Summer ponderings

So this summer has been full of new things. I have certainly learned a whole lot, about myself, others, and the world of engineering.

Here's a list of things I've come across:
1. Engineers have their own vocabulary. And they shorten everything. One thousandth of an inch becomes "one thou". That one took me awhile to figure out... But now I catch myself saying it.
2. The backstreet boys are still cool. At the intern talent show, I almost peed my pants when a group of five guys came on stage singing "I Want It That Way." And they were the hit of the night. Wonderful.
3. I'm old. Some of you may laugh at this. But seriously...I was invited to 3 weddings, of my peers. And I had a job that required me to dress "business casual." If that doesn't scream old person, I don't know what does.
4. You can get a locomotive in whatever color you want. So for all you out there who are thinking about buying locomotives, you better be thinking about what color you want it to be painted ;-).
5. Locomotives are dirty. Seriously, I wasn't even allowed to touch the thing, and before I knew it I was covered in a layer of dirt the size of manhattan. And it was in my hair, and my face, and my notebook, and my pants, and it was gross.
6. That Greek festival down the street is pretty cool. I went for the first time this summer. The church is beautiful, everyone should go inside it.
7. This is my last summer that I'm not allowed to drink alcohol. I wonder how that will change how next summer pans out. I haven't thought about it before. Having the option of going to a club on a weekend sounds like it might be fun. But maybe not.
8. I miss my friends. All of them. But I really love the new ones I've made.
9. Cubicles make me feel claustrophobic. I really don't like them. I couldn't sit at my desk for more than 2 hours without having to get up and walk around the plant for 15 minutes.
Luckily my job usually took me elsewhere for at least part of the day.
10. Always check before a meeting starts to make sure that it's the one you're supposed to be in. Because there's nothing more embarassing than sitting down in a room full of 40-year-old men and suddenly realizing that the meeting is not the one you intended to attend. And then being asked to introduce yourself at the end of it.
11. Sunrises are beautiful. And so much more satisfying than sunsets. Which are also beautiful...but after a sunset you go to bed. After a sunrise you start the day knowing that you were up before the sun. Awesomeness.
12. Rush hour traffic is insanity. I almost had a heart attack coming to and from work the entire first week. Oh, and driving home at 5 on a beautiful sunny day on the Bayfront highway...not a good thing. Making it home before 6 is a miracle.
13. There's a setting on your computer that lets you rotate the screen. It's really fun when you're waiting for a manager to call you back so you know what you're supposed to do the rest of the day. The challenge is changing it back.
14. Heat transfer is going to require the use of differential equations. Can't wait for that class. Too bad I forget what a differential equation is.
15. I'm brave enough to ask a boy on a date, but awkward enough to change the subject before he answers. Hey, it's an improvement from last year.
16. Learn peoples names BEFORE you start saying hi to them in the hallway. I still don't know that one kid's name...but we have had quite a few great conversations. I wonder if he knows mine... That's kind of sad...he was nice. Oh well.
17. Dances are not any less awkward now than they were in middle school. Seriously.
18. Going to bed at 10:00 is incredibly refreshing. Even if it means putting my phone on silent and shutting myself off to the world way earlier than I am expected to. Waking up in the morning and having a text message from my mom that reads "Where are you?" is hilarious.
19. Oh, senior prom... haha.
20. I might actually be good at this whole engineering thing. I was a little worried that I wouldn't...that all of my book knowledge would just go down the drain and I'd suck at any job I would get. But really...I do enjoy it, especially if I am testing things and organizing things and getting other people involved. I've been told I would make a good manager :-).
21. You can STILL get a locomotive in whatever color you want.
22. God gave me a perfect summer.