My first semester...

at Clemson feels like it was both ages ago and just yesterday.  But it was only a year ago (and a whole year ago).  It's weird.

I went to campus Tuesday to help out the AWWA with the Tiger Prowl, an event for incoming freshman to scope out the organizations they might be interested in joining.  I'm president-elect for the AWWA.  I don't think I've mentioned that.

In April/May/something like that, the AWWA (the same organization that held a great "employment panel," a networking event for those interested in the water/wastewater field) had a meeting to determine next year's executive committee.  The way it works is that the president-elect, treasurer and secretary are all voted in.  The president is last year's president-elect.  So, next year's president-elect is this year's president-elect.  ANYWAY.  I signed up to be treasurer since I'm good with money (lame, but I wanted to be involved in some way).  I noticed one of my classmates was signed up as president-elect, and he seemed a good fit, so I wasn't going to "fight" him for the position.  What happened though, is that nobody actually signed up for president-elect, and they just randomly chose someone.  So, long story short, I became the president-elect since they already had people for all the other positions.  What this means is that next year, I become the president, and that this year and next, I have an all-expenses-paid trip to the South Carolina Environmental Conference for this year and next, which is apparently a great event for networking. :) I'm thrilled!

Did I mention a few years ago about a job offer from University of Pennsylvania (basically I would have been doing exactly the same thing as a previous job, being their all-around tech person--something I really enjoyed)?  I've been watching a TV series for teens that's really more like a soap opera for teens and they're all going to college, etc., so I've been thinking about the "status symbol" of going to an Ivy League college. (I WILL NOT divulge what show I'm watching.)  The person that offered me the job said that it wouldn't be difficult for me to get into UPenn as a student.  I sometimes wonder if I made a mistake in not taking the job.  How awesome would UPenn look as an employer AND my alma mater on my resume?  Think of the networking I could've had.  They also offer a B.S. in environmental engineering.  On the other hand, as the #5 school in the country, I might have a 2.5 GPA instead of a 3.5.  *shrug*  Who knows.  Maybe in some alternate universe, I'd be regretting my UPenn decision. ;)

So, anyway, those are my thoughts over the last few days.  My classes are mostly "blah" so far.  I hate my schedule.  My classes don't start until 11:15AM at the earliest, which drives me CRAZY.  I like to get my classes done as early as possible so I can focus on studying/work, and besides that, by the time I arrive at class, I'm a sweaty mess and THERE'S NO PARKING.