Name:John Country:United States Birthday:2/7/1991 Gender:Male
Interests:Chemistry, Literature, Music, People Expertise:Looking into marine biology, chemical engineering, chemistry, and literature. Most strongly considering Chem/Lit studies. Occupation:Full-time student.
In terms of love, I completely agree (though it is nice when the heart and mind concur), but in terms of goals, dreams, and ambitions, I have come to my own conclusion. I don't really fancy explaining it so I'll just throw in a couple of my current "things to do" in terms of '- Action ////*Reason'.
- Get into College of Creative Studies this quarter, thereby switching out of the College of Engineering and becoming a Biochemist over a Chemical Engineer. *This is something my heart and head agree on, I absolutely need to switch out of Chemical Engineering because I disagree with the principles engineering students around me have in terms of education. To get a minimal study on chemistry, back it up with some broad basics on fundamentals of processes, and then apply it directly to a business perspective is not my thing. Neither is cutting off the education before grad school. Bachelor of Science Engineers seem like nothing but lazy "do what told" functioning students. I could never live a lifestyle that's so managed in terms of what must be done (fix this factory!, make it produce more!, tell me how I can minimalize the costs of production!) I want to get an in-depth study on chemistry, go beyond the basics in terms of biology, and develop an understanding of a portion of the world that no other has discovered before. My philosophy with science is that its application to the real world should be the last thing to consider. One doesn't find what one is looking for when doing chemical studies, but one does find something pertaining to the area they study. Then it can be decided what to do with the found material. I'd rather create knowledge that can be applied than apply already known knowledge and think inside the box. Hence, I'm a Biochemist.
- Narrow down the search for internships and find a worthwhile biochemistry undergraduate research opportunity *Seriously is there a single reason to not want to do this? Resume building, experience, and just flat out the prospect of being an actual chemist already. It's awesome! To the same respect, Graduate School is something I definitely look forward to. It's quite probable that I'll be self-sustaining in terms of funding, contributing to the world with research while becoming a possible lab-mentor for students of undergraduate studies - I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA GRAD SCHOOL WAS THAT AWESOME, I thought it was just more covering of a further in-depth set of basics that were implemented by recent years of discovery while loans continually were taken out to further fund education.
- Take up Soccer as a hobby to stay fit and teach myself to be confrontational, enduring, and well-tempered *Self-explanatory. Other hobbies like video games simply aren't worthwhile in comparison. I've realized that one's past-time in college is what defines them most as individuals. I've also realized some traits I need work on. This pretty much is the best choice I can make with my free-time.
----Random Notes: It is 1:23:45 PM right now. That is awesome. I like cheesecake more than pie. Love is fleeting, Time is fleeting, and time with the one you love is most fleeting of all.
Best night of my life spent away from Christina, as far as I can remember, happened just last night. It all started with my bud Matt mentioning Intervarsity to me (Interdenominational Christian meeting, but for UCSB and the UC system). I decided to check it out, on part of my quest to find myself. Later, Kevin mentions it to me as well, so I say "okay now I'm really going".
So I attend, where I meet up with Ben and Matt, two awesome dudes who I've known since FSSP (although Ben I had to got to know a lot better as the night went on, since I didn't really hang out with him before). I hear some christian salvation stories, which are good and all but I'm way too skeptical to believe any of them (with psychological explanations in mind whenever sensations are described, seeing as the subconscious mind could easily be interpreted as Jesus acting "through you" when it comes to letting go and speaking through "faith"). I then go on to decide and tag along to help the homeless One of the best decisions I've ever made.
Six hours later, at 4AM, I've had meaningful conversations with four homeless men, discovered myself, realized what faith and beliefs mean to me, met some of the most amazing personalities I've ever seen (the people working side by side with me for this salvation experience), discussed religious and philosophical matters for about 4 hours with everybody, and am sitting at a table at Denny's eating with a bunch of sleepyhead friends and a 28 year old married couple that I realize reminds me of myself and Christina (<3) more than anything (the most interesting dynamic of two people I've ever met, they were inside each other's minds yet cooperating to be social together in a way that was more than interesting - so funny considering how Christina and I have come to the conclusion that currently we make no sense to other people but completely make sense to each other, so I guess in the future we will become easier to understand to other people because it will take practice).
Now that's obviously a summary, but so much happened and I'm about to go eat subway with my friends so I'm not sure if I can pull off the time (given the 5 page essay and Midterm due Monday) to write all this out before I forget it all (yes I have that bad a memory).
Oh and I met Taylor, but in the future, he was a hobo named Scurvy Charlie (for purposes of getting better money from the drunks who he tends to get money from). He had the most meaningful life in terms of philosophy that I've ever heard, and he had such a complex view of the world I couldn't believe my ears. And yet, in the end, his religion was called jediism (such a Taylor thing to name a religion). It was based on Buddhism, Daoism, and a code brought up in the Star Wars movies (hence the name).
Academic Goals: I'm a Chemical Engineer in UCSB's College of Engineering, and my goal is to make the most of a chemical emphasis until I get into the College of Creative Studies - a prestigious college on campus that bends the rules for students to experience the freedom of a graduate education in undergraduate years. When I get in, I'll be a Chemistry major with Literature and Biology course-loads on the side. For now I'm staying involved in the Chemical Outreach program, applying to the Marine Lab by the shore on campus, and trying to learn as much as I can about the prospect of being a Chemistry major (to counteract the continual "Chemical Engineering is better" perspective I get from my Chemical Engineer professors). Overall, Chemistry seems like the perfect fit in every way. Pretty much anything a Chemistry Major would end up doing is something I'm interested in. Lab research, Biochemical testing, medicinal work, it all appeals to me - and even the idea of being a Chemistry Professor isn't far from my mind.
Previous Goals I've Reconsidered: Chemical Engineering, on the other hand, seems like something I'd never be interested in - stuck in a starting salary with plenty of versatility for "applications" but not as much theoretical work for the studies of chemicals themselves. That and the fact that Chemical Engineering is too broad to share time with the true devoted study of literature, which I want to accompany my life as I grow so as to develop into a well-rounded creative individual. Seeing Chemical Engineering professors, it's like all the books they read are Engineering/Mathematical ones, and I kind of wonder if they remember the days way back when they could read normal books and not have to go to another "How do we fix this structure" meeting in 20 minutes. Besides, engineers don't often get Ph.D.'s because they're all about the money, and frankly I'm not worried about money because I will devote my time and effort to something I love and it will pay off in livelihood one way or the other. That's that.
Friends and Family, at College: My family back home now consists of my delightedly enthusiastic mother, father, and.....Henry the Cat - who I have not even seen yet because he came into the family a little after my last visit home and my next one won't be until THANKSGIVING which is too long honestly to miss introduction to a new kitten in the family. But in the meantime, there's my college family, and to be honest I'm loving life here a lot more than I ever have in the past - but that's perfectly normal, this is college after all.
I made this blog to be honest with myself, and have the side effect of being open with what I think of things, so here goes a list-off of my friends and who they are in my mind (bare in mind I may be a little off for comedic purposes) This is my family: Steven - Father, the man who always has an anecdote and a helpful statistic to tell you about the way things work in this world, Taylor - Pedantic younger brother, prodigy to intellectualism and yet full of himself and loving it at the same time, Peter - Musical older brother, always cool and very hardworking with his priority developing symphonic talent, Maggie - Baby sister, she's either ridiculously optimistic and bright-eyed or puppy faced about something disheartening, Vlademir - Cool European teenager, he's got the skittles, youtube videos, and witty commentary to go with anything, Brendan - My twin, the guy who also appreciates and understands chemistry as well as an excellent, odd sense of humor, Mac - the humerus biologist, he's got a grip on comedy and he'll tell you what's up with nature at the moment, Anthony - the busy grandpa, he only stops by for weekly visits but they're always the most comfortable hilarious times spent, and Christina - the second half to my better side, one who I knew from the first day in college that she was someone I could Love. It's funny because the second time I saw her, it was in this perfect glance in the sunset, and I then knew that it was someone I would Love. She's literally the reason I abandoned Atheism. <3
My roommates wanted to be mentioned in this, so in a quick edit here I go: There are four banderas in my hall: Omar, Ivan, Dom, and I. We have sung YMCA in the shower, loudly, together (separate showers, no homo). We have eaten salami together in the middle of the night with cheese and crackers and cup of noodles (I swear I didn't think about how gay these things sound out loud before writing this). And we just hang out in general. These roommates are awesome, what can I say.
As for the rest of my Hall: Well, I'm hanging out in a lounge on a different floor with people watching Power Rangers with Cups of Noodles. There's not much to say other than life is fucking awesome.
So there, all caught up. And I'll be turning Xanga into my journal from now on, because I've realized how great it would be to look back in the future at. Seriously, this is the best form of a journal I could possibly think of.
I type essay long weblogs and get like...two sentence responses. You people are pathetic...just because I'm on once every year or so, doesn't mean you people can't stay dedicated to my xanga! Say something! (no not the word, jackasses)!
Alright, so everyone's too lazy to stand up for anything. Well this is good to know >.>. Anyone feel like visiting? I'm gonna be hecka bored when my driver's ed thing ends and it'll be too hot outside. :[ I started running a bit for cross-country, though I doubt I'm joining the team (seeing that I'll go back to water polo in the autumn). So far it's fun, I'm gettin a lil better, but I'm hecka lazy when it comes to the final workout after we run and stuff. : / how is everyone else's sports goin?
