Something hilarious my friend Austin sent me today.

So this blog is mainly meant for my experiences but my buddy Austin sent me this picture that was taken on campus and I couldn't resist sharing it with everyone. Enjoy!

This was the caption he used in the text so I'm giving him all the credit. I literally started laughing when he sent it.

First week of junior year done, we're off and running.

So another summer has passed by and this school year is starting to sink into reality. I'm taking 18 credit hours this semester so it's going to be a busy one. After making it through the first week it's pretty apparent this year is going to be tough, but I'm just going to have to ride it out and suffer like everyone else. On a side note, I turn 21 in roughly 2 months so that's pretty exciting I guess, but not really. Anyone have any funny 21st birthday stories? Anyway I'm going to be writing about my first 2 years of college soon but I've been pretty busy this week so hopefully I find some more time to write. Hope everyone had a fun and safe weekend, peace.

Surviving your freahman year of college.

Freshman year is usually tough for everyone and some don't make the cut of returning for a second, but it is quite easy for an intelligent and fully capable person to get caught in the freedom of decision. Below are my tips for surviving the year, in an academic sense, and if I would have followed these simple rules I would have done a lot better.

Easy tips to follow:

1. ALWAYS go to class. Even if you don't take notes if you pay attention the material will stay in your head.
2. Manage your time and have a plan for the day. Knowing what you're going to do that day is very helpful because you get more done while not wasting time.
3. Get to know your TA on a first name basis. I can't tell you how many times the TA gave me extra points on an exam or even told me what was going to be on the test just because I was friends with them.
4. Analyze the course's syllabus to understand the worth of each project/assignment/test. Every point counts and the small assignments can really add up.
5. Map out the course of the semester. Knowing when every assignment is due can be very helpful and I found that if you buy the large calenders it is easy to write everything out. Being able to visualize what is due a month in advance is very helpful.
6. Do the homework. There is a reason teacher give homework, the extra practice from the assignments definitely helps in the long run.

New blog, Check it out!

Hey all, I started a new blog reviewing the smartphones I've had/used before so check it out if you're into that goodness!


jakessmartphonereviews.blogspot.com

Long Beach, California and IEEE

Last week I attended the IEEE Symposium in Long Beach, CA. The IEEE, which stands for The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is one of the largest groups of Electrical Engineers in the world. Because I am studying Electrical Engineering, going to these yearly symposiums puts me a step ahead of most in my field. Anyone studying Electrical Engineering should definitely become part of the IEEE.

This was my first trip to California and I have to say it is a very beautiful part of the United States. The best part by far was the weather, it was roughly 80 degrees and sunny everyday with a slight breeze. The trip started off quite interestingly because Vince Vaughn was on our plane from Chicago to Long Beach. He was the first to board the plane and Virgin America airplanes don't have a separate cabin for the first class passengers so I literally walked right past him and we made eye contact, which to say the least was pretty cool. The only other celebrity I saw in California was Aries Spears doing stand up comedy at the Laugh Factory right next to my hotel. Aries Spears was very funny and I've watched him since his MADtv days. California was very beautiful and I want to pictures to do most of the talking for me so I've kept this blog brief.

This week I plan on talking about my Freshman and Sophomore year is college, so that just something to look forward to.

Busy, busy, busy

Sorry everyone no blog tonight but tomorrow for sure! I've been super busy as I have class tomorrow and there was plane trouble last night but i'll tell ya'll about it tomorrow.

Long beach

I'll have a new post Sunday by the latest, my internet access and time to write have been very limited so expect something by Sunday. Have a good week everyone!

Freshman year and the High School girlfriend

Most of my friends from High School had serious girlfriends going into their freshman year of College. Maybe all but one is still going out with the same girl. It's kind of a sad thought that when you get to college no matter who you're going out with at the time and no matter how much you care about them can't sway the inevitable. I was going out with a girl for almost 2 years and everything seemed good until my first day of College. There's just something about the whole college experience that makes staying with a High School girlfriend so difficult and I blame it on the amount of people you meet in College. Personally, my High School was fairly small and I was dating a girl that I worked with who went to a different school. I was extremely excited for College unlike my girlfriend at the time, which is another reason we didn't stay together. For anyone reading this who has a girlfriend and getting ready to go to College, my advise would be to end it mutually and try to still be friends, because if you stay together it will not end pretty and you'll most likely never talk to each other again. This advice doesn't sound very nice but it is the truth. When you go to College you will meet a lot of people and those people will introduce you to more people and so on. To be honest, staying with the same person doesn't really make much sense to me now. Before I went to College everyone told me that this would happen but I didn't believe them and now I have experienced the foreseen future of the High School girlfriend. It's almost impossible to not meet someone you would be interested in dating in College and sooner or later, it will get the best of you, especially if you're dating a girl who goes to a different College. The moral of the story is that maybe some of the advise you get from people who have been there should be taken into consideration. I know if I could do it again I would have changed a lot. When your Freshman year comes knocking think about the situation you're in and hopefully you'll save each other the heartbreak.

On a side note, I'm leaving for Long Beach, CA tomorrow for the IEEE symposium so I'll try to take some pictures and when I get time I'll write a blog about Freshman year and choosing a major.

Just a question for everyone and a long blog coming soon.

Hey everyone, I was wondering what everyone's thoughts would be about doing vlogs on my motorcycle? I can get a setup that will record video and audio while I go on rides. I would think about doing it next summer and plan some nice trips this year in preparation. Also, by Sunday-ish I will write a blog about my freshman year, sophomore year, electrical engineering and the whole "girlfriend" dilemma going into college. Have a good Friday night everyone!

Chicago Autoshow 2011

Figured I'd let some other people enjoy the pictures I took at the autoshow.

Starburst Guitar Project (Summer 2005)

Playing guitar has been a big part of my life and blogging seems like a great way to post some pictures of my projects/guitars and get feedback. I modified a Epiphone Les Paul studio and made it into a "Starburst" guitar a few years ago.

 It was my first guitar project and I will be doing another probably next summer so if you have any ideas about a cool project let me know!