Real week, real fun(?), real eye opener

I'm going to try to write something once a week, and since I have no classes friday's, I might as well write about how my academic life is going.

Programming for information technology is basically, so far, a rehash of what I just learned in AP java and for once I actually knew stuff that I was doing. However, it's a big reminder that I really need to use the API more often so that I can use the different methods that the classes provide me. My professor is pretty, quirky, as one would put it. Makes a few jokes here and there, but other than that he's just a normal dude.

For intro to multi, i got my first paper assignment already and I have to interview people about an important event in my life. Nothing special here just yet. I just wanna get to know how to strengthen my CSS and xhtml skills.

Algebra trig became discrete math. Algebra trig is high school over again. So I went to my academic adviser and she just bumped me up to discrete math, which is just logic stuff. Seems easy too.

First year enrichment is just to get us settled into school so we know what we're doing. Freshman seminar for info tech is like that too, but my professor is the director of the game design program that I signed up for. Real cool guy. Told us the story how he lost his two front teeth when he was six when explaining the picture in our syllabus.

Finally, is writing seminar. Writing seminar...writing, freakin, seminar. According to my professor, in an effort to expand diversity among the students, writing seminar has different subjects. and you know what i got stuck with?

Terrorism. That's right. Terrorism.

So I get the analyze every facet of it. What is it? What drives today's terrorists? What are ways to stop it. At first I was apprehensive of the topic, but people said it's an experience to know about the people in the news. So I'm willing. My professor is pretty cynical, and you can tell he's real skeptical about the ruling governments in charge today, among other things. Never the less, he gave us fair warning to pull out cause some of the stuff we're reading is gonna bring a chill up our spine. Can't wait.

So that's it for classes. I mean it's pretty tough cause i only have 10 weeks to finish everything. It is quarter system, after all. Cram more work in, ya know? So I know I'm gonna push myself. Maybe drive myself to the edge once in a while. Same old, same old right?

As for fun, I visted kendo , anime, and the cyber of college: EGS. Kendo seemed rigorous and fun. Anime was big, and the hugeness of it seemed like people don't get to know each other. On the plus side, there are people that are into manga 10x more than anime cause they like the original artwork and the unedited nature of the stuff. EGS was typical cyber fashion, but with the addition of 2-3 hour club time and surprise tournaments(although smash players reign supreme =P), it's lookin good. Tomorrow is gonna be breakers, and the guy that cleans my floor is part of it, DJ'ing and breakin. Saturday is fencing and baja club.

From what I told alvin, he think's RIT is a fun place. The LAN parties, the outdoor free showing of 300, and hanging out with friends. I just don't tell him about the work. Time will tell what will happen. I've only been here for two weeks. In the mean time, I'm gonna play Halo(cause everyone plays the damn game and I just feel left out and I don't wanna suck that badly.

Stay safe and don't be a stranger
-Nick

Just A Long Vacation

So here I am, finally at RIT. It's been the first week of my stay here and it's been going good. I wasn't sure what to expect here. Whether it was the fact that I'm in the middle of nowhere, or that I'm not surrounded by minorities anymore. Or maybe it's the fact that I've lost all the conveniences at home. You know, corner store deli's, any form of asian food and for that matter, good food in general, public transportation and other things. The list just goes on and on and on. In all honestly, I didn't know how I would survive here without such things. However, I'm adjusting quite well, contrary to my old thoughts. Like home, I met people that are just like me, just a whole lot more, and in some cases more extreme.

The week of orientation was the way to meet people and the faculty. I met my faculty advisor, who is head of the video games major and the dude that penned up the syllabus. Also met the 72 other students in my major, Cole included. We all got the jokes, we all wanted to go to places like GDC and E3, and we all basically wanted to make games. Good times. Orientation provided alot of cool things. Free arcade night so it was free pool and all the arcade games were on free play, including DDR. There is this place nearby outside of campus called Arena 51, which has dedicated machines for doubles, singles and what not. I hear the pads are perfect, so I gotta check it out. There were also comedians, a hypnotist, a mentalist and musicians. All in all, a fun week before starting classes.

In any case, classes started today. All were boring, and it seemed like i knew the stuff. I hold off for tomorrow to see if its the same. I definately hope not. I mean...its college. I have to learn, but I need to enjoy myself too, dammit. So far, I've just been swimming alot, staying in shapte and trying to lose weight. A goal to fight off the freshman 15. Clubs start tomorrow and the kendo club looks exciting. Fencing club, anime club, the game developers and the game players. All look appealing, but which deserves my attention and which don't.

Oh, yeah the asian frats tried to get me to join. I thought I would escape the bronx scienceness of it all, but i guess not. C'est le Vie. Oh, well. Can't win em all right?

Stay safe and don't be strangers
-Nick