A series of fortunate events

Quick, quick updates dans ma vie.

I had my University of Chicago interview two weeks ago. . My interviewer (who graduated just last year) also looked like my friend Andrew (SERIOUSLY), who is a first year there right now. I had moments when it felt like I was talking to him. Of course, they are completely different people, but the conversation was still two and a half hours of amusing, thoughtful, and worthwhile conversation (while raving about Chicago).

Model UN conference (hosted by UChicago!) last weekend. We got there on Wednesday. I was in the Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Committee with the topics of women in conflict areas and migrant workers. We got on the former topic and debated on it through the last day. I'll be concise and say I dominated. I did so much research in that topic because I enjoy being enveloped by human rights as it is. Our school usually doesn't go to awards because we never get them, but apparently this year we did in my committee! I don't know what we got, but it's either Outstanding or Best Delegation (though I'm not sure the latter exists...). They have to mail the award. :D

I'm not going to lie, this week since getting back from the conference has been stressful. I had two math tests back to back yesterday and today, and there has been much getting up at 4:30 to do homework. I had my first Cool Cities meeting last night, though, and I'm feeling really optimistic for these next few months and lowering the city's carbon footprint. It's a lot of planning at the moment, and there is some uncertainty with how quickly the committee is going to be appointed because of a mayoral election soon, but that does not deter my outlook.

I just (as in an hour ago) had my Brown interview. It was the shortest one by far, but my interviewer was extremely friendly and insightful with my interests and thoughts. I really enjoyed the conversation! Unfortunately, we were on a time limit because she had another interviewee waiting after me (one of my classmates, ahaha), but we did clear up a number of my concerns with Brown. Interviews do a good job of selling schools to me.

A few scholarships down, many more to go. Oh! I'm a National Merit Finalist, which is nice. Anyway, I have a wonderful to-do list for this weekend on my dry-erase board right now, and I think I'm going to finally upload my Chicago pictures onto Facebook (see, I do have a life :P).

Snow days

I wouldn't mind having these until the end of the year.
I am getting so much of my to-do list done. It's insane. And blissful.
My freshly written resume is quite spiffy.
Apologies for the succinctness. I have work to do tonight.

the going-ons

I had a dream last night.
Wildly appropriate for today.
Thank you, Dr. King.


I working on scholarships.

It feels like there are so many things I have to to do, yet when I write everything down, there are at most ten key things.

My brain feels foggy.
I really enjoy exercising, though. Even if I did bang up my leg a bit in a walking-while-reading incident.

I am going to do something I would normally be too afraid to do this year.

"A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle." - Kahlil Gibran

With a few amendments, that quotes aptly sums up my annoyance with some people.

a return to reality

This week has been the longest week of the school year thus far.
I don't drink tea/coffee in the mornings. I don't fancy the thought of becoming dependent on caffeine, but I'm constantly tired now. I've been spoiled by the whole 8 hours a night for two weeks that was winter break and its lovely snow days.

My violin teacher called me "fickle" this week. I'm starting to see it more in what I do, though it's not terribly evident.

There have been some things that make me want to leave even more this week. A few words of ignorance from the family. Relationships. Friendships. The news.

Coincidentally, I had scheduled a debate in Model UN to cover the entire Arab/Israeli conflict this week, but it got canceled due to the ice day. I still did all the research, though, which makes it that much harder to read the news every morning and hear about everything getting worse.

I know it's not as easy as this, but I wish people could trust each other more.
My disappointment comes in the radical individuals who take away the right of peace and security from the majority, and it is almost always the majority who pays.

I started AP Art this semester. It's nice. Our first critique is not for two weeks, but I haven't started on anything yet. I need a theme for my concentration. I was thinking "ordinary," but I have a slight feeling that that's been done before.

I had a dream the other day that my admissions officer from the First Choice was telling me why I was deferred. She called me a narcissist because I sent in photography.

My dreams have been very vivid lately. I wish I was better at lucid dreaming. I've only managed to do it once, but it's really very fun--I went from a Roman bathhouse to a medieval cobblestone street in no time at all. I'm quite grateful to my memory and imagination. It's supposed to be exhausting after a while, though, and I think I rather like the unpredictability of regular dreams.

I love crepes, but I think I want to try my hand at another type of foreign breakfast food tomorrow morning. Suggestions?

After breakfast will be violin. I'm a little certain I'll be holing myself up in the library in the afternoon, attempting to understand how to calculate volumes with integrals.

AP English is required to do a poetry recitation on the 20th. I read a few poems out loud last night. It was nice.

DONE

DONE

DONE
DONE
DONE

Almost. I still have to send in my application fees.
But seriously, all those essays.

I am pumped. To be done. Even if it means I still have a paper and a lab to write. Even if it means I need three artworks by Tuesday.

WHOOOO.

I can finally start talking about the application process in the past tense. Things I'll need to include in reflections: finding colleges that match, standardized tests (& the student search service), writing essays, formatting, the common application, the waiting period (including how to destress and such), recommendations, supplements ... that's all I can think of for now.

I think I will celebrate by watching a movie and reentering my life. And being productive and actually starting my painting.

Oh, yes. It's New Year's Eve! A momentary reflection of the past year--passable, even pleasant. Memorable incidents:
Chicago
US History
Testing testing testing
Italy!
New York!
Anytown!
52 people at the first Environmental Club meeting of the year
40 people at the first Spectrum meeting
Homecoming Queen!
Relations with other people (a mixed bit of nice and confusing)

Things I look forward to doing in 2009:
Caring for my health! (exercising and bothering to pack healthy lunches)
SEEING AMMI AHHHHHHH
Doing the things I regretted not doing this year
Getting into college, gahgahgalg;lagjald
Graduation
Summer! Summer! Summer! Job!
Goodbyes
COLLEEEGGGGGEEEEE


I apologize for all the caps. They are kind of unexcusable in normal circumstances, but I am feeling like the vanilla ice cream on a root beer float.