On Completing the First Day of Classes...

Well, the first day of classes is now over, and believe it or not, I learned something on the very first day! I only had two classes: Organic Chemistry Lab and Botany Lab. Organic Chemistry Lab just started out as every other Chemistry Lab, in that we went through safety procedures and made sure we had all our necessary supplies. We did get an assignment on the very first day, which I wasn't exactly thrilled about, but since that class only meets once a week, it won't be due until next Tuesday. So, as usual, it looks like my Chemistry Lab will be interesting, and at times, fun!

When it came to Botany Lab, I really didn't know what to expect. I knew we would be studying about plants, but I really had no idea how the class would be structured. Well, it turns out that it will be a fairly laid-back environment, since according to my professor, lab is supposed to be more fun and interesting. I can tell that she is a very friendly, genuine person, and she really tries to connect with her students. I know already that I will enjoy the lab part of this course, so I will probably be talking about it a lot in the coming months.

Okay, now here's where I want to try something new. My grandfather suggested that I shouldn't only discuss what's happening in my life, but to ask questions and involve the reader. Well, here we go! Like I said before, I learned something today from my Botany class, so let's see how much you all know about plants.

1. What are the three organs that make up the vascular plant body? (Vascular plants are the ones we usually think of: trees, bushes, flowers, etc.)

2. What is the pigment that plants use in order to perform photosynthesis? What color is this pigment?

3. What are the two pathways of the vascular system of plants? (Vascular = transporting water and nutrients)

4. What three types of tissues make up the internal structures of plants?

5. What is the part of the plant that grows as a stalk from the stem and forms a leaf?

6. What is the name of the portion of the stem where one or more leaves are attached?

Well, there you have it! You might need to do a little research to find these answers, but see if you can come up with any of them on your own. I knew a few of these before today's class, but a couple of them (namely, numbers 4-6) I learned, or re-learned, today. Hopefully you enjoy this type of reader involvement, and if you do, I intend to do it more often. I will still talk about my life both in and out of school, but I think this type of involvement can be fun and different.

Well, I should really be getting to bed soon, since I have classes all morning tomorrow. Here's where I'll be tomorrow: Sociology, Botany lecture, Organic Chemistry lecture, Calculus, and English. It'll be a very busy day, but I think I can handle it. Of course, I will report to you any major events that occur, and maybe even some more questions to ponder! I hope this post finds everyone well and enjoying their week, and I hope to hear some answers to my brain busters soon!

I'm Back! (For Good This Time)

I know, I know... I'm sure you're all thinking the same thing: "Where the hell have you been!?" Well here's the answer: I've been working and having too much fun at home, and I just didn't take the time to continue my blog this summer. I hope all of you can forgive me, and you can look forward to weekly posts; maybe even a couple per week!

Well, the main reason I'm writing this was to let everyone know that I'm back in Cincinnati starting a brand new school year. I've only been in this room for a couple of hours, so I really haven't had the opportunity to unpack all my stuff and find a suitable home for it. I have however set up my computer, my desk, and the land phone, so I'm pretty much set for now. The rest can come later, either tonight or tomorrow (tomorrow's looking better and better as it gets later and I get sleepier!). It was really difficult to say goodbye to my family this afternoon, but I am looking forward to a great first semester, and hopefully a great sophomore year.

Now that everything's been settled on here (or at least I hope; I'm sure you'll let me know if I haven't), I think I'll wrap this up. I wanted to post a few pictures from my summer exploits, so I intend to do that in the next few days. By the way, if my grandparents are reading this, could you please e-mail me the pictures that were taken at your place? There were a few at the beach and a couple just around the house. I would really appreciate it!

Well, that's really all I have to say for now. I'll try to put away some of my stuff tonight and get settled in, and I'll let everyone know about classes once they start up on Tuesday. I hope everyone's up to learning something new in each of my posts! Anyways, I'll talk to y'all later, and have a great week!