Picnic Day 2012

Yesterday was the 98th annual Picnic Day at UC Davis, #PicnicDay2012!!! Picnic Day is a pretty big event in Davis and many people come. Alumni, students, family, and many out of towners come to Davis during this day. People come for the drinking and partying. Others come to the Downtown Davis area for the food, alcohol, or shops, where businesses have the opportunity to reach maximum occupancy. There are people who come for the shows, exhibits, and other exciting events on campus.

I woke up pretty early in the morning to have a breakfast with my friend. For breakfast, we ended up eating at Crepeville. Today was very hot. I believed it was over 90 degrees for most of today.

While I was walking around Downtown Davis, I noticed #Kony2012 posters. I also noticed that the crowd was getting bigger.

People waiting for the parade in the stands and listened on for the commencement of Picnic Day's parade.

Some plants were given out and there was a line at the Plant Sciences Building.

The Band-Uh! was playing before the parade started and I think they were the openers for the parade.

I also recorded the Picnic Day parade. I didn't record the entire thing. I cut off some parts. It's about 24 minutes, which is pretty long. The parade is not all in order. I apologize about that. I choose an ending that I thought best represented the Davis campus.

Directories of the shows, exhibits, and food in some corners on campus for Picnic Day 2012. The theme for this year was "Then, Now, and Always." But, the directory was also available online in the Picnic Days website. Some of the events that happened today were optical lazer tag, milking of cows, derby race show, and many more. Like every other year, there were long lines for the magic show and some other popular shows.

After a few hours of Picnic Day in the morning, I decided to come back for the last few hours of the Battle of the Bands. Battle of the Bands is one the more popular events of Picnic Day and its one of the longest events. The Battle of the Bands was held in Lake Spafford in the Arboretum. 

For the Battle of the Bands, I believe there were 5 bands from across the state battling. It was very exciting because I got to see how other bands performed, as well as Band Uh!

UC Irvine's band were one of the bands that came and performed. I think Humboldt, and UC San Diego was also there. One other band also came, but I didn't find out where they were from. And, of course, Band uh! was there battling it out with other schools.

I think all the bands gave great performances and I definitely enjoyed them. Also, it was nice to just sit down and listen when the weather was cooler.

Next year, it will be the 99th Picnic Day! Then, the 100th! I will definitely try to make it to the 100th Picnic Day!

Halfway Mark

Today, reflects the middle of my spring break. That means, I still have half of my spring break left.

So far, I have celebrated my sisters 15th belated birthday at Mikuni's. I watched The Ugly Truth with my sister. I watched Big Time Movie with my baby sister. I went to Target two times with my sisters. I ate about 4 trays of bread with my sisters.

I started on my job search and not stopping until I begin one. I looked at some state exams and have taken one and plan on taking more. I edited my resume and I'm still in the process of editing before submitting for a job.

I'm still worrisome of two of my classes from last quarter because those grades haven't been submitted to sisweb yet. I hope that the other Blockbuster in my area has The September Issue DVD and in working condition. I'm glad that my family want to attend my commencement.

I'm waiting for my friend to come back because on Thursday we are going to attend the Lady Antebellum concert. I'm waiting for Friday, so I can see Hungry Games and understand more about what people have been raving about.

I'm not waiting to buy like 9+ books for class next quarter. I'm not looking forward to walking to one of my classes around 8am. Yet, I can't wait for what spring quarter has to offer, including its exciting events and interesting lectures. It's my last quarter, so I definitely want to make it strong and the best!

Winter Quarter 2012

I just submitted my last assignment for winter quarter and it was a final paper assignment. I must admit that this final season felt very exhausting. But, I remembered to take big breaths here and there. I don't really know how I did on my classes as of now, but I really hope I did better than I thought. I just have to say that winter quarters always seemed most stressful and intense for me ever since I was a Freshman.

I took 4 classes this quarter, so I won't be behind on double majoring and having a minor, and so I can graduate this Spring. In fact, I think I have taken four classes ever since sophomore year, so that's about 16 units every single quarter. I really hope it pays off. It was a lot of work. Next quarter, however, I believe I only have to take three required classes, so only 12 units! And, that's all the classes that I plan to take for credit! I can't have my last quarter filled with a lot of work. I just don't want that.

I want to take a language class--either German or Vietnamese. But, those classes will not be taken for credit. The Vietnamese and German class are assigned on the same day and day, so I can only choose one. The Vietnamese class is funded by a grant provided by Associated Students of UC Davis and I think textbooks will also be provided.The Vietnamese class is for beginners, which works well for me since I have no knowledge of Vietnamese. I only know a handful of vocabulary like "Pho Ga," "Saigon," and "banh". And, I only know what "Pho Ga" means and only learned that word because I love pho. The German class is one of those classes offered by International House Davis and it is conversational for all levels. I also only know a handful of phrases, such as "Guten Morgen," "Entschuldigung," "Guten Tag," "Ich Bin Dein Gummibär," and lederhosen. I think learning German will be fun and I been wanting to do that for a while, especially since I really want to travel to Austria and Germany in the nearby future.

I'm also going to continue my two internships next quarter. Also, next quarter is when both of the internships will start adding on more work.

I finished winter quarter and my second last quarter of my university life. Kind of difficult to believe. Now, one more quarter left. Luckily, there is spring break in between the two quarters!

Revisiting my Dorm

Just this year, I found out that my former dorm building was being destroyed! I used to live in L building in Tercero. I visited the dorm complex today and the building is still there, but the whole building will be gone soon enough. Other old dorm buildings will be destroyed as well. I couldn't walk very near or see much because of the wall and fences, but I still managed to get a few glances here and there.

The dorm was a place for a lot of my university memories as a freshman.

I remember the time when we left the window open in our dorm room and all of a sudden these small flying bugs came into our room. And, by that I mean, bugs that seem like they were coming by the hundreds. So, how did we handle the situation? Well, it seemed that they were attracted by the light so, we closed the light in our room. Also, we tried squishing them with napkins and such, but there were too many. Then, we thought why not spray them too. With my roommates permission I asked to spray one of my perfumes since she can't handle strong odors. I ended up spraying the army of little tiny creatures until there were no more. What a night.

I liked that there were other people living right across and in the upper floors. It was convenient when I had the same class as some of them. I also met my housemates for my sophomore year in the dorms.

Oh, and there was the first week of class. My foot felt very itchy and didn't discover the problem until I came back to my dorm room. It was a very huge bug bite, which happened to be a allergic reaction to some bug. I have not had a bug bite that size before. It was very itchy and I just wanted to bite it off.

This mural lead to the laundry room in the first floor. Some people found it creepy. I just found weird. I think better murals could have been there. And, while I was still living in the dorms, there was talk of designing murals. But, I guess that hasn't happened and won't be happening any longer.

The bike parking lot! I rarely ride my bike to campus. I enjoy walking! Oh, and I lived directly across from one of my classes building during my freshman year. It was very convenient!

Yes, the L building. It stood for Ladies building. Only ladies occupied this building, so I didn't really get to meet that many guys.

And, after all those memories, the old dorm buildings are being destroyed!

Fence around the old dorm buildings.

A very huge wall that covered the dorm buildings. It was a very tall wall. I couldn't see anything over it, except the trees.

Another view of the construction.

I knew that the dorm building that I lived in was pretty old. But, I didn't think it was old enough that it was going to be torn down for new buildings. I guess that's good for the upcoming generation of university students. The university has changed from when I first came and it will continue to change. Gosh, I'm just thinking of how it would look 10, 15, or 20 years from now. That's kind of hard to take in and that the future awaits.

Events in Davis and Sacramento

During my time at UC Davis, I spent the majority of my time focusing on studies or being involved on campus through a project, internship or volunteering. But, there are other opportunities for me to engage in what happens on campus and around the Davis/Sacramento area. I know that I have not taken advantage of a lot of the opportunities, but I am working on taking advantage of more of them.

Before I came to UC Davis, I haven't been to a concert. My first concert was the B Here Concert at Freeborn Hall in UC Davis and it was so awesome. I went to my second concert, Big Time Rush Better With You in Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, and it was also amazing. After attending the Big Time Rush concert, I thought to myself, I should take advantage of more opportunities in the Davis/Sacramento area. And, that will be one of my goals for this year.

I am already working on that goal. Although I already missed out on Drake and will miss out on Steve Aoki and The Shins, I will be attending other exciting concerts. I bought a ticket to see Lady Antebellum in Power Balance Pavilion during my spring break. I'm not a huge fan of Lady Antebellum, but I definitely wanted to do something exciting during my spring break. Plus, my friend likes Lady Antebellum and wanted to go. I've purchased a ticket to see Bon Iver with All Tiny Creatures at Freeborn Hall at UC Davis. Actually, I haven't really listen to any of Bon Iver's songs. I bought a ticket after I found out he won a Grammy, so I assumed he was wonderful. Yes, I love attending events, in which, I have no idea what I'm expecting, but assume that I will have a great time. I'm glad I bought my tickets to see Bon Iver the night they came out because the concert sold out about two days after the tickets were sold! Also, I recently found out Explosions From the Sky are coming to Mondavi Center in UC Davis and I want to see them as well, even though I am not familiar with their music.

One thing that has changed during my 4th year in university was that I finally have my own car to drive anywhere I like. That means I could do more things and go to more events. So there's almost no excuse not to attend an event. Having a car allows me to attend the Davis Feminist Film Festival (DFFF), which I been meaning to attend since my freshman year but did not have a ride at night and didn't have a bike. In addition, I will also be able to attend the DFFF dance party and art show. I was also able to attend the Hackademy awards this year without having to worry if I had a ride or not. But, I did have to worry about finding parking, but that turned out to be no problem.

I have been attending the Davis Farmers Market every week and I don't seem to get tired of it. It just feels nice to go there and see what locals have to sell. I've also walked past the Davis Flea Market, but haven't really looked around. So, I plan on browsing next time.

There are so many events coming up! They each offer something unique and exciting. I cant wait. There's picnic day, which will be huge! There's the Whole Earth Festival. There's the Davis Film Festival. There's also going to be a Asian American Film Festival in UC Davis, which they have every year. During my freshman year, the whole room was filled with attendee and it had declined since and I want to show my support for that event this year. There's also the UC Davis Pow wow, which will have tons of great performances and food. Also, I can't forget about the culture days. There's going to be the Native American Culture Days, La Razya Culture Days, Mixed Heritage Week, Black Family Week, and Asian Pacific Culture Week. I want to attend at least one event from those different culture weeks at UC Davis.

I'm happy for all these events to happen, as well as so many other events! My spring quarter and last quarter at UC Davis will definitely be memorable and successful!

Breakup from University.

I been with you for about four years now.
Before that I also had a four year relationship.
But, I dislike it.
I like you so much more.

Throughout our four years together,
I have learned from you.
I have matured with understanding in life.
I have embraced your different values, cultures, and backgrounds.

There comes a time in life
when I must depart from you
although we have shared
memorable memories of
housemate stories
I need to find my meaning in life
I must go search for opportunities
that will secure me a successful future
which you have greatly prepared me for
and have influenced me to take the journey.

I won't forget you
my
alma mater.
-------------------------------------------

So, I just felt like making a poem about parting away from school. I guess it's really silly. But, the idea just came out of nowhere and I kept working on it. It's kind of funny actually. I know I haven't graduated yet, but it still reflects a lot of feelings that I have about school.

Awesome free stuff

In a previous blog post I have suggested some methods of getting free stuff. My plan for this blog post is to describe how I have received some pretty awesome stuff through those methods that I have subscribed.

I'm not going to make a list of everything that I have received, but of some items to demonstrate the different strategies and how they had worked for me.

1. U-Loop T-shirt
I think one of the first things that I received through twitter was a U-loop t-shirt. I was following U-loop and one day I noticed that a tweet mentioning that there was a chance of winning a t-shirt if a tweet was retweeted. I retweeted the tweet and was later notified that I had won the giveaway. I think it might have been because there wasn't a lot of people who retweeted that tweet.

2. AfterschoolSpecial, Imaginary Zebra T-Shirt
 I met the band, AfterschoolSpecial at UC Davis for a event. I added them on Facebook and follow on twitter. One day, I noticed a Facebook status from there and they were having a contest for a few of the people who liked their page. I can't remember whether it was about liking a status or posting a comment, but it definitely was through Facebook.

3. Hershey's Chocolates
One day, I was looking at the trends on twitter and I noticed one for Hershey's. I clicked on it and discovered that a giveaway was going on. I RSVP for the event and participated. I was also the winner of some chocolate goodies!

4. Tube socks
During my freshmen year, I went to a few football games. Partially because I wanted to do something and go to a game. Another reason was getting the Aggie Pack t-shirt. They also gave away free stuff during the games. One of the most sought out free stuff of the football games is tube sock. During one of the football events, they were throwing tube socks. I really wanted one. One was coming my way. Everyone else around me was reaching for it. One second I thought I had it, but I fell, but I got the tube socks. yes!

5. Carry the One book
From one of the people I follow on twitter, I noticed someone was going to give out a copy of Carry the One to the first 10 people who sent an email. I knew it was already too late to send the email, but I did it anyways. I got an email back and they said they were giving out a book to everyone. I was thrilled and glad that they made that choice!

6. Revlon makeup
One day, I noticed that Modelinia was having a giveaway during the month of December for a couple of weeks. Each day they had a different item to giveaway. They gave away so pretty awesome stuff.

7. Gunnarolla prize pack
I'm a fan of Gunnarolla, who is a youtuber. I'm also a fan of him on Facebook and follow him on twitter. One day he had a Facebook contest, in which, I had to share his Teabagging video. I was chosen by one of his friends and I won a fan pack. I really like the prize because he handwritten something and I always admired his work. 

I can go on with even more examples, but my goal of this blog is to prove that it is possible to get free stuff. I have achieved it through facebook, twitter, and through events. I think the main thing is be open to opportunities. Try different methods of winning free stuff. Just because you didn't one that one time doesn't mean you won't win the second time, next hour, or month. There are many more opportunities, so just be open to your interests and notice those opportunities.

My guide to getting free stuff

I didn't think about it much until I entered university, but I love getting free stuff. I really do. It's fun. I learned about more ways to get free stuff through my years and I have some recommendations. I will elaborate more on free stuff I have gained and how that happened on a blog post that is currently in work in progress.

College

1) Attend events on campus
-I have received free stuff from the different fairs on the quad, sport games, The Buzz, and so on.

2) Be involved in a club, program, or organization
-Once in a while, there will be potlucks, so free food. Some clubs might offer free stuff, such as stickers, blue books, or pens.

3) Whenever there's a line, check it out!
-If there is a line for something, it's worth the wait. Sometimes it's free stuff or something awesome.
-Also, it's the same situation in which you see a lot of people with the same item around campus during the same time period.

Social Media

What I didn't expect, however, was that I can get free stuff through social media websites. I have gotten free stuff from both Facebook and Twitter. But, how did this happen?

1) Follow/Like companies or celebrities of interest.
-Sometimes they feel like rewarding their followers and it's nice to receive stuff from companies or celebrities, especially if you are fan.

2) Follow/Like hosts of twitter parties/chats
-@Resourcefulmom, @busymommymedia are just a couple of twitter hosts of twitter parties, which usually include awesome free stuff! You can check out their website to see if they have any other giveaways coming up or in their blogs.

3) Pay attention to the tweet timeline or updated statuses!
 -Know about opportunities, so you can participate and receive!
 -You find about about most contests, twitter parties, or promotions through tweets.

4) Check out the latest trends!
-A lot of the times, the trends on twitter may just be random fan stuff or about the latest news, but it could also be about winning a prize. Some companies promote themselves and they might have a top or promoted tweet of a giveaway.
-Also, if you check out some hashtags or trends, you might notice opportunities for popular twitter hosts or giveways.

Other Tips:

1) Do those surveys!
-There's Harris Poll and other survey sites, in which, you can receive free stuff after accumulating enough points for a certain prize.
-You might get a notice from emails asking you to participate and they might offer a gift card to a place you like.
-Some businesses online may have a survey you can take online or a link to it on your receipt and it might be to get something free!

2) Check your email!
-Your listservs, colleagues, or friends may know of a great opportunity for you. They might provide you information about events or surveys that might provide something free.

3) Apply for those samples!
Sometimes companies provide free samples of their products. So, if you ever feel that you want to try a product, check out their website or whatever and ask for a sample.

Week #2 in February

This was a very busy week for me.

On Monday, I had an internship meeting. I went by pretty quickly. Afterwards, I worked on creating a master email list. This internship seems pretty chill, but I think it's going to get more busy when the day of the festival approaches!

I had a paper due Tuesday and I was almost done on Monday night. Just needed to edit it. However, I had another paper due on Wednesday. And, I didn't do much preparation for that paper. So, I tried to finish my paper on Tuesday first before Wednesdays. I thought that I wouldn't like Wednesdays this quarter because I have classes for about 5 hours straight. But, it's Tuesdays that I enjoy less. On Tuesdays, I have to spend the night preparing for discussions, readings, and assignments for my classes on Wednesday. When Wednesday finally approaches, it's actually pretty quick and that kind of surprises me.

I had my other internship meeting on Wednesday. It was picture day, so we had to dress up nice. Well, at least from the top. I like dressing nice, but most of my professional clothes are summer focused. I don't have a lot of coats or pants. I mostly have several skirts and blouses. We also chose a design cover for the publication next year, but it's still going to be edited further. Also, for the internship I supported the first fundraiser at Ali Baba's by just mentioning APIA Searchlight Directory.

hamburger @ Ali Babas

french fries with ketchup @ Ali Babas

 On Wednesday and Thursday night, I prepared for my midterm on Friday. I skipped a lot of interesting meetings to study. When Friday approached, I was really nervous because I certainly didn't study enough. There was so much more I should have taken in and known. I came to my first class on Friday exhausted as always. I don't know what it is, but I always feel exhausted in that class. But, I still manage to take my notes. After that class, I went to take my midterm. When I got in, the students were immediately told to take the blue book out, so that we could start promptly. And, the professor had a timer, so the class would know when we could all start. I think he was the first professor to have a timer go off for a midterm to start. We had 50 minutes to finish the midterm. I could have used more time, but I finished the midterm with what I could have said. Now, I just have one more midterm to go!

On Friday, I really wanted to watch Underworld. But, it wasn't showing anywhere in Davis anymore. My next choice was The Vow. I knew it was going to be very popular this weekend and probably make #1, especially with Valentine's Day coming up. But, first, me and my housemate decided to eat and we went to Hoa Viet Restaurant. My housemate got the seafood noodle soup. I was in the mood for beef vermicelli, so that's what I got.

seafood noodle soup

beef vermicelli

 

finished beef vermicelli

Yes, I finished my vermicelli. Well, there's a tinsy part of the sauce in the bottom and a few vegetables. But, I didn't want to lick the bowl at the moment.

After we finished eating dinner, we headed over to watch the 7:45 screening for The Vow. I went to the parking garage and had to drive all up to the third floor. When we got downstairs to buy the tickets for The Vow, I noticed that a sign that said the tickets were sold out for the 7:45 showing. I was sad since we could have bought the tickets before dinner and we could have watched the movie. Also, I really wanted to watch a movie that evening.

When me and my housemate were on our way back to our apartment, we decided to go to the ARC. While we were there we found out about the gymnastics game and decided to go. However, we only made it to see UC Davis in the floor exercise. We were playing against Oregon state and Sacramento State. We ended up placing in third out of the three. And, we were only behind Sacramento State by about 2 points. Oh, so close!

Today, I really wanted to go to the Davis Farmers Market. I went last time, but I didn't get anything. But, today, I got a pretzel, chocolate croissant, and kernel popcorn. I was so close to getting apple juice, but didn't.

Davis Farmers Market

I like the Davis Farmers market. People of all ages and backgrounds are in one spot to support local businesses or goods. Also, some businesses allow you to try samples. There was this one business that had cheese samples. I love cheese sampling. Also, when I try samples, it allows me to try something new that I haven't tried before.

Davis Farmers Market

Davis Farmers Market

 

pretzel, kettle popcorn, and chocolate croissant

The croissant was yummy. It was very soft and definitely tasted like a pastry. It wasn't very flaky, so I like that. When I got the kettle corn, the person asked if I would like it tied. But, then, I saw the person ahead of me had it tied, but also lost some popcorn in the process. I wanted more popcorn, so I decided to eat some before closing it. I haven't tried the pretzel, but I hope I will like it.

Week in Review

Monday was Martin Luther King's Jr Day. There was no class, so two classes were not held. I did not do much that day except come back to Davis since I was in Sacramento for the weekend.

On Tuesday, I had my one class and a internship meeting. I helped entered more films into the database and entered all of the ones available. Did not do much this day, except tried to do most of my reading of the other day.

On Wednesday, I had a seminar at 9am and I set my alarm for it. But, my alarm did  not go off. Luckily, I heard one of my housemates getting ready to leave or such. I  a intern meeting for APIA. The day actually went by pretty quickly actually.

On Thursday, I was going to go to one of the meetings. But, it was raining, so I did not want to leave my apartment. I also think that I enjoy my religion class. At first I didn't think it would be interesting, but I really like the readings and discussions.

On Friday, I really didn't do much except went to class and tried to get all my books that I need this quarter.

On Saturday, I went to Redrum Burger. Then, I got ready to go back to Sacramento.

My 1st Visit to the Student Community Center

Patio View from the SCC

The Student Community Center (SCC) opened up in the beginning of this quarter, but I made my first visit to the center today. My classes and the memorial union (MU) are on the other side of campus, so I do not need to go around the area. It's one of the new buildings on my campus that I am quite happy about. I thought this place was going to open after I graduated, but I am glad that it opened up for me to enjoy it for at least two quarters. It also means that The Lounge will be held at the center instead of a classroom building. I think that is more convenient.

Inside view of stairs and study/eat area

There is a lot of important resources for students inside the center. There's the Student Recruitment and Retention Center (SRRC), the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center (LGBTRC), the computer labs, and more study space. I am glad that there are more study spaces. I think that is definitely needed. I also noticed some meetings rooms and a multi-purpose room.

Patio view of campus

I really like that this building has a patio. I think I am going to try to eat some of my meals there, so I can look at the sight too and less people will be around. That reminds me actually, I think the MU has a patio, but I havent ate there either. I guess that's one another thing I would have to do before I graduate.

Study Abroad Potluck Reunion

I had a potluck reunion for my 2010 study abroad group in Hangzhou, China yesterday. I planned the event, but I was more excited to see those familiar faces again. A couple of hours before the event I had no idea what I would bring or if I would make anything. I decided to go to the supermarket to see what they have. When I first walked in I noticed the bakery items; then, the hot foods that are ready to eat, and then chips and candy. I walked around for a bit. I was so close to buying the marinated chicken since all I would have to do is turn them around until they are done.Then, I had the idea of making spaghetti. I dont know how to make a lot of food actually, but spaghetti is something me and most of my family members knows how to make. I did not know how much of the spaghetti people were going to eat, but I bought one of those party trays. I bought double of everything except for the ground beef, but after I made the dish I realized that I should have bought another one of that too. After I finished making the dish I had to quickly get ready to pick up three other people. However, one of them didnt need a ride there, but only back. After I finished picking up the two people, I received a phone call and was going to ignore it because I was driving. But, I told one of my friends to answer the phone and it turns out that someone needs a ride in Sacramento.

When we arrived at Professor Burnett's place.Three of the other students were there and didnt start eating yet. Soon, the other guest arrived and we began eating. While we ate we caught up with each other. It was nice actually. I enjoyed some of the food that the others brought. For dessert, someone brought apple pie, but I am actually not a fan of fruit pies, so I did not want to eat anyone of the pie. Before we left, we helped Professor Burnett with cleaning up a bit. I got someone to bring home the tray of spaghetti I made. We also had a group hug before everyone left!

When I was taking a few of my classmate back home we had a pretty interesting conversation. I also visited one of their apartments and tried out the "game chair". The "game chair" is this chair in which you sit and you could feel the vibe of it through the chair. Its nice because it can feel like a massage and goes with the beats of the song.

My First Week of Winter Quarter

Monday
School came by so quickly. I definitely was not prepared. On Monday, I thought that my class was at 1:00pm, but I double checked ahead of time and realized that it was at 12pm. Luckily, I did not miss out going to my first class. Afterwards, I had a internship meeting for Davis Feminist Film Festival (DFFF). The internship supervisor went through a review and showed me some of my duties. It also included being in charge of the email. I then began working on the database and filing the dvds. After an hour, we discussed meeting times and internship units. Later, I left and got ready to head out to my volunteer meeting for TUTD. When I got there, there was pizza offered and it seemed very busy since we had much to do that day. We were choosing the winners for the Hackademy awards! I also got a hoodie that night because I reviewed 5+ movies or so? I was assigned to watch Contraband that night and I was excited to watch a movie nonetheless.

Tuesday
This day was much less stressful. I decided to drop that one class that I did not have a change getting into. Instead, I met with my adviser to check my major requirements. Then, it was time to attend class. During class, the professor did not go through the syllabus as much as I expected. I signed up to learn more about Students First and the meeting was that night. I am glad that I went. StudentsFirst sounds like something I really support and I am glad to hear that they are hiring!

Wednesday

I tried to sleep early the night before this day because I knew that I had a three hour seminar ahead of me. I never had a class that long before. When the time for the seminar arrived it was not that bad. Maybe next time it will go on slower or I will be very prepared that it will go on quickly. This is also my busy day and I had two other classes. After my courses I tried to relax a bit. I had a sudden craving for a cookie, so I had that with milk. Gosh, that is such a good combination. I had a internship meeting that night for APIA Searchlight. I thought I knew exactly where the place was, but there was actually two lounges. Luckily, me and the other person that was lost found the place. The co-editors fed us and we also had the opportunity to mingles with the other interns. Judging from who was present, the interns seem to be entirely female.That is a good thing, but I also enjoy the presence of the other gender. Our committees were also revealed that night through which color Starburst our cupcakes had. And, I am part of the marketing committee, so I believed I got the first committee that I applied for. We played a game and it was actually pretty fun. We tried to steal keys from a blind taxi driver and then the driver had to guess who stole the keys.

Thursday
I think I got in the hang of classes by now. I also met with my peer adviser for ASA. I realized that I have to petition to double major and for something else. I also got more books. And, boy are my books are heavy! I did not even buy all of them too! I skipped a meeting and I am glad that I did. It gave me opportunity to focus on one of the readings that I had.

Friday
Two classes today and they went by pretty quickly, despite me being exhausted for some reason. For dinner, me and my housemate went to Manna Korean restaurant. Then, we looked for the lotion that my housemate needed at Bath & Body Works, but they did not have it in stores. We went to watch Contraband. It was a really long movie.

Volunteering

I have volunteered at several places. I was really active in doing so during my sophomore year of university. I had one summer in which my intent was to volunteer and offer my services to as many volunteer places as possible. But, as I started to take on other opportunities and fulfilled more coursework, I found less time and room to volunteer. I am glad that I had the opportunity to volunteer at various places.There's something you can learn from each volunteer place, from what you do, through mentoring, and with those you interact with.

When I first started volunteering I didnt know much volunteer opportunities besides what I heard from other people. During that one summer I was serious about volunteering I decided to find out more information about volunteering and applied to a couple of places. I started by searching in Google with something along with lines of "volunteer in Sacramento". I am looking at it right now and there is already some locations that are popular and are in need of volunteers. Among the volunteer places are Loaves and Fishes, City of Sacramento, and Kaiser. If I were to think of places that are in need of volunteers off the top of my head it would be food banks, hospitals, parks, and schools.

I discovered the Volunteer Center of Sacramento website during my volunteer search. The website offers a search engine for volunteer opportunities in Sacramento that can be broken down by region, ongoing or one time opportunities, and under age 18. I actually had a lot of fun with it. Usually, I would find out about volunteer opportunities through word of mouth or through a first page look at Google. I believed that I applied to about 15 volunteer places through Volunteer Center of Sacramento. One of them might have included walking around with seniors. One of them is a volunteer place I still volunteer at today. I received less than 5 responses. And, not all the responses came by too quickly either.
 
Now that I think about it, applying to volunteer for places sounds like applying for jobs. But, there is a difference. When you apply for volunteering you usually fill out a application, go through fingerprinting, and/or attend an orientation. That is, that's all you really need to do to be accepted into most volunteer positions. There's no debating about whether you are best for the job or who the other candidates are. Anyone can do it. You can volunteer at many places. You dont have to do it part-time or full-time. There are places that you can volunteer at for about 2 hours a week or even once in your lifetime. I look at job applications now and think I really dont know how to do some of the stuff. Through volunteering you are expected to provide your time (once you have given it) and not always expected to know everything off the bat and they dont mind teaching you something you dont have experience in.

It was through volunteering that I learned more about myself. I like to be more committed in one position and not just do something once and not ever go back to it again. That's why I dont like those positions where you go help out runs, food banks, or such for one day and its over with. There's not much room for making connections if its just a day or two. You cant work on a project that you are passionate about. There is not enough time to learn something you dont know and be able to provide service for some place that you want to volunteer for. There is not much time to enjoy the volunteer opportunity since one day volunteering are usually busy. Another thing is that I want to broaden more of what I want to know and do, which would eventually be beneficial for members of my community.

Although I volunteered for many places I am going to list a few volunteer opportunities.

1) Botanical Conservatory

I found out about the Botanical Conservatory through Davis Wiki. I wanted to volunteer there because I wanted to work at a greenhouse. My major coming into university was Environmental Horticulture and Urban Forestry, but I quickly found out it was not for me. I really do like just going into a greenhouse pruning, transplanting, taking out dead leaves or whatever because it makes me feel good and smile. Its an environment that has helped to release stress during hard times of the quarter. Also, I got to see and learn more about the plants. Ernesto and the rest of the people who work and volunteer there are pretty cool.

2) Women's Resources and Research Center (WRRC)

I like the WRRC. I am glad that we have it on campus and the other centers. I also volunteered for two other centers, SAFE program as part of the Student Recruitment and Retention Center and the LGBTRC. I like the small library that you can sleep and eat in. I like that you can buy books and read in the reading room since there are comfy chairs in there. I like the people there. I totally support the WRRC, which is why I volunteered here for over a year. It was through my involvement with the WRRC that I learned more about the center. I also made friends with people involved in the center. I was able to help in the office or library.

3) Thumbs up! Thumbs Down! (TUTD)

TUTD is the only place that I still volunteer at and wont be able to do so for much longer. Only youth up to the age of 22 can volunteer. I found this wonderful opportunity through one of the volunteer search engines.Through this volunteer opportunity I became more aware of the presence of tobacco in films and how it influences my peers. Before volunteering at TUTD I wouldnt watch movies, but now I am growing close to watching 100 movies in my life and the majority of them are in theaters. I also like that we get to vote for the Thumbs up and Thumbs down movie/actresses for the Hackademy and volunteer to make it happen. I use to take the bus for 1 hour just to attend the monthly meetings and I am still glad to be a volunteer for TUTD.

4) Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services (SFBFS)

SFBFS is one of those places that I have only volunteered at for one summer and want to volunteer at longer. This place actually feeds there volunteers and I really like the food that they provide for us. It was through volunteering at SFBFS that I learned about services that are provided for the needy or homeless community. I am glad that a place this exists for those in need. I remembered that during my orientation for SFBFS, Robin said that we were one of the biggest groups of volunteer to come by and she asked some of us why we volunteered. I remembered someone saying it was because of Michelle Obama and I thought of how influential she was to encourage people to volunteer.

Starting to run

Today, I actually woke up early. Earlier than any other time period. I prepared and went off to work. Work went by faster than I expected. Afterwards, I went to Target. I brought my gift card with me. I thought to myself I was only going to buy the necessary items. I looked for items on clearance in the bra and workout clothes section, but most of the stuff wasnt in my size or style. But, I ended up with a workout tank top with a bra. I think that was my favorite item out of all the other items I purchased today. I got some makeup because I want to learn how to apply it since I am rather clueless about it. I bought eyeliner and eye shadow. but I forgot to get the brush. I will have to get the brush next time. I also bought my lil a present. I hope she likes it. I was so close to buying Christmas wrapping paper. It was $9.00. I realized it wasnt worth it because the wrapping paper wasnt thick. Also, I already had ribbons and such at home. Oh well, its really the thought that matters. When I checked out, I went over the gift card limit, so I had to pay about $8.00. After I went shopping at Target. I realized how much I am behind. But, I feel motivated and ready to prep for finals!

Top Ten Reasons for My Procastination

Finals week is coming up. Yet, I havent moved out of my chair out to be academically productive. So, I am just going to list reasons why I am procrastinating. Some of them are damn right silly. Others make sense. In other words, its my excuses.

1. I dont have a exam until Tuesday.
2. Its Saturday morning.
3. Im too full.
4. I still have time to do it.
5. Im not in the studying mood.
6. It doesnt look too appealing.
7. When you save room to relax, you will think better later.
8. You have to do other things in life, rather than school.
9. I already handled 10 weeks of the quarter. Why not relax for a day?
10. I am getting sleepy. Really sleepy.

I know I am making these excuses now. But, I will get studying and work done before finals. This is just to humor myself and encourage myself to get work done sooner than usual.

Things can change.

Today, I received two bad news at the same time. I didnt pass a writing exam and I did not get a board member position. I was really upset, especially when I found out at the same time. I thought that I was going to be sad the whole day. But then, I received a phone call from an unknown place. I answered it and it was from one of the places that I applied to be an intern. She asked me if I was still interested and wanted to go to an interview. My mood picked up really quickly. I think its a wonderful opportunity. Im so surprised that it was not taken before.

Class was interesting today. We had a guest lecture and she was very informative about the ICWA. And, I am going to be writing about that for my paper! When I came back home I found out that the contest that I entered decided to give everyone who entered books. I was surprised and glad that I still tried despite that the contest might have already awarded winners. In a few weeks, I will be receiving the book Carrying the One and I am excited although I have no idea what the book is about.

I also went to my last volunteer session of pedestrian/bike observing and recording. Im glad that I get reimbursed for it. The other volunteers that I have met are civil engineering majors or other hard sciences major. I am the only soft major. Oh well, I always like to try new things and get rewarded in the process.

I have been doing it. Going to the gym atleast over 2 times a week. It feels good. I am definitely more motivated now.

Still time left

Since yesterday was super stressful and busy, I relaxed today. I think I relaxed a bit too much though. I still have lots of reading too or I will tomorrow! Well, class didnt start yet and I still have all those hours to do it.

So much to do

Today, I really wanted to go to the bike auction and set my alarm to around 7. But, the thing is I suddenly woke up around 8ish and I rushed to go for the viewing part of the auction. The auction was really exciting. I wish I knew what bikes were good, so I could have auctioned for better products. I bought two bikes. But, they definitely need to be repaired. But, I think thats expensive. I am looking around for the cheapest places. Since the bikes needed to be repaired, I ended up dragging or walking them to my apartment. Luckily, it was right across the street from the auction. But, the heavier bike was so hard to move. It was also very hot. I am glad that I had the strength to do it. But, it made me sweat a lot.

Afterwards, I went to my old apartment to see if Alina was there. I knocked 6 times and she finally opened the door. I talked to her and she gave me the check. Then, I offered her a ride to the supermarket. I am glad I handled that situation well and that we are cool with each other.

I was really tired by late afternoon because all of that I had to do. I hadnt ate since last night and there was still more for me to do. I decided to go get boba at The Old Teahouse, which isnt the best place, but its decent. I also choose to ate Ohana's Hawaiian BBQ. I ate so quickly that I thought I was going to choke and it really did look like I was stuffing my mouth with food.

I didnt get to do any schoolwork yet, but I still have tomorrow to accomplish that. Im glad that today was atleast accomplishing!

Finding the energy within

School began a while back and I already feel that the workload is getting too heavy. However, I still managed to find the time to go on twitter every night. I also think that I am addicted to checking my email and going on Facebook. I dont know which one I check more. Good thing is I am easy to keep in touch with!

I am so happy that I have my internship with Etiquette with Style and able to work with Ms. Addie. She is a very nice lady and I really want to help her out as much as possible. We have been meeting for about once a week and I think I can make room for another internship. I applied for a internship at the American Lung Association, but I was not awarded the internship position. Nonetheless, I will definitely be looking out for opportunities. I have already started my job search and I think its scary since there are not a lot of jobs that I qualify before because I dont have much experience or skills they desire. I am very much worried about that and I am relieved that I am starting my job search early.

Oh, and I have also been going to the ARC this week. Not as much as I wanted to because I have been busy. But, since I have been going I been playing really fun sports. I played ping pong, racquetball, and badminton!

So there is my internship, working out and academic work... I know that I must find balance in order to be able to relax and not stress out that much. I also need to keep in mind that I should reward myself every now and then. Because when things get hard it is nice to know that something will lighten up your day.