Ahhh! Mid-terms!

Yeah.

Well, these next two weeks are going to be a ride. Just finished two presentations last night, one more to go along with mid-terms and then ... holidays! I have so much studying I have to do, as well as readings I have to catch up on.

What am I doing over the holidays? I'm making the leap and moving out of my family's house over the Christmas Break with two good friends, well actually for January 1st. Scared? Pfft. Okay, yes. I lived overseas for half a year when I was seventeen so it probably won't be that big of a deal, but this time it's more permanent.

I don't have a main direction for this blog (because I've had a direction and plan for all the other ones [sarcasm]) Guess pretty much, good luck with mid-terms/finals, try not to stress too much and ... enjoy winter!

What's everyone doing for the holidays?!

Extracurriculars Defining My (University) Life

I think it might be from the lack of school spirit I had in high school, I never really had the "pep" that spurred in everyone else before a football game, or even the annual East-West. Now, however, I can't seem to stop.

Last year (my first year) I started with Frontier. It's an organization where we help promote literacy by helping out with one-to-one tutoring or homework clubs in elementary schools around the city. This year I made it as an executive and help organize and plan everything, something I love doing, if only for the fact that it makes you feel more involved. I'm also debating going into teaching so this is valuable experience to add to the list plus it helps with the decision of whether or not this is what I want to do with my life.

As well as Frontier, in my first year of University I became involved with NUSA (Nipissing University Student Ambassadors) Pretty much we represent Nipissing by helping out the community in tons of ways.

All these (and more, I just didn't want to bore you too much by listing more) plus classes and I still find myself looking for more. I can't understand those who don't do anything. I mean, why just pay for an education? I have friends that go, "I really should do this," and never do! Then they complain that they're bored or tired of not doing anything! It annoys me!

Make something of you're university life 'cause if you don't, you'll regret it. I wish I was more involved in high school, thankfully I have another chance in university. Don't waste this time! Getting involved really is fun, you meet tons of people, some who will be your friends for your entire life and you gain experience and a few contacts.

I think Beetlejuice would be a good option at the moment ...

"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice ..."

I've thought about it and I don't think I favor the end of Novembers. Period. Please note that this doesn't have anything to do with the current snowfall, as winter goes, it's definitely in my top four seasons. It just seems to not be a good time of the year for me, and not just '08! Past years have showed similiar results.

You'd think I'd go into examples right now to back that up. But I won't. I'm just going to end that point here and expect you just to take my word for it.

(Not So) Anonymous

Well, I'm not very anonymous anymore, which is probably for the best.

I've noticed there are a few people out there that have figured out that I have a blog in the contest, and by process of elimination, here I am! I guess it opens me to saying a lot more without trying to stay anonymous by being able to state what events I'm taking part in at Nipissing. A kind of shift of my blog.

Why do you care? You probably don't, but I thought I'd share this (somewhat) liberating feeling.

OCD'ing

I have a problem.

Actually, it's not really a problem since I think everyone should have a bit of an obsessive compulsive disorder. Mine varies, I'm not terrified of germs but I like things organized and clean. I can let things get a bit messy, but after the activity which caused that mess is done, it needs to be cleaned up. My binders are organized, my music files in my computer or separated into folders by genre and playlists and I can't write on a paper that is crinkled or has a crease that isn't symmetrical. Actually, I'm compared a lot to Monica from "Friends," but I'm nowhere near that controlling.

My OCD even plays a part with this blog, I guarantee you once I post this (even though I proof read) I'll have to edit this entry about five times before I'm okay with it. Then once I am, I have to leave it alone and am afraid I'll find other mistakes with it.

Last year in a History of the Modern World seminar, I pulled my text book out of my bag and noticed the front cover was creased. A flood of emotions ran through my mind and a look of shock (as though I just had my arm sliced off) froze on my face. After it passed I checked the the price tag to see how much I paid for so I could go buy another one later that day. My friend came to the rescue and traded books with me to which I was extremely grateful (after I had to check the book to make sure she didn't highlight anything)

What I hate is when people find this out about me and test the waters with it. Back in grade 11 a friend of mine found out and grabbed my binder and quickly took a handful of noted inside and squeezed them together to make them all crinkled. I'll admit I wanted to cry, but I didn't because the anger came on too quickly after the shock lifted.

Does anybody else have an OCD? Something that you have to do, not because it's required but because you can't continue without doing it? I think though often OCD's hold you back from completing a task more quickly, it does make the job more efficent and is just a way to strive for some sort of perfection.

What's so wrong about that?

Willing To Take A Bullet?

I like to think I stand up for what I believe in to a point where I'm willing to take a bullet if it could help the world progress further.

What do I stand up for? The basics: people who can't help themselves because of violation to their rights, the environment, animals and anything else that I believe in! Granted I've never tied myself to a tree or anything too radical compared to what others have underwent, but if I had the chance to in a situation, yeah, I would.

I heard about Proposition 8 about a month ago, it managed to find its way to my ear through some way ... I want to say the news but I could be wrong. Not important. What is important is that I was disgusted with the fact that after making the leap to allowing gay marriage, the state of California took it back!

There are many things I could say right now, but an example when I went looking for it was best expressed by a singer, Melissa Etheridge. I logged on to my computer today and a bunch of headline popped up and one was a link to her statement on her opinion of Prop. 8 (which if you're unsure, Prop 8 was a proposition to make same-sex couples unable to marry in the state of California, and to not recognize all the same-sex marriages licensed already issued)

In her blog, Melissa brings up the fact that she shouldn't have to pay taxes as she is not given the same rights as a citizen. Granted, this is taking it far, especially if she's serious and intends not to give the state any money come tax season, but I have to congratulate her on this one! Instead of just attacking the proposition she actual made a point which hits, if the state won't give her the rights of a person, what right do they expect to impose a tax on her?

I'm a strong believer in same-sex rights and am thankful to be living in a country where citizen's are given more freedom than a lot of places in the world.

Edit - If anyone would like to read the blog, here's the link to what I've read: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-11-06/you-can-forget-my-taxes

A Childish Game

Sorry, this is to branch off my last blog, "Consequences of Knowledge."

I was thinking about how life changes. How it would be great to be a kid again. Ever play that scenario in your head where you wish you were back in grade one but with the mind you have today? Only if you were given that, then the only thing it would cure would be that Peter Pan complex. You'd have your opinions, you'd have your knowledge of the world around us. Sure the homework would be easier but not life. The only reason why it was so great to be a kid was because of ignorance that we had of the world. If you could go back to grade one I don't think you'd want the mind you have now. I'd want the ignorance back, but then I'd just come to this same conclusion once I was able to open my eyes to the knowledge I'd seek out ... which is pretty much inevitable.

Consequences of Knowledge

Ever know something but then regret figuring it out?

Almost like when we were younger and we saw clues to the possible non-existence of Santa Clause? We'd hunt out for information, set out traps ... well at least I did. But when it came to actually obtaining the information, even though we wished we were wrong, we still had to prove what was true? Why?!

Why can't we live without curiosity?! 'Cause let's face it, 9 times out of 10 were going to come across something we wish we hadn't. It'll change our view point, sometimes on the entire world and are we happier for it? Can we take that knowledge and apply it to change something bigger than ourselves? Not if it's not in our control. Not if it's going to 'cause more pain.

Here's the kicker - what if before you found out it wasn't hurting anybody? Do you still try to obtain that information knowing the pain it will lead to?