the rest of this week. I post spastically, so, yeah.