The Thread For Those Who Feel The Need To Share All of Their Banal Details- Page 37

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 6:20pm

"I feel strange when people around me click so fast, and I'm like... ".... okay?""
ME. TOO. It sucks.

Apparently, they have fun at Chicago, even though it's the place 'where fun comes to die'. I'm not at ALL a party person, so I don't care at all about that, even though they do have parties. And there's a really active theatre program, so that would be good. And it does have a campus. It's quite nice, actually.

Nia, don't not apply because of the aid. Take it a step at a time. Apply, and if you get in, worry about the cost. If you need it, I'm sure they'll give you more than they gave me. It wasn't as much as we'd have liked, but my parents are still letting me go. We'll just have to pinch a bit.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 6:23pm

I regret that I didn't click with anyone right away, but there's nothing I could've done about it. I'm not outgoing when you first meet me, at all.

From what I've heard in general, at a school with a real campus and things going on in and centered around it, people have a better time meeting friends and whatnot. I'm not a party person either.

Deep banality:

I really want out of a situation I'm in, but it's impossible without making fairly large changes, which I don't feel like I want to make. There's no way to fix it or make it go away. It'll only get better when I can figure out how to take things for whatever they might be, and not react so much to every little thing, wondering what it is in fact, rather than just accepting it for whatever possibility ends up being true. I'm tired of wondering what an action means or if it's just a consequence of the situation, or a consequence of something I have directly done, and not knowing what I want to do, but only what I should (with great difficulty) do. I am so utterly frustrated. My brain understands, but my emotions do not.

... feel free to ignore that. Nobody has answers. :)

Updated On: 4/14/06 at 06:23 PM

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 6:35pm

I'm not outgoing either. It's kind of sad, I'm really becoming friends with a lot of people I've know all of high school, and even before, just this year, when it's almost over. I am a totally insane and crazy person when you actually really know me, but I'm good at seeming really sweet, innocent, and boring when I don't know people. I'm afraid it'll be the same way in college, and I'll have lots of people I like and who like me, and we're "friends", but I won't have any really good *friends*. That's my biggest fear about college, I think.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 6:38pm

I'm sure you know this, but you're wonderful and bright and sweet; people will see that right away, even if it takes you a little while to open up to them and form real friendships, not just convenience friendships. I had a lot of those in high school, and they've all totally faded now. I have a few of them here, as well as a small handful real close friends.

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 6:43pm

Thanks.

Wow. Your "deep banality" sounds intense. It made my head hurt.

[ihearttheatre]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 6:46pm

Elphie, you'll be fine. When I met you, you were very friendly and outgoing. I mean, I don't know you that well, but you're probably not giving yourself enough credit.

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 6:48pm

That's the thing, though. I knew we'd have something in common. And I already sort of "knew" you. I can't always have every conversation in my life be about Broadway. But thanks.

[insomniak]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 6:51pm

Elphie, that's what I'm afraid of too, so at least you're not alone. I think you'll be ok.

My friend is dating a girl who goes to U of Chicago. I haven't met her, but I hear she's a pretty fun person so maybe it's not all bad. On the other hand, he met her at Math Camp so her idea of fun might be rather different from yours.

Emcee, sometimes you just have to suck it up and make tough choices in life. Maybe you'd do best just to move on. There might not be anything you can do to get out of the situation.

Re: State schools. We have only one "good" state college- OSU. I'll most likely end up in the honors program there.

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 6:54pm

"On the other hand, he met her at Math Camp..."
HaHA! Thanks for the laugh.

[insomniak]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 6:56pm

I'm not making that up! My friend goes to Math Camp every summer and they literally stay up until 2 am doing proofs and stuff. Apparently they once watched a movie about how to mathmatically turn a sphere inside out. He gets so excited when he talks about math. It's actually kind of endearing, even though I don't understand any of it.

Once he tried to get my lunch table to play a math game with M&Ms. Crazy? Yes.

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 6:59pm

Oh, I believed you! It just tickled my funny bone, that's all.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:01pm

Elphie, I'm the same way. It's really difficult with entirely new people. But you'll be okay!

Sometimes much is easier said than done. Don't need the lectures, thanks.

I had so many math teachers who used M&M's. Bribery....

I just got a really stupid e-mail from this girl in my class. I wasn't aware of what an airhead she was!

Updated On: 4/14/06 at 07:01 PM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:03pm

I refused to stay in-state. My mom was supportive of that, my dad was not, but it's all turned out okay.

I applied to mainly private universities, but I did apply to Penn State as a safety. With financial aide results, it would have ended up costing me twice as much to go to Penn State as it does for Syracuse. And my sister just got a nearly full ride to a private university (like, $5000 a year short). I don't understand how we both ended up like this, based on how much money my parents make, but I guess my point is that you really never know how it will turn out unless you give it a chance.

Updated On: 4/14/06 at 07:03 PM

[insomniak]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:05pm

Wow, Skittles. Did you and your sister get merit aid or is that all need-based, if I may ask? That's really cool for you.

I really don't want to end up at OSU with 80% of my highschool since I work harder than 95% of them, but the honors program is very good. (You have to have really high test scores to get in and be in the top 10% of your class, I think.) I'd get to go abroad five or six times, schedule before anyone else, get special housing, ect.

ETA I wasn't lecturing, Emcee. You posted and I chipped in my two cents. Take it or leave it. Updated On: 4/14/06 at 07:05 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:12pm

I'm sucking it up the best I can, don't you worry. I'm perfectly well aware of what I can and can't do.

Honors programs at state schools are really nothing to shake your fist at, at all. I know people in honors programs at HUGE state universities who have bigger workloads than I do. Granted, a few of them are studying biochemistry and the like, but I don't doubt that they're all getting really great educations. A friend of mine is at the University of Delaware, in the honors program, and she's already been abroad twice, but they have a weird semseter schedule that allows for a lot of time built in for that stuff.

[insomniak]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:14pm

...I'm aware of what you can't do, too. And I feel guilty about sometimes.

I'm used to crazy workloads. I just have a personal vendetta against The College That Everyone Including My Parents Went To. I'll only go if the parents let me go all over and allow me to apply for a summer internship in New York.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:17pm

Honors programs at state schools, particularly if they're good ones, definitely aren't a bad way to go. (I say, as I'm drowning under the weight of my honors thesis.) Really, though, most of them are great and they work hard to make sure that you're in classes that are taught by the top-notch professors. I think I've heard that OSU has a great one. Do apply a bunch of places, though... one of my only regrets is that I didn't at least try to apply to some out-of-state or private schools just to see what would happen with the funding.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:18pm

Is going abroad in that program built into tuition or do you have to pay extra? This friend I was talking about got a full ride, but going abroad is extra for her.

ss, you're writing your thesis already?

Updated On: 4/14/06 at 07:18 PM

[insomniak]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:22pm

I'm not sure how funding works, Emcee. I do know that everyone in OSU honors gets a merit scholarship, so whatever money my parents would save because of that would presumably go towards the cost of my trips.

siren, where do you go to school? (If you don't want to answer, I'm not offended.)

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:23pm

With most study abroad programs, it's worked out so that the cost at the university abroad is equal to tuition where you are, and financial aid transfers. But since this thing is like... an honors inter-session "program," they have to pay. I guess it varies.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:28pm

insomniak: Virginia Tech

I started my thesis a year early (I'm a junior) because I've been working in the same lab since freshman year, but it's a huge project so I'll probably still be working on it into next year. Writing (then rewriting) the lit review was one of the most stressful experiences of my life. I'm in a bit of a panick about it right now, honestly. I love what I'm studying, but it's so much to deal with in addition to classes.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:30pm

When I declared my major, I was asked what I might want to write my thesis on. The look on my face was likely one of great fear. Like I might cry.

What's yours on?

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:30pm

I think tuition is usually covered by financial aide for going abroad, but you have to cover living expenses. At least, it is at my school.

insomniak, it's both merit and need-based. I don't understand how it all works; I would have never thought we'd qualify for need-based, but I guess in comparison to some of the other students at my school, I'm more "in need" then they are and they had to give the money to somebody. *shrugs*

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:32pm

My parents are still mad that they didn't want to fill out the FAFSA form at the time. They can afford tuition, but it's still no small fee to them. They're glad that my brother is looking into state schools and will probably get scholarships, for sure.

[insomniak]

Posted: 4/14/06 at 7:33pm

I have to write a thesis-esque paper to graduate from my academic program (International Baccalaureate) in high school. It has to be a 4,000 word research paper. I'm sure that's nothing compared to what you're doing, siren, but it sure scares me.

Thanks, skittles. That's encouraging.
Updated On: 4/14/06 at 07:33 PM