Starting classes and the Beginning of the End

So yesterday, August 29, was the first day of classes here at Longwood and they went quite well from my initial encounter (aka first day of classes). Today, I had two classes and I'm going to like Tuesdays and Thursdays a heck of a lot better than Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Classes I'm taking:

World History, The French Revolution, Environmental Ethics, Civil War & Reconstruction, Vietnam War, and Revolution & Terrorism.

All of my classes seem like they'll be managable, but if I study harder this semester and really get down to reading, my classes should be easy. I can't really pick out my favorite class yet, but Revolution & Terrorism seems like it'll be pretty sweet -- I get to read books similar to the ones I read on a daily basis for recreation. The only bad thing about the class is it'll be only on Wednesdays and from 6:15-9pm. Wish me luck.......

Other than enjoying the first two days of classes, this semester also marks the beginning of the end of my collegiate/academic career here at Longwood. It's kind of exciting to know that I'll be graduating in May with a B.A. in History and then jumping out into the workforce without a parachute, but at the same time it is also sad -- sad because the funnest four years of my life are coming to an end and I feel like I could've been so much more involved in the goings on at Longwood. But, oh well. No regrets here. I'm just going to try and finish off my time here at Longwood strong -- making up for my slacker Freshman/Sophomore self.

This year will be sweet anyways since I'm at Sunchase with two of my great friends and my brother. We're just going to live it up and enjoy ourselves before we enter the workforce.

I'm going to go nap it up before dinner. PEACE.

Finally moved in and hopefully on

Tonight, I finally moved into my apartment at Sunchase-Longwood for good (at least for the next year) and things are starting to look organized in the apartment. It's beginning to look like a normal apartment. I still have some things to unpack and square away, but I definitely don't feel like doing it now at 12:00AM after working for 8.5 hours, packing for an hour, and then driving another hour or more to Farmville. Plus, I've unpacked all the important stuff -- FOOD, PS2 games, drinks, laptop, etc. . . . . . . . The clothes and cd's other crap can wait!

So I'm pessimistically hoping this semester will get off to a great start and continue throughout the remainder and into the next semester, my final semester as a Longwood student. It's quite sad, but at the same time rewarding and a sign of things to come. I'm 21 and I'll have a Bachelor's in May when I turn 22 -- Life is just beginning for me, really.

It just took me 20-some years, many girlfriends, gobs of money from loans, and 1 serious (awesome at the time) relationship to realize that life is just starting. I've succeeded AND failed so many times this summer to move on past a difficult time in my life, so I really cannot call them successes or failures really, just attempts at success and failure. But now, I have read all the signs and realize that it is now time to SUCCEED and forget about failing in the process of moving on with my life. You know you must move on when you rely on FORCING something to try and happen -- MOVE ON, it's not worth the stress and exhaustion.

So from here, my focus has got to be on my studies. Anything other than that can kiss my @$$ until I graduate or until I have a NEED for them. But, somebody told me "things happen for a reason" and that somebody was me, I was just never listening to my own words and advice. So tonight I was reminded to "look at the positive side of things" no matter how dire the situation, because "everything happens for a reason."

Sometimes it's necessary to just worry about #1, that way nobody gets in your way of succeeding and meeting the goals you have set for yourself and your future. Go get the goals you have planned in advance and take everything extra in stride as it comes along -- let it come to you because the more you force something, the more it seems to just drift the other way.

If your goal is to graduate college, DO IT. If your goal is to become a police officer, DO IT. If your goal is to make a career out of the armed forces, DO IT. If your goal is to get a bachelor's degree and get into a career, DO IT. And if your goal is to buy a black OR silver Honda S2000 with 240HP and a manual transmission, DO IT. (me)

BUT -- when meeting your goals, don't let anything stand in your way that may prevent those goals from being obtained, no matter how much you think you want it. Not all tunnel vision is bad, just block out the things that keep you from obtaining your goal and reaching the light at the end of the tunnel.

Excuse my cliche-like advice, but it seems as if me writing this advice to others is the only way I'll really follow it myself. I gotta practice what I preach, Amen?

Fall 2005 is a-knockin'

Yep, Fall 2005 semester is knocking on my door, which only means summer is about to head out the door never to be seen for another 6 months or so. The end of summer means time to get moved into Sunchase (which I shall be doing on Thursday 8/11), time to buy the 15! textbooks I need (that's what i get for taking 18 credit hours), time to finish up my job at Petersburg National Battlefield, and time to start the final year of my collegiate career. I'm not HOPING my senior year will be better than the rest, I'm MAKING SURE it is. . .

For me, the end of the Summer 2005 season brings about the beginnings of so many things and a fresh start at a few specific things.

Like I said, the main thing that comes about as a result of the end of summer is my senior year at Longwood. I've got to study hard since this is my last chance to solidify my major gpa as well as to bring up my horrendous cumulative gpa. I also have to attend workshops and seminars on resumes, interviews, reference letters, and anything else I may have neglected to mention dealing with finding a JOB.

This will also be the first time I can say I'll be fully independent since I will be moving into Sunchase Apartments. No RA, no "quiet hours," no mean neighbors, and no freakin' fire drills at 2 or 3 AM! With the apartment comes so many other responsibilties, of which bills are the most important. So I get to pay bills and buy groceries -- something I haven't done before. But, none of that bothers me because it'll be taken care of.

I even bought a new Nikon 7.1 megapixel digital camera to document all the fun times I'm going to have with my roomies: Fern, Patrick, and my bro Thomas.

And finally, the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall Semester brings about a "fresh start," a "new beginning" if you will. . . which involves the fact that I am now a single man. I gotta get back into the whole dating thing, which can be fun or frustrating -- so we'll see how that goes. If something comes along, cool; if not, oh well -- I have to concentrate on my studies anyway. Definintely won't be looking for a relationship or to be tied down... I shall just do my thing and deal with life as it comes at me.

Well here's to my senior year of college and the start of my life..... [clink]. Cheers!