Day Six: Yay for productiveness!

The past two days have been good days. I actually got stuff done! I'm really happy about it ^^

Yesterday, I finished a rough draft of my Princeton/Yale/Rice essay. (I can use the same one for all three, hooray!) I basically talked about the culture clash I experienced growing up and my struggle to find my identity. I honestly thought it was one of my better essays (in terms of the description/story-telling), but it still needs quite a bit of editing. I'm at over 800 words... >.> I always write too much, even when I try not to! It's frustrating. Ah well. Better to write extra stuff that I can cut down on later than be staring at an empty page, I suppose.

Today, I didn't get the chance to work on any college stuff, but I did print my binder covers for school! They look glorious. I'm really happy with how they turned out :D I also entered all the important dates into my brand new planner. (And speaking of planners, I swear I'm going to make a better effort to use my planner this year. I say that every year, but it's actually going to happen this year because there's absolutely no way I'll get through this year by keeping track of everything in my head. I've got way too many things going on for that.)

Welp, I'm pretty much ready for school. All I have to do tomorrow is pack my bag. And go to bed early. Time to get used to waking up at 6:45 a.m. every morning again...

Also, today was the most fantastic day because I made really fantastic progress on my fundraiser! I crossed the $1,000 mark! *does happy dance* (Only by a dollar, ha, but it still counts.) I'm so so so happy about it. Hopefully, this means I have a chance at the Young Reader Award this year!

Also, for any of you who are curious as to which fundraiser I'm talking about, here's the link to my webpage:

http://seeyourimpact.org/members/aishwarya

Day Four: Yikes.

Only three more days till school starts.

To be honest, I'm more excited about it now than I was before. Maybe it's because I'm just looking forward to seeing my teachers and friends again. Whatever it is, it's gotten me a little more enthusiastic about starting school. (I'm trying to avoid thinking about it terms of senior year. Still not sure how I'm going to get all that stuff done first semester...)

Anywho. I'm almost done with my Baylor app! They got my test scores a few weeks ago, and today I submitted some of the extra materials. All I have left to do is send them an official transcript, submit a resume, and answer those two short answer questions.

I spent most of the past hour listening to a bunch of a cappella groups at various colleges. I LOVE Voices in Your Head at UChicago the best, but Tufts' a cappella groups are pretty good too. Ugh, if only I could get into those places. Literally the biggest thing I'm looking forward to in college, other than the classes, is the singing opportunities. I know for sure I'll be in an a cappella group no matter where I go. Before that, though, hopefully I can make it into No Strings Attached this year! (NSA is our very own Townview a cappella choir.)

Yeah. That about sums up today. Thinking about school, applying to Baylor, and listening to music. All in all, a pretty good day.

Day Three: Ramblings

Welp. Yesterday, I didn't have the chance to make a post because I went straight to bed. Today was my final day of volunteering at Harris Methodist in Fort Worth (which was really fun! I'm going to miss everyone so much~), but for that, I had to wake up at 6 am this morning (which was not fun).

But yeah. That's basically what I did all day today. While at the hospital, though, I did have time to think about my essays and stuff. I wrote a bunch of notes down on a piece of paper, and I have to transfer them to Word, but I'm too tired and my brain's not working at a high enough level to do that right now. So instead, I'm typing this blog post (which is actually a lot of fun, to be honest) and saving that stuff for tomorrow morning.

Also, random, but I've still got nearly 10 books to read. I'm almost done with two of them (1984 and The Picture of Dorian Gray - and before you ask, no, they're not required summer reading, and yes, I'm reading them for fun. What can I say? I'm a nerd), in the middle of one of them (The Search for Spock) and have yet to start the other seven. What is my life. -____- At least I'll have plenty of time to read on the bus once school starts. Ugh, school. Why.

Another random thing - my brain is just all over the place right now, so this post is basically going to be me rambling at you about completely random things that are not connected in any way, shape, or form - but I feel like I'm going to try bargaining with my dad for schools. As in, he wants me to apply to Penn and UC Berkeley (which I really don't appreciate because a) we both HATED Penn [why he still wants me to apply, I have no idea] and b) for Berkeley I'd have to fill out an entirely separate app, which is a 'no thank you' in my book) but I'd much rather apply to places like Johns Hopkins (I actually didn't consider them at all at first because they're really well-known for their med school and not as much for undergrad, but I spent nearly two hours on their website and blogs reading about them and I think I'd actually like it there! I mean, seriously. Seems like a cool school. Besides, I was reading a blog of this guy who double majored in literally the exact same things I plan to double major in- bio and stats. HOW COOL IS THAT?!?! /sorry i just get really excited about those two subjects okay). Also Tufts. I really really want to go to Tufts. It seems like such an awesome place where nerdiness is not just accepted, but encouraged and actually flourishes there. There are so many Whovians/Potterheads/Trekkies though! It makes my nerdy side ecstatic. I know for a fact that I would fit in so well at Tufts. No other school I've seen so far has been so transparent about their admissions procedures (the Tufts blogs are amazing, I swear) and so incredibly welcoming and friendly. I just LOVE that they do that.

Yep. This prospective Jumbo wants to become a real one.

And wow, can I just say essays are incredibly frustrating? I hate writing essays. I feel like my writing ability has deteriorated over the years (which probably isn't true, but it sure feels like it). I really just wish I were a better writer. Then, at least, I wouldn't be so worried about my chances of getting in into at least one of the colleges I like.

Day One: Meh.

I made some progress. Not with what I really wanted to, but still. Progress has been made. (The passive verb in that statement is really bothering my SAT-trained brain right now. That, and it's late.)

Anywho. I finally - finally! - sent in my written request to AP Services asking them for my free-response booklet from the AP English Lang and Comp exam. I'd been meaning to do it for more than a month, but I just never found the time. (Stupid, stupid me.) Oh well. At least I know it's done. Hopefully they'll get it by September 15th (crossing my fingers) because I really really want a copy of my essays. I feel like they're one of the best things I've ever written, and that's saying a lot. Especially that synthesis question about the monuments. Which is hilarious, because I always struggled with synthesis questions the most. I also kind of want my English teacher to read them, because I'm really curious to see what he thinks I would've gotten on each one of them. (He is an AP reader, after all, so I trust his judgment.)

What's more, I'm almost completely done with my ApplyTexas application! Thank goodness, because it was a pain. Seriously. It's probably the least user-friendly application in existence. They haven't given clear directions on what to do on parts of the app - I'm talking specifically about the activities section, because that took me LITERALLY THE ENTIRE DAY to fill out - and they don't even have a proper help/support center. Not only that, but the people I emailed couldn't even give me a straight answer. Like, are you serious? Texas, why. #iamsodone

Sorry. I'm seriously in the mood to rant about it, though. I wrestled with that stupid thing for hours before I finally finished it. Though in reality, I'm not done. They didn't give me enough space to elaborate about my activities or to list all my academic honors and awards, so I'll have to do that later in my expanded resume. And I have yet to start my scholarships application and essays.

Besides that, I'd been meaning to start making my binder covers for senior year, but thanks to dumb ApplyTexas, I didn't get around to that either.

This is just too much.

.....

I've been feeling stressed out today, which isn't really a good thing. Especially because school starts in literally a week. But I have. For the first time all summer, actually. I guess I'm just worrying too much, maybe to the point of obsession. That's probably what my friends would tell me. But it's not like they're applying to all the highly selective colleges in existence. (Well, almost all of them.)

And besides, it's not really like I can help it; I'm just that sort of person, to obsess and worry about things. I think I fixate on things a lot in my life. That explains much of my elementary and middle school experiences, to be honest. And that also explains my fangirl/tumblr side... Explains it really well.

Hm. Interesting. I just had a personal revelation! Those don't happen that often.

This day has been really interesting. Interesting, but not very productive. Gah.

Hopefully, tomorrow I'll get more work done. For one, I'm going to wake up earlier! And try to work on my essays some more. I really need to figure out what I'm going to do for that ApplyTexas essay....

Summer is almost over...

And that makes me sad.

I loved every minute of it, though. I just feel like I'm not really ready for senior year to start. I still don't feel like a senior. It's like junior year was just yesterday. Ah yes, all the craziness of junior year, with 7 AP classes…

Well, yeah, it had its good moments. Like every single AP Calculus AB class ever. (Our new teacher has been sent from heaven, I swear. So looking forward to BC.) And AP Bio. Dear god, I’m going to miss that class so much. (At least I’m taking Enviro this year.) But then, there was the insanity that was AP Chem, with a teacher who tried his best but still couldn’t prepare us completely for the exam, the emotional rollercoaster that was AP Physics B, where half the time I felt like I had no idea what I was doing, where I thought I’d be lucky if I made a 4… And then APUSH. The one class that, for some reason, I could not stand.

Thank goodness I did well on my AP exams, though. At the end of all that, it’s good to know that it was worth it. Five 5’s and two 4’s, indeed. (I’m thanking my lucky stars for that 4 on Chem. There is a God, and he is merciful. But really, I’m still amazed by that 5 on Physics. And I think I will be for the rest of the foreseeable future.)

Anyway. It’s August 18th. I’ve got just one week left before senior year officially begins. God I don’t even want to think about it. I spent my summer volunteering at a bunch of places and doing a lot of college visits. I gained perspective on what I really want in college and in my future. I know where I’ll be applying, I’ve already completed one app, and I’m looking to having all my essays started (AT LEAST started) by the time next Monday rolls around.

Overall, not a bad place to be.

But then, I think about senior year and I’m just like OH GOD WHY. Because I’m taking 7 AP classes again (that really doesn’t worry me, I know I can more than handle it), but on top of that, I’m applying to 20 colleges, having to write close to 30 essays in total, and upping my extracurricular commitments. As in, I’m president of Science National Honor Society, and I’ve made this elaborate list of possible things we could do, because it was an honor to even be elected president in the first place, so I’m determined to get stuff done and prove everyone wrong in that honor societies are just something to put on a resume. And also, I’m hoping to be the official soprano section leader in choir. And speaking of choir, I want to be more involved than I have been in the past. I’m definitely doing Solo & Ensemble this year, and hopefully I'll be able to get involved in whatever else pops up. Andddd, I’m supposed to create a UIL Spelling & Vocab club at our school with my two other teammates. Ha. We’ll see how that works out. All of this, and I’m not even taking into account all the other random stuff that could happen during the year.

So. That’s a crapload of stuff to do. And most of it’s going to be happening in that first semester.

If, after all that, I’m not completely burned out by Christmas, I will celebrate.

Also, just as an aside- the reason I made a new blog is because I figured I'd need to remember my senior year somehow, right? I already know I'm going to learn some pretty valuable lessons along the way, and I figure it's not too bad a thing to document this coming year for future reference. And also, see, the thing about me is that sometimes I need someone to talk to, and tumblr is usually that place for me. But it’s also insanely distracting, and NOT what I need in my life right now. I’m glad my followers understand and respect that.

So, anywho. It's past midnight. Officially August the 19th, and there is now officially one week left before school starts.

The game is on.