So, I will get around to talking about my recruiting trip, I swear it. I am just tired. Been a good day, although I've been doing a bunch, so I'm tired… and well, I just don't feel up to doing a whole lot of blogging right now. I will get around to doing more blogging, later, I swear.
I walked to work today. I do this quite often, actually. It's only about 4.2 miles to my office, so the walk currently only takes about 50-60 minutes. While it does add a bit of time to my commute, it really is a relaxing way of getting to work.
I'm really fortunate. I can easily walk to work, and just as easily drive there. I like my car, and I like driving it, but there are days I'm glad I don't have to drive to get to work. I think one of the big problems is that the traffic around the Microsoft can be really bad. It's probably residuals from the accident, but I just don't always feel comfortable in the heavy traffic. I'm getting better, but I just feel more comfortable some mornings on my feet instead of behind the wheel.
Plus, the time is a good chance to think and listen to music. Whenever I walk, I always seem to be in such a good state of mind for work. I also seem to be more productive. I think a lot may have to do with having to be up so early. Getting up early just seems to really get me ready for the day.
Hmmm….speaking of early to rise, I should probably get early to bed. Yeah, that seems like a good idea. Night all.
Hahhhhh….this was a good weekend. It was a restful weekend. It was just what I needed, and I got almost everything I wanted done this weekend.
I didn't get my tech blog started, but that's ok. Ohio State didn't win, but that happens every once in a while. And..yeah, that's about all I didn't get accomplished. I did get my website updated, as you can see. Finally added the archives page. And I finished one of the stories that I should have finished a while ago. I have one more story and I should be rather caught up. Plus, I slept for a combined 23 hours this weekend. Clearly I needed the sleep, and it feels good. Plus I'm about to got to bed (early for me) so it's looking to be good.
I'm really excited about this week. Not only is in my birthday on Thursday, but I get to spend it in Princeton with Nicole. Why? Because Microsoft, being a most excellent employer, is sending me back to recruit at the Science and Technology Job Fair. So I get a paid trip to see my girlfriend and promote the company, which I am a big fan of. It's like…an uber deal. So that should be fun. I will be doing some flying (boo) but I need to get to Jersey somehow.
So I'm really excited. I got the job at MS, partially because one of my friends came back to recruit. SO now I get to pass that along. Plus I get to see friends and put a friendly face on Microsoft. All in all, going to be sweet.
Alright, time for bed. I want to get up and walk to work while it's still nice.
So apparently, I have a few stories that I need to finish. And I should get around to doing that. Looks like the first one to be tackled will be reunions and commencement.
So what happened the next day? Well, it was the
last day of Reunions. So that meant that I had the Fred Fox Concert, as well as the P-Rade. It was different this year. Being a senior, everything just had a wring of nostalgia. It was weird, knowing that I might never again play in either, but merely participate with my class. It was very surreal in a way. Besides doing the band stuff, there was stuff with my class that also happened.
Right before the P-Rade, the senior class met for the class photo. It was an interesting moment. Almost the entire class met on the steps of Blair Arch for a picture. It was weird to see all of my classmates at reunions. Normally, I’d see a lot of my classmates, but never all of them. It was also at this time that my class was taught how to do a locomotive (a traditional Princeton cheer). It was weird to “be taught” something I had done many times over, but then again, being in the band, I was exposed to a lot of Princetonia early on.
The P-Rade itself was good, it was fun to be in the back again. Leading the drums on one last charge was good. Calling rolloffs and keeping order was something that I had done for so long, but this was the last time. It felt good to do it on such a grand stage. But that time through the P-Rade was my only time through with the band. My back and knees had been bothering me and I decided to forgo the second time through with the band. Instead I met up with Nicole and we stood with the rest of my class, giving locomotives to all of the class. This was actually a great thing, because my class actually came up with our own way of starting the locomotive. It’s was cool.
I also decided against doing one band tradition, possibly the first major one I ever didn’t do. Normally, band seniors form kind of a blockade behind the band for when they lead the seniors down elm drive. This is to “protect” the band from getting mobbed. I decided not to do this, however, instead I wanted to march with my roommates and other non-band friends. It was a bit symbolic. I had strong ties to my class, beyond the band, and I felt it was important to go through the P-Rade with both the Band, and my non-band friends.
After the P-Rade, there was a drummer arch in the Elipse arch as well as the band alumni gathering. After that, Nicole and I went to Campus for the club’s post P-Rade reception. After that, we went back to my dorm so I could shower and stuff. After that, we grabbed dinner and headed down to the Reunions fireworks and Orchestra concert and met up with some band alums. Following the fireworks, we headed back to my room. Nicole wasn’t feeling well, so she lied down while I went to the various reunions to grab reunions cups for the two of us. When I got back, Nicole was feeling better so we went out for a bit before turning in.
The next day began for me with the traditional Baccalaureate Service. It’s a tradition that goes back 257 years to the first commencement of Princeton. Professor Emeritus James McPherson (my last year was his last year) gave the main address; telling us to take heart and not to be scared of the future. It was an incredible address, and it was just cool to take part in such a tradition. It was also impossible to not get a sense of incredible history and power as we walked through the procession and entered the chapel at Princeton. We were the 257th class to take part in Baccalaureate. 257 years of history. It was a very powerful realization to make.
That night was the Senior Step sing. Basically, the senior class gathers on the steps of Blair Arch, and they sing to the parents, friends, and anyone else who happens to attend. We voted on songs (some were good choices, others bad) earlier in the year, and this was the night when we all got to sing. Let me tell you, as a class, we really aren’t that good at singing. *shrugs* Smart people, yes, all of us with good pitch…not so much.
The next day in the graduation festivities is class day. Class day is interesting because it’s all about the celebration of the class. It’s informal, it’s relaxed, and basically, it’s the entire senior class patting itself on the back. In the morning is the Class Day award ceremony, which features the giving of various awards, as well as inducting honorary members into the class. Finally, Jon Stewart of the Daily Show gave his speech as the traditional Class Day speaker. This was one of the highlights of the day. Stewart gave a great speech, which was both funny, and poignant.
After the morning activities, Nicole and I met my uncle Steve, my aunt Donna, and my Dad at the CS building. Since I forgot to grab enough of the crappy boxed lunches the university had, we decided to go to the Haven. Nicole and I had a blast watching my family discover the Haven. Let’s just say, they weren’t expecting the goodness. After that, we went to the Computer Science department festivities. Basically the chair of the department, Larry Peterson, stood at the front of the main lecture hall and told all of our families, “we kicked your child’s ass, and we enjoyed it.” Hey, at least they’re honest.
After that, everyone was pretty tired, so we all retired to our perspective places of stay and took naps. Upon waking up, Nicole and I met the family at the Princeton Senior Prom. Let me just say this, when Princeton Parties…they party. They converted the gianormous air craft hanger that is our varsity gym into a giant dance hall. It was incredible. They had free food and drinks (both alcoholic and non), a band, ice sculptures, pictures, the works. Imagine your high school prom, but bigger, more lavish, and completely off the charts. It was AWESOME. We danced, we joked around, we just had a good time.
The next morning was commencement. Commencement is…OLD SCHOOL. I mean, there is no other way to describe it beyond that. I mean, the entire ceremony was done in Latin. And it was sweet. They start off by marching us onto the lawn in front of Nassau Hall. Oh yeah, I guess I forgot to mention that, they hold Commencement outside. It’s awesome. But yeah, we march onto the lawn of Nassau hall. From there they give out honorary degrees and titles, they acknowledge retiring professors, and the President makes a speech. Fortunately, the president decided not to make another one of her long, drawn out speeches. She was relatively short and to the point. After that, they call out the departments and the students receiving those degrees rise in recognition. It was cool because they called the entire School of Engineering at once. And finally, they march the graduates out of the gates in front of Nassau Hall. This is possibly the coolest part, if for nothing else, superstition says that anyone who walks out of the gates before commencement won’t graduate. For most of us, it was the first time doing that.
And for those of you at Princeton…IT’S FRIGGEN AWESOME!!!
After that I grabbed my diploma and took the pictures that go with the event. After that I said good-bye to Nicole, Steve, and Donna so they could be on their way. When they left, my dad, my uncle Armat who came just for commencement, and I packed up the truck with all of my stuff. And headed to my Dad’s hotel so we could leave bright and early in the morning.
It was sad to be leaving Princeton. I had spent four wonderful years there. As I watched people drive away, I was a bit saddened to know that our time of being in such close quarters together was over. It was very bittersweet moment. I was glad to be finished, to have made it. But it was still sad to leave. I think that’s why I look forward to Reunions. It’s a chance to be with my class again. Hmm.
I’m also very glad that Nicole was there. I wanted her to be there, not only so I could share the joy of graduating with her, but I also wanted her to spend more time with my family. I’ve gotten to spend time with hers because they came to Princeton more often. Mine did not come out to New Jersey all that much, and I wanted Nicole to feel comfortable with them. Commencement was a great opportunity for that. *smiles*
It feels good to have this down. One more big story and I should be relatively caught up.
So I found out about a bunch of my friends life journal sites. It's interesting to see that I'm not the only one writing down what goes on in my life. In some small way, I'd like to feel like I inspired them…But that's just me wanting to be egomaniiacal.
While going through various people's sites, I came upon one that I found interesting. Not so much because he and I are friends (he doesn't like me, although he won't say it to my face), but because of one of the comments he made about me. I don't know, maybe it's just me, but if you have issues with someone, have the guts to tell them. Or keep it to yourself, but don't publish it on a blog hoping it will never be found. Oh well.
OH! I wanted say congrats to Nicole. She took the GRE's today and did KICK ASS. Like, she only missed one question on the math section. She's smarter. In fact, she's now officially smarter than me. Sweet. So congrats, hon. You're awesome.
Alright, enough of that, time for bed. Night all.
10 | Unique Visitors |
