Day 21

I don't really have anything all that interesting going on right now. I'm still adjusting to this new semester that so far has had an uncanny resemblance to my high school experience, where I was surrounded by some of the hardest-working people I've ever met (our unofficial school motto was "Lowell: Where You're Best Hasn't Been Good Enough Since 1856"). Because I'm enrolled in two "weeder" courses (introductory chemistry and physics), a good deal of my classmates are freshman with medical aspirations. Some words I might use to describe the way that this species of student approaches academics include mercenary and self-flagellatory (not an actual word). Basically, these kids want good grades and the odds are against them (my physics professor gives A's to the top 25% of the class).

I've more or less succeeded in this sort of competitive environment before, and I'm not super worried about it, especially since I'm not worrying about ever applying to medical school. But it's still pretty annoying to run into these competitive-types that work super hard and hate every minute of it; it's like there's a vortex of misery swirling around them (don't get sucked in!). I suppose it's a good reminder to not take things too seriously -- one of my lab partners was practically flipping out with stress during our first lab (baking soda and vinegar volcanoes, yay!).

Wow, I can hear the train from my apartment. Toot toot!