More Mail

UPDATE: This was the last post of this blog. Army craziness got the better of me as I neared my move to NYC and left me with no time to devote to writing. Keeping up with classes at Columbia is far too time consuming for me to continue writing at this point. This blog will remain up, and maybe some day I will come back to it but for now it will remain a shrine to pre-frosh anxiety. Thanks for reading! -Ben

Today I finally got my orientation mailing.
It's pretty useless.

It talks about COOP - not gonna do it.
CUE- also, not gonna do it.
Summer Advising Sessions - still going to be here so that's a third no.

It also talks about activating our e-mail addresses (something I have yet to do) and a send a bunch (well, two) pictures. One is due on may 31st via the net and the other is a passport sized photo I ave to send snail mail for my ID.

The encouraging new it shares is that international move-in day is August 26th. I guess that means I get an extra day in the dorm to get things settled.

Stupid Sabbath

Was going to call Columbia re my financial aid application. I forgot that Sunday isn't a work day outside of Israel.

Damn.

Financial Aid Frustrations!

After tracking my financial aid application (a proccess that in and of itself is quite frustrating) I have come across a piece of information that makes me want to break some china dishes. Apparently my application was "selected for a process called 'Verrification'. To quote Satan himself the US Department of Education:

In this process, your school will be comparing information from your application with signed copies of your and your parent(s)’ 2006 Federal tax forms, or with W-2 forms or other financial documents.

As if I haven't filled out enough damn forms!

The law says we have the right to ask you for this information before awarding Federal aid.

Thanks for rubbing that in. @ssholes.

Guess I better call Columbia tomorrow and see what they want from me.

To UNI or not to UNI? Can You Repeat The Question?

Everyone seems to have a UNI (University Network ID) except me. I think it has to do either with the fact that I'm an international applicant or that I deferred. I need this UNI for such critical tasks as creating my Columbia e-mail and joining the Columbia Facebook network. The humanity!

Class Selection, Round I - FIGHT!

So I've had a little time to go over the list of classes for next year and these are the preliminary choices I've made:

Fall Semester: Calculus Physics Chemistry University Writing Computer Science

Spring Semester: Calculus Physics Principles of Economics Gateway Lab Professional Level Course

Pretty much ALL of these classes split into different tracks:
Calculus 4, Physics 3, Chem 3
Computer science has 5 different courses and the professional level course has 10!
At least the university writing/gateway lab is chosen for me according to where my name is in the alphabet. I'm not even at school yet and I already have sooo many choices.

Since I'm probably going for mechanical engineering, I think a physics lab is better than a chem lab (even though I DO love blowing things up). That's why I filled 2nd semester slot 3 with econ instead of a chem lab. The physics lab is a second year course.

Round I goes to me. I think I may have a handle on things.

Finally Some Acknowledgment!

Woohoo! I finally got a letter from Columbia! Having spoken to some future classmates, I was beginning to get worried. Everyone seems to have gotten an e-mail and letter about orientation. I have received nothing. Zip. Until now.

Today, a shiny new torn and dilapidated envelope arrived at my doorstep. The contents:

1. A letter from "The Center for Student Advising"- How sweet.
2. A sheet about summer advising session - Yeah um, still in the army.
   
3. A request for my high school transcript - Been there, done that.
4. The official Columbia "First-year planning guide" - Aha! Something of use!

Time to leaf through and see what I have in store for me in 3 months.

Genesis

And so the journey begins. The journey of a boy, finding his place in life. The journey of a US born, Canadian raised Israeli. The journey of a (soon to be) ex IDF soldier. The journey of an academic. The journey of a man.

This is my life.

The goal of this blog is simple: To record my life from now until I (hopefully) graduate in four years. Hold on tight, this will hopefully be a bumpy ride.

"Wisdom is not the product of schooling but the lifelong attempt to achieve it." -Albert Einstein