Cory's Blog

            The theme of weather is defining my life right now. It’s either talking about the weather, feeling the effects of the weather, or feeling under the weather. Let me start from the top. I have been talking about the weather every time that I call my family back in Tucson because my mother constantly checks the weather channel website to see what I have to deal with. I can always expect an “Are you warm enough?” or “Are you staying dry?” or even the occasional “I am jealous of you right now” when the weather is really nice here. However, this past week, she brought news of white weather back home. That is correct. In the middle of the desert in Tucson, Arizona, there was snow last week. The whole town shut down, and my little niece had a day off from kindergarten. I showed the picture my father sent to all of my friends here, and they were just as surprised as I was. Now, I understand, the weather back in Arizona is probably not of much interest to y’all, but it brings up a good point: it is important to keep in touch with how things are back home. Knowing simple things like the weather can keep you from getting homesick. Not that I feel homesick much at all, but I felt that discussing the weather offered a seamless transition to relating to homesickness and my next topic.

            Ah, yes, the weather here in sunny South Carolina, the reason so many people came here for school, to get away from the cold and snow. Well, let me tell you all what I have dealt with the last couple of days. While it has been sunny, yesterday hovered around 50 with some fierce wind gusts. Last night, the wind seeped through my window and rattled my blinds all night long, and I awoke to a wind chill of 18 degrees! I have never been in weather so cold in my life before. This morning’s 8:00 AM Sports Psychology made me bundle up with two pairs of socks, my pajama bottoms underneath my sweat pants, a long sleeve shirt, two sweatshirts, beanie, and gloves. I resembled the kid brother from A Christmas Story. Luckily it did keep me warm enough, although I didn’t have too much upper body range of motion. The weather seamlessly brings me to another point: while South Carolina is known for its beautiful weather, it can still get pretty cold and nasty in the wintertime. So, should you end up coming next year, don’t forget a heavy winter coat and some sweatshirts for days like today.

            Finally, my last “weather preposition” is “under” the weather, which is how I have felt for the last few days. Last year around this time, I had a small cold, and decided to play racquetball. This turned out to be an infamous decision, as the simple cold led to a month long battle with pneumonia. The moral of the story? It is better to rest than to try and push yourself too much while at school. Personally, I find it very hard to step back and not work out everyday, but I learned that a couple days off is definitely worth it in the long run. Also, last year, I was unprepared to battle with my sickness. Ironically as a pharmacy major, I had very little medication. So it is always an important idea to have a small “pharmacy” stocked with whatever helps you deal with getting everything from a small cold or the flu.

            Thus ends my “weather diary” of the day. I hope you all are feeling better than I am, although I am on the mend, and should be better in the next couple of days. Take care, and stay warm. I know I will be trying to!

Posted by Cory at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

            Two weeks in, and I am just now starting to get into my comfortable routine. There were a couple of developments in the past week or so that kind of have kept me on my toes. The first was that I switched my physics class back to the professor I had last semester. After a couple of classes with the new professor, I learned that I was just more used to the other teacher. So, I made the switch last Sunday, and the plus side is that I only have one class on Fridays now, and I am done at 9. The downside is that I now have my three sciences (Organic Chemistry, Physics, and Anatomy) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with two days with double the fun with a two big time tests. Again, like last semester was, I will just have to adjust and use my time to be ready when they come.

            My next “development” so to speak is in my Organic Chemistry class. My friends and I are still getting used to our new professor. He is not bad, but it is just that we were used to Dr. Lavigne last semester. We have talked about it, and we agree that when we study together, it shouldn’t matter who the professor is, we can do alright. This reminds me to tell you, this is a good lesson for you when you get to college. Study groups are a great way to study efficiently, make it more fun, and do better.

            In other new news, intramural basketball starts this weekend, and our team with Brad 09’ and Nick 09’ as the cornerstones, are looking to grow on our success of last year. We got second place, and we would defiantly like to get first this year. Also, I am about a week away from watching my beloved Chicago Bears from playing in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, next weekend is before my first “big week” of tests, so I will have to budget my time wisely to watch them and take care of my school business.

            Well, that is all I have got for y’all today. I am actually out to hit some golf balls with Mark 09’. He is another pharmacy major, and one of the only people I know who brought his golf clubs with him. So, as I get back into the swing of things here at school, I will going to try and get into my “swing” of things at the driving range. Have a good weekend!

Posted by Cory at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

            Around these parts, Wednesday takes a few different names. There is “hump day” since it is the day we all get over the “hump” of the week. Some students stick with the classic “Wednesday,” but there is another phenomenon that sweeps across campus every week, and it is known as “Chicken Finger Wednesday.” It is known by that name because in the Grand Marketplace in the Russell House, pounds of the fried chicken fingers are served up alongside tantalizing seasoned curly fries. I know that come Wednesday around noon, the lines will be long to get a plate of the fingers and fries. However, I have come up with a new, dare I say, secret of Wednesday.

            To explain, I must first inform you that I usually do not partake in Chicken Finger Wednesday. I have my reasons, but mostly is health wise, I just don’t like to eat the fried stuff too much. Also, when I have eaten them in the past, my body feels it all day long, and it is hard for me to get going. However, last year, I discovered another once a week treat that came only on Wednesdays, and it goes by the name “Banana Pudding.” Call me a dork if you like, but I look forward to Wednesdays for my banana pudding, and the great thing is everyone is so distracted by the chicken finger craze, that I get great dibs on the banana pudding.

            Last year, I had gotten up to a two serving a Wednesday habit of indulging in the banana pudding. The problem with the double helping of banana pudding is that it became less of a treat because I was getting so much. So, I had to cut back to one a week, and it has served me just fine. I wait in eager anticipation for each Wednesday to come so I can get my delectable dessert. The nice workers at the Grand Marketplace in the Russell House always seem puzzled when I come to them, banana pudding in hand, as if they expect me to carrying a Styrofoam box of chicken fingers and fries. One Wednesday this fall, Dejarvis (one of the most well known Grand Marketplace cashiers) asked me what I was doing with the banana pudding. I explained to her my love of the banana pudding, and that while the world was distracted with chicken fingers; I got my hands on my sweet banana dessert. She was still skeptical, but I don’t get banana pudding to make other people happy, I get it all for me!

            So, that is my story of Wednesdays, and what they mean to me. Most students, like Wednesdays because of the chicken fingers, but now you all now my sweet little secret. You must promise me, if you decide to come to Carolina next fall, you mustn’t take the last banana pudding…unless you know I have already got mine!

Posted by Cory at 09:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

            Rhythm. I have rhythm! My shag teacher even told me so! Allow me to back up and tell the story for you from the beginning. The “hottest” class here at school is PEDU 177, aka Beginning Shag. The reason I call it the “hottest” class is that it is usually one of the most difficult classes to get into. Typically seniors who get the first pick at classes fill this one up before us mere mortal underclassmen even have a chance. It is so popular because it teaches the state dance of South Carolina, the “shag.” I would describe it to you in more detail, but I have only had one class, and am hardly versed in the steps or history to even attempt an explanation.

            As I told you all, the class is extremely difficult to get into, especially when you are an underclassman like me. Such was my luck in November when I went to sign up for classes. Not getting in was not a big deal, but I knew it would be a lot of fun if I got in because my friends Jenna 09’, Gray 09’ and Chad 08’ had taken it last fall and loved it. Well, I’ll fast forward to a few days after I registered and I was in the Blatt PE center to lift some weights when I saw a sign on the door saying that males were needed for PEDU 177 Beginning Shag. Apparently all those senior girls get the upper hand at signing up and there was a shortage of guys. So, I went and saw the secretary of the PE department and she got me right in. Needless to say I was very excited indeed.

            This leads me up to tonight, when I had my first official shag class. The teacher seemed very nice with a good sense of humor, and a great deal of empathy for those of us without a lot of dance experience. We started class with the usual introduction of the syllabus and expectations, and then moved right into “dance warm-ups.” These consisted of closing our eyes while she turned on a very soulful Temptations song, and just moving to the rhythm. I have always felt that I lacked a sense of rhythm. However, she complimented me on my “moves,” if you can call them that. Either way, it helped me relax and feel better about myself.

            After the warm-ups, we learned the basic step, which in and of itself is not too entirely complicated. However, just trying to remember them, and then doing them to music proved to be a bit of a challenge. She assured us that we needn’t worry because we’ll have 12 weeks to “smooth out” our step. I am not too worried myself. If she already thinks I have rhythm, then I think I am on the right track to be a pretty good shagger! Anyways, I am off to an early bed, the 8:00 AM classes roll on.

Posted by Cory at 09:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today was a lot more frustrating than I thought it would be, and some of it was out of my control, but some of my frustration came from the choices I had to make. Allow me to explain: I had my first class at 8:00 AM, Sports Psychology, in Gambrell Hall. The class itself was not stressful, and it looks to be an interesting and fun class, with a very nice teacher. As a former baseball player, I am very intrigued by the workings of the psychology of athletes. One of the fun parts of the class looks to be the three movie reviews of Remember the Titans, Coach Carter, and Friday Night Lights we can do for extra credit. The frustration began when the instructor told us what books we needed. I had already gotten the books for the class, but apparently they had come out with a new edition just in time for the new semester! So, I knew I had to get a new book, which added to the laundry list of things I needed to get done this week, and so the frustration began

            As soon as class ended, I had to book it from Gambrell to the Jones Physical Science Building for my Physics 202 class. I was forced to stop and wait at Pickens Street for the crosswalk, which added to my frustration because I didn’t want to be late on the first day and make a bad impression in a class with only thirty students. I beat the clock and was there on time, and was glad to see Nick 09’ and Melisa 09’ sitting there, along with my good friend Tim 10’. My physics class last semester was frustrating because of the large size of 300 students, and the lack of interest from the professor. The material was luckily pretty simple, and I got my A. Now, this semester, I was looking forward to a smaller class, but soon into the notes I realized the material would be much more challenging. That is just the give and take I have to deal with though: should I choose a larger, less interesting class and go for the easier material, or take a challenge and be rewarded with a more hands on, smaller class? I told you all that I chose the smaller, more difficult class, and I guess time will tell if my decision will pay off, but sitting there starting at electrostatic theory, I was pretty frustrated.

            Overall, my frustration stemmed from my new book problem in my sports psychology class, and the realization that I would be facing much harder material in my physics class. However, there was a silver lining from today and in fact the first two days of class. As I do every semester, I checked each class’s syllabus and marked on my calendar my test dates. Luckily, I only have one “double header” this semester, meaning two tests on the same day! Also, my first group of tests in about three weeks is the only “cluster” in which I have at least three in the same week. This can be good and bad, as I will be able to devote more time to each test, but the flipside is that I will be under pressure to study for a longer period of time.

            I guess that sums of the theme of my day: facing choices. In college, you will have many choices, from what you want to do on Friday night, to which physics class you think is best for you. In the end, you have to slow things down as much as possible, keep an even keel, and realize that one way or the other is not the end of the world. I suppose those are my words of wisdom for today. Take care!

Posted by Cory at 11:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

            “It’s back to school, back to school for me. I got my backpack packed and my shoes tied tight. I hope I don’t get in a fight.” Such were the words sung by Adam Sandler’s character Billy Madison before his first day back at school in the classic comedy Billy Madison. Today, as I left for my first of many 8 AM classes, I was not quite so chipper, but I was still in a pretty happy mood. Although it is difficult getting up for some, I (knock on wood) enjoy getting up and starting my day bright and early. Also, while classes will bring work, studying, and maybe some stress, I welcome the challenge as I will now be able to get back into my routine.

            My first class of the semester was Organic Chemistry. My friends and I are a little wary of this class if only because the professor we had last semester is no longer teaching it, and now we have to get used to a new style. However, the initial feelings we share is probably best described as “cautious optimism” because he had a great sense of humor as he showed us several pictures with funny captions relating to organic chemistry. My personal favorite was a car that had ended up in a swimming pool with the caption “organic chemistry can make you feel like you are sunk.” The fact that he shows this sense of humor along with a great deal of empathy for the organic student makes me feel better about him and the class.

            After my morning wakeup with organic, I headed down to the Blatt PE Center to work out. One of my old coaches from high school gave me a lifting program when I was home on break that I used to do “back in the day” in high school. I am excited to try some new lifts that will challenge me more than I had been doing the last semester, so I will definitely keep you updated on the progress in that department.

            Long about 3:30. I had my first day of orientation training. Something I am used to after I did it last year, only I was on the other side of things, because this year I made Team Leader. This title entails that I have more responsibility during orientation, and I must help in the training of the new orientation leaders, or, “newbies” as I like to call them. If you watch the TV show Scrubs you know what I mean by “newbies.” It will be a fun time training and working as a Team Leader because my roommate, Nick 09’, is an orientation leader, so I will get to be his “boss”, but we both know it will be fun.

            After training ended at 5, I had anatomy at 5:30. Now, let me tell you that I bought the required text book, which was written by our professor. The book has a picture of him on it, and I thought he looked like a pretty nice guy and fairly young. Well, to my surprise, the book was published about 25 years ago! I walked in and was met by an elderly gentleman who preceded to hand me the syllabus. Who was this guy? He was our professor! Talk about judging a book by its cover! I had told Nick 09’ what I thought the professor was going to be like, and he was just as surprised as I was. It turned out he was an ok professor, but the class will definitely be a challenge from the looks of the syllabus and how he plans to test us. The challenge won’t be anything new to me though, and if it weren’t challenging, it wouldn’t be worth doing.

            That is all I have for you today. I have two more classes tomorrow: physics and sports psychology, so I will have more stories for you. I am really anxious to start my shag dancing class, but that will have to wait until Monday. Anyways, take care, and I will be posting again soon!

Posted by Cory at 11:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)