Life in Vancouver...I"m glad Taylor's here.  He's made things infinetely easier for me...and keeps me from hermiting.  haha I've made a couple of friends...well, I call them friends, but really I've talked to them maybe once or twice each.  Weird to not know anyone...it's like a city here.  A city of young people.  And the whole campus smells like trees (except for one floor of the bio building, which smells like fish).  It's gorgeous.  So many people...it's the first time in my life I've ever lived within walking distance of stuff, and it's so exciting.  Even in Wolfville, there was really nowhere to go.  Here, I can walk less than a block and get to two corner stores, two dim sum restaurants, a sushi place, a bank, a bubble tea house, and a crisis pregnancy centre.  lol.  We're in a pretty asian part of town...it's so gorgeous...our little neighbourhood feels so much like home...it reminds me McKellar area...all big old houses and tree-lined streets.  I'm a 20-25 minute bus from UBC, 15 minute bus from downtown, 5 minute bus from a mall (probably about the size of intercity, maybe a little smaller), and a 10 minute walk from this gorgeous little community called Kerrisdale, which has anything you might need.  Taylor and I explored it last Friday after school/work...there are specialty chocolate shops, amazingly inexpensive fresh farm markets (we bought 5 apples, 5 kiwi, 5 banana, a big thing of lettuce, 6 cloves of Garlic, and 4 tomatoes for 6 bucks), a specialty cheese shop (just amazing), liquor store, and an oddly large number of shoe stores (apparently people in Kerrisdale need a lot of shoes).  Two Starbucks, every bank you can think of...it's a really nice little old-feeling neighbourhood.  Very homey. 

 

So yeah, I've been busy with school...classes are pretty intense (I feel like I'm actually at University as opposed to just a harder version of high school) and large.  I"ve been doing a lot of reading, which is really good, but not really fun.  So far I'm most excited about Brain and Behaviour - basically a neuroscience course, full year, which looks really really interesting.  Also taking Health Psych, Cell Biology (oh man intense), Organic Chemistry and Physics 100 (my prof is Polish and his voice is very calming.  Read: sleepytime).  I've applied to be a volunteer at this peer counselling centre on-campus...had an interview and it went well, and so next weekend we start training - apparently we (70 volunteers) go out to some camp somewhere for the weekend and train etc.  Should be fun (hoping to make more friends).  Also just got an email about having an interview to work at the Chan Centre (on-campus centre for performing arts...Vancouver Symphony plays there sometimes, etc.), so that's good.  Keeping busy. 

 

I've been swimming lots - actually sitting in the Aquatic Centre on-campus now.  Came here after physics (where I was fighting to stay awake) to have a little nap, which was lovely, and now I"m online, and right away I"m going to go swimming.  Went out last weekend with some of Taylor's friends from Film School, which was nice...at first it was 3 girls and him and his dad (don't ask lol) and me, and then we were walking to meet some other guys at a different bar and Taylor and his dad drove and I and the 3 other girls walked, and it was AMAZING to have some girl time haha.  I realized I haven't had girltime in FOREVER.  I miss it!!  I miss you guys!!

 

Anyway the apartment's almost complete - waiting on a bookshelf from Ikea.  Once we get that, I'll tidy it all up and take a bunch of pictures and post them on facebook.  I love you all!!  Talk to you soon!

So Taylor left today...sad.  We had an amazing time.  I've been working lots.  Finished physics - 83 final mark, which was exciting.  Waiting on UBC.  Have a spot in res at Dal.  If I get into UBC I'll be going there.  White Stripes was great.  This week at work will be insane - busy (have to be there for 7:15 am on Monday blaghhh) and then rendezvous starts which means early sign-ins everyday...plus church on Sunday and Thursday.  Getting back into the swing of exercising now that Taylor's gone - gotta go to the Complex as much as possible.  At least I have a vehicle for a couple days - parents are at camp.  Feeling antisocial. 

So I'm home.   hahah that's exciting advancement #1.  It was sad though - I almost didn't make it onto the plane from Toronto to here.  I'd thought I had an hour to wait in Toronto, but I guess I didn't factor in the time change, and so once we were waiting to get off the plane from  Halifax (at 1:55), I took out my next boarding pass and realized it said that the plane was boarding at 1:45.  hmmm.  So I wa slucky - I was right at the front of the plane and the second person off, and so I rushed to the COMPLETE OPPOSITE side of the terminal and as I was approaching the gate they were calling final boarding call and the lady goes Are you Alyssa?  And I said Yes.  And she said okay you can go right on.  hahah.  I was like....sorry....and then I realized that since I barely made it, there's no way my luggage did too, and nope, it did not.  But it came in on the later flight so my brother picked it up for me lol.  So now I'm all here!

 

Annnnd the day that I was to leave Acadia, with like an hour before Meredith's parents were going to start loading my stuff into their car, I found out that I've been accepted to Dalhousie, so I rushed around withdrawing from Acadia.  And now I'm all withdrawn.  I am no longer an Acadia student (sad).  But it's kind of funny, because right now I'm not a student anywhere.  hahaha.  I'm FREE!!!!!

 

And yeah I got in and we stopped at the Fort for documentation on the way home (contract-signing) and so I was going through my pile of contract stuff (huuuuge pile) and in it there was a training schedule and my name was on it to do Paddle training, so I was like hey...we don't have to paddle in the Visitor Centre.  But still I was like ..sigh...no BVT.  Visitors Centre again.  Sighhhhh.  And talking with people about it.  So I finished signing everything and I took the schedule back to the car with me.  And I was like hmmm I wonder what it means!  And then I looked at the title of the schedule, which was labelled "BVT Student and Experience Contracts".  hahahha.  And they'd written my name on the page and highlighted it and everything, and I have a feeling that that means I'm back in BVT!!!!!!!!  Huzzah!!!!!!!

 

Anyway I can't wait to see everybody again! 

don't actually want A Piano after all.  Decided I'm going to buy myself the 4 cds of her's I want and it'll be cheaper.  hahaha.  whooohoo.  Can you tell how much I want to study??

After my last blog where I said I was going to go swimming, I went swimming and then I had an incident like I did at the beginning of this semester where I almost passed out ... wandered around the change room in my bathing suit aimlessly and felt all sick and dizzy and my vision was all blurry and I eventually made it back out onto the pool deck where I asked a lifeguard for help and basically collapsed haha.  It was carazy.  And I was still dizzy the next day (which isn't supposed to happen) so I went to the hospital on Tuesday night and got a bunch of tests done (urine, blood, ekg) and they say I'm 100% healthy on paper so that's good.  Feeling much better now though.  I'm pretty sure it was just another dumb thing where I over-exerted myself after not eating or drinking enough (same as last time).  Anyway I'm all good now.  And I've realized how horrible my birthday plea sounded lol.  Please PLEASE do not feel obligated to get that for me.  I feel bad haha. 

haha I know it's a little far away, but I've decided that all I really want for my birthday this year is the Tori Amos box set (called A Piano).  You can order it from Amazon.ca for 79.99.  Free shipping.  haha.  So if any of you were planning on getting me something for my birthday, you could like pitch in for that.  If you wanted.  Just dropping some hints.  lol. 

 

I'm sorry if this sounds stoogey and selfish...I'm a little dead (stats exam this afternoon which actually went really well, and I've been writing out bio notes all night...sigh.).

 

Quick little update on my life:

- bio exam sat., psych exam mon., mon lunch: out for milkshakes (yum), pack mon. afternoon, Truro on Tuesday, fly home Wed.

- got a call from the Fort offering me a job for the summer in admissions.  Disappointment - wanted to work onsite again and I've been looking forward to it alllll year.  Called them back asking if there's any chance I can get onsite.  I'll keep you guys posted.

- still no word from Dal nor UBC

- calc exam went well, chem exam was slightly miserable - if I'm lucky I pulled off a 70.

- Twins!!  Are you doing anything for your birthdays??  I'm home the day before them!!  Les - when are you home?!!

 

I love and miss you all.  I cannot wait to get out of here.  haha.  I'm sick of exams and I miss driving.  I'm dreading having to pack all my crap though....ayeee.

 

XOXO

Sooooo I wrote my calc and chem exams on Thursday and Friday and since then I've been a lazy bum lol.  But today I'm getting back onto the studying train (stats on Thurs., bio on Sat., Psych on Monday).  After those exams, on Monday, I'm gonna get all packed up, and then on Tuesday I'm going to Truro with my friend Meredith and staying at her house overnight and then the next day they're going to drive me to the airport (I'm leaving all my stuff in her basement).  So....in exactly one week I'll be done exams...I'll be frantically trying to pack everything...yay...the big problem this year is that EVERYTHING has to be packed...since I don't know whether I'm going to end up at Dal or at UBC, everything has to be out of here and waiting for me.  I'm tired.  I'm tired of not knowing what's going to happen next year and I'm tired of exams and of Acadia and I just want to go home (although I know that once I'm home I will be wishing to be back here haha).  It's weird thinking about leaving here because it's like Okay I'm leaving Acadia...last day of exams at Acadia....last time I'll ever live and go to Acadia...but it's hard to think that because I don't know what I'm doing next year!  How does one quit a university?  haha.  They don't have any idea that I might be leaving.  I love it here.  I really do.  It'd be nice to go to Dal and be able to visit here all the time.  It's like an hour and 20 minutes on a bus.  Not bad at all. 

 

Anyway that was sort of a stream of consciousness thing.....gonna read over some bio notes right now and then go swimming (it's my new big thing...instead of going to the gym and getting all sweaty and gross, I swim laps for like 40 minutes...I have goggles and a swim cap and everything!!!  I'm very hardcore.  And I kind of look like a fetus.)

I offically have two hours of class left in my second year....both on Monday.  No classes today (but a TON of work/studying to get done, plus I have to sit in the SUB for a couple of hours and sell tickets for the Axe, plus I have to bartend for like an hour tonight at this little function thing....).  Anyway life is good - soooo stressful and busy due to exams but hey I'll survive. 

 

Just wanted to let you guys know I'm alive and looking forward to coming home.  If you want to go to a shag and have a chance to win tickets to fly anywhere (I think that's the deal) message Taylor or get in touch with him somehow - his Mom's shag's on April 13 (Friday).  Pretty awesome.  haha.

 

Happy birthday Vikki!!!!!!!!!

 

Anyway I'll probably blog more soon....gotta go get some work done lol.

I, unlike the rest of you, have two more weeks of school left...the last day is April 9.  So I'm going to blog in point form since I haven't in so long and I have a bunch to say.

 

- tonight was my first waitstaff shift at the Axe and it was fun and I learned that Rev is not meant to be carried on trays (the hard way) and I only made 8 bucks in tips but I'd given a couple of bucks to this one bartender I kept getting drinks from.  The other girl made 25 though....makes me think I may have lost a bill somewhere along the way.  Oh well, it's still more than I would have been paid on doorstaff...and I feel like I did less....haha and I got to wear regular clothes, but it was Western night so I wore my orange plaid shirt lol.

 

- My marks are miserable this term - 54 on first calc midterm (but 92 on the second yay!!), 68 and 56 on chem midterms...my other marks are okay hahha.  Basically it's just calc and chem.  However, for both those classes, if I do better on the final than I did on either or both of my midterms, that mark cancels out any of the lower midterm marks.  Soooo I'm starting to study for my chem final tomorrow.  haha.  Gonna do well!!!

 

- still haven't heard from UBC....their website still doesn't say that they've received my transcript argh. 

 

- got a call from the Fort, asking if I'm interested in working there this summer...said yes, and that I'd prefer to be onsite rather than in admissions.  So that's exciting!!

 

- this weekend's my dance recital (I'm in advanced jazz and advanced tap) so that's busy, and then next Thursday morning at 5:30 I'm leaving with 8 other students and my french teacher from last semester for Montreal - we're arrive back in Wolfville at around midnight on the following Sunday (April 1).  The whole thing's planned out and sounds really neat...and it's only costing us 250 each which covers flights, hotel, and admission everywhere for 4 days.  Pretty sweet.

 

- finished my last midterm yesterday...stats...brutal. 

 

- I'm home in a month plus one day!!  Exciting!!!  Around 4 on the 25th.  OH crap I'd better hear from UBC before then.  I have to arrange to ship all my stuff out there....ughhhh.

 

Anyway it's late (2:02) so I should be getting to bed.  All I have left to do this year is study, a psych paper (700-1000 words...not bad at all), a bio presentation on the evolutionary history of horses, and then I'm good, I think.  Study study study....calc is gross and so's chem.  OH, and before exams start I have to do the first unit of gr. 11 physics...funnn stuff.  Then I've gotta finish the other 3 units, write the exam, and send the marks to UBC before June 1.  ugh deadlines.  I'm never gonna be done highschool.

 

Okay goodnight guys!!  Glad to hear you're all excited to be done soon....wow halfway through, hey?  Well, not for me.  And not for Karen, and potentially others unknown to me.  Oh well.  I love you all.

I've decided to impress you all by blogging during my chem lab.  I don't think I've blogged in like 2 months haha.  But I've been keeping up to date on everyone else's news, so that's good!

 

Just wanted to say hi....I have a lot to do, but I've been a horrible procrastinator lately.  Gotta step up my game - last round of midterms was pretty horrible.  Exciting news, I'm going to start waitressing at work next week...something else to put on my resume yay! 

 

Anyway I love you guys....I'll talk to you soon!!

I was just looking at that pic from Zappy's again in Montreal, and doesn't that feel like AGES ago?!!!!  Looking at it, I was like awwww I remember that!  Gr. 10 band trip!!  And then I was like ahhhhh no gr. 10 was Winnipeg and Gr. 12 was Montreal and my memory of Zappy's seems like FOREVER ago.  That whole trip feels so long ago haha.  Outrageous.

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

P.S. Taylor is here in t-minus 38 hours.  hahahahahaha!

And really shouldn't be right now either, but I will reallllllllly quickly. (happy birthday Seon).

 

So I've been outrageously stressed this past week and I will not have any time to relax until Thursday at 10 am.  I had two assignments due this Wednesday, one due yesterday, my chem midterm last night, my calc midterm at 1:30 today, working 6-1 tonight, SMILE tomorrow morning (which I'll blog more about later) till 12, dance rehearsal 4-5:30, Ushering at a concert from 7-10:30ish....Sunday we're having our sexygirl party (I'll tell you about it later too hahahah sorry this is such a bad blog), and then on Monday I have my bio and psych midterms and on Tuesday morning I have Stats midterm and then on Wednesday I have 2 assignments due and on Thursday  morning I have one.  Phew.  Anyway so right now I"m studying calc and I'm going to bio in a few minutes and then I'm skipping chem to study so I'll have more than only one hour to study for it lol.

And my exam schedule's been up for a few weeks now.....it goes like this:

 

April 11 - Calc

April 13 - Chem

April 19 - Stats

April 21 - Bio

April 23 - Psych

 

And I'm flying home on the 25th.  In the preliminary exam schedule, my stats exam was going to be on the 12th, which would be horror and hell since Calc and Stats and Chem are my three hardest and most math-like classes (well, considering how two of them ARE maths, I guess that makes sense).  Anyway I'm much happier with this schedule.  Not home till the last day I can stay here, again, but that's okay.  I'll see you guys all summer!!

 

Anyway I'm off - Seon have a great birthday and you guys all have fun this weekend at her party....wish me luck with all of my stress and midterms!!  lol.

have been planning out my educational future.  At UBC.  And I have determined that if I want to do a major in Cell Biology and Genetics, and an arts minor in Psych, and all of my music courses from here transfer over as my electives, and all of my science courses from here transfer over directly to the first-year science courses they SHOULD correspond to, and I don't want to spend 6 years doing my undergrad (literally), and I don't want to overload at all while I'm there (which I don't - heavy courses, guys, heavy courses), I will need to take a full course load every single semester plus at least 3 summer courses.  At least.  And that's assuming that all of my Acadia credits transfer over.  Sigh.  Knock on wood, hey?  I really, really do NOT want to spend 6 years doing my undergrad, and then 2 more on my Master's....I've spent enough time taking high school courses haha. 

So I found out from UBC today that to get accepted:

- I only need the first semester of first-year calculus (I'll need the second semester, but not to get in; only to graduate, so I can do that there)

- I need at least Gr. 11 physics

 

Sooooooooooooooooooooooo.........

 

I WILL be home in April (my exam schedule is horrid...scroll down for a taste!  haha how cheesy am I) which means I WILL be able to work at the Fort (YAYYYYY!!!!!!!) and potentially the LU genetics lab (YAYYYYY!!!!!!!!) and I will get to see you guys and be with you all summer!!  YAYYYYYY!!!!!!

 

It also means that I have to take Gr. 11 physics, but I'll do that the same way as I did chem (except I'll have the same amount of time I had to do 2 courses in to do only one course!).  I'm sending in my registration tomorrow, but I'm probably not going to start working on it till April (Fort doesn't start till May, so I'll have a bunch of time to really intensely work on it once I"m home...and this semester's going to be busy, so I won't really have time here).  But this way I can tell UBC that I'm working on it and I'll be done by June/July probably.  Whoohoo!!

 

haha it's so weird that I'm still taking high school courses.  I've been out of high school for almost 2 years, and this'll be my third high school course that I've taken out of high school so far (and hopefully my last!!).  hahaha I'm going to have like 40 hs credits by the time I'm done lol.

 

Anyway yes...and today preliminary exam schedules were posted...this is mine:

- April 11 (first day of exams) - Stats

- April 12 - Calc

- April 13 - Chem

.....................................so I get to write my three TOUGHEST exams first, and all three have TONS to do with math, which is NOT my strong point.  poooooooooooooooooo.  And then 8 days later...........................

- April 21 - Bio

- April 23 - Psych

And April 24 is the last day of exams.  Gross, hey?  Oh well.  At least I'll get the hard ones out of the way first, and won't have to even think about bio or psych until after them.  Then I'll have lots of time for those.

 

They're all at least 9-12, which is much better than night exams (I'm not good at studying the day of). 

 

Anyway, thought I'd let you guys in on all this exciting news I received today.  Hope you're all doing well!!

 

 

So I'm here...this was my day, in quasi-point form:

 

4:39 am - woke up

5:30 - said bye to parents, Taylor drove me to the airport

- we stood in line for forever waiting to check in, waited in line more to go through security, and got through to walk right onto the plane, which left late

- got to Toronto and got right onto my plane there (since my flight was late arriving there)

- flew the hour and 20 minute flight to Ottawa

- had a 5 hour stopover in Ottawa, during which I watched Hard Candy on my laptop (not a very good movie), ate lots of jelly bellies, and watched numerous Arrested Development episodes

- flew the hour and five minute flight to Halifax, arranged a cab with three other people coming to Wolfville, got dropped of at Liane's house (she's not getting here till tomorrow so I was supposed to stay in her room tonight...and believe me, I was SOOOOOOOOOOO looking forward to just locking myself in her room and holing out in there and getting into her big comfy bed and sleeping early...alas alack, I arrived here to find her house open but her room padlocked shut - sometimes she's not the most reliable person.  So then her roommates came home from somewhere and I guess I"m going to sleep in the living room on a couch or futon, but the thing is they're in here (living room) watching the hockey game right now, and are planning on going to the bar afterwards and then will probably come back late and loud and drunk.) 

 

So yeah anyway this kind of sucks.  And I was considering staying at a hotel or something tonight.  But too expensive, and would be weird anyway.  So yeah I get to sleep on a couch that smells like beer.  yummmm.  So sad since I"m so tired and was so looking forward to her bed and her room and feeling at home.  Sadddd....