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Enter the HU: Skins Challenge Anyone ?

I was heading home to continue working on my class projects; afterall, I am a graduate student. I had picked up some travel necessities, since I am going abroad, and was about to walk into the subway when I got a call. My prof at the HU wanted me to come to this presentation, the "WMP Skins Challenge"

At first I was about to say I had work to do but after all the prof have done for me, I knew I was obligated to check this thing out. So after getting off the subway, I started walking to where the event was held on campus. It was in the audiotorium on left side of Blackburn. I looked around and saw some familiar faces but I was w0ndering would this be a waste of time.

Once the presentation started, I knew it wasn't a waste of time. Get this, for doing media player skins you get a free next gen video game console (provided you are a semifinalist). You all know what console it was. I wonder why so many of us (college students) slept on this opportunity. After all, the code to make the skin was free online and plenty of sources to help.

As usual, I saw several beautiful women but this chapter of the blog is not about beautiful women. Instead, it was something else I witnessed. These college students had put their heart and soul into creating some truly innovative skins. Not simply the push play and stop skin but truly unique. On top of that they were showcasing there video games they created for senior projects. (I still wonder why the Tute sleeps on video games with respect to computer science; come on my Tute professors, get with the times)

What made it a bigger deal was the high school students sitting in the audience. The college students presenting were hyping the areas of engineering and science to the high school students; specifically they were hyping the computer science major! I never felt so proud to be part of the HU.

It was during this presentation that I realized my fam (not literally family but fam as people who can identify with my situations) at the HU work just as hard as I did at the Tute during undergrad. Computer sciene can be a killer major but its rewards go beyond academics. These undergrad student could identify with my struggles, such as the long hours of coding and sleepness nights.

Computer science may sound scary and torturous but one thing I realized from my days at the Tute and computer science, I believe that after experiencing computer science, a person has a new perspective on life. Difficult times in life are not scary as you have been through dire struggles with your major. Long and sleepless nights are nothing. Things that seem impossible to create are not impossible, it just nobody thought of how to make it possible.

And you know what, from hearing the presentations that day, I think those HU seniors realized it too.

Enter the HU: No Email, No Facebook

There are many things I missed of the Tute and many things I glad I have at the HU. Of course I miss my CC crew but that's a whole other blog story.

When I was at the Tute, my email system was wonderful. I could access my email on any computer, anywhere, anytime. I could access email in any lab, shoot if I have a laptop I could access my email while pooping on the toilet, having sex, or playing basketball on the court (802.11 is a wonderful thing). My email world was beautiful.

Then I came to the HU. The notion of email I do not think is known here. Well, in relation to an email service being provided by the school that is. First off, no one told me I was provided with an email. Of course, this is assumed but usually the school lets you know or gives you an email or something. A couple weeks went by and nothing on the email front.

So I went snooping for my email address. I asked my friend and he told me its simply my name @ such and such. So I tried that and guess what happen. I got an error (FYI: Outlook Express is some crap I tell you...ok, maybe it just wasn't working for me)

I decided to go to the place that helps with emails and internet stuff for the school. I walked in and told the person my problem. They told me what I had to do: write my name down, register, and they walked me through the process. I did everything that was required of me.

The next day I tried out my email and it still didn't work. Totally pissed I walked back to the place. They told me to fill out this form with my contact information. To spare you the details, I visited the place 2 more times and and I was never contacted. NEVER CONTACTED!!! Totally pissed, I gave up on new school email address.

When I asked about the importance of having a HU address a friend told me simply: "Don't bother, the server is always down anyway." I couldn't get my HU address and I couldn't get on facebook through the HU.

I realized then that the opportunity of hollaring at HU women through facebook had slipped through my fingers.

Enter the HU: "You have 5 min during the 5 to 7 to holla at a girl"

Today, I was thinking about an experience that happen a couple months ago. I was sitting at the Shaw station waiting for the train to come. Looking over to the side, I saw this cute shorty (well probably not a shorty because I think she was taller than me, but anyway she was definitely cute).

I had only been on HU campus for a couple of weeks and I wanted to make sure that I capitalized on the social aspect of the HU. Plenty of beautiful women so I should talk to at least one, right? Well, time was against me.

I was formulating in my mind how I would approach her. What would I say? I done the talking thing but do I need to up my game. Then I looked up at the time when the train would be arriving at my stop. I had 5 minutes to do whatever I can to get this girl feeling me.

So the pressure was on. I did the general talk thing like what is your name among other things. I even had her laughing (with me). As she was getting ready to get on her train, I was trying to think of what should I ask for. Should I go for the number or the email or screenname. Instead I simply asked, "Are you on thefacebook?"

Well I didn't get the contact info but I did learn that I have to be prepared when I am at the subway stop because:

"You only have 5 min during the 5 to 7 to holla at a girl"

Enter the HU: "If I picked up every dime I found, I would be a rich man"

Back again with another observation of the HU. As I step away from the HU for a week, I have had more time to think about my observations. Well, my next observation is probably the obvious one that every guy has when coming to the HU:

"If I picked up every dime I found, I would be a rich man"


Although you wouldn't be literally monetarily rich, you be rich in your own right. That's the beauty of the HU where dimes are in abundace. From past experiences it wasn't always like that. In ugrad, it was more of a rarity to find a dime. You looked down and it was simply dust. Now, there were dimes in ugrad but in most cases someone already had picked the dime up and put it in their pocket. It was simply tougher to find dimes at the "Tute" than at the HU.

However, the dimes that you might find at the "Tute" were more approachable in the sense if that dime hasn't been picked up then people obviously didn't see her. Whereas at the HU, everyone sees the dime but you don't know whether to picked it up or not. Just like when you walk and see a dollar bill on the ground. Whose does it belong to? Is it all alone? Once you pick it up will someone walk over to you and say that's their dollar bill? I guess in the end its best to try to pick up the dime. Just hope that someone is not playing a crude joke where the dime is glue to the ground (and you will never be able to pick her up).

Enter the HU: "75 degrees is beautiful, and I am not talking about the weather."

So I have finally plopped down and started a blog. Many may wonder why would this person start a blog. Well when you are transitioning from the "Tute" of the brass rat to the HU, the black mecca, you would write a blog too. No, I didn't flunk out of the "Tute" but instead I am continuing my education at the HU.

Anyway, I digressed from the main point of my blog. You see there are many observations that are magnified when transitioning from different schools, well different cultures. When being stuck in a techy world, *cough* geeky, and then being introduce to the rest of civilization there is a lot of things that you see that will mesmerize or abhor your eye (depends on what you are looking for or at).

Well, being a guy you can probably guess what these things were/are. But yes, lets get to the meat of this blog. My First Observation:

"75 degrees is beautiful, and I am not talking about the weather."

For the analogy inclined, I am pretty sure you guessed what I am talking about but let me elaborate for everyone else so you all can get use to my style (i.e. the fun part of my blog will be for you all to interpret my analogies or rather I hope so).

It was a thursday, and I am walking to campus like I always do. As I am walking to the HU I realized how nice a day it was. It was the first day of actual warm weather since I have been enrolled at the Tute. Well, I didn't know what I was getting into. The closer I got to HU, the more the scenery changed for the better.

One walked by me and my head was tempted to turn. Another walked in front of me and I strained to keep my eyes from going straight down. Then there was two more, three more, and a couple more at the stop light at the intersection. I am not use to seeing this: a plethora of beautiful women all around me. People told me the scenery was nice but it was my first chance to really take it in, thank you spring. They must have been hiding during the cold weather (and this wouldn't be the first time). I tell you there is nothing nicer than 75 degrees at the HU, that's when the HU shows its true color: beauty.