Andrew

22. Engineering Student. The 1975 Enthusiast. Never Trump.

[aw-95-blog]

It’s Not Okay.

It’s not okay to decrease taxes on the wealthy and implement “trickle down economics”.

It’s not okay to remove 22 million people from their healthcare plans.

It’s not okay to implement your religious beliefs on millions of Americans.

It’s not okay to intertwine church and state.

It’s not okay to believe that healthcare is a privilege instead of a right.

It’s not okay to deny the LGBT community the same rights that everyone else has.

It’s not okay to deny climate change. 

It’s not okay to declare Islam a religion of hate.

It’s not okay to turn away refugees looking for a safer place to live.

It’s not okay to decrease funding to public schools.

It’s not okay to say the media is dishonest and we should only believe what the president says.

It’s not okay to make false claims with no credible sources and continue to lie when all of your claims have been debunked.

It’s not okay to fire the person who is investigating you for committing a crime.

It’s simply not okay. 

This is what we have to deal with for at least the next four years. I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.

[aw-95-blog]

Republicans...Again

The new proposed budget is simply insane but I’m going to focus more on healthcare in this rant.

Look at a map of every country with universal healthcare. The entire continent of Europe is pretty much covered along with the rest of the western world, and the United States still has yet to give access to everyone who needs healthcare. It is absolutely ridiculous that republicans use the argument “Well why should I have to pay for someone else’s healthcare?”

....

To every idiot who says something like that, here’s a few reasons why

1. Humans are social creatures. We live off one another and we are here to take care of each other.

2. Republicans tend to be Christians. Doesn’t the bible say you should help your neighbor and those who are less fortunate than you? Not ignore them when they’re in need?

3. As I mentioned before, every other western country has universal healthcare.

4. For as much as we are spending out of our pockets now for healthcare, it would actually be cheaper to pay for it through taxes.

5. You are already paying for other people’s education, access to roads, parks, and other infrastructure used by the public through taxes. Why should health insurance make a difference? 

Yes, I understand universal healthcare is not perfect and it has it’s downsides. But our current system is not working and the price for healthcare now is just insane. Simply put, it would be cheaper for to just have universal healthcare.

If some republican comes across this post, please explain to me your thought process on why you are so against universal healthcare. Also explain to me how you’re still supporting a man with the vocabulary of a 2nd grader who wants to kick 23 million people out of their health insurance, still wants to ban muslims and who is being investigated by the FBI.

But hey, #MAGA, right?

[the1975-gifs]

the sound // live lounge

[allthingseurope]

Lyon, France (by Bartek W)

[greggaraki]

who is going to ride or die for me this hard

[aw-95-blog]

Nationalism

Spending too much time online is getting disturbing.

I’ve read people’s Instagram bio’s that literally say “I live in the greatest country in the world! USA love it or leave it”. I’ve seen pictures of people dressed like the American flag. I’ve seen France’s National Front party openly say that they are nationalist.

Do people not understand how dangerous nationalism is? The belief that your country is better than another country is the cause of many conflicts and wars around the world. You will never see me waving an American flag, wearing anything with an American flag on it, and you’ll never hear me chant “USA!”. I think it’s absolutely disgusting and the ignorance behind it is astounding.

Am I ashamed to be American? No, not at all. I like the United States. It’s where I grew up, it’s where my family is, it’s what has made me who I am today. But the concept of patriotism and nationalism is such a man-made and artificial concept that it does not make sense to me to be proud of the place you were born. I did not work hard to become an American. I did absolutely nothing to be an American. I was just born here. Some things that I can be proud of are graduating in the very top of my high school class, getting into college, and working my way to becoming an engineer. Those are things I achieved and can be proud of.

Take Germany for example. Everyone knows the Nazi party was just about as nationalist as it gets. Since WW2 has been over, nationalism has been seen as taboo in Germany every since. Germans have a lot to be proud of. They have a rich history, strong culture, a thriving economy, and a beautiful country (I have been to Germany so I would know). But the idea of national pride simply does not exist in Germany. You will rarely see a German flag flying anywhere in public other than a government building when you’re in Germany. I think their citizens are aware of what nationalism can do and why it’s bad. I think the US needs to be a little more like Germany and maybe let their citizens know that yes, the United States is a great country. But so is France, Italy, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, Israel, South Africa, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, etc. 

I wish people could see the dangers of nationalism but people are too focused on their pride to open their eyes and see that there is a whole world that exists outside the US.

[allthingseurope]

Sainte-Enimie, France (by Liliane Paingaud)

[aw-95-blog]

Too Much.

I think I bit off more than I can chew this semester.

I work about 15 hours a week at my internship, I’m taking 15 credits of all engineering classes, and I’m a tour guide for ISU. I don’t enjoy being a tour guide anymore (parents can be really nasty), I don’t enjoy my classes (they’re boring), and work isn’t bad but it’s a time commitment which I don’t have a lot of.

I can never just come home and relax. When I get home, I have to start studying or do homework or something around the apartment like laundry or dishes. I just don’t have any free time to do anything I enjoy and it’s really getting to me. This has been the most stressful Sunday of the year. I wish I could just lay in bed and read a book or watch a movie without having to think about school but that’s not an option. Ever. There is always something that needs to be done with school and I just feel like it’s never going to end.

I said I want to do structural engineering but now I’m really questioning if it’s worth it. I’ve heard a lot of structural engineers have to spend over 50 hours a week working and I don’t want that kind of life. 

I don’t know what I want to do now. It’s extremely stressful and to anyone thinking about doing a STEM major... Go ahead and do it but just know it’s not fun and it will ruin you sometimes.

[aw-95-blog]

Rejection

I know everyone deals with rejection and it’s something you have to learn to deal with. But I’ve been talking to someone for about a week and we decided to go on a coffee date. After the date, I didn’t hear much from him.

I had assumed it was something I said but I didn’t know so I just decided to text him and tell him it was nice getting to know him but I think we should just be friends. He agreed and didn’t say much else. 

I don’t know why I constantly ignore people who show very obvious signs of interest then I chase people who don’t show interest in me. It’s human nature to do that but it’s exhausting. It seems like it’s impossible to find someone you’re interested in who is also interested in you.

Someday I will find someone, but that day seems very distant.

[breathtakingdestinations]

Mostar - Bosnia and Herzegovina (by Tomasz Dunn) 

[aw-95-blog]

Brexit...

Today Theresa May triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, officially beginning the process of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. Many people in the UK are celebrating this day, while the other half and the majority of the European Union are mourning.

I’ve mentioned before that I have a great deal of respect for the European Union. I’ve only been to three EU countries but I learned quite a lot while I was there, especially about freedom of movement and the option to live and work in any member state. It is why I believe the people of the United Kingdom have made a mistake.

Looking at the demographics of the votes, an overwhelmingly majority of young people voted to stay in the EU and that’s one thing that really gets me. The people who voted to leave are voting for a future that they don’t have to deal with, because they’re all older and they won’t have to see what goes wrong in the process. The young people of Britain are being taken out of the EU by their parents essentially and I think it’s a shame. I think the UK is moving in the wrong direction and I’m sad to see them leave the EU. They said they want to “take back their borders” and “make their own laws”...

You knew how how the European Parliament worked when you decided to vote yourself in back in the 1970s. No one forced you to be a part of the EU. When things didn’t go your way, you threw a fit and left. I think whoever voted to leave was being extremely selfish. They were not taking into account the three million EU citizens who currently reside in the UK and they were not thinking about the UK citizens living within other EU countries. They voted to keep muslims and other immigrants out, without even considering what their vote would do to other UK and EU citizens.

The EU was formed to create peace within Europe. Without a peaceful Europe, we know what the world could turn into. It happened twice and I don’t need to even mention what happened. I believe today was a historic day but for the wrong reasons...

[benjoyment]

48 Shades of Lightning  Taken from last night’s thunderstorm. (color hues are unretouched)

[the1975online]

You’re mad thinking you could ever save me.

[blackness-by-your-side]

me as a parent

[aw-95-blog]

Random Thoughts

1 - I think materialism is an ugly quality to possess

2 - I enjoy people’s candid pictures more than their selfies

3 - I think people who post too many selfies show signs of narcissism 

4 - I admire people who speak more than 1 language

5 - I don’t think money makes you happy at all

6 - I’ve learned that often times, the people with the most followers have the worst personalities

7 - On top of that, the number of followers you have does not represent the number of friends you have

8 - For some reason, most STEM majors don’t use social media very much

9 - Everything happens for a reason

10 - I should be studying but Tumblr is more fun

[aw-95-blog]

I registered for classes in the fall and I’m so excited for my classes! 

Ever since I changed my major to civil engineering, I’ve been so excited to take Structural Analysis (CE 332) and Transportation Engineering (CE 355). 

The way CE works at ISU is that you take four general civil engineering classes which are Structural Analysis (CE 332), Transportation Engineering (CE 355), Geotechnical Engineering (CE 360), and Environmental Engineering (CE 326, which I am taking next spring), then you choose your area of specialty based on which class you enjoyed the most. Transportation is the most popular but I’m really learning towards structures. I enjoyed statics and I like mechanics of materials which are the basics of structures. 

The structures branch of civil engineering is intense. You have to take CE 332, CE 333 (structural steel design), CE 334 (concrete design) and a ton of 400 level classes to have your emphasis in structures. Being a structural engineer requires a ton of licenses and you have to pass a ton of tests but I think it’s the most interesting branch of civil so I’m going to go for it!

The only class I’m not looking forward to is EM 345, which is dynamics. It’s one of the most failed classes at ISU and I’ve heard many people say it’s the hardest class they have ever taken. So I’m nervous for that. But if I passed calculus 2 with a B and did well in physics, statics, and mechanics, then I should hopefully do okay in dynamics!

Also, CE 306 is project management. You essentially just learn how to estimate the cost of construction projects based on materials they use. I heard it’s an easy A but I’m confused as to why there’s a three hour lab for it.

[aw-95-blog]

The European Union

I’ll be honest, I never knew much about the European Union before I went to Europe. I had heard of it before but never really thought much of it. When you think of Europe, you generally think of the individual countries within it, not the EU. 

When I visited Italy in May, I fell in love with the European Union. I can’t describe the feeling but the freedom of movement and all the diversity within the EU was mind blowing to me. The fact that I could travel from Italy to Germany within an hour and a half without showing my passport baffled me. I saw first hand how beneficial the European Union was to its member citizens and the idea of growing up in a place like Spain and being able to live and work freely in Sweden, Poland, Romania, Greece, etc. was amazing to me. 

I often think about how much I would like to be an EU citizen. It’s not easy to obtain citizenship within one of the EU countries but I love how progressive the EU is. They maintain peace, promote democracy and encourage freedom of movement of their residents. I was heartbroken to see the United Kingdom leave the EU and it didn’t make sense to me why anyone would want to leave such a great union. I know as an outsider, you generally only see the good things of a place you visit. You don’t usually see their struggles. 

I wish I could describe to you all the way I felt when I was traveling throughout Europe in those few short weeks. The EU is what made it possible and I hope someday to become an EU citizen. It’s part of the reason I picked up French and I feel like maybe one day I will end up living in France. One can only hope.