27 posts tagged “life in general”

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't updated this thing in a while. I think I mentioned this in an earlier post, but I'm currently working at a cool summer program at a university in North Carolina. It's really, really awesome. The kids (well, I guess they're teens) arrived yesterday and settled into the dormitory. This is a slightly different experience from the summer camp work that I did last summer. There isn't as much constant activity going on: no canoes or sailboats or archery lessons. Instead, the students have a lot of free time in which they can just hang out, and I have to admit I really enjoy hanging out with them.

There is a bit of an egotistical involved with working with kids. I almost forget what it was like to be in junior high, but I know for a fact that that's an age where every kid wants to be older. High school students are, by default, the coolest thing ever, and if that scale continues, then college students like myself must get a ton of bonus cool points. It's nice to know that you're being looked up to just because of something like your age, but then again that only lasts for so long. I'm going to have my group of guys for three weeks, and in that time I need to show them that I'm someone to be respected, but not necessarily befriended (that's the tricky part about working with kids, in that they really need to be bonding with their peers, not you).

Junior high and high school are also a tricky age, because even though you want to show yourself as superior to your students, they very well may be better at you in certain things. For example, I am wretched at basketball (or any kind of activity that requires excessive amounts of coordination, like good dancing). Still, my guys wanted to play. I couldn't say no, of course, so we played. And I got stomped. Hard.

But I shrugged it off. I couldn't apologize for it or make an excuse; I'm just not a big fan of basketball, and I assured them that even though they might win on the court, if we went to the cross country course there would be a different outcome. :) The point is, I at least showed them I was interested in what they were doing and wanted to bond with them. I think it's important for any person working with kids to own their faults (and even be confident in them). Laughing off your ineptitude is the best way to do things, I think. If you make it a joke; it's not embarrassing anymore, it's just another one of your personality quirks. And you don't lose any respect points.

I think this could be said about life in general. It's important to own your weaknesses. You don't really have to be proud of them, but just don't let them get to you. We all have our own strengths, interests, and weaknesses, and that's what makes us unique individuals. I guy who doesn't care for sports is still a guy, and I think he is just as capable of earning the respect of other guys. In fact, I know he's capable, because I fit that bill pretty well. :)

Anyway, this post kind of rambled because I'm tired, but I wanted to post something. I'll try to keep this updated as the summer goes on but I'm not quite sure how much time I'll have. In either case, I hope everyone is doing well! Later!

Wow... I finished my last exam today. Now all I have to do is finish up a few little things and pack my belongings, and I'm done with my second year in college. It's very possible that my undergraduate career is half over (of course, it's equally possible that I might become a fifth-year senior; it's pretty common nowadays). Either way, I simply can't understand how time has passed by so quickly.

At the same time, I don't think time has passed so quickly at all. It's weird how two years can see fast and slow at the same time. I think people really over-emphasize the speed at which life passes. Sure, I remember my first day of college like it was yesterday. That, however, was a landmark event in my life, so it's natural it would be etched into my memory a bit more. The same goes with any landmark event, really. I remember lots of things like they just happened.

When I think back on these past two years, and I mean really think about them, they honestly don't seem that fast at all. So much has happened, only a fraction of which has been chronicled in this blog (or in my own handwritten journal, for that matter). It actually kind of amazes me how much stuff has been crammed into these two years. I have learned so much, met so many people, and grown so much that I don't really feel like the same person that I was two years ago.

I've often heard people use the cliche expression "appreciate your time" when talking to me (or people my age) about college. It's a true enough expression, yet at the same time I don't feel that I could do anything other than appreciate my time. I'm here, and this is what's happening, and I have no choice but to appreciate it by simply living. Maybe some people live without appreciating their situation, but for me, it almost comes naturally.

Maybe what they mean is to spend time doing things that you won't regret. I can certainly understand that, but regrets are a tricky business. There are probably many situations that were not good for me over the past two years, yet at the same time they have all helped me grow into the person that I am today, and I like that person a lot. Even though my college experience so far hasn't been completely perfect (nothing ever is), I still am glad for it.

Anyway, all of this is basically just to say that I have been in college for two years. Wow. I have also been maintaining this blog for about that same amount of time as well, and am equally grateful and appreciative for all of you people who (for one reason or another) have been reading. Thank you for everything. I'll be going back home soon, which means I'll be back on a dial-up connection. I still will try to blog, though, and I hope you all have a great summer!

There are many things I enjoy about the generation I am a part of. It is more open-minded, more willing to accept change and those of different viewpoints, more engaging, more creative, more confident, and more diverse. I know many older Christians fear for the young people of this generation, and I will be the first to admit that my age group certainly has its problems. However, when I think about the young devout Christians I know and love, I have the overwhelming sense that when these Christians grow up and start becoming leaders in the Church, the Church is going to rock more than ever before.

At the same time, there is something about my generation that I do not like at all. When I think about it, it is really hard to be an individual nowadays. Sure, we all have our Facebook pages and our blogs, listing every detail of our personal lives and our likes and dislikes. We all know how to dress in the way that best "expresses ourselves." We all have different play lists on our iPods and have neurotic personality quirks that we share with the whole world through a variety of means (for example, it's common knowledge amongst my friends that I don't drink coffee, but still have a fondness for coffee shops). All of this, however, really doesn't mean anything. These individual characteristics that we think make us special are often used to simply categorize and compartmentalize us, and that makes it hard to really have some individuality.

This constant desire to label everything and make it all "nice and neat" is something that really drives me crazy about my generation. I know we often blame stereotypes and bigotry on older generations, but it's not really the case. Just check out any Facebook group: "You might be Cuban if...," "You might be a lesbian if...," "You might be from Boise if...," "You might be a Methodist if...," etc. Then watch all the stereotypes roll. I know it's all done in fun, and sometimes those groups are really funny, but at the same time I think they're indicative of a generation that is fine with individual differences as long as those differences fit within a specific range.

I guess what I'm getting at here is that it's hard to fit in when you live a bit on the fringe like I do. There are no Facebook groups for "guys who are celibate and deal with homosexual attraction although they have reservations about labeling themselves as 'gay' even thought they usually do it for clarity's sake anyway." There are no denominations for "Calvinists who still like the traditions of the United Methodist Church and have an affinity for Catholic Mass as well." There's no ethnic community that describes an "Irish-French-German-English man who might be part American Indian, has an Southern accent with a hint of Outer Banks brogue and speaks in Spanish to his brother." Yet those are things that I am (and before you ask, I don't really speak Spanish well. I wish I could take more courses but my majors don't really allow it).

At the same time, I think a lot of the people who do label themselves are just as unique and don't fit into their labels as neatly as everyone else (or perhaps they themselves) would like them to. It's just strange then, to me, for them to keep the label at all. I've just gotten to a point in my life where I want to be an individual, not a statistic or a label. I don't want to be treated as a demographic, but as a person. That's why I hate it when people like Sally Kern speak out against "homosexuals." They aren't taking people like me into account. Heck, they aren't taking anyone into account except for the promiscuous, unhealthy, depressed people who fit into their statistics and what they think it means to be "gay." Don't worry, I get equally mad when some liberal hotshot starts talking trash about "Christians," all the while revealing how few he or she has actually met.

So I guess it's just a choice to make. I can either not label myself at all and really not fit in with anyone, or I can label myself but make sure I list all the reasons I might challenge people's perceptions of what it means to be gay, Christian, a Southerner, an artist, a writer, a student, etc. It's confusing and it's a little tiresome, and I guess the only real thing I've said in this post about being an individual is that, well, it's not easy. Take care, everyone!

As some of you already may know, Hitch and I ended our relationship the other day. It was just shy of six-months long (and trust me, that feels weird, because I didn't know time could move by so quickly!) The details of the break-up aren't really important. The good thing to know is that it went smoothly and it was (more or less) a mutual decision. I knew for a long time (possibly since from the beginning) that the relationship wouldn't last through the end of the year, and I certainly knew that it was a temporary matter.

I had some time to process some emotions before we were officially broken up, and that was good for me. I know a lot of people didn't see a point to our relationship. It was temporary, we both had two different opinions about Godly sexuality, and on those terms we really couldn't work together no matter how well we got along. We did get along well, though. In six months, I can't imagine one time we had an argument. I always wanted to see him when I saw him, and I think the same worked in reverse. I can't think of a single moment where being with him didn't comfort me and bring a smile to my face. In his own words, we had a perfect relationship. It was just doomed. That didn't stop us from enjoying it while it lasted.

Though there were many mistakes and moments of weakness in the context of the relationship (I've written about them before), I can't say that I totally regret it. I really don't. I certainly regret any sins that I committed during the relationship (just like I regret the many sins that I commit daily, from unkindness to laziness), but I also got some Christward things out of it. Hitch taught me that I can be loved and wanted. He helped boost my self-confidence (as any good friend should do), and also allowed me to be a little more emotionally close to someone and vulnerable for one. I usually put on a tough front because I want to seem perfectly okay for everyone. He allowed me to be a little more human, and I'm gonna take that lesson with me to my other friendships.

Also, I don't think I've prayed for another person as much as Hitch. He is a Christian, I know that now. I think (or hope) that being with me helped him strengthen relationship with God, even if he didn't come to the same conclusions about sexuality that I have. He's still going to Mass on Sundays, as far as I know. It's an amazing feeling to pray for someone else's relationship. I can only wish that Hitch eventually has the same relationship with God that I do.

So, the relationship helped me break out of my shell and strengthened my complete dependence on Christ. I had a lot of good memories and - even in the bad times - I think I pulled through okay. Still, it sucks for it to be over. It's a lot like grief. There's nothing I could do to stop it, I had come to terms with it long before the end came, and yet I still feel an amazing amount of hurt and loss. There are things about the relationship that I know I won't ever have again, even if Hitch and I remain friends (which I think we will, once we have time to cool down). For Hitch, he will eventually date again. I doubt I will, though. Men as patient and understanding as Hitch are hard to come by, and it requires one like that to have a relationship with me. Trust me. ;-)

Now I can focus on Christ more fully. I really am thankful for every second of the relationship and that it ended in a way that I can be proud of. I didn't compromise who I was or what Christ has done for me, and I was never asked to. Hitch and I parted with a deep hug and kisses on the cheek. Hopefully he'll still remain a part of my life and I can continue to support him as he grows in his own understanding of Christ, even if it is different from my own.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and prayers. I love you guys. :-)

If there's one subject that SSA-strugglers seem to write about a great deal, it's loneliness. I suppose when the potential for a spouse and children seems dim, people tend to put a great deal more worry into whether or not they will end up alone. This certainly isn't exclusive to SSA-strugglers. I have several straight friends (my age, even!) who, for one reason or another, worry about ending up alone and unloved. Worrying about loneliness is simply a human problem, and sometimes very bad decisions come out of a desire to simply not be alone (if you've ever known anyone who can't go two weeks without being in a relationship, you know what I mean.)

I've often heard sound Christian advice given to those who deal with loneliness (of all orientations and walks of life.) It usually goes along the lines of, "Let Christ be your companion in lonely times. Let Him fulfill your desires for intimacy." Now, like I said, that's very good advice. When one feels lonely, instead of turning to despair and cynicism, they should turn to the Bible and meditations on Christ instead. That sounds a lot simpler than it really is (trust me, I know!), but if the advice is truly taken to heart, it works. However, there are other ways to let Christ be your companion, and they don't all involve sitting at home with your Bible in hand.

Over Spring Break, I spent most of my time at home. None of my old friends from high school were on break at the time (and I seriously fault the UNC system for not synchronizing the Spring Breaks of its many branches.) My parents were in and out, and remember that I live in a very isolated neck of the woods, about a mile and a half from the main road on an old farm. Needless to say, I was very lonely and bored.

I realized that my grandmother, who has been widowed now for more than a year (from her husband of 60+ years), might want some company. I visited her, and I have to say I really enjoyed the experience. She's a very tough old woman, but she's sad and lonely for the most part nowadays. Yes, she gets regular phone calls and visits from my mother, father, aunts, and uncle, but apart from that she spends her time alone in her old house, attending to daily chores that she's performed for years and years. I can relate to that type of loneliness in some ways, because I've imagined (in moments of fear and doubt) that it could happen to me. However, can I say I've actually experienced it? No. Not at all.

So I visited with my grandmother and tried my best to ease some of her loneliness. At the same time, I found that my own fears and doubts about ending up old and alone were calmed. The thing is loneliness is a fact of life, at least for those who grow old. You have to deal with it, and I think one of the best ways to deal with it is to find others who are also lonely. It's an elementary solution, if you think about it. I'm sure any Christian knows that helping others often helps the helper as much as it helps those that were helped (enjoy that sentence, why don't you?)

But you can't just sit around and wait for people to find you and fill your life. Sure, my grandmother doesn't get out much, but at the same time she's elderly and many of the people that she would visit have passed on. If I'm lonely, however, there's nothing stopping me from calling a friend or family member. There's nothing stopping me from being there for someone else when they need me. Whatever you do, it will be done back to you. So, if you don't want to end up alone and unloved, then you had best get to easing the loneliness of others and loving others.

To be fair, these ideas aren't all mine. Hitch was noticing my slightly reclusive nature and, frankly, was getting a little annoyed by my constant worries about the future. There's only one future, though, and that's the one I make. I can't whine about being lonely when I'm sitting home alone, unwilling to go out and visit people. He was right there, and I hope to take his advice to heart and spread it around. Take care, everyone!

Well, Thanksgiving Break was a nice time for me. I got to see my family, some friends, and eat a lot of good food. It really was a blessing to be around all the people I love, but that's not what this post is about, and I'm sure you guys know that.

Over break I found an opportunity to finally come out to my parents. I was nervous as heck about it and had to pray a lot beforehand. I also had some friends who knew I was about to go in for the kill and they prayed along with me. They know who they are, and if they're reading this, thanks again guys! You're a blessing.

I won't go into all the details, mainly because I'm sure a lot of the conversation (which lasted for four hours) is something that many of you have heard before. Yes, there was a bit of denial going on with my folks. Remember, they're in their mid-60s, and they're a little naive about what "gay" even means. They went from thinking that I simply was reacting against bad experiences with girls (experiences that I tried to stress were bad because I was gay), to thinking that I simply had not met the right girl, to thinking that I had been influenced or indoctrinated into thinking I was gay. I suppose those reactions happen even with the most liberal parents. I'll admit it hurt a bit, but other than that the tone of the conversation was pretty mild, like any of our other arguments about politics, religion, or philosophy.

I had started by telling my parents that I was celibate. Then I told them I was gay, then I told them about my boyfriend. It was probably a little too much to take in for one night, but I was just so excited to get things off my chest that I probably wasn't thinking too clearly. The good part is they understand and accept my celibacy. They also think that everyone is somewhat bisexual (remember, they're hippies), and that I'm too young to say I'm "one way or the other." I'll give them that, though I will say that some people are more bisexual than others. ;-)

At the very least, there was hugging and many repetitions of the phrase "I love you." There was even an unexpected high-five from my mom when I told her some of the compliments that Hitch has given me. I have a feeling high-fives don't happen often in coming out stories. The day after we went to church and visited my grandma and life went on like normal. I understand that everything takes time and eventually my parents will understand who I am a bit more. Right now they don't, but that's okay. They don't have to understand completely. In fact, it would be nearly impossible for them to understand completely. They are my parents, and they are there to love me. They still do, and they stressed that. I will always have a place in our family, no matter what. I'm so grateful for that. After all, home isn't the place where you are the most understood or even the most loved. It's the place where, if you have to go there, they have to take you in. I'm still fortunate to know that I have a home.

Also, now that my parents know of my sexual preferences they just might look at my Internet history. If they do, they might see this blog (and if you're reading this, hi guys!) So, if I go offline or something, you'll know why. I'm seriously not expecting that to happen, though. Do remember that I maintain two blogs with the exact same content, though. Happy trails!

Today was very cold and rainy, and that naturally put me in a reflective mood.  Granted, I'm in a reflective mood 80-90% of the time anyway, but today was the first time in a long time I had sat down and taken time to take it all in.  I stayed indoors, and my usual list of things to do was much more sparse than usual.  One of the first things I thought about was how much I had changed since this time last year.  Last year my free time was mostly spent bumming around the blogosphere, searching for articles concerning politics and sexuality that I could read, critique, and possibly blog about.  I was constantly thinking, arguing, and commenting.  My social life was active, but it mostly consisted of late-night partying and weekend clubbing.  Unlike other social activities, the only thing those get in the way of is sleep.  My class schedule was easy, and I breezed through most of my courses.  It was a good year, but this year is very, very different.  I think it's changed for the better in some ways, and for the worse in others.

From an outsider's perspective, my social life is less active than it was last year.  In my view, however, it's better.  What it lacks in content it more than makes up for in substance, if that makes sense.  I simply got tired ot clubbing and bar-hopping last year, and looking back it really wasn't that good for me.  I met a lot of interesting people and had some good memories which I wouldn't trade for anything, but overall I've grown out of that scene.  Now my social life is "normal," just the way I wanted it.  I meet people for coffee or dinner, play video games with my roommates, go to church every sunday, catch movies, work, go to Campus Crusade, and spend time with my boyfriend.  When I'm not doing that stuff, I'm just working on the multitude of papers and applications for various classes, summer programs, and jobs.

Naturally, my blogging career has been put on hold.  It's a shame, but I really don't watch the news anymore.  Generally, I don't read up on what's going on in the big gay/ex-gay debate.  Last week I found a website that drew my ire.  Last year I would have spent two or three really long posts picking apart its flaws.  This year I wrote a short post saying that it made me angry, and that was it.  On the one hand, I'm glad that my life has settled down into a content normalcy.  On the other hand, I miss the chances that I used to have to be bold and say or do something outrageous or controversial.  So, I have normalcy... I just don't want it to turn into complacency.  Does anyone else have this problem?  This nice, quiet life is what I said I wanted all last year.  I really do like it.  I just want to keep its comfort while at the same time not letting it blind me to all the issues on which I could add my ideas.  Have a blessed day, everyone!

Hey guys! It's finally November, which is one of my favorite months for no apparent reason. I guess I've always been a fan of autumn, and autumn weather doesn't really start hitting North Carolina until about mid-November, and even that's up to debate. Other than the weather, I'm just pretty content with my life right now. I wouldn't say that I've ever been too discontent, but things just seem to be better than usual right now. Of course, they also seem to be busier than usual. I have a lot of cool things that I'm doing (or should be doing) and they have really been challenging me to organize my time and prioritize the things that mean the most to me. Here's a rundown.

1. I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). It's one of those things that I always say I'm going to do but never get around to. The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel by the end of November. This, of course, requires that I write eight pages a day, and I'm already behind. The novel I'm working on is a "spiritual successor" to my 2005 novel Whaler. It doesn't follow a similar plot or have any of the same characters, but I'm keeping the style the same. I'm really excited. It probably won't be a good novel, but it will get me back in the creative process and that's always fun.

2. I'm applying to be a Resident Assistant (RA) for one of the dorms on campus next year. With any luck, I'll be an RA in the same building that my brother was when he was at this college. That would be cool. I'm already copying his major and career, so I might as well copy him in other aspects as well. :)

3. Various social activities are popping up all over the place. I seem to be in far too many campus organizations and they all require more time than I have. Between planning movie nights, helping out with Halloween Carnivals, going to my Cru Bible study, leading my own independent Bible study, and working on stuff for my teaching internship, it's a wonder I'm finding time for my close friends. Luckily, I am. I'm also keeping in better touch with friends and family back home (thanks Facebook!) I'm also keeping in touch with lots of "Internet friends" that I've met through this blog and others, and they're really a blessing to me.

And of course, there's also a certain someone who gets top priority when it comes to people I want to spend time with, at least for now. ;-)

4. Oh yeah, there's that thing about classes too. I don't know how many times I've had to cut an AIM conversation short because I was "working on a paper." In fact, I don't know when the last night was when I didn't have a paper to work on. Summer camp, maybe? I registered for my spring semester yesterday, and it's not going to be an easier workload like I had hoped.

So, you might have gotten the suspicion that blogging will be slow this month, if it exists at all. That, I must say, will probably be the case. Granted, all of the above things could probably make some interesting posts, and if I have the time to post something, I will. Otherwise, I think I'm going to devote myself to living life instead of blogging life for a while. I'll always be around for comments, e-mails, and other people's blogs, though. That's part of my entertainment. :)

Tell me, does life ever slow down from here? It's November and I came to school in August. It doesn't feel like that, though. I don't want my college years to fly before my eyes. Honestly, they're just too cool to do that. I wake up every day thanking God for the chances He has given me, and I pray that He doesn't let me waste them. Those chances, after all, are not only my opportunities but His as well. I pray that He uses me to represent Him in all the varied aspects of my life. I'm listening for Him. I hope you guys are, too. Have a great day!

Oh, and I hope you enjoy this song. It's a cheesy pop song about falling in love (which, being a cheesy romantic myself, is always a good thing), but I think it relates to loving God as well. I don't know why, I just thought that when I first heard it. It's called "So Much Love" by The Rocket Summer. Enjoy!

To begin, I really have to thank everyone who decided to respond to the last post.  Your advice and prayers were very helpful, and I feel very blessed to be in contact with such a diverse, smart, and good group of people.  Thank you.  I don't know when I will come out to my folks.  It might be a week from now, a month from now, or several years from now.  Either way, I know that if I trust God things will turn out fine.  He has blessed me with a great family, and I know that they will love me no matter what.

I also have to thank everyone who wished me luck on my first date.  I went out with a Sophomore that I'll call "Hitch" because that rhymes with his real name (thanks to Amanda for the nickname idea!)  He's a really sweet, down to earth guy, and it was great getting to know him a bit better.  We got some coffee, walked around for a while, and then went to go see "Across the Universe," which was an amazing movie (as Eric from Two World Collision agrees).  Really, it was less of a date for me and more of a chance to hang out with a new and interesting person.  Hitch and I have a lot in common, and we talked a lot about our families, our favorite movies, music, books, and the guys on campus that we thought were cute.  :)

Our personalities really did click, but I don't think he'll be anything more than a good friend.  He might think differently, and as we see each other more we'll probably get into deeper topics where we can start talking about what we're looking for in our lives right now.  I don't want to shoot him down quickly because I do value friendship with other gay men.  At the same time, I don't want to lead him on into thinking that something might happen when I'm not interested.

I'm sure some people think it's dangerous to be dating when I've committed myself to celibacy.  It certainly does give me more incentive to give up the struggle and (forgive the term) completely identify with being gay.  After all, it is hard to turn down the prospect of being the boyfriend of a guy like Hitch (especially when he paid for my movie ticket--joke!)  At the same time, last night made me really happy.  I climbed the stairs to my apartment thanking God for letting me have such a great night (and also for keeping things very innocent.  I had been worried to a certain extent.  ;-)

I'm happy to be young and I want to enjoy dating like every other kid my age, especially when "dating" for me basically just consists of hanging out with somebody one-on-one instead of in a group.  You know, I want my life to be normal right now, and I don't see anything wrong with it.  Truth is, the prospect of a quiet, unremarkable life is starting to look very good to me.  I know I've written about how I'm ambitious before, but I've also written about how I'm fine with the perpetually single life.  As I think about it, I'm happiest when things are simple.  I enjoy my alone time, and I really look forward to being a teacher, and being an uncle to my niece, and serving the Lord as the single man that I am and probably will be.  A nice, quiet life isn't looking so bad.  I may not have kids, and I may not get married.  Either way, I'm determined to be happy.  Some people may wonder how the single life can be anything but lonely, but I don't see it that way.

And if you're asking how me talking about my date somehow moved to this topic, you aren't alone.  As you know, my blog posts tend to be a random selection of thoughts from my rapid-fire mind.  But hey, you guys have stuck to me so far, so I must be doing something right.  :)  As always, thanks for reading.

FYI, the title of this post comes from the Patricia Neal movie of the same name.  My mom rented it several years ago.  I never watched the movie, but I loved the title.  :)

As I begin my second year at college, I find myself slightly older and wiser than I was as a poor, confused Freshman. Emphasis should be on the world "slightly." It seems that in times of stress, I keep on making the same counter-productive mistakes as I did last year. The only upside is that I'm aware of them now. :-) Here are a few humble observations of my behavior (and the behavior of those around me) when that lovely little subject of stress comes up.

• Professors are knowingly and incontrovertibly in an evil alliance to assign all quizzes, tests, and major papers during the same exact week. This cannot be avoided no matter what professors you pick. Even the ones you thought were cool (because they were younger and perhaps only went by their first name, which was something usually along the lines of "Mark" or "Jenny") are in on this conspiracy.
• The ability to read and comprehend a boring textbook chapter is directly proportional to the comfort level of the furniture being sat on while reading. For example, reading while on a plushy couch or warm bed is a recipe for immediate failure (also known as sleep). For best results, try to procure a bed of nails as the designated "reading chair."
• Daily check-lists are only as good as their makers. For example, leaving certain key assignments off a check-list, while including such items as "Make sure to take a nap," goes against the point.
• Being involved in 500+ student organizations is all well and good, and it certainly will look good on a resume. However, one of the goals of college is surviving to the point where one will be able to actually write a resume. Premature deaths due to heart attacks, strokes, or being buried in paperwork should be avoided at all costs, and the risk of these untimely ends goes up with each extracurricular activity.
• Under no circumstance is the Internet your friend. Even when you're supposed to be doing research, the Internet is not your friend. Sure, you may think you'll be able to just log on to the Oxford English Dictionary website quickly and then get off, but that won't happen. First you'll say that a quick stop to Facebook couldn't hurt, then it will be MySpace, then Yahoo, then AIM, and before you know it you'll end up watching Britney's bad VMA performance for the 20th time on YouTube.

Just some things I've noticed... And yes, I should be doing homework right now.