There are some things you expect as you keep stepping up the ladder of knowledge; however, the interrogation I have faced against my own expectations of a collegiate environment here in Atlanta has given me a brand new perspective and I will never forget it.

In fact, excitement aside, I was sad. I was scared. It made me look around to see what I had, what I missed, and what I have done. Ever since August 2001, I have been waiting for this day. Now, I sort of wonder what would have happened if I were to redo everything. Looking back, my interests and my choice of education split across a wide Y-shaped road. It never once converged. Nevertheless, I think I was able to keep both feet on each road as I went from classes to work then work to classes. I can’t say I have had the typical college life; however, I can say that I have learned a lot from classes and from work.

Out of all the things that has given me reason for continuing to face the frequent challenges, I have no one other to thank than my friends and family. It is close to December 18th, 2005. Tomorrow, I will be moving back to Charlotte to take a relatively short break before starting my career.

(As cheesy as that was, I have expressed my thoughts frankly. You let me know how you feel when you reach this crossroad of life.)

Related Links:
NBC: 11alive.com
CBS46.com

For a brief period, I though the Summer would be easy-going and lax compared to Fall and Spring semester. By the time the second week was over, I had to let go of such optimistic expectations. I could not have picked any other schedule for the Summer. As so it happened, the two classes I am taking has complemented each other in terms of how they fit into my weekly routine. There was only one time where things that were required for those two classes conflicted with each other. Other times, major things were always at least a week apart.

Yesterday, I’ve jumped over the last big hurdle for one of my classes. I feel relaxed now but I know starting next week, I’ll start stressing over the two final exams coming up.

Anyway, I’ve strengthened my friendship with a select few while being driven from some others. As some theorize, humans are compelled to understand and befriend those who know about what you’re going through better than anyone else. I don’t think there is a better example of this than to just point at me when I am emotionally and mentally stressed; I find it that I have a difficult time communicating with people outside of the paradigm that I’m currently in. I suppose it’s really a shame but it’s something I have noticed more and more this Summer and semester out of all others.

I do not have a single clue what the deal is with textbooks; all textbooks I’ve held in my hand tend to over-complicate matters to the point of being absolutely intellectually fussy. I’m just referring to all the textbooks I was forced to buy high and sell low for; every single textbook made perhaps-interesting subjects into hazardous objects of boredom. It certainly does not help that most of the textbooks that my professors require are usually written by other PhDs who all seem to love their own personal style and diction when it comes down to writing a textbook. I can never seem to read one sentence without having run into the period at the end to think: “What in the world is this person trying to tell me?”

On the other hand, I love a good technical book I can buy for less than $49.99 minus tax, at my local regular bookstore. Now, those authors, they get to the point and they get to the point well. If I wanted to read about “How to do something” then all I have to do is flip through the Chapter X titled “Something” and start reading from the first paragraph to the last. In a textbook, I would probably be able to find a Chapter XX on page 689 entitled “Profoundly Abstract Something.” Then, I’d have to search for the first paragraph that actually explains what I wanted to find out since the first few pages will have some intellectual rant about the subject and how the reader should be aware of major assumptions that the chapter makes in order to explain the subject.

In reality, in all the technical writing classes that I was/am forced to take as a Computer Engineering major (about five total), our technical writing advisors always reminds us that simplicity is key. Well, I have to wonder where in time this advice turns from useful to something so petty that the high intellects of our society ignore it completely. Don’t they know that their work is being read by students? If not, then what is the deal with those problems at the end of every section and chapter? If so, then why write it as if it were to be read as a substitute to Unisom thirty-something minutes before you need to call it a night?

On a side note… personally, I think that the egos of upper-echelon intellects have fed themselves long enough. Unless you are Einstein, Newton, or any one of the intellectuals from earlier centuries, conceit should be bottled by a cork of modesty and stowed away in the cellar until maturity hits.

The kicker? This is supposed to be a 2-hour laboratory course.

In the end, I am glad that I will get this course over during the Summer instead of in the fall because 1) I’m taking one other class that is not as strenuous as other ECE courses I’ve taken so I’ll have more time to focus on this lab class and 2) Summer semesters are really never relaxed as I’ve heard but this lab kind of packs 4 months of material into 2.5 months so better to get it over within a shorter period of time instead of for 4 months.

Anyway, I’m taking a bit of time adjusting into this whole Summer semester thing. I haven’t really been too efficient with my schedule outside of getting my school work completed, I need to try to find a part-time job somewhere while starting to prepare for finding a full-time position for after Graduation.

Anyway, for all my friends not in the ATL this Summer, feel free to email or give my cell a ring!

The past four weeks have been rushed. Everything from worrying about and studying for my Spring semester Final exams to my moving to a different apartment for the Summer to trying to figure out whether or not my Summer schedule would be too difficult…

My spring semester went okay. Definitely not stellar but a big sigh of relief when the final grades came out. Last fall, this one particular class scared my whatever level of wit I had after three consecutively mediocre academic years at Tech. The professor was actually there about 55% of the time before our very first exam… and when they first exam happened, I decided it would be best to give that class a big drop. This particular class was a prerequisite for a few other ECE classes so my decision to drop this class in the Fall was not easy by any means. In the end though, I’m glad I dropped the class in the Fall as the Professor that I had in the Spring was extremely more passionate about teaching the course than the other Professor in the Fall.

My summer schedule has been lightened after a visit with my Academic Advisor… and strangely enough, this is the first time I’ve met my Advisor. With my Summer schedule, she figured out that I only needed to take 3 more classes to graduate. I was a bit surprised because I thought I had at least 4 courses left to fulfill my degree requirements.

Since I was going to have to be a full-time student in the Fall anyway, I decided to take only two classes instead of three in the Summer. Now, I’m merely four classes away from Graduation (after Summer).

I truly wish that I was an in-state student. I feel/felt so rushed to Graduate as soon as possible. If I was an in-state Student, I’m pretty sure I would have taken another semester to take classes that I actually would like to take instead of taking classes that could help me graduate the quickest.

I doubt it…

If I had to summarize my academics for the past 3.5 years in one sentence… that’s what I would say: “Collegiate scholastics was like shooting myself in the foot over and over.”

How sad…

Of course, academics aside – friends, fun, and learning about stuff that are actually interesting (whether it be in a class or through self-motivation) has been the pain killers that dramatically improves this time-limited ‘reality’ we live.

Gonna have to try going full-throttle until at least Spring break… then try recovering… then going full-throttle until end of the semester.

*unenthusiastic yay*