Making a portfolio for the first time is a somewhat terrifying ordeal.

Every once in awhile, two minds may as well have been one mind.  You know you should ask for more help when three hours of researching and asking questions back and forth lead to no earth shattering discoveries.

Strange noises at night will show you how unprepared you are for the zombie apocalypse.  Or any apocalypse for that matter.

One day, when you're older and richer and young adults go around your neighborhood asking for donations, don't be a jerk; either open the door and help out or open the door and give a good excuse.  Do NOT look out the window and shoo the askers away, do NOT give a threadbare excuse, do NOT be rude.

It is possible to learn four weeks of stuff in two days.  However, this takes patience, guidance, and a touch of skill.

You may be pleasantly surprised by a score in a class you didn't think you were doing well in.  Believe in yourself [always with common sense]!

Sometimes, the difference of one's culture is not evident until an innocent, blatant question from a different culture is asked.  Large amounts of laughter and a wonderful culture exchange will ensue!

Example:
"You eat fish that still look like fish?"

The unexpected calmness of a person when you tell them an unannounced change in your life should be received with caution; the worst is not over yet as you are merely in the eye of the storm.

Parents are actually full of surprises sometimes!  You may expect a negative reaction where a relatively pleasant reaction can be found!

UPDATE:  See October - Lesson 41

A greater appreciation for TAs can be found when they are willing to go out of their usual TA hours to sincerely help you catch up and understand a given topic.

One of the stranger conversations in life is to have a text conversation with your parent whose first language is not English and to whom you usually talk to in another language.  An awkward and stiff conversation will follow, and it's probably just better to stop replying and pretend that that conversation never happened.

You know you're getting desperate for a new laptop when you enter any contest you can and haphazardly like Facebook pages left and right.

You know you don't quite click with a person when a substitute teaches a class and you find yourself less worried and more open to speak than you usually do.

To know if you possibly have an antisocial personality, judge your reaction on the following scenario:

• A person you don't know very well posts on your Facebook wall.  What do you do?

1. Reply excitedly.
2. Blink at the unexpected person on your wall, but reply in a pleasant manner anyway.
3. Start saying out loud "This doesn't happen to me!  What am I supposed to say to that?" and attempt to reply in a socially acceptable manner.

The higher the number, the likelihood of a social personality increases.  The lower the number, the likelihood of a antisocial personality increases.

Facebook birthday posts should either consist of at least one of the following:  a novel, an inside joke, or a humorous poem.  It will make things seem much more sincere and entertaining.

Shannon Hale and Libba Bray are probably the greatest author duo presenters ever.

No matter how good of a friend you are with a person, a bonding session is always necessary!  Watching a movie that is both intense action-wise and emotionally will be sure to be an enjoyable and cathartic experience, especially if you haven't chatted face-to-face for an extended period of time.

A villain may make or break a movie.  If the villain acts childish, is supposed to be smart but never does anything to show it, and hyperconfident for no reason at all, that villain sucks.

When working with those who are younger than yourself, you will wonder whether or not you acted in such a immature way. Remember this and always try to act humble and unpretentious.

When life is rough, you will know who support you wholeheartedly. Cherish the family and friends that are there for you no matter what hardships you are going through. You will thank them when they put a smile on your face through those tears.

Learn from your mother when she gives food away to her guests. Always give more than half of the portion away, leaves space for your fridge for more food!

When working with Asian friends, always plan ahead that they will be late. Give them a time to come expecting they will come from a half an hour to an hour later. Come a half hour after the given time, and this will decrease the amount of waiting time.

Sometimes having two people in the kitchen is counter-productive. You will surprise yourself when you are cooking and baking by yourself how much more you can do without another person's help.

Traffic will usually make a person very grumpy. Take deep breaths and take in the scenery. Even better, take out the camera and enjoy the sunset as you sit stagnantly on the pavement.

Finishing early to only wait for others can be the worst thing to wait for, especially when you have already been in the lab for over 4 hours. Find something to entertain yourself for the time being! From studying to watching Youtube videos, you won't feel like you have wasted as much time.

Watching a political debate can be exciting at times. Other times, when the one you are rooting for is doing such a horrible job, all you can do is turn off the TV and hope they will do better next time.

When labeling, make sure it is clear and permanent! If the labeling rubs off, hell may break loose!

The feeling that you have cheated on an exam even though you have not is embarrassing. Lesson: Always bring a calculator to an exam even if it is a writing exam! You never know when you may need it.