Is this not exciting news.
(At any rate, Martin Freeman and Jimmy Fallon clearly think it's exciting news, so your opinion doesn't matter. :-P)
Actually, I put off this post for so long that now I'm almost about to start my second semester, but no matter. Better late than never, eh?
Highlights of the semester:
* Learning American Sign Language [I had previously learned just a little bit, and I've always liked it, so this class was a lot of fun. And yes, I'm taking ASL 102 this coming semester.]
* Seeing so many people I knew, whether from the homeschool graduation program we used for my senior year or from previous co-ops, etc.
* Actually doing well in my stats class!
* Discovering that the campus library has a pretty great fiction selection
* Having four great teachers [This was a HUUUGE blessing, because I've heard some horror stories of college professors, and I'm sure I'll probably have to run into some at some point in my college career, but it was SUCH a gift to have good teachers for my introduction into college life. :D]
* Being able to use the campus library and an Amazon textbook rental to get out of paying lots of money for things I won't use again! Yay! [It was actually really cool, because most math classes in the school require some sort of online homework component that costs a pretty penny, but my stats class did not.]
* Not getting really sick the whole semester!!! [Praise God!]
* Deciding, like the good girl I am, to "get some exercise in" by walking around the (relatively small) campus between classes, and having that turn out rather differently than expected because I most ungracefully fell [Yep, this happened. Thankfully, I don't think anyone saw it -- a great mercy -- but it resulted in slightly scraped hands, a very scraped knee, slightly scuffed boots, and a torn pair of jeans. It's all good, though. :-P Could've been much worse, now that I think about it!]
* Listening to a lot of Taylor Swift while studying for tests
* Surprisingly, getting a LOT of leisure reading done [I attribute this to the fact that I had long breaks between classes.]
* Finding out how useful "Rate My Professor" is [Bless the humans who invented this. I have a feeling it'll be used by me quite a lot over the next several years.]
* And I'm sure there are more which I'm forgetting. :-P
Overall, this semester was a big blessing in a LOT of ways. Really thankful for all the ways God provided and helped!!!
Any fellow college freshies reading?
How did your first semester go?
Congrats, Olivia!! It does sound like you've had a great first semester.
ReplyDeleteI wish you as much luck with your second!! <3
~Cordy
Cordy, thank you so much! I really appreciate it. :) <33
DeleteYay!! Congratulations Olivia! I had to laugh cause so many of the things you talked about are things I've experienced. Only difference is that this wasn't my first semester.
ReplyDeleteI took ASL this semester too!! It was awesome, and I actually got to use it outside of class which was really cool!!
Having good teachers is soooo nice :)
Hahaha falling on campus. Been there, done that ;) Oh my, I listened to so much Taylor Swift this semester XD Which songs of hers are your favorite?
I LOVE RATE MY PROFESSOR. It's so helpful!!
Loved reading this post Olivia!!
P.S. That Martin Freeman gif is perfection XD
Haha, glad I'm not alone, Miss Woodhouse!
DeleteAAAAYYYY, a fellow ASL student! *high five* And you got to use it outside of class?! That's fantastic! I was hoping I could do that -- not much this semester, but there's still time. ;)
YES, oh my goodness. It really is. :)
Haha, really? Again, glad I'm not alone. ;D And yay, more T-Swift fans! Oh, boy, let's see here . . . I love "Long Live," "Love Story," "Teardrops on My Guitar," "Innocent," "Never Grow Up," "Clean," "This Love," "Last Christmas," etc. . . . I like a lot of them. ;D And I love her Speak Now album overall. How about you?
YASS GIRL.
Aww, thanks! I loved your comment. :D
P.S. Isn't it fun? xD
*returns high five* Yes, using ASL outside of class was super cool!! I was volunteering at an event, and while we were getting the audience to participate, I noticed two ladies signing to each other, so I invited them to participate in ASL!
DeleteOh I love all those songs that you mentioned!! Especially "Long Live", "Teardrops on my Guitar", "Love Story", and "Innocent". I also really like "Hey Stephan", "I'd Lie", and "If This was a Movie". It's always fun to find other T-Swift fans, my sister teases me incessantly because I like her songs ;P
Haha I'm glad :D
P.S. Yes, I may have to steal it ;D
I bet! I imagine scenarios of doing that. :D Aaaahhh, that's so neat!!
DeleteOoh, I love "If This Was a Movie" too! (Fun fact: I used to think that she was saying "Come back, come back to me, Eli" instead of what she was actually saying. xD) And "Hey Stephen" is so fun and catchy. <3 I agree!
:D
P.S. Yaasss, do it. ;)
Ohh, it sounds like it went really well! Well done, old girl. *encouraging pat on back*
ReplyDeleteSo... I'm a little confused as to what exactly your college is (and what the equivalent of it is here in Australia). Are you studying something in particular? (And the fact that you learnt sign language is confusing me even more, although that's really cool. XD)
Also, Jimmy Fallon and Martin Freeman dancing in one gif all in one day? I don't know if I can handle the happiness. <3
It really did! Aww, thanks -- God really blessed me this semester!
DeleteOkay, so right now I'm attending a community college part-time. Do y'all have community colleges in Australia? Basically, it's a local school where you have a lot more flexibility, and it's a LOOOOOOOT cheaper than a regular four-year institution. A lot of people go to get a few years under their belts (while spending much less money earning the credits) before transferring to the four-year school of their choice to finish out their undergraduate degree. But you also get a lot of adults and senior citizens who go to take special, more "for fun" classes, or to earn an associate's degree or enter a nursing program. It's really cool! (Haha! The school offers a lot of different classes for credit, and sign language is one of my interests, so it was a good fit. :))
Haha, it is happy, isn't it?! <3
Ohhh... okay, I think I get it. Well, we don't have "community colleges" but we do have a thing called TAFE, which is quite similar, in a sense. I was just talking with my Mum and Dad (asking them about it :P) and they said TAFE has changed a lot over the years, but when it first came out, it was a lot like what you are describing. But it's not very much like that anymore. (Gee, education systems are so confusing sometimes.)
DeleteIt sounds quite helpful and exciting!
Interesting! (You right -- why does everything have to be confusing.)
DeleteIt has been helpful so far!
Yay! That’s awesome!
ReplyDeleteThe first semester is probably the hardest and most awkward, in terms of becoming familiar with your surroundings and the general classroom setting, so congratulations for pushing through it!
Oh yes. For some reason a genius decided that textbooks should cost an arm and a leg, and part of your soul. Very annoying.
I’ve never done the full time student thing, I’ve always just had one or two classes going. But next semester I’ll be biting the bullet and taking four classes at a campus 40 miles away, three days a week. Lots of driving for me!
Thanks, Chloe!
DeleteWhew, that's what I'm hoping! Thanks for the encouragement. ;)
VERY ANNOYING INDEED.
Yeah, last year I just had three classes for most of the semester (I picked up one eight-week, one-credit class at the end). Way to go for taking on a full load next semester! But yikes, 40 miles away three days a week?! Yeah, that WILL be a lot of driving for you! Sowwy. :-/ But you got this! ;)
I'm so glad to hear you had a nice first semester! (especially the leisure reading time sounds lovely :D)
ReplyDeleteDo you have any words of wisdom for a highschooler starting to check out colleges?
Thanks, Meredith! I did indeed. :) (It was! :D)
DeleteOh, goodness! *adjusts imaginary glasses* Well, let's see here . . . I'd like to be of help, but since I just started at a community college I don't know that I can be?? One thing I'd say is to consider a community college if you have one in your area. As to a "regular" college . . . I'm still trying to decide where I'll end up, myself! But I guess see how much scholarship money the schools will give out, how difficult it is to get that money, etc. Also maybe prioritize what's most important to you in a school, especially based on your potential major (if you have a major in mind). Oh, and PRAY! ;D Other than that . . . I don't really know, I'm afraid! Wish I could be of more help. :-/
What exactly is Rate My Professor??? Last year of high schooler here!! :D :D :D
ReplyDeleteLilah
lilahsmusicals.blogspot.com
Lilah, it's a magical website where you can search for college professors by individual school, rated by students like you, to find out more about them, if they're good or bad, what to expect, etc. I don't think there are reviews for every single professor, but it's been quite helpful for me so far. Here's the link: http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ Good luck! :D
DeleteSounds like things are going fabulous!!!! (Except for that fall. Ouch.)
ReplyDeleteYou are fabulous, have an amazing 2018!!!!!!!!!
They are, MC, thanks! (Haha, yeah . . . It wasn't really that bad, I was just a baby about it. ;D)
DeleteD'aaaaaaawwww, YOU TOO, GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!! *tackle hugs*
I'm so glad it's all going well!!!!! ♥
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Natalie!! <3
Delete