Pack It Up

Hello my beautiful readers! It's that time of year again...no, it's not my annual shower (that's NEXT month). It's packing for college time!

Once upon a time I thought this would be an easy task. So I folded some clothes neatly into a suitcase (as seen in Picture A). But then I realized, oh wow, I've packed a few sweaters and a bathrobe. This realization led to the nuclear disaster that is my room at the moment. Please refer to picture B below.

Did I mention I also have about 2 tons of clean laundry downstairs that needs to be packed??? And this is JUST clothing. Oh and, surprise! I'm leaving...tomorrow morning. Wish me luck. I'll be back with updates (aka stories of my various meltdowns throughout the day).

Thanks for reading! <3 -Alex

PHOTO A

PHOTO B

(yikes....)

Jobs I Would Suck At

In the spirit of college and job-hunting, I've composed a list of jobs/occupations/lifestyles that I would be really, REALLY bad at.

1) Nun- Let's just take care of this one first. I would literally be the WORST nun ever. I show WAY too much skin, and calling me "boy-crazy" would be like calling the fattest man in the world (whoever THAT is) "slightly overweight". Huge understatement!

"Sister Alexandra, would you please join us for morning mass?"

"Uh, where do the priest guys sleep in this place?"

2) Taxi/cab/truck driver- I am pretty much the epitome of "bad woman driver". I drive way too slowly, I have no sense of direction, and I get very flustered behind the wheel. I would probably end up in the ghetto with my passengers and get us all shot. Somehow I feel like that's not the purpose of a taxi driver.

3) P.E. Coach- I am the opposite of athletic. So I feel like I'm not exactly in a position to tell kids to run 5 miles when I'd much rather sit on my couch eating an ice cream sandwich. Hey, I'm sure the action of chewing and swallowing is considered exercise by some cultures.

4) Dentist- Ew. Sometimes I'm grossed out by my own mouth when I brush my teeth. There is no way I am putting my finger's in some kid's mouth! Children have strong jaws. I could lose a few digits! Plus there is no way I would be able to operate a drill. I'd probably drill the wrong tooth...my bad.

5) Phone Sex Operator- In all honesty, I would not be able to take this seriously. I would be cracking up the whole time, and then I would get mad when the person on the other end demanded a refund. I'd be like, hey, I'm not the 40 year old divorcee with a beer belly and no job! Plus I feel like I'm not a very sexy person.

"So, tell me what you're wearing."

"Um, clothes."

6) Scientist- Good luck finding any kind of cure while I'm working. I'd get hella* distracted and be like, "Eh, this is boring, let me go eat a cupcake." Because that's what I usually do when I'm bored. Also, I would have like no one else to talk to, so I'd probably eventually lose my mind and burn down the research lab. COOL!

Disclaimer: I have nothing against any of these occupations. If you are interested in one of these fields, great! They are just not for me!

*I SAID HELLA! NorCal, here I come!

I'm Ready...Right?

So, it's my last week at home. The last stretch before college begins. Which has gotten me thinking...

Am I actually ready for college?

You're probably thinking "Obviously!" or "What 18-year-old ISN'T ready?" or "I wonder if Alex No is single." (for those of you with the last question, the answer is yes.)

I mean....college. Shit, man. I'm going to be completely alone and independent for the first time in my LIFE. I went to the same teeny tiny private school from Kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. I've never switched schools before. I've had the same group of friends for half of my life. I knew the name of every single person in my grade. And suddenly I'm going to go to a brand new school where I know no one!

It's just so weird to think that I am moving seven hours away from home in seven days. I have such mixed feelings about this whole thing that I'm making myself confused!

My high school bragged about preparing their students for college. Academically, I'd say I'm more than prepared...but socially and mentally, I think I have a few things to learn.

I'm not going to lie-- I'm used to people holding my hand (metaphorically AND physically!) and leading me through any tricky or tough situations. My teachers and college counselor were at my beck and call with any and all questions I had, my parents were there at every minute I needed them, and my friends would do anything for me. But now I'm going to a HUGE school where, clearly, I'm not going to have someone to help me with every problem I face. It's going to be a learning experience and I know everyone has to go through this at some point in their lives, but I feel like I somehow missed out on being independent.

I'm honestly worried I'm not going to make the right decisions. At time, I can be a little spineless. My mom even told me a few days ago that her biggest fear for me is that "you're going to be too much of a people-pleaser." It's not my fault! I love making people happy! And the word "no" sometimes isn't in my vocabulary...

I'm just overwhelmed with the fact that I'm not going to be at the same school for another year, with the same teachers and the same friends.

Everyone seems so confident about leaving home and starting new, when the idea of leaving home is really starting to freak me out. Not that I can do anything about it...I have seven days! Only a mere week! A week to "get my head in the game", as the beautiful Troy Bolton once stated.

Oh well.

This is one of my favorite songs, EVER. From one of my favorite movies ever! I think it fits my mood quite well.

Motherfucker, I'm scared.

-Alex

The Shopping Trip... FROM HELL!!!

Before this point in my life I thought nothing could be more stressful than getting a zit the day of Prom, studying for a test when a new episode of Glee is on, or finding the perfect pair of black boots.

I have been sorely mistaken.

Dorm shopping is by far the most irritating and time-consuming process I have ever endured! You would think it's easy: pick up the basics and a few decorations and you're done! I thought it would be a one-day process....but who KNEW there were so many freaking colors and patterns of comforters? And your comforter kind of has to match with everything ELSE in your room! 

I used to love Target but now I look at it with scorn. How DARE they have such well-stocked aisles?! And how dare I not be able to purchase every single thing in that damn store? I also have no idea how big my dorm room is and what not, how much closet space I have, and so on! Luckily I'm in a single so I don't have to worry about invading my roommate's personal space, which is a plus...but then again, it makes things even HARDER because there is no limit to what I can buy. Well, there is a limit, and it's called "my wallet"....but, pshh, that limit can be extended by a lil' something I call "emergency credit card from Dad". 

I want to be that girl with the really freaking awesome dorm that everyone wants to hang out in! My room right now at home is never open to guests partially due the fact that even HazMat could not properly clean it, but ALSO due to the fact that it's pretty lame! I have no posters up on my walls, my bedspread looked like it came out of Better Home and Gardens, and my bulletin board is, for some reason, behind my desk....because I apparently felt that it belonged there. 

So when I found out I was getting a single dorm room, I was like, "Hell yeah!" because I could finally decorate my room so I feel super cool.

Uhh...

Well, college starts next Friday and I still feel like I'm missing half of the necessities I need...yet I have an alarm clock, an iPod dock that tells time AND a wall clock...hello redundancy! 

I don't want to unpack all my stuff on move-in day and realize, my bad, I forgot something super important. But I'm not going to college in the middle of the Kansas prairies, so I'm sure I'll be able to buy  whatever I need.

I just want my room to be super awesome. Because, maybe if it's awesome, it will stay clea- HAHAHAHA, sorry, couldn't even finish that statement. 

Thanks for reading!

-Alex 

Facebook + College

So, Facebook.

What's not to like about Facebook? It's great for stalking ex boyf-- I mean, great for keeping in touch with old friends. The ability to write on someone's wall, post a picture, or send a friend request is right at your fingertips. Which is why I was so stoked to find out that UC Santa Cruz had a page made especially for Incoming Freshman. Joining it meant I had access to hundreds of high school seniors who were in the exact same position as me! I began friending everyone I possibly could and messaging them like it was nobody's business.

But, almost 6 months after I found out I got into UC Santa Cruz, I feel weird about this whole Facebook thing. I've met some incredible people through Facebook, some who I really hope to be friends with in real life. But that's the thing. How can you be the exact person you are on Facebook in reality? On Facebook, I'm this sharp-tongued witty girl with a sassy attitude. In real life, I have my moments of wit and cleverness but for the most part I don't consider myself an especially sassy person.

Meeting people for the first time after you've spent months talking to them online is a tricky thing. I've done it before and it's been totally fine. But I can't imagine that I'll get along with everyone in person the way I've gotten along with them online! I feel like I've built this online persona that I may or may not be able to live up to!

I've added/been added by at least 100 future/present UCSC students on Facebook. Will I even SEE half of those people on campus?! Chances are, probably not. Unless I actually like you/am dying to become your BFF, I doubt I will make an effort to become friends with, example, an Astronomy major who lives on the other side of campus (I'm not talking about anyone specific here, so don't get your panties in a twist.)

I mean, I feel like Facebook has kind of robbed us of some of that fresh new college experience. Instead of entering a completely new universe with new strangers, we will be recognized by someone who we know as "our Facebook friend" in any given situation. In the library. In your dorms. In the dining hall. It kind of freaks me out, to be honest! I'm known by hundreds of people who, like I said before, I will probably never say two words in real life to. Call me paranoid, but doesn't it creep you out to know that during any point of the day, you could be called out as, "Hey, we're friends on Facebook, right?"

Basically the point of this post is that I kind of wish I hadn't involved myself so much in this Facebook + College Universe. Now I feel like I have to be Cool Alex in real life, which admittedly I am not. Great.

So to all my Facebook friends/future friends out there: sorry if I'm lame in real life.

And to the girl/guy who posts on the UCSC wall a million times a day: GET A LIFE.

-Alex

The First Post There Ever Was

Hey party people!

Just a quick introduction on my part: my name's Alex Nowakowski (or Alex No on Facebook), I'm 18 years old from Los Angeles, California, and I'm starting as a freshman next year at University of California at Santa Cruz (I enjoy typing out the whole name because it makes me feel incredibly smart).

I'm starting this blog because, let's be honest, who WOULDN'T want to read the thoughts and daily adventures of an awkward clueless freshman? Besides that obvious answer, I'm also starting this blog because I love the idea of a creative outlet for me to let out my feelings and ideas. I had a diary from 7th-11th grade, but I soon outgrew the idea of writing in a purple journal with a white kitty on the front...shocker.


Anyways, I start school on September 16th. I have no FREAKING idea what to expect! I'm majoring in English Lit (for now), taking 3 classes, and pretty much just praying I don't lose my mind the first month! 
I had a squeaky-clean rep in high school, and I fully intend to keep it in college. Well, maybe not SQUEAKY clean ;) But I don't plan on becoming a raging whore. Although, that would make for a VERY interesting blog...


Anyways, don't let this poorly written blogpost deter you from reading my other posts (which will be much more exciting as college actually starts!) I'm still working on my blogging skills. It's harder than it looks...THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!


Did I mention I'm also incredibly immature?

Love love love,

Alex No

The Impatient College Freshman