Open Up Your Books

There are many things that I miss about college life. I miss the feeling of freedom, the craziness, the learning, meeting new people and the expanding of horizons. But one thing I don't miss, and probably never will? Studying.

Mind you, at Cal State Fullerton, they made finals week a little bit more pleasurable than it normally would be. The Titan Student Union was open all of those nights, and they gave us super-sweet benefits. You could get a massage while the Student Union staff provided sugar to keep you going. We could even come there in our best PJs so we could be super-comfortable as we plugged away with our friends.

But studying was still an annoying task, no matter how much I liked the subject or how comfortable the Student Union was for us. It was a tricky thing, regurgitating all the things we learned in the semester for whatever type of final we were taking. There were even finals I took when I had to write six essays in a row in my blue book. My right hand is sore just thinking about that one.

So imagine how I feel now, going over math I haven't done since my first years in college and getting ready to take the GMAT for the first time. Originally, this was going to be done to apply for a special program. But since I am unable to apply now and I registered early (and pulled $250 out of thin air to do it), I'm still going to take the plunge.

While I study, plugging numbers in my simple calculator and trying desperately to remember all the things I learned, I am reminded of my high school math teacher who taught me in my junior year, speaking as if any of us got a bad grade in math, it would be the end of the world and our futures would be out the window. I got a "D." Surprisingly, I made something of myself, despite the fact that I couldn't get a good grade in math. It was never really a strong subject of mine. I excelled in English, and my high school was more math and science focused.

When I continued doing math in college, I discovered that most of my math teachers didn't speak English; rather, they spoke Math. In one particular class, I had a math teacher who would explain a problem, and when someone would ask a question about the problem, he would make it more convoluted. Very strange.

Then came Dr. Bernice Ross. She was an amazing lady who normally taught psychology, but she taught statistics as it related to humanities and social sciences. It was amazing; a teacher who taught math but could explain it in English! I naturally excelled, getting such a high grade that my fellow journalism students joked that I couldn't be a journalist; I was too good at math. I actually continued to speak with her while I stayed at Pierce, and she was truly a wonderful woman.

Now, all of a sudden, I am stuck doing math again, finding out that I am actually dreaming about solving math problems in my sleep (a very frightening thought). At times, I get so scared I don't know what to do, and sit there wondering, How could I have signed up for this darn test?!?!

But, no matter what happens, on January 15 at 8 a.m., I will be sitting in Anaheim at a desk, with a computer on me programmed to deliver the GMAT and give me my score. I may be fearful, but somehow, over the next week, I must find the confidence in order to pull this thing off.

It doesn't hurt that I made two bit bowls' worth of pasta salad. The first time I made this, I was staying with a friend going through chemotherapy at City of Hope. We were staying in a bungalow on the grounds, and we knew with her crazy chemo schedule, she might not be up to making food every night. This is super-good study food, filled with fresh vegetables and delicious pasta.

PASTA SALAD

1 pound of pasta, such as penne or farfel
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 orange pepper
1 cucumber, preferably an English style or “hothouse”
5 scallions
6-7 radishes
1 can olives
1 carrot
1 small box frozen peas, defrosted
½ cup store-bought Italian dressing or a homemade dressing (see below)

Boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool.
Clean all the vegetables thoroughly. Cut the peppers in half and discard the seeds, ribs (white parts) and green stem. Slice into approximately 1/2 to 1-inch pieces. Cut off the ends of the cucumber, then lengthwise. Slice into half-moon shapes. They shouldn’t be wider than 1/4 of an inch.

Cut off the ends of the scallions and discard. Chop into 1/8 inch pieces. Chop off the ends of the carrot and discard. Peel and chop into slices. Discard the leaves of the radishes and chop both ends. Cut into thin slices. Defrost the peas in the microwave according to package directions. Drain and add olives.

Combine the vegetables and pasta. Add the Italian dressing and mix. Add the peas last. Serve cold.

Quick Tip 1: This dish is so versatile that you can add any ingredients you want, such as tomatoes and mushrooms, and omit any that you absolutely can’t stand.

Quick Tip 2: To make your own Italian dressing, whisk 3 ½ tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, parsley flakes, 1/4 cup olive oil and sugar to taste. Make sure you add the oil last and whisk it strongly as to make sure it fully combines with the other ingredients. If this isn't enough dressing, you can always double or triple this recipe.