a summary

as of today i am completely finished with my 4-year career at the university of california, berkeley. here are some bookends:

Wednesday, May 15, 2005 9:10 p.m.
What I've Learned My 1st Year in College:
-there is no need to pay more that $10 for any CD or DVD.
-despite sharing a bathroom with approx. 33 people there is always time to take a poo by yourself—but it's always a game of chance.
-a cookie a day takes the doctor away.
-it's actually easy to have friendships without gossip.
-when you're away from your family they become some of your closest friends. and you begin to recognize them as individuals rather than 'relatives'.
-it's not going to be like it was in high school no matter how hard people might try.
-malibu & sprites are delicious. tequila shots are lots of fun. [this latter statement was disproved the morning after the first day back at school sophomore year].
-you learn who your true friends are by how well you keep in contact.
-you can survive off deli sandwiches like jared from subway but you won't lose weight cuz you supplement it with cookies and candy.
-it is far too easy to waste hours away on the internet.
-digital cameras aren't the shit.
-first impressions are rarely right.
-it's actually easy to say what you're thinking and it makes life much simpler and more enjoyable.
-it is quite easy to stop a relationship from happening but it's always awkward afterward.
-pretentiousness about music is a turn-off.
-you need to have priorities in order to get anywhere and survive.

a more recent recap:
What I've Learned After My 4 Years in College:
-there is no reason to pay more than $10 for any article of clothing.
-a reese's peanut butter cup a day is better than a cookie a day, but it certainly does not keep the doctor away.
-the reason it is easy to have friendships without gossip is because it is difficult to find a coherent group of friends. everyone is so busy with different activities at different times that it is difficult to keep even singular friendships afloat.
-that being said, relationships that weren't meant to be drift apart, and that's ok. nothing like that should be forced. the greatest ones are the ones that stay, no matter what, no exertive effort necessary.
-even though there is very little time for free-reading in a college-career, try at least to check out your favorite books from the library. doing so will save them from storage for another 10 years.
-everything that is so soon is actually so far away, and vice versa. time is a mindfuck like that. but nothing can be stopped, so meet it head-on and love it endlessly. even the bad is good—the steps all add up to the ultimate conclusion.
-google reader provides a miraculously more concise means of wasting hours away on the internet.
-the closer you get to real life the stronger the desire is to eat otter pops & animal crackers, drink juiceboxes, and sit in a fort you made from pillows and blankets. and this desire should never, ever be repressed.


[move-in day, august 2004]


[graduation day, may 2008]