I got you, babe

I hope that I am a person that people can rely on. I would much rather listen to someone spill their heart out than spill out my own. I consider myself quiet, introspective. In my opinion, why would I break the natural sound of silence with rambling nonsense? However, I enjoy listening to others, observing others. My roommate just told me something troubling her mind and I sat there and took it all in. I tried to give her sound advice, but I mainly was there to just comfort. There's a deep connection, a bond, through these interactions. Am I just the type of person that is asking to be told everything on someone's mind? Maybe. Maybe I just appreciate it when it happens. Personally, I feel more comfortable writing down my thoughts. Could this be because I don't trust people with my thoughts? But I want them to trust me with theirs. Ironic.

Have you ever seen the rain

My best friend, Amanda, came to visit me friday. She goes to school in New Hampshire but came back home for a weekend to visit. My other two best friends were supposed to come but something came up and they couldn't get a ride down. I'm not terribly surprised. Anyway, Amanda and I have been friends since 6th grade and honestly have been through our share of highs and low but still she has always been there for me. I missed her a lot so it was really good to see her. We pretty much just hung out together all night, catching up on each other's lives, eating ice cream and brownies. It was one of those nasty, rainy nights. Honestly, I had no motivation to get all dressed up and go out in the rain to get soaked out so we stayed in and hung out with my friends from the floor. The next day, my sister picked us up to go get bagels for breakfast. Amanda had to leave by 12 because she wanted to visit other friends at Towson University. It was really good to see her, I mean we talk on the phone almost every day but it's just not the same.
Last night I went to Santa Fe to see a Red Hot Chili Peppers cover band. I went with probably about 20 people from my floor. It was insane trying to get us all on the same bus. It was a lot of fun. However, I definitely feel like I wasted this day recovering from staying up late last night. i still have some work to do but I don't know how much of it will actually get done. Ohhh the life of a college student.

Tuesdays Gone With The Wind

My best friend is coming to visit this weekend! She goes to New Hampshire but her fall break is this weekend so she's going to come see me for a few days. I have to say that I am pretty excited.
Tuesdays are definitely my worst day. I have an hour and a half of womens studies at 9:30 and an hour and fifteen minutes of government right after that...the morning is very long. Then I have UNIV later that evening which, to be honest, is incredibly dull and just a little bit pointless. I really shouldn't be complaining, I have a huge break in the middle of the day to do work and eat but I'm so relaxed by that point that I do not at all feel like going back out into campus for another class. Everyone is returning to the dorms when I have to grab my books and walk in the other direction. But I'm sure that I can deal with it. It's not like it's a hard class or anything.
It's funny, I never thought that this would happen but I have to call my mom every day, whether our conversation lasts one, twenty, or sixty minutes. I may be one of the only ones around that does that. I've just always been so close to my mom that I can't imagine not being able to talk to her every day.
Something made me really pretty mad today, and maybe just a little disappointed in society. Some guys on my floor are organizing a football game and I was with them when they were discussing it. They didn't bother to ask me if I wanted to play and when I mentioned it they said that I could always be the cheerleader... who ever said that gender stereotypes were dead was surely mistaken. Then one of the guys keeps asking to play me in basketball, one-on-one, to settle whether or not girls can play sports as well as guys.... right. As if one game can settle such an odd question that really should never have been asked in the first place. And really, wouldn't that only settle the better player of the two individuals?

Something

I feel like I have been immersed in government reading all day. I probably read over 40 pages of dense text and every moment I was distracted by something or other. Struggling to stay interested in Locke and Liberalism, I realized that maybe I should really start to rethink my direction. I don't mind government but I obviously do not love it. Why is it my major? There must be something out there that I wouldn't mind doing for the rest of my life. It's just so final. What if I change my mind? Actually no matter what I decide on within the next four years, I'm sure that I will change my mind at some point. When I talk to people and they know exactly what they want to do for a job I feel slightly jealous. I can't be like that, I can't stick to a plan. How can someone be so sure about something? Are there never any doubts?

The Song Remains The Same

So it is Sunday, almost 7. Where did the day go? This is what happens when you stay up late, sleep late, and still feel tired the next day. Everything that I was planning on doing today has still yet to be accomplished. My stress is not relieved by the weekend. I'm pretty sure that I never procrastinated this much when I was in high school. I was one of those kids who would do their homework as soon as they got home from school. I was never a victim of the infamous all-nighters to finish a paper. I mean obviously I still have a good number of hours tonight to do my work but still, I would feel better if I was finished with it all right now. Ahhh, the life of a college freshman. I think that it's going to take more time to adjust than I could have imagined.
Last night I went to a concert with cover bands for Nirvana and Pearl Jam. The music was great and I was up by the stage the whole night. I went with a group of people from my building. I still have a ringing in my ears from the loud speakers but no complaints, I had a great time.
The football game yesterday was amazing. My parents were tailgating before so I stopped by there to pick up some food and then got to the stadum in time to get first row seats. Amazing. There is no better way to watch a football game than from the front row.

Narrative

I was a member of Saving the Music club at my high school and was an officer, it was one of teh only clubs that I was really passionate about. The goal of this club is to raise money to buy instruments for inner-city schools which lack the funding for a music program. Three times a year we organize concerts to raise this money. In the fall and spring we have Open-Mic Nights. A good amount of people volunteer to play for a crowd of students and parents and we charged $5 per person. I always performed...sometimes with my brother, sometimes with my best friend, and one time by myself (by far the most nerve-racking). The concerts demonstrated the influence that music had on each student's life. Music was and still is Life. There was nothing more rewarding than being involved in providing this same feeling for other students who were previously deprived of music.

Sitting Here Watching the Wheels Go Round

Why can't everyday be this beautiful? 80 degrees, sunny, the bluest sky, whitest clouds. I was planning on getting some of my work done now between classes, and to some degree I did, but I've found myself incredibly distracted. The trees that surround me are a magnificent green and the breeze is incredibly pleasant. These are the ideal conditions for my mind to wander and I can't really say that I'm resisting it. So I'm just sitting here watching the world go by.
I feel as if I have a lot of work to do this weekend but in comparison to others, it probably isn't too bad. I have a Cultural Artifact presentation due thursday for Women's Studies. It took me forever to think of a good artifact and in the end I chose a song written by and for RAWA. It's an organization and a culture that I know very little about so I'm excited to be enlightened. I also should start working on my english paper... that's important. Other than those two big things, I'm sure that I will have a good amount of reading for all of my classes, especially Government.
I have a group project due tuesday for UNIV101 and we are meeting today. Honestly, I really do not like group work because no matter what, the work is never distributed equally and it's hard to get someone to step up to lead and delegate. This project isn't really all that difficult so I'm sure that it will be ok though.

Gravity is Working Against Me

My elbow hurts right now. I slipped, completely wiping out, and landed right on it. Pretty graceful. Honestly, I feel no shame, it wasn't really my fault. It was either going to be me or the next person who walked through the puddle in the hall.
Life is really pretty funny. This group that I have been hanging out with is such an interesting mixture of people from all sorts of places, all sorts of backgrounds. Would I have been friends with them if we were all in the same high school? I don't know. It's also weird what a short time that we have known each other...yet I feel like I have known them forever. These past three weeks are the beginning of a whole new era, I hardly even remember life before this. The only outlet that I have to the past, to home, is my parents. Without contact with them, I truly would have a new life. Honestly, I have no desire to keep many ties to my home town. I just have such a strong motivation to move on. If given the chance there is no way that I would go back to high school... don't get me wrong, there were a lot of good times but there were definitely some bad.
I'm debating whether or not to audition for a singing group. The auditions are tomorrow. I hate feeling unprepared....I can't think of the perfect song to sing, I don't have any time to practice. I should do it... but I don't know if I can. I know that if someone doesn't push me to do something than it is very unlikely that I will do it. Unfortunately there is no one around to push me here so I'm going to have to motivate myself...

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

After getting five hours of sleep per night (sometimes less) for three weeks, I am officially tired. I am just at the point where I need a power nap in the middle of the day or an extra cup of coffee in the morning. It's rough and yet I can't change my routine. Somehow I still find the energy to finish all of my my homework pretty early, play my guitar, and go to the gym.
I was playing my guitar, one of my favorite songs, 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' by Led Zeppelin when I got a call from my mom. So I stepped into the hall to talk and I heard that song playing down the hall on the boy's side. This was just too weird of coincidence so I had to go check it out. Sure enough it was the guy from the room closest to mine. Apparently we have telepathy...or maybe he just heard me, or we just have the same great taste in music. Anyway so I brought my guitar over and we jammed for a long time. My brother called and he came over to play too. It was pretty chill. I was clearly the amateur of the group but it was a lot of fun. So I'm hoping that with all of my free time, because my classes really aren't that much work, I will have a lot of time to play guitar and get really good. What a modest goal.
Today I went to a meeting for an extreme sports club: rock climbing, kayaking, caving, mountain biking, and s'mores!!! I've never really been exposed to any extreme sports but I went to the meeting anyway just to check it out. It seems pretty cool but I would be a true beginner so we'll see how I do.
So right now I'm just sitting in my room with Jen, Rachel, and Teressa, just doing homework and listening to music. I could probably fall asleep right now but I can't.

Follow Through

I climbed the rock wall on thursday! I had never done it before but really wanted to. A bunch of people that I know went too. It was really fun, really challenging, and I would definitely do it again. This weekend was pretty good. My roommate went to visit her boyfriend in Manassas so I had the whole room to myself which was a good and a bad thing. I missed having her around but sometimes it's good just to have your own space. I went to a frat party friday night and met up with two of my best friends from high school there. They come down to College Park pretty much every weekend which is insane but it's good to have them around. Actually I think that this was the last weekend that they are coming down for awhile. I got to talk to my best friend, Amanda, Friday which was really good. I needed to seriously catch up with her. It is really hard to keep in touch but I'm sure that somehow we will find a way. She's coming home in October for a fall break so she should be coming to College Park to visit. Yesterday was the football game against Cal. which was really fun! We went to tailgate beforehand and got food from my parents and then we went to the game very early so that we could get close seats. Second Row seats, the closest I have ever been for any game. I love the spirit of the fans at this school, how they get so into the game and the team. There's nothing better.

Nothing's Gonna Change My World

Yesterday was a good day. My math quiz was relatively easy so I'm hoping for an 'A.' I got all of my homework done during my 3 hour break between english and math which left the rest of the night just to chill. For some reason I really have not had that much work to do this week but I can almost guarantee that that will change by next week. I'm eager to fill up some of my free time with a few clubs...First Look Fair is next week! Anyway so last night I brought my guitar into the lounge to play. A lot of people came in to hang out, which was unusual for my floor because most people will only go in there to study... but then again, there was cake in the lounge so that could have had something to do with it. Anyway, we pretty much just had a mini jam session and passed my guitar around to all those who could play. After that I played Rock Band with some guys on my floor for a few hours. I usually don't like to play video games but I feel like that one is ok since it technically is social. I ended up meeting a good amount of people from the building. I had to be the singer, as I was the only one who could stay on pitch, so I think I'm losing my voice from rocking out all night. It was definitely worth it though, I had a lot of fun!

The Sound of Settling

It’s been one week since I have started college and so far I absolutely love it. I have complete freedom that I have never experienced before, but, of course, I know not to abuse it. I just really like only being in class for a few hours and then having the rest of the day to do homework or whatever I want. I really like my classes a lot. My Women’s Studies class already has broadened my view on society and society’s accepted norms.
Socially, college has been a lot of fun! The people on my floor are really nice and really down to earth. I get along great with my roommate and I have gotten close with a lot of people. I see my brother and sister more here than I did at home. Robbie lives in LaPlata so I see him at the diner a lot. I played on a soccer team with Alexis and people that she works with at the gym. It was a lot of fun even though I haven’t played in forever so I could use some practice. I do not think that I have left my building without seeing someone from my high school. I’m trying not to rely on high school people to hang out with so I can focus on meeting new people. So far I have been good with this. But, it is nice to see familiar faces sometimes when I am out.
So yes, University of Maryland has met my expectations and I truly am having a great time!

This Bird Has Flown

The night before move in, I was lying in my bed at home, attempting to fall asleep. It wasn't really working out. My mind was racing as I went through every "what if..." imaginable, trying to picture how much my life would change once I began college. Whenever I over-analyze anything, I am guaranteed to start convincing myself that only the worst is possible. I put my radio on to try to change my thoughts, to slow my mind, to rest. After a few songs, I was getting ready to give up on the idea of sleep and just find something else to do until dawn when a song came on that changed my mood completely. It was 'Norwegian Wood' by the Beatles. Alright, so I know that this song is basically about this girl that one of the Beatles was dating and her furniture of norwegian wood, which was popular furniture at the time. There, of course, is a story behind this, he ends up sleeping in a bath and burning the furniture. The point is that there is this one line in the song that goes "This bird has flown." It gave me comfort at that time. I realized that embarking on this journey, beginning college, is bringing me one step closer to where I am meant to be. I do not know my landing point but the important thing is that I have flown, I have left my known world to find another.
It was over a week ago since that night and I still feel the same. I even learned the song on my guitar today and now I can't get it out of my head. It has become a mantra of sorts for me. It's funny what will inspire a person.

Mines A Tale That Can Be Told

To be honest, I have very mixed emotions about this blog assignment. I mean, posting my thoughts for the whole class to see in a way makes me kind of nervous. However, I totally plan to embrace this experience and work it to its fullest.

I am from the Baltimore, Maryland area though I technically reside in the little known town of Jacksonville. I love where I live. Being surrounded by rolling hills and dense forests is truly inspiring but it is far from convenient. It’s one of those locations where you have to get in your car and drive 15 minutes to get to any form of civilization. I went to Dulaney High School, known for its competitive sports teams and challenging AP classes. I tried to be very involved in my school while also taking a lot of AP courses. I am not a math person in the least bit. My focus is aimed towards liberal arts. At the time I was filling out my application for UMD I guess I was in a very Government mood for I ended up picking Government and Politics for my major. Honestly, not a whole lot of thought went into my decision and I completely forgot about it until Orientation when I was placed in that group. I do like Government but I’m not sure if it’s what I want. I’m hoping to double-major. Maybe Anthropology, Latin, History? We shall see. As far as I am concerned, I am utterly undecided for my major until further notice.

I feel that I am pretty prepared for this writing course. In high school, I had a few great English teachers; some, not so good. I took AP English Writing and Literature and did really well. Writing should be enjoyed, an idea instilled upon me by my mother, one of the most liberal-arts minded people I know. I do enjoy writing. I keep a regular journal for all of my thoughts and I am an aspiring songwriter, something that gives me the most satisfaction as a form of writing. When I write a paper, I usually follow all of the proper steps. The longest stage for me is most definitely the brainstorming, not because it is the hardest but because it is my favorite. Why not spend the most time on it? My mind goes wild with ideas to attack the question, or inquiry. It’s most important to make sure that the writer’s voice is present to represent the point of view.

The most challenging paper that I have had to write has to be my UMD application essay. I do not think that I have ever put so much thought into anything. It was not just a paper to impress a committee, it was a declaration of who I was at the time and still am now. I wrote about my connection to Henry David Thoreau after reading ‘Walden’ and how it changed my perspective on life. It was deep, maybe too deep to share.

In other writing courses I learned of the importance of rhetoric to convey a message to the audience. I am not going to pretend that I am an expert. There are gaps in my understanding of writing and I am eager to fill them through this course.

I would consider myself a decent writer. I mean, I can’t just turn out an essay in an hour or two, it takes me a good deal longer. The thoughtful ideas that I bring to my writing is my strength. I think through everything thoroughly, analyzing every word. Maybe that’s one of my weaknesses; sometimes I have a hard time just letting the words flow, letting them be artistic in and of themselves.

I can write a great introduction when I’m in my mode. But, by the time that I get to the conclusion sometimes I lose it a little bit. A strong paper should have a strong conclusion as well.

This idea that I can pretty much write about anything I want, within reason, for this research project feels liberating. How will I handle this power of choice? It’s going to take a lot of thought to be able to pick just one area of focus. Maybe I’m thinking of music: the necessity of music classes in school, how music affects the mind, etc. Maybe I could focus on social patterns in a college atmosphere. I just do not know yet.

When I think of argument I think of forming a case to defend a position on an issue. I think of lawyers, the great orators, and how they use evidence and rhetoric to prove their side. I think of politicians and how they can swing the vote in their favor by a convincing argument. I think of using the principles of argumentation to persuade my parents to let me stay out later. Argumentation in everywhere and learning how to use the principles is an effective form of writing. No doubt that the information learned in this class will be useful in all other classes while in college as well as essential in life.