A much needed break

First semester has been a blast. I have met so many new friends and have loved every minute I have spent at SMU. But, your first semester at college can be tough. Balancing my school and social life is difficult, and of course the work and course load of college is a lot different than it was in High School. I have learned to manage my time and how to study effectively. But, by the time November rolled around, I needed a break. I was sleep deprived, tired of cafeteria food, and missed the comforts of home. I had only seen my family once since August, so of course I missed them too. As soon as I set foot in Atlanta, I felt right at home. I no longer had to use shower shoes to shower, nor did I have to climb into a lofted twin bed. I could roll over in my bed without falling off or hitting the wall. My mom's food tasted delicious. I got to see all of my friends that I hadn't seen since August. It was so good to see everyone and hear about their experiences at college. Overall, I had a great time over break.

transition to college

My parents had fears about sending me to college, but they knew in the long run it was best for me. They were scared that I would succumb to peer pressure or many of the other distractions at college. Since I would be without parental supervision for the first time in my life, it was possible that I could turn down a wrong path very quickly. But I knew that I had to study and maintain good grades to stay in college. Also, my transition from a high school setting to college was not as difficult as it was for someone like hooks’. My background is not that different than the ones that most people at SMU come from. I feel that this is true because SMU is a private university. I grew up in Buckhead, an area in Atlanta similar to the Highland Park area in Dallas. My friends and I all went to private schools where we received an education that prepared us well for college, the next step in our future. We had nice things, took vacations, and lived a pretty well-off lifestyle. I never had to worry where my next meal was coming from or if I had a roof over our head. My peers and I were not snobby, but we did realize how fortunate we were to have the conditions that we had. I always appreciated what my parents did for me. They provided me with a lot of luxuries, but, in return, also expected a lot from me. Both my parents and I realized that SMU is a wonderful place to gain a superior education, not to mention a place to make friends and establish relationships that will last a lifetime. But my parents knew that they had instated the correct morals in me to succeed in my educational career, and they were confident that I would take advantage of the opportunity they gave me. They know that I will not let people change who I am, and that I will surround myself with good role models and people who enjoy life. Remember who you are. Do not let people change you, and remember your values. Keep your goals moving towards a positive light and good things will come of it. Eventually, karma will catch up to the people who commit terrible deeds and the good will be generously.

Celebreality

A celebrity is a widely-recognized or famous person who commands a lot of attention from the public and the media. If you turn on the news, stories about celebrities breaking up, going to jail, rehab.... Even main new stations focused more on Paris Hilton’s DUI more than the current events. Why would anybody want their personal life and problems to be in the spotlight like celebrities do? Celebrities evoke a high amount of curiosity about their private lives. I would be embarrassed to have my secrets exposed. I can understand the ‘glamour’ of the red carpet, but I would not want paparazzi following me around to my home and wherever I go, endangering my life and my family’s. Athletes, actors, and musicians are mainly in the spotlight, but also political figures and television reporters are also focused on. Celebrities will do anything to get their name out there- models turned actors turned singers. Some celebrities even have clothing lines- Gwen Stefani, Jessica Simpson, Kate Moss to name a few. Books, perfumes, household items are also marketed by these celebrities. Celebrities flaunt it because they think their actions will have no repercussions. They think they can use their money and influence to do whatever they want. Why is society so obsessed with celebrity's lives?

I'll do it.... later

Why do I procrastinate? Why do I always end up saving work for the last minute? Does it make me get it done faster because I know the deadline is quickly approaching?
I wish I knew the answers. Somehow I can only manage to do work until the very last minute. I know this is not healthy. I know if I have time to proofread and check over my work, my grades will be improve. But, as easy as that sounds, I can never put my plans into action. Freshman year, procrastination seems to be a widespread disease- like the plague to all students. There are so many other options of how to spend your time, why would anyone study? I know my parents will not accept poor grades from me so somehow I have to cure my bad habits.
I hate the stress and anxiety of knowing I later have to give up things that I want to do because I have waited until the last minutes. Even then I find myself distracted… Any suggestions?

Shooting Rampage

Early this morning, a sheriff’s deputy went on a shooting rampage, killing six people and critically injuring a seventh who were gathered in a home for pizza and movies. Tyler Peterson, the 20 year old gunman, worked full-time as a Forest County deputy sheriff and part-time as a Crandon police officer. It was not initially clear what Peterson’s motives were, but a mother of one of the victims said it was possibly a jealous boyfriend. A witness said that Peterson “was nice. He was an average guy. Normal. You wouldn't think he could do that.”
This is terrible that someone would do this. Shootings are a tragic event because they effect not only the victims, but also their family, friends, and the community. The after-effects of this kind of event are very traumatic for everyone to cope with. For me, it is even worse that someone in law enforcement would commit such an act. It is very disturbing that the behavior of someone of this nature could not be detected earlier. What could be done to prevent these kind of events in the future?

False Alarm

Last night at around 2:45 A.M., I was abruptly woken up to the flash of strobe lights and the sounding of a shrill alarm. I jolted awake and leaped out of bed. The fire alarm. I was disoriented, confused, and didn’t know what to do. I grabbed my key and followed the girls in my hall down the fire escape. We met our R.A.’s outside who said this was NOT a drill. We were scared and had to move locations to the front of McElvaney where we were met with several fire trucks and the police. What was happening? Was my dorm burning down? I was scared as I stood there in the darkness with my friends.
After talking to the fire chief, I was reassured that there was no fire. Instead, somebody had broken the glass on the fire extinguisher and had sprayed it everyone on one of the floors. Why was I woken up in the middle of the night because someone thought it would be funny to pull an immature prank? I was furious. I was exhausted from a long day at the TCU football game and all I wanted to do is sleep. I did not think this was funny at all. The person who did this obviously did not think about the consequences of their actions and how they would effect a dorm full of kids, not to mention the various firemen and police officers that had to come. What was going through their head when they committed this act?

Busted

Finally OJ gets what he deserves- arrested. OJ Simpson burst into a Las Vegas hotel room and snatched sports memorabilia that documented his career. After years of scandals, Simpson is finally being charged with six counts of robbery, assault, burglary, and conspiracy.
It is about time that Simpson is arrested. Ever since the scandal in 1995 with the murder of his ex-wife and her friend, Simpson has been a shady character. Their trial was named “The Trial of the Century”, and was nationally publicized and one of the most watched events in TV history. Simpson’s personality comes off as deceitful and fraudulent. I still do not understand how he was let off trial when it was so obvious that he was the one who committed the murder.
This example proves the point that what you do does in fact catch up with you. Simpson did get off at first, but now he has been caught and will end up in jail. It doesn’t matter how good of a lawyer you have, your acts will in fact catch up with you. I am a strong believer in karma; if you commit wrongdoings you will pay the price in the end. Although it may seem as if you can escape them, in reality, you cannot.

Global Warming

Over the past couple decades, Americans have become more and more aware of a very serious environmental problem. Scientists and environmentalists have noticed an increase in the world’s average temperature of the air and our oceans as a result of various greenhouse gases. This problem, global warming, is a problem for our health, our economy, and our precious ecosystems.
How have Americans contributed to this problem? We use massive amounts of energy, drive gas guzzling SUV’s, and are out for ourselves. If we do not take care of the resources we’re provided with, we soon will have no more of them left.
I became of this problem several years ago, but at that time it did not effect me. I couldn’t drive and didn’t pay the energy bills. What could I do to help? My impact seemed trivial at the time. But, this summer when I watched the “Live Earth” concert on TV, I suddenly realized what a problem this really is. We are not taking care of our precious mother earth like it takes care of us.
I tried to think of ways I could help. I have tried to change my daily routine by using energy more resourcefully. I don’t keep the air conditioning too high or too low; I try to carpool and drive more efficiently. I also try to unplug some electronics and appliances when not in use and turn my lights off. I know these may seem like small things, but they do effect the larger scale if everyone contributes.
I think everyone should go out of their way to try and help this increasing problem. It is our responsibility and we must do what we can to help.

Travels

As a graduation present, my mom took me to Europe over the summer. We spent three weeks on a cruise in the Mediterranean. I got to experience new people, places, food, and culture in Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Monaco, and Croatia. Most of these places I had never been before so it was especially exciting. I loved seeing the Coliseum, the Trevi Fountain, Saint Mark's Cathedral, the gondolas, and other Roman ruins. I had seen most of these in books or movies, but to see the real thing was incredible. I saw lots of artwork, Cathedrals, and Cloisters also. Being able to dock in the ports also was interesting because that is the main industry in most of these cities. My favorite place in Italy were Portifino and Capri. Words cannot describe how beautiful these cities are. And, most of all, the food is delicious.