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Entertainment
High School And College Sucked All Of The Fun Out Of Reading
Books were always about understanding for me, about learning the way someone else sees, about connection.
2m
93
Photo by Clementina Toso on Unsplash
I keep making this joke whenever the idea of books is brought up: "God, I wish I knew how to read." It runs parallel to another stupid phrase, as I watch my friends struggle through their calculus classes late at night in our floor lounge: "I hope this is the year that I learn to count." They're both truly idiotic expressions, but, when I consider the former, I sometimes wonder if there's some truth to it.
Now, I can absorb textbook chapters and assigned texts like the best of them — poorly, skimming, right before class and barely taking in any information — but it's hard to place exactly when I stopped reading for fun. I used to know how to sit for hours at a time, drawn into ever-growing worlds of fantasy and magic, inhabiting realms that someone else created. Books were always about that for me, about understanding and learning about the way someone else sees, about connection.
I ruined my sight as a child by never peeling my eyes away from the pages of my latest acquisition from the library. I couldn't tell you now where that library card is, though 10 years ago I had the number on the back memorized "just in case."
By the time I reached middle school, all I really read were the newest trends, like "The Hunger Games" trilogy, the "Divergent" trilogy, and whatever John Green book was popular at the time. It worked because everyone around me had heard of or read the books, or at least seen the movie adaptations, and it helped cultivate a new passion within me: criticizing things other people have created.
However, that big community of reading wore off as I continued growing, and I feel like it did the same for a lot of other people. I've heard from so many people that the last time they truly read was when they were ten. Granted, most of those people never read the books in our high school English curriculum, so they really haven't read a book, even for educational purposes, in a while.
It seems like a shame, especially when there's so much to be communicated through literature that cannot be expressed in an equivalent way through a different medium. It's like passion lost. There are whole worlds out there to find and explore, but many of us are not inclined or motivated to take the first step.
I brought a little library to college because I wanted to change. I picked the most interesting books from a shelf that I had never read, bought some cheap Amazon bookends, and planted them on the back of my desk. My little library functions as a sweet little decorative piece. It looks really nice when the light hits it just right.
Ultimately, I don't exactly have a point to this, besides the fact that I'd like to have that tidy little Pinterest aesthetic, in which I can carve out a couple of hours, sit with a hot beverage of my choosing, and read someone's memoir. I really wish I knew how to read.
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Student Life
Struggles Faced By Business Majors, As Told By "The Office"
It's not just business as usual.
23 December
714
CIS Markets
Coming from someone majoring in business at a school that thrives off of business majors, I know how rough it can be sometimes. Being a business major can be awesome, and awful, simultaneously. We work our tails off to be the best, but sometimes the stress can just tear you apart. Here are some struggles faced by business majors that will sound all too familiar.
Constantly having to dress business formal.
Every single time you present in any class, dress attire is always business formal. You constantly struggle to get out of bed, put on that expensive suit of yours, and leave the sweatpants and slippers behind. Although this can be a pain sometimes, you definitely feel like Beyoncé walking around campus in your power suit.
Group projects.
Your life is a series of group meetings and group presentations. You've had that one kid in your group who does absolutely nothing, but still expects a good grade. Also, Google Docs are your savior, because without them you would probably have to eat, sleep, and breathe with your group members. By the end of the semester, you know every single thing about your group members, and either love them or hate them.
Applying for internships.
You spend countless hours submitting applications, resumes, and cover letters, just to never hear back from half of these companies. You start applying in October for an internship that starts in May, but you're still probably behind others. The biggest struggle is that every internship wants someone with experience from another internship. How am I supposed to ever get experience without getting an internship?!
Being told your major is easy.
I still don't know why people think this. Personally, I've spent more hours working on group projects and presentations than I have eating and sleeping this semester. All-nighters are our norm, yet somehow, people believe our majors are easy. There's nothing easy about taking five business-related courses in one semester, yet our grades are still probably better than yours.
You just want to be rich already.
When the days get tough and the nights get long, your mind wanders off to dreaming about the day where money isn't an issue. Being college students, we know the struggle of watching our bank account fall into a dark hole. The only thing that's getting us through is knowing that, after graduation, we'll be making around $50,000 a year, and it can only go up from there.
Explaining to people why you're a business major.
Everyone assumes you're just doing it for the money. Obviously, you can't help but dream of being wealthy, but this is not why you chose this field. Personally, I want to be successful. Success is not defined by an amount of money, but by living a comfortable and happy lifestyle. We're business majors for the same reason you're an education major or biology major; we love what we do.
Using LinkedIn like it's Facebook.
While all your friends from home are updating their Facebook profile picture and cover photos, you're over here spending your time updating your LinkedIn headshot, projects, and past volunteer work. LinkedIn is your way of finding all of your other business major friends, and hoping that maybe one day, some company will come across your page and offer you an internship or job.
You grow up too fast.
One minute you're in high school, and the next minute, you're all grown up, in your suit, presenting to over 200 people. By the end of freshmen year, you're basically all ready to go out into the real world. It can be tough sometimes, but this is what puts us ahead of other students.
Trying way too hard to make a good impression on companies at career fairs.
You don't want to be that person who gets a job by sucking up to a company, but you do. You put on your best suit and try extremely hard to make the best impression possible on these companies. As they say, "First impressions last."
Many of your professors have foreign accents.
Many schools do this because they believe that it helps students pay attention to better. Rather than paying attention, you spend the whole class trying to interpret what they're saying. The good thing about this is that we're able to understand many different accents by the time we graduate, so when we interact with people of different cultures at our big-kid jobs, we'll actually have a clue of what they're saying.
You don't want to graduate, but you know that you're more than ready.
You don't want to leave, because your whole life everyone has warned you of this thing called "the real world." As hard as it is to hear, you know that you're extremely prepared to conquer that new job of yours.
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Student Life
10 Things To Know About The First Semester Of College
10 things that most incoming college freshmen have no idea about.
23 December
1384
Pexels
Starting college is pretty scary and fun at the same time. You are free of your parents(in most cases) but this is the first time you have no idea what the heck is going on. Here are 10 things you may want to know going into your first semester.
Your Schedule
You may have the perfect schedule that a person has ever seen...No Friday classes, no classes before noon and they all get out before 3 PM. But that doesn't mean, "party every night" cause eventually that will catch up with you.
The Library
Oh the library, its a great and magical place where you might actually do homework instead of napping or watching Netflix....but good luck getting a seat there.
Time Management
"You have 2 months to do this paper," says professor.
*inside your head* Omg I have so much time. I'll start it after I finish my season of New Girl on Netflix.
*night before it is due* OMG I can't believe I pushed it all the way until the last minute.
Trust me, it happens. You might learn after the first time or you might not.
Registration
Registration for your first semester is pretty easy. Usually, you do it at orientation so counselors are actually in the room to help you. But for the next semesters that are coming up...it's not so easy. Perfect teachers and ideal time slots will never be found, young freshmen. Hell week=registration week.
Housing
On-campus or off-campus housing is pretty nice. Just keep in mind: roommates will fight, even if it's just a little one they will happen.
The Dining Hall
FRIED CHICKEN DAY...good luck finding even floor space to stand.
Teachers
Get to know your professors. They are there to help you but keep in mind they really don't care if you fail. But they will help you if you show interest in not failing their class. Retaking a professor the next semester isn't a good idea cause they will remember you.
Clubs
First month of school is the Club Fair overload. Everyone is trying to recruit new members with anything money can pay for. Snow Cones, free t-shirts, popcorn, cotton candy. Keep in mind...recruiters for these clubs will jump outta nowhere to see if you want to join their club.
High School Friends
Try and keep in contact with your high school group of friends. "But I'm too busy to text them," you might say. Well, you text that girl from your Chemistry class every day and your sorority sisters, so you have time for them. Your high school friends are going through generally the same college experience, so reach out to them.
Finals
So actually Hell Week is here. Good luck finding a seat anywhere. But take a deep breath, take your time and actually study. Winging your exams in high school was easy, but college is very different.
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Student Life
The Daily Struggles of Being a College Commuter
It's not all morning coffees and singing along to the radio.
22 December
1930
morethanwheels
I've been in college for four years now. I spent half my time as a commuter and half as a resident so I've experienced both sides of the housing spectrum. One thing I've learned comparing the two is that my struggles as a commuter far outweigh anything I went through while living on campus. Commuters have to deal with the problems school brings along with a slew of other issues; I've filled up my gas tank in the worst kind of weather conditions and napped in random places in public more times than I'm proud to say of. This is a list of some of the most challenging aspects of being a commuter.
You can't just go to your room to take a nap in the middle of your classes.
Some commuters are lucky enough to live only a few minutes from campus, but I live 50 minutes away so I've napped in some really strange places. There's one secret spot on campus that is my go to, but I can't give that one away just in case I need it this finals week.
Having to spend all your extra cash on gas for your car.
There is nothing I hate spending money on more than filling up my gas tank. I have a car with pretty decent gas mileage but it feels like I fill the tank more than once a week.
Speaking of money, you probably don't have a meal plan so you're forced to scrounge up some change or mooch off of your friends.
I tried to buy some chips the other day for lunch and my connect card only had 14 cents on it; I dug through my wallet to find some change but that moment was pretty embarrassing. I hate begging for someone to swipe me into the dining hall, but my friends usually have too many meal swipes left anyway. They're saints.
It can be harder to maintain the friendships you make with people from class.
The moment you tell them you're a commuter, they make that "oh god I'm so sorry face" and you don't really see them much after that. I get it though, it's easier to be friends with people who are convenient as opposed to the ones who are either working, in class, or driving home when you want to hang out.
Finding a parking spot.
For one, the parking lot you need to parking in is probably full, so you're stuck waiting for someone to leave then following them slowly to their car to take their spot. It's extremely awkward and I hate it but it's absolutely necessary. For some reason, my school made up of 60 percent commuters decided to put the parking garage in east nowhere instead of the parking lot everyone uses the most. I get that it would have been difficult to build on that lot because there would be nowhere for commuters to park during construction but I'm still bitter about it.
It can be harder to be involved on campus because between your one, two, or three jobs and school you don't have much free time.
Someone's gotta pay for all that gas.
When you try to be super involved on campus, it can kill your sleep schedule.
I decided to join a sorority and there are some nights where by the time I've finished my 50 minute drive home I just collapse into bed and pass out with my regular clothes on. I'm super glad I joined because it keeps me on campus instead of just driving home after class but the exhaustion is real.
It's impossible to do homework at home, but staying on campus isn't an option sometimes.
I can't concentrate on anything at home so I usually do my homework while I'm on campus, but it would be nice to be able to walk from the library straight to your room.
There are surveys and events that you can't participate in because you're a commuter.
Every semester I get the same email from ResNet telling me "you can win a free iPad by taking this survey" but to qualify you have to be a resident. It's like danging a carrot in front of a horse's face.
Group projects are the bane of your existence.
It's already difficult enough working around everyone's class schedule, but then you have to factor in the days you're actually on campus and available to do the project. By the end of it you're all just emailing one another and hoping for the best.
Traffic.
There is nothing worse than adding extra time to an already annoying commute.
Your backpack rivals that of a survivalist trekking in the woods.
You need everything for all of your classes because why would you want to walk all the way back to your car in east nowhere then back to civilization?
Driving all the way to campus to find a note on the door of your classroom saying class was cancelled.
No email, just pure and utter disregard for everyone and everything.
There are a lot of struggles commuter students face, but I wouldn't trade home-cooked food, my own bed, and snuggling with my cat every night for anything.
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Entertainment
15 Times Michael Scott's Life Was Worse Than Your Life
Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?
21 December
4529
NBC
Most of the time, the world's (self-proclaimed) greatest boss is just that, the greatest. I mean, come on, he's Michael Freakin' Scott after all! But every once in a while, his life hits a bit of a speed bump. (or he actually hits Meredith...) So if you personally are struggling through a hard time, you know what they say: misery loves company! Here are 15 times Michael Scott's life was worse than your life:
1. When he just wanted bacon from his George Foreman grill
2. When he had money (and Jan) issues
3. When he got upstaged at Phyllis' wedding
4. When he unintentionally saved Meredith from rabies
5. When he wore a "bisexual" suit
6. When he had to apologize to Jesus
7. When his GPS drove him into a lake
8. When he had to deal with Ryan as his boss
9. When he couldn't fulfill his most generous empty promise
Jim & Pam's wedding, the proposal of Michael to Holly and his departure from the office "the goodbye episodes"
byu/vlamm inDunderMifflin
10. When this happened
11. When he struggled with a X-Mas break up
12. When he had to defend his generosity
13. When he threw a classy Christmas party for Holly but she had a boyfriend
14. When he had to stand up to peer pressure
15. When Toby was "Toby-ish"
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