#I suppose on that note -disclaimer- much of this info is from a high school advanced science class's Water Treatment unit

[ailithnight]

In fairness, water can have tastes and different waters (even different tap waters) can taste different. The tap where I live now tastes drastically different from the tap in Nashville where I grew up. Bottled water is the same. Both different brands and different localities of the same brand since most bottling places actually get their water local.

Interestingly, I hated the tap in Nashville. Although, there where other factors in my life at the time that steered me more often to sweet and caffeine, so... Anyway. The tap where I live now is tolerable. Don't love it, but I'll drink it when I'm thirsty. We didn't get much bottled water growing up (grandmother just didn't buy it often), so I don't really have a comparison there. But there's pretty much always bottled water here. And to my tastes, it's good water. Perfectly agreeable taste. And guess what! I drink a lot more water now than I ever did before.

Now before you say 'filter' at me like I'm dense. If I understand correctly, there are three primary factors (outside of an individuals plumbing situation) that affect how water tastes. Source, treatment, additives.

Even clean water can and usually does have trace minerals. Since water itself doesn't really have a flavor, what you are tasting is going to be that mineral profile.

It should come as no surprise that where exactly water comes from is going to affect what trace minerals are in it and how much of them there are.

Different localities also tend to have very slightly different treatment standards and processes. Which, again, will have different affects on that mineral composition. But the basics are the same. Disinfect and filter the water several times to remove impurities until it meets water purity standards.

The addition of things like chlorine and fluoride is once more going to add things which have a flavor to the otherwise flavorless water. And again, different places, slightly different practices. Additionally, bottled water companies like Dasani actually add trace minerals (after filtration) to try to keep a mostly consistent flavor around the world.

So; Source, Treatment, Additives. Now, an at home filter like a Brita is basically a secondary treatment process. So take a wild fuckin guess what running water through your filters is going to do.

(BTW, did you know that the chlorine added to water dissipates on it's own in an open container? That's why chlorine pools have to keep adding more. And also why my grandmother insisted on letting the water she watered her plants with sit in a pitcher for half an hour before dumping it on her flowers.)

All in all, water tastes like where it's from and what's been done to make it potable. Some people notice happen to notice this.

I wanna respect everyone’s preferences and I DO but there is a difference between Respecting and Understanding and that is where I am at with people who actively dislike Drinking Water. I know you exist. My brother is one of you. The Fuck do you mean “it tastes bad” it has the least amount of taste a thing can have. Fucking Air Scented LaCroix. “It tastes bad” fucking WINDEX tastes bad COW SHIT tastes bad. what the hell are you talking about

[ettaseverythingelse]

Things no one tells you about taking college credit when you’re still in high school

ok so i’m struggling through the harrowing bit of nonsense that is course registration right now, and so I’m compiling a list of things I wish people had told me about taking APs whenever I first decided to take 10 of them. This isn’t like “How to succeed in AP classes and ace the tests” there’s more than enough of that out there. This is, “ok so you have a heckaton of transfer credit for whatever reason. Now what?”

Disclaimer: I’m in at one university in the engineering college studying chemical engineering which means my experiences are not universal. I also came in with 34 credits dead set on chemE, so my situation is especially an extreme outlier. I’m writing this in the hopes that it helps someone in even a vaguely similar situation.

Ask Questions Early

Most likely you’ll have to take a stock set of “freshman classes” and you won’t fit into the nice little boxes they have laid out. I sat there like “I need two classes and there’s NO direction on where to go next” so when registration rolled around, I still didn’t know what to do and got stuck with 8ams. Don’t be me. As soon as you know you’re accepted and committed and going to that school, find the head of the department you’re interested in and ask for a meeting to sit down and explain your situation, so that way you’re ready for registration.

Plan Ahead for prereqs

I mean like all 4 years ahead - if you’re set on a major that’s pretty packed with mandatory classes and prerequisites (like engineering or something cross-disciplinary) this will be invaluable so you’re not crying over your schedule every semester during registration. Many colleges only offer classes every other semester in spring/fall, and prereqs mean you need to take them in a certain order, so if you don’t pay careful attention to those, you might be stuck just waiting around to catch up on one major specific class that’s a block on Everything Else even though you could otherwise move ahead.

Look at other options

Co-ops! Internships! Summer classes! A minor! A concentration! Study abroad! You might not be able to graduate a semester or a year early (I’m not even with essentially skipping a year’s worth of geneds) but you probably will have a lot of gaps in your schedule. Semesters that would normally be 18 credits might be 12 or less and you need to fill that time, but that means you have choices! Consider what works well with your future career plans - go to all the info meetings and talk to advisors. They’re there to help you plan around your program’s specific rules and adjust accordingly

Prereqs don’t always mean everything

Sometimes there are prereqs for classes that don’t make any sense: in my business classes everything is a prereq to everything else even though none of the classes are even vaguely related to each other. This is a pain. You have to play by their rules but consider asking for an override if you really need to make things fit.

In engineering, fluids had no prereqs so I took it, but the prof continually references stuff from chE 31 which I was *supposed* to take in the fall if I was following a normal flowchart and I have to tell him to slow down and review. ChE 31 should be a prereq for fluids but it’s not. Anticipate accordingly for similar situations and review with upperclassman friends.

Ask upperclassmen for help

A professor can make/break a class and taking that 8am or 7pm might be worth it. Some classes are graded much more leniently in a specific semester for some random reason. Sometimes taking summer classes is the way to go because of the way the class is set up. Professors will be extremely vague or jump around the chapter and just expect you to connect the dots on your own. You’re likely going to be in classes with upperclassman who have taken those other classes before and can give you that context. 

You can’t always follow that advice though. I’ve heard that taking physics fall semester is way more difficult than spring, but I HAVE to take it in the fall otherwise I can’t move forward with my degree. They can act as a guide but double check with your advisors.

Rehearse your explanatory speech now

In college as a first year, everyone you meet will be brand new, and if you’re at a big university, you’ll be meeting a lot of new people even after your first year, and the first two questions everyone asks are “What year are you?” and “What classes are you taking.” And when you tell someone you are taking thermodynamics or fluids or linear methods as a first year, suddenly everyone wants to know your life story. Prepare a standard schpeal so you can rattle it off quickly and move on with the conversation. Include it in emails to advisors you don’t know yet. Store it in a sticky note and copy/paste.

It’s stressful but with enough thinking ahead, you can figure out how to take the best advantage of all the things college has to offer! Good luck with registration to everyone that’s currently doing it!

[salems-varieties]

Anime for Halloween

I should have posted this before my movies list. But hell, It’s here now and Y’all can binge-watch over the next month. But little disclaimer. These are anime I have seen and ones I associate with Halloween because they have to do with something from the holiday. So anything with Vampires, witches, demons, etc. Anything I got a Halloween-y vibe from. This list is gonna be kind of long. Now time for me to suffer typing it and yall to get an idea from reading it. 

<<<<>>>>

Title

Synopsis

My thoughts on the Anime

Everything in bold is strictly my opinion. Agree to disagree with me, and put down your own opinion in repost or in the comments but be respectful. Rude or anything of the sort will be deleted or reported depending on the severity.

<<<<>>>>

07-Ghost

Teito Klein, a student at the academy, is one of the most promising soldiers produced. Although ridiculed by everyone for being a sklave (German for slave) with no memories of his past, he is befriended by a fellow student called Mikage. While preparing for the final exam, Teito uncovers a dark secret related to his past. When an attempt to assassinate Ayanami, a high-ranking official who killed his father, fails, Teito is locked away awaiting punishment.

This one is religious, HOWEVER, Demons and the Gods of Death kinda make it more Halloween-y so :p Also as a side note; It’s only subbed so all y’all who prefer dub are gonna be disappointed.

Ancient Magus Bride

Chise Hatori, a 15-year-old Japanese girl, was sold for five million pounds at an auction to a tall masked gentleman. Abandoned at a young age and ridiculed by her peers for her unconventional behavior, she was ready to give herself to any buyer if it meant having a place to go home to. In chains and on her way to an unknown fate, she hears whispers from robed men along her path, gossiping and complaining that such a buyer got his hands on a rare "Sleigh Beggy." Ignoring the murmurs, the mysterious man leads the girl to a study, where he reveals himself to be Elias Ainsworth—a magus. After a brief confrontation and a bit of teleportation magic, the two open their eyes to Elias' picturesque cottage in rural England. Greeted by fairies and surrounded by weird and wonderful beings upon her arrival, these events mark the beginning of Chise's story as the apprentice and supposed bride of the ancient magus.

I love this one so much. My only issue is what would have made it more Halloween inspired would have been if they’s gone through Samhain and not skipped straight to Yule. BUT monsters, mages, witches, alchemists, and fae make this anime perfect for magic inspire Halloween watch.

Another

In 1972, a popular student in Yomiyama North Middle School's class 3-3 named Misaki passed away during the school year. Since then, the town of Yomiyama has been shrouded by a fearful atmosphere, from the dark secrets hidden deep within.

Horror, horror, horror and gore. Enjoy this with friends and family who have a strong stomach and are old enough to not get scared. The deaths are absolutely horrific and it takes place all around a middle school class. (Read the novel, of the same name, it’s based off if you dare)

Ao no Exorcist

Humans and demons are two sides of the same coin, as are Assiah and Gehenna, their respective worlds. The only way to travel between the realms is by the means of possession, like in ghost stories. However, Satan, the ruler of Gehenna, cannot find a suitable host to possess and therefore, remains imprisoned in his world. In a desperate attempt to conquer Assiah, he sends his son instead, intending for him to eventually grow into a vessel capable of possession by the demon king.

Anyone who’s been around anime long enough knows or knows of this anime. Who wouldn’t have added this into their Halloween Anime list? It has to do with Demons and the Son of Satan.

Black Butler  

Young Ciel Phantomhive is known as "the Queen's Guard Dog," taking care of the many unsettling events that occur in Victorian England for Her Majesty. Aided by Sebastian Michaelis, his loyal butler with seemingly inhuman abilities, Ciel uses whatever means necessary to get the job done. But is there more to this black-clad butler than meets the eye?

Classic as well. Don’t forget the movies and season 3. We don’t speak of season 2 0.0″ Also the manga has taken a VERY dark turn as of recent so if you’re looking for reading material, there you go.

Blood-C 

Peaceful schoolgirl by day, fearsome monster slayer by night, Saya Kisaragi is leading a split life. Equipped with a ceremonial sword given to her by her father for sacred tasks, she vanquishes every monster who dares threaten her quiet little village. But all too soon, Saya's reality and everything she believes to be true is tested, when she overhears the monsters speak of a broken covenant—something she knows nothing about. And then, unexpectedly, a strange dog appears; it asks her to whom she promised to protect the village, curious as to what would happen if she were to break that promise. Tormented by unexplainable visions and her world unraveling around her, we travel with Saya through her struggle to find a way to the truth in a village where nothing is as it seems.

Another very gory anime. Children, please do avoid.

Bloodivores

60 years ago, a strange case of insomnia struck the population, forcing them to stay awake for more than a full week. The victims, completely sleep deprived, all went mad. To cure this illness, a new medicine was produced, but the side effects turned the patients into vampires. Humanity went to war against this new species and triumphed, but some of the vampires managed to survive. Born from a Human and a Vampire, the main character Mi Liu, "The Child of Hope," is to represent the new hope that will connect the two species. Ringleader of a bank robbery, Mi Liu is arrested and transferred to a special prison of the National Defense Agency that monitors Vampires.

Genetically created vampires. Need I say more?

Blood Lad

Staz Charlie Blood is a powerful vampire who rules the Eastern district of Demon World. According to rumors, he is a bloodthirsty and merciless monster, but in reality, Staz is just an otaku obsessed with Japanese culture and completely uninterested in human blood. Leaving the management of his territory to his underlings, Staz spends his days lazing around, indulging in anime, manga, and games.

A vampire otaku... Thank you, this is exactly what I needed. 

D.Gray-Man

Losing a loved one is so painful that one may sometimes wish to be able to resurrect them—a weakness that the enigmatic Millennium Earl exploits. To make his mechanical weapons known as "Akuma," he uses the souls of the dead that are called back. Once a soul is placed in an Akuma, it is trapped forever, and the only way to save them is to exorcise them from their vessel using the Anti-Akuma weapon, "Innocence."

*Piece of advice. D. Gray-Man the first series was not finished in Dub if you’re one who prefers Dub. So heading into D. Gray-Man Hollow, you’ll be confused as hell. It’s best to just watch Sub so you don’t have to worry about missing a huge chunk of info. 

But if you like anime about demons and exorcists there’s more than just Blue Exorcist. This one I suggest because it’s phenomenal, but that’s personal opinion XD

Dance with Devils

Ritsuka Tachibana has always been a good student, so she is completely shocked when she is suddenly summoned by the student council. Even more, they seem to think of Ritsuka as a troublemaker. Led by the handsome Rem Kaginuki, the student council—also consisting of Urie Sogami, Shiki Natsumizaka, and Mage Nanashiro—tries to question her, but it soon becomes clear that they have ulterior motives.

This is one based off an Otome (Dating game) so try YT for gameplay if you wanna see the whole story. Yet another about demons and exorcists, but this time there are vampires and Cerberus added to the mix. Plus for those who know-how Otome heroines are basically pushovers, this one has a strong-willed girl as our protagonist. Thank you, Ritsuka for breaking the mold T/\T

Diabolik Lovers

At the behest of her father, Yui Komori goes to live in a secluded mansion, home to the six Sakamaki brothers—Shuu, Reiji, Ayato, Kanato, Laito, and Subaru—a family of vampires. Though at first the siblings are confused as to why the girl has arrived, they soon realize that she is to be their new "sacrificial bride," not to mention their other, more carnal intentions for her. After meeting the brothers, Yui quickly begins to question why her father would have sent her here and why she feels a strange, new pain in her chest. With each brother more sadistic than the last, Yui's life as a captive takes a harrowing turn in her new home. As her days turn into endless nights, and each brother vows to make her his own, Yui falls deeper and deeper into madness and ecstasy.

Otome with like 4? games, try YT for gameplay. I’m a little sad that it only has two seasons and the episodes are like 13-15 minutes long. Still, if you like Otome based games, you’ve most likely seen this. DO NOT EXPECT VANILLA ROMANCE. THIS IS NOT A FUN RIDE IF YOU EXPECT THAT.

Death Note

A shinigami, as a god of death, can kill any person—provided they see their victim's face and write their victim's name in a notebook called a Death Note. One day, Ryuk, bored by the shinigami lifestyle and interested in seeing how a human would use a Death Note, drops one into the human realm.

Classic... But not my personal cup of tea. I added it because it’s a salute to one of my dear friends.

Little Witch Academia

"A believing heart is your magic!"—these were the words that Atsuko "Akko" Kagari's idol, the renowned witch Shiny Chariot, said to her during a magic performance years ago. Since then, Akko has lived by these words and aspired to be a witch just like Shiny Chariot, one that can make people smile. Hence, even her non-magical background does not stop her from enrolling in Luna Nova Magical Academy.

This one is just cute and intense. Witches are starting to die out but one girl wants desperately to be a witch like her idol was. I love how this brings in witchy elements and some fairy tale elements.

Makai Ouji: Devils and Realist

The story revolves around William, an aristocratic family's progeny with rare intellect. One day, his uncle lost his possessions after his business failed. Fearing that his family's name has been tarnished, William returns home and searches with his family's butler for anything that can be converted into cash. A search of the premises yields an underground room left by an ancestor. In the room is a magical seal, and William unintentionally summons a devil. The summoned devil tells William his name Dantalion and reveals that William is the designator who can choose the acting ruler of the demon world.

If realists were like William, I think the world would be on fire. The poor people that have to deal with him. At least most of them are demons, maybe that will knock his head into gear... right?

Miira No Kaikata 

High school student Sora Kashiwagi is accustomed to receiving bizarre presents from his father, who is on an expedition around the world. Unfortunately, these gifts have been nothing but nightmares. As a result, when his father sends him a huge package from Egypt, Sora prepares himself for the worst, only to be greeted by Mii-kun—a cute, pint-sized mummy! While initially wary, Sora soon learns that Mii-kun is harmless, a delicate creature yearning for attention.

I can understand people who don’t like horror or gore. I was there once. So here’s a cute anime about a boy and his pet mummy. Sanrio really did a great job turning the manga, which was darker than the anime, into something so cute and so wholesome.

Mirai Nikki

Lonely high school student, Yukiteru Amano, spends his days writing a diary on his cellphone while conversing with his two seemingly imaginary friends Deus Ex Machina, who is the god of time and space, and Murmur, the god's servant. Revealing himself to be an actual entity, Deus grants Yukiteru a "Random Diary," which shows highly descriptive entries based on the future and forces him into a bloody battle royale with 11 other holders of similarly powerful future diaries.

I have no word on this.

Owari no Seraph

With the appearance of a mysterious virus that kills everyone above the age of 13, mankind becomes enslaved by previously hidden, power-hungry vampires who emerge in order to subjugate society with the promise of protecting the survivors, in exchange for donations of their blood.

The Apocolypse starts and vampires rule the world. I dunno if that sounds like heaven or hell for me? But in this world, it would certainly be hell. Vampires rule the world but that doesn't mean the humans are gone. An army rises to protect what’s left from the bloodsuckers. And did I mention demons? Along with the concept of corrupt angels? Oh yeah, that’s gotta be hell on earth.

Pandora Hearts

To young Oz Vessalius, heir to the Vessalius Duke House, the perilous world called the Abyss is nothing more than a folktale used to scare misbehaving children. However, when Oz's coming-of-age ceremony is interrupted by the malicious Baskerville Clan intent on banishing him into the depths of the Abyss, the Vessalius heir realizes that his peaceful life of luxury is at its end. Now, he must confront the world of the Abyss and its dwellers, the monstrous "Chains," which are both not quite as fake as he once believed.

I couldn't have found a better gif for this anime. It’s Alice in Wonderland inspired but with a much darker twist than what Disney gave us (and yes I do mean both the original and the Tim Burton version). Enjoy this one because it’s not all dark there is humor to break up the heart-wrenching. But don’t expect it to always be comical. 

Phantom in the Twilight

Set in modern-day London, the story takes place in a world where "Shadows" are born from human fear and anxiety. A young girl arrives to study abroad, only to be caught in a bizarre incident as she enters university. In a city with no acquaintances, the helpless girl wanders into "Café Forbidden," a mysterious café that exclusively opens at midnight. She meets an assortment of handsome men employed at the café, where guardians who protect the boundary between humans and shadow convene

Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and even demons; this one would be great for Halloween. I will admit though, it’s lackluster considering these guys are supposed to be Dracula, the Wolfman, and so on. It might be someone’s cup of tea, just not everyone’s 

Rosario to Vampire

Youkai Academy is a seemingly normal boarding school, except that its pupils are monsters learning to coexist with humans. All students attend in human form and take normal academic subjects, such as literature, gym, foreign language, and mathematics. However, there is one golden rule at Youkai Academy—all humans found on school grounds are to be executed immediately!

I couldn’t get through this one. I’m not gonna lie. It was basically light hentai and I’m not into that kinda stuff, but I feel like someone would have called me out for it not being here so T-T

Servamp 

Mahiru Shirota firmly believes that simple is best and troublesome things should be avoided at all costs. It is troublesome to do nothing and regret it later—and this ideology has led the 15-year-old to pick up a stray cat on his way home from school. As he affectionately names the feline Kuro, little does he know that this chance meeting will spark an extraordinary change in his everyday life.

I’m gonna be completely honest, the manga was better. I love the anime don’t get me wrong. I’ve rewatched it many times. But it cut out so much from the manga. So as an anime, watch it first before reading the manga, then go back and nitpick. If you do it the other way around you may be more disappointed.

Soul Eater

Death City is home to the famous Death Weapon Meister Academy, a technical academy headed by the Shinigami—Lord Death himself. Its mission: to raise "Death Scythes" for the Shinigami to wield against the many evils of their fantastical world. These Death Scythes, however, are not made from physical weapons; rather, they are born from human hybrids who have the ability to transform their bodies into Demon Weapons, and only after they have consumed the souls of 99 evil beings and one witch's soul. This one is perfect for Halloween with it’s dark but funny themes. If you prefer the cutesier stuff like I do sometimes try Soul Eater NOT! The concept of soul-eating monsters and a school that teaches teens to fight and destroy them, A+ content. Plus some of those teens turn into actual weapons. Where is my sign up sheet? I would gladly take that over normal boring high school. Also add the grim reaper into the mix then give him a funny voice and disposition. Gold I tell ya.

Togainu no Chi

In the wake of a third world war that left Japan in ruins, an organization known as Vischio seized control of Tokyo and renamed it Toshima. Taking place in its back alleys are battle games known as Igura, overseen by the Vischio, in which contestants battle and bathe in each other's blood to earn the chance to go up against its tournament's king, Il-re.

This one is for all my lovely fujoshi/fudanshi peoples. It’s a dark anime and based off a rated M, BL Otome. Sinners welcome.

Tokyo Ghoul

Tokyo has become a cruel and merciless city—a place where vicious creatures called “ghouls” exist alongside humans. The citizens of this once great metropolis live in constant fear of these bloodthirsty savages and their thirst for human flesh. However, the greatest threat these ghouls pose is their dangerous ability to masquerade as humans and blend in with society.

This one is mainstream for a reason. It’s a good story, anime or manga. Mainly manga. Anyway, I haven’t seen Re yet, but I’ve heard it’s sheit. Still gonna watch it though cause why the hell not.

Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru

Growing up as an orphan, Yuki Sakurai questions his reason for living and the ability to see a person's painful memory by simply touching them. After receiving anonymous notes telling him to die, Yuki is unable to shake off the nagging feeling forming inside of him. Unbeknownst to him, he is being watched, both by people who want to harm him and those who want to protect him.

Reincarnation from a girl to a boy and the girl had a hot lover that is now with her male reincarnation. And the lover is a vampire. Man, that’s confusing but the story is good. I have yet to read the manga. The anime was great from what I can remember, so give it a shot. It’s another BL anime, so proceed with caution.

Vampire Knight

Cross Academy is an elite boarding school with two separate, isolated classes: the Day Class and the Night Class. On the surface, Yuuki Cross and Zero Kiryuu are prefects of the academy and attempt to keep order between the students as classes rotate in the evenings. As the Night Class is full of utterly gorgeous elites, this can sometimes prove to be a bit difficult. It is completely necessary, however, as those "elites" are actually vampires. Yuuki and Zero act as guardians, protecting the secrets of the Night Class and the safety of their ignorant morning counterparts.

If twilight was an anime, but Bella and Edward were siblings and Jacob was another vampire. This is not a great anime but let's face it, some of us watched it as preteens, enjoyed it, and were head over heels for Zero and/or Kaname. It’s a trash anime, but great for those who are 21 and over. Do I hear drinking games, anyone?

All synopsis came from My Anime List (where the links take you). Also, I’m sorry it’s a lot to read, I just didn’t want to cut them down. Feel free to add what you think should have been on here, or what you think is a Halloween favorite on reposts. Comments are welcome and have a happy spooky season!

[dancerstudying]

first semester: grades + some thoughts

hi friends! so, I just finished my first semester of college (aka university to those of you not in the US). after a week of finals and lots of stress, I’m now at home, safely ensconced in the couch doing as little as possible. however, final grades were due today, so I thought I’d take a moment to run through what my grades were and kind of reflect on them. I wanted to do this both bc I thought it could give people a better idea of the transition b/t high school and college grades-wise, and also as a record for myself.

a note/disclaimer:

if you don’t want to know what my grades were, you don’t have to read this! I’m not trying to brag and I don’t want this to be something to compare yourself to! everyone is on their own path and has their own definition of success -- a bad grade for me might be a great one for you, and vise versa.

also, this will probably get pretty long. grab a snack.

some background about grades in the US

grades are given on a scale from A to F, with A being the best and F being a fail (we skip E tho idk why). grades are based on a combo of exams, quizzes, assignments, and essays, with the specific percentage/which of these counts determined by the professor. this varies from school to school or even from class to class but generally the scale is

A: >93.3%

A-: 90-93.3%

B+: 86.7-89.9%

B: 83.4-86.6%

B-: 80-83.3%

ok I’m tired of typing things out but you get the point. this pattern continues in the 70s for C and the 60s for D. usually anything below a 60 is an F (fail) but again this can depend. some classes are graded on a curve, where the grade boundaries are moved either up or down so that the majority of students get a B-/C+, which is supposed to be the average. this prevents grade inflation and also helps you out if the class is very difficult and test averages are in the 50s or 60s (pretty common for classes like organic chemistry).

some background about my grades in high school

I feel like this info is important for context and also to give an idea of the academic level I generally operate at (okay that sounds v pretentious). anyway, it’s pretty generally expected that you can expect to see a drop in your grades from high school to college. this differs based on a ton of things, but almost everyone experiences it so it’s totally normal and to be expected! anyway, I went to a fairly competitive and well-ranked public (government funded) high school, and I grew up in a well-educated university town, so I felt I was pretty prepared for college. I took mostly AP/honors courses and ended with a 3.95 GPA (unweighted) when I graduated. basically, I was almost a straight A student with a few Bs in there (thanks to pre-calc and AP Spanish). 

I’m now at a fairly selective school, though not anything close to the Ivy League -- I think the acceptance rate for my class was 17-18%. of course, selectivity is not a great indicator of how difficult classes are, as many selective schools (particularly Ivy Leagues) have rampant grade inflation.

my majors are neuroscience and dance and I’m on a pre-med track.

anyway, let’s get down to the nitty gritty: my grades this semester.

early modern England (3 credit hours): A- 

I took this course because I placed out of introductory writing but still needed a writing-intensive course and it seemed interesting enough. honestly, it was much more difficult than I expected. I consider myself a fairly good writer, but the professor I had for this course was a tough grader for papers. I did manage to get an A on my final paper which was a victory. after easily getting all As in writing and history classes in high school, an A- is a little hard to accept. however, I worked really hard in this class and am honestly satisfied with my grade as I know most people do not do as well in this class. it was also a 2000 (sophomore level) class, so I was definitely being challenged.

intensive ballet IV (3 credit hours): B+

so, this is my lowest grade. at first, I was really disappointed by it, but it is a 4000 level course (mostly juniors and seniors) and we’re graded based partially on skill, so I have to accept it and move on and just hope to do better next semester as I’m taking ballet IV again. I know I could have worked harder in this class so I’m not going to complain about it, just learn from it and try to improve.

intro to cell & molecular biology (3 credit hours): A

this is probably what I’m proudest of. this class is known for being a true weed-out course for pre-meds and most people just hope to pass, but I got an A! it feels especially good because I know I worked hard for it and didn’t just skate by on natural intelligence. I also hadn’t taken biology since freshman year of high school so there was a steep learning curve. I didn’t just do well, I honestly learned so much and doing well in this class confirmed for me that pre-med is the right choice.

general chemistry I - lecture (3 credit hours): A-

I have such a complicated relationship with chemistry, and honestly, I’m really glad I’m done with this class. I hate to blame professors but sometimes you just get a really bad one and this was one of those cases. his lectures were extremely disorganized and he didn’t explain things clearly at all. it’s partially my fault that I didn’t get an A, though, as I definitely could have put more time and thought into studying, especially for the final. it was just so hard to stay motivated when I could barely follow lectures. I have to take gen chem II next semester but thank god I have a different professor.

general chemistry I - lab (1 credit hour): A

not much to say about this one. I’m happy to have gotten an A since it really intimidated me at first -- lab in college is way more serious than in high school. I learned how to write a proper lab report which is an important skill as a science major.

honors colloquium (1.5 credit hours): A

I loved this class soooo freaking much. everyone in the honors program has to take a first year seminar and I chose one about modernism and if it’s still relevant to the contemporary world. it was also a discussion based class which I love and I got to write my final paper on literally any topic I wanted and how it was related to modernism (mine was about the modernist search for identity in The Handmaid’s Tale, and I’m so proud of that paper, especially considering I wrote it the day it was due). anyway, not a super hard class, but still proud of that A.

urban sociology (3 credit hours): A

another class which I loved. I found it kind of easy as it was mostly memorization of concepts and theorists and I have a good memory, but I did put more effort in than I would have to an “easy” class in high school, and was rewarded by getting 100% on the final! would highly recommend sociology to literally anyone -- I’m taking another sociology class next semester and am considering a minor in it.

dance company (1 credit hour): A

this is like, not a real grade because dance company isn’t even a real class -- it’s just on my schedule so I can get credit for performing in the fall dance show. I’m pretty sure everyone who shows up to rehearsals and performances gets an A. regardless, I’m happy for the boost to my GPA.

so that’s it! overall, I ended with a 3.7925 GPA. I have to confess that it is slightly lower than I would have liked, but I’m overall happy with my efforts considering this was my first semester of college. my class load next semester is a little bit lighter, both in terms of credits and in terms of difficulty of classes, so that will hopefully make things a little more manageable. I have to have a 3.6 by the end of this year and a 3.8 by the end of sophomore year to stay in the honors program, and considering I’m almost at a 3.8 now I think it’s completely doable. 

I hope this was useful to those of you who are starting college soon. obviously this differs from school to school and especially if you’re not in the US, but in general you can expect a slight dip in your grades. it shouldn’t be anything dramatic if you can keep organized and on top of things, but there are a lot of transitions associated with starting college so don’t feel badly if things don’t go according to plan! you have time to make up for it, and med schools/law schools/grad schools know that grades your first semester of freshman year are not necessarily fully reflective of your abilities and will likely pay more attention to your grades later on.

thanks for reading this whole rambling thing! also, I might make a separate post about differences in grades between high school and college (how things are weighted, harshness of grading, etc.) so let me know if you’d find that helpful!

[mellowmoonballoon]

P5 of the Primer - HAN

Info: I tried to add twice now some extra info in Changbin’s primer and the edit just wouldn’t stick. Maybe there are just too many pics who knows.

Disclaimer: I love Han SO MUCH. SO MUCH. That I can’t talk about him? So this will either be really short. Or. My feels will start spilling and it’ll last forever.

I would let him murder me.

He is yet another guy who is one of the best rappers of his generation in this band. (He likes melodic rap. In his own songs he also likes auto tune way too much but luckily Bang Chan makes him rap without it lol.) But he is also an incredible singer and can go high. Like... HIGH.

The first song they ever made as SKZ was Hellevator on the survival show and apparently Bang Chan wrote it a little too high (female key)... and none of the singers wanted it, so BC was like “Han?” and Han said yes.

And JYP was like “this is very high how the hell?” and BC said “that’s interesting” and wrote District 9 even higher.

He also writes lyrics, like Changbin. He is famous for his freestyle and his shitty memory so when people are amazed at how quickly he writes the lyrics, it’s learned behavior :P

He famously forgets lyrics, dance moves and... where the hell he’s supposed to be on stage.

2 scenes related to this: 1. During the survival show he is writing with Changbin and he improvises something and Changbin is like “write it down quickly” because clearly he KNOWS.

2. They had to write a rap for monthly evaluation and the procrastinator that is Han just ... didn’t. So he freestyled it. But because he was nervous he wasn’t looking at the camera so they told him he had to do it again. and lol he couldn’t... but he faked it :D they did notice but somehow he lived. :D

In this same video Han talks about how he heard Changbin’s voice before their rap battle and he was worried so he crushed baby Changbin with no mercy. And in 2kids room with Felix he talks about how he used to be jealous of his deep voice bcs he always wanted a deep voice and he used to force his voice down which damaged his throat. :(

He is absolutely hilarious and it’s such an in the moment and well timed thing that i find that most compilations don’t do it justice so just... trust me.

Wait I found an example! Thank you Han G Close:

He is also the warmest person. I’m not going back to handholding pics but he was the one who held Minho’s hand during the rap. He was the first to walk up to Minho when he got eliminated. The first to hug Felix when he was eliminated. The first to hug Bang Chan when BC was having a cry because he was so happy he had them all. He also broke down and cried himself for 8 minutes straight when they won their first award - and was in turn hugged by everyone.

I mean everyone was happy crying but Jisung (hey fun fact, his full name is Han Jisung and I switch between them like a swing) had a little breakdown. His attitude toward work is basically that if he stops, he’ll sink. He’s always hungry for more and he’s worried that if he takes a break he’ll fall behind. This is a really high pressure mentality to have when you’re also a procrastinator so, I’m assuming things get rough sometimes. 

Also, his parents sent him to school in Malaysia once upon a time. He was there for a while and seemed to not hate it, but he wanted to try his hand at becoming a musician. So he went to Korea to pass some tests, which he did, and he made a deal with his parents that he’d have a year and if he didn’t debut, he’d go back and continue his education. Well, they debuted, but I’m guessing this was a first recognition of their success on such a level.

Storytime, he didn’t think he was good enough for JYP Entertainment so a friend dragged him to the audition and he was very chill because he basically assumed he’d fail. When your low self-esteem plays you! Spoiler, he didn’t fail.

Aside from self-esteem issues he has actual anxiety. So, being around a lot of people can be not good for him. It’s why he sometimes doesn’t participate in social events that aren’t that important, why he had to leave a fanmeet early once etc. And it’s why his manager tends to stick close to him when they walk through airports with fans and reporters there. Bang Chan talked about how they know he’s dealing with this and are there to help him and are all kinda tackling it together.

He has talked about how on stage, the members and fans lift his energy and you can really see that his on stage persona is so free and confident <3

Anyway. Han likes hugs and kisses.

Re: I.N

Re: Felix

(no makeup han is just... a softer version of makeup han)

Seungmin

You get the point.

He is also a bit of a slob and in his own words, “doesn’t like moving”. He did in fact throw a wallet at Seungmin for daring to ask him to clean one day.

he has since apologized :D

I am ready to tackle Han and Minho.

Let’s start with this whole conversation:

Han: Could you please not touch my butt, Hyunjin? Minho: *grabs Han's butt* This is mine Han: Don't claim your ownership over my but please, sir. Minho: Only I can touch it. Han: No, my butt is mine. Minho: You always touch mine too. Han: No I don't! Minho: After I take a shower, you always touch it.

Han’s “you got me there” face:

Hyunjin: Honestly though, after a shower, Han does smack it once.

This. Fucking. Thing.

And also Han doing a solo and Changbin exposing Minho:

Whatever this was supposed to be (note, Han is shorter than Minho, he’s just being held up romantic stylez):

Mo:

This expression on Minho’s face specifically:

10 solid minutes of this:

And yes, Minho’s legs ARE wrapped around his waist thank you for asking.

It was like that from the start tho.

Ok ok I’m done with that.

Anyway Han’s cheeks are a blessing and he stuffs them with food for our entertainment and I love him for it.

Was born one whole day before Felix and together they make the Sunshine Twins:

In conclusion Han is ... incredible rapper, singer and writer, best friend, funny as heck, amazing cuddler, deserves all the hugs.

This also concludes the 3racha members: Chan, Changbin and Han.

So it seems like a good time to drop some 3racha is a gift gifs.

Bang Chan - Minho - Changbin - Hyunjin - Han - Felix and Felix2 - Seungmin - Jeongin