Nearing the End

I really need to think of a more creative title for these updates, but I'm too lame for this one. Maybe next time..? :)

So its nearing the end of the term, in fact less than two more weeks. I can't say that I'm sorry for it to be over. It's going to be such a relief to not have Ceramics anymore. Today I finished my last clay project in that class. After tomorrow we can't make anything else because otherwise there won't be enough time to finish everything. We'll be glazing and taking tests for the rest of term.

For my last project I decided to make a teapot. That was a mistake. It was really hard. Plus, I'm not really finished. I still have to stick everything together and make a new lid. I pretty much knew that I would have a hard time doing it, but I tried anyway. My teacher said that we needed to challenge ourselves, so I did. I never want to see my teapot ever again. But it will still be there. Maybe I'll feel better about it tomorrow.

So, the novelty of the beach has pretty much worn off, I haven't been there at all in the past two weeks. I keep thinking I should get down there, but then I'd have to walk. It takes about 20 minutes to get to Temple Beach and about the same amount to find a good place on Bikini Beach. Mostly I'm just lazy.

I have, however, gone to the temple (its closed though, so I just looked at it and went into the visitor's center), visited the Bishop's Museum, been to all of the major shopping centers and saw the Honolulu Fireworks on the 4th. The fireworks were huge, they actually made me jump a couple of times from the sound (much to the delight of my friends).

The power goes out here on a pretty regular basis. Today, it kept going on and off. I took a shower and wondered why the water kept fluctuating between really, really hot and the temperature I wanted it to be...but didn't find out until I realized that my fan was off. Honestly, I never turn my fan off. Once when the power went out in the night, the fact that it wasn't on woke me up.

I am officially really bad at playing soccer. Out of all the sports, why is that the one we play the most in gym? Why not volley ball or tennis? I can actually kind of do those ones, but soccer is completely out of my league. Luckily, we're doing book work tomorrow.

One thing I've learned that's completely not school related is that mailboxes are important! Since moving here, I get mail all the time. Sure it's mostly about my new bank account and school stuff, but if I didn't have that mailbox I would be at a serious disadvantage.

I have started disliking the caf, its not that the food is gross per se. But they definitely need to get some more variety. We have chicken for 2/3 meals offered every day. As much as I like chicken, why can't we get some beef or even some fish thrown in there every once in awhile. I mean, we're surrounded by water right? Fish should be everywhere!

Really though, as many things I have to complain about, I actually love being here. Going to college, even with the classes, is really fun. At the end of the day, I realize that i haven't actually done anything, but somehow I really enjoyed myself anyway. Maybe I am turning into a low-key, relaxed Hawaiian after all. :)

First few days of College!!

So as many of you know, I stopped e-mailing while i was in japan because of some complications with my computer's charger...anyway, those are all fixed and I am now in Hawaii. :)

This is just gonna be a quick overview because I have done tons of things since getting here last friday. On my first day I met my roommate, shopped and unpacked, that's as far as I got with anything. On Saturday I said goodbye to awesome mom and went to the beach with my roommate, Emma (who is amazing, she lets me follow her around everywhere).

Sunday I went to church with the 16th ward (the ward Emma is in), apparently you don't get assigned to a ward unless you're attending one of the semesters (the next one is Fall). The rest of the day I spent napping, because for whatever reason, the time zone change has had a ridiculous impact on my sleeping habits. :(

Monday was my first day of school and also the day I got my TB screening shot. Then I got my Insurance Cleared (but at first the lady tried to convince me that I hadn't signed up for it...) and finally got my student id! Yay! Without that little piece of plastic, I hadn't been able to open my dorm door!

In my first class, EXS 177, I heard the people behind me speaking in Japanese. So I started talking to them (in English of course) and after awhile, the guy invited me to join Japanese club with offers free conversation classes to its members! Another yay!

Next I had Ceramics where I met a kid whose also in my EXS class, his name is Brent. At first I was thinking that we could be good friends, but then I found out that he's taken tons of classes in Ceramics and therefore has skills (I haven't taken a ceramics class in 6 years). I told him that I'd feel bad when all his projects look better than mine. lol

Afterwards I have PHSC 100 with Mark Cannon who happens to be one of Jeremy's classmates back in the day. He was really excited to meet me, I'm still trying to decide whether or not this turn of events is a good thing. In this class I also made a friend, her name is Meagan, but she's only here for Summer Semester. I'm gonna be really sad when she leaves cause she's the only person that I hang out with (other than Emma of course).

Today I only had Ceramics and I spent 2 hours overtime perfecting my pot. Ridiculous I know, but my teacher said that this is one of the hardest classes in the entire school (I thought he was kidding, but if this is the first project, he might be right...).

I spent the rest of my day doing my PHSC homework and I'm really glad that I'm not taking any other classes. I would be swamped. My homework from PHSC had only 13 questions and then 2 chapters from the textbook but it took me the better part of 3 hours to finish all of it up!

Maybe I'll get faster as I get more homework...I should have taken more than just one science class in high school. I should have taken a science class my senior year rather than my sophmore year, maybe then I wouldn't be so dumb at it. I really think that the class is interesting, I even almost enjoy the textbook, but it is SOOOOOO hard!!

Anyway, that's it for today. Tomorrow I have all 3 classes again, but on thursday I only have ceramics (not that I'll have any freetime afterwards at the rate this class is going, we have a new project due every day).