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11.19.2010

The End Of The Beginning

Since I last posted, I feel like everything's happening at once.

I'm finally settled in. Friends, routines, steady coursework. I think connecting with people in my classes, outside my flat, has helped me the most. It's fun--I've never had this many geeky friends at once. That doesn't just come from small class sizes: almost everyone has the same classes. So we see a lot of each other. Especially since I'm going to be in Scotland for a while, it's good to find somewhere I feel like I belong.

The coursework will only get worse in the next two weeks, but if I stay on top of it I'll come out alright. I've mostly finished my mp3 player project, which isn't due for another week, and that will give me time to work on my other projects: modification of a simple compiler written in Haskell (sorry for you non-geeks, it's hard to explain), starting the user interface for an instant messenger program, writing a couple of reports on other projects, etc. Especially since I don't have any exams this term, everything's done in two weeks.

I also have a few other things to look forward to, and they're coming up fast. My 20th birthday is next Wednesday, which is insane (more on that later). I'm going to see HP7 this weekend, and the day after my birthday is Thanksgiving, which my two other American flatmates are very much interested in celebrating. And I'm flying home in three weeks for winter break.

In all honesty, I do feel like I'm 20. All this living-on-my-own business is making me have to deal with things I never have before, even more so than last year at UBC. And as I'm in Europe, I don't have to deal with the awkwardness of being 20 in America: able to drive and vote but not a true "adult" until 21. Here, I'm already considered an adult. That aside, it's still strange to call myself a 20-year-old. I won't ever again say that I'm "__-teen years old" or write a 1 at the beginning of my age. Maybe people feel this way every ten years of their life, but this jump, from the 10s to the 20s, seems especially significant.

Anyway, I better go sleep before this tickle in my throat turns into a cold.

2 comments:

Linda said...

You are a Sagittarius and I've checked your sagittarius horoscope , you are blessed to have a wonderful people with you and get to do things you really love! Have a blast on your birthday!

Rev. Maria Dancing Heart Hoaglund said...

Lovely to read your blog, Hon -- you write so well. I feel like you're sharing with me... like having a conversation with you! And I'm so happy that things are "falling into place," so to speak. It sounds like that, and it fits, too, now that you've been there a couple of months AND you're turning 20! Awesome ;) May you have a Very Special Day tomorrow, enjoying your Entry into the Twenties!!!

Lots of Love and Huge Hugs! I'm so glad that we'll get to see you Soon ;) Dancing heart~~~~

p.s. Glad you're enjoying the goodies that arrived in time!