The End Of High School And The Beginning Of College
Today, May 27th, 2004, was the last day of my high school. I never have to go back AGAIN. I am done, over with, and completely finished with high school. All I have left is to walk across that stage on Sunday (the 30th). Aside from that, I am a free man! I showed up today for my last two finals wearing my all-black suit. I woke up early to shower and shave (I usually shower the night before). At school, I got weird looks, but I responded with, "Hey, its my last day of high school... EVER. I thought I'ld dress for the occasion."
By the way, when I'm wearing this suit is the only time I will admit that I am one sexy SOB. Otherwise, I'm just the fat guy.
So my first final was psychology. I have to say that I enjoyed this final exam more than any other, including the ones I was exempt from. We watched "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" then diagnosed the starring characters. Many of us sat for a while going, "uh... do we actually have to write the essay or was she kidding?" It turns out she wasn't, but thats ok because it was pretty easy. Ted's problems stem from his strict, uninvolved father and lack of a mother. And it is pretty easy to find not only that Bill has an Oedipus Complex (aside from the fact that he says it durring the movie), but where it comes from. His dad is messed up! He kicked Bill out of Bill's room to sleep with his wife, who is only 3 years older than Bill!
After that I went to 2nd period, which was the last period of the day, and ended at noon. However, since this was a (stupid, basic, remedial) tech class that (I thought was a semi-advanced course and) had you do all the work on the computer, it seemed obvious that the final would be on the computer. Coach Whitley (the teacher) said it would take about ten minutes (of about 120), then we could leave. I was done in about two. After that, I hung out with a friend of mine for about an hour, then went home.
After watching "Robinson Crusoe On Mars," a surprisingly not-bad movie from '67, I left for my interview at TCC. TCC (Tarrant County College) is the local community college. There are four campuses (S, SW, N, NE), all of which are absolutely gigantic. We're talking, rivals any, if not all of the major schools in the DFW area, which unclude TCU (Texas Christian University) and UTA (University of Texas in Arlington... not Austin... although there is one of those, too)
I figure, if all your core classes are the same anywhere, why pay large sums of money to take them at a nice university when I can do it for less than $800 a semester total? So thats what I'm doing. I'm going to TCC for two years to get my core classes done, then I'm probably going to go to UTA to do "real" college. Plus, I know a great deal of people that are going to TCC.
The cool thing is the Cornerstone program. It is a 2-year honors program that exists in all of the TCC campuses. Basically, its some extra, advanced courses all related to humanities (english, history, govt, etc.). What is really great about it is that people that have gone through it have had a 98% acceptance rate to ANY OTHER SCHOOL for the last 2+ years of college. The downside is that each campus only accepts 30 applicants.
However, my interview was today, and I MADE IT IN! WHOO-HOO!! That means my college-prep stuff is DONE. I know where I'm going, I know what I'm doing, and I'm feelin' groovy (hats off to Simon & Garfunkel).
When I showed up for my interview, I saw my friend Jessi and her younger sister Sam(antha), also a friend of mine. Jessi was there for her interview at the same time as mine, and Sam was there to keep her company or something. We hung out, and it was pretty fun; I hadn't hung out with either of them in a couple years despite seeing them every day at school. I ended up giving them a ride home since they live about 4 blocks as the crow flies from my house. Jessi made it in too, by the way, as well as my ex, who had told me a few days earlier. We're all going to the South campus. Joy.
By the way, when I'm wearing this suit is the only time I will admit that I am one sexy SOB. Otherwise, I'm just the fat guy.
So my first final was psychology. I have to say that I enjoyed this final exam more than any other, including the ones I was exempt from. We watched "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" then diagnosed the starring characters. Many of us sat for a while going, "uh... do we actually have to write the essay or was she kidding?" It turns out she wasn't, but thats ok because it was pretty easy. Ted's problems stem from his strict, uninvolved father and lack of a mother. And it is pretty easy to find not only that Bill has an Oedipus Complex (aside from the fact that he says it durring the movie), but where it comes from. His dad is messed up! He kicked Bill out of Bill's room to sleep with his wife, who is only 3 years older than Bill!
After that I went to 2nd period, which was the last period of the day, and ended at noon. However, since this was a (stupid, basic, remedial) tech class that (I thought was a semi-advanced course and) had you do all the work on the computer, it seemed obvious that the final would be on the computer. Coach Whitley (the teacher) said it would take about ten minutes (of about 120), then we could leave. I was done in about two. After that, I hung out with a friend of mine for about an hour, then went home.
After watching "Robinson Crusoe On Mars," a surprisingly not-bad movie from '67, I left for my interview at TCC. TCC (Tarrant County College) is the local community college. There are four campuses (S, SW, N, NE), all of which are absolutely gigantic. We're talking, rivals any, if not all of the major schools in the DFW area, which unclude TCU (Texas Christian University) and UTA (University of Texas in Arlington... not Austin... although there is one of those, too)
I figure, if all your core classes are the same anywhere, why pay large sums of money to take them at a nice university when I can do it for less than $800 a semester total? So thats what I'm doing. I'm going to TCC for two years to get my core classes done, then I'm probably going to go to UTA to do "real" college. Plus, I know a great deal of people that are going to TCC.
The cool thing is the Cornerstone program. It is a 2-year honors program that exists in all of the TCC campuses. Basically, its some extra, advanced courses all related to humanities (english, history, govt, etc.). What is really great about it is that people that have gone through it have had a 98% acceptance rate to ANY OTHER SCHOOL for the last 2+ years of college. The downside is that each campus only accepts 30 applicants.
However, my interview was today, and I MADE IT IN! WHOO-HOO!! That means my college-prep stuff is DONE. I know where I'm going, I know what I'm doing, and I'm feelin' groovy (hats off to Simon & Garfunkel).
When I showed up for my interview, I saw my friend Jessi and her younger sister Sam(antha), also a friend of mine. Jessi was there for her interview at the same time as mine, and Sam was there to keep her company or something. We hung out, and it was pretty fun; I hadn't hung out with either of them in a couple years despite seeing them every day at school. I ended up giving them a ride home since they live about 4 blocks as the crow flies from my house. Jessi made it in too, by the way, as well as my ex, who had told me a few days earlier. We're all going to the South campus. Joy.