The weather transitions here at the University of Washington from a warm streak which irritates even the strongest of us to a cooler flavor, one which is expected with Seattle. There are times in which it’s frigid in the morning but ends up sunny in the afternoon, though a drizzle always passes by.

Considering this backdrop, it’s hard to observe the minute movements in the world, let alone documenting them, here are some haikus to describe times at the University of Washington:

Computer Science—

CS142,

The code, key to success, but

Burdening them all.

Meeting with all the new freshmen and sophomores from various places, one of the main things is that they want to major in computer science or engineering. I’ve never taken the Computer Science 142 class, which is the introductory class for the major. From what I’ve heard from my roommate and others, it features a bunch of work. Yet a lot of people seek it to get experience for the most lucrative programming jobs out there.

Fall—

Golden leaves falling,

Laid until rain silences,

Why are my feet cold?!

A pretty sight I see in the fall is the leaves on the trees at the main driveway at UW turning into different colors and falling gently, like in a movie. Especially when the sun comes out and makes it even more cinematic—though I don’t believe they will ever be as cinematic as those on the East Coast, though a part of me suggests that it’s a bit edited.

Midterms—

Hanging on the neck,

A weight branding the student,

A referendum.

While I may not have any midterms this quarter, I understand the burden of papers going around, every word or equation more painful to write than the last one. I enjoy going to classes and learning a lot about the rest of the world, but I do not like being examined by it and having to bury myself in papers to get these results.

Daily Life—

Not so much daily,

As night crawls in this

City of nonsense.

I’m used to the seasons changing, and the days getting shorter while the nights get longer every single day, especially after Daylight Savings Time. Even as a junior, my parents are still concerned about me doing things at night, as they believe the world is crazier every day with dubious characters. I’m not one of them, but they fear I’ll be enveloped into it without a way out.

Mentorship—

Missing in action,

Going on one’s own, yet with

A path talked about.

During my freshman year, I was part of the Mentor Power for Success Program, in that I was assigned to a mentor to guide my way to my first quarter. It worked out well, and I have a good friend to talk and bond with.

Now, I’m doing the same, but to be honest, the process is going a little bit rougher than I thought. I hope my mentee would eventually learn from me.

Hope—

A day passes, like

The river. Yet unlike it,

The sun blooms again.