I’m A Geeky Nerd

My big topic this week is preparing for school. Here a few tips on getting ready to go back to college.

Supplies. Get the newspaper out. I know it’s a little tough to read an informative piece of paper that is sometimes boring. If you unfold it, there will be store circulars. Although it seems a little parent-like, clipping coupons and checking on sales is a really good thing. You’ll need the extra money for tuition and fuel. Shop around for the best deal. My best shopping trip of all time was when I planned to go to Target and Wal-Mart for their advertised deals. I saved 10s of dollars!

Tuition. Unless you are still in high school, which is free, you’ll be stressing about paying your college fees. Scholarship deadlines were way back in March, so the next step is student loans. I have unfortunately had to apply for a loan recently. My scholarship covered 1/2 of the tuition, leaving another half to pay for. (Remember, I love to state basic math on the weekends.) If you are rich with thousands of dollars, you don’t have this problem. Good for you.

People. Any time you see a person of authority at school, be friendly. It is really important to create a good impression at your college. Community college involvement leads to possible scholarships at a university. Even though fees are sometimes a little high, it’s nothing compared to the future monetary help. Oh, most universities require students to fill out the FAFSA.

ORGANIZATION. It’s in all caps for a reason. When you start off this year, organize everything. Make sure every little thing is ready and paid for, so you can concentrate on class. This is the dorkiest thing I can suggest, but don’t jump into using a spiral notebook. Use a three-ring binder. That way you can divide the subjects and see which one includes the most note taking. Not only does a student need to be organized in their backpack, but he or she should also be organized inside. Always schedule study time. Turning to the books when you think of it, or five minutes before class, can seriously affect your grades. They are called “pop tests” for a reason.

The Indie Film Showcase

Last night I went to the Shendopen Indie Short Film Showcase. Daniel Lee, a talented independent filmmaker from Guntown, invited his friends on MySpace to join in the fun. Since I’ve barely been to Starkville, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get out of town. I love to travel, even if it’s just an hour or two away.

Michelle and I drove down and met Glenn at Mugshots. The restaurant specializes in burgers and sandwiches. We all ordered the “Savell”–a very good burger. It’s official, burgers are 43% better with bacon on them.

When we walked over to the theatre, we saw that Daniel and his crew were locked out, along with 15 other people. I developed a theory that if you had any green on, you could get in. After about 15 minutes of unfortunate loitering, the doors were opened and we paid our admission. Michelle and I were branded with “X”s, while Glenn got a bracelet.

The seating was great in the theatre. We got a prime spot in the middle of the second row (out of four). More audience members stood in the bar area. A few minutes after settling, Glenn turned around and saw Carlton. This guy is super funny and outgoing. We met him at the gallery a few months ago while he was browsing through town. Anyhoo, Carlton joined us for the show. It’s always great to have more people to comment on big screen shows.

My favorite shorts were from the guys at goodcommitment.tv. They were funny and clever, but pretty similar to the late Comedy Central show “Stella.” Daniel’s films were interesting. I love the fact that he included color to contrast his classic black and white theme. He was thankful that his MySpace request did not go unanswered. Glenn is working on some films right now. He hopes to have an entry next year. To see Glenn’s website, click here.

After the show everybody met up at Waffle House. Daniel’s party arrived before ours, which is my fault. I gave the wrong directions. Glenn knew how to get there, so he saved it. Carlton ran out of gas, and got lost because of me. When everyone tried to call him, Carlton’s phone would not even go to voicemail. Daniel tried to cheer up the situation by saying “maybe he’ll just stumble in here somehow.” You know what? HE DID! Cheers abounded when he walked in.

Boisterious laughter lasted at Waffle House for an unclocked amount of time. Conversation included 80s movies, living in Japan, and embarrassing stories. Our food was all right. Carlton went “all the way” with some hashbrowns. Let’s just say that his food looked like he had returned to a foreign land. I will never order ambitious toppings for my breakfast starch.

A few pictures were taken. Once we realized that it was quite late, the hour and a half trip home began. It was a great night with good food and so much laughter that faces hurt.

Carlton, Daniel, and Glenn

Me, Carlton, Glenn, and Michelle taking our "internet" pictures