I think if I were in charge of marketing science to little kids, particularly little girls, all I'd say is, "Be a chemist, and you can make glitter and pretty colored things!!"
Tonight there are so many thoughts rattling around in my head that I can't decide what to say.
Today I read poetry and watched "Lost" and read the Book of Mormon out loud in French and visited friends and a sister and felt sad to be leaving this little valley in five months.
French still feels delicious on my tongue, I still like e. e. cummings, and I am still nervous about making new friends. And not having Becky around to cut my bangs or offer me clothes. Because Aaron's going to be very busy in med school. And if I don't get into grad school and have to just get a job instead, I may be very not busy. And I do not want to resort to baking cookies all day. Or start taking piano lessons. Or start watching "Lost" from season one again. Or scrapbook (although, actually, I would like to compile all my photos and ticket stubs and brochures from Europe sometime).
Thoughts or tips? I am just so terrible at making small talk with anyone. In fact, sometimes I just don't like talking to people at all. And I am generally terrible with change (even switching from glasses to contacts was traumatizing). I know that it will be a grand adventure and that Aaron won't let me become the ward/neighborhood hermit, but I can still be sad on Sunday nights.
Thunder rumbles in the distance, a quiet intensity I am willful, your insistence is tugging at the best of me You're the moon, I'm the water You're Mars, calling up Neptune's daughter Sometimes rain that's needed falls We float like two lovers in a painting by Chagall All around is sky and blue town Holding these flowers for a wedding gown We live so high above the ground, satellites surround us. I am humbled in this city There seems to be an endless sea of people like us Wakeful dreamers, I pass them on the sunlit streets In our rooms filled with laughter We make hope from every small disaster Everybody says "you can't, you can't, you can't, don't try." Still everybody says that if they had the chance they'd fly like we do.
Really? How many times am I going to incorrectly add -5 and 3? And after how many tries on the same six problems can I just give up, get a bad score, and go to bed?
Ah yes, about 3 tries ago. Awesome. Good freaking night.
Aaron and I are starting to think that the whole American Heritage (me) and Econ 110 (him) are soooo hard!!! thing is just a myth perpetuated by bitter freshmen. Maybe it's just because it's the second week of the semester. Or the fact that it felt like EFY when my professor asked a couple students to come up to the front of the class (of 300+ freshmen) and tell us all their dreams and goals ("solve the energy crisis! go on a mission! get married! have a family!"). Or the fact that the reading required for last week's lecture was a grand total of six pages. SIX PAGES. Shall we compare that to my biochem reading for last Friday? We shall. Five chapters of skimming and one chapter of in-depth reading. That brings us to a total of 116 pages.
I'm sure things will get more difficult. But sometimes I just think after surviving all of my chemistry classes that nothing else will seem hard.
Here's an update on mine and Aaron's plans for the next year:
He's already been accepted into Washington University in St. Louis, and we're waiting to hear back from U Penn in Philadelphia. We're pretty much set on going to one of those two schools. I've applied to the chemistry PhD program at Wash U and Penn, as well as the master's in teaching program at Wash U.
It's weird actually, because by the time June rolls around I will have accomplished every major life goal I've ever had,* and I sort of don't know what to do with myself after that. Get a PhD (if that's what I end up deciding I actually want to do). Have kids. And make sure they're good kids. That's about all I've got. Maybe I'll take up wake kiting or something (right, Jody?)
Thoughts? On American Heritage, adding to your bucket list, or life in general?
*These include: winning at Blackpool living in France getting married graduating from college
