Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The Death Trap




Taking 23 units in one semester is by far one of the stupidest things I have ever done, yet hopefully the most rewarding when it comes time for Commencement in May.
Before this semester started, I can honestly admit to having never read one single book my entire college career. How had I managed a 3.3 grade point average with no reading? I have yet to find out. This semester, maybe it’s my karma for never having read a book, I find myself consistently reading novel after novel. Less than two months into the semester and I’m already on my 6th novel. There’s the definite feeling of guilt after turning in assignments week after week that I’ve just slapped together because I didn’t have enough time. I sleep at 2am almost every night and wake up at 6am to finish homework. When I’m on a lunch break at work I read, when I’m in the bathroom I read, when I’m having dinner with my mom I read. But taking 23 units isn’t all bad. I can honestly say I’ve learned plenty of time management skills followed by quick and efficient study habits.

If you’re anything like me, you would have also registered for 23 units to graduate in May, even if it means French literature, Spanish literature, and biology all in the same semester. My word of advice to the younger college students: don’t wait till the last semester of college to take that one class that you absolutely hate and have been avoiding! It will come back and haunt you.

Now that I’m done with college (almost), I can acknowledge that I’ve been very fortunate to have made it in four years, but first and foremost: Don’t Rush. 23 units can wait.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The Poor and the Beautiful

This week I found myself in a consistent battle with my roommates trying to prove to me that Angelina Jolie and Adriana Lima are by far the prettiest woman on the planet. Who identified the characteristics of the most beautiful women on the planet anyway? It occurred to me that each one of my roommates said they would go lesbian for Angelina Jolie or Adriana Lima. I don’t know about that but I can definitely see how you can put Angelina and Adriana in the same sentence. Both weigh about 90 pounds and are enormously tall. But if you ask me, the most beautiful woman in the world isn’t composed of lip gloss and stilettos, but by intelligence and humility.

But my roommate continues to argue as I type my opinon. Angelina helps out the world, she adopts kids from like twenty different countries. Angelina Jolie is an ambassador for the United Nations and goes to third world countries to help the disadvantaged. Maybe I’m wrong…or maybe my roommate has been taken over by media that sensationalizes Angelina Jolie and puts her in the light of a hero.

She never gives it a rest. I was reading an article in The Press Democrat about a homeless man who passed away last year during the holidays. The impoverished man died after getting hit by ongoing traffic on HWY 101. After doing some research on the homeless man’s death in hopes of finding a relative to contact, authorities discovered this homeless man had been donating money to a charity organization to children in Africa. Breathtaking. So while we argue to find the sexiest and most worthy people on the planet, we should definitely consider the homeless.

Monday, February 13, 2012

The Autopsy

The importance of weekly events on a global level is hard but not impossible to define. This week, we finally discover the autopsy results of 14-year-old Takeimi Rao after her death a couple months ago while having a sleepover with three friends at her parent’s house. For those of you who are new to this story, the young 14-year-old was found dead the morning after having a sleepover under the supervision of her mother. Oddly enough, that particular night, the girls seemed to have what Rao’s mom thought to be an upset stomach. Rao’s mom was certain all that was needed was a little rest. That morning, Takeimi Rao’s mother found her daughter dead. The three friends were picked up and called for investigation, along with Rao’s parents. After weeks and months of testing and analysis, it was discovered that the girls had been drinking vodka. Intoxication had been a possible factor. This week, however, a new autopsy detected that the young girl hadn’t suffered from deadly alcohol intoxication but had suffered from drinking a deadly dose of a date rape drug. The three friends who had been at the sleepover reject having knowledge of any date rape drug usage and new investigations are being held. It’s been months since I first heard about this story and to this day I think one of these girls is lying. It’s definitely something to question. It is however also sketchy that Rao’s mother and step dad refuse to talk about the new autopsy results. Could it be that there was some abuse going on in the house that investigators have failed to acknowledge? Rao did have a step dad. I’m definitely not canceling out the possibilities.