First-Year Student Journals : David : Journal 1

David stands beside the mural of Tower Records building

Vinyl record of Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde on David's turntable

A peace sign hangs from David's messenger bag

David | Profile | Reflections | Journals: 1 2

15 September 2003

I feel like I’m cheating the purpose of this journal project. I started school at UT early in June, and by the end of the summer, I felt like a seasoned pro. So seasoned in fact that I didn’t move back for the fall until the day before classes started. I hugged and kissed my mom goodbye, and that was that. No tears or long pauses. No homesickness. We both were used to it. I didn’t sit in my room full of boxes and cry my eyes out wishing my best friend was there with me. I didn’t join lots of clubs or go to any frats in an effort to find a group and niche to cling onto. I didn’t go out every night in a desperate search for new friends who share my same fears and taste in cheap beer. I set up my room and went to dinner. Then I went to a movie.

It wasn’t even a good movie. It was timely though. It was a French film about college kids from across Europe who live together and all the wacky hysteria that ensues. It was pretty ridiculous. On my movie scale (0-100), I would give it a 63. A waste of money. But one part of the movie did stick out. Every kid in that flick was so eager to make friends with everyone else. It seemed like they were thrust into this uncomfortable and alien environment so they did everything they could to become friends with those around them.

The reason it struck me was how much I didn’t relate to these people. Here I am, stuck in a new environment with many people I don’t know. Yet I don’t feel this urge to befriend anyone. I don’t feel a desire to talk to the people in the rooms around me. If I make friends, great. But I’m not on a mission to find people. People make me angry.

Example. I was at the first film screening for my Introduction to Media Studies class. It was “Metropolis,” which I love. It is one of the great director Fritz Lang’s best films, whose other masterpiece is the movie “M.” On my way to my seat I heard a girl ask her friend if this movie had any words. I had to laugh. Out loud. We watched a horrible copy of the movie. The quality was almost unwatchable and it didn’t even have the original theatrical score. Plus, 35 minutes of the movie weren’t yet restored when the copy was made, so we missed some stunning scenes. Now, I didn’t mind this too much until the class started laughing and making fun of the acting and effects of the movie. Do they not understand that this movie is silent? Do they not understand that it was made in 1927? I hope these kids become the Michael Bays of the filmmaking world, so I can laugh at their audacity and know my disdain is justified.

But I have run into some people, primarily over the summer, whom I consider my friends. They are good people. I’m glad I met them.

Many of them are students in more of the creative colleges on campus, fine arts and Radio-Television-Film. And although I myself am an RTF major, I find it futile to try to find someone into film who really knows what they are talking about. Maybe I’ll run into a few later on.

My classes this semester are pretty horrible. Latin is killing me,
Introduction to Media Studies is depressing and Astronomy is too general to be interesting. I do honestly enjoy my playwriting class though. It is small, my teacher is extremely energetic and it really does inspire creativity. I recommend it.

I haven’t done too much studying yet. I’m sure that is going to come back and haunt me in a few weeks. I’ve been really busy with some upcoming projects and my radio show that I’ve been hosting on KVRX. It is a political humor/debate and discussion show. I started this summer on Internet radio, but was moved to FM this fall. It has been extremely challenging, but I enjoy it. Take a listen sometime at 91.7 at 7 p.m., Mondays or on the KVRX Web site.

I’ve come to notice the abundance of student films that are always being made around the city. What I have also noticed is that all too many of them are filmed on digital cameras. Now, I personally HATE the look of digital. Sure it may be easy to work with, but maybe that is a bad thing. The challenge and dedication of actual filmmaking is what keeps a lot of horrible movies from being made. Besides, if you are going to be a filmmaker, you need to learn how to work with film. Which is why I’ve been considering shooting this short film I am going to produce on 16mm film. I have the camera. I’m now just debating the pros and cons.

Auditions for the film are going to be soon. I’m really excited about seeing my potential cast. There are supposedly more than 100 people who are going to show up. I hope things go smoothly. Until production starts, I’ll be working extensively on planning and pre-production with my small crew. I am confident it will turn out well.

I guess the best advice I can give to those at UT and those considering coming here is to keep busy. And by busy, I mean do something productive. Read, write, make something. Don’t just party all the time. The hard work will pay off in the end. You don’t want college to be the best years of your life. That would be really sad.

I’m not good at writing about myself or about ending my writing so I’ll just say goodbye. Until the next entry. Godspeed.



	David \| Profile \| Reflections \| Journals: 1 2 Home
	15 September 2003 I feel like I’m cheating the purpose of this journal project. I started school at UT early in June, and by the end of the summer, I felt like a seasoned pro. So seasoned in fact that I didn’t move back for the fall until the day before classes started. I hugged and kissed my mom goodbye, and that was that. No tears or long pauses. No homesickness. We both were used to it. I didn’t sit in my room full of boxes and cry my eyes out wishing my best friend was there with me. I didn’t join lots of clubs or go to any frats in an effort to find a group and niche to cling onto. I didn’t go out every night in a desperate search for new friends who share my same fears and taste in cheap beer. I set up my room and went to dinner. Then I went to a movie. It wasn’t even a good movie. It was timely though. It was a French film about college kids from across Europe who live together and all the wacky hysteria that ensues. It was pretty ridiculous. On my movie scale (0-100), I would give it a 63. A waste of money. But one part of the movie did stick out. Every kid in that flick was so eager to make friends with everyone else. It seemed like they were thrust into this uncomfortable and alien environment so they did everything they could to become friends with those around them. The reason it struck me was how much I didn’t relate to these people. Here I am, stuck in a new environment with many people I don’t know. Yet I don’t feel this urge to befriend anyone. I don’t feel a desire to talk to the people in the rooms around me. If I make friends, great. But I’m not on a mission to find people. People make me angry. Example. I was at the first film screening for my Introduction to Media Studies class. It was “Metropolis,” which I love. It is one of the great director Fritz Lang’s best films, whose other masterpiece is the movie “M.” On my way to my seat I heard a girl ask her friend if this movie had any words. I had to laugh. Out loud. We watched a horrible copy of the movie. The quality was almost unwatchable and it didn’t even have the original theatrical score. Plus, 35 minutes of the movie weren’t yet restored when the copy was made, so we missed some stunning scenes. Now, I didn’t mind this too much until the class started laughing and making fun of the acting and effects of the movie. Do they not understand that this movie is silent? Do they not understand that it was made in 1927? I hope these kids become the Michael Bays of the filmmaking world, so I can laugh at their audacity and know my disdain is justified. But I have run into some people, primarily over the summer, whom I consider my friends. They are good people. I’m glad I met them. Many of them are students in more of the creative colleges on campus, fine arts and Radio-Television-Film. And although I myself am an RTF major, I find it futile to try to find someone into film who really knows what they are talking about. Maybe I’ll run into a few later on. My classes this semester are pretty horrible. Latin is killing me, Introduction to Media Studies is depressing and Astronomy is too general to be interesting. I do honestly enjoy my playwriting class though. It is small, my teacher is extremely energetic and it really does inspire creativity. I recommend it. I haven’t done too much studying yet. I’m sure that is going to come back and haunt me in a few weeks. I’ve been really busy with some upcoming projects and my radio show that I’ve been hosting on KVRX. It is a political humor/debate and discussion show. I started this summer on Internet radio, but was moved to FM this fall. It has been extremely challenging, but I enjoy it. Take a listen sometime at 91.7 at 7 p.m., Mondays or on the KVRX Web site. I’ve come to notice the abundance of student films that are always being made around the city. What I have also noticed is that all too many of them are filmed on digital cameras. Now, I personally HATE the look of digital. Sure it may be easy to work with, but maybe that is a bad thing. The challenge and dedication of actual filmmaking is what keeps a lot of horrible movies from being made. Besides, if you are going to be a filmmaker, you need to learn how to work with film. Which is why I’ve been considering shooting this short film I am going to produce on 16mm film. I have the camera. I’m now just debating the pros and cons. Auditions for the film are going to be soon. I’m really excited about seeing my potential cast. There are supposedly more than 100 people who are going to show up. I hope things go smoothly. Until production starts, I’ll be working extensively on planning and pre-production with my small crew. I am confident it will turn out well. I guess the best advice I can give to those at UT and those considering coming here is to keep busy. And by busy, I mean do something productive. Read, write, make something. Don’t just party all the time. The hard work will pay off in the end. You don’t want college to be the best years of your life. That would be really sad. I’m not good at writing about myself or about ending my writing so I’ll just say goodbye. Until the next entry. Godspeed.