Ode to First Semester

I successfully finished my first semester of college with a 3.6 GPA. Life is good :) Overall I do not like college. It's kinda pointless and annoying. I love my classes, but just don't like having to take ones that have nothing to do with my major. College is when most people have the best times of their lives. So far its been a stress hole with a few gleaming moments of fun. I think I might need a life attitude adjustment :P

Classes...

Math: I hate math. We don't get along. This class ended up being a teach yourself class. All the info was online and basically we worked through the e-book and did homework problems with a quiz at the end of every week and a test at the end of every section. I somehow (still don't know how) amazingly ended up with a B in that class. But I am now done with math for life! I never have to ever take a math class again!!!

Core: Core classes serve one purpose: brainwashing. Sports in Society can be interesting when people actually discuss things. But we are in groups and mine sucks. Basically I do all the work with this other girl and everyone else talks or stares at the wall. Thanks to an amazing final project, and getting all my service hours in, I pulled an A.

Class Piano: This class is pointless. The only reason I didn't test out is because I never learned how to read all the different chord symbols. I can play piano just fine. I just don't know all the theory stuff. Oh well, its a super easy A. I don't even have to practice, just show up to classes/ tests and sight read :p

Theory I: This is an awesome class. The notebook of lecture notes took a crazy amount of time but I got an initial grade of 90 while the class average was 35 so I felt my time was well rewarded. Basically show up to lectures and do homework pages which are basically all charts. I kept a very solid A in this class.

Aural Skills I: This class is all rhythm and pitch. Solfege, beat families, intervals, crazy group performances...very scary but I learned so much. Somehow kept an A in this class even though I think I only deserved a B cause I never practiced at all.

FVS: Freshman Voice Seminar. Voice lessons with three amazing teachers and the most awesome class ever. Had my first ever voice recital. Sang "Star Vicino" and "The False Prophet" and managed a B in that class.

University Choir: Directed by Dr. Murphy this choir was a lot of fun. Harder then any church choirs so it was a nice challenge. I sang second soprano as usual. We had two concerts. The first was mainly praise songs and so much fun. The second was Bach's Magnificat which was crazy hard and I was just starting to understanding it the night of the show. A in this class!

Diction: We learned how to write English and Italian words in IPA (international phonetic alphabet). Basically how to write the words the way they sound using specific symbols. Solid A in this class. It was fun :)

In addition to classes, I worked.

Green's Cleaners: I've been working at this dry cleaners for like 3 or 4 years now. Kinda crazy. I worked about 12 hours a week there. My longest shift being Sat 10-4.

House cleaning: I cleaned for two different people. The first is two hours a week for our neighbor. Young family with three kids. I like cleaning for them because everything is dirty when I get there, and clean and shiny when I leave. The second is three hours a week for the people who own a stable. Their house is huge and awesome. It's not as much fun to clean because the two of them don't get anything too dirty so I am pretty much cleaning things that already look clean. Weird, I know.

I also own a horse.

Dante: He is living at Paradise Stables for this school year. He's an adorable pain and I learn more and more about him every day. He is terrified of phones or any clicky things. He is terrified of the vet and shots and was a spaz. Many thanks to Lauren for dealing with him when I couldn't be there ;) We conquered cantering both directions but he still pulls the "I can't figure this one out" card when he wants. He was terrorized when we attempted polo and jousting but eventually got over it. We have come a long way, but still have SO much to do. He is my baby.

I also have a boyfriend.

Sam: What can I say...Obsessed? Adorable? Ridiculous? I will spare you the gooeyness if I can. We are having a great time together and I guess we are technically courting... but idk. Looking toward marriage? Yes. Engaged? Thank goodness no. Think we have found the perfect person? Yes. Act ridiculous most of the time? Yes. Heh.... :D

I also have some of the best girl friends ever! I will name one for now.

Lauren: There is just too much to say. Amazing. Best sense of humor and can always (and I mean always, even if she doesn't realize it) put me in a better mood. Horsey pal :) Very much fun cantering along trails looking for our ridge and ending up way further then we thought. Great person to talk with about other people.... not exactly gossip...more like firm opinions. Basically feels like a sis :)

That was pretty much my first semester. Only 7 more to go! Yay!