The first thought that enters into my mind is my parents, whom I have been thinking about since I left Houston for college. It's so different here, but not necessarily bad. I have always been under the protection of my parents. But here, I don't have anyone telling me when to get up and when to go to bed, and what to do. I literally make all my choices, which I have to admit, I don't always make the best decisions. I don't study when I know I should. Sometimes having a boyfriend means spending less time doing the things that I know I should, and doing things like going out and having fun. I feel like I should be studying instead of procrastinating until the last minute. But back to my parents, I feel that the college experience is just as tough for them as for me, because I am the last kid to leave home. My mom has been crying constantly and I know that she is lonely because she doesn't have me bumming around the house and eating her food. Sometimes I even feel sad because I now realize all the things my parents have done for me. Even though I thought they were always against me. When I think about the things they have sacrificed for me, I get teary. Especially when I think about the car that my dad just bought me a day before I left for Austin. I got an Acura Integra, nothing I had ever expected. I was so ecstatic and I had never gotten such a great present in my whole life. I know that my Dad had to sacrifice by paying more money for it than I had expected. And now I'm trying not to abuse any things they had given to me and before that I had taken for granted. I really miss my parents and sometimes I have trouble dealing with it. It's tremendously difficult to do things all on my own. My values are seriously getting tested because I don't have them to give me advice anymore. All I keep thinking is how much I love them and how I can possibly show my gratitude for them. College is a tough thing. Even though I went to an enormous high school, it can't compare to college. My classes are huge, and sometimes very monotonous and boring. Surprisingly, the class I had thought was going to be tough and boring, became one of my favorites, economy. Mainly because my professor, Hamermesh, is a great teacher. He is lively and so humorous. The other classes, I really don't care for much. One thing I do hate about college life is the roommates. I live off campus on Enfield, in a really nice apartment/condo. My dad bought it with the intention that I have a nice place to live. It is two stories, and I have been trying to decorate it the best that I can. But the problem is that I have to have roommates. One is this white girl, Karmin, who I never met. My dad posted a bulletin in a church up here in Austin, looking for a roommate and she applied. The other is a Chinese girl, Laura, I have known since I was a child. I share a room with Laura, so Karmin has her own room, and she pays a little more. However, I still end up paying more because it's not fair to split a 1200 rent 3 ways. So Karmin pays 350 for her own room, which I consider a good deal. Laura is really messy, which bothers the heck out of me. But lately, I have been dealing with it pretty well. Karmin is the most annoying and a constant pain on my mind. She is older and she thinks that she is the ruler over the household. But she is messy, especially in public areas and I am the one who has to clean up after her. And the thing that bothers me the most is that she is very stingy. She has a big tv in her own room, and vcr and then on the other hand, comes and watches tv that Laura and I own. So we are not allowed to use it. I borrowed her vcr the other day, and she asked me, "When are you going to buy your own vcr?" Still, she isn't willing to share but doesn't mind using our things. Same with the food. I really feel the need to tell her off, because she sure is getting a good deal living over here, and she can't have the right to treat this place as her own, she needs to respect us. Not only that, she hammered nails all up in her room, knowing that she is only living her for a year and it's not fair to the other person who lives in that room next. That's my biggest problem and whenever I talk about it, I feel really agitated and stressed. Well, all I feel now is relief though, because my 20 minutes are up!