College Student's Decade-long Journey Nears Its End

Graduation is right around the corner. It’s been a long, bumpy road and it actually feels surreal that I have the finish line in my sights. Being an on-again, off again student for over an entire decade isn’t something to be too proud about. I suppose persistence is a trait that could be derived from it but things definitely turned out differently from what I had originally planned on doing with my life. Yet, here I am, eleven years and four colleges later, and so close to having something to show for my hard work and determination. June can’t come any sooner.

By any means, balancing work and school is no easy task. In order to do so effectively entails being well organized and requires extensive time and sacrifice. When I first enrolled into college, I showed none of these characteristics. I would enroll in a full schedule and quickly fall behind, resulting in bad grades or dropped classes. There was a time when I became frustrated with my repetitive, irresponsible behavior and began to question whether continuing college was the right choice for me. I decided it was time to start acting like an adult and do whatever I needed in order to turn things around. I started by repeating every class in which I received a poor grade, working extremely hard to raise my GPA. I managed myself better as a part-time student and enrolled in online classes whenever possible. I successfully turned myself around and graduated from Bellevue College in June 2011 with an Associate Degree in Arts & Sciences.

During my last quarter at Bellevue College, I felt confident and comfortable enough to apply to the University of Washington. To my excitement, I was accepted and couldn’t wait to begin. I was honored to be a husky and I still am, as UW is a university with a brilliant reputation. As a UW student, I have fully committed myself to every one of my classes, impressively maintaining a 3.5 overall GPA. I am currently on track to graduate this spring with a Bachelor’s of Arts, double majoring in communication and social sciences.

Graduating from the University of Washington will be a great accomplishment and milestone in my life. I know that my degree will open more doors for me and allow me to find a job that I actually enjoy doing. By slacking off early in my college career, I created an overabundance of additional work for myself and almost gave up hope of graduating with a degree. Not being able to accept the embarrassment and letdown of it all, I whipped myself into shape and got back on track. With hard work and determination, almost anything can be achieved. Take it from me, I never expected to be where I am today.

Employees Rush Home, the Work Week in Their Rearview Mirror

On late Thursday afternoon, roads fill up with cars as people hurry home from their busy work day. For most of them, they know that there’s only one more day of work between them and the weekend. However, bumper to bumper traffic prevents them from getting home quickly, as the roads become even more condensed with cars. Horns blare and people begin to curse, as they exercise different methods of expressing their frustration and sharing them with the rest of the world.

Once on the freeway, the pace begins to pick up. A motorcycle cop parked on the shoulder of the carpool lane has his radar gun aimed at the oncoming vehicles, causing people to nervously tap their brakes. As cars, trucks, and motorcycles zip by, he keeps his aim steady, like a sniper with a target in his crosshairs. Suddenly, he lowers the radar gun, turns in the direction of his bike, and with the flick of a switch, the red and blue lights begin to flash, making the motorcycle light up like a Christmas tree. The police officer flags down an unfortunate speeding motorist, waving his arm in a slow, steady motion, directing them towards the guardrail.

As they get farther away from their workplaces and closer to their homes, drivers exit the freeway. During this time of day, traffic clogs the city roads, causing cars to bunch up tight. Stoplights change from red to green but the vehicles stay put, their engines idling quietly. As they slowly creep forward, drivers pass the time by playing their music loudly. They tune in to their favorite radio station or pop in their favorite cd, simply trying to distract themselves from their own frustrations. For most drivers, this process is part of their daily routine and they understand the importance of patience. Although being stuck in traffic is stressful, they know that they will be home soon enough and that tomorrow is Friday. Everything is better on Friday.

Thousands Flock to Emerald City Comicon

It’s a cloudy Saturday morning and thousands of people are lined up outside of the Washington State Convention Center, patiently waiting in the cold, breezy weather. Most individuals are casually dressed, sporting typical weekend wear, but others are dressed up as their favorite comic book or video game character. It is the second day of is the 11th annual Emerald City Comicon, a three-day event that has become more popular with each passing year. This year is the biggest of them all, occupying all six levels of the convention center.

Over the weekend, Emerald City Comicon will feature several celebrity guests. The 6th floor is reserved specially for them so they can sign autographs and take pictures with fans who are willing to pay the price. This year, Christopher Lloyd from the Back to the Future trilogy will be attending. Also appearing are Patrick Stewart from Star Trek, Gillian Anderson from the X-Files, and Adam West from the Batman television series.

On the 4th level, comic book panels are spread as far as the eye can see; artists and their booths take up the whole floor. Fans flip through large albums of original artwork, purchasing their favorite sketches. Some booths give away free comics and posters, mostly new artists trying to spread the word about their work. Others sell t-shirts, buttons, and jewelry. People stand shoulder to shoulder, squeezed together as they move from booth to booth.

On the 2nd floor, magnificent creations created entirely out of Legos are displayed on tables, as both children and adults stare in admiration. The most outstanding of them all is an amazing gigantic construction of Hogwarts, the castle from the popular Harry Potter series. A woman explains how the piece required over two-thousand hours’ worth of work, spanning over the course of eighteen months.

Whether it’s their first visit or eleventh, the attendees leave the Washington State Convention Center with new stories and memorabilia. Emerald City Comicon is an awesome experience, especially for those who have never been before. Comic books are a large part of popular culture, as several of them have been adapted into television series or movies. By visiting the many booths and exhibits at Emerald City Comicon, you’ll reconnect with your inner child.

Impatient Football Fan Anxiously Waits for Next Season

Waiting for the next NFL season to start is agonizing. As a big Seahawks fan, I wish I could watch them play year-round. I’m never ready for the season to finish and the way that it ended for us this year makes it especially frustrating. The Seahawks fell to the Atlanta Falcons after making what would have been the most impressive comeback in NFL playoff history. It makes me wonder what would’ve happened if they had been able to hold on to the lead for just a little longer. Regardless of the loss, the team looked significantly better this year and I have high hopes for the near future.

Becoming a Seahawks season ticket holder was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve always enjoyed watching Seahawks games on television, but being there in person is an entirely different experience. The enthusiastic screaming fans, with their faces painted blue, white, and green, wear the jerseys of their favorite players. They truly believe that they have an impact on the game, and as a fan, I do too. It’s the reason why we stand up every time our opponent is on third down, making as much noise as humanly possible. We take pride in being the loudest fans in the NFL, statistically speaking, since Century Link Field has logged more false starts than any other stadium for the past several years.

When game day arrives, the energy in downtown Seattle is unbelievable. Fans arrive many hours before the game to tailgate. Burgers and hot dogs sizzle, creating a wonderful scent that cause passersby to salivate. People pass around footballs, share favorite football stories, and discuss what they feel is most necessary for our team to finish the game with a win. The environment is so pleasing to me and it’s almost depressing that I’ll have to wait another six months before experiencing it again. I just keep telling myself, “At least you have something to look forward to!” September needs to get here faster!

Pike Place Market Provides Sights to See

On a gray Monday afternoon, people crowd together at Pike Place Market. In typical Seattle fashion, tourists watch in amazement as workers toss fish to each other. Men and women line up for beautiful, cheap bouquets of tulips and wildflowers. They move through the market slowly, like a herd of cattle, trying to take in all that is to be seen. Some browse through comic books and movie posters while others fill brown paper bags with fresh produce. There are many shops in the market and not one of them is empty.

Children line up outside as a heavy-set clown makes balloon animals. A polite young boy asks, “Could you please make me a puppy?” The clown reaches for his front pocket and pulls out a yellow balloon. After taking a deep breath, he puts the balloon to his mouth and blows into it until it turns into a long, skinny tube. He quickly twists and bends the inflated yellow tube, manipulating it into his preferred shape. His fingers rub against the balloon, making squeaky noises as the boy watches in awe. In less than a minute, the clown has created what looks like a yellow poodle and passes it to the youngster, who gladly accepts his gift.

Street performers capitalize on the huge crowds of people, as they compete for their attention. Across the street, an old man with white hair and a long beard sings songs while playing an old wooden piano. A half a block from him, a younger man draws an impressive audience as he hula-hoops while juggling. In order to see performances as unique as these, one would usually have to go to a carnival or circus. However, at Seattle’s Pike Place Market you never know what you’re going to see, which makes it the perfect tourist attraction.

Skiers and Snowboarders Sacrafice Sleep Sunday

While most people are sleeping in Sunday morning, several skiers and snowboarders across the Pacific Northwest get up bright and early to ensure that they make it to the slopes in time. Highway 2 to Stevens Pass is packed with cars, as people anxiously venture towards the snowy mountain. Most of the people have been looking forward to this moment the entire week and now they are so close that they can feel the cold mountain air.

It is a very busy day at Stevens Pass; there are lines everywhere you go. Cars line up to park, impatient skiers and snowboarders wait in line for their lift tickets, and when they finally get them they hurry over to stand in line to ride the lift. Regardless of the long waits, most of the people are just happy to finally be there.

The snow is falling hard today, which means there will be plenty of powder for everybody. Unfortunately, it is also very foggy and the higher you go up the mountain, the harder it is to see. Nevertheless, people ride the lifts to the top and cruise down, repeating the process over and over all day long.

At the end of the day, noses are runny, muscles and bones ache from the strenuous activity, and people are exhausted. The same people who anxiously hurried to the ski resort now can’t wait to get home to enjoy a hot shower. As passionate as people are about skiing and snowboarding, it really is a big investment. It takes a toll on your body and can be very costly. However, the payoff is the experience and satisfying feeling you get after a long, fun-filled day on the hill.

Sasquatch! Music Festival Gives Music Lovers Something to Look Forward to

Every Memorial Day weekend, thousands of music lovers flock to the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington to watch their favorite bands perform at the Sasquatch! Music Festival. The weather could be scorching hot or raining cats and dogs; nevertheless, the campground quickly reaches its maximum capacity as tents spring up and RVs squeeze their way in.

The Sasquatch! Music Festival began over ten years ago as a one-day event and has since evolved, growing into a massive four-day festival. As it continues to mature, it has become so popular that tickets quickly sell out, more rapidly every year. As a matter of fact, tickets to this year’s concert sold out in only a few hours.

Perhaps the most exciting band performing this year is the Postal Service. The band consists of Death Cab for Cutie front man Benjamin Gibbard and Dntel’s Jimmy Tamborello. Ten years ago, they released their only album and also performed at the third Sasquatch! Music Festival. However, they stopped performing together shortly thereafter. Flash forward to 2013, the Postal Service has reunited and will perform at this year’s concert.

Another band to be excited about is Mumford & Sons. After they recently surprised the world by winning a Grammy for Best Album of the Year, it is without a doubt that they will be headlining one of the four nights. There are several bands to be excited about but Mumford & Sons will definitely draw a large crowd. Regardless, there are currently tens of thousands of fans counting down the days to Memorial Day weekend. I know I can't wait!