Balance

So...its the end of the semester. Yeah. Time has not generally been on my side.

The biggest challenges of senior year is to AVOID having periodical panic attacks about the "future," and balancing those planning processes (ie: fellowship applications and networking) with classes...

I tend to be overambitious with my goals--and true to form, in the beginning of the semester I planned on taking 4 classes, having two jobs (one consisting of email submissions of research so totally managable right?), a policy writing competition, senior thesis planning, and a rigorous workout plan (marathon training? yeah right.)

So with only two weeks left of the semester I realize that I STILL haven't learned all there is to know about time management. I am a victim of my active mind--I always have so many ideas going on in there, and tend to overestimate my ability to accomplish tasks in short periods of time...there are so many possibilities and in trying to do everything that comes to mind, you run the risk of completing few tasks.

Damn. I totally thought I had internalized that sophomore year...

So lessons of the day:
-Don't repeat old mistakes--> work towards reversing bad habits.
-PRIORITIZE: no matter how brilliant an idea is it is always best to table it if there are other more pressing things to do...like graduate.

College has taught me that old habits die hard...perhaps I will manage to get this time management thing right in my final semester..yes. yes I will.

Now back to writing this paper...

An Honest Appraisal

So suddenly today it hit me. I am a senior in college. Whoa.

It really just snuck up on me...It's not that I'm scared about the future. I am ready to take it all in stride--I have a plan: research, work, then grad school. It's just that...
I haven't given myself much time to reflect on my experiences. I still remember, as if it were yesterday, the sinking feeling I felt freshman year upon realizing that I would have to share a bedroom with a crazy person. (Just one of the precious memories...) These and other moments of collegiate glory, are all bubbling up now that I am reaching the end of the college phase. This blog is my effort to piece together all the memories and lessons learned , to make some sense of it, and give people a realistic view of life at an Ivy League university and others who share my experience, an entertaining reminder of the joy, pain, and ridiculousness that it entails.

And even though it feels like the end, its not over yet. I still have one more year to get my money's worth--who knows what blog-worthy experiences I will accumulate in the passing months?

But first, a word on what this blog is NOT:

This is NOT an "insider's guide" to the Ivy League.

Insider's guides tend to be a bit sensational. The reality is that just like every college experience the Ivy League experience is different for everyone, and while there are some commonalities among us--ie: really (for the most part) smart people and some intense competition--college really is what you make it. And just in case you were wondering, going to Penn is nothing like Skulls I or II. (or at least it isn't for me.)

This is NOT an attempt to convince you of the superiority of private universities.

Don't worry I'm not that into myself. While I am happy I got in--don't believe all the hype. Of course there are benefits, but the Ivy League isn't the only route to a great education--after all econ 1 is hard everywhere. (unless you actually enjoy mathematically-based theories or something outrageous like that)

This is NOT an exposé.

Unless you consider getting tipsy off of a wine cooler scandalous, this blog will bear no resemblance to an exposé. With the exception of a few anecdotes here and there (third person of course), you will be hard pressed to find any juicy accounts of sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll here. If that's what you are looking for, read erotica or something...

This IS an honest appraisal of my experiences. Enjoy.