I wish had the superpower to control time.
Hello, hello! It's so nice to see you again!
I wish I had. HEY!
Yes, time is amazing. It's meeeee. How goes it?
Nice to come across with you again.
(Holy cow, I turned up the brightness too much.)
What a nice surprise.
Are you done with midterms yet? I know, right? It's always fun to see a familiar face. Er, username.
I have been looking forward to chatting with you all day. Hahah username..
Have you really? D'awww.
Yes.
I really like chatting with you, too. It's kinda a refresher from all the clipped conversations I sometimes have.
I thoroughly enjoy it. What do you mean clipped conversations? I am not done with midterms yet.
Oh, you know, people chatting between classes and whatnot. Oof. When does midterm season end? I'm hoping next week, right? Or even better, this week?
I'm not sure when it ends. I seem to be having exams like every other week.
Is that the way your classes are lined up? That's, um, really unfortunate, actually. Or is it? Would you prefer having five midterms in one week and then huge spaces, or have them evenly spread?
I have an exam opening on November 2. Well if it's for different classes, then I would say evenly spread. So I can have time to study for all of the exams.
That's smart. You must be someone who actually dedicates time to studying. I've been, um, a little lacking in that area. Not because I hate studying! I don't.
If they were all in one week, then I wouldn't be able to study for them.
Well, what if they were spread with one per day? Would that give you sufficient time?
I don't think so. Because I had to take two exams back to back and I wasn't able to really study for both because I had to decide which one I wanted to study for more.
Oof.
I ended up getting a B on both exams.
Which classes? Noooo.
Accounting and Finance.
I'm so sorry. Of course, of course. The mathy ones.
The finance exam opened on a Thursday and the accounting exam opened on friday
And that's just not enough time to prepare adequately for both, huh?
So I took the finance exam, and the next day I took the accounting exam. Well for me it wasn't. But if you are a super genius like yourself, then you wouldn't require much studying.
I don't blame you, though. Those math-heavy classes require a lot more intensive study. I am NOT a super genius. I just pay attention really well in class.
Haha, says you.
When I take notes, I try not to mindlessly stream. I promise! I'm nothing special.
I have a tendency to zone out a lot. I am not very good at taking notes because I am a slow writer. You are definitely special.
Me, too. I have to bring laptops into classes that I genuinely need to take notes in. D'awwww. You're so kind. But if I'm to be honest, note-taking isn't something I've perfected yet. I want to get good at it, to the point where all I need to do is review my notes and I'm set for the test.
If I had an eidetic memory, life would be perfect.
I have a friend who has that! She's incredible.
Yea, I would love to do that as we.
I, um, do not have that.
well. Really? I thought it didn't exist.
Well, if it's not perfect, then it's pretty close. You know Ted Cruz?
So does she remember stuff really well in great detail? I have heard of him.
He has an audiographic memory--he can perfectly remember anything he hears. And my friend does, too.
Really?
Not the audio part. She just remembers stuff well. Yeah! It's a real thing.
Audiographic memory? Never heard of it.
Yeah, I think that's what it's called.
Can I meet your friend?
I could be wrong on the name, but it's a thing.
and you as well?
Er, I haven't met her in real life.
Oh.
Her name is birdo on discord. Oh! You reminded me.
What is discord?
I would still love to meet you in real life. Discord is like, um . . . it's kinda like slack, if you've heard of it.
I would love to meet you in real life as well. Oh yea I have heard of it. I used to use it for one of my jobs.
Did you really? Oooo! Yeah, Discord is like it.
They would post all the promotions there and updates and stuff.
And you've reminded me that I want to talk to the contest organizers. Wouldn't it be fun to hold a post-contest meeting for everyone?
Do you know who the contest organizers are?
Just to meet whoever was who in the chat in real life? I don't personally, no.
Yea, that would be fun!
But I have their contact information.
I would get to meet the people I have chatted with, especially you.
I, um, heh, am part of the reason you can't paste. Me, too! You seem so fun.
Hahaha how are you part of the reason we can't paste? You seem really fun as well.
Well, see, um . . . I was talking to this guy once. And I was wondering if they could detect spam text over real conversation. So we were going back and forth, discussing things, and then suddenly I see pastes of random texts. Like stuff from the Constitution or other things like that. Just really long, blocky paragraphs. (The limit on words wasn't a thing, either.) And within a minute of us doing that, we both get an email from the main people that says to knock it off.
So in the beginning of this contest, you could paste?
Definitely. I did lots of tiems. *times But, yeah, after that email, the ability to paste was removed. Like, mid-conversation.
Do you know the person who won the contest?
Last time around? I don't think I met him personally, no.
Yea the one that was announced.
Oh, sorry, I'm referring to the first time back in winter. This is the second time they've done this contest.
Oh so this contets happens every semester?
I have no idea who won the first round this time around.
contest
Um, maybe? I'm not sure. The first I heard of it was last semester. I think it's a new thing. They're just gathering data, you know?
It was somebody who had the username of Intellectual Scarlet Monkey.
I never chatted last round, so I wouldn't know.
Yea
I was surprised they hosted this a second time, to be honest.
I didn't really either because I didn't have the time.
I didn't have interest. By the time I knew about it, the round was almost over.
Hahaha, but now you do?
Well, okay, fine, I didn't have time to WIN. Crucial distinction.
Hahaha. I would like to win, but I don't think I will be able too. 3 million seems like a lot.
It really is. I've been fighting, and I'm still behind. But I'll get there. Assuming I don't keep getting ghosted.
If I didn't work and go to school,  I could definitely do it, but then so could everybody else and the score would be much higher. What is ghosted?
Oh, that's what I call when I open a chat and someone is "there" but no one really is. It's just a one-way conversation. And, sure, I'm happy to chat, but it feels wrong.
My brother was taking with the guy that is first place and he is definitely committed to winning.
Wait, whaaaat? Okay, okay, who is it?
Oh yea that has happened to me.
I haven't talked with him.
His username is chatter123
(I get ghosted about 2 out of 3 conversations.) No way.
chitchatter123
There's no way. Gosh, I've talked with him.
Something like that.
but he seems nice!
You have talked with him?
There's someone intentionally not talking with me. I have, I have. We've never talked long, maybe only a few minutes, but yes.
Did he talk to you about his business idea?
Business idea? No, not at all! What is it?
Oh well he did with me and with my brother. Because my brother is also doing this contest.
I see, I see.
It was about opening up a call center to help business with solutions.
I can't believe I'd never talked about that with him before. It seems like something we could talk about for ages.
Do you also have business ideas?
Nah, not personally. I'm not sure what I want to do with my life yet. I'm still thinking, still poking around, but right now, I'm not sure.
Then how could you talk about it for ages?
Oh, what I mean is, it sounds like something he could talk about.
You could be anything you would like to be.
I like listening to people, which, um, isn't the best for this conversation, but yeah. I guess so? But what do I want to be?
I like listening to people too, but sometimes I do zone out.
Hehehe, that's so different from me.
You never zone out?
If I'm really intent on listening to you, I tune everything else out. Well, I don't NEVER zone out.
You are always paying attention?
But, for instance, yeah, if I'm in class or if I really want to listen, I won't zone out. Which helps in class, I suppose. Makes it so I remember concepts and whatnot.
Wow that is nice. I wish I could do that.
Hehe, and I wish I had the dedication to go out pursue things. I'm just a really curious person. But I don't have a strong ambition like others do.
Sometimes I zone thinking about what the person is saying and by the time I get back to listening the topic has changed.
Wait, really? Ooof, that must be hard.
Yea. Like I go more in depth with the topic in my mind and ask myself some questions, and then I go back to listening and I missed some important information that I needed to know that will probably be on the exam.
Holy cow, that must be hard on test scores and stuff. It's different for classes that I don't particularly enjoy or don't feel are important.
Well I pray a lot to be able to not zone out and pay attention in class. It helps when I do my part.
But for things that I know I need to learn, I'll pay attention without any problem. I'm glad. You've done well in school thus far, yeah? I can't believe I don't remember which year you're in. You have a twin brother, right?
I would say that I am doing ok, but not as well as I would like to be doing. Yea I do. I am a freshman.
Okay, okay, that's what I thought. I didn't think I was mixing you up, but I wanted to confirm.
Hahaha, but I am 21 years old.
And what makes you say you're not doing as well as you wanted to be?
Which I guess is normal for freshmen at BYU.
Still. That's pretty average around here. Yeah. Don't stress too much about it. One of my friends is 26 and is in the beginning of the CS program.
Because I would love to get an A on my exams, but it hasn't happened yet.
Well, if it makes you feel better, I got a C on my American Heritage exam.
I have gotten two B's and a C. I did too!
Well, hey! That's not too crazy. I got a C on my religion exam, too.
You did?
It's kinda scary. I really did.
Was it hard? Who did you have as your professor?
I think it was more the way the questions were phrased than it being actually difficult. Bro. Wilcox.
I have him!
He's really good! Hehe, his tests are hard.
He is my professor.
I was really disappointed with my score. Good luck with those.
I hear that the tests are about what he talks about in class.
Do you have a study guide from him yet? He does.
No, but he said he was going to give us one soon.
And even with that, I still didn't score very well. I see, I see. Study the study guide well.
Would you always attend his classes? Help me study. I need a tutor.
Every time in the front row, yes. Or if not very front, then within the first few rows. Oh, goodness, I don't remember most of the material. I remember being a little annoyed by all the small details we had to remember.
You never missed a class?
I may have missed one? By accident?
Small details like what?
I could've had a doctor's appointment or something. Oh, like the name of, uh, what's it.
I thought if I didn't miss class I would be able to get an A.
The name of the place that Lehi traveled to.
The witnesses?
No, no, something about the place.
Like Martin Harris? Stuff like that?
But, yeah. You really gotta know those details. They're kinda obscure, and if you don't know them, then you don't know them.
Man, I haven't even been studying at all for the class.
And on the test, there's no way to make it up. That's the thing, though: It's hard to study.
and the exam is on october 22.
I would've studied better had I known what was going to be tested.
How do you study for the class? What was the test?
Ugh, I don't know. I don't know how to study for any class.
What was the test on?
The test was just a bunch of multiple choice and fill in the blanks.
Yet you get A's in your classes. Super genius
Yeah, I don't know how that happens. I swear, I'm not a super genius.
Yea you do. You are smart. That is how it happens. When I meet you, I will be the judge of that.
I stalk my grades the way hawks stalk their prey, but that's because I worry about them. I really am nothing beyond average. I do my homework, I go to class, I study. And I don't even study that well. I just make sure I pay attention in class. Though . . . for classes that I really, really wanted to remember, I found a method that worked brilliantly.
Can you tutor me in paying attention well in class? What is that method?
Hehehe, did you know they have classes for that! I'm serious. They're real.
They do? Do you teach one of them?
I don't think I'd be the best qualified for those, but, no, I don't. It's either a real class for credit or one of those seminars; I can't remember. But the method for studying is, um, kinda simple, actually. I've never been keen on anything over extravagant.
They teach a class like that at BYU?
They do! It's in the evening. Under student development or something? I don't quite remember, but it's a thing.
Aw, well I work in the evening.
Oh. That's hard, then.
Yea it is.
Working in the evening cuts out so many other opportunities. I feel you.
I guess you are just going to have to tutor me personally.
I had to miss a lot of events I wanted to go to, too.
It really does!
Hehe, I'm not THAT good.
That is why I want the power to control time.
Wouldn't it be nice?
Yes it would be so nice!
I'd be okay with time turners, too. Or, better yet, the power not to need sleep. If I didn't need sleep, life would be good. I could get so much done.
I could also sleep for a much longer time without having to worry about time passing by.
Think about it!  Never getting tired.
I know!
Ugh, I worry about that, too.
I could do so much without having to sleep.
"If I take a nap now, I can't do homework." You could even have free time.
Haha  tell me about. The struggles we face.
You could take all the shifts no one wants and get paid double. College life. What do you do?
I know! Work night shifts.
But I guess if everyone didn't need sleep, we'd be back to being average.
In the mission, you won't be able to nap.
I wouldn't imagine that. I don't nap often, only when I really killed myself the day before.
Well you can, but it wouldn't be a nice thing to do on the mission. I only slept 4 hours today as well.
You did WHAT.
I woke up late to one of my classes.
You did NOT. Oh. Why do you do that to yourself? Sleep is really, really important.
I have a class at 9 and I got there around 9:13
Oof.
Because I had so much homework to do.
American Heritage?
No for English and Accounting.
Ah, yes, all the english major stuff and then, um, math.
I didn't even finish my homework which is the worst part.
Do you ever wish you had a breather time, just a small pause on time, to where you could catch up on everything? It didn't even have to be often.
Well I actually slept 5 hours since I woke up late.
Just something to catch your breath with, yeah? Sleep is good . . .
Yea, I wish I had something like that.
I never know how to respond to sleeping in to miss class--not intentionally, but it happens.
That would be nice.
But it'd be nice, right! Just to take a breather before hopping back into the fray. You could finish as much or as little as you liked. Just take a pause on life.
Yea, that would be nice. Pause.
Not feel like every blessed moment needs to be spent on something. Pause. There's a word for it, actually.
Then press play.
The little "pause" we can put on life? It's a thing.
Take a moment to enjoy nature or the mountains or something. It is? How is it a thing?
Well, there's a word for it.
Dying?
Hahaha, oh my goodness, that made me laugh.
That would certainly put a pause on things.
No no no, not DEATH. We are not dying to avoid homework.
Hahaha.
Homework my cause death, but only in a figurative sense. Unless you're like my friend who nearly committed suicide; then it's literal.
Of course, even though homework makes me want to kill myself.
Ah, the joys and stresses of homework. He's fine now, by the way.
Figuratively speaking.
Well . . . in a relative sense.
Did you help him?
Not me, no. I didn't know him at the time. He told me about it after we met.
Oh well that is nice that he didn't kill myself.
Which makes it sound like I'm dating him or something, which I'm not. It is.
That would have been sad.
He was hospitalized, though. It really would've been.
Haha I thought maybe he was your boyfriend.
He had just gone through a nasty breakup, so that, layered with all the stresses from homework, very nearly did it in.
Maybe even your husband.
NOPE. VERY MUCH NOPE.
Hahaha.
I am pre-mission, than you very much.
That's good.
Also, no.
You could have a boyfriend though while being on the mission.
You remember how I said the computer science 224 is one of the hardest classes?
Yea I remember that.
That would be gross. Thanks, but no thanks.
and I remember you getting an A.
224 was the class that nearly did it in for him.
Because you are a super genius. Well I can see that happening. 224 is a killer then.
I did get an A, somehow, but not due to a certain genius quality you seem to think I have. Literally.
It should be in prison for attempted murder.
I wonder if other people have nearly committed suicide over that class. But! There's a saving grace in this.
I wouldn't count against it. A saving grace you say? How could there possibly be a saving grace?
I'm pretty sure there's  a policy here at BYU that says if your roommate commits suicide that you get automatic A's.
That seems preposterous!
So, well, at least his roommates would've gotten something out of it?
Are you serious?
I'm pretty sure, yeah.
Is that for real? You are not kidding?
I mean, I don't KNOW, but I think so. Not kidding. But don't take my word for it! Telling your roommates to commit suicide would be bad.
Wow well if that is true, seems like a weird and beneficial policy.
0/10, would not recommend.
Yea no kidding.
I know, right?
I would never do that.
"Heeeeey, Harry? I got a request for you."
Hahaha.
"No, no! It's not a big thing. Just hear me out."
You see this knife? "I need you to use it to cut something."
"You said you wanted me to get into grad school, right? It'll be simple. I'll show you what." "Yes, definitely. I'll make it in." "Wait, you're temple worthy, right?" "Good, good. What? No, no reason. Just curious." "You'll be fine." And then when the counselors come and investigate, all you can say is, "I don't know, officer! One day he was perfectly fine, and the next, he went and offed himself."
Hahaha. Hahaha! It could create a motivation for a student to want to kill his roommate. Seems like BYU could be encouraging that in a weird way.
"BREAKING NEWS: BYU students have hightest rate of suicide in the nation."
Sort of like euthanasia but in a obscure BYU policy.
Whoa. Secret support of suicide. It's alliterative, too!
It wouldn't be a surprise with a BYU policy like that.
Heeey, I spelled that word without red squigglies!
What is alliterative?
It's like alliteration.
I used to know, but my memory escapes me.
Er, scratch that, it IS alliteration.
Is it a repeition of words? repetition
Close. It's the thing that says a repetition of sounds. So a succinct story of salubrious, uh, sun suckers.
A repetition of sounds? Like BOOM!
At the beginning of words.
POW! Oh I see.
No, those are onomatopoeias.
You could definitely be an English major.
All these fancy terms for simple things. Me? Oh, please, I dabble in English in my free time. Nothing super fancy, either.
I mean you know terms that I imagine an English major would know.
Doesn't everyone know those things, though?
Dabble? More like commit a serious study of English.
Alliterations and similes and metaphors and stuff? I don't "commit a serious study of English," no.
Well I do, but I didn't really remember about alliteration.
I used to be a little more fanatic when I was going through a phase, but not now. And besides, that's not important, either. It's one term in a slew of others.
What phase do you happen to be going through now?
A drop in the bucket of descriptions. Mine? Hmm.
The 22.0 credits phase?
Probably a competitive phase. Maybe, yeah! That'd be fun. Turns out, the guy I thought had three summer internships, uh, didn't have three. He had four. My age.
A competitive phase you say? What do you compete in besides this contest?
I guess competing in life?
Wow well that makes him seem cooler.
I'm not really sure. I just have a small fire going to be really, really good at something. Yeah, I know. He'll be interning at Google soon, all things going well. I hope he does. He's worked hard fo rit. *for it
You have a little small campfire going?
I do! I'm looking up GRE scores and competitions for grad school and all that.
That is good for him. I hope he gets it.
This time, I'm going to be prepared if at all possible. Like . . . I still feel behind, but I can't change the decisions I've made.
Where do you plan to go to grad school? UVU?
I don't even know if I WANT grad school, but if I do, maybe computer science? Here, actually, at BYU. I haven't considered other options yet. I should, though.
Can you do grad school at BYU?
I thought so? I was sure they had programs. I mean, somewhere.
My sister told me you can't do undergrad and grad school at BYU.
Oh. Well, in that case, I'm probably wrong.
She said they wouldn't let you, but don't take my word for it.
I don't know a whole lot about it.
I don't either.
I guess I just . . . wanna shoot for the stars.
They do have programs for grad students. Can I shoot at the starts with you? stars
Please do! There's room for both of us. In fact, there's room for anyone who is bold enough to aim.
How big is this room?
It's as big or as little as you want to make it. That's what makes it so incredible. I really believe that the only people who don't achieve greatness are those who choose not to.
What if you shoot above the stars?
Then all the more power to you. Go out, dream, dream big, dream as high and as wide as you like, and hope.
I would like to achieve greatness, but I would need an optimistic person like you by my side.
Heh, I want to be optimistic. I'm not always.
When the moments of discouragement come, I will need someone like you.
I think I'm a happy person, but, man, do I get swayed by the winds. And that's all right, I think. For you, I mean. I need those people, too. I know there are people who can do it alone, and I think that's incredible. But I know I stumble and trip and fall. I try not to, but it happens. And while I think I can pick myself alone if I have to, it's nice to have someone there to shoulder the weight.
I believe everyone that achieves greatness has help at some point in their life. But what does it really mean to achieve greatness?
You know . . . I think that's true, too.
What is considered greatness?
I suppose greatness varies from person to person. There are people the world considers great. Past luminaries, like Tesla and Einstein and Mother Theresa.
It does vary from person to person.
We have contemporary "great" people, like Bill Gates and Elon Musk and whatnot.
Achieving greatness can also mean having a really successful business.
And there are people I, personally, consider great.
Who is Elon Musk? I have not heard of that person.
I believe he's the guy that created Tesla. The car, I mean.
Oh.
Not the guy.
That makes sense.
One of my friends really respects him. He's literally shooting for the mooon.
For creating the car?
*moon
Who is?
Nah, for what he plans to do.
Elon or your friend?
Elon Musk.
What does he plan to do?
My friend respects Elon Musk. Because Musk intends to start an interstellar colony.
I respect you friend for respecting Elon Musk.
He's not joking. Respecting someone for respecting someone, eh? Why not? I like that. But, yeah, Elon Musk really intends to start our first venture as a human race to the stars. To visit other planets, start a colony on Mars, etc. He wants to breach the barrier we have with space.
Wow that is very ambitious. He seems like a really, really smart person.
You wanna know the craziest part?
What is the craziest part?
He's definitely smart, that's for sure. But he's probably closer than anyone to do it.
A prodigy.
I don't think it's a prodigy.
Why is that?
He has real working rockets that can circuit the earth. I think he'll reach the moon within a matter of years. It's really exciting! He just works really, really hard. And he never loses sight of his vision. I think he works something like 100 hour work weeks. And has been for the past, I dunno, lots of years?
That is crazy. That is definitely the craziest part.
I don't know where he gets the fuel for his ambition, but I believe he said something along the lines of he's afraid of living with himself for - not trying. He really has come far. He's lost hundreds of millions of dollars.
You see, I would love to do something like that, buy my intellectual powers are really lacking.
I think he's nearly a billion in lost revenue. Ugh, I feel the same as you. Like, this guy started coding when he was a child. Real young.
A child and he is coding? Wow.
Yeah. Coding isn't the hardest thing in the world. Not if you have a parent to show you
It would probably be for me.
I disagree.
Why?
If I were to sit down with you, I think you'd see that it isn't too insane.
Tutor me and we will find out.
Hehe, I actually would love to do that.
Just tell me when and where.
Nothing too crazy. Just a simple "Hello, world!" to get you started.
Hahaha.
For the record, "Hello world" is the first program you make. Everyone makes one. It's like your first baby step.
Are you going to use zybooks?
I don't have access to that any more. If I really had to teach you from scratch, I'd start in C++.
Is it something you buy?
C++?
That is the language my brother was learning, before he dropped the class. No Zybooks
Oh. I think you could, but it's not worth the ninety bucks if you're not really going to take a course. Or not worth it to me, at least.
Yea that makes sense.
I can try to explain the basics now, actually. Coding is really quite simple.
Definitely not worth it.
We humans try to communicate with computers, right?
cout << "Only to those who are good at it";
:D That made me so happy. But, yeah! We write a to-do list for the computer, and it'll get it done.
Why did that make you happy?
It's just fun to see C++ code here. I hadn't thought you knew anything. So seeing that? Amazing.
Hahah I don't know anything. I would love to take credit for it, but my brother came in and typed that.
Oh, really? Well, tell him his syntax was correct. And that the computer would have been happy to see that line.
Can you create a code that recognizes a palindrome and then reverses it?
I can!
What would be the most effective way?
But why would you need to reverse a palindrome? It's already the reversed thing. Well, if I were to make the program, I'd start like this: It depends on how we'd receive the palindrome, but, odds are, we'd get it in a string. A string is computer language for "a long chain of characters." I could declare a string like this: string myString = "This is a string!" With a semicolon at the end. Anything within the quotes is the string. So we'll assume that we're passed a string. The first thing we'd need to check is if this string is a palindrome. So! I check the first character, and then I check the last character. If the two are the same, I move one inwards on both sides. So I'd compare the second character with the penultimate character. Then compare the third with the antepenultimate. The fourth with the preantepenultimate, etc.
Can you make it so if you put "1 2 3 4" the system reverses it "4 3 2 1"?
I could! That'd be pretty easy, I think. If I were to tackle this problem, I'd create an empty string as my "holding" string.
How hard is it to create a code that has multi-touch like the iPhone?
Then I'd say that the first character of my empty string equals the last character in the given string. Ohhhh. Um. I've never touched anything like iPhone stuff.
Hahaha me neither.
I know there are languages that deal with that, but I don't know how to deal that. *deal with that
You could probably learn though.
I sure hope so. It sounds really fun!
Since you are a super genius.
I'm not a super genius. It's just stuff I dabble with in my free time. You'd get really good, too, if you spent the inordinate amount of time I have.
What other stuff do you dabble with?
You know? Whatever piques my curiosity at the time, to be honest. Which means I have a really random arsenal at my disposal.
What piques your curiosity at this moment of your life?
Hmm. Learning how to handle a full class schedule while also doing undergraduate research. I'm REALLY interested in doing whatever I can now to do better in the future. It'll probably fade in a little bit as most things do, but that's what I'm hooked on now. Have you heard of the GRE? I hadn't. It's like the ACT but for grad school. I'm already planning on getting a crazy high score just because. And I'm thinking about internships and opportunities and everything. Methods for memorization, finding people to talk to, networking, getting places. I need to fix my LinkedIn accoutn. *account Just, you know, all that stuff that a lot of people have been focused on for years now but that I'm just now catching wind of. It lights me up right now.
You have a LinkedIn account?
Technically, yes? But I don't use it, and it's not really connected to anyone.
What lights you up?
Just the whole . . . striving for better things, I guess. I don't really know what "better things" are, but I want them. I really like the feeling of struggling to get somewhere. Just the fight you have to put into it. I don't like frustration as much, but just the feel of . . . the resistance, the tug back.
Well you don't always have to struggle, but I know what you mean. And then the feeling of satisfaction that you get after completing a task that was really hard.
Exactly. Nothing like it. It's why 224 was one of my favorite classes. And I daresay my favorite. No class has dragged me through glass like that one has. I cannot tell you the frustration, the overwhelming hopelessness, the tireless hours I invested. And the number of hours I spent berating myself for not working on it! I'm not a super dedicated student; I just procrastinate a lot. Those projects would take something close to twelve or fourteen hours, depending. So I'd certainly try to get them done in one day, but I rarely could. It'd be a two-day stress venture almost every week. Wow, was that difficult. I'd really, really never struggled so hard.
Procrastination seems to be a trend. Everybody does it. But you suceeded. You did it!
Kinda strange, right? You'd think by now we'd have had that beaten out of us, but nope! I did it! I did! I somehow did it!
It's hard for me not to reference Jesus or other gospel topics. Just because I see in my mind how it ties back to those things.
I know. I've wanted to quote scripture so many times. You wanna know something else funny?
We can't have gospel conversations because you suggested it?
Back in fall my first semester, I remember taking up volunteer tutoring because . . . well, mostly because I felt it was something He wanted me to do. Haha, no, not that. Leading up to finals week, I spent more time volunteering to help people than I ever had. Time that was, um, rather precious to me. I knew I had to study for classes that I really hadn't, and I didn't have enough time as it was. Like, honestly, even without other interruptions, I didn't think I'd make it. And these people still needed help. So I decided that they were more important. I prayed a lot those few weeks. I would take time out of my day no matter how busy or stressed or crammed I was, and I'd help them. And sometimes that meant a two-hour long tutoring session after a long day of classes.
Wow you are such a nice person. The temptation to meet is is just growing stronger every second.
You are so kind. Honest. I'm nothing spectacular.
Two-hour long tutoring session?
Yeah, it depended. Some poor souls hadn't been understanding the concepts for about a month and a half.
You really are something special.
I had to explain everything they should've learned in that time. And you really are kind. Thank you so much. I always love talking to you.
I love talking to you too.
Oooh, I definitely have to talk to the contest organizers! I want to get a meeting up and going.
It makes me not feel so stressed and it just gives me a sigh of relief.
Aww.
Helps me pause.
That makes me so glad. Everyone needs a pause every once in a while. Oh, I never did say what the word for "pause" was, did I?
You have provided that for me. Haha I don't think that you did.
Well, I suppose people have different takes on it, but for me, "pause" means one thing. Peace. I define peace a little differently from others, I think.
That is definitely a good description of what I am feeling right now. Peace
I'm glad. Just for a second.
Yep, before I have to leave for work. Back into the normal life of things.
That's good. A little peace always . . . always does more than I expect. Those finals weeks were the busiest of my life, but the peace in the morning lingered throughout the day and made it all okay.
I feel like sharing with you my personal information just so you know where to find me.
Well, if you must. I wouldn't mind. :)
Haha, but should I wait until the contest is over?
Oh, right right, that's important.
We could set up a meeting place.
You make me want to really get the meeting thing going. I mean, wouldn't it be nice to meet everyone? I've met some really cool people here, particularly you.
It would be nice. I haven't really chatted with much people though.
Oh, really? That's okay. I'd be excited to meet just you.
Just my brother, you and the guy that is number one.
I could have a little nametag. "I'm KJ!"
Haha and I will have a nametag saying, "I'm Keyyan."
We're just going to get this world's biggest roundtable and have a bunch of conversations. They could even announce the raffle there. For the mac?
Yea they could.
It'd be kinda fun, right? And they could get feedback.
Yea I think it is for the mac.
Plus, I'm sure there are other people who are curious. Do you want it?
Yea I am sure there are.
Are you here because you want that shot?
I would like it, yes.
There aren't too many participants. You have a decent shot. Well, more decent than, say, an internet scam.
The was the motivation for why I started chatting in the first place, but now it seems to have changed.
What's it now?
I particularly enjoy talking with you.
D'awww. You make me so happy to hear those things.
I don't think I would continue to chat if I hadn't chatted with you.
Really? Why not? You seem like a good person to me. And super fun to talk to, too!
Just because I would probably be doing homework and other stuff. You seem like a very nice person to me and also a fun person to talk to!
I guess it's mutual.
Like the app.
But, so, you already have enough points for the raffle? Just like the app! Minus the dating portion. I'm not so keen on dating right now.
Yea I do for the last round and for this round.
Hmm.
I can imagine with you going to the mission and all.
And since you don't aim to be number one, there's little point, huh? Yeah. Plus, most of my good friends are on missions. I've never been particularly interested in steady dating.
Steady dating?
I thought we weren't supposed to in high school, so I didn't.\
Is that like dating the same person?
Yeah, steady dating. Yeah. Not to confuse it with casual dating. Which is the difference from "going on a date" with someone and "dating" someone. The first is just getting to know them; the second, seeing if they're compatible for marriage.
Well after the mission, I imagine you will be encouraged to be "steady dating".
Though, here at BYU, the two seem to be very connected. That's what I've heard. Apparently, a lot of mission presidents give the advice to marry quickly. To go out and find someone and not delay.
Some friends and relatives of mine have told me, "Oh, you should meet my friend!"
Really? With the intent to find you a girl?
Yea.
Have you found anyone you're interested in yet? I know there are a lot of good girls here on campus.
My mission president said that we should at least have a basic foundation before we plan to get married.
What do you mean by "basic foundation"?
Like have a job, an education, a car Well he didn't really say a car.
Oh, I see, I see. Something to support the marriage with, yeah? But, no, I get you.
Yea, just something that will help get you by because you can't get married and not work.
I know there are students here who marry before they graduate. It must be hard. They bring their kids into class with them. There are mother who are barely older than me who bring their strollers everywhere.
Yea I can imagine that being very hard.
I can't even IMAGINE how hard.
Well I lied. I can't imagine.
Haha, okay.
Well I have to go.
Still, though. I get your point.
I have to go to work now.
Oh, okay! Good luck with work!
It was great talking to you. Thank you!
I hope it's not too draining. And the pleasure is all mine. Now go on, go on! Shoo! Um, be gone!
Well it's a call center job.
Oh.
Hahaha! All right! Goodbye KJ!
By, Keyyan!
Until next time.
Till next time indeed.