The semester is almost to an end already. For me, as of this writing, I have one lecture and one discussion left. After that, two finals and the Fall 2002 semester will be no more. There will only be one more semester of Random Musings from M0232- after that, I won’t be living in M0232 so obviously, I’ll have to rename it.
Back to the point of the ending semester, my long semester of college has been an interesting one. I’ve never lived away from home nor in any other town than Wichita Falls. I have almost always gone to school with my cohorts who graduated with me from Hirschi. This semester I have not performed to the academic level that I have come to expect from myself. The first semester is an unique one- being thrown into a whole new academic, social, spiritual and psychological environment. Not only must I adapt to the difference in academics but I must adapt to knowing almost no one, to not knowing what church to go to, to never living downtown in a metro area.
With all of the confusion and difficulty the transitional semester has made itself out to be, there have been many great aspects of it. I am now an active in the Lambda Omega Alpha fraternity. I have made contacts with Anderson International Baccalaureate High School as an intern to their chemistry department. I’ve met and meet regularly with diocesan officials with the Diocese of Austin. I work the front desk at the University Catholic Center. I’ve met so many great people; many of whom are becoming part of my close network of friends and contacts. While I am at school to be a student first and I have not achieved my goals in terms of that function, I am establishing myself. I would further assimilate myself into the world that is Austin, but perhaps time is the missing key.
On a different note, Newsweek is reporting of a new wave of virginity across American high schools. According to the cover story, the number of high school teens who say they have not have sex has increased ten percent between 1999 and 2001. Overall the story is very interesting mentioning the story of one El Paso girl who works at Hooters, won a pageant, models for Harley-Davidson and is a cheerleader but is still a virgin. It is interesting that while our society and our culture is turning to one that is more and more sexually driven, the effect of that culture on the teens of today has decreased. Interesting article though.
I did learn of something that really tripped me out this week though- The Time Travel Fund. This is a fund that you join by sending in $10 and when time travel is invented, they will pull you into the future where you will live a life of luxury living off of your $10’s compounded interest. Now, I won’t go into everything- simply check out the site. One thing I noticed, guess how much of your $10 contribution goes towards your future life? One dollar- yes, that’s right boys and girls- one whole American dollar. Another one goes towards a legal fund to pay for lawyers to run the trust, the other eight goes towards supporting the website. Okay, let’s do this, nine other people call me and send me a dollar. Then we’ll send them our $10. If it works, whoever gets pulled into the future can come back to the past and be like “Hey Brandon- I’m back from the future. That $10 Time Travel thing, well hey, it works.” Then we all would know to contribute $10 and presto- it works for everyone. Then there are all kinds of questions involved though involving theories of time- if we go back in time to alert ourselves to the success of the program, what would happen? Some say that the past is defined and no matter what, things would get in the way of anyone traveling back and changing it. The other thought, which I would subscribe to, is the alternative reality possibility. In that, a new reality would be created by us changing the past. In theory, there are infinite number of reality based on all the decisions we make. For example, so many realities would have me be a student at UT, so many other realities would have be me a student at…. let’s say the Catholic University of America. That’s enough time travel talk for almost 2 a.m.
Ricky wanted me to throw in that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is an awesome game. I would have to second that. All in favor, say aye. Ricky, Brandon and Matt: “Aye” The ayes have it.
Matt wanted me to throw in that he’s freakin’ cold. It’s not only cold outside at MIT, but he’s cold in his room- he’s cold at his desk at work. Why? Too many windows with too much heat escaping. What have I personally learned from this? I can’t complain about it being 39 degrees.
Lastly, I’ll be working on the college and Hirschi-UT sections of the website over Christmas break. The updates will all be posted at once. When will Christmas break start? December 14, 2002 at 5:00 p.m. Take care until next time.
Back to the point of the ending semester, my long semester of college has been an interesting one. I’ve never lived away from home nor in any other town than Wichita Falls. I have almost always gone to school with my cohorts who graduated with me from Hirschi. This semester I have not performed to the academic level that I have come to expect from myself. The first semester is an unique one- being thrown into a whole new academic, social, spiritual and psychological environment. Not only must I adapt to the difference in academics but I must adapt to knowing almost no one, to not knowing what church to go to, to never living downtown in a metro area.
With all of the confusion and difficulty the transitional semester has made itself out to be, there have been many great aspects of it. I am now an active in the Lambda Omega Alpha fraternity. I have made contacts with Anderson International Baccalaureate High School as an intern to their chemistry department. I’ve met and meet regularly with diocesan officials with the Diocese of Austin. I work the front desk at the University Catholic Center. I’ve met so many great people; many of whom are becoming part of my close network of friends and contacts. While I am at school to be a student first and I have not achieved my goals in terms of that function, I am establishing myself. I would further assimilate myself into the world that is Austin, but perhaps time is the missing key.
On a different note, Newsweek is reporting of a new wave of virginity across American high schools. According to the cover story, the number of high school teens who say they have not have sex has increased ten percent between 1999 and 2001. Overall the story is very interesting mentioning the story of one El Paso girl who works at Hooters, won a pageant, models for Harley-Davidson and is a cheerleader but is still a virgin. It is interesting that while our society and our culture is turning to one that is more and more sexually driven, the effect of that culture on the teens of today has decreased. Interesting article though.
I did learn of something that really tripped me out this week though- The Time Travel Fund. This is a fund that you join by sending in $10 and when time travel is invented, they will pull you into the future where you will live a life of luxury living off of your $10’s compounded interest. Now, I won’t go into everything- simply check out the site. One thing I noticed, guess how much of your $10 contribution goes towards your future life? One dollar- yes, that’s right boys and girls- one whole American dollar. Another one goes towards a legal fund to pay for lawyers to run the trust, the other eight goes towards supporting the website. Okay, let’s do this, nine other people call me and send me a dollar. Then we’ll send them our $10. If it works, whoever gets pulled into the future can come back to the past and be like “Hey Brandon- I’m back from the future. That $10 Time Travel thing, well hey, it works.” Then we all would know to contribute $10 and presto- it works for everyone. Then there are all kinds of questions involved though involving theories of time- if we go back in time to alert ourselves to the success of the program, what would happen? Some say that the past is defined and no matter what, things would get in the way of anyone traveling back and changing it. The other thought, which I would subscribe to, is the alternative reality possibility. In that, a new reality would be created by us changing the past. In theory, there are infinite number of reality based on all the decisions we make. For example, so many realities would have me be a student at UT, so many other realities would have be me a student at…. let’s say the Catholic University of America. That’s enough time travel talk for almost 2 a.m.
Ricky wanted me to throw in that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is an awesome game. I would have to second that. All in favor, say aye. Ricky, Brandon and Matt: “Aye” The ayes have it.
Matt wanted me to throw in that he’s freakin’ cold. It’s not only cold outside at MIT, but he’s cold in his room- he’s cold at his desk at work. Why? Too many windows with too much heat escaping. What have I personally learned from this? I can’t complain about it being 39 degrees.
Lastly, I’ll be working on the college and Hirschi-UT sections of the website over Christmas break. The updates will all be posted at once. When will Christmas break start? December 14, 2002 at 5:00 p.m. Take care until next time.
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