These Memories Are Playing Like a Film Without Sound

So. I graduated from college on Wednesday. I guess technically I've been done with school, classes, papers, studying (ha!), etc. for something like five months now, but I have to say that finishing school a semester early was one of the most anti-climactic experiences of my life. Honestly, even after having gone through all the hoopla of Steinhardt graduation and all-NYU graduation, I still feel like nothing's different. Maybe it's not. Maybe the "real world" really does change you and the way you feel about things. I have no idea...and that doesn't just apply to the "real world," it applies to a lot of things. But I have a lot of ideas about where I'm going. And so far, I'm going there in the pouring rain (what's up with that, mother nature?) but with a huge smile on my face.

Albert Is A LIAR

Dear Albert,

I graduated and I still hate you. You lie all the time. You are the scum between my toes.

Love,

Magda

Day 10, Day 11, Jerky Professors, FINALS

First, because I'm pretty angry about this, I'm going on a rant about my Psychoanalysis professor.  Honestly, I love this class and this professor. It's one of the few academic (read: non-art) classes I've really enjoyed--even on days that I don't finish (or start) the reading, class discussions are flowing and productive, and I always learn something. The professor makes witty jokes and hilarious puns, encourages participation, and actually admits when he doesn't know the answer. Our class dynamic works really well--I have a few friends in class and everyone is just nice to each other. So far he's been relatively reasonable with papers (pushing back due dates when they snuck up on us, allowing us to come up with topics together, etc.) and had only canceled class twice.

That is, until last week. We still hadn't (and still haven't) gotten back our second and third papers, so I had (and still have) no idea where I stand grade-wise and style-wise. He canceled class on Monday via a Sunday afternoon e-mail, which was kind of awesome because I was tired and it's my first class of the day. Okay. But let it be know that we had scheduled our final paper to be due this upcoming Wednesday, the 15th, and still didn't have the topic that Monday. On Wednesday (the 8th), he didn't show up to class. Really just didn't come. We waited for almost half an hour before we decided we were just wasting our time and went to get coffee. And we just got an e-mail about it. TODAY. Which might have been prompted by my (very polite) e-mail asking about the final paper topic, because yesterday, there five days between me and the final paper being due. A final paper that was supposed to be 7-10 pages in length. Granted, he pushed our paper back until Monday (the 20th), and cut the length to 5-7 pages, but honestly I'm not leaving this until then. My printmaking project will get done during studio time on Tuesday, and this paper is the only other thing I have. Plus, the 20th is the day of my wisdom teeth surgery. Thanks but no thanks.

AND HERE'S THE WORST PART. Let me quote directly from his e-mail: "[Your] papers, all of them, on Monday (30 papers x 20 min/a paper = 600 minutes, or ten hours. It's been hard to find ten hours this semester -- but it's my job)."

YES. That IS your job! And I can guarantee that I spent more than 10 hours writing your goddamn papers. There's absolutely NO WAY I spent less than 3 hours on each of those papers. None. Zip. Zilch. What kind of nerve do you have to even SAY that? It's this total disregard for my time and my effort that makes me angry. SO ANGRY.

But. Moving right along. Here are my days 10 and 11--sorry I haven't actually been doing one every day. Even without a lot of finals and things, it's a hectic time of year.

Day 10: Who spoiled Santa Claus for you?

I'm going to assume my parents on this one. There came a point when my parents didn't even put the presents under the tree during the night, and my sister and I would have to go upstairs and rifle through their closets for the presents and bring them down. Now, we usually put them under the tree a day or two ahead of Christmas, all wrapped and pretty!

Day 11: Favorite gift received as a child?

One of the first years my sister and I were aware enough and had enough money to buy each other presents, she bought me one of those dog-robots that followed you around and you had to feed and stuff. I was obsessed with it for a few weeks. Then, as it always happens, it lived in the basement near the dog cage for years. Oh well.

Printmaking, To a T

"Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it's normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through." -Ira Glass

Self Promotion, Sick Week, Graduation

First order of business: I know I've posted this link to my school blog before, but I think I sound really smart this week! Posts on cyberpunks, Catfish, plastic surgery, and MTV's True Life! I think the posts for this section are the best I've done. Also, Catfish is a terrifying movie and everyone should watch it!

Second order of business: I was SO sick this week. On Monday, my temperature went from 100.3 to 102.8 in the span of an hour. I felt okay but I knew something bad was going on, so I called out of work on Tuesday and went to the health center. For the first time in my 4 years at NYU, I was seen by a real, live doctor and not just assessed by a nurse. It was actually pretty terrifying. They told me I had tonsilitis and gave me a helluva prescription for penicillin (we're talking 1500 mg a day here) and sent me on my merry way. Oh, but they also told me that if I didn't feel better in a few days, to come back for (dun dun dunnn) a mono test. But the next few days included sleeping for 13+ hours a night, calling my parents in hysterics (thanks Mom & Dad!), and taking my temperature compulsively. Thank GOODNESS my fever broke (no mono!) and I'm feeling almost 100% better today. 

Third order of business: In less than a month, I'll be DONE with undergraduate schooling FOREVER and getting my wisdom teeth out. What a treat!

School Blog

For my Senior Media Seminar, "Beauty and the Body in an Image Society," we're required to keep a blog for reflections on the texts, lectures, and linked cultural phenomena. If you have any interest in following my "required blogging," it can be found here. Sorry for the blatant self-promotion, but it's kinda sad to be blogging for no one!

When Push Comes to Shove

"That was the most un-NYU apology ever. She actually felt bad!" -Ben Kafka, my Psychoanalysis professor

A Week Is a Long Time

So, as pointed out by my mother, I haven't updated in over a week. I've been insanely busy with working, starting school, dying of homework already, happy hours, concerts, and friends' birthdays. I started working last Thursday, the same day I saw the Damnwells, and have been working extra hours to pick up some cash. While $2 or $3 happy hour beers might sound cheap, getting 1 or 2 every day for a week really, really adds up. Like, really. Especially when that's only the beginning of a night that goes until 4AM. But enough about the things that my parents don't want to hear about.

Rundown: last Friday (9/3) was my friend Dan's 21st birthday celebration and we drank champagne at a swanky bar; Saturday I went to F21 with Julie and then met up with people for another birthday celebration; Sunday night we went out, I'm sure, but I can't remember where; Monday I went to happy hour at Benny's Burrito's with Melissa and Bess and ate amazing tacos, then got more food with Nicole (haha); Tuesday was the last first day of classes ever, but I only had work, and then I went to go see Hanson for free with Megha!; Wednesday was my first REAL day of classes, then I went to Indian place for Maddie's 22nd birthday and then up to 119 for Justin's 21st; Thursday we went to Karaoke for Maddie's birthday celebration; Friday I went to Brooklyn with Nicole to say goodbye to Joleen before she leaves for Senegal (super sad) then met up with everyone in the village and bounced around; last night I went to Nick's to hang out, then up to a bar in mid-ish town for Jim's 21st birthday, then a bunch of other places around there to dance our faces off.

Today I'm finishing my reading for the week, hopefully coming up with an idea for my presentation on Wednesday (can you believe I have a presentation already?), heading to midtown to buy my photography supplies (also annoyed that a $250 studio fee barely covers half of my studio costs), then SLEEPING. I've been trying to get 8+ hours of sleep a night, because the week before last (the week after I moved in and wasn't working or going to class) KILLED me--no sleep, lots of walking, etc. I'm still recovering.

I'll do a rundown of all my classes after they've met more than once and I'm not swamped and overwhelmed. I really can't believe I'm graduating this semester. It's too soon and I have no idea what I'm doing with myself.

PS: 36 views on my Damnwells video makes me feel so popular! I KNOW I don't have 36 viewers.

Day 14: A Nonfiction Book

I read this for a class a loooong time ago, and I remember it being quite interesting. Also I just watched Slumdog Millionaire for the four thousandth time, so I have slums on the brain.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN I HAVE NO IDEA

I don't want all of this grade updating to make me that jerk who is obnoxious and snooty about her grades. But I really can't believe it. This has been the most stressful semester of my life, between apartment hunting, apartment drama, moving out of my house (and arguing with my mother about it on a daily basis), ridiculous people being ridiculous (many, many times) , family emergencies, and all of the school drama that came with PR. I can't believe what I pulled off.

And now I get to drive my mom's car, cause we somehow always end up striking a deal about grades and driving a bad ass car right before summer. Clear the roads.

HOLY SHIT 3 FOR 3

Now for it to all get ruined by that PR class...

2 for 2!

YES

Dear first grade of the semester,

You are not what I expected, and you make my heart happy.
Thank you!
Love,
Magda

SO TRUE

Also, am I the only one who feels like they're paying a buttload of money to sit in a classroom and not really learn anything?

TASKS:

Monday, April 26th
Marketing paper due
Outline/plan for PR project due

Monday, May 3rd
PR Final (kill me)

Friday, May 7th
Creative Writing Portfolio due
(heavy editing of 1 short story + 1 poem, plus light editing on everything else)

Monday, May 10th
PR Project due (essay + media materials)

Who Knows When
Painting portfolio due
Final painting project due
+ I might have a Marketing final?

Non-school things
My parents have to be out of our house by May 19th
I have to be moved out of my dorm by May 11th
I have to figure out how I'm getting my bed, bookshelves, drawers, etc. out of the house and into the apartment
Couch decisions by May 3rd

Creative Writing Class RULES

Dan: Well, I guess I don't have anything concrete to say.
Chris: It doesn't have to be concrete, We're not paving things here.

Spring Semester 2010: Letting Me Down

After going to my first week of classes, everything was fine and dandy. I was super excited about all of my classes and thought it was going to be a amazing semester.

I guess I counted my chickens before they hatched.

My advisor forwarded our e-mail conversation about my PR class to the director of undergraduate studies, who basically said the exact same thing: tough luck, kid...it doesn't count.

Now I have to decide to either take this PR class, in which I will probably learn more than I ever could in the other one; or switch into the other section, which looks horribly boring and will be annoying to switch into since I missed a double session already. If I stay in this PR class, I'll have to either take the other one next semester or find a different class to fit the requirement. And then my "12-then-8 class credit" and "4-then-8 internship credit" semester plan is out the window.

Basically, I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.

Oh, also, I just got an e-mail from Amazon.com that the order I placed last Wednesday, the 20th, has been canceled because it was out of stock. And this is an order that should have already been DELIVERED since I paid for EXPEDITED shipping. I received the book for my PR class that I'm going to have to drop, but not the one I REALLY needed. And now I have to either overnight the book via Amazon.com for $178 or go buy it for $200 at the NYU bookstore. I sent Amazon.com an angry e-mail but I don't think they'll care.

I am not pleased with you, Spring Semester. I am SO not pleased.

So Annoying

So I'm registered for this class called Public Relations: Principles and Practices, and it is going to be, without a doubt, my hardest class of the semester. But, as I wrote last week, is taught by an awesome professor who seriously knows his stuff. Worth it, hands down.

When I met with my adviser back in the fall, I had written that I was going to register for this class, and I specifically had it listed under my Persuasion and Politics field of study. We went over and over my program of study and my degree progress, making sure everything I had taken in the College of Arts and Science (before I switched into Steinhardt) was allocated the way I wanted it. My plan is to do for-credit internships in both the fall and the spring semesters next year, since I have 5 classes to take and an allowable 8. Sounds good, right? Good planning ahead. Okay.

Today, my friend told me that my PR class doesn't count for fields of study, but the "lower level" class, Public Relations: Theory and Process, does. My PR class would only count as an unrestricted elective. But, since I started in CAS, went abroad over the summer, and have 2 minors, ALL of my elective slots (core liberal arts, core unrestricted, major unrestricted, major specialization) are filled. Overflowing, in fact. When I graduate, I'm going to have 24 extra credits just floating around. I do NOT want to take a class with an extremely heavy workload so that I can go and take its lower level next semester, and just have more random extra credits! The PR section that I'm in now is E59.-1755, and the other one is E59.-1750. Clearly, mine is just a higher level. Which means it should count.

I e-mailed my academic advisor, and here's hoping that I am allowed to stay in my current section and still finish my Persuasion and Politics field of study this semester. I really don't want to have to switch sections so late in the game, and I really, really, really don't want to take Public Relations: Theory and Process next semester.

UGH, NYU. WHY DO YOU PAY SO LITTLE ATTENTION.

EDIT: My advisor is such a jerk. Her response to my e-mail:

E59.1750 is approved for Persuasion and Politics.
E59.1755 is an elective.
If you want the PR course to count for your Field of Study it must be E59.1750 PR: Theory and Process.

Thank you so much for all of your GREAT help! Way to barely even answer my question, and not help me in any way, shape, or form! WHY DO WE PAY YOU SO MUCH MONEY!

First "Week" of Classes

Well, now that I've been through my first "week" of the spring semester (quotes because we started on Tuesday and I don't have any classes tomorrow), I suppose it's time to give a little blurb about each course.

The first class that I went to was Creative Writing: Poetry and Fiction. Our instructor is a grad student named Chris--he's kind of a hipster, and told us that he has a "near encyclopedic" knowledge of poetry, punk rock music, and comics. Suuuure, dude. We're basically going to construct a portfolio of little writing exercised that we do in class along one with final poem and piece of fiction. All we have to do is show up, participate, and do our work. Oh, and read lots of awesome short stories and poems. Sweet, I think I can do that! If I don't kill the pretentious kid who sits next to me first.

My second class is Marketing for Mass Media, and I think it's going to rule! My professor is this adorable old man with burly eyebrows who laid out his entire job history and gives luck and fate a TON of credit for his success. He opened class by saying that no one knows anything, and we're all just trying to fake it the best--except he said it much more eloquently and made it sound like the smartest thing anyone's ever said. He seems insanely smart and insanely nice, which is a great combination in a teacher. Also, I know that he is a little bit of a big deal so I Googled him to find a picture! He wears a little clip on wireless mic and has huge grandpa glasses. Basically, I love him!

My third class, Public Relation: Principles and Practices, is a hands-on PR class. Our professor, Robert Richter, owns two PR companies and is an adjunct with NYU. Here is one of his websites...pretty cool, right? We're going to have to do a TON of work for this class (weekly article analysis, an in-class client we write a pitch for, an out-of-class group project that's another pitch, a midterm, a final, and a final paper) but he seems like he knows his shit and is going to teach us a lot about the business. I'm not too worried about the workload, seeing that all my other classes are looking pretty easy on the grading scale.

Finally, my fourth class, Introduction to Painting, is going to be SICK. I was kind of nervous to be going there, since I'm not really an art student and had no idea what to expect. But my professor, Jason Tomme, is super chill and explained everything. The section that I'm in is specifically for non-art majors, and our studio fee covers ALL of our supplies (brushes, paint, canvases, sketch book). And, again, we just have to show up and try. And then we'll get an A! Every 2-3 weeks, we have a different project, like "Still Life" or "Self Portrait" or "Painting from Collage", and we just come to class and work. I'm so excited to be doing fun and creative things. Also, today was our first day of class, and we sat for 25 minutes and then he dismissed us.....three hours early. Um, hey? This class is gonna be so laid back and AWESOME.

So now I'm sitting in my room in Lafayette, drinkin some tea and contemplating watching the most recent episode of Tough Love. Sounds pretty good, no? It's the only way I want to spend my free time! Haha, not. Buuuut, I might be watching my first episode of Jersey Shore tonight. I'm SO not excited. Ew.

Linguistics?!?!

Really? This can't be true.

No way.
This exam was the worst I've taken since BC Calc.
People cried in this exam.
People left pages blank.
No way. No way. No way.


NO WAY!

I'M SO EXCITED I JUST WANT TO DO A DANCE!!
Except I'm at work. So please do one for me!