So all the '09 RHPers have attended Orientation and had at least their first dose of USC spirit. I am, as well as everyone else, living out the last few weeks before Move-In Day. Ever since my last day of high school, I've been getting constant mail from USC departments, offices, and organizations, sometimes more than one envelope a day. There's even emailing from organizations to which I've showed an interest in on one of those countless Internet or paper forms I've filled out. It's exciting.
One thing that broke my excitement yesterday was the Thematic Option mailing from Penny. The introductory paragraph was the routine "I hope your summer is going well...it's getting close to move-in day...we are excited...welcome to the Thematic Option." And then the next paragraph: "Your CORE 111 writing class will be rigorous--so tough, in fact, that your first assignment is due before you are." Bummer. And now that I'm reading it again from the excellent quality USC letterhead, I realize that that sentence doesn't make any sense at all. As if I'm "due" or something. Oh well. I understand plenty well enough to be unexcited. [few minutes later] Eh, I get it. Scratch that.
I suppose I overreacted at the fact that I have to complete an assignment that's due before classes start. Penny wrote, "This will give us a sense of who you are and will give your writing instructor an idea of where you are beginning as a writer." Okay, so I hate these diagnostic writing pieces. And the very next paragraph says, "Have fun with the assignment. It won't be used as an academic mug shot..." Now isn't that contradicting what she just wrote in the previous paragraph? I'll try to have fun, yes, in constructing this 2-3 page essay (which I'm sure will seem ridiculously easy by the time we get our first few writing assignments in class), but I don't want someone to gauge my writing ability or style through a "fun" piece.
My excitement was revived (I know, passive voice, I don't care!) by the mailing from TrojanHousing. Yes, those who are a bit further from LA than I am, you are getting your roommate information really soon! I was paired with an RHPer (hey there, Sean). Can I assume that you "matched" responses for the most part on that questionnaire we filled out many weeks ago? Haha, I wonder.
Now about majors and minors and careers and futures...How certain are the RHPers about their stated majors as incoming freshmen? I've discussed careers with my parents, who tell me that they know a lot about what certain careers entail, and I trust them. I've wrestled with the possibility that I may waste a few semesters before finding something on which to set my heart. Perhaps I am not one of those lucky few who have specific passions in the academic world. I'm trying to pick something not so difficult (I'm sorry engineering majors if I offend you :) ) because I want a high GPA for grad school (right now, aiming for law school). Unless, of course, I do happen to find that passion. But it seems unlikely because there's only so much "trying out" of classes I can do. That being said, I hope that economics turns out to be interesting to me.
I'm trying to finish some books before everything gets hectic. Has anyone read Into Thin Air?
Saturday, July 30, 2005
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9 comments:
Intriguing post, Sam. I got four pieces of mail from USC on the same day. They could have saved on postage by putting it together... nah.
Hopefully I don't put off the essay until the night before... ahem.
I'm pretty set on engineering (love that stuff), but will it be CECS, CS, or EE? I think chances are good that I'll stick to the major I chose - that is, CECS.
I got the Thematic Option mailing this morning, as well as the parent's weekend mailing. The housing letter was not in there - I'm hoping for tomorrow! If anyone gets it today and I'm their roommate, I'd love to know, because it may not be for a couple of days that the housing mail gets to NC, and I'm very curious.
My parents are not planning to attend Parent's Weekend - just wondering, are everyone else's going? I told mine not to worry about coming across the country, I didn't think it was worth it.
I'm pretty sure I want to keep my major. I can't go on the first Thematic Option field trip because it conflicts with my mandatory Cinema-Television Production meeting on the 19th, so that's kind of frustrating, but, hey, c'est la vie.
I'm trying to finish up some reading too - Into Thin Air is actually the next book on my list, after I finish Wicked and Crime and Punishment. That said, it may be a while until I get to it, but I've heard it's good.
megan, my parents said the Parent's Weekend sounds like it's mostly for out-of-state students. We decided it's not worth it because we're already so close to USC!
I just received an email with USC Housing Roommate Information, it has the same contents as the letter I received by snail mail a few days ago.
Megan, you're roommates with Sam and me, whoa!
OK, so you're not, sorry, getting your hopes up there and all.
I don't know, I'm kinda excited about the diagnostic essay. I'm gonna rock it like the Beatles in '67. I thought the "intellectual" part of the mailing was the funniest. Write an "intellectual" paper everyone, but use your idea of "intellectual." How 'bout I just write about bugs, maybe the tse-tse fly, is that "intellectual" enough?
Aw, and you did get my hopes up...
But Renee C. e-mailed me, so I know my roommate which makes me extremely happy.
Excited about the essay? As far as essays go, it's not bad, but still... I have to take 12 hours of testing in the next two weeks for high school diploma reasons, not looking forward to any additional scholarly-spent time - and hey, bugs can be intellectual, if you want them to be.
Sure, just ask an entomologist!!
I finished Into Thin Air today. I think you will enjoy it. It's a bit easier to read than Crime and Punishment (yeah, just a wee bit). What to read next?
wow, i can't believe you guys are reading the book list already. ugh. (this coming from the girl who is currently studying curl and divergence and surface integrals at 4:15 in the morning...i hate myself for taking this class) i'm in the same boat as megan...too many scholarly endeavors before class even begins.
reading the sample essays reminded me of reading some kid's self description on xanga or myspace or something "this is a confession, no wait, it's not, i'm smart, but don't judge me, i don't judge others, i like things, but wait, that might change...yay ambiguity"
my parents are coming to the parent weekend...they're also becoming highly spirited *ahem* obsessed.
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