One Month In

I just finished my fourth week of school. It is strange to think that I've been gone from home for nearly six weeks now. Everything has gone so fast. There are only about fourteen weeks in the semester so being four weeks in, is really the middle of the semester.

I'm starting to have my first round of midterms. I had one this week, I'll have one next week, and two the week after. I think one of things academically I'm getting better at is exams. Being homeschooled for so long you don't really know how to take tests well. Thankfully, I feel like I am now a good test taker, especially in my science classes. While practice doesn't always make perfect is certainly helps, and I've been having a lot of practice with science exams.

It is hard for me to believe that I'm in my junior year now. In less then two years I will be, Lord willing, entering medical school. I have had a number of people over the years tell me I will be a good doctor, a doctor they would go to. I hope so... Being a doctor is a huge responsibility, and I think it would be fool-hardy for me to say that I am ready for that kind of responsibility. And the thought that I might some day, either by accident, mistake, or by just missing something, kill someone is terrifying. But I suppose being scared is probably a good thing in this case.

Since I only have three semesters left after this one, I have been planning very carefully what I need to do to graduate. I love my school, but we do have so many GE requirements. I have already fulfilled over a third of them and I still have 8 classes left to take! I have this horrible suspicion that my final semester will be me and a bunch of freshman some basic classes. At least I will have plenty of time for research :) The funny thing about my school is that the science departments are so small a lot of classes are only offered one semester either fall or spring. So next semester I will only have one science class with a lab, but next fall I will have three. While that sounds like fun to me, my friends are calling it suicide. But I guess that's what I get for hanging out with a bunch of English majors.

Cheers!

Laura

Amendment 1: Interesting Fact: I now know how to mathematically prove that you should slow down before entering a curve and then accelerate through it.

Amendment 2: Things I hate about FaceBook 1: People who put "In a relationship with Jesus" as their relationship status. That means any guy/girl that wants to date them must get that person to break up with God. Like that's going to be easy :P

Amendment 3: Time is precious here at school, so if my proof reading time goes down, please forgive me.

Why Do I Even Bother?

I have a cold, I am under a huge amount of stress from various different activities, and I still have hours of homework ahead of my today. It is at these sorts of times that I become introspective and slightly outwardly emotional. So you have been forewarned.

I was chatting with a friend this last week and he made a comment that really made me think about my life planning skills. He said something to the meaning "In two years if you get accepted to OHSU then you will be home". This is what I have been planning for the last year or so. Not just because of the cost of medical school, but also because I want to be home. All this made me look back at my track record for predicting my future, especially in geography.

Four Years Ago: I was planning on studying biology at a local christian liberal arts school. I was going to go to medical school. I wasn't going to live at home, but 30 minutes from home wasn't all that bad.

Three Years Ago: I had a change of heart. I decided I wanted to go to a more conservative school. So my original choice of the school close to home was out. You should have seen the look on my mom's face! I once again started looking at a school in Michigan that I had always liked. It started to look more like a possibility.

Two Years Ago: I graduated from High school early, and decide to take classes at a different liberal arts college in my home town. I wasn't ready to leave yet, but I wanted to make the most of this year. I was looking at colleges in earnest. But mostly the one Michigan. I went and visited it, and loved it. I knew then that's where I wanted to be, and I thought I knew where God wanted me.

Year and Nine Months Ago: My mom dragged me to CA to look at one more school. I knew I was not going to like it. I had my school all picked out, I was just there to go to Disneyland, and prove to mom and dad once for all, I knew what I wanted. Oops! I didn't just like the school, I loved it. It was very different from the one in Michigan, but I loved it just the same. It felt right.

Year and Half Ago: I had to send in my check that night. Both schools needed a deposit by May 1st. It was the night of April 30th. I had to make a decision. So I did. I chose to come to Southern California, a place I really hate to a school I didn't even want to go and look at much less attend. Yeah, this was an "Ok God, I hope you know what you are doing" moment.

So all this to say "Why do I even bother making plans?" Obviously I have to do some sort of long term planning. But it comes down to this. I'm just crummy at it. I'm not good at seeing the forest through the trees. And I certainly can't predict where I'm going to be next year (well hopefully still here, but not spiritually) much less in two or three years.

Cheers!

Amendment 1: Perhaps I can blame my parents. They always say that the only subject they failed at teaching me was geography.

Amendment 2: Or I suppose I could just sum it up to "Welcome to the world of not being God".

Amendment 3: There are a few things in life that I'm still reasonably sure about. One is going to medical school. Another is God is God and I'm not. The third is I have the best group of people around me that I could ever ask for.

Week Three Update

Well the semester is in full swing now. I am now ridiculously busy. I'm spending 20 hours in class a week, 8 hours in labs, and 4 hours in the research lab. Add in 4-5 hours of homework every night, 2 hours worship team practices every Wednesday night, all the time I spend on my two clubs I'm involved in, and that's like what a 60-something hour week. Life is crazy right now!!!

Even though things are really hectic, I'm still enjoying school a lot. My classes are really interesting, and I'm having fun with my upper level chemistry stuff. Research is at times a little overwhelming because of the complicated computer work that is required. I'm sure once I get used to running the optics program, the temperature program, the camera, and the other program I can't remember, all at the same time I will be fine. Physical chemistry is a really hard class. I needed one of the other students to explain partial derivatives to me yesterday, since I don't really know what they are, and everyone else has taken multivariable calc. already.

I still miss everyone in Oregon like crazy, but I'm less homesick now. Maybe just because I'm so tired and have so much to do, that I barely have time to think, much less miss people. I'm already looking forward to fall break in three weeks so I can take a little breather before heading into the second third of the semester. My birthday is also over fall break so, I'm going to drag Sarah and Faith on a really good hike that weekend, something long :)

Cheers!

Laura

Never Forget

Singing LitGirl's praises

I have a number of wonderful friends. People that I know my life would be sadly boring, and uninteresting if I didn't know them . I hope you all know who you are. (here's a hint, I really only tease people that I consider good friends, people I'm willing to put time and energy into, so if I tease you chances are you make the list). One of good friends is Mariah C. (LitGirl on blogger). We have known each other for a long time, and even though she is strange some times, I still love her. She is now an art major in college, but I still think she is an amazing writing, and very funny. This a copy and paste from her blog. http://thoughtsofuniverse.blogspot.com/ I hope you all like it.

"So tonight my brother made his girlfriend upset. This happens from time to time. It's never really his fault. He never means to say something stupid. He just suffers from male emotional illiteracy. My father assures him it is a common malady. My mother and I try to coach him on to better things. He's getting better. I think he is far more advanced in this area than most guys I know. However, for the good of interpersonal communications the world over, I am making a list of general rules for men dealing with women. These have been arrived at through years of observation and study :)
1. Women are not cars. DO NOT try to fix them. Self help books do not make good gifts.
2. When you ask a woman what's wrong, and she says nothing, she is LYING.
3. Just put anniversaries, birthdays, etc. on the calendar. Forgetting them is normal and forgivable, but it just makes you look dumb.
4. Think before you speak. If it would sound dumb on a video of your life, it should probably not be spoken.
5. Do irrational, unreasonable things for her. This doesn't actually make sense, but a lot of girls expect it, or at least secretly hope for it. It will just make your life easier.
6. Do not insult her pet hobbies, interests, whatever. Just don't. She will take it personally. If she likes cats, do not pretend you are going to throw one out a window.
7. Tell her what you're feeling. Yeah, you'll feel stupid, but she'll like it.
8. Be mushy. Just close your eyes and do it. You'll feel like a fool. You probably are. Just do it anyway.
9. Don't make a comment about her appearance that isn't positive. This is not a fair rule, because a girl will feel that it's her right to tell you when you look silly or ugly. But you just shouldn't go there.
10. Try to accept that most girls have a lot of emotions going at all times, and thus will often seem very complex. Try to watch for the signs. Pay attention. Girls are not crock pots. You can not just leave them unwatched for a while.

And remember, these are general observations. They aren't fair. They aren't always true. But they may be helpful for navigating the waters of the female psyche. Good luck. I'm going to go comfort my adorable, clumsy brother now. "

Cheers!

Laura

Just For Fun

Classes

Here is a run down of what I'm taking this fall.

Physical Chemistry/Thermodynamics. Because my school is so small the p-chem and thermo. classes are combined since the material first semester is exactly the same. This class is already shaping up to be like my 0-chem class from last year. Tons of homework, and lots of hard material. I feel a little out of place in this class. It is small, only seven people. I'm one of two girls and all the boys are senior physics majors except for one. I'm a young junior (supposed to be a sophomore), and I'm the person that has the least amount of math. I'm only just now in multivariable calculus.

Life and Literature of the New Testament. This is a GE at my school so it is a big class. So far it hasn't been particularly interesting, but I'm hoping it well get better soon. It is also a strange class since there are a ton of freshmen in there with me. I got asked on friday, why as a junior I had waited to so long to take this class. Apparently, this freshman didn't understand the concept of a second year junior who is also a science major and pre-med. I'm luck to be in a GE class before my senior year!

Biology. This semester of Bio is my last pre-med class I have to take to go to med. school. So far it isn't very exciting, and I don't think it is going to get much better. I'm not a huge fan of animals. I don't not like them, and I certainly love my pets, but learning about every phylum known to man is just not my cup of tea.

Multivariable calculus. At the moment this class is so boring. We are talking about vectors which after a full year of college calculus and a year of university physics, I can do in my sleep. But I really like my professor. Math profs. are so funny. I think it takes a special person to get a Ph.d in math. I think this will be a fun class.

I also have a P.E. class, not very interesting. I just have to sit in class for 50 minutes a week, and then run around four times a week on my own. Not a big deal.

I also have research (four hours/week). And I am an officer in two clubs. AMSA, a pre-med club, I'm the treasurer. And my ECD club. Which I am running, and the president. That just sounds cool. I am the president of English Country Dance club :D

Cheers!

Laura

Road Maps

In chapel today the speaker (one of the music professors) gave a very good analogy. It reminded me of a few of you GPS crazy people. It went like this. When you get into a car for the first time with a GPS you assume it will get you to the right place. Sometimes the unit doesn't tell you early enough about a turn or something so you miss it. The GPS doesn't freak out and tell you to pull over and consult a map. It just recalculates your route. It may take you a little longer, but you will get there, you just have to follow the directions.

Here's the application. If we put that much faith in a little piece of technology, then why are we constantly questioning God about where He sends us? Do we actually have more faith in GPS units than the God of the universe? Sometimes when God is giving us directions we get messed up; we miss a turn or don't pay attention to the directions. But God doesn't freak out. He gives us an alternate route to get where we need to be. There maybe be consequences for getting off track, but God always gets us there.

I had to drive by myself this weekend in CA for the first time. It was a little scary. When you get on the freeway, and the speed limit is 65 in the construction zone, and people are flying by you at 75+ things get interesting. The other weird thing about Southern California is how bad the roads are. Maybe because we get so much rain, but in Oregon the roads are never this bad!

Cheers!

Amendment 1: I think this analogy is right up there with the "God is packing my parachute" one.

Amendment 2: Week one is done. On to week two!

Amendment 3: It is mostly decided. I will be staying to do research this summer. This of course, means that any and all are welcome to visit me. I'll be living in an apartment so I'll even have room for visitors! And I will still get a five week summer, so I'll get to see you all for a little while.

Amendment 4: Once again my school's area is back on "High fire danger". Dear God, please not again!

School, Home, and Research

Right now I'm almost finished with my first week of classes. I'm still having a hard time believing that I'm really starting my junior year of college. It has gone so fast! I haven't been back even a week, and already some exciting things have happened. The main one being joining a research team in the chemistry department. I won't repeat myself, because I wrote a Facebook note about. But I'll just say that I have been given an amazing opportunity for this year, and most of next summer, that will end me being able to co-author a paper for publication!

So far I'm loving living with my new roommate. We were best friends last year, and we seem to have made a good decision about roommates. We have yet to have any disagreements, and have similar schedules and bedtimes. And the only thing that can beat staying up late with your roommate/best friend as school talking about politics and theology is sister time.

One thing I was not expecting when I got back to school was homesickness. Last year I missed my family very badly, and was very lonely at times, but I was never what I would call homesick. But this year is different. I'm not sure why. It seems strange to me that I would do ok for one year and then come back and not be ok. But right now I don't even want to think about the next three months away from home, or the months of may, june, and part of july. I suppose this independence is all part of growing up, but some times I just have to keep repeating to myself "God is here with me, God is here with me".

I miss you all, and can't wait to see you all at thanksgiving.

Cheers!

Laura

Amendment 1: I was thrilled today to learn that because the way my class schedule worked out I will be home for a week at thanksgiving, instead of just a few days.

Amendment 2: If anyone is interested, the research I will be doing involves studying the way different molecules transfer energy between themselves. It, apparently, has an application in LED lights. (If anyone cares enough about this stuff, I can give you more details, but I won't bore the rest of you).