College Part 2

[Duncan]

This is a follow-up thread. The second semester started today, and already I am pretty beat, because this is a harder, stronger, faster semester. I now have 15 hours in class as opposed to 10 last time. So this is a series of disjointed observations, which will be jarring, I know, because usually I am so goddamn eloquent.

WARNING: I just read over this and this post contains absolutely nothing of value UNLESS you are for some nonsense reason interested in me personally or want a nostalgic kickback to college.

Well, fuck it, the forums need more posts anyway.

The last time I did this I mentioned that my former high school rival is now my college rival. This either pleases or infuriates me, quite obviously depending on whether or not I am winning. Last semester we only had English Lit together, this time we have two classes. So clearly I will have to step it up a little bit, mostly because I am much better at English than these other two subjects. (I ditched English this time around, like way to go ditching your best subject. Way to plan for the future.)

I kept a close eye on that English Lit scorecard. There were two essays and an exam. First essay we drew with a B+ each. Second essay, I was pretty elated that I got an A, she got a fucking A+. Mother of god. I have no idea how she did in that exam. I apparently did pretty well, my overall mark for the course was an A-. I asked her how she did but she was evasive. I have to find out. I am clearly obsessed with this.

I find it interesting that I am friends with her. Our entire relationship is built on competetive one-upsmanship. And yet, we are friends and actually kind of like each other despite the fact that when I am around her I usually get a huge ego surge and a furious desire to win.

On that same topic, I also know a guy who I really dislike, and he knows that and tries to piss me off in retaliation. However, while neither of us like the other, we somehow have an amicable friendship that is predicated on hate.

DORM UPDATE: Still sucks.

I am vaguely disappointed that philosophy turned out to be How To Be An Argumentative, Pedantic Asshole 101.

Really glad that I have a different History lecturer this time around; the last one was a smug bastard who admitted that he designed assignments to piss us off and teach us that History is hard.

Also really glad that I have settled into the overachieving slacker position, where I don't actually pay tons of attention in classes, don't take the subject totally seriously, generally put in much less time than I am supposed to AND YET rally at the last minute and get actually pretty good grades.

Anyway, screw all that. The only requirement for my happiness this semester was that this girl I have a crush on be in at least one of my classes. Fortunately, that is the case.

[Roderick]

Am I the only one seeing the obvious future girlfriend here!

[Duncan]

Am I the only one seeing the obvious future girlfriend here!

That's very romantic but somehow I don't see it.

[Roderick]

Oh come on, it's the typical case of two people who can't stand each other having a secret flirting relationship and ending in a passionate relationship tailed by an unbreakable marriage. It's a classic.

[ysbreker]

Just as out of every car crash a burning wheel must roll and every harry meeting sally it is your desitny. Uless she's gay. But then you can still live together and become a couple like Will & Grace.

[Moosferatu]

Ever seen Gilda?

Obregon: You two kids love each other pretty terribly, don't you?

Johnny Farrell: I hate her!

Obregon: That's what I mean. It's the most curious love-hate pattern I've ever had the privilege of witnessing.

[Wormsie]

Just as out of every car crash a burning wheel must roll and every harry meeting sally it is your desitny. Uless she's gay. But then you can still live together and become a couple like Will & Grace.

...No, that's just television.

[Kode]

That's very romantic but somehow I don't see it.

Have you ever known a person who, when told this, said, "You know, what? I think you're right!"

But honestly, before I saw all the future-girlfriend related posts, I thought I'd post asking why you feel like you need to compete with her.

Around where I am, the grade is a very personal thing. Sure, I share it with people occasionally, but we don't usually compete such that at the end of the day one is adjudged the winner and the other the loser. Sure it is motivating when one has competition in the strict sense that you feel it, but perhaps it is better for your own sanity if the motivation came from within.

[Duncan]

...No, that's just television.

Yeah, I was gonna say...

Have you ever known a person who, when told this, said, "You know, what? I think you're right!"

Well, that's true. However, have you ever known the situation that Rodi's describing to actually play out in real life rather than in serialised television?

But honestly, before I saw all the future-girlfriend related posts, I thought I'd post asking why you feel like you need to compete with her.

I don't think need to, I hope I'm not that obsessed about this. I kind of like to, which is a different thing. The whole 'competition' thing actually started in high school, where she was in my English and Journalism classes. She was, I'm pretty sure, at the top of every class she was in and got ridiculously good grades. For a number of reasons, this was difficult to take. For one thing, her work often wasn't actually that good. For another, she kind of had an attitude about it. And mostly because this was my last year of high school and up to this point I really didn't have anything to show for it, I figured I'd try and take her down. (It didn't work completely.)

Admittedly, that whole motivation is gone now. And I'm not working nearly as hard in this rivalry as I used to. I'm only interested at all because she's still in my classes and doing really well.

Sure it is motivating when one has competition in the strict sense that you feel it, but perhaps it is better for your own sanity if the motivation came from within.

Well, yeah, maybe that's true. However, this is kind of the only motivation I have.

[Dingo Chavez]

All I can do is wish you the best in college, Duncan.

And your potential girlfriend. Good luck with that, by the way.

[Kode]

Well, that's true. However, have you ever known the situation that Rodi's describing to actually play out in real life rather than in serialised television?

Honestly, I've never seen it played out to the ultimate conclusion, but I've known of instances when such behavior was characteristic of a crush.

I don't think need to, I hope I'm not that obsessed about this. I kind of like to, which is a different thing. The whole 'competition' thing actually started in high school, where she was in my English and Journalism classes. She was, I'm pretty sure, at the top of every class she was in and got ridiculously good grades. For a number of reasons, this was difficult to take. For one thing, her work often wasn't actually that good. For another, she kind of had an attitude about it. And mostly because this was my last year of high school and up to this point I really didn't have anything to show for it, I figured I'd try and take her down. (It didn't work completely.)

Admittedly, that whole motivation is gone now. And I'm not working nearly as hard in this rivalry as I used to. I'm only interested at all because she's still in my classes and doing really well.

I kind of know what you mean. Back when I was in India, everything concerning grades and rank was a public thing. Teachers would actually read out your grade to the class while handing back your paper so that everyone knew how everyone else did. This, of course, led to competition, but we tried not to take it as far such that it would make us enemies or rivals in the end. It was a friendly competition of sorts.

Although, I have known of good friends who were torn apart by this competition because one felt he deserved a better grade for his work than what the other did and received for it.

Well, yeah, maybe that's true. However, this is kind of the only motivation I have.

I often feel that, "Hey, that person is so much dumber than me, how come s/he got a better grade than I did?" And this motivates me. But I also try to find other motivation, like I said. You'll grow out of it. And I hope I do too. So, you're a sophomore now, right? What're you majoring in? English?

[Duncan]

Honestly, I've never seen it played out to the ultimate conclusion, but I've known of instances when such behavior was characteristic of a crush.

Well, yeah, that is fairly plausible.

I kind of know what you mean. Back when I was in India, everything concerning grades and rank was a public thing. Teachers would actually read out your grade to the class while handing back your paper so that everyone knew how everyone else did. This, of course, led to competition, but we tried not to take it as far such that it would make us enemies or rivals in the end. It was a friendly competition of sorts.

Although, I have known of good friends who were torn apart by this competition because one felt he deserved a better grade for his work than what the other did and received for it.

The public reading-out-grades bit seems a little shitty. I think that happened to me a few times at high school, but the teachers generally gave you the option of not having your grade read out. Of course, no one actually asked, but still.

I don't think I'd ever compete with an actual good friend, because that's pretty lame. With this current situation I kind of hated her a little at first, but grew to like her over time. That'd probably be reversed if I started it with a good friend.

I often feel that, "Hey, that person is so much dumber than me, how come s/he got a better grade than I did?" And this motivates me. But I also try to find other motivation, like I said. You'll grow out of it. And I hope I do too. So, you're a sophomore now, right? What're you majoring in? English?

I don't think she's dumb so much... I think the motivation might have been spite, actually. She worked incredibly hard, you see. And she gets pissed when people do less work than her and yet yield better results.

I'm actually not a sophomore, still first year. And actually I'm not American either, so I'm probably never going to be called a sophomore or a freshman ever. (What's third year? I don't think I know this one.) Haven't decided on a major yet, I'm kind of trying to put that off as long as I can. It definitely won't be English, though.

[Duncan]

All I can do is wish you the best in college, Duncan.

Thanks, buddy!

And your potential girlfriend. Good luck with that, by the way.

What depresses me about this is that no one is wishing me luck or talking about the OTHER girl that I said I actually WAS interested in. Why is this a spoiler? Oh yeah, college relationships. Scandalous! Clandestine! Actually on that note I found out today that there's ANOTHER girl from my past who might be in one of my classes, I'm not sure. When I knew her she was the manipulative girl who kept some mental checklist (though there may well have been a physical checklist) or scorecard documenting the tangled web of primary/grade school relationships and crushes. SHE USED IT FOR EVIL. Everyone knew that girl, right? She TERRIFIED me. I haven't had any contact with her for years but when I found out that there's a possibility she's in my philosophy class I discovered that I was terrified still. Oh no.

Such an abuse of spoiler space.

[ysbreker]

There are two basic rules to dating:

1. his/her age can't be any lower than your age devided by 2 plus 7 (eg: (25/2)+7 = 19.5 years old)

2. Never date anyone that is in the same class / office / workplace / building as you are. In case of a break up with nasty fighting you have to look at that horrible person every day.

But by all means don't wait for my aproval. I have such a horrible trackrecord with dating I am the worst possible person to ask advice about that kind of stuff from

[Salka]

There are two basic rules to dating:

1. his/her age can't be any lower than your age devided by 2 plus 7 (eg: (25/2)+7 = 19.5 years old)

2. Never date anyone that is in the same class / office / workplace / building as you are. In case of a break up with nasty fighting you have to look at that horrible person every day.

Not true. Except the workplace/office one, that can sometimes be uncomfortable. Unless you stay friends with a person after you break up.

[ysbreker]

why is my first 'rule' not true? I find it a rather nice equation which can help you decide if it's socially ok to date someone. Besides that its nothing but a nice gimmick

[lailoken]

My guess would be that Yufster currently has personal reason for bashing your nice formula...

[Salka]

My parents were ten years apart and they're still happy!

[lailoken]

so the real question then must be, when they met?

[Salka]

18 and 26!

Actually I'm lying. They were only happy for about three years. But it had nothing to do with the age difference. If my mother is reading this forum I'd like to say HI MUMMY. Lailoken stop changing the subject.

College eh?

[lailoken]

hmmm, well I guess your parents REALLY don't belong together then..., if they had met later on in their lives... let's say at age 22 and 30 that would have been fine... alas! Sorry Yufster, this is a mathematical poof!

Oh yeah, Hi Ms (Mrs???) Yufster sen.

Oh, heh... ok, yeah I don't know s*** about college... how does that work anyway?

[Salka]

Your parents make you go there. In Ireland, if they're separated you might get a grant to help you pay your fees. This helps you feel better about your parents being separated.

[lailoken]

But that obviously does not in any way relate to you, Yufster... or does it?

Anyway, I wants pictures of our (duncan's) two candidates in question, so we at the thumb can have a nice vote on which one he should pursue! Wait we can have a vote first about whether or not we should have a vote! yay!

[Dingo Chavez]

What depresses me about this is that no one is wishing me luck or talking about the OTHER girl that I said I actually WAS interested in. Why is this a spoiler? Oh yeah, college relationships. Scandalous! Clandestine! Actually on that note I found out today that there's ANOTHER girl from my past who might be in one of my classes, I'm not sure. When I knew her she was the manipulative girl who kept some mental checklist (though there may well have been a physical checklist) or scorecard documenting the tangled web of primary/grade school relationships and crushes. SHE USED IT FOR EVIL. Everyone knew that girl, right? She TERRIFIED me. I haven't had any contact with her for years but when I found out that there's a possibility she's in my philosophy class I discovered that I was terrified still. Oh no.

Such an abuse of spoiler space.

I just don't use spoiler tags enough.

Imagine a door, an odd door, you've never seen it before. What's inside? Maybe it's a...

...fluffy bunny?

Or maybe...

...A PSYCHOTIC MELANCHOLIC CLOWN THAT NEEDS A SACRIFICE FOR HIS DEITY GARGALISH!?

You won't know until you open the door... that very odd door... you take a right, you take a left...

...BRICK WALL!

It's all about the mystery...

...or is it?

[Duncan]

Anyway, I wants pictures of our (duncan's) two candidates in question, so we at the thumb can have a nice vote on which one he should pursue!

I don't believe that will happen ever.