Saturday, 2 January 2010
8:41 PM
Even though my holiday break is only three weeks, a bit shorter than some colleges or universities, I’m about ready to begin classes once more. I suppose my college has figured out the optimum break length to where students are able to feel like they’ve had a good amount of holiday relaxation, but haven’t been out of school for so long that they’ve forgotten how to aptly use their time once classes start again.
For me, college life hasn’t been too difficult to adapt to. I’ve always been rather independent, so I wasn’t very homesick when I moved out. However, the work for classes is a different matter. I didn’t study as much as I should have during my first semester of college. Actually, I’ve never had to really study before. All I really did throughout my years of junior and high school years was cram (because really, nobody should have to really study for school prior to junior high). By the time I did start studying hardcore, it was for my finals, and I wasn’t exactly sure what to do. Am I really supposed to just stare at this material for four or so hours? So this next semester, I’ll still be working on adapting to college coursework. Real college coursework because community college doesn’t exactly count.
I also had some difficulty cutting myself off from the fun and games when I knew I had to get down to business and study. I got pretty addicted to shooting pool for a month or two, and I still really enjoy playing it. However, I tend to rotate between my addictions. Pool and anime/manga are the main ones I had to deal with the first semester. At one point of one of my anime/manga addiction phases, I watched and finished Fruits Basket within a day, and went through one hundred and sixty-something chapters of a manga (basically until I finished all the chapters currently out for that manga) in two or three days. I got little sleep those nights; I don’t know how I was able to function in classes during those periods, or if I was able to function at all. At my most addicted phase for pool, I skipped one class (after already playing for pretty much the whole afternoon) and made a bet with a friend (which I won, mwuha!). At least I haven’t gotten addicted to coffee or energy drinks to power my way through the semester.
At one point, I lost my keys. Actually, I just forgot them in my chemistry lecture room, and didn’t realize that the keys my professor was holding up at the end of class were mine. And by the time I noticed, it was too late. I suppose, luckily enough, this happened on a Friday. Locked out of both my apartment and my room, I wouldn’t have been able to properly attend classes relying solely on what I had with me at the time. Or, perhaps this was an unlucky thing, since I would’ve been able to go to the lost and found on campus immediately to retrieve my keys. Except for the fact that I didn’t know my professor had left my keys there until the Monday after I lost them.
A friend (or two) of mine was kind enough to let me spend the night at their apartment for the duration of my homelessness. True, I could’ve just spent the nights in my own apartment, out in the living room, but that would’ve been more awkward for me. It’s not that I don’t like my roommates; to tell you the truth, I think they’re pretty cool, and I’m glad that I ended up having them as roomies. However, I’m just not as close to them as they are with each other. I feel rather out of place when spending time with them (and their other friends). I always was more comfortable being friends with guys than girls.
In any case, I’ve better prepared myself should such a thing happen again. (Yes, I know I fail epically for losing my keys in the first place, but I’m trying to be optimistic here!)
I, for one, have been really enjoying Christmas vacation. Aside from lack of immediate internet access (no internet at home anymore), the holidays have been pretty pleasant and relaxing. Go to sleep whenever (although I haven’t been able to fall asleep before midnight the whole break), wake up whenever (usually around ten or so, but I go back to sleep and don’t get out of bed until around one), I don’t have to make my own food, spend all day doing basically nothing, and somehow I’m still tired enough to take naps around six or seven at night. That’s probably why I can’t fall asleep before twelve.
I haven’t been completely lazy, though! I swear. But ask me what I’ve done over the holidays, and I honestly can’t remember doing much of anything. On the weekends, and during for Christmas Eve/Christmas and New Year’s Eve/New Year’s, I’ve been going to my grandpa’s house with my parents (like we did before I went off to college). That’s where we have family get-togethers. Our family visits our grandparents at least every two weeks. So all the cousins grew up as a pretty tight-knit group. And I love visiting my family.
It’s fun watching my cousins play games. My cousin, Quan, and his younger brother, Vinh, recently used their Christmas money to purchase an xBox 360 and Halo 3, along with a few other games. Of course, it’s always more fun playing such games with more people (the more the merrier, after all), especially with family, so Quan and Vinh brought their xbox and Halo 3 with them for everyone to play on. My older cousin, Tommy, and my younger cousin, Quan, are playing Halo 3 right now. A little while ago, they were standing in an elevator waiting to go to the next level (playing storymode). Quan recently had acquired a gravity hammer, an overpowering weapon, and was really excited.
Tommy: (health goes down to absolute minimum) Whoa, was that you?
Quan: Ehehehe . . .
And another time they were going up in the elevator and waiting until they reached the next level:
Tommy: (shoots Quan with a needler)
Quan: (wacks Tommy with the hammer)
(They reach the next level, both at minimum health, and see quite a few formidable opponents.)
Tommy: Oh, yeah . . . now was probably not a good time for that.
Later, Tommy got tired of playing, so another younger cousin, Nguyen, took the controller.
Nguyen: Chaaaaaaaarrggee! (Gets blown up)
Quan: (Gets blown up immediately afterwards) Aww, I was watching your screen!
Ten minutes later, they have sentinel guns that resemble lasers when they shoot:
Quan: (shoots Nguyen) Ehehe.
Nguyen: (Takes damage) Oohh, I want one of those!
One minute later, going against a horde of enemies:
Nguyen: (Imitating laser noises) Zzzzzzzzzzzzzeewwwwww.
Quan: (Dies) Aww, you killed me!
Finally, they get past that stage. Upon getting to the next one . . .
Nguyen: Awww, I don’t want to do this stage! It scares me!
A minute later:
Quan: (Dies) Nguyen, throw a grenade.
Nguyen: (Throws a grenade. Then walks into it and dies.)
For the next five minutes they have fun killing each other. Just for the giggles.
Quan: Aww, you douche!
Nguyen: My energy shield, you bitch!
And then, two minutes after they’ve declared the friendly fire war done . . .
Quan: Walk away from me, Nguyen. Walk away!
Nguyen: (Kills him with a plasma sword.)
Quan: You douche.
Well. This goes on for quite a while, and I’m sure you guys get the idea. Needless to say, it was quite entertaining to watch. I guess this is probably true for most gamers, but I like how when it’s time to seriously get into a game, my cousins and I sit up to play. That’s when we know it’s serious business.
Because that’s how we roll. [Ololol.]
