At lunch with other IBM interns:

Intern 1: So, how old is everyone?
Intern 2: 22
Intern 3: 23
Intern 4: 22
Intern 5: 26
Intern 1: So, every one here is at least 21, right? So we can all go to the bars sometime?
Me: :Drops head in shame: No. I’m 20.

I’ve been imagining this nightmare for a long time now, and — oh look– it just happened. I was really hoping that there would be other not-21-yet interns, but there is no such luck. I guess I just have to accept that I am going to be the Least-Cool-Kid at IBM for the next eight months.

Sigh. I am So. Un. Cool.

Not only am I the lone too-young-to-get-into-bars, but of course, my department was the first to move out of the Finance building, into an empty building full of sweet cubicles. So, while all the other interns get to play ping-pong and air-hockey together in the Finance building, I am banished to my rockstar-cubicle with a sliding door. That is, until next week, when the other departments follow suit.

To further my un-coolness, I need to abide by my Same-as-a-Kindergarten-er-bedtime.

Reader, after reading all about my lack-of-Cool-Factor, I’m surprised you were able to get this far into the blog.

Thanks!

LOVE,

Under-aged Rachel

P.S. I made high-level (but non-alcoholic) cookies tonight. Be impressed.

…I wouldn’t be either if I didn’t have to be. Lately, I’ve been having these nightmare-ish dreams. Last night I went to bed right around 9:00-10:00pm (I know, right?), and I woke up at 1:00am from a lame nightmare. It was really odd.

THEN, I went back to sleep at 2:00ish– and woke up again at 6:30 cause I thought I was late for work, AGAIN.

The same thing happened yesterday morning too. Is this a standard problem? Or is it just me? Apparently I can’t get an entire night of sleep, and apparently I am plagued with fear that I am going to be late for work.

Starbucks, then work.

Wish me luck!

LOVE,

Rachel

READER,

I’m really nervous for my first day of work. I can’t decide on a somewhat decent outfit, and I can’t decide which shoes to wear. Do I want to go with comfortable patent loafers? Or cuter heels? I realize that my issues are pressing and very important, so please try to keep up, Reader.

Being a girl can be SO difficult.

I’ll keep you posted, EEK.

LOVE,

Rachel

P.S. Sorry about the weak topic of today’s post. I apologize. Maybe I’ll have better things to write about tomorrow. :)?

I’ve been feeling so bummed these past few days for various reasons.

One thing at a time.

LOVE,

Rachel

Please tell me why Miley Cyrus’s canceled Florida appearance made it to CNN.com.

Really? Nothing is more important than a 15 year-old pop star who is missing out on a red carpet event? Good thing I care a lot about this issue, and please, write about something less interesting.

Perhaps I’m wrong here, but anyone who would be even remotely interested in that pointless tidbit probably isn’t reading CNN anyways.

CNN, I am disappointed. Please up your game.

LOVE,

Rachel

So, Reader, my face is about to explode. Lately, I’ve been battling the very difficult (and short) transition from school to work, when technically, work hasn’t even started yet. That “Good Week” I wrote about was very short-lived, when I finally realized the responsibilities of being a full-time student accepting an internship in the very foreseeable future.

From sending in the paperwork for my Co-op, to making appointments with the right advisers and professors, to finalizing the lease on my short-term Rochester lease, my brain barely has the capacity to soak up any school material. What is even more nerve-wracking is that I’m not even close to being done with my laundry list of things to finish before next week. Here are (just some of) the things I still need to complete (I know you really care, Reader):

-DO MY STATISTICS HOMEWORK BY TOMORROW (Today :()
-Figure out how to hold my scholarship
-Cancel my housing contract
-Talk to my adviser (4:00 pm tomorrow!)
-Find a Finance professor to sponsor my internship as a course
-Sign up for summer classes
-Complete my lease in Rochester
-Call IBM to see if my ending date can be pushed up
-Call IBM about ‘orientation’ day details
-Write my paper for Accounting due Friday
-Figure out my apartment checkout time
-Email the painting teacher
-And mostly finish my Statistics homework.

SIGH, my brain is stale from having to think so much lately. Finals are looming ahead, and I am feeling bogged down and flustered since this is a horrible time to not retain school material.

Thanks for reading all of this petty, petty complaining, Reader, I really appreciate it.

Talk to you soon!

LOVE,

Rachel

Instant messages, Facebook wall posts, and chats aside, both proper grammar and correct spelling are a MUST. I stress this especially in mass emails and messages asking for favors. Anything longer than three lines must be at least 70% grammatically correct and have 90% correct spelling. Honestly, Reader, are my expectations too high? How am I supposed to take your request seriously if nothing is capitalized and almost everything is spelled incorrectly? If a request is of real importance, I would expect some proof of revision, instead of paragraphs of typos and lines of crap.

Rule of Thumb: If you are in college, you should probably be able to spell simple words correctly, even without “Spell Check.” Besides, proper grammar and correct spelling are good habits to practice regularly.

I know that there are cases where typos go unnoticed, or if you are like me, you just didn’t know how to spell ‘VEISHEA’ (see most recent blog post. Thanks Cherrie.) See? I’ve been there too, but minor mistakes and casual situations are not what I am referring to. When asking for favors, take some pride in what you are trying to communicate, and actually look over what you are writing, please. Otherwise, I am honestly uninterested.

Thanks!

LOVE,

Rachel

P.S. Sorry, Reader, that this entry sounds so angry and bitter. I don’t disown my friends because of typos, nor is my own grammar and spelling even close to flawless, but when it counts, I just want a message free of obvious mistakes.

Dear Reader,

I’ve had a surprisingly excellent past 2 weeks, and here are some reasons why (Sorry in advance, Reader, be prepared for more bragging than you can handle):

-I had three exams that I did unexpectedly well on.

-I GOT A CO-OP! I’m going to work for IBM from May-January(?) as a Financial Analyst Intern. While this is a major privilege in itself, I didn’t realize until I did some research what an honor it really is. According to BusinessWeek’s 50 Best Internships, IBM’s internship program is #9, while it is #4 in BusinessWeek’s “Best Places to Launch a Career.” I feel impossibly honored and more than excited for such a phenomenal opportunity. Now, I just need to figure out where to live…

- This weekend was VEISHA Weekend! And I was able to do so many exciting things! Including, but not limited to:

-Taste of VEISHA
-Midnight Pancakes!
-Some really Pimp Pick-up lines (i.e. “As much as I hate to see you ladies go, I love to watch you walk away!”) PIMP, right?
-I GOT TO SEE DESTINY COMBS for the first time in ELEVEN (11) months!
-The VEISHA Parade
-Eating the VEISHA Cherry Pies
-The International Food Fair
-Meeting some kids from Hinsdale in Ames (How random, right?)
-Eating McDonalds in the hallway

-I ALSO got TWO (2) packages in the mail this week! Five if you count last week. I feel so lucky :).

Reader, I can’t believe that you lasted this long in reading this gloat-ful entry. I just feel so lucky, and very grateful for all of the things that have been going my way lately. I feel so very happy at the moment– all I really need now is to find a place to live in Minnesota and to get a tan. Looking in the mirror blinds my eyes, being that my skin is starting to resemble the color of an eggshell.

Thanks, Reader!

LOVE,

Rachel

P.S. It snowed in Ames this weekend.
P.P.S. It is mid-April.
P.P.P.S. Snow is illegal this time of year.

Dear Lovely Friends,

Thank you SO much for all of the Birthday wishes! I know the date of my birth is monumentally important, but I really do appreciate all of the birthday wishes and the fabulous mail!

As I have pointed out over and over, I was lucky enough to have celebrated my birthday with an 8-10pm exam. It was OKAY, I guess. BUT! When I came home, Amanda, Cherrie, and I made a feast– then ate Amanda’s Impressive-From-Scratch-Chocolate-Chocolate-Cake. It was quite SO impressive!

THEN, I got this beautiful box of chocolate covered strawberries! THANKS Miss O’Day!

My birthday turned out to be much better than I could have anticipated due to my truly fantastic friends and family, so thanks All!!

LOVE,

Rachel

My SAD Conversation with (Anthony) Chan:

Rachel says (12:16 AM): It’s so sad. I’m like, too “White” to be Asian, but still not white. It makes me really sad.
CHAN says (12:19 AM): [That] Sucks. See, Shit flows downstream.
CHAN says (12:19 AM): I get to douche you for not being Asian enough.
CHAN says (12:19 AM): My friends douche me for not being Asian enough.
CHAN says (12:19 AM): And my friends get douched by their friends for not being Asian enough.
CHAN says (12:19 AM): And their friends get douched by like super Asian farmer people for not being Asian enough.
Rachel says (12:20 AM): ……

Apparently, this is just one of the *many* perks of being at the bottom of the stream… I’m already trying to increase my Asian Capacity by taking Chinese class. I’M WORKING ON IT!

I think this lack of blogging is leaving my writing skillZ very rusty. Sorry that this entry is so lame…

I have an MIS Exam in 11.5 hours… AND I have an ACCOUNTING EXAM FROM 8-10pm ON MY BIRTHDAY. I know that my birthday is a universally-celebrated holiday and all, but really!

AHH! I am PISSED (about something surprisingly unrelated). Recently, I have been so satisfied with my drama-free life, but NOW I am ANGRY! BAH!

Okay. My Anger and I need to go study.

Thanks Reader for reading my sad-lame entry!

LOVE,

Rachel

P.S. Why am I writing a blog when I should be studying?! LAME!