
What are We Doing Here?
I started another blog. This one’s for real.
I’m not a writer and I don’t pretend to be.
But I do consider myself a sort of perpetual student. The drive to learn is one of the strongest forces in my life, which is why I am glad to be beginning a new journey into graduate school this August.
I am starting this new blog primarily for selfish ambition and secondarily to share my ramblings on the things I learn about the world. I’ve read time and again that learning happens more effectively when the student records their experience by journaling. So think of this blog as a bit of a study journal for any of the random things that come up in life. If someone gleans a bit of insight from the posts that follow, good for them. If not at least I have a venue to unload my thoughts.
I’ve been reading a lot about graduate school lately; I think for me it acts as a coping method to help myself from getting too psyched-out about it. I’m nervous and anxious for this next step in my life, but I’m mostly excited. I get really excited about huge changes like this. With the coming move I’ve been considering my adult life thus far, particularly what I wish I had or hadn’t done.
My undergraduate experience was one of immense growth. Not only did I learn engineering precepts (and fall in love with computers), but I grew emotionally. I dealt with heartbreak and sorrow, loneliness and great achievement. Ultimately I found my wife, a constant light in my nonstop life. I grew spiritually. I grew physically too (and not in the muscular way). I found a sense of self and a sense of ambition looking forward.
Without a record, however, it’s likely that many of the memories that drove my growth will be lost as new ones are made. It’s an interesting thing that the human brain just pushes out your memories without asking for permission, and you’re left sitting there like, “what was the name of that kind of cheese again,” and you couldn’t remember it if your life depended on it. We all know that feeling. And I intend to preserve at least some part of my experience with these posts.

