Das Wochenende
I am proud to say that my Saturday has been fairly productive. I woke up noonish, started work on some EAP and scholarship essays, then when my brain stopped being able to form decent-sounding sentences in English I forced it into some German. I got my Schriftliches done for the weekend, and so tomorrow all that it is imperative to complete for that class is stuff in Kaleidoskop. I have a Lebenslauf due Monday, and I was actually able to get the bulk of that done on Friday night. Even this evening I was able to get some work done! I went downtown with Pat and since every place I really wanted to go was already closed or closing, I scoped out some possible locales for my anthro project. Now tonight I am going to do my write-up for Section and if it is at all possible churn out some more work (not probable).
One of the places I went for scopin' was Caffe Peresomething. It was very neat, very indiesnob. I wasn't able to get all that much reading done, but it was interesting how many fellow customers this one guy sitting at a table near mine knew. And I love that brand of tangerine juice that Kresge sells instead of Odwalla, and the lasagna was good even though apparently no one likes meat in Santa Cruz. Wow, I definitely capitalized Tangerine in the first spelling of this... watch me Germanize!
Tomorrow I have to write a paper saying why I need $ for this scholarship that is due Monday, and do/finish the statement of purpose for that same scholarship. The mountains of reading I have for both History and Anthro don't need to be elaborated on. I keep wondering if there is some secret to getting huge amounts of reading done--- I feel bad just skimming stuff, I'd rather read the whole thing or just not even look at it. But as far as grades go that probably isn't the right way to think about it.
After coming up from downtown Pat and I stopped by Marco's. There was a mini tennis gathering there, so I hung out there for the remainder of the night. The high(low)light of the evening was watching while Marco took a half an hour turn playing Scrabble. Joe, Matt and I combined probably took 1/4 of the time that Marco took cumulatively in his inspired race to win the game. I think he actually did end up winning- but only after the rest of us had given up and were drinking Marco's sparkling cider and eating his food, as payment.
Colina might come visit at the end of February, which is exciting (to visit me and Paul, which means that I might be able to drag PM here!)... and I know my mumsies is coming President's Day weekend. What excitement. Laura called me today and told me she is saving money to come visit me and Colina in Europe next year. Ich bin sehr begeistert von naechsten Jahr! Toll toll toll. I hope it all works out!
I hope this strain of ambition keeps up... I really need to at least attempt to stay on top of things. I like being lazy just as much as the next person (maybe more?) but I can't reconcile the fact that I (and my parents) am going to be in debt for decades after I graduate = I need to be learning what I can while I have the time. I think there are more reasons for the drive to work now more than usual... but ultimately it comes down to not wanting to hang onto mediocrity so tight, and use that as an excuse for not succeeding, for not making something of myself. And you know that its just an excuse, everyone knows that... if you don't think so, try digging deeper.
I am so grateful that I am young and healthy and I have my whole life ahead of me. With all this bewerben I've been doing I've had to talk a lot about future plans and all that--- and yeah, there aren't any. But I am happy that I still have a couple of years to figure it out. The only idea I have for post-undergrad life is to run off to some not-on-the-Euro-yet country (Osteuropa) and teach English. I don't know if I'd have the qualifications but HEY. Other than that its kind of scary, but it will work out. Actually, its all really scary. Next year is scary. Soon is scary. All the same, I am so happy that I am able to breathe in Santa Cruz air and walk down tree-lined paths and read History in coffee houses and dance and sleep and eat.
One of the places I went for scopin' was Caffe Peresomething. It was very neat, very indiesnob. I wasn't able to get all that much reading done, but it was interesting how many fellow customers this one guy sitting at a table near mine knew. And I love that brand of tangerine juice that Kresge sells instead of Odwalla, and the lasagna was good even though apparently no one likes meat in Santa Cruz. Wow, I definitely capitalized Tangerine in the first spelling of this... watch me Germanize!
Tomorrow I have to write a paper saying why I need $ for this scholarship that is due Monday, and do/finish the statement of purpose for that same scholarship. The mountains of reading I have for both History and Anthro don't need to be elaborated on. I keep wondering if there is some secret to getting huge amounts of reading done--- I feel bad just skimming stuff, I'd rather read the whole thing or just not even look at it. But as far as grades go that probably isn't the right way to think about it.
After coming up from downtown Pat and I stopped by Marco's. There was a mini tennis gathering there, so I hung out there for the remainder of the night. The high(low)light of the evening was watching while Marco took a half an hour turn playing Scrabble. Joe, Matt and I combined probably took 1/4 of the time that Marco took cumulatively in his inspired race to win the game. I think he actually did end up winning- but only after the rest of us had given up and were drinking Marco's sparkling cider and eating his food, as payment.
Colina might come visit at the end of February, which is exciting (to visit me and Paul, which means that I might be able to drag PM here!)... and I know my mumsies is coming President's Day weekend. What excitement. Laura called me today and told me she is saving money to come visit me and Colina in Europe next year. Ich bin sehr begeistert von naechsten Jahr! Toll toll toll. I hope it all works out!
I hope this strain of ambition keeps up... I really need to at least attempt to stay on top of things. I like being lazy just as much as the next person (maybe more?) but I can't reconcile the fact that I (and my parents) am going to be in debt for decades after I graduate = I need to be learning what I can while I have the time. I think there are more reasons for the drive to work now more than usual... but ultimately it comes down to not wanting to hang onto mediocrity so tight, and use that as an excuse for not succeeding, for not making something of myself. And you know that its just an excuse, everyone knows that... if you don't think so, try digging deeper.
I am so grateful that I am young and healthy and I have my whole life ahead of me. With all this bewerben I've been doing I've had to talk a lot about future plans and all that--- and yeah, there aren't any. But I am happy that I still have a couple of years to figure it out. The only idea I have for post-undergrad life is to run off to some not-on-the-Euro-yet country (Osteuropa) and teach English. I don't know if I'd have the qualifications but HEY. Other than that its kind of scary, but it will work out. Actually, its all really scary. Next year is scary. Soon is scary. All the same, I am so happy that I am able to breathe in Santa Cruz air and walk down tree-lined paths and read History in coffee houses and dance and sleep and eat.