iExamen

What a day I have had observing others and myself! It is truly exhausting to think about the way I communicate. It’s like thinking about thinking and then reflecting upon that. My overall conclusion is that people need to communicate. I don’t mean this in an offensive way at all, just simply an observation. My day began with an alarm, as it always does, which proceeded to awaken my slumbering roommate. I was soon up and on my way to a meeting with my Spanish professor.

On the way, I had time to think about the relationship I have with my roommate. He and I don’t usually speak, but it isn’t because we don’t like each other or we don’t get along. It’s because he would rather settle for co-existence than friendship; and I respect that. Despite our lack of friendship we still manage to have some casual conversation that keeps the situation from becoming awkward.

When I arrived at my professor’s door, she welcomed me in with a smile and helped me through revising my composition. This proved to be an enlightening experience. This one-on-one talk held the importance of a mentor to apprentice lesson. Following the actual work on the assignment, we continued to chat about related topics of my composition, when I was a child. I shared a story then she shared a story and I felt a connection. My professors are what drive me to be academic and continue to study. I also found that in the classroom, some people never speak at all while others carry the weight of entire class discussion. This confused me. Why would you want to attend a university and just sit idly and stare as get preached at by the professor? You have to have some thoughts going through your head that are somewhat relevant to the conversation. At least I hope so, because if you don’t then there really is no need to be sitting in the class, it’s a waste of your time.

I ate lunch with some friends that live on my floor in the dorms. As we talked about schoolwork and the upcoming weekend I noticed a lack of concentration by the people that were not the subject of the conversation or being directly spoken to. I feel like some people have a presence, when they enter a room or sit down at the table everyone wants to hear what they have to say. I also know that this is either something you have, or you don’t, and if you don’t have it then it takes forever to develop.

My period without technology came after classes and before choir. This time was, in part, spent in my room gazing out the window. I overlook the library and the Notre Dame campus next door. The land raises and falls in a wave pattern and I can actually see trees. I tried to imagine this land before Europeans arrived and brought their technology, built houses and roads. The feeling I felt was one of almost remorse. The earth was so natural and there was so much life. Now, in this cement tundra, I feel as if we have lost something that we will never see again. Perhaps in time the cement will crack and no one will be there to fix it. Maybe, the earth will return to its former glory. I feel this time is one where humans play a smaller role in destruction of beauty.

After returning to the real world I was almost disappointed to let my daydreams go, and so I decided to keep them. I know now not to loose sight of what is beautiful in this world, and I intend to keep observing; searching for the beauty in all.