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Since I FINALLY graduated...

Paper topics I've written about:

  • Globalization vs. Localization After the Indian Ocean Tsunami.
  • The Development of Lanzhou, China.
  • The Effect of Race on Body Image.
  • An analysis of the documentary "Iraq in Fragments".
  • A forensic analysis and interpretations of skeletal remains found in New Mexico.
  • Independent living progams in the foster care system.
  • An analysis of a garbage collection sample.
  • The history of sugar and the power associated with it.
  • A comparison of ethnographies on the Zuni Native Americans.
  • 19th century Anthropological practices.
  • The Maquiladora Industry in Mexico and Guatemala.
  • A comparison of South Pacific ethnographies.
  • Neanderthals and the debate about whether they had speech capabilities or not.
  • A comparison of ethnographies on Andalusia, Spain.
  • Alternatives to Factory-Farmed Meat.
  • Ceremony and Ritual in the Ancient Andes.

Things I erroneously thought about it:

  • That attendance didn't matter as long as you completed your work on time and that I could skip class whenever I wanted.
    • Wrong. Attendance counted towards my grade in every class in my college career. I skipped more in high school!
  • That people would be more mature, open-minded and diverse.
    • Mostly wrong. There was the occasional amazing, fresh personality but mostly it was sorority girls in Ugg boots and North Face jackets and partying and getting drunk at every opportunity.
  • That I would meet like minds and make life-lasting friends.
    • Wrong. This is probably mostly attributed to my social inhibitions but I have yet to make a good, close, lasting friend my entire college career.
  • That these would be the best years of my life.
    • Wrong. I most looked forward to graduating and beginning my life after college.
  • That my professors would be laid-back and treat us students more as their intellectual peers rather than a bunch of dumb kids.
    • Wrong. Again, there was an exception here and there but for the most part my professors were up-tight, pompous academicians that knew nothing of the real world outside of thick textbooks.
  • That I would have to study all the time and have all-night "cram sessions" before exams and stress about assignments.
    • Wrong. I RARELY studied and did most of my assignments last minute and I still easily passed all my classes.
  • That I wouldn't have as many forced presentations and participatory assignments.
    • Wrong. Even in college, professors haven't quite realized that some people are naturally shy and quiet and you are not going to "bring them out of their shell" at age 22.
  • That my course load would lessen my very last semester.
    • Wrong. My workload increased ten fold my last semester and I worked harder than ever to graduate. It felt like I was being plotted against in the hopes that I would fail and have to pour more money into the college just to get out of it!
  • That as I got into the upper level classes dealing with my major, that I would enjoy class more.
    • Wrong. In fact I hate it more than ever. Taking so many classes specifically in my major has actually had the opposite affect. It's made me wish I had chosen something different.
  • That I would easily find a fantastic job dealing with my major after I graduated.
    • Wrong. I have been job searching for over a year now and can't seem to find either, A. any jobs open dealing with my major or B. any jobs that will hire me dealing with my major. I am working full-time at an hourly-rate job, toiling away, waiting for my opportunity to come.

Classes I've taken

  • English Literature.
  • Geography of the Developing World.
  • Spanish Composition 1&2.
  • Spanish Literature.
  • Spanish Conversation.
  • Western Civilizations 1&2.
  • Intercultural Communications.
  • Forensic Anthropology.
  • Introduction to Anthropology.
  • Introduction to Archaeology.
  • Historical Archaeology.
  • History of the Origin of the Evolution of the Idea of Race (Phew!).
  • Native Americans of the Southwest.
  • Anthropology Theory and Practice.
  • Archaeology Theory and Practice.
  • Economic Anthropology.
  • Anthropology Senior Seminar.
  • Human Evolution.
  • Linguistics: Language, Culture and Cognition.
  • Mediterranean Religions.
  • Native Peoples of the Eastern Woodlands.

Schools attended

  • College English and Psychology in high school.
  • Germanna Community College.
  • Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).
  • Graduate school in the future, perhaps.

Where I lived during it all:

  • At my parent's house in Fredericksburg.
  • In a town house with 3 roommates in Richmond.
  • In a lovely one bedroom apartment with NO roommates in Richmond.
oct 21 2008 ∞
aug 4 2011 +