Google Award
Today was an ok day, I only had two classes that combined 2.5 hours but it seemed longer than that. The teaching system here focuses on heaps of little assignments and I almost missed one this morning! I much prefer the bigger and beefier assignments as you have time to plan for them whereas here you are constantly thinking of what is due next.
I made it into the Farrand Dining hall for lunchtime today, only because I was one of the first in line at 11am. The food wasn't that spectacular this time. I had a chicken burger and salad. After my classes I went to the CU-Bookstore to return one of my books for a better copy because somehow I had bought one already defaced. The textbooks here are insanely expensive (even used ones) as I have probably already mentioned. I'm still waiting on that check (!) to arrive so I can purchase the rest. I did find some of our required textbooks online and I've linked them in the page here.
Before I leave for some dinner I'm going to leave you with a award I recently acquired.
Freakin’ textbooks!
Textbooks are so bloody expensive...sure I buy some textbooks back home but since the prices here are in USD I pay so much more, and just when you think that what you see is what you pay for - don't forget to add the 8.7% Colorado state tax. I'm currently awaiting my cheque to arrive from Australia but I was already forced to buy two as I need it for "homeworks". Yep, you guessed it, here at CU they call assignments, homeworks!
Another thing is that we have assigned readings to do before class. Sure it's different and can be beneficial but it does strain on the amount of free time that is left for you. So anyway that was my whinge for the day. I'll probably be in Denver this weekend so the next few posts could possibly have some interesting pictures. Until then, James.
Miss Teen
This Miss Teen thing made me crack up so much. But I guess if you were put on the spot so bad sometimes your mind just wanders and you say utter crap. Still, the answer she gives about "some people don't have maps", was pretty much a blonde thing 
No offence to any blondes out there, but this was an exception.
The question: “Recent polls have shown a fifth of Americans can’t locate the United States on a world map. Why do you think this is?â€
The answer: "I personally believe that US Americans are unable to do so because, uh, some people out there in our nation don’t have maps, and, uh, I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and, uh, the Iraq everywhere like, such as and I believe that they should, our education over here in the US should help the US, er, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries, so we will be able to build up our future for our children."
Go figure...
Stabbing at University Memorial Center
Talk about a hectic first day for CU-Boulder. I was in class when I heard the sirens. Here is the extract from the CU Breaking News page:
Update: 11:50 a.m. - At about 9:43 a.m. today the University of Colorado Police Department received a report of a stabbing that had occurred on the terrace of the University Memorial Center, located at 1669 Euclid Ave. on the main campus of the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Initial reports indicate that a male, believed to be in his 50s arrived on campus by car, then walked onto the terrace of the UMC. Witnesses reported that the man was talking or yelling in an "incoherent" manner. The suspect displayed a knife. The suspect grabbed a young male, believed to be a student, from behind, and drawing the knife across the victim's throat cut the victim in a "cutting" motion. The victim was able to get away from the suspect quickly. The victim was transported to the hospital.
University Police Officers who were nearby confronted the suspect and ordered him to "drop the knife." The suspect began to stab himself with the knife. Officers deployed a Taser to disable the suspect and then took him into custody. The suspect was transported to the hospital with injuries reported to be serious from the self-inflicted stab wounds.
Subscribe to the RSS feed for CU-Boulder 
New Student Convocation
Well I thought I might talk about the new student convocation that happened on the 24th of August. It's basically a time when all the freshmen of the university gather on Folsom Field (huge football field) to listen to the Chancellor give his welcome speech along with a few other little speeches regarding the transition from high school to college. The event is so huge and it was so hot, I was dripping wet. We all got to wear these t-shirts that said "Class of 2011". Well obviously that doesn't apply to me but I am new to the university so it was appropriate that I attended the event. Afterwards there was this huge party on Farrand Field and it basically was just heaps of free food and music - yay. I'll leave you with a few pictures from it.
To visit the whole gallery click here.
UC Recreation Center
Did you notice how I spelt "center" as C-E-N-T-E-R not "centre"? Well that's what I have to do now in this country. Well aside from that sidetrack, this evening, heaps of freshmen congregated into the UC Rec Center. There was free ice skating, rock climbing and other random little stores. It was jam packed. Probably the highlight of the whole night was the fact that each person was given $1000 in casino chips and obviously everyone was trying their luck at striking it big.
I sat myself down on the blackjack table merely because it was the only game I knew I was half-decent at. The dealer was such a character. The guy playing next to me was ridiculously funny also as he switched his $500 chip for a $50 when he knew his hand had lost. After all in the name of fun, I came out with $6000...and after heading to the roulette tables I went all in on red to double it to $12k.
Now came the auction for random prizes. I didn't have a big enough voice so I just 'donated' my $12k to Todor, a friend of my roommate Chris. He ended up winning a foam mattress for his bed after handing over $25k! Anyway I'm kinda scared of the weather right now, there's heaps of lightning so I better go Until next time...
Orientations
I hate orientations with a passion. I had to sit through the transition phase between high school and college all over again plus more. Well I guess I shouldn't because I'm still getting lost around campus. I've just woken up and I'm killing some time here before I head out for breakfast and then ripping out the map to find where the stupid room is. The campus is so big and it gets really embarrassing when you take such a long route just to get back to the dorms. Well I just realised the time and I GTG (!). Until next time.