As you’ll probably begin to notice later on, I like creating lists. A lot of them. For a while I tried writing down my lists in one specific notebook but that never worked because I'd find myself in the middle of lunch with friends, or walking to class making up lists in my mind.
So eventually my lists ended up all over my room, on post-it notes, my calculus notebook, lecture handouts, scribbled haphazardly on my arm and even as text messages sent to myself (and no, this is not some sad act of texting myself; it's my only option when I have no access to pen/paper!).
My most recent big list is my Summer To-Do. I would love to fly back home for summer but I only have about a week of vacation before my summer classes begin and I don't think paying $2000 for air fare only to be home for a week is worth it (home is 8000 miles away, but more on this later).
So if you’re like me; home is not within driving distance and you’re grounded in Tyler for the whole of summer, make a list! Think of anything and everything you want to accomplish this summer. It definitely beats just moping around and whining about how you’re “stuck here with nothing to do” because trust me, if you look hard enough, there are actually lots to do!
There are some pretty unusual and bizarre stuff in here, so I’ll be happy if I accomplish even 75% of this list. And if anyone out there reading this would help me accomplish anything on this list, I'll love you forever.
- Complete summer reading list (Oh look, another list)
- Pet a cow (I've seen cows before but never up close. I've always wanted to pet one!)
- Get a guitar
- Go to Six Flags Over Texas/Hurricane Harbor
- Have a successful summer as an patriot orientation leader (co-blogger Ryann Warner is an OL this summer too!)
- Complete 3-Pictures-On-Campus-Per-Week Project
- Finish decorating my room (I always tell myself I’d complete setting up my room but it never happens)
- Turn 19
- Learn how to cook a meal (I can't cook to save my life and I'm thinking it's about time I change that)
- Zip line (About 30 miles from Tyler. This is going to be a tough one considering I’m deathly scared of heights and they apparently sit on one of the highest elevations in Texas and have the longest zip line in Texas)
- Ride one of the golf carts seen around campus
- Get a B or higher in my summer classes- Calculus II, Gen Chem II
- Have a complete photoshoot (I’m a portrait photographer but with 18 credit hours each semester, I’ve never had the time to. If anyone’s interested in shooting with me, let me know!)
- Visit a zoo
- Drive to another state (I’ve flown to California and Colorado, but I want to cross over a state border on land)
There’s a twist to this story. Ready?
I don’t own a US driver’s license. Therefore, I don’t own a car.
Yes.
Can you imagine getting around town without a car? Almost everyone I know in Tyler has a car. Since I moved here last year, I’ve gotten around by spending a lot of money on cab and through my kind, kind vehicle-owning friends, and sometimes by the convenient Tyler bus.
So to complete even half of the things on this list, I’ll need more kind hearted friends to give me a ride and help this poor car-less soul accomplish a few things (I’m looking at you… if you have a car and you know me personally, or if you just want to be nice).
With that, I’d just like to say… May the odds be ever in my favor.
What are you looking to accomplish this summer?
12 comments:
1) What book(s) are you looking to read? I think you should update with a reading list!
2) You can accomplish quite a few things on your list VIA Tyler's public transport. It's extremely cheap for the buses here + carpooling to things is always easy to accomplish.
( BTW - I know about a lot of this as I have no car myself )
:D Good luck!
I read anything and everything. Seriously. A lot of fiction but I read non-fiction sometimes too. If you have any suggestions, let me know!
And yes, I am planning to post my summer reading list too.
And yay, car-less people unite! I actually am planning to accomplish some of these via public transport. I'm getting really good at that. I don't get lost anymore (happened a lot)
Thanks Michael :)
I totes got you on that guitar. Like totes migotes..... Yeah
You should read World War Z. Amazing book
I am a sucker for science fiction and fantasy, however I also read a lot of academic journals and "new" books when I can. One example of a "new" book would be "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" which was released recently. Its a *VERY* hard read, however it's a cultural perspective Westerners likely wouldn't experience without books like this. It's powerful.
On a ligher note ( okay ... maybe not ... ) I am a fan of George R R Martin's Song of Ice & Fire novels which has been released as a TV series on HBO recently. They're low-fantasy and they're amazing, minus the fact that most characters are moraly grey folk.
Other fun books have been Rick Riordan's Kane Chronicles, his Egyptian-based young-adult fantasy series. Riordan was known for his Percy Jackson novels, if you got to read any of those.
Patrick - Thanks partner, I'll hold you to that
Ryan - I've read a bit of it! I had this zombie-obsessed phase (I still am sometimes) and I came across that book. I'm putting it on my summer reads
Michael - Thanks for the suggestions :) Riordan is amazing. I'll probably start Kane Chronicles this summer. And also, I only pick up *VERY* hard reads if they're *REALLY* good so if you think Escap from Camp 14 is really powerful then I'm on it!
CORRECTION: I mean it's a hard read in that the subject matter is rough, seeing as how the content is about a North Korean imprisonment camp O.o''' ... That having been said, there is a lot of wonderful things in the book + I love how the one aspect that got him to want to save himself and get to the West was *food*.
Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene. Amazing nonfiction book that explains the last two hundred years of physics in a way that anyone can understand
OMG!!! I don't have a car either! It gets hard when you carry yourself to death with Walmart bags when I go buy groceries. But despite the obstacle, I plan to accomplish a few things this summer too. I want to go to Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor (I heard it's a blast :D) and also do some sight seeing and find some fun activities in Tyler itself. Any suggestions will be much appreciated :D.
P.S. I am also taking Gen Chem II, so I might see you in there :).
- A
I can/ help you see to it that you accomplish at least 6 of the things on your list! However there is a catch, I'm not going to tell you when this will be taking place.
May the odds be ever in your favor twinnie
:)
-REW
Michael- Ahh gotcha. So it's the subject matter that's hard and not the read. Interesting :)
Ryan- This is awesome because Physics is the only Science that I enjoy :) Thanks!
A- Hahah I know what you mean. Like I said car-less people unite! And there are a number of things to do in Tyler, there's bowling, putt-putt, movies, a rose garden that my fellow blogger Megan blogged about, there's a small but fun amusement park called Fire Mountain (you can look it up!) and a zoo! If you look up 'Things to do in Tyler' I'm sure you'll come across many more :)
And if you are taking Gen Chem II here at UT Tyler this summer, I WILL see you there!
Ryann- Ahh what is it? Now I'm excited. I hate suspense because I always NEED to know! When will I know? But thanks twinnie! CANNOT wait for July 1.
Well...if you were to number your list, here would be the numbers:
2, 4, 8, 9, 14, & 15. :)
Like I said, I am not going to tell you when these will occur just be prepared for them to occur at any given time!
Counting down the days until July 1st!
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