About Me

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I'm Kassandra an Oregon girl at heart. Attorney at Law. My parents are both U.S. army veterans and continue to serve in the military in other capacities. I have four brothers (two older, two younger) and three sisters (all younger). I love each of them for all of their individualities and their commitments to the examples set by our parents. Aside from my family, I have several friends who mean a great deal to me. Notable are my best friend from high school and my best friend from college, I'm strong in analytical thinking. I am able to process things from several viewpoints simultaneously. I'm open and honest. Note: I'm interested in receiving feedback on this blog, but I request that the comments pertain to the actual blog itself, and I do not approve anonymous comments.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

time moving along

time is an amazing thing.

sometimes something can seem to pass very quickly and other times can seem to move very slowly. i understand that's all about perception. i'm not going to get into the psychological effects of time perception here, however, except to say it amazes me.

i'm amazed that i am one month away from completing my freshman year here at stanford. it seems like just a couple of weeks ago i was waving goodbye to my parents and baby sister as they drove away, leaving me apart from them, and my home, for the first time.

it's been an amazing time over the course of these eight months. my classes have been challenging, but i've done very well. i have the most incredible roommate for whom i could have asked; more than just roommates - great friends. i've been seeing the same guy for three months now; little speed bump when i met his mother, but all is fine with us.

i've had an incredible series of classes. i can't say i had any specific expectations, but i'm not surprised as to the level of difficulty. i was confident going into this year that i'd be able to excel. thanks to a self-arranged study schedule, i've been ahead of schedule with my course work. i'm confident that will continue as i continue my education.

i know i've mentioned Julie before here. we've become like sisters. we're so close that it's like we grew up together. it amazes me i've only known her these months. we study together, cook for each other, shop together, go clubbing together and just like talking to each other. occassionally, we'll even tweet each other -- when we're five feet away from the other! a couple of the girls on our floor even refer to us as each other's wife. cute, i suppose.

that guy and i have had some very wonderful times together. we hit a rough spot when his mother came to town to go over some financial issues with him. there were basically three incidences. one where she was accusatory toward me, a second time when she basically told me i had no plan for the future, and the third when she told me i was not good enough for her son. the third time i very much held my ground and, when she said good night because she "had to get to the airport," i really pissed her off by saying: "i wouldn't want you to be delayed; perhaps i could give you a ride." after muttering something about me being a smart-ass bitch, she left. things were a little tense for about a week with that guy, but he finally stepped up and told me that if wasn't going to let his overbearing mother come between us. in short, we worked through it.

i've adopted some other habits over the course of my time here. back in the fall, i began walking, then running, 3.3 miles. it started with three days a week, then expanded to four days. three weeks ago, i extended the running to five days. i now start my route around campus at 6 a.m. on sunday, monday, tuesday, thursday and friday. i feel healthier and i feel as if i'm getting stronger.

being a basketball fan, specifically of my hometown portland trail blazers, i recently drew the following conclusion. if my undergrad college career were an nba game, there would be about 1:48 minutes remaining in the first quarter. sure, there's a lot of time left to go, but it feels like i've played quite a bit already.

i also feel that i am winning the game.

~ Kassandra

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for the update Kassandra.

    Yes, college life goes by fast, or for that matter, student life in general. I found this to be true when I was at Reed; when graduation was approaching, I felt as if that those first few weeks, with all the nerves of that transition and getting used to a new routine, had only been a few months ago before when in fact, it had been 4 years.

    I think you are well on your way, as you say, you feel as if you are winning the game, which I am sure you are. :-)

    You'll be in my and I'm sure many others' thoughts & prayers in these remaining three years as you accomplish, learn and make progress, both as a student and as a person.

    Looking forward to seeing how things go in the future!

    Best wishes,
    Anees

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  2. "i also feel that i am winning the game"

    I was listening to the radio and i heard a catholic European priest here in Spain, saying he always prayed for the local soccer team to win. This upset me for, obviously, praying for one of the teams to win is also praying for the other teams to loose. How can a priest pray for any team or individual to loose?

    When there is a win, that´s because there has been a loser. Who are you beating Kass; who is going to loose for you to be able to win ?

    PS: I know your idea of win north by northwest is not identical to ours in the Old Continent. I wish to you very succesful studies and a good learning the way to live.

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  3. you're getting way to philosophical about a blog i wrote 19 months ago. it was a simple metaphor between the nba season and my undergrad college career; a time comparison. that's all it is. the winning part is that i was -- and still am -- doing well in college (dean's list all six quarters i've been here). that's what winning means and, in that context, there really is no loser. i have incredible parents who have taught me the proper way to live. i already know that and i follow their example.

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  4. I knew you were doing well in college because i followed the Blazers chat -when they play- a few times 2 years ago; my intention is not to accuse you, i should have a look at myself first. I like that; when you say there is no loser. This really comforts me, things must go this way; i am also glad you have incredible parents while i have had the bad luck all my life to feel exactly the contrary; to be really abandonned, neglected by both my father and my mother. I did not come here to cry though and i feel glad for you; glad things may go well and go well at times.

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