They have to put up with the utter stupidity of the human race all too often.

So I’m working part time as a TA (teacher’s assistant), and I mostly do grading. I had my first assignment yesterday, to do over the weekend.

People are morons. They really are. Some of the answers you read and just want to reach out and strangle the person. They are just that stupid.

The class average on this assignment was 67%… which is lower than I think it’s supposed to be. Tough.

The main problem was this one question. It was basically discussing different astronomically related distances and calculations. Each person solved it in a different way, came up with totally different numbers, and wrote them in a million different ways.

I had answers like 23847192384791 km. How am I even supposed to read that? My brother is like ‘they probably just typed random numbers on their keyboard’.

And then I try to be as fair and consistent as I can, but with answers such as 1.9457829012022 x10^23 cm how can I?! I spend like 10 minutes just trying to decipher it.

It was an interesting experience though. Really hope there’ll be less number related questions in the future- hello, i’m not majoring in math for a reason!

Only 3 out of 45 people got that question right. I want to hug them. I wrote a huge “GREAT!!” on their paper. I was going to draw happy faces too, but realized I was no longer in elementary school. Sadly, happy faces are not considered ‘professional’. Psh.

I feel so cool being able to use the red pen.

I love my intro to photography class.

The people are really friendly.
They are talented.
We discuss photography, give each other feedback.
We’ve become friends already.

The professor.
He is incredible.
Such a nice guy, and knows how to teach.
He is “really really impressed” with my work.
He was surprised when I told him I was self taught.

It’s the first time I get actual critique from a professional.
It’s good critique.
I’m being challenged into improving my art.

You know that phrase, having a “bounce in your step”?
It’s 100% real.
Alhamdullilah.
AHHHHH.

I’m too exhausted (already!) to write a proper post describing the beginning of this semester, so here are my past 2 FB statuses (with some appropriate tweaking) to do the job for me.

Day 1:
okay, so- thoughts of the day: wrote a crap essay for wri 102, not a fun way to start the semester. social psych class is huuuge, prof is a sweetheart, can’t wait to be a guinea pig. bio prof is adorable, there are only 2 dudes in the entire class. history of photography prof doesn’t like wearing shoes, and enjoys falafel and earl grey tea. he also happens to be hilarious. good first day? I THINK SO.

Day 2:
stats with M, who is as awesome as ever. he made us ask him questions for an entire hour, a girl asked about his hobbies. moments later, his response: “on facebook… i have a farm.” intro to photography with T (who is brilliant!♥ ) was kickass, but left me heartbroken; they’re phasing out film, and we’ll rarely be using it this semester. oh and ahhh back to library stalking-i caught you looking, you know.

Oh and it’s so great catching up with all my friends, you really don’t know how much you’ll miss people you’re constantly with until you’re violently torn apart. Not limb by limb- I mean from them. Metaphorically speaking.

and

Oh my.

I make some every year. They say you should write them down, that it will motivate you to attempt to fulfill them.

So I write them down. I then proceed to forget where I wrote them, and forget they ever even existed.

This year, I’ve got a different plan.

I only have one resolution; short, sweet, and simple. I’ll try to remember it constantly, and have it play a factor in every decision I make.

My resolution for 2010:

Be as grateful to Allah as I should be.

It sounds simple, but I know it’s more complicated and difficult than I can imagine. But I’ll do it, inshaAllah.

May your 2010 be filled with happiness and blessings from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.

Let me start this rant off by saying this: I am not perfect. I am not even close, and lately, I seem to be getting further from it everyday. Also, I am in no position to judge anyone, and I do not mean to do so. I’m aware that everyone has their own circumstances, trials, and difficulties.

That being said, however, I must express how appalled I am at the state of  the majority of Muslim youth today. It’s something I’ve always taken for granted, how dormant Muslims of today are, but today I consciously realized it.

Perhaps it’s the change of environment? I went to high school in Saudi Arabia, in an Islamic school. No matter how far away and uninterested in Islam people in my surroundings were, it always played a factor in their lives. They were constantly reminded of Allah, of our duties and obligations as Muslims, of morals and ethics to live by. Whether people took this advice to heart depended on them, but the words of advice and reminder were always there.

Now I’m in Dubai- a secular environment- going to a secular school. Where Islam used to be there is a void- no mention of religion goes on here whatsoever. In fact, there is rarely conversation of a deep nature; people never seem to venture beyond the surface. Music, movies, boys, girls, parties, fun. Fun, fun, fun.

Don’t get me wrong- I love having fun as much as the next person, perhaps even a little more. We are only human, to have times when we want to let our guard down and just relax is natural. But fun isn’t everything. Everyone and everything is just so fast- I really understand what it means to live life in the fast lane. Always looking for the next bit of fun. Yes, we can have fun, but what about when that fun contradicts our morals, ethics, and beliefs?

The problem is, people nowadays lack those 3 important things; morals, ethics, and beliefs. How many of the Muslims that I know have made a conscious choice to be Muslims? How many decide to factor in Allah’s laws in every daily choice they make? Yes, some people may be weak, we all are. But merely acknowledging the fact that there is something beyond superficial, temporary pleasure is what’s important. It is that basic acknowledgment that people lack.

Thinking back to the people I know- the Muslims I know. I honestly could not even tell you which ones pray five times a day. I know of a few people that do for sure, but as for the rest- I’m skeptical. Then there are some I know for a fact don’t even pray at all. The most basic thing our religion teaches, the second most important pillar- and people don’t even give it a second thought.

I was going to write about the other behaviors that are just leaving me speechless, but I decided not to. Like I said, I am in no position to judge. I’m sure everyone knows what I’m talking about- we all know people like these. And in many ways, we are people like these. But even if our weaknesses do get the better of us sometimes, at least we are aware of a higher meaning for our existence. At least we understand the difference between right and wrong, even if sometimes it is difficult to go down the correct path.

May Allah forgive me for my shortcomings. May we always know the difference between right and wrong, and may Islam always be present in our lives. May Allah guide us all.

There is so much I could write, so much I want to write, but I’m going to stop before I go too far- if I haven’t already, that is. It just breaks my heart, is all.

Exams are over. I can confidently say that I did my best alhamdullilah, and inshaAllah it will pay off. A couple grades have come out already, a couple haven’t, and so far, I’m liking what I’m seeing.

Hello, 3 weeks of vacation. I have so much planned, but I hope it’s not one of those vacations where I plan so much and end up doing nothing. What do you suggest I do during this break?

I have lots of books lined up; Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, As I Lay Dying, Jane Eyre, Animal Farm, The Carpet Wars, Brave New World, and a book containing several plays by Sophocles. So much to read, so little time!

I bought a chia pet the other day, it brought back such memories! I remember having one back when I was 8 or 9. Can’t wait for it to start growing.

I really really really want to travel. Somewhere, anywhere. I’m not really in a mood to be touristy, though. So I’d either go to Syria or Canada, if I could. Ah.

Some neighbors are BBQ’ing, I can smell it, it smells absolutely heavenly. Some BBQ’ed ribs would be so awesome right now.

I’m in a meh mood. Meh.

I watched “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” for the first time last night.

Absolutely incredible. Possibly the best film I have seen in my life. Just wow.

If you haven’t already seen it, I advise you to do so as soon as you can. Seriously.

Another one of my design projects. Making this made me really really want to open up a burger shop. Perhaps one day I will?

They will be auctioned off to the highest bidder, since they are so awesome only a select amount of people can have them.

People will travel the world far and wide just to try them.

Oprah will ruin her diet just to have one.

Okay, maybe i’m getting a bit ahead of myself.. But anything is possible!

Okay, so I like most people. I get along with them, I have fun with them, I enjoy their company. There’s just one kind of person I can’t stand. A negative person. You know how moms always tell you to either say something nice or shut the hell up? Yeah, well people should listen to their moms more often. Seriously. Ugh. I mean really, what will a nasty comment add to the greatness of the world? Will it make life any more awesome, even if by a little bit? NO. So just keep your venomous thoughts to yourself please.

UGH. Ugh. ugh.

Okay, now that that’s out of my system (for the most part), let me begin writing.

Hi, hello. I keep mentally replaying The List of things I need to get done over and over. Even though most of my time lately has been spent in the library, The List still seems to be getting longer. It defies the laws of nature.

Final exams start next week, I haven’t even begun studying for them. But it’ll be okay, inshaAllah. It always is. I think.

I have the most incredible awesome fantastic amazing schedule for next semester. Freshmen never get schedules like this. It’s like a one in a million kind of thing. Two million even. Alhamdullilah. The best part is- i’m taking a PHOTOGRAPHY class. I’ll get to work with film, develop my own photos in our darkroom. I’m giggling just thinking about it.

It rained like crazy yesterday, and got really cold, I felt like I was in Montreal. I love rain, thunder, and lightning. SubhanAllah. It was bright and sunshiny today, though. The weather is screwing with us, it wants to keep us on our toes.

It would be so interesting if facebook stalking was made illegal. I wonder how many people would go to jail.