posted by Stephanie

Since coming back from winter break, I'd have to re-adjust myself to everyday college life. There's something about sitting on the couch all day eating Doritos and watching Jerry Springer that appealed to me.

Everytime I come back I get a little more dis couraged though. I want college to be over, and a piece of pretty paper in my hands saying I can get a cool job. But with a new set of classes (non of which are art by the way, how scandalous!) I feel a bit stressed not knowing what I'm doing. Sure, I can read the books and do my math but the only thing that I really enjoy right now is Japanese. Everything is still the same here at college, while back home it's different.

My close friends are all living on their own, making ends meet, and trying to get into a college. Yes, it would be nice to have total independence like that, but I know I can't live off of $10 an hour when I like to shop for $200 shoes. There was this AMAZING pair of white Tuk dress shoes at this store in Seattle that would look ridicolous on me.(No mom, I havent wasted any of the money you have been giving me for books. Don't worry)

Finding a job is hard too.I don't like not having my own money and rather spending my parents. I could easily work at the dining halls but 1) I don't want to get my food permit and 2) No way am I going to wear a Pilgrim hat during Thanksgiving. Those people died a long time ago, I am not going to re-live history for other people's enjoyment.

But I guess I will just stay cooped up in my dorm, talking to friends, writing essays and painting dinosaurus. It'll be over before I know it.

posted in Adjustment

posted by Stephanie



I think I snirted all my brains out for finals week. Doesn’t that non-sense word make you think of ancient Egyptian embalmers pulling brain’s out threw noses? Well, that’s what I just thought of. So, I’m a lil more creative than most. Anyways, studying really comes as a last minute chore to me. Lately, I’ve felt like watching the food network in my oversized bean-bag chair while gorging on butter toffee popcorn than getting off my butt to study artists who decide to shoot themselves in the arm.


I’m sure I don’t have to study as much as most though. I spend most my time drawing whatever I feel like. My friends are jealous since they’d rather do that then memorize equations. But I did my share of hitting the books. I took 3 hours to memorize tons of Japanese grammar and vocabulary resulting in my brain hurting. You know, it’s not quite a headache because you feel like your brain has retained to much information than water or something. But it paid off since the final was easy and I hope I can be all smug with the highest grade in the class.

And now everything is starting to get festive for the holidays (since saying Christmas is not politically correct anymore). Our hall had our holiday care-package party a few nights ago. I was excited because I turned the corner to see hundreds of gifts wrapped up for everyone. What I didn’t know is that our parents got mail saying to make a care/gift package to send to us on that night. As my roommate unwraps hers, I notice it’s from her mother. Mine wasn’t. Not fair. Does mommy not like me anymore? Ha-ha. The next day I called her and asked about it. She forgot to send things but still loves me. And my roommate’s mom is more perfect than mine. (Insert pouty face here) I’m just kidding mom if you are reading this. I’m happy with my loads of mint hot chocolate to keep me warm.

College does seem to go by fast, as Zach mentioned. But I don’t feel like I’m gonna miss anything if I close my eyes for minute. I’m enjoying being on my own, learning new things and making some close friends. I would rather have the pace go by fast than slow because then it’s just a step closer to starting a new chapter in my life. Being able to live independently, having a career that I’ll love and free time without homework, appeals to me immensely. So, college is like the last small obstacle left till I reach the top of the stairs.

To finish things of for the quarter, I hope I’ve done well in my all my classes. I want to see A’s for the start of my college career because I don’t want to get an earful from my parents when I go home. Oh boy, another trip on the wonderful train. I’m going to have to pack up all my artwork and my goldfish in a water bottle again. Hope he doesn’t freak out and start swimming upside down.

posted in Adjustment

posted by Stephanie



So, I was going to the gym the other day by means of the 114 bus. Now, I know what you are thinking, what kind of oxymoron is this? I’m going to a place where one gets physically fit but I’m going there by sitting on my butt for a few minutes instead of casually walking for 15 minutes. I used to walk, really I did! To and from! But now I’d rather not brave the elements, especially when there are 68mph winds.
As I was saying, I was on the 114 with maybe 6 other people. But this bus ride was different. I sit down and make myself comfortable only to be interrupted by the driver over the intercom.

“Goooood Afternoon! You are riding the 114 with service to and from Fairhaaaaven! Today’s WTA trivia game is brought to you by (insert random company and slogan here).”

Now, I’m thinking, did I get on the wrong bus and/or should I get off at the next stop. I look out of the corner of my eye to the other passengers to possibly read their reactions to this announcement. Same as mine, embarrassed to be riding and curious as to what the heck was going on.

The driver continues his charade with the cheesy voice, announcing that I could win a new Chevy and he even bothers to talk fast as if reading the fine print of the rules. The question was simple, and I so could’ve answered it. “What is the name of the shop located next to Moe’s tavern on the Simpsons?” Two boys across from me laughed and tried their hardest to guess, but they ultimately let the Chevy slip out of their hands. Oh, and while waiting for their answer, the driver even sung the Jeopardy song. Impressive.

But my main topic here is getting used to eating right and taking care of myself in college. I go to the rec center every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. And I usually stay for about 45 minutes to an hour working on cardio and weight training. When I eat, I try my best to get something well-balanced rather than burgers and fries. I’d say I eat better here than I did at home. I find myself eating 2 salads everyday along with lots of fruit in the morning. I’m doing pretty well with fighting back that dreaded Freshman 15.

Yet, as I sit down at the dining hall to eat, I’m amazed at people around me. They consume massive quantities of cookies, pizza, rice crispy treats, and chocolate milk. How can they do that?!! If I ate like that I would gain all the weight I worked so hard at to loose. And now, oh boy, they serve waffles…ALL DAY LONG. Way to go nutrition specialists. Talk about concern for the health of students. Then again, what we choose to eat is of our own free will, but there should be some common sense better than a giant Belgian waffle filled with 3 scoops of strawberry ice cream.

Take my advice; use the rec center to your advantage because it’s quite the amazing place and we are spoiled to have it. You might think the dining hall’s food is equivalent to a prison’s but it’s WAY better than high school gruel and you should just stop being a picky eater. Go ahead and eat desserts, just give it some moderation. One piece of cookie dough pie a week is enough. Stay active and you’ll feel better for class, sleep better, and not gain that Freshman 15.

posted in Adjustment

posted by Stephanie



“A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.” - (Danish proverb). Now, I’m the type of person that is very patient and tolerant of things around me and sometimes, the lack of peoples’ wit. I’ve waited in long lines behind football players stocking up with 3 plates of scrambled eggs, sat through lectures dealing with social economics and searched multiple stores for textbooks that were sold out at each one. All of those (and more) everyday trivialities are easily faced by my crazy “handful of patience”.

There is ONE thing that I cannot stand. It makes me grind my teeth and makes my face burn red with frustration. I hate the laundry. Plain and simple. It isn’t the chore aspect or routine or missing my mommy do it for me that makes me so impatient. It’s everyone else that is doing laundry. I wish they would just, I don’t know, not wear clothes anymore? Just give me my own darn washer and dryer.

First off, why do I have to go to the VU to fill up my laundry card?! That building is a ca-fe-te-ri-a. What do you do there? Hmmm EAT FOOD. Stuff your face. Wouldn’t it make more practical sense to install a machine near the laundry room IN the dorms?

Secondly, I do laundry on good Thursdays. In the mornings when I have not a lot to do. But recently, people have thrown off my routine by deciding to fill up every machine in the room! Aghahfaughrra! I looked at every taken washer with around 30 minutes left. Some people won’t even bother to return for their laundry leaving it sit and wrinkle. I time my laundry like a maniac so that no one will touch my undies. My first few laundry experiences resulted in just that. I came down about an hour after it was done, to find all my cute underwear and t-shirts pilled on top of the dryer. My eyes went wide and I clinched my jaw in anger as to who dared to touch my clothing. I opened the dryer half way through its cycle to discover the culprit. A BOY! EWW. He touched my undies! And left them half wet to dry. Well well well, I’ll repay the favor. I take out his tighty whiteys and re-dry mine.

I think it is really rude to do such a thing in the first place. Everyone needs to get their stuff washed and dried, and by messing with their just done laundry for your own sake, messes with their schedule. Especially mine. I don’t care if you are an upper class men, or even the Resident Director (You took out my laundry a minute after it was done! You touched my girlie underwear!!!)

DON’T EVER TOUCH MY LAUNDRY PEOPLE. If you know I’m doing laundry, just slowly and discreetly walk backwards out of the room and give me space. Some time to cool down. This had been a public service announcement.



posted in Dorm Life

posted by Stephanie



“Wow, it looks like someone took a cheese grater soaked in hydrochloric acid and just rubbed it on your face.” So, I got a lot of stares and comments this Halloween. Holidays are always fun and I would wonder how I would adjust to the various ones while away from home. But really, Halloween has been the same as every year. It’s horribly cold, so cold, so why even think of going out for candy that just makes you sick. I have to once again, breathe threw my mouth to avoid gagging on that raunchy pumpkin gut smell. But all the while still being a show off by creating my own stencils for my jack-o-lantern face. And lastly, no close friends by to run around with in the middle of the night.

But I enjoyed it this year for a number of reasons. One, the crazy and sometimes dull Halloween costumes people came up with. Halloween should be SCARY. Oh what’s that at the door? Ohhhh a bunny! A nurse! A school girl in skimpy clothing! Yes, that all just makes me cringe and go running in fear. The boys I saw around the campus weren’t even scary or threatening. Many were cross-dressers (yes funny I guess), members of a rock band, or a construction worker. Sure, I give them all credit in being sort of creative, but I’ve seen it before. Gimme something exciting to look at on Halloween.

If I want to go see a cross dressing boy, all I need to do is go to Capital Hill in Seattle, any day of the year.

It took almost 3 hours applying fake skin, latex, an assortment of eye shadows, and fake blood to my face in order to play the part of a zombie. I put in some contacts and bullet holes and off I went to the bookstore costume contest. There I was much more pleased and humored by everyone’s costumes. Some examples; Captain Jack Sparrow, A giant glowing jellyfish, the Tick, a Bee, A superhero with a giant bobble head, a lion…and oh so many others that were great!

All in all, Jack won third, I won second, and the jellyfish first. She was very …hmm resourceful making her costume from pieces of fabric, shredded newspaper, Christmas tree lights, and what looked like bubble wrapping. I got a $50 gift card for my achievements and went on to shock my art class.

Later that night, some friends and I went to the highly antici…..pated Rocky Horror Picture Show. We were armed with toast, newspapers and a squirt bottle of water. It was MUCH more fun being in a room full of fans, screaming insulting and crude jokes at the screen, throwing toilet paper in the air and dousing people with water when appropriate. After the show was over, I was tired, sticky and full of those mini Reese’s cups that you can’t help but eat a million of. It took me an hour to get everything washed off and I just noticed some gunk bleeding from my ear that I missed.

All in all, I hope someone can scare me next year, more then I did them.

posted in Adjustment

posted by Stephanie

I argee with you guys on college being easy. Sure, we have only been here for a month, and probably think we know-it-all by now, but I personally think everything is easier because I'm getting to study what I like.

My jaw dropped when I relalized my Anthro 201 and Japanese 201 classes were less than an hour long. Sure, my art classes make up for it being an hour and a half Monday and Wednesday, to 3 hours every Tuesday and Thursday. But the time goes by at an enjoyable pace, and I'm improving my skills artistically and linguistically. Where as high school, you sat there in a room for an hour and a half, move for maybe 7 minutes to the next class, and repeat the process ALL DAY, with classes you don't like.

Maybe college comes in different difficulties for everyone, especially if you decide to major in something like math, science, or psychology. To me, those are HARD things to study. But to a person who loves the stuff; easy to them.

I love art, design, language, and have a growing interest in anthropology(I watch too many tribal shows on Discovery Channel). So, presumably, the classes I will take for the remainder of my college career will not be much work at all.

I don't slack and I do try to take notes when I can (or I just go to the study groups to get all the info down at once before a test).

I'd say I'm working less and stressing less here, then in high school. But I'm busy all day with reading, drawing, and memorizing hundreds of squiggly lines.

posted in Academics

posted by Stephanie



“Oh, there’s an exam today?”
“Umm yeah…”
“Really?? Since when?”
“Why do you think we went to that hour study group yesterday?”
“Oh wow, I guess I didn’t make the connection. I was wondering why we were doing one so early.”

So, I took my first exam today for ART 109. I couldn’t say I was nervous for it just because I knew that it was multiple choice and about what else, art. I didn’t really know what kind of study approach to take to prepare so, I really took none at all! I get a pat on the back for that. But really, all the exam was, was looking at slides of various modern artists, identifying them, and answering a few questions about the pieces. Here’s the ONLY disadvantage to being an art student; the reason behind the art.

Now, when I look at art I don’t say, “Ohh fabulous! The artist was truly trying to convey the emotional struggles during the post depression era.” That is CHEESY. Well, it is cheesy and lame to me at least. I draw and create art for a simple, straight forward propose; I think it looks cool once I am finished. My stuff looks cool, is done with talent and over all, it doesn’t have a remarkable story or emotion behind it. I just paint or draw subject matter that I like and am interested in or influence by. Some things are huge parts of my life. So, in a way, an onlooker could take 3 or 4 of my works, line them up and think, “Wow, look at the story behind these. It really shows the artists life story”, or some kind of weird stuff like that. Sure, I can see how it would, but do I think about that as I am painting? Nope.

One time I painted a quick piece in high school on black paper. It was 4 men in business suits, holding leather briefcases and marching in unison. But I replaced their heads with that of goats and a donkey in the front. Now someone might think that I did this because I’m just so distraught with our government, or DOWN with the establishment!. But no, that is not the case. I think goat heads look pretty awesome.

P.S. The AMAZING smart owner of Picasso's $185 million piece, The Dream, poked a HOLE through it with his finger today! What a loser.

posted in Academics

posted by Stephanie



My roommate and I look over at a guy with his very large assortment of breakfast today. So, I used my lame movie announcer voice and narrated what was on his plate. “FOUR pieces of French toast…TWO hearty flaky biscuits…and ONE GAINT Belgian waffle…ALL TOPPED with strawberry syrup and grrrraaaavyyyy!” We both chuckled at my dorkyness as he started to walk back to his seat. “The breakfast of Champions!” I say. Claire laughs and notices his pajama pants. “Oh no, it’s the breakfast of Jedi!” A great start to any morning.


But this little entry falls under academics too. College so far isn’t as hard and stressful as I imagined and was told it would be. Maybe I’m just that good of a student? I like lecture classes better then small knit groups. It gives me the freedom to sit back and right what I want, when I want down. And I don’t have to answer any questions or have a fear of being called on for an answer that I didn’t know. Listening, writing stuff, and taking exams is more my style. Busy work just drives me crazy. In high school that’s all homework was; busy work. But I think for the most part the reason I actually do all my readings and notes is because I’m taking courses that INTEREST me; taking subjects that I love. That’s what helps college go along the smoothest. I’m dreading math.


Being an art student has got to be the best outta anything though. Sure, I sit in a drawing class for 3 hours twice a week, but that’s what’s enjoyable about it. I just have to draw, scribble, sketch, and I earn my grade and credits. But I have been pushing myself to try new perspectives and subject matter. Our first big assignment was to draw a landscape in charcoal. I’m not a landscape person. Trees and bushes are boring and I don’t want to turn into Bob Ross. I rushed the drawing though and got it done in maybe 5 hours. I wasn’t too proud of it since the amount of time I put on it was so little. I doubted everything and dragged myself to the critique. To my surprise, everyone was impressed by the drawing as a whole. There wasn’t many bad things to say about it. Just some minor improvements here and there. So, I sorta like it now, haha.

posted in Academics

posted by Stephanie



Seems like all you other guys post WAY more then I do. Haha oh well, everything's been b-u-s-y.


Students here at Western talk about the most interesting of things. I think I will post some quotes I've heard and remembered around campus so far.

"I have no self control"
"John, I feel like you're ALIVE."
"My boyfriend's name is Mike Jones. Isn't that awkward?"
"My belly's over loaded."
"...And all of the sudden their bras were just RIPPED out..."
"The bad thing about being so tall, is that people look at you and all they see is a chest and they’re like THAT’S not a person.”
“I stole my friend’s harmonica because I thought it was cool and she was like crying. And her mom called my mom, so I felt bad and gave it back.”
“I wasn’t quite sure if it was a man or a woman. I never quite figured out the gender.”
“Oh my gosh, there was a giant beetle in our room last night and we killed it with Katie’s saber.”
“You can borrow my shoes anytime but they probably wouldn’t fit you so never mind.”

-“I’m not sure how to pronounce this…might be Vietnamese…”

-“..it’s pronounced ING…”

-“Oh…I should know that, I was a Vietnam Vet.”

SILENCE

-“I’m Chinese.”


And a GREAT story from my travels this weekend. I was going by bus to the airport and I got off at Cordata Station. A CLEARLY Japanese girl sat beside me while waiting for the next bus to where ever she was going. A CLEARLY Mexican boy in his mid-twenties also gets off the bus and starts up a conversation in SPANISH to the JAPANESE girl. “Muy Caliente!!” He says among other ramblings to her. She just looks at him and politely nods her head then says “ What does that mean?”
He says “What? You don’t know what that means?”
Her “No”
Him “You aren’t Mexican?!”
Her “No I am Japanese.”
Him " So do you like speak Japanese?"

Later her friends came back and they talked about how dumb he was. Aww the perks of being bilingual.

Oh yeah...above is a pic of my dinner plate masterpiece...can't tell I'm an art student can ya? I sent it back on the conveyer belt.

posted in Extra-curricular

posted by Stephanie

“Watch out for that guy with the pot on his head.” Riding the bus in a new city and for the first time as a matter of fact, can be quite the misadventure. I think I discovered my obsessive compulsive habit over the past week. The first challenge, my roommate and I were in dire need of getting to Fred Meyer. So, I grabbed a transit book (very handy!) and looked up how to get there. All I knew was that it was on some street and that a bus would get us there. So, we did the cunning thing and hopped on the next bus around 7:16pm. It looked good. Surprisingly, we found ourselves there in the parking lot 7 minutes later! I think it was luck.

The way back wasn’t so fortunate. We missed the first bus, and the second back to the campus. We had to call and find a route to use. Waiting can be scary, especially when you are greeted by a couple climbing over the chain fence and falling to their feet on the sidewalk beside you.

There is a whole different culture of people that ride the bus. Sure here it’s mainly college students, but now and again you get your entertaining people. Especially on the weekends, that’s when it comes alive with all sorts of characters. My OCD kicked in when I had to pick up my friend from the Amtrak station. I highlighted and crossed out times and arrivals of 3 different bus routes to and from the station. And with the train being late, I did the highlighting process all over again to make sure I got there on time. I’d also check the bus times over and over outta fear that I missed it.

Over the course of the weekend, we were surrounded by Japanese kids and their assortments of Sponge Bob, Spiderman, and Hello Kitty bed comforters, a man with a southern accent dressed up as Johnny Appleseed (complete with pot on head) claiming to be going to a kayak competition, a 3 year old toe-headed boy that really liked the ladies, a blind girl who sang the whole way and then got off at the wrong stop (no joke), a bag man with (I swear!) a butcher knife in his backpack along with possible drug items, and those darn senior citizens that only need to pay 35cents. All in all, the bus gets you a lot of places, it’s just a matter of where you want to go, and who you want to sit next to.

posted in Adjustment