hard work pays off

Hard work “pays” off

I have always believed that hard work and dedication is the way to go. If you work your hardest and always try to do things, even if the things your doing are new, then you will prevail. A couple of weeks ago I went to clock in at work and I noticed a job posting as a clerk. I saw it and thought maybe I should sign up for it. But after thinking it over I better stay as a bagger with less hours and focus on school. however, a couple of the managers came up to me later and asked if I wanted to move up to the clerk position or if I was interested. I told them I’m not sure. After a couple of days, I pondered on the idea of moving up and finally decided that I would sign up for it. Last week, the owner came up to me and said I got the job and that training starts on Wednesday. I was super excited! Today is the day I started last year so I have only been at Raley’s for about a year. they said they will still work around my school hours. That was the most important thing was if they were going to work around my school schedule. I’m going to be getting 28 minimum hours a week instead of the 20 I get as a bagger. Honestly it just goes to show that working hard can get you places. And in school, the same principle applies. Work hard for good grades and a good career is waiting for you around the corner (hopefully). Also this the last blog of the year so follow me on IG or SC. Also thank you Professor hall for a fun year. thank you classmates for being cool people. La mayo

IG: that_1guy_14

SC: cl8njames

over 9000

Its over 9000

               With the semester coming an end my brian can’t help but already begin to go into summer mode. I’m starting to slack off and am already getting sluggish and lazy. I almost forgot to do this blog on time! I just want it to be summer already so I can sleep! These next two weeks are going to go by fast though, because I have so much to do in that time. I have an essay to do by tomorrow and I am stressing the hell out. I’ve still got assignments to do and tests to study for and I’m in panic mode. Last week was an eerie calm. I had no homework and no tests. I knew something was up. This week went zero to one hundred real quick. I’ve got an essay that I have yet to start due tomorrow at midnight, assignments to do and I have to mold all that around working. I’m starting to stress out. My stress level is over 9000 at the moment. Don’t get me wrong, I know I can do it but it’s just getting hectic. I keep reminding myself that I only have two more weeks left and reassuring myself that I got this. I haven’t had any time to do things that I do to alleviate stress like golf or play Xbox because of all the homework I’ve had. Just two more weeks and a few more tests. Then its 3 whole months of no school to relax and have a good time.

Can the Semester be Over Already?

Can the Semester be Over Already?

               I do not know about you guys but the semester just slowed way down. Like 100 to zero real quick. I felt like a couple of weeks ago time was flying by and thought the end of the semester would be here in no time. where did that go? Now I feel like it will never come. Im beginning to feel pretty lazy and sluggish now towards classwork and school in general. I know my last blog was about going out with a bang this semester but I am not so sure about that anymore. I go to school now and am just so tired and want to actually sleep in for once. I wake up at 6 every weekday to get to school on time and then I work the morning shifts at my work on the weekends so sleeping in is not in my vocabulary. But I desperately NEED it. Luckily, we have a day off between classes and finals so hopefully I can catch some sleep and wake up energized for studying and testing. And I advise u guys to do the same. Nothing is worse than taking an exam half asleep. Your brain is still waking up and you can’t remember a darn thing u learned the last 3 weeks. That’s happened to me a few times. So on that day off I’m going to sleep in and study for my finals. I got lucky this semester and my finals are early in the week so I’m done sooner. Just need to SLEEP!

Semster is Almost Over!

The semester is almost over!

The semester is finally coming to an end. Last night I looked at my calendar and including this week, we have four weeks until finals. Four weeks of assignments and essays before three months of “relaxing”. Will still have to work over the summer but I will have more days off to do whatever I want. I honestly, cannot wait. This knowledge of the semester almost ending has given me a boost of inspiration to finish this semester strong. I actually want to get my work done on or before the time its due. I have also come to realization that one full year of college has already past. One moment I was doing some name activity in my English class and the next moment I’m gearing up for summer break. It’s just been going by so faster than high school and I though high school went by fast! This summer I don’t really have any big plans. It will most likely include work, lots of Xbox and even more golf! I’m hoping to play some other courses this summer besides my local Manteca golf course. I’m planning on practicing often. My brother works at the golf course in Manteca and gets free balls and play, so I can get some balls off of him to practice with. I however am white as hell so I’m going to get sunburnt real fast. So, to avoid this I’m going to stay inside and play Xbox when I’m not golfing. I got to hone my thumb skills for when the next COD or Destiny2 comes out. But I can’t get to summer without going through the rest of the semester first. So until then I will try to make the semester go by faster by doing my work on or before time.

balancing school and work

Balancing school and work.

Balancing school and work can be quite the handful sometimes. Waking Up at 6 o'clock in the morning, going to classes, and getting home at 1. Then after that I'll have a closing shift and work from 330-1130. That's what it's like this semester. I wake up early. Go to school, drive forty five minutes home and attempt to do some homework, and then go to work for the rest of the night. When i finally get home I work on any homework i have left. I don't have these shifts everyday but i get them about once a week and those days are brutal. It's difficult to find room to study or finish assignments.

Last semester however, i had different time schedules. I was able to sleep in a bit but the classes were still in the morning. I would have one class and then a three hour break to finish homework, study or hang out with friends. The Id get out of my other classes around 2 and drive home for the three to 1130 shift. These days were brutal as well but i had enough time to basically finish my homework during my break.

Comparing the two schedules i had, i can say that having the three hour gap in between classes is by far better. It really helps me get my homework done. If i did not work during the semester with a break, then i would have nothing better to do than my homework during my break. The semester without the break however, Id would go home and have no incentive or motivation to do my work. Having a large gap between your classes, I believe, is more beneficial than not having a break at all

Best Place To Study

The best place to study

In high school, I always had a hard time studying, if I did any. I would sit down in my room and find something else to do besides my work. I’d go see what my brother was up to or see what’s for dinner. In high school, I didn’t necessarily have to study because it was easy. Now I’m in college and must get good grades on assignments and tests so I must study and focus. at the beginning of the school year I wasn’t sure if I should go to the library and study or just go home and study. I’ve done both many times throughout the semesters and I have concluded that the library is the best option. When I go home I am distracted be everything. It’s also noisy. Either my family yelling, the phone ringing, the laundry machine, or the doorbell, there is always so much noise pollution at my house. The school library is a different story. It’s quiet, with the exception of, the pencil and keyboard sounds of other students working away. The library is the perfect place to do work. On the first-floor u have tutoring in case you need help with anything. On the second floor, you have tables to study or work on assignments in groups. This allows for collaborating and group projects to flourish. If you want a quitter environment then the third floor is perfect. It has single desks so you can work in quiet and get you work done. I am almost always on the third floor doing my homework. This is why the library is no doubt the best place to study.

my baby is back

Having my baby back.

When I first got my license at age 16, I drove my dad’s 2002 GMC Sierra. I drove that thing all throughout junior and senior year and had great memories with it. I started working halfway through senior year and had a steady cash flow so I could start car searching. I found a 2015 Chevy Cruze and fell in love. It was a rental car before I bought it so it was kept up nicely and I bought it that day. It was the first thing that I have that I can say I worked for. I’ve worked hard to get to where I am and my car is one of the few things that I own that is a sum of all my accomplishments. In January, however, I got into my first accident. It wasn’t anything serious. No one was hurt but my car had a huge eye sore on the rear. When I got into the accident I felt like shit. As silly as it sounds, I honestly cried looking at my car with the damage. So, for the last couple of months, I have been driving my car with the damaged rear and I finally got it fixed this last week. The Monday of spring break was the day I dropped it off. And for two weeks I had to drive my dad’s truck again. I thought my Cruze would be done by Friday so I can drive my own car to school. that did not happen and they had it longer than I expected. So, I had to drive the truck to school. I felt so uncomfortable trying to adjust to the size and lack of mobility in the truck. The day I got my car back I was so happy. I was finally driving my baby around again, all fixed up and freshly washed. It’s also nice spending 30 bucks a week for a full tank rather than 65.

why am i doing this?

Why am I doing this?

               The last three days of my spring break I spent at Lake Tahoe. My family and I went and it was gorgeous. The ground was covered in at least 2 inches of snow the whole time. snow fluttered down on Friday when I arrived and man was the setting magnificent. It was around noon so the lighting was perfect and the snow fluttering down all around me had me awestruck. Walking down the streets of Tahoe and looking up at the casino’s and their beautiful architecture along with the beautiful buildings nearby. There is just enough civilization present to not consume the beauty of nature that surrounds these buildings. As I am walking, a question springs in my mind and I ask myself, “how much does it cost to vacation here?”  after putting thought into it and watching my parents pay for dinners and other activities I realized that it is no cheap trip! I knew from the get go that it wasn’t cheap but now I have a close estimate of the costs. Then I thought to myself “I want to come back one day”. I’d love to go back there some day either with friends or a loved one. And then It came to me. An answer I had not asked a question to. This is why I am doing what I am doing. This is why I am going to school and working on the side. To start building my life to build a better future for myself and make it easier to care for me and the ones I love. so that I can afford to do thing I’ve always dreamed of doing and live my life how I want to live it. That is why I am doing
what I am doing. To become a better me.

The Drive. ft. Daylight Savings

The Drive. ft. Daylight Savings

I am certain that most the class is going to write about this but I can’t think of anything else to write about. as you know, we had Daylight Savings Time this weekend and man did I miss it. I miss waking up while it’s still dark out and the long summer nights. While driving that morning, it was dark out. I usually must cover my face because the sun is blindingly bright that early in the morning and I have stare straight into it on my way to school. it is the most uncomfortable thing ever. It’s also hard to see, making driving a little more dangerous than it already is. This morning however, was pleasant. It was dark and the sun had not risen above the horizon yet. The drive was relaxing and easy. With no sun to worry about I had to focus on the retarded driver that inhabit the road. I guess people like to put themselves in danger to get to work or school on time. They weave in and out of traffic and cut people off. I get major road rage while I drive to and from school. They better not touch my car. People need to learn to drive safely. Also at Raley’s I bag people’s groceries and some people are far older than some. We get a few customers that can barely walk! Then they go outside to their car where they drive home. If you ask me it’s safer for those people to not drive at all. If you don’t have the coordination to walk, then you should not be driving. The mix of old people and idiots on the highways are the bane of my existence.

Taking the Stress Away

Taking the stress away.

With the semester in motion and nearly halfway through, the stress build up is rising and I cannot contain it all. I undergo certain activities to relieve the stress and help relax a bit. In my previous blog, I talked about getting back into golf. When I finish my homework, I will go to my local golf course in Manteca and either play a round of nine or hit a bucket of balls. I have all early classes this semester, so I can finish my homework by around 2pm if I don’t have work that day. If I don’t have work, then it gives me plenty of time to play a round or hit some balls. Golf is excellent for relaxation (most times). The beautiful weather, beautiful scenery, and quiet make for a relaxing evening. That is of course if you’re playing terrible and you let that get to your head. But that’s a whole different story. I also play Xbox on the weekends to help cope with stress. I don’t have too much time anymore to play that much but I manage to squeeze in a few hours every weekend. When I play with my friends, we have a good time screwing around. it helps forget your responsibilities for a bit. Hanging out with friends accomplishes the same thing. However, if all your friends are busy you can just play by yourself to relax. Doing these things really helps me with stress. If I have the time to do these things, then I will do them. But sometimes I have homework and or work which can make things complicated.

Getting Back to Golf

Getting Back to Golf.

I used to play golf a lot in high school. I started playing freshman year, and have been playing ever since. Freshman year I was not on varsity but I was on the team. The top six were considered varsity and they were the ones to play in the matches. We had a kickass team that year. we won our league, moved to sections and then to masters. So, while the other freshmen and I practiced they played in matches. Seeing how good they played motivated me to be the best golfer I could become. Id practice every weekday after school for about two and a half hour and even on the weekends. I did this from freshman year to senior year. After freshman year, I made it to the top six as number six. I played mediocre (which explains why I was number six). I really enjoyed the sport as well which made practicing for it easier. Senior year I had made it to a comfortable number three spot. I went from shooting an average of ten over freshman year, to an average of four over senior year. Our last year we played well. We got second in our league but didn’t do too well in sections. Once our season ended, I stopped playing golf all together. I got a job and started college, leaving me with little time to do any golfing. However, this semester, I am taking a golf class. One class into the course and my love for golf has been rekindled. I am no practicing once again and trying to improve myself. Golf is a great sport to get the stresses of school and work of your chest. Now if the weather will be good to me and not rain then I’m good.

This Weather

This Weather.

Driving to Turlock from Manteca was straight forward and an easy drive. It only took my forty minutes to get there and traffic is usually not that bad. Making my drive to school every day relatively consistent. However, the last week and a half the weather decided to take a dump. It had been pouring on the way to and from school for about a week. Luckily the traffic has still been traveling at good speeds so that I have not yet been late to my classes. Out of all the days its rained, yesterday had to be the worst to drive in. there weren’t that many cars on the road but it was raining so hard visibility was only about 20 yards. It was even worse then there was a car ahead of you emitting a cloud of water behind it. I would drive in the slow lane and drive slow to make sure I didn’t die on the way to school and morons would still fly by me going at least 75. Keep in mind it was pouring and the roads were soaked. I made it just fine that day but on the way home there was a semi-truck that had crashed going onto an exit and was perpendicular to the highway so the exit was completely blocked. Then, later that night an emergency broadcast announcement lit up my TV. There was a crack in a levee near my house. My uncle, who lives closer to the area then I do, was asked to evacuate as a precaution. They fixed the crack later that night but they had to move soil from other parts of the levee to fix the crack. So essentially about 100 yards of the levy have less dirt then it did before. And a dam (don’t remember the name) is releasing more water and there is no telling what that’ll do. So, we drove to my uncle’s house and helped him a bit. He wanted to keep his car at our house just in case it did flood. But as of now everything is fine and hopefully it stays that way. Because I only like to go swimming in the summer.

Procrastinating

Procrastinating.

               I don’t know about anyone else but this semester I have been so lazy. Last semester I was on top of my work and getting it done early, but this semester is a different story. I have been saving everything for the day it is due and it is stressful as hell. Last semester, I’d get things done the day they were assigned (for the most part). And it was easy. I didn’t feel pressured to get work done and I didn’t feel I had to cram knowledge and facts down my throat. This semester however, I took a different route. I have been saving assignments for the day of or day before they are due and not studying or reading for my classes. Professor Hall, if you are reading this, I read for your class so don’t worry. But other classes I don’t read so when they go over it the next day I am lost. I put myself at a disadvantage because I am too lazy to get my work done. But that’s over. I am getting back on track and doing my work when I can. I am not too sure why I started this semester so poorly. maybe because I spent the whole break sleeping in and playing Xbox and work thrown in there somewhere. My mind is brain dead from the break. I did nothing to challenge my mind and I am paying for it. My brain is trying catch up and get back on track. I am doing my work now and changing things so I can do well in my classes.

read read read

Read Read Read

As I begin my second semester here at CSU Stanislaus, the new work schedule is beginning to cement. However, I have noticed the work load is becoming more reading based. Let me just say. BORING! I’m all for reading here and there but I feel as though all I have done so far, this year is read and read and read. I know we are only two and a half weeks in and it might change later in the semester. Maybe because its early in the semester and the classes are trying to introduce us to the material? Whatever the case may be, the reading load is substantial this semester so far. In my philosophy class, we print out pages of some philosophers writing and must read all of it. When I say pages, I mean at least eight pages. Unfortunately, our English class has come to this as well. with three different essays to read every two days, that’s a lot of reading. Quite frankly I don’t have the time. it is hard to do when you got an Xbox to play, a girlfriend to talk to, and friends to hang out with. Not to mention the excessive naps needed for a student in college. On a serious note, reading is fine in moderation, but if flooded it can be difficult to retain the information that is read. I do enjoy reading and uncovering deeper meanings and debating on issues discussed but too much material can take away from the experience.