Sure our football team sucks, but I have to admit I’m pretty proud that I went to Cal and graduated with minimal debt. Despite the never-ending tears from having my academic self-confidence plummet, the experience was worth the toil and probably molded me more into who I am today–with the exception of my family and upbringing. My poor sister had to endure phone call after phone call every semester, “OMIGOD, I’M GOING TO FAIL. NO, SERIOUSLY, THERESE, I’M GOING TO FAIL!!!”
I never did fail a class, but that’s by sheer negotation tactics. (I had the business spirit in me even back in the day.) I struggled to pass my first semester of Physics…huffing and puffing and no-sleeping. That shit was just not intuitive to me. I was always backwards when it came to figuring out problems. So I did my research, buddied up to the Major Advisor for Integrative Biology, and documented why I should be allowed to skip the requirement for the second semester of Physics. She was this no nonsense Japanese woman who practically came up with the requirements for the major.
But I went on to tell her persuasively that I was in all respects a good student, I had passed the first semester of Physics, that while the second semester of Physics was a requirement, I had proven my quantitative skills by getting perfect grades in my Math classes (I even had my Math TA write a short recommendation that I could show her), and that given the fact I was double-majoring with English and minoring in Forestry, I should be allowed to skip the requirement. The woman went for it…and even patted me on the back as I exited her office! I was skipping down the halls, I was so ecstatic. No more Physics!
Ahh, the things you remember from ten years ago. Anyow, all of that is a side story to a mini dorm reunion that came up a couple weekends ago. Unit 2, Ehrman Hall, UC Berkeley 1993-1994. Those were the days: forming a human pyramid, the fire alarms in the middle of the night, trips to Yogurt Park, eating together in the dining hall, fighting with your roommate, living in a triple… I can’t believe how much everyone looks the same. I think I look different but everyone seems to think I haven’t changed at all. More importantly, I walked away from the brunch with renewed captivism for the school. Everyone (at least the ones who came out for brunch) seems to be living the life that is perfectly suited for them…graduate degrees, doctorates, and all.
You Go Bears!
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