Recently in UC Davis

Again, it's been a while since my last update. But honestly, who wants to hear about the boring life of a college student, especially one that is married, works alot, and has dogs that take up too much time. So to jump from the last post about three months ago, I am now half way through Winter term here at UC Davis. Classes this term are: French 3, Intermediate MacroEcon, Philosophy of Religion, and Politics and Resistance: the Creation of the Political (Anthro). Classes are progressing well, but not really anything excited to report. Surprisingly I am enjoying the Anthropology and French class the most out of all. Even though we are halfway into the term, economics is still working on pretty basic concepts. I expect it to intensify soon (and thus become more interesting).

I've noticed more SPAM comments on the site recently, I need to setup a CAPTCHA system to block them. However, that's good news, because atleast somebody out there thinks the site is worthy of SPAM! I'll take that as a win.

I still need to start studying for the GMAT.

I need to figure out what I am doing this summer. The option of working in France or London has presented itself and I need to decide what will be best.

I have been reading a book called "The Best Business Schools' Admissions Secrets". It is written by an ex-Harvard B.School admissions board member and discusses how to "brand" yourself when writing your admissions packets. It's pretty interesting and suggest you check it out.

I have been very lucky to maintain one large client while I am living up here in Davis. They have been keeping me very busy maintaining and updating their multiple web domains. It's funny because I was originally trying to run away from performing 'service' work in the web field, but now I am truly greatful to have it as an income source (and as something to distract me from the hum-drum-Davis lifestyle).

So today was the first day of school... sorta. If anyone has been following the California budget crisis you will know it extends to the public school system. The current problem is that without money, the UC system is being forced to cut programs, staff and teacher hours as well as to increase student rates. The teachers and students are not very happy about this and subsequently organized a strike on the first day of classes. I had heard a few rumblings about a proposed strike, but honestly didn't know that it was actually going to happen until I received a group email from the French department last night informing us that there would be no French class on the first day of school. Um, okay, I get to sleep in an extra hour. However, I still had two other classes that day that were supposedly being held.

My second class was Introduction to Wine Making. This should actually turn out to be a really interesting class. It covers everything from vines to crushing to bottling and even includes a section on tasting, though it all has to be hypothetical testing because of age restrictions. None-the-less, this should turn out to be an interesting class.

After wine class it was off to the "Silo" to grab lunch. While I was eating my sandwich a group of coeds started up a random bikini water balloon fight. I think it was to promote the Outdoor Adventures club, but honestly who was paying attention. Only in college....

My last class of the day was Advanced Writing, Business/Legal. The class started normally, but the professor immediately launched into the strike and who in class was going to go and support the rally on the quad that was just about to start. Turns out he has a no strike clause in his contract and would be docked pay if he participated but he was adamant that we skip class that day and go and join our fell teachers and students on the quad. I assume most people just went home, but I went and listened to what the union leaders had to say.



The turn out was really not all that great considering a school of 30,000 people. The speeches were rather repetitive with most anger being directed at the president and his high salary. I didn't hear much of a solution. But I suppose the point was to rally the people behind a cause, hopefully the solutions will come later. I stuck around for about 45 minutes until the heat (it was close to 100 again) was too much to bear and so I headed home.

All in all an interesting first day. Where else do you find a water balloon fight and a campus strike in one day? Only in university...

The official summer session grades were posted online and I took home A's in both. This leaves me seven more classes to complete for my major and five for my minor in Economics.

That's twelve class plus five for French, plus two electives I'm taking this term. Add that all together and you get 19 classes spread of hopefully six terms equals just 3.2 classes a term. Not too bad (only 3.8 a term if I try to get it done in five terms).

Classes start this Thursday, September 24th!

I have finished my first semester at UC Davis. It was a fast paced breeze through a terms worth of work in only five weeks but it was worth knocking out two required classes. I now have two weeks vacation before I start the fall term.

I am half way finished with the Summer Session II at UC Davis. It is a quick six week sprint through classes that are generally done in twelve weeks. This summer I am enrolled in two classes (Women and Development & History of France since 1815) and I am currently getting A's in both. I have two term papers to write this week and one final to study for next week.

I have also solidified my schedule of classes for the Fall 2009 term, they are as follows:

• University Writing Program, Focus on Legal Writing - UC Davis requires each student to take a Upper Division writing class for graduation
• Elementary French - It's sad, but I did not score very well on the French placement exam so I have to start French over from the beginning as International Relations requires students to have completed a series of five language classes by graduation.
• Intermediate Microeconomics - Technically, this class is not required for my major focus, however, I need to complete 20 additional upper division units outside my major concentration for graduation, so I thought I would get a Economics Minor.
• Intro to Wine Making - Exactly what it sounds like. I'm in wine country. There is no way I'm leaving without learning all there is to know about wine. Total elective, but I've heard it is actually a hard class.

So there it is. My fall lineup. I was advised to only take three classes my first term to adjust to the system, but I think I will be okay with four.

Fall term starts September 28th.