I think that spring quarter 2007 might just turn out to be the best quarter I've had at OU. I've been back for a week, love every single one of my classes, and have been having such a good time.
Patrick and I played tennis last Monday night, which I loved so much that I joined OU's class. It's quickly become my new favorite pasttime and I often play for hours on various weekday nights in addition to the classes. Anyone in Athens with a racquet should drop me a message! Pat and I are also in Canoeing together, which I'm really looking forward to. Our first excursion is on Thursday!
I've done my fair share of partying... I was out on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night this week. I had drinks with Kelly and Patrick at my favorite bar (The Pigskin) and went to Skipper's to play pool and have more drinks and fun. Patrick's birthday party was a blast. I'd been grilling burgers/corn on the cob and watching movies with Chris and Amanda (PCU is hilarious; I'm aching to watch it again), and invited them to come along. I had so much fun, met so many great people, and got to spend time with some of my favorite people in the meantime.
Yesterday afternoon, I went to a Step class with Amanda, Olga, and Sarah S (from my Bahamas trip). I was skeptical it'd be a good workout, but it was a great cardio routine and every inch of my body is sore from the 30-minute toning portion! At night, we all went to the free midnight movie at Baker, Children of Men. I was unsure what to expect, but I liked it - it had a unique plot, evoked a lot of emotions, had some pretty funny lines/scenes to break the tension, and had great acting. I was unsatisfied with the ending, which was abrupt and unexpected, but everything else was terrific.
And today, I caught up on sleep (slept from 2:00 - 4:00!), worked out at the gym, and watched High School Musical. A wonderful start to the quarter indeed!
March 18, 2007
I'm three days into spring break. Here's what I've done, in a nutshell:
On Friday, I caught up on sleep (finals left me drained), then ran errands. I had an appointment to have my hair cut, which was a relief - my hair had gotten too long and was driving me crazy! I went to Target and smelled every laundry detergent on the shelf - twice - since I ran out of my old detergent, which is now discontinued. I forget what scent I bought, but it's nice. Finally, I did grocery shopping! Everything I got was healthy, with the exception of Edy's American Idol Take the Cake ice cream. It's awesome - it's flavored just like a birthday cake would be, complete with rainbow sprinkles and icing!
On Saturday, I saw the movie Zodiac with Ashley, an old friend I used to take Tae Kwon Do with. It was 2 hrs, 40 minutes long - a chunk of it focused on Zodiac's crimes and the police investigation, but the majority revolved around a cartoonist's determination to uncover Zodiac's identity. It wasn't suspenseful or scary, but it was interesting. I'd recommend seeing it on DVD release.
Today (Sunday), I spent six hours cleaning out my grandma's house, which has been sold. I carried heavy boxes
up and down two big flights of steps and down a hill to a rented
dumpster. �I had a massive migraine when I finished - my head had
never hurt so much. �Eight people were working at it and the house is
completely empty now, which is sad - I remembered the times I spent there growing up and how much life it used to have.
Well, I'm getting ready to start today's day, but I'll write later.
March 10, 2007
Fun things to write about:
I've been officially accepted into ISV's Costa Rica program, whee! I'm excited about the whole trip - learning to speak Spanish, living with a host family, helping with sea turtle conservation, exploring the beauty of Costa Rica, and getting to do high-adrenaline physical activities. I feel the same way I did while awaiting the Andros Island trip - unable to make it through the months leading up to the trip!
Classes were over as of Friday and it's final exam time! I took my Physiological Psych final on Friday; it was based on developmental/cognitive/mental disorders, the most interesting section we had. I don't have an English final, and I only need a 17/50 to get an A in my Social Work class, so the only thing left to worry about is Intro to Clin & Counseling.
The weekend was fun - I played Monopoly with Patrick (that game is wonderful for kids learning basic math skills, but not particularly stimulating for adults), played pool at Baker Center, saw a horrible comedian at The Front Room, and had a Junction Punch and a yummy shot called a Hard F**k (blue and coconut-flavored). I also saw The Number 23 (not stellar; 5/10) and did some rollerblading. Amanda called me tonight to invite me to go to the ocean over summer, but unfortunately, it conflicts with my Costa Rica trip. I would have loved it, though - we had a great time on Andros together. Another friend is coming down for St. Patrick's Day weekend, but I sadly won't be here - too many dissapointments on the friendship level!
I'll probably won't write again until the weekend; for now, it's bedtime before a long day of studying!
March 10, 2007
Have you ever...
1. Eaten or drank anything spoiled?: A hot dog at an Indians game - I was sick for days
2. Had to pay for something you broke?: No... the only thing I've broken in a store was a bottle of Snapple. I froze, then made eye contact with the guy next to me who said, "Let's just walk away and pretend it never happened."
3. Nearly drowned?: Yes, in the Bahamas - the waves were really choppy that day and water got in my snorkel. I was choking on water and was trying to clear it, but a huge wave rolled over me and I couldn't get air.
4. Passed out?: Once on an airplane and once in my dorm. I almost did while giving blood, but the nurse put ammonia underneath my nose. I also almost did in my Adulthood & Aging class, but I lied down on the table before it happened.
5. Been attacked by an animal?: No
6. Made a wish that came true?: Yes :) The night before my 22nd, I wished we'd be able to snorkel in the reef. (It had been too windy previously.) Low and behold, I woke up on my birthday with everything completely still, and a boat awaiting to take us to the reef :)
Complete The Sentence
7. Nothing sucks more than having to... walk to classes in sub-zero temperatures, especially at 8 AM.
8. If I had six bucks I'd buy... nothing; I'd save it up for a larger purchase
9. It's always more fun if you... have a great group of friends around you :)
10. You can't eat steak without... being an omnivore or carnivore
March 8, 2007
Random notes:
-I'm having problems with my Video iPod. If my water bottle bumps into it, or if I set it down gently on the Elliptical's surface, it automatically powers off. Any delicate bump causes it to turn off; even motion (holding it while jogging) sometimes causes it to happen. I called Apple; they told me they'd never heard of this happening before, but they said if I take it to an Apple store, they'll swap my malfunctioning iPod for a brand new one. I love Apple; their customer service is amazing.
-UPS delivered my free Starbucks t-shirt today. I thought I'd use it to work out or sleep in, but it's actually nice enough to wear regularly. Something funny: when I designed the shirt, I used the adjectives Nonfat and X-Tra hot (to describe the Cinnamon Dolce Latte), which are pretty funny words to be wearing on yourself. ^_^
-I'm finally done with all of my classes. I have one final tomorrow and two next week, then get to leave on Thursday with Patrick and Alex. I can't wait to have a break and a fresh schedule next quarter.
March 4, 2007
This weekend was great; I kicked it off on Thursday night. On Thursday, I wound up going to Cat's Eye with Patrick for free Bacardi shots. I bumped into Lauren, Kristen, and Colin and had fun hanging out with everyone. After that, Patrick and I went to watch the free Midnight Movie at Baker, except it was 2.5 hours long and they were running late. Neither of us could afford to be in the theater until 3 AM, so we left 7 minutes into The Good Shepherd.
Friday night was essentially the same, except at Pawpurr's instead of Cat's Eye. The Green Monster shot they were giving out was divine! I also got a free hot dog and played pool at Skipper's - my team would've won, had I not sunk the eight ball at the end. :(
On Saturday, I did laundry, worked out at the gym, got a hamburger from McGuffy's Grill with Amanda and played Nintendo Wii at her apartment, then watched Riding the Bullet on TBS. That movie got mixed reviews and I was hesitant, but it was great - it had great acting, wonderful special effects (but not over-the-top and unrealistic), and had a good message behind it. I highly recommend it.
On Sunday, I went to print out the three-page paper I wrote over a week ago. I'd written the skeleton at the library, e-mailed it to myself, and fleshed it out at home. When I went to find it, it wasn't anywhere - not on my computer, in my inbox, or in my outbox. I tried everything to find/recover it, but quickly realized it was gone for good and I'd need to re-write it, bah. It took me 3 hrs. the first time, but only 1.5 the second because I already knew which books/articles I wanted to use. At night, Patrick brought over Akeelah and the Bee and we watched it on my iBook. It was an astoundingly good movie; I'd certainly watch it again in the future.
And that concludes my awesome weekend!
February 28, 2007
I'm currently exhausted. I woke up at 5:30 AM to squirrels running all over the ceiling (five feet above me), emitting loud high-pitched noises and making a huge ruckus despite their small (actually, they're kind of chunky...) bodies. It's late winter/early spring, their mating season. I really hope those squirrels got some because they sure went through a lot to court the female - hours, in fact. I learned multiple males will chase the female, and the female squirrel has to fight off male squirrels once she lays her eggs because they'll try to eat them - gross. I also learned squirrels eat birds' eggs and newborn birds in the nest, but I think that's a last-ditch effort if they can't find any other food (maybe?).
Today has been bad for other reasons. We got back our Physiological Psychology exam, which was deceptively hard and something a lot of people struggled with - the average was 27/40. I had a 32, ouch. My professor recently saw a science exhibit in New York and decided to put questions about it on there. I'm glad that he enjoyed it, but none of us had exposure to it, so there isn't any way we could've known the answers. He also wouldn't stop talking during the exam... "Did you guys watch the Oscars? I wish Little Miss Sunshine won more awards. What did you guys do this weekend? I'm bummed I couldn't ski. Check out my ski ticket collection on my jacket!"
Anyway, time for dinner!
February 18, 2007
Over this weekend, I came to appreciate the snow and winter season. On Saturday, Patrick and I went sledding for three hours. We spent 30 minutes looking for the ideal hill and found it next to the fire station near his apartment. It was a blast; we had the whole area to ourselves and the hill was fairly steep - our sled picked up speed rather quickly on it! It was a good workout, too, running up the hill so many times after sledding down. I think I might learn to snowboard next winter; that'd be a blast!
Today, I went to the library to do some work because my dorm room is a sweltering jungle. (Still waiting for maintenance to fix my broken a/c!) A really nice guy named J.C. sat down next to me and introduced himself. He said he'd seen me around campus and thought I seemed nice because of my smile. We chatted about everything; his speaking Chinese and my speaking French, OU, movies and music.
For dinner, Jamie and I went to Jefferson dining hall. I made some delicious stir fry (chicken, carrots, white rice, and szechuan noodles) and had a bowl of ripe strawberries. It was pretty amazing; I think I'm going to get an electric wok to make stir fry of my own. Jamie and I had a few disagreements over silly things, though - she thinks you can get sick from going in the rain or snow, whereas I attribute sickness solely to germs. I had the same argument in the Bahamas with Annie, the elderly lady who taught us how to weave baskets. "Think about people with asthma whose conditions worsten in the rain." "It isn't the rain that made them sick to begin with, though, it just flares up a pre-existing condition." Same thing with the snow/cold temperatures - it may cause you to cough more or irritate your chest, but it wasn't what initially made you sick. Jogging/working out has the same effect, but neither of those are the cause of illnesses. *shrug*
Anyway, time for a refreshing nap, and then time to study.
February 15, 2007
Yesterday was Valentine's Day. Even though I was single, I had such a good time! First, I had dinner at Baker with friends. Patrick came back to Perkins with me and we played card games and watched Jay Leno segments I purchased from iTunes (Dealing With the Public and The Fruitcake Lady - both hilarious). I also got cards and chocolate from family - between that and being in the company of good friends, it was a good Valentine's Day!
English class was fun tonight; we drew words out of a bag and wrote stories centered around them. I wrote about a woman turning 30, which reminded me of a conversation Evan and I had at Starbucks:
Evan: Turning 30 is when you have one drink and call it a night.
Jen: Or it's when you have eight and hope you don't remember it the next day!
For dinner, Patrick and I went to Latitude 39. I thought it'd be a good meal and a good use of the Dining Dollars I have to use by the end of the quarter. I thought it'd be a Ruby Tuesday's type of restaurant, but it was truly fine dining where the waiters and waitresses wore black and white. Luckily, I dressed up a bit more this morning and fit accordingly. The food was delicious - I had fennel soup and cannoli stuffed with spinach and sprinkled in walnuts. For dessert, we split a slice of New York cheesecake (topped with blueberries and strawberries). It was such an enjoyable meal. The private environment (we were the sole patrons) and upscale setting made it feel like we were off-campus, which was a nice change from the college scene, and I I really liked having one good meal as a change from deli sandwiches.
Afterwards, we went sledding by Patrick's apartment. He has a great hill in his backyard; there was a lot of ice under the snow, so the sled went super fast. Unfortunately, the path kept steering us towards a tree and we had a few close calls, so we took a short walk and found a different hill with clear surroundings. It was a lot of fun to sled under the stars - I had a great time.
Now, I'm watching Grey's and thawing out. Can't wait for more sledding this weekend!
February 12, 2007
Monday update! This weekend was pretty good - I went to Bennigan's and had this heavenly White Chocolate Chill-Out dessert. I also saw Hannibal Rising, which was bad - it was given a D in The Plain Dealer. I wish I knew that ahead of time! The Silence of the Lambs was a masterpiece, but all the sequels and prequels have been major flops - they need to put the storyline to rest.
Tonight was my second meditation session. The first was excruciating - I felt like a hyperactive kid trapped in a room and bursting with energy. I was ready to explode! Tonight, I worked out before the session and burnt off all my excess energy. It was a huge difference - when I closed my eyes, I wasn't jumping out of my skin - instead, I felt my body and mind relax and I could actually focus on the meditation. It was great; the 90 minutes went by in a snap and I really enjoyed it.
Last week, two representatives from International Student Volunteers came to OU (one from Australia, the other from New Zealand) to talk about volunteering abroad. I wound up putting in an application - I was told I'd hear back from them this week. I put Costa Rica down as my #1 choice; working on a sea turtle conservation project for two weeks, then spending the next two kayaking in jungles, ziplining through cloud forests, white water rafting, snorkeling, horseback riding, etc. I'd love to explore the rainforests - monkeys, tree frogs, macaws, iguanas, etc. However, I'm worried because I learned summer is Costa Rica's high-humidity/rainy season. I don't want the humidity to be so unbearable that I can't enjoy myself (especially with all the physical activities) or have it rain so much that activities will be cancelled. I sent Facebook messages to students who went last year asking about these things; I'm awaiting their responses. I may switch to Ecuador/the Galapagos Islands. Either way, I hope to be doing something exciting and adventurous over summer!
February 6, 2007
Current mood: Slightly aggitated.
A professor who I've had before asked me to make copies of my notes for this girl because I had done well in his previous class and am doing well in this one so far. Apparently the girl can't take her own notes or something, so I was like sure, I can do that.
Well, this girl has turned out to be the most annoying person
ever. She stares at me throughout class to make sure that I'm writing down notes at all times. If I don't find something
worthwhile writing (because I do know what this professor tests on) and don't
take notes, the girl glares at me until I
start writing again. The professor has to ask her constantly to pay
attention and to take notes as well because she isn't getting a "free ride."
This afternoon, I went to the 2nd floor psychology office to Xerox my notes and
there was someone else in there making photocopies for the her. Rita (the secretary) told me I didn't have to photocopy my notes, so I didn't.
Later on, the girl found me, cornered me, and started to yell at me, essentially saying "I need my damn notes!"
I didn't say much, just that Rita had told me not to bother since someone else was already doing it. She needs to relent a little bit, find someone else to take her notes for her, or perhaps try doing it for herself.
February 5, 2007
Time for a Monday update! I promised I'd write about the Crest Whitestrips. They probably whitened my teeth one shade, but didn't do anything monumental. I experienced a bit of sensitivity to cold drinks, and also felt occasional "zingers," but it was nothing unbearable. They made a subtle difference, but nothing stellar. Overall, I do not recommend them.
My weekend was great - I was a social butterfly! On Friday night, Sarah, Amanda, Mike, Andy, and I went to The Pub for a few drinks. I caught up with Sarah and Amanda (from Andros Island) and spent the time getting to know Mike & Andy (friends of Amanda). I had a good time...
On Saturday, Kelly came back down to visit! She had surgery in January and is taking the quarter off to recover. I was really happy to see her - it'd been too long! Kelly K., Heather, and Jared were also down... we gathered at Kelly's and Maimuna's for an enchilada/mexican rice/nachoes dinner and watched some of Remember the Titans. I was having too much of a good time and didn't want to leave, but I promised Amanda I'd play Nintendo Wii and told Patrick I'd get a drink with him. So, I left around 9:30 PM to play Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. The game is so much fun - I love the underwater parts, which reminds me of snorkeling! I played until 11 PM, then met Patrick at The Pub. I had a Black Widow there, and a sweet/smooth operator named Luke tried to buy me a drink and get my number. We migrated to Pawpurr's across the street, where Patrick knocked over my Blackout, oh well.
On Sunday, I was supposed to be studying for Physiological Psychology, but I wound up watching The Green Mile. It was a pretty good movie, although it didn't have quite as happy of an ending as I would've liked. Some parts were implausible (the man letting the prisoner he believed to kill his daughters walk up to his bedroom and kneel by his wife...), but as a whole, it was pretty good and two hours well-spent.
