So Far So Good
Looking back to my goal for the first quarter, I seem to be right on track. Although some difficulties appear on the way, in general, everything goes well.
I follow my strict schedule — early to bed, early to rise — and it provides me more time to arrange the schedule of the day and more energy to take the day-long classes. I keep doing exercises from the day I arrived till now, sometimes running or jumping, sometimes stretching. This morning, I even went to the recreation center with my friend. We tried different fitness equipment and enjoyed the time we spent there.
Instead of saying I get used to the food in dining commons, I would rather say I enjoy the food in dining commons. I have been to all the on-campus dining halls, Carrillo, Ortega, and De La Guerra (Portola is somewhat far away). I can even tell the difference between the meat served: Carrillo have whole meat, Ortega have patties, and in DLG, meat is only a side dish . The way each dining common cook is different too. Carrillo prefers adding spices, Ortega likes strong-flavor sauce, and DLG makes all kinds of flour products. I move from one to one depends on the dishes they serve that day and enjoy the food they provide. All are fresh and delicious (if you avoid picking up the dark cuisine). Usually, I eat as much as a normal strong man does, so people always get surprised when they look at my plates.
My academic life is not as smooth as the two I mentioned before. I try my best on every task. Though I listen carefully in every class and ask questions, homework and quizzes are not easy, and I need to spend much time on it. Sometimes I am bewildered about the purpose of learning. Before, I only need to pay attention to what I learn from the class, what I gain from the knowledge, and what I don’t understand. Now, I inevitably need to be aware of the peer pressure. Courses like Economics has strict grade percentage. I must pay much more efforts to catch up with them, but the grade is not that good as theirs. I admitted that I felt upset for a while, but then I realized it was only a waste of time. Learning is my own business. Whether I understand or not is also my own responsibility. As long as I tried my best, and understand why I did right or wrong on questions, I have already made some progress.
Except for physically accustomed to the university life, I am proud to find that I get mentally used to it too. I ease my homesick and focus more on the things around me. I am glad to find how beautiful UCSB is. Rabbits and birds crowded on the path near Manzanita Village every morning. Flowers and dandelions bloom beside the roads. Sunrises and sunsets are attractive. I come out of my comfort zone, accept and embrace the new life here. I am willing to try new things, meet different people, and share things happen in my daily life. I can reflect my study, and make some changes to improve it. In other words, I am right on track. Just remember to adjust my state of mind and work hard, I believe I can get on well with the university life.
