I had my interview today. I felt it went okay, but I don't want to be overly confident or anything. They said that they would get back to me, so I'm hoping I'll hear from them soon. As in, in the next couple of days. Probably not until at least Monday, though. I just want to have an income, I really don't care what it is at this point. I was just talking to my dad, and how hard it is to have all this time on my hands, but not be able to shop! And I've been trying really hard to not shop, because I need to save the money I have for school in the fall. And then for Scotland in the spring. So I'm trying to keep a balance. It's a good effort, at least. Haha.
In my spare time, the only thing that I have really been able to do is research into graduate schools, and which ones are the best deals and what not. Of all of the schools that I listed a couple of entries ago, the one that I have found is the most what I am actually looking for, within a decent price range is Virginia Commonwealth University, in Richmond, Virginia. So, that is my new first choice. Not that anyone is actually keeping track, but still...
Justin is gone for the weekend, so I have been trying to keep myself occupied with other things. I never realize how much time we spend just doing nothing... talking, cooking, reading, watching movies... until he's not here, and I have to try to do everything on my own and stay content. It's hard. There's a great line from the movie Hitch: "So how does it happen, great love? Nobody knows... but what I can tell you is that it happens in the blink of an eye. One moment you're enjoying your life, and the next you're wondering how you ever lived without them." That's my problem. It's all of the mundane, everyday things that we do together that I have trouble doing by myself. Like... washing the dishes. I always help him wash his after dinner. But... when I'm washing my own, I hate it. I don't have anyone to talk to, I don't have anyone to joke with... I'm alone. I know it's just a weekend, but I'm not talking about just this weekend. Sometimes, I don't know how I'm going to go to Scotland without him. I know I can do it, and once I get through the first week or so, I'll be fine. But I feel... empty without him. Like I'm missing part of myself. Yes, I get all of this from washing the dishes. Ha. But it's true. He's my constant companion, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Well, the only other thing that is new is that I got my hair cut on Wednesday. It's not that much different, but that's the extent of my excitement lately. Sad, huh? Haha. Hopefully I'll know if I'm employed soon. Dah. Ok, until later.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
i just want to free fall for a while.
Well, Justin needs my desk for his homework, so this won't be a long post. But I got some good news today: I got my first interview. :) That's pretty sad, really, that this is the first interview that I've gotten, and I've already been here for 2 full weeks. Anyways, it's not the one that I was expecting, it's for a clothing store, and only part-time. But it's a good start, and if one of the restaurants that I have applied to calls me, then I can have two part-time jobs and make it work. Yay! Granted, this is only an interview, but still, I'm pretty pumped about it.
I'll update if I get more information. My interview isn't until next week, so for sure then. Later.
I'll update if I get more information. My interview isn't until next week, so for sure then. Later.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
i ain't here to do anything half-way.
I went downtown again today, and turned in 5 more applications. That brings the application count up to... 11. Wow. And yet, I still don't have a job. I know, I know, I have to give it time. But I'm not sure that I am going to stay sane enough to wait to get a job. Not only do I really need money, but I really really need something to do. Going downtown has been what has been occupying my days and a lot of my thoughts. But I need some routine, I need something solid. I don't know what else to do. I was told to go back downtown after 5 tonight to check on one of the restaurants, because that's when the manager is there. So I'll be doing that tonight. And the season finale of Lost is on tonight. Clearly I need other things to do. Uggh...
We finally had a meeting for the Summer Conference Assistants today, and it wasn't anything that I didn't already know, really. Except that they aren't giving out any of our information to the conference attendees, which I didn't realize. Basically, I'm there in case of fire or something awful happening. Or if they get locked out. Haha, great. I'm an RA all over again... except not for people that I have any chance of getting to know. Yay! Haha.
I did feel a little better after going downtown this morning, though. Even though I am still complaining that I don't have a job, I know that the process has started. At this rate, by the time Justin is done with his May term classes, I'll be employed. Since he's almost half-way done already, that may not be so far off. I am really hoping to get good news tonight when I go back downtown to that one restaurant. When I turned my application in two weeks ago, they said specifically that they were hiring. And then, the second time that I went down, they said that they probably wouldn't look at applications until after Tulip Time. Well, Tulip Time is over now, it's been two weeks, and I want to get the ball rolling here. So I have to work on that. And If I don't hear anything good, I figured I would check with the other places that I submitted an application last week, and see how they are doing. There's no hurt in checking around.
The only thing I have left to work on is my essay for study abroad. Yikes, I need something to do! Later.
LATER
Well, I went downtown and talked to the person who does the hiring at said restaurant that I mentioned earlier. He was very positive. And get this... they haven't even looked at the applications yet. And there were a lot there, that's for sure. But he took down my name so that he could find mine, since I introduced myself and what not. I could be making this up, but it seems to mean a lot to employers when people are very active in their job search. I mean, that was the 3rd time that I've been in there since I turned in my application. He said that they were going to be going through the applications tonight and tomorrow and then calling to set up interviews. So, if I don't get a call in the next couple of days, I am going to be sad, that's for sure. I don't want to hold out hope, but since I have applied just about everywhere within walking distance, all I can do now is wait. I will get a job... I'm a good employee, a hard worker, how could I not get a job? Well, we will see, won't we?
We finally had a meeting for the Summer Conference Assistants today, and it wasn't anything that I didn't already know, really. Except that they aren't giving out any of our information to the conference attendees, which I didn't realize. Basically, I'm there in case of fire or something awful happening. Or if they get locked out. Haha, great. I'm an RA all over again... except not for people that I have any chance of getting to know. Yay! Haha.
I did feel a little better after going downtown this morning, though. Even though I am still complaining that I don't have a job, I know that the process has started. At this rate, by the time Justin is done with his May term classes, I'll be employed. Since he's almost half-way done already, that may not be so far off. I am really hoping to get good news tonight when I go back downtown to that one restaurant. When I turned my application in two weeks ago, they said specifically that they were hiring. And then, the second time that I went down, they said that they probably wouldn't look at applications until after Tulip Time. Well, Tulip Time is over now, it's been two weeks, and I want to get the ball rolling here. So I have to work on that. And If I don't hear anything good, I figured I would check with the other places that I submitted an application last week, and see how they are doing. There's no hurt in checking around.
The only thing I have left to work on is my essay for study abroad. Yikes, I need something to do! Later.
LATER
Well, I went downtown and talked to the person who does the hiring at said restaurant that I mentioned earlier. He was very positive. And get this... they haven't even looked at the applications yet. And there were a lot there, that's for sure. But he took down my name so that he could find mine, since I introduced myself and what not. I could be making this up, but it seems to mean a lot to employers when people are very active in their job search. I mean, that was the 3rd time that I've been in there since I turned in my application. He said that they were going to be going through the applications tonight and tomorrow and then calling to set up interviews. So, if I don't get a call in the next couple of days, I am going to be sad, that's for sure. I don't want to hold out hope, but since I have applied just about everywhere within walking distance, all I can do now is wait. I will get a job... I'm a good employee, a hard worker, how could I not get a job? Well, we will see, won't we?
Monday, May 11, 2009
you said move on, where should i go?
So, as you may have heard, I have had a lot of free time on my hands. I have been trying to be productive, and at least that's been working, for the most part. I started researching graduate schools, because my chemistry major gpa hasn't been the best, so I want to know that I have options. After looking at countless websites, I ended with 19 schools. I had to weigh the requirements and what not, and it took me the good part of a night. It worked out fine, though, because Justin did homework the whole time I was researching. Most of the schools were even east of Michigan, with a select few west of the Mississippi. Arcadia University (Glenside, PA) is my top choice, for two reasons: it is one of the few that is accredited through the FEPAC, and it is the closest to Philadelphia. Philly... well, it has several appeals, which I am not going to get into right now. I'm sure you can guess one of them. But it is also a reasonable distance from both New York City and Washington DC, and it's not one of those cities that scares me. Anyways, I have a top six list, and Arcadia is #1. The others in the top six list are: Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY), Boston University (Boston, MA), University of North Texas (Fort Worth, TX), University of New Haven (West Haven, CT), and George Washington University (Washington DC). They are all clearly going to be hard to get into, so that is why I have back ups, but I am not going to list them all now. The problem with all of these places is that they are expensive, and I am already having trouble finding a job. Oy, of all things to try to figure out right now... but I did learn something else from all of this research, which leads me to the other way that I have been spending my time...
I need a full year of general biology to get into most of these graduate schools. Which I, for some reason, thought I could get around, initially. This is my future... why would I think that I could get around that? Anyways, today I was trying to rearrange my schedule for the next two years to fit in a year of general biology. I got it to work, somehow. I thought I was going to have room to take an elective in Scotland, and then in my final semester... but I won't. I will be taking biology instead. So this is what I am going to be doing in the next two years... Well, this coming fall I will be taking physics II, calc II, Shakespeare's plays, American lit II, and criminology. 18 credits, here I come. Argh... Anyways, in the spring, while I'm in Scotland, I am planning on taking forensic chemistry, intro to the history of Scotland (counting as cultural heritage II), modes of reading (about classical stuff), and revolution to revolution: lit 1640-1750 (counting as pre-1850 lit). So I will be busy in Scotland, but the classes at least sound interesting. Then, the fall on 2010, I'll be taking biochemistry I, another pre-1850 lit class, analytical chemsitry and lab, and intro to cell bio and lab. I'll be busy, but that's the semester that Justin's going to be in Philly (oh, Philly...), so it will be better if I'm busy. And my final spring will be spent doing this: senior seminar, an American lit class, Brit lit II, and microbiology and lab. But in doing all of this, I will get two majors and all the prerequisites required for admission into most of the grad schools that I found. So, basically I've been planning my future. Haha, future...
I do have a small tidbit of good news... I contacted the head of housing about possibly being an RA my senior year after a semester abroad, and I was asking about reappointment. Well, I found out that I don't have to reapply, it can be treated as a reappointment, since I am currently an RA. This is exciting for me, because I have always wanted to live in a cottage (or, you know, a really nice apartment. Haha). So, although I still don't have a job and am running out of productive things to do with my time, I may have a set job for my senior year again. :) This small thing makes me smile.
Well, that's all I have. Now, because I am who I am, I am going to list the other schools that offer a master's degree in forensic science... well, the other schools that I am considering. I don't want to call them safety schools, per se, because this is a completely different game than applying for undergrad...
Chaminade University (Honolulu, HI)
Towson University (Towson, MD)
John Jay College of Criminal Justice (New York, NY)
Pace University (New York, NY)
Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA)
Florida International University (Miami, FL)
Marshall University (Huntington, WV)
Nebraska Wesleyan University (Lincoln, NE)
Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO)
University of Central Oklahoma (Edmond, OK)
California State University (Fresno, CA)
University of Alabama (Birmingham, AL)
Southern Utah University (Cedar City, UT)
I need a full year of general biology to get into most of these graduate schools. Which I, for some reason, thought I could get around, initially. This is my future... why would I think that I could get around that? Anyways, today I was trying to rearrange my schedule for the next two years to fit in a year of general biology. I got it to work, somehow. I thought I was going to have room to take an elective in Scotland, and then in my final semester... but I won't. I will be taking biology instead. So this is what I am going to be doing in the next two years... Well, this coming fall I will be taking physics II, calc II, Shakespeare's plays, American lit II, and criminology. 18 credits, here I come. Argh... Anyways, in the spring, while I'm in Scotland, I am planning on taking forensic chemistry, intro to the history of Scotland (counting as cultural heritage II), modes of reading (about classical stuff), and revolution to revolution: lit 1640-1750 (counting as pre-1850 lit). So I will be busy in Scotland, but the classes at least sound interesting. Then, the fall on 2010, I'll be taking biochemistry I, another pre-1850 lit class, analytical chemsitry and lab, and intro to cell bio and lab. I'll be busy, but that's the semester that Justin's going to be in Philly (oh, Philly...), so it will be better if I'm busy. And my final spring will be spent doing this: senior seminar, an American lit class, Brit lit II, and microbiology and lab. But in doing all of this, I will get two majors and all the prerequisites required for admission into most of the grad schools that I found. So, basically I've been planning my future. Haha, future...
I do have a small tidbit of good news... I contacted the head of housing about possibly being an RA my senior year after a semester abroad, and I was asking about reappointment. Well, I found out that I don't have to reapply, it can be treated as a reappointment, since I am currently an RA. This is exciting for me, because I have always wanted to live in a cottage (or, you know, a really nice apartment. Haha). So, although I still don't have a job and am running out of productive things to do with my time, I may have a set job for my senior year again. :) This small thing makes me smile.
Well, that's all I have. Now, because I am who I am, I am going to list the other schools that offer a master's degree in forensic science... well, the other schools that I am considering. I don't want to call them safety schools, per se, because this is a completely different game than applying for undergrad...
Chaminade University (Honolulu, HI)
Towson University (Towson, MD)
John Jay College of Criminal Justice (New York, NY)
Pace University (New York, NY)
Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA)
Florida International University (Miami, FL)
Marshall University (Huntington, WV)
Nebraska Wesleyan University (Lincoln, NE)
Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO)
University of Central Oklahoma (Edmond, OK)
California State University (Fresno, CA)
University of Alabama (Birmingham, AL)
Southern Utah University (Cedar City, UT)
Thursday, May 7, 2009
these things will change...
Well, I've been living in a single room at Hope for the last two days without a job, and I'm getting bored. I have already almost completely finished my program application for study abroad, and it's only been... two days. Yikes. I need a job. But most places aren't going to start hiring until at least after Tulip Time, because there just hasn't been time to look at the applications. I understand, I really do, but still. I'm a good worker, I just don't understand why no one will hire me. Yeah, I know the economy is bad, but still... I just need an income of some kind. That's all. Urgh.
In other news, I finally heard about study abroad... I am officially approved to study off-campus for the spring 2010 semester. It's coming faster than you think, really. I only have one more normal semester at Hope until my senior year. Wow. That's intense. So, I am currently in the process of applying to go to the University of Aberdeen with the Scotland Program, through Wabash College in Indiana. I have most of it done, but I still need teacher recommendations and to polish up my essay. Not that I don't have any time on my hands...
Other than that, the job hunt is still on. I have applied to five downtown restaurants and a bookstore, and so far have only heard back from one of them... and it wasn't positive. Treehouse Books, my dream job of working in a little bookstore, is no longer hiring for the summer. Fiddlesticks. I also just picked up an application to a clothing store downtown, so that could lead to good things as well. Now it's just time to wait. My parents were here at the beginning of the week, and they brought me my bike, in order to make transportation easier. Except... the first night that it was outside, my seat got stolen. Seriously, who does that? So I went downtown this morning and used some of my precious book buyback money to buy a new bike seat and post, and I will no longer be locking it outside overnight. People just ruin everything, and they make this world a scary place. But the people at the bike shop were nice, so that was a plus.
Well, I should try to do something with my life. I have another application to fill out and a book to read. Oh, the joy.
Later
When the sun goes down, I start to doubt myself. It's easy to put on a face, to put on a front in front of everyone else, but as soon as I'm alone, I fall apart. I am beginning to wish that I had gone home for the summer. Because, as much as I was telling everyone it wasn't true, a big reason that I wanted to stay so badly was to see Justin. But now that he's in classes, it's hardly any different than us being apart. For example, I left him alone for seven hours this evening, and he barely finished his homework. This isn't what I thought summer would be like at all. During the day, when I'm feeling particularly optimistic, I can tell myself that it's still early, that there's still time for it to turn around. But I don't know if I believe it, as much as I want to. Something has to happen soon, or I'm going to break. We will see what tomorrow brings.
In other news, I finally heard about study abroad... I am officially approved to study off-campus for the spring 2010 semester. It's coming faster than you think, really. I only have one more normal semester at Hope until my senior year. Wow. That's intense. So, I am currently in the process of applying to go to the University of Aberdeen with the Scotland Program, through Wabash College in Indiana. I have most of it done, but I still need teacher recommendations and to polish up my essay. Not that I don't have any time on my hands...
Other than that, the job hunt is still on. I have applied to five downtown restaurants and a bookstore, and so far have only heard back from one of them... and it wasn't positive. Treehouse Books, my dream job of working in a little bookstore, is no longer hiring for the summer. Fiddlesticks. I also just picked up an application to a clothing store downtown, so that could lead to good things as well. Now it's just time to wait. My parents were here at the beginning of the week, and they brought me my bike, in order to make transportation easier. Except... the first night that it was outside, my seat got stolen. Seriously, who does that? So I went downtown this morning and used some of my precious book buyback money to buy a new bike seat and post, and I will no longer be locking it outside overnight. People just ruin everything, and they make this world a scary place. But the people at the bike shop were nice, so that was a plus.
Well, I should try to do something with my life. I have another application to fill out and a book to read. Oh, the joy.
Later
When the sun goes down, I start to doubt myself. It's easy to put on a face, to put on a front in front of everyone else, but as soon as I'm alone, I fall apart. I am beginning to wish that I had gone home for the summer. Because, as much as I was telling everyone it wasn't true, a big reason that I wanted to stay so badly was to see Justin. But now that he's in classes, it's hardly any different than us being apart. For example, I left him alone for seven hours this evening, and he barely finished his homework. This isn't what I thought summer would be like at all. During the day, when I'm feeling particularly optimistic, I can tell myself that it's still early, that there's still time for it to turn around. But I don't know if I believe it, as much as I want to. Something has to happen soon, or I'm going to break. We will see what tomorrow brings.