Welcome to February

Welcome to February, guys!

For me its always been the month of my birthday and Valentine’s Day, and last year, Valentine’s Day was my first blog entry. Just to give an update– that Valentine’s Day, though memorable at times, turned about to be mostly a fiasco. In fact, I’m not even sure how I can top last year’s adventures this year!

But this year, February is also the month of Mardi Gras . . . . which incidentally falls right on my 20th birthday. One of my friends is going to be in a parade and promised to throw me something good from the floats. My birthday is February the 20th, and I was always jealous of those kids that had their birthdays in the summer or fall because nothing exciting happens in the middle of February. You can’t even have a pool party.

So I woke up this morning, stretched, saw it was raining and very cold outside and despite all that, cheered because it is my month of the year. And this year millions of other people will be celebrating all month long with me!

Amethyst, the birthstone for February

Car= Freedom

So today was a happy day: I finally brought my car from Friendswood, Texas to New Orleans. It was a long drive, and very arduous, but totally worth it. My friend came with me and I dropped her off at her house on the West Bank before I came back to Tulane. And as I drove away from the West Bank, on the i-10 bridge over the Mississippi, I couldn’t help but think about what having a car means: freedom.

I felt like I was 17 all over again, when I first actually got to be a primary driver on my dad’s car. It was exhilirating, thinking about the possibilities. And not that I’m going to drive into the sunset or anything, but it is nice thinking about it. It’s great to have in emergencies, great to take downtown for my upcoming job, and wonderful for doing groceries. It makes life a lot easier as I can do things on my time, and not on others’. I don’t have to depend on anybody to give me a ride, or pick me up, or take me someplace like Walmart. Walmart is now just one short drive away . . . as is everything else.

But then as I thought further, I thought about how many times I’m actually going to go off to Walmart or anywhere else with my car. The reality? Probably only when I really need to . . . . once a week or so. I don’t see myself suddenly eating off campus every night or shopping every day. I see myself usually it practically and frugally. So the best part of having a car is not the actuality . . . but just the idea of having one!!!

This is sort of what my car looks like, except it is beige!

RHA Plans

Today was the first general body meeting of the Residential Hall Association. Now probably this sounds cool, but not many readers know what it is. It’s a body literally comprised of every student living on campus. We oversee all the individual dorm Residential Hall Governments, work WITH Resident Advisors and the Housing and Resident Life staff, and provide funding for programs. Not many people on campus know who we are either . . . and right now, we’re a group of ex-presidents and vice presidents from freshman dorms that decided to keep on moving up! I’m the VP of Public Relations . . . . though really if anything, I’m part of a team of people dedicated to making life in dorms more fun!

So now its our goal to be known! My plan is to throw some kind of huge charity benefit . . . in the new UC. Turns out they have a ballroom, a HUGE one, where you can throw parties like this. In fact. another group on campus is already planning a Dance Marathon, where people will be dancing or on their feet for 24 hours!

The new UC makes life a LOT more interesting for all of us. Prior to it, there was really no place on campus where we could host a huge campus wide event. There is a ballroom in one of our dorms, Josephine Louise, but it is an all-girls dorm which makes it difficult for boys to come into the building for an event. There are various other rooms in other dorms . . . but none large enough to fit a huge crowd.

So . . . . for everyone reading this: if you have any suggestions for my big party- email me!!! The RHA would certainly appreciate it!

Andrew, the VP of Finance, Dan, the President, and Nene, the VP of Administration hard at work!

Back to Work

So today was my first official day of work . . . . and although I had some trouble paying attention, it was good to be back. At my wonderful job at the A.B. Freeman School of Business, I work as a student assistant to my boss, who is the director of Constituent Services and Initiatives. . . .

Which means a lot of times we talk, we eat together, and I pretty much ask her any questions I have about ANYTHING. I’m an inquisitive sort, and it seems to me like she knows everything, so she’s great for advice about pretty much anything. Under her guidance not only have I learned about copyediting, filing, and business etiquette, but also about gems and minerals, boyfriends and husbands, and about ALL the people in the business school whom I should (and do) look up to and respect. It’s a pretty sweet job, and one that I literally walked into. My sorority sister was graduating, and sent out an email to the listserv asking for someone to take her old job . . . and I volunteered. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I’m pretty glad I took the chance.

Although sometimes I hate the idea of getting done with all my work at 5 or 6 every night, its usually worth it to hang out with my boss and all the amazing people at the business school. In fact, all the people I work with are well above my age . . . . there’s no one that’s actually a student. There are other students working in other departments, but I like the friends I’ve made . . . they certainly are diverse.

So here’s to being back at work . . and lovin it!

(A.B. Freeman School of Business)>>

Back to School

SO it’s now been about a month since I left Tulane and New Orleans . . . . . .

I spent my vacation in Russia and India. In Russia we spent a little bit of time with friends, and enjoying the cold weather (though now it’s just as cold in New Orleans!) In India we visited family, all our cousins, and spent time reestablishing connections as the far flung branch of our family. I personally started an account on a version of myspace.com that is popular amongst Indians, just to stay in touch with all my cousins. The vacation was tons of fun, and I miss travelling after being in New Orleans for only two days!

<<(Christmas season in Russia)

Boy is it strange to be back. A few days after returning from India and Russia, I have to say I wasn’t quite ready for the semester to start. I’m barely getting over my jet lag, let alone getting it together in terms of studying. And of course, I already have homework in three classes!

But there is one thing that made coming back a good experience: the new UC. According to seniors at Tulane, its been three years since they tore down the old one. I just visited the new UC for the first time yesterday and what can I say? It’s totally been worth it!!!!

The new UC is very well-designed, inside and out. Inside there are lots of tables in a several areas with large windows that let in the natural light. It’s much nicer than being holed up in the temporary establishment, known as the Bubble. It has Pandini’s, Wow, a sushi place, Quizno’s, a Euro place, and much more. The food options are now very varied and easily accessible . . . we can no longer complain at all about having the same thing to eat all the time like all college students. They even have an international chef station with different cuisines!

So . . . even though I miss my vacation and still suffer from jet lag . . . I do eat well! Thank you Tulane for the new UC! It rocks!

Me and my cousin Sid in Pune, India

















My sister, my friend Allegra, and me in Moscow, Russia













My cousin’s wife Snehal, my cousin Sid, and me in Ahmedabad, India













My twin cousins Ashu and Avi, our cousin Sid, and my twin Anisha and me in Pune, India

Ochem

Organic chemistry.

When I first heard of this class I had to take for premed, I was intrigued. I hoped it would be something close to biochemistry, and I’d get to learn about all kinds of reactions that happen in the human body. Turns out it has deal with mostly stuff you put INTO the human body, drugs and stuff . . . . and it would be interesting if I didn’t have to memorize all those reactions.

So earlier this week I was freaking out about it because I thought the final would just be horrible. I expected it to take the full time, and I expected to be sweating bullets through it. But after having taken it, I can say it wasn’t so bad after all. If I had studied more regularly, I probably would have had no problems with it, or the class.

I remember taking a similar course- Chemistry, at the University of Texas. While I email my professor almost weekly, my friends and I hit up office hours, and talk to our professor after class, I remember the line of 30 students that would try to talk to our professor after class at UT. I think we’re pretty lucky at Tulane that we get all the help we need in such a difficult subject. The last thing that I’m grateful for in terms of organic chemistry is the tutors available at the ERC. Normally, we would think oh, tutoring, I don’ t need that. But everyone I know gets help on one thing or another. The tutors are available almost every day in almost every subject, and they are more than competent.

So this blog really isn’t about ochem . . . . this one goes out to the ERC. Here at Tulane I discovered that when you’re struggling in something, help is always available. All you have to know is where to look.

And so after all that . . . organic chemistry is really not so bad after all. =)

Zen Party

Last night was the Asian American Student Union’s Zen Party- a night with sushi and karaoke at a great Japanese place called Mikimoto’s. I was unsure as to how many people I would know at this party, as I don’t know all the Asian students on campus as well as I know the Indians. But after I got there, I saw a diversity that I honestly did not expect. I saw some of my sorority sisters, I saw some of my friends in classes, and I saw many of my Indian friends. The room was very small, but we had a good time singing the night away.

And boy, some of these singers were VERY overzealous. The best job was done by my sorority sister Nikki. She did an awesome job because she knew all the words to the song and has a wonderful deep voice. Props go to her!

Most of the other singers picked their songs before realizing they had to know all the words, and ended up pulling other people “on stage” to help them out. My favorite was when my somewhat clueless friend Prashant was pulled onstage to sing a song by N’Sync - Tearin Up My Heart. He knew every single word, and though on any other night, this might have been an embarrassment to a 20 year old boy, he was pretty excited to sing for the crowd.

I guess that’s what I like the most about parties like this at Tulane. It’s good humored fun, no one gets in any trouble, and you mix with a diverse group of people. And in that small room, eventually, you get to know them all well enough to stand up in front of them and make an idiot out of yourself with some karaoke.

Only at Tulane . . .