I can't believe my first semester is over!? What I find most odd is I can recall so vividly in my mind the anguish I felt laboring over my assignments and readings, yet now, the hardship seems a very distant memory to my nerves? I swear to you, I cried, WEEKLY, for the first six weeks of this semester. It was painful, but I guess it must not have lasted long enough for my nerves to retain the sensations to have a longterm affect?
I recently pulled up my LSU iPhone app and read that the program I'm in, the Manship School of Mass Communication has the highest admission standards on campus. Who knew? But I guess I should have assumed that after realizing at the beginning of the semester that the current provost of the university was once the dean of the school. What I value most about this fact is that it says to the rest of the university and to journalism industry that the Manship program expects greatness from its students. Greatness in the form of ethics, responsibility, character, and knowledge. I read that line back to myself and I feel a strong sense of pride. I guess than, in a way, it eases the slight taste of bitterness I still have in my mouth for how difficult everything was.
In the earlier part of the year, and as I told you in a previous blog post, I intended on going to the office of disability services to get tested. Thinking that I might have a learning disability because I was struggling so much; I wanted to find out. Funny thing about that though, after speaking with my brother's girlfriend that's an AMAZING WOMAN and gifted special ed teacher, about my plans for getting tested she asked me point blank "So what do you think getting tested is going to do for you? And if they tell you that you do have a disability, or what if you don't, what are you going to do then?" But then she said, "Ali, you're brain is just adapting to a higher level of thinking, and critical analysis that has not been asked of it in a while. Just give it some time." Time is what I needed indeed! And now it's over, and I succeeded! I also had lunch with another friend of mine in the program, a PhD student, and she said something to me yesterday over our sandwiches that I think will help me tremendously these next few semesters. "Ali, you have to let go of the grade. If you earned a "B" in the class, but what you took away was an "A" than that's what matters." And I did, I learned a lot. In fact, I think I learned more in the class that I received a B in than I did those I received an A in.
Well, I'm off to work. Nola is snoring like old man winter next to me. My Christmas tree is lit up beautifully and it's a beautiful night in the bayou.
I leave you with a few pix from a holiday party Kyle and I attended on Monday.
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| Kate Royals, me and Kristen Higdon |
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| Kate, Michael, me and Kyle |
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