End of Semester Thoughts

Well, it has certainly been a while since I’ve written anything on my blog. I mainly attribute this lack of presence in the social media world to the fact that graduate school tends to eat up your time, energy, and focus like pandas eat bamboo (the primary food of pandas is bamboo, right?).

As I’ve been busy writing papers and doing projects, I’ve thought about my time at school and what it has taught me. The result? I have compiled a list of ten important lessons about life that you can learn from being in school as much as I have. The following ideas are arranged in no specific order, and, I encourage you to employ them as you would a salad bar. Take what you need and move on:

1. There are two types of coffee that exist in the world: university/college coffee and everything else. University/college coffee appears in either light (bitter water) form or dark (bottom-of-the-Mississippi-Columbian-rocket-fuel-sludge) form. There is a place for university/college coffee in the golden chain of salvation and universal order of things, but it does not play a very important role. It is only to be used when the coffee you brought from home in your awesome travel mug or the coffee you bought from a speciality cafe runs out and finding a replacement is not an option.

2. If you’re doing a powerpoint presentation of any sort, the following things should never happen in your slides: comic sans, webdings, papyrus (yes, it may signify archaic typography and connote a sense of ‘history,’ but seriously people…), or any form of clipart. Also try to be conservative with your colours. It’s a presentation, not craft time.

3. Bring snacks and a lunch from home. Even if there is a cafeteria near your class, it is just silly to pay 15$ for a ham on rye. Don’t let their monopoly on the school’s real state allow them to rob you. However, avoid bringing: microwave popcorn because it makes the room with the microwave smell like butter for the next week and that’s gross. Remember: unwrap anything wrapped in plastic before you put it in the microwave because fires are bad and you’ll ruin everything for everyone.

4. Resist going on facebook, youtube, or anything that is not related to class during class. You can watch or do all that stuff at home, and it just doesn’t make sense to pay as much as you or I do for school, and waste all that time doing stuff that you could do at home for absolutely free.

5. Be nice to people who are late. If it is in your power to move over and make room for someone in your spot at the back of the class, do so. It’s mean to make them walk to the front or scootch around people awkwardly and in shame.

6. Think more, talk less (especially if you’re like me and talk too much). Just because you (or I) get really excited and want to vocally process something, does not mean everyone else wants to hear our thesis on why Martin Luther’s disbelief in transubstantiation during the eucharist is a theologically sound conclusion to make.

7. Redeem the commute. If you’re like me and have to drive forty minutes to get to school, be proactive with your travel time.

8. Bags with wheels and extendable handles are a no go. They run over other peoples feet, and plus, you’re in a school. Not an airport. At least get a man-purse, because they  create the illusion that you’re in style - even if, like me, you aren’t.

9. Hard copies. Once you think you’re done your essay or project, or really anything of importance that you are sending to someone else electronically, print it off and read it over, making edits with a red pen. Don’t just edit on your computer screen if you can help it. You’ll make far less mistakes and get better results.

10. Learning is awesome.