It Starts Tomorrow or How I Should Be in Bed By Now

Korrin B.

January 3, 2010 - 11:21 PM

Tomorrow officially begins winter term of my first senior year. I am a complete mixture of emotions, as this historically tough term takes off. I have a lot to focus on this term that is very exciting, but will also take a lot of work. I will be helping with the planning of Project Homeless Connect in Lane County and I will be applying for some competitive, amazing internship opportunities for the summer. It is as if winter term is the time to put in a lot of hard work so that in the spring you hopefully get to see the beauty of what you've created. It can be a stressful path to get there though, especially because in the spring I will also be starting my honors thesis. However, despite all of the uncertainties and foreshadowed stress, I think this could be the best winter term ever. I just have a good feeling about it.

I went and got most of my books today. Some of them were out of stock, which is always a pet peeve of mine, but I guess that just teaches me to not go the day before classes start. I am taking two PPPM classes for my major this term. One is called Urban Geographic Information Systems, which is a new requirement of the major and has a couple of textbooks accompanying it that I needed a small wheelbarrow in order to carry. I think this might be my challenging class this term, as it is definitely a topic a little out of my realm. It will be nice to learn some of the new technologies though. My other PPPM class is called Resource Development for Nonprofit Organizations. This class has a textbook accompanying it that is called "Fundraising for Social Change," which I think is a very inspiring way to cover up the often perilous task of fundraising. It will be good information for me to learn about though, as I am minoring in Nonprofit Administration. Fundraising is always a concern in this field.

I will also be taking my second term of sign language. Jo Larson is an amazing professor. I am definitely looking forward to continuing this sequence.

And last, but not least, I registered for one more class just today. This could end up being one of the best or worst ideas I have ever had, but I'm going with it. I love art. While in Israel, I saw everything in paintings. I thought of how I could blend the colors of the Negev Desert onto a canvas. Throughout fall term I stayed up late, painting my thoughts. My heart flutters when I think of Georgia O'Keefe's work and I tap my feet with excitement when Oregon Art Supply has a canvas sale. I feel as though I have to honor this side of me. I have to add a sense of legitimacy to it. I want to be able to explore and learn more about its techniques. I want an art minor. Bad. I'm taking a fifth year next year, so I kind of have time, but not really. I need to talk to an advisor about it, but it kind of looks like I might be able to pull it off if I want to take twenty credit terms for the rest of my stay here at the UO. Twenty credits sounds like doom, but then again, I feel so oddly drawn to making this happen. Anyway, I will keep you updated on whether my dream actually becomes a reality and all of the adventure in between, but for now I am starting down the art minor road by taking an art history class on Modern Art from 1800-1950. I am pumped. Although, it is on Mondays and Wednesday at, drum roll please, 8:30am. I am NOT a morning person and was looking forward to not starting until noon all term. But like I said, I'm oddly compelled toward it. Maybe there's something I have been missing in these morning hours that my art side is forcing me to wake up and see. Nevertheless, I should get to bed. Class starts bright and early tomorrow morning.