Final weeks at ISU

For those who don't know, I'm going to be graduating in a few weeks.  I'm really excited, but at the same time, sad.  These have been some of the best years of my life.  I'm going to miss everything when I leave.  All my friends are going to still be here, with a few graduating, and I'm going to go to Michigan.

When I started college, one of my biggest fears what that I wasn't going to meet anyone, and that I'd be along for the entire time.  Looking back, I see that those fears were unfounded.  I've made many friends these past four year, some who I can honestly say have been the best friends I've ever had.  I meant the girl of my dreams, who one day I'll probably marry.  I grew in ways I did not event think were possible.

I think if I were to meet myself 4 years ago, that me would be surprised at how I'd changed.  I would not change anything that happened, even the bad, because from that, I learned and become a better person.

So, in these last 2-3 weeks at ISU, I reflect on my time hear, content with what I accomplished, and looking forward to the next phase in my life.  Thank you, everyone who influenced me into becoming the person I am now.  Thanks for all the memories, the laughs, cries, anger, and random happenings.

I will miss you all.

Vermont

I'm really not sure what to say here. On one hand, I'm not against gay
people. On the other hand, I do believe marriage is a sacred
sacrament, of which the main purpose is for man and a woman to create
a family and have children, something which a gay couple cannot do.
And yet, in less than 4 days, 2 states have legalized gay marriages.
I'll have to mull this over, but I like the way Kristin put it:
marriage according to the state and marriage according to the church
are two different things. If that's the case, then we might need a new
word for state marriages. Kristin suggested "unions", which seems to
fit.

Eduardo J. Ruiz

University of Michigan

Well, after many long days and nights of searching, I've finally made a choice for the university I'm going to for Graduate School: University of Michgan.  They have a really good physics program, and they will help me at every step of the way.

One of the really cool things it thatt they gave me a really nice fellowship.  Accoring to the email I received, "Your award for the first year will consist of a stipend equal to 50% Graduate Student Research Assistant/GSRA for the fall and winter terms, full tuition, and GradCare health and dental insurance. The award also provides one spring/summer stipend of $8500."  Basically, I'll be getting full tuition, and a $2000-per-month stipend, plus the other stuff.  Now that's a sweet deal.

I'm getting really excited about going to Michigan.  It's kinda funny to think this was one of the last schools I decided to apply to, and now they're giving me such a sweet deal.  Kinda like when I came to Iowa State...

And on top of that, my parents told me they would get me a car.  Possibly new.  Actually, most likely new.  I'll have to be happy with what in the lot when  we go visit, but hey, it's a new car.  That's really cool.

The one thing that's kinda worrying is that I'll have to leave Kristin behind for a while.  Hopefully, she'll be able to follow me, and afterwards, who knows where we'll end up.  We've been talking, and there's a few options, so we'll see...