Thank you to Finucane for this explanation about why the educational system is a mess:
I have a Economics test tomorrow that is worth a massive chunk of my grade. Shall I bother cramming and pulling and all nighter?
Tags: Academia, Bleah, Grad School
An old friend of mine, who completed law school years ago–and therefore understands the intricacies of detesting grad school–asked me how B-school was treating me. Keep in mind as you’re reading, I would say that this individual is in the top 3 of the smartest people I have ever known.
LoveMeDeux: I live a quite singular lifestyle…I remember you talking about your days just studying until you couldn’t stand the sight of the inside of your apartment anymore–remember that feeling? Yeah, that’s me now.
Counselor: Yeah, I hear the first year blows and the second year is schmoozing for a gig.
LoveMeDeux: I studied for a test until I was bleeding from my eyeballs–and all I got was a C+. But really, who cares? I realised that midway through 1st year (me right now), you stop giving a feck about the grade, and you just want to survive. That’s when I calmed down and began to enjoy learning. But of course, I learned the tough way–hyperventilating at every grade/paper/test the first trimester.
Counselor: Yeah, I did not give a shit about my grades in law school, graduated just under the 50% mark even with being Dean’s List for four semesters…and I enjoyed myself. Unlike the other douchebags in my class.
Relax. Remember, “C” is for graduate!
Now that, haha, is the best rule of thumb that any former grad student has ever passed down to me!
Tags: Academia, Friendship, Grad School
Snickers bars. Oooohhh Snickers.
I don't know why, but I can always go weak at the knees for a snickers bar and maybe some vanilla ice cream. The combo of caramel, nuts and chocolate is enough to send me over the top in saccharine goodness!
The best presents that I have ever gotten are Starbucks gift cards, time and again.
Once, for Christmas, my mom gave me a $200 string of pearls that I have been coveting for quite some times. Then, my brother handed me his gift–a $60 Starbucks gift card, and trust me, the look of bewilderment in my mom's eyes at how I howled, "OH MY GOD! THANK YOU!!!!!" at his gift in comparison to the relatively staid "Wow, thank you, these are beautiful!" I responded to the pearls with was hilarious.
On a daily basis, I cannot open my eyeballs fully, nor function at full capacity without a coffee from Starbucks, so naturally, I welcome any giftcards that I can associate with that energizing feeling 
My friend Cornelius got a job in San Francisco! His dashing element of “*Pow* Bitch! MBA!!!” paid off, and now he’s settled in the lovely San Fran Bay peptalking me through the home stretch of my first trimester.
LoveMeDeux: I was doing ok, now I feel dejected.
Cornelius: Awwww
LoveMeDeux: I’m in the home stretch…4 more weeks of school. Did you ever feel that way?
Cornelius: All the time, all the fecking time.
LoveMeDeux: I was ok for 10 weeks, trying to scrap. but no matter how much I study, the test is still only about 60% of sh!t I know and the 40% is just fecking nebulous bullsh!t you make up?! It happened to you too?
Cornelius: Of course it did. You’ll make it by. You’re not comfortable with just doing that but it’s what happens. I was so worried I was going to fail out of the program initially.
LoveMeDeux: It’s like…we’re all at the point where we’re like bargaining. Like “Feck…I fecked up that test, it was a 7/10..so I need to crank this paper..will you read it?” “Yeah I will read yours if you read mine?” “I will totally read yours…we need A’s on this.”
Cornelius: You’ll be just fine. Don’t worry. This is not one of those times to worry.
LoveMeDeux: Yeah, that’s 2 trimesters from now in Finance. Ugh.
Cornelius: Come on, LoveMeDeux.
LoveMeDeux: UGH.
Cornelius: Cheer up.
LoveMeDeux: OH CORNELIUS…I am sick of it already.
Cornelius: I know. Ok. You know how much MBAs get post school right?
LoveMeDeux: Were you sick of it after the first semester?
Cornelius: Mmhmm, but I didn’t have a choice.
LoveMeDeux: Yeah, I got my business cards. I’m locked in. It’s final. It says “MBA Candidate, 2011″ so I’m screwed.
Cornelius: No no. It means the end is imminent.
LoveMeDeux: Today I was thinking about the 15 weeks of pain that will start in September to December, the next trimester. And I felt like I felt the first week of classes…drowning. Panic.
Cornelius: No, no we all go through it. That’s part of the process. It’s not just classes.
LoveMeDeux: Those are some words of wisdom that I cannot process right now for some reason.
Cornelius: I know, because its tough to accept.
LoveMeDeux: Is it hilarious how having business cards locks you in? Like, “Oh snap! I had the official Pepperdine University business cards printed, I can’t back out and quit school now!”
Cornelius: LOL
LoveMeDeux: And the decal? and the sweatpants? I can’t give up the sweatpants. They’re like yoga pants. They’re blue. They say “Pepperdine”. I can’t.
Cornelius: Hahaha. I figured it was the student loans and sense of failure. But, yeah, sweatpants.
LoveMeDeux: Yeah. They’re comfortable.
Ha! “Student loans and sense of failure.” But no, I’m doing it for the business cards and the sweatpants.
That, and I don’t want to peel the decal off of my car if I drop out.
Tags: Academia, Friendship, Grad School, StressBucket
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