My First Week of Educational Freedom!
So I took the week off, I didn't necessarily have that planned but I decided each day that I would take that day off to rest and get back ready to go. So a week went by and I figured that is about enough time to sit around and be lazy and so now I am back ready to go here at The World of Joel. So the graduation went well, it wasn't all that red hot of a commencement ceremony but then again when are they? Jenn and I got to do it together, so that was the real winning ticket and made the entire experience worthwhile.
So now what? Well I can't say I have been going ahead full steam looking for a new job, I have looked, but I am putting that off until after my upcoming 3 week trip. Speaking of the trip, beginning next Monday, so Monday the 30th of June I will be doing daily updates on the trip. Jenn wants me to do daily updates on the trip so not only you the countless loyal readers can see what we are up to but so five years down the road Jenn and I can remember details that if not written down we would have never remembered. I am going to set up a Flickr stream with all the latest photos and for at least the first half of the trip do daily updates on the trip. When we get to the cruise part it will be a bit more sporatic due to the crazy prices of using internet on a cruise ship.
Outside of that I have been crazy busy with my latest project, I am not calling it my last project, but I will say its by far the biggest I have undertaken. I will be unveiling it to you all when I get back. So that's all from now, expect daily updates again starting tomorrow!
The Big Day Has Finally Arrived! I am Graduating from UC Irvine!!
So as you all have been reading in the past few weeks I am graduating from UC Irvine with a major in Sociology today at 1pm. Can you believe how time flies? I sure can't. It feels like just yesterday I made the big switch from Cal State San Bernardino to UC Irvine and what a transition that was. But now I type this message only hours before I leave to go to my graduation which I am a bit nervous about. I have to say that these kind of things aren't my cup of tea, I would been just as happy getting my diploma in the mail and moving on, but I know that this is something I should and must attend, so that's that.
Anyways I appreciate you all bearing with me through the up's and downs of college life, its a stressful time, it can be fun, but its also a lot of work and I for one and so glad to officially be done. By the way graduating with me is the love of my life Jenn who managed to get done with school in just 3 1/2 years finishing up this fall. How amazing is that? Talk about working hard, she spent so much time and effort getting through school that I just say back and watched as she plowed through some extremely difficult classes. I am so proud of her, I cannot begin to describe the amazing work she has done, and what an honor it is to graduate with her. That is all for today I will be back tomorrow with a recap on the big day!
One Week Until the End. Time Does Fly
I am sure some of you are getting a bit tired of hearing about hearing the constant updates on my last week at UC Irvine. But don't worry it's getting down to the end. A week from right now, I will be finished with my last Final. Yesterday was basically a day off for me and so I came down to school with Jenn and got our graduation stuff (cap and gown, tickets, etc) picked up and am ready for June 15th (graduation day). It was a nice day all in all, we went to look at some houses near by, and took it easy for the most part. I have to say that it's a bit weird imagining a life without school. It becomes so ingrained in your life for the last 4 years it just feels odd to know that one day it all ends and its time to move on.
As you all know I have my Europe Trip coming on July 2nd and so I am not making any big plans for my life until after that. I need some time to just relax, recuperate, and figure out what I want to do. And what better then way then 3 weeks in Europe? I'll probably start thinking about what to do on the 13 hours of flying on the way home.
One week until I am an official graduate of UC Irvine. Crazy stuff.
My Official Last Week of Classes at UC Irvine
How crazy is life? It feels like just yesterday I started my first nerve filled day at UC Irvine, and now here I am a year and a half later and I am finishing up my BA in Sociology and moving on with my life. For those who are wondering it did take me the 4 years to finish up my BA which most of the people I talk to are on the 5 or 6 year plan in school, so I am really excited to have gotten in and out of here in a good amount of time. For those who weren't reading my blog a year and a half ago, I transferred as a Junior from Cal State San Bernardino to UC Irvine in January of 2007 and for all intensive purposes didn't think I would be graduating until 2009. But a few lucky draws and bam I am a week and two days away from taking my last final, and a week and six days away from officially graduating.
So how has UC Irvine been?
It's a good school, there is not two ways about it. It's everything a top notch University should be, I just am not one that is all that engaged with school. I have enjoyed my time here, especially since Jenn transfered over last summer, that really has made a world of difference. More then anything I owe a lot of getting through UC Irvine to Jenn, she has kept me focused, she has helped me make some huge decisions, and more then anything she was there for me day in and day out to make sure I got through school as successfully as I possibly could.
By the way I don't know if I have mentioned this yet in previous posts, but I graduate on June 15th (which is fathers day) and guess who's going to be graduating with me? That's right, the love of my life, Jenn! She to will be walking on June 15th although still having a few quarters to go they are allowing her to walk early to not have to come back for next years commencement. It will truly be a great few weeks to come!
The Diet of a College Student. Snickers and Energy Drink.
So I have never been one to study. I am a procrastinator to the fullest extent, especially when it comes to things like studying. As many of you know I am graduating from UC Irvine here in a few weeks, but I have never really done the full blown "study day". UC Irvine is one of the tougher schools around, but somehow my poor study habits have allowed me to get by with somewhat decent grades. Unfortunately my last quarter is proving to be quite the challenge, and I have had to log some serious hours to get through.
So today I had 8 hours in the library from 10:35am to 7:00pm I was in the Science Library at UC Irvine studying for my midterm exam tomorrow, which if all goes well, will prove to be my last midterm as an undergraduate student. When studying a lot you tend to get hungry/thirsty and so college students tend not to choose the healthiest snacks. Take for example today, granted my lunch was a Subway sandwich, my 3:00pm snack was a good old fashion Snickers Bar and an Energy drink. Sure there may be one or two things that could make a less healthy combo, but I found it hilarious that college students at a top-50 University in the country are not smart enough (myself included) to pick something as unhealthy as this, and yet it tastes great. I have never been a huge fan of energy drinks but today it tasted fantastic, and there is nothing like a good snickers bar. All in all, if there was one thing I missed in the college experience it must have been the great study snacks.
Back to the Grind, for the Last Time!
So I am sitting here in the Science Library and the University of California Irvine at 8:30am waiting for my last "first day" of a quarter. At least for undergraduate studies that is. This should be barring any major catastrophe my last quarter here at UCI, as I did great in my last quarter courses and have 3 classes left to take. This quarter is going to be no push over but it is crazy to think about where the last four years of my life went. Whatever the case, my spring break was good, I will be posting throughout the week on that, and I should be back to regular updates from now on. Sorry for not posting last week I just really needed the break, and it feels good to be getting back into everything.
So there you have it, my last quarter at UC Irvine begins today! Wish me luck, I am going to need it.
UC Irvine One Game Short From Making NCAA Basketball Tournament Bid
Most of you know by now that I got to UC Irvine. We are not known for being a great sports school. Its kind of a bummer. I really wish we were more competitive, at least we did well in NCAA Baseball last year. Whatever the case, I have been glancing at UCI in the Big West tournament, our only chance of getting into March Madness, and I was shocked to see us upset UCSB yesterday, the #1 team in the Big West.
So I knew we were on ESPN 2 tonight, playing Cal State Fullerton, winner going to the Tournament. Well after missing the first half because of the triple overtime for Nem Mexico and Boise State, UCI was already down 10. From what I hear we are a defensive minded team, but it didn't show tonight. Fullerton was running up and down the court on us. After a slight run from UCI midway through the second half, it was all down hill from there. It was great to see some UCI representation on ESPN, that was neat, its to bad that UCI couldn't have made it for the first time in the NCAA Tournament.
Make Sure You Know What You Order
Ok so Jenn and I go out to lunch together every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during our day at school. We usually hit In & Out, Del Taco, Burger King, and the like. But I have to be honest I am getting so sick of fast food its not even funny. With that being said I decided, you know what I haven't been feeling good, Jenn hasn't been feeling good, lets go out and get something good to eat. So we went to the Corner Bakery out here in Irvine (could be considered Tustin) which is basically a sandwich and salad place and they have some pasta's as well. So the place was packed (big business hangout) and my voice is barely there, but I had Jenn get a table and I went to order. I was feeling a Turkey Sandwich which sounded good on a bit of a warm day, and so I get up to order. I wasn't really paying attention and when I got up to order I rolled off Jenn's pasta order and I scrambled to look for a turkey sandwich. I saw the Turkey Harvest (not thinking at all ) I saw turkey and then I saw mustard and decided that sounded good, not reading the rest of the description. So I get back to my seat and meet up with Jenn and then I see on the table an ad for this new sandwich and it looks nothing like I thought. The sandwich comes out and it's got a whole wheat bread with raisins in it (I don't like Raisins) and in the sandwich was apple-cranberry chutney, and I have to say it was the worst thing I could ever have ordered. I wish I would have paid any attention and not just saw turkey because I barely touched the sandwich. Jenn was nice enough to share her meal, but it was one of those things that you don't pay attention, you have a lot on your mind, and you just totally mess up your order. It must be one of those days!
Taking An Art Class for the First Time
So I just transferred to UC Irvine back in Winter Quarter of last year, and thus far the classes have been extremely challenging but then again nothing I am deathly afraid of taking. But for the first time since 7th grade I am taking an Art class. The reason is a long story but I am in Studio Art 1A a class entitled Visual Culture which I had to buy my very first and only sketch pad. We have four art assignments, each of which are to be graded and critiqued in front of the class. For those who know me well know that drawing is the least of my skills, in fact I am deathly afraid of standing in front of 30 people having them critique my artwork. So to say the least I am going to be fearing this class every Monday and Wednesday this quarter. So wish me luck everyone, this could be a very interesting quarter to say the least.
Milgram’s Obedience. Crazy Stuff.
So there are very few times that I take something from UC Irvine and feel the need to post it on here but in the case of Milgram's Obedience Experiment I felt a strong urge to share it with everyone. Many of you probably have heard of it, but for those of you who haven't I am going to give you a terrible brief on it. Basically the experiment wanted to figure out if the German Nazi's were wired differently and whether the US citizens would have slaughtered other people given the same circumstance. This is a little different for my blog but the results are astonishing. I am not a huge Sociology guy, but my gosh this stuff is crazy. My professor said this is a reenactment, so enjoy it.
The video cannot be shown at the moment. Please try again later.