Keeners.

Posted on by
6

Before the days of university I have never heard anyone use the word “keener.”  Now it’s everywhere.  It had to come from somewhere though right?  So someone’s high school must have used “keener.”

Were you a “keener” user?

How I dream for the day when someone calls me a keener and seriously means it.  At this rate it is a lost hope, as are my grades.

Okay I really shouldn’t be saying that.  Yesterday when I was hanging out with a smart friend of mine I realized, the mindset of especially smart people are very different, maybe it is why they are so smart.  She got a midterm back  and it was the first time she had ever done so bad.  Some of you may be thinking “pft probably over exaggerating one of those ‘Asian fails’ again.  Those over achievers =(” but no, it was a genuine way below fail, fail.

And she told me, whilst half speaking to herself: “OK I’LL STUDY AND ON THE FINAL I WILL KNOW EVERY SINGLE QUESTION!!”

Shocking.

To me anyway.  I’m sure she meant it in 100% of the meaning of “every.” When I fail or do bad I just honestly tell myself “I’ll work hard and seriously work to the best of my abilities for the next one” but I have never gone for the “I will know it all” mentality.

I really found it amazing how she seriously meant she would aim for it all.  Could this be a defining factor from the normal and the brilliant?

———————————-

I did more exploring yesterday too.

The subbasement of Korener.  What a death trap.

It’s all quiet, you’re lucky if you see a few lively souls around.  You’re walking down the wide middle aisle but your wet sneakers are squeaking across the linoleum tiles so you decide to turn into a smaller carpeted lane.

200911201111_087

You don’t really know where you’re heading as every path seems to start looking the same.  You start walking faster hoping to find a way out.  CREAK. What was that? You turn around hoping to find that someone stepped on one of those metal things that enter into the shelves.  No one.  You face forward again and you suddenly realize the shelves are moving on their own.

You panic, you duck between nearest shelves.

200911201112_088

Ok this one was way too narrow to fit completely inside.  So you go for the historic Vietnam section. You lean against the the old books trying to catch your heart beat.  Suddenly you realize the walls are closing in on you.  You’re in the midway point between the two ends of the shelf.  You waste 4 seconds trying to decide which side you run towards.  You try to yell out and even though the library is so quiet the layers of shelves block out the sound.

But you’re a keener and you escaped.

Those shelves really scare me though.  I have a hard time walking between them slowly and calmly.

A typical day.

Posted on by
1

I’m sorry I haven’t posted in a while.  I couldn’t think of anything to talk about.

So on the bus to school on Thursday, I asked myself why I didn’t have anything to say.  It hit me that the school life has come to the point where I officially deem myself “settled in” even though I still feel like I have alot to catch up on.

Rather than telling you my daily schedule, I will share with you these things that I find are consistent in my day other than the classes that I have to go to.

There is always…

@9-10: moments of staring at people on the bus and wondering what they’re thinking and where they’re going.

@11-12: something to catch up on, something to study for, some meeting to be at.  There is always something.  The perpetual stress… but even stress can be something to get used to.

@lunch: distracted by things to check out at the SUB like that scarf stand or the AMS art gallery.

@the class after I ate: a moment of dozing off, followed by a moment of “how long was I out?”, followed by a moment of “I’m so screwed for this class.”

@ another class: repeat the 3rd moment of the previous.

@a class where I have friends: something inappropriate to laugh at.

@…a random time: some place to explore.  Like going to the 2nd floor of the SUB and seeing what the rooms are booked for that day.  Man, I feel like such a creeper.

@…a random place: seeing something I didn’t notice before

^ the SUB 2nd floor. (Dun dun dun, are they straight or misaligned? It’s an optical illusion~~)

@Angus or that road between Irving and Chemistry: someone handing me something.

@sometime near the end of the day: doing something stupid.  For instance on Friday: walking backwards against the wind for a couple hundred meters.  It’s warmer that way. Really. (Don’t worry, it’s much less embarrassing when you’re not doing it by yourself… and at 5:30 with no one around)

@bus ride home: something to talk about with friend… usually something that questions the way people are.

@Friday: the desperate feeling to hang out with someone in hopes of recovering the sanity you lost over the week.

What’s the point?

Posted on by
5

Lots of stuff is happening in my life and as the 43 bent it’s accordion around into the bus loop I asked myself “what’s the point?”

I’m referring to the point of coming to school.

To learn, to get a degree so I can get a job, to try new things, to meet people… etc etc.

Somehow today that wasn’t very motivating.  Don’t get me wrong, I love learning in general and was never really a skipper, but these reasons just didn’t feel enough.  I know quite a few people who know what they want to be, or do, or at least have some sort of direction.  Me?  I just want to have a good time and graduate.  The truth is that I don’t really know what I am aiming for, I’m just living as the moments come.

People always say to me “you’ll find out some day, just get good grades for now, don’t worry.”  However true that might maybe be, it still doesn’t feel good to not know where you’re going.  Actually, it feels extremely horrible sometimes.  It makes the place that I am at unsettling.

So during my one hour pre-noon break I took a walk.  To “find myself”?  I really don’t know.  I was kind of hoping that it would guide me to somewhere interesting where I might have an epiphany on the matter or something.

Nothing happened, but I finally found the Nitobe Garden (the Japanese garden thing).  Also, the Asian studies building, film productions, a Christmas tree (that wasn’t actually a tree… try looking for it, it’s stuck to a side of a building!)… and Vanier! (yes… I have never been there before.)

I took some pictures of swirling trees!



The funny thing was that I actually got lost but just said to myself “oh well, I’ll find my way eventually” and guess where I found myself?

Turned the corner, looked up the hill and the only thing that made me realize where I was, White Spot.  Ok maybe I’m looking into it too deeply but at that moment I had to laugh.  To me White Spot = Angus Building = Sauder… in otherwords, all that time on my wandering journey of “why am I here? I don’t even know what I want to be…  Is business really the right choice for me?” brought me back to Sauder.

If I weren’t me I would say I looked into this too deeply and it’s just a coincidence.

If you feel like you’re in the same spot as me, consider watching this:

I’m inspired. I just don’t know how to act on it.

[random] I found this sight kind of interesting…

200911021131_071

Spotted outside the power plant.

What do you think required such a narrow door?  Is it art?

FREE.

Posted on by
2

Oh how I love how that word grabs attention.

Especially when there’s cookies behind it!

200910291053_055

Sadly, what’s up with me most recently is that I am sick. So no free cookies for me.

The truth is that in highschool I have only missed one day of school due to illness.

If it weren’t for the pandemic, I would mostly likely go to school tomorrow.  So right now I’m weighing out what I will miss tomorrow, which actually is quite alot, but after reading Tysune’s post about H1N1, I’m 90% commited to staying home tomorrow.

I think I feel fine, but that could be the my infected mind speaking.  However, I think the fact that my voice sounds like Miley Cyrus right now would probably make teachers send me home.

[side note #1] If I were a parent right now I would be wary about sending my kids trick or treating on Saturday.  Candy from possibly infected strangers? Hmm… but free candy is just so hard to turn down.

[side note #2] Has anyone heard about the Halloween party on the skytrain?

[edit] I actually ended up going to school…

Reading has never been so hard.

Posted on by
4

The following red box contains a single sentence.

200910192318_043

Okay not exactly.  There were 3 more lines on the previous page.

High school did not warn me about this.

Isn’t there some sort of grammar rule against sentences this long?

[low quality cell phone picture of JOHN LOCKE The Second Treatise of Government p 491 for Philosophy 102]

Opinions on Philosophy.

Posted on by
9

(Ooo… what a paradox! To me, philosophy is just one big opinion anyway.  Please don’t take offence to that, I may just be uninformed.)

Anyway, I got distracted with a thought while writing my philosophy paper:

For my paper I have to argue for an idea, object myself, and build my case again.  The problem is, deep down in my heart I believe in idea “A” but as I start writing the objection the counter idea seems to become so true that I can’t argue against it.

At this point, the professor says to change it so that you agree with the counter and use your initial arguement as the objection.

Even then, it’s hard on the soul to argue for something you don’t want to believe.

So, do you believe in the power of believing? That as long as you do, it can still be true?

A Walt Disney world like that seems too good to be true to me.

The power of believing would be useful to get through these dark midterm days though.

After my “emo” night after the econ midterm I realized: believe in yourself.  When it comes down to the moment when you sit down for your exam, you just have to believe you can do it, there is no alternative.

Good luck everyone, and happy thanksgiving!

My First University Midterm.

Posted on by
3

Math. 1 hour. 4 questions. 40 marks. Each question had sub questions.

Here is what I learned/relearned/confirmed about the test taking process.

1. Skip the questions you don’t know. (In my case the first 2 pages.)

2. Breathe.

3. If there is a question you cannot finish all the way, mark it on the side so you remember to come back to it.

4. Remember to go back to it.

5. If you really don’t know, make educated guesses. (Unless it’s those multiple choice tests where they take off marks for getting it wrong and nothing when you don’t answer)

6. In the case of math, if you do all the work and you get an answer, but you know the answer is impossible/wrong, and you are almost out of time: use whatever answer that seems to be possible/right (ie. from plugging into calculator)

7. (#6 is something I learned in highschool. Comes from the idea that doing the work right gets you marks and getting the right answer gives you a mark. However, it may not be the case anymore. I’m not sure.)

8. Water = good. It helps your brain work better.

9. Too much water = bad. Don’t want to have to go for a bathrooom break…

10. Breathe, stay calm. Even when it is over and you are thinking “FML.”

[side note] I do not guarentee that these “tips” work. I am not liable for any mistakes you may make. The truth is that even I don’t follow my own ideas all the time. Espicially #10. If you saw me on the #43 today going home, then you understand.

This always cracks me up:

physicselephant

On a lighter note…

Posted on by
4

Midterms. They’re here. Or they will be. Or if for some reason your only midterm was the Chemistry one from last night then you sure are lucky.

Here’s  a cute/funny post I found this forum. It made me smile and then I realized how true it is for me.

Are You This Type of Student?

New School Semester:

After the First Week:

After the Second Week:

Before the Mid-Term Test:

During the Mid-Term Test:

After the Mid-Term Test:

Before the Final Exams:

Once You Get to Know the Final Exam Schedule:

7 Days Before the Final Exam:

6 Days Before the Final Exam:

5 Days Before the Final Exam:

4 Days Before the Final Exam:

3 Days Before the Final Exam:

2 Days Before the Final Exam:

1 Day Before the Final Exam:

The Night Before the Final Exam:

1 Hour Before the Final Exam:

During the Final Exam:

Stepping Out of the Exam Hall:

After the Final Exam, During the Holidays:

<<——————————————————————————

Another fun thing that I just wanted to share:

Arrr… ye should try it. Even yer emails’ll come in pirate.

I am currently:

TGIF.

My Favorite Class.

Posted on by
5

his palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy

hit by the fact it’s that time already

prayin’ and hopin’, teach won’t pick his name next
‘fraid of taking all those stares and losing word’s effects
success. that is what he’s aiming for.
no one wants to be a bore.
all we want is just the glor-
re. read, the letters with some grace.
man, give the man some space.
as he sets a good pace.
and the projection
the volume
the general stare
known as contact
to react to his pretty little act.

What class is this that I’m describing? COMM 299: Public Speaking.  I could be getting 50% in this class for all I know but I definitely enjoy it more than other classes.

Why I like it:

  • Sit and listen to people talk. The topics are broad, so people are probably saying things they actually mean.
  • Nerve wracking adrenaline.
  • It’s like the drama class I never had. Only less drama.

Then again, I’ve only had 2 classes of it so far.  Maybe that’s why I like it…

Random fact about me #3: I like to randomly rap… and sing… and make covers on Youtube. Let’s never speak of it again.

What’s your favorite class?
(It’s ok if you just hate school too.)

Choose your own adventure.

Posted on by
3

(from here? XD)

It is 3:55 Friday afternoon.  You sit down in your seat for your last class of the day. Math. Due to a conference (or something of the sort, you weren’t really paying attention), your teacher has been away all week.  The teacher (whose name also escapes you) who has been subbing is not here yet.

Last night, your actual teacher emailed the class a reminder to hand in the assignment for today.  This is probably the reason why there is a small herd of young adults gathering around the “hand in box”.

The problem is… last Friday, that was the “hand back box”.  Despite your horrible attention span and memory, you remember clearly that the teacher only contemplated the use of the box for hand ins. Besides, will “the sub” know that it is the hand in box?  Should you get off your ass from the far back row in the class to go all the way down and up the stairs, only to possibly have to do it again?

Do you:
a) Hand it in. Hey, if everyone else is doing it.
b) Hold on it. That’s right, be a rebel!
c) Make a friend. Get them to hand it in.
d) Keep weighing the options. (Please refer to option b)
e) Get out of your seat, only to realize you didn’t do all the questions yet.

If you chose a or c (or chose b or d and ended up doing a or c anyways), you are like the large majority of the class.

If none of the options suited you.  Then you are like the 1 or 2 guys in this class who just handed it in and left.

It is now 4:05.  There is no teacher.  You start getting excited because maybe he won’t show. Maybe you will have a whole hour extra of FRIDAY! A girl goes to the front of the class and says that we should all collectively leave at 4:10.

4:08.  You’re just too anxious. You put on your back pack and start heading to the asile. Wait. What about the homework you slaved over?

a) Think about it more.
b) Stop thinking. Leave.

If you chose a, you are 97% of the class.

What if some jerk waits till everyone is gone and takes everyone’s homework? What if no one takes it but only yours is lost in the shuffle?

A boy goes to the front of the class and facilitates a vote.  Whether we all take our homework back or we gather them up and give it to another teacher.

a) Leave it and leave.
b) Take it and go.
c) “maybe the teacher will come…”
d)You forget what you did but you’re out the door. FRIDAY!

(mainly a 50/50 split between a and b, with a few for the rest)

Well, it’s Friday afternoon.  Maybe you’re inside, maybe you’re not. Either way, there was no class in the end.

If you are like the guy in the 3rd row from the back, center, you calculated out how much money you just lost for the class you paid for but didn’t have.

Lesson learned: Decisions cost you those few extra minutes of your day. Not that you didn’t already know that.

If you are like me, you ended up leaving the homework, sat in the sub, ate at Crystal Mall food court, saw friends waiting for the bus and tagged along on their quest for Korean BBQ, saw Megan Fox’s Jennifer’s Body and enjoyed a nice walk in the rain home at 1 am.

[This post was based on true events and people. Any resemblance to real faces, thoughts or decisions may indeed be real.]