Off to college…(to study Japanese!)

Tomorrow I’m leaving home to start a new chapter in my life; I’m going to be spending the next two years at the University of California Irvine, working towards my B.A. in Japanese Language and Literature. This summer I finished up the last few credits I needed at my community college so I could transfer to UCI this fall. I’m really excited to say the least, not just because this will be my first time living on my own while going to school, but I also can’t wait to start taking Japanese classes again…

I finished up my fourth semester of Japanese at my community college in spring 2006 and since then the only course I took was a month long extension program at Kyoto Sangyo University in Japan that summer. Watching anime all the time has helped me retain most of what I learned this past year of no Japanese study but I really could use a brush-up. The fall semester at UCI doesn’t actually start until late September so I’m going to spend the next month or so relaxing at my new apartment and taking a much-needed summer vacation from work and school. The community I’ll be living at has a pool, fitness room, etc., so I’ll spend time there and of course, watching anime, playing video games, working on my site, and catching up on my Japanese studies (not just for classes, but for the Level 3 JLPT I’ll be taking in December too). Once school starts, I won’t have very much free time at all so I’ve gotta get it all in now ^^

Anyway, you’re probably wondering how this new lifestyle of mine will affect my work on the site. It shouldn’t affect it too much since I’ll be taking my computer with me and my room has a high-speed Internet connection. This next month I should have plenty of time to work on it, and even when classes start, I should still have time to do a post at least once or twice a week.

Well, guess that’s all I’ve got to say for now. Just wanted to let you know about this big, but worthwhile, event in my life ^_^ I never thought I would be able to afford going to a university, but luckily this particular one offered me an almost full scholarship based on my grades (I guess hard work does pay off sometimes =P) Once I get my degree, I’m going to look into the JET Program but I’ll really be happy with any well-paying job that involves Japanese. Anyway, once I move in tomorrow, I have lots of studying to do for my Japanese placement test on the 24th so I won’t be able to do another post and/or site update until after then. Wish me luck! I’ll see you all soon! =)