Flying High over WPI

This is the place where my future lies... for now. It's pretty beautiful I think. My dormitory is to the right of where this photo is taken. I live in Institute Hall, which is down the hill, through the woods, and across the street. Sort of like Grandma's house =D

Uncustomary Delays, College, and Life: 2007

Hello everyone! I apologize for the uncustomary delay in my posting, but blogger wanted to be a booger for quite some time, and wouldn't let me create new posts. However, I'm back up and running, and looking forward to updating theoretical deviation with news about college, life, and exciting new information as often as possible!

So, as you are most likely aware, I'm attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute right now. Until most recently I was an Environmental Engineering major, however, I am now in the Professional Writing Program: Major and also a Music Minor, so I am now officially a part of the large statistic of major-changing college students. That's alright though, because I already feel happier in my new major. For those of you unaware, Professional Writing at WPI is similar to Technical Writing -- where you are educated on how to write for magazines, newspapers, or your own pleasure. I decided to switch since I was obviously enjoying the writing portion of all of my science classes more than any other part. Maybe one day you'll see me as Chief Editor of Scientific American, who knows?

Besides the actual coursework, there is the extracurricular activites in which I'm involved. I sing in Alden Voices (the Chorale), Festival Chorus (the open Chorus), Technichords (WPI's No-fella, A Capella), Vocal Performance Lab (VPL - a chamber group), and RNA (Rhythmically Naughty A Capella - a four-part a capella group formed by friends :-P). I also arrange music for these groups, which is really exciting! Besides singing, I also play cello, help GAEA -- the Environmental Club, knit, dance, and read! I'm never without something to do.

There is of course the dorm-residence, which isn't actually that bad. My room is rather small, but since one of my roommates has migrated upstairs with her boyfriend, it isn't too confining. My other roommate is one of my best friends here, and it makes for great living quarters. Also, many of my friends are upper-classmen, and have apartments all around campus, so I can go there and relax if necessary. The one great thing about college is that you are never short on friends. I have so many wonderful friends who are always there, and if they're are reading this (which they should be, grrrr) they know I'm talking about them.

Life itself is rather boring. I'm plugging along through all of my school stuff and singing stuff, and trying not to let the little things get to me. With all the stress that school causes, I can't let the things which aren't truly problems bother me. Who needs a boyfriend? I mean, it's always nice to know you're loved, but why is it something for which I am striving? It's interesting because I know I have options: at a school where the ration of men to women is 3:1, you are almost guaranteed an admirer of sorts, but none of those whom I am aware of are options for myself. I've found I have this great gift, though, for falling for already taken men. So, if you're looking for a guy who has a girlfriend, ask me! I'm sure I can point them out to you. Other than that, I'm just keeping up.

Other than that, I've not much else to write. I suppose I would reccoment reading The People's Act of Love by James Meek and listening to some good bands, maybe Copper Tree, for instance. And, as always, I would say have a wonderful day and keep in touch!

I Don't Wanna Grow Up - High School Graduation 2007

You know, it astounds me as to how fast these past 18 years have gone by. As I lined up to recieve my "diploma" onstage (it was actually empty and we had to go backstage to recieve the real ones), I spent the moment reflecting on how easily I remember being a child, and how Peter Pan was right, and I won't grow up ...

Here I am preparing to go off to college, to WPI! I'm getting ready to buy my school supplies, and color coordinate my folders, notes, and notebooks. I'm 18 now. I can buy some illicit substances ( not that I want to) and I have a credit/debit card now. All of these things that are 'grown-up' in nature, and I'm doing them!

And, to be honest, some of them are fun. Driving the car is my all-time favorite because it alludes to a sort of freedom that isn't experienced anywhere else that I know of. However, most of these adult duties are scary, and I just want to return back to my teddy bears and naptimes and forget about everything else.

But then I think how if there weren't teachers there, and lunch ladies, and annoying PTA moms, well, those childhood moments wouldn't have existed. I, a slightly weaker emotionally child, would have been squished by more assertive children and we would experience a Lord of the Flies situation, and we don't want that to happen, do we?

I suppose what I'm trying to articulate is that despite the beauty and wonderfulness of being a child, and despite the fact that I don't want to be an adult and that my duties as such terrify me, It's time for me to give it up. My next job is to make childhood for others the wonderful experience it was for me. It's like accepting the inevitability of death; once you've accepted that its going to happen, all you can really do is make the limited number of days you have left worth something more than they were before.

I don't try to give advice or make stunning new epiphanies, but I think I personally have gained something from reading this over. Something about growing up and moving on. I hope you understand it as well, and can take something away from my endless ramblings.

So, after experiencing graduation, after giving up high school and its safety net for college and its endless opportunities, this is what I think: I'm going to miss my friends and teachers so very much as I turn down a different path, but I know that it's for the best, and that I am going to follow Ghandi's wisdom. "Be the change you want to see in the world."

Back From a Long Journey

Well!! It's nice to write on here again! I'm sorry that I haven't been around recently, but all of the blogging stuff had to change, so it took me quite a long time to switch over to the google accounts.



A quick update on things: On August 19th, I'm leaving early in the morning, with our car packed to the brims, for WPI (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) where I'll be attending college as an Environmental Engineer major. However, before that happens, I am leaving on June 27th for Ireland!! Thanks Mom and Dad for the wonderful birthday/graduation surprise.



More importantly, I am graduating this Thursday, June 21st at around 8 p.m. It's very strange but I just don't feel as though school is over. I mean, it is. I'm done with classes and all I have left to do is sing and graduate, some of my most favorite pasttimes. But I always had supposed that finishing high school would leave me with some feeling of extreme joy; a.k.a. leaping in the air and singing "The Rain is Over and Gone." But I just came home like regular and checked my facebook and WPI email ( stbarton@wpi.edu) and such. It was boring! I'm hoping that after graduation I have some feeling in my body of happiness. I'm not sad about graduating, so I don't know why I keep expressing sadness. I'll blame in on hormones...



Well, I'm glad to be back finally and able to post. I've found that theoretical deviation is just about one of the most exciting blogs out there, so please, keep on reading!