The school information market the next day proved to be a rather positive experience. Just like my school, it seemed to have been improved a lot compared to the last two times I went. We could find all the booths my brother picked out beforehand pretty quickly and most of the people at the booths were very informative.

I felt strange walking around all these kids picking out a future for themselves. Although I felt pretty out of place, since everybody was at least a couple of years younger, it was at the same time very inspiring, but also a little disappointing. A lot of the schools seemed to have greatly modernized their programs. In stead of having to follow a fixed path, like I had to, a lot of the programs are very flexible now. Someone can follow their own individual path within a program taking into account talent and interests. I guess that's the whole bachelor/master system at work these days. Of course I missed out on all that by exactly one year. I'm lucky like that.

Although I was initially going to stay in the big city for the rest of the weekend I decided to surprise my mom and travel back home with my brother. It was my mother's birthday after all. I even managed to buy gifts for her. One DVD (Earthsea), some cookies you can't buy in our town and some funky sprinkle stuff you can poor over cake as decoration. Pink sugar and little tiny sugar hearts. Mom loves to bake and I love to eat what she bakes.

I finally got my brother his gifts as well. A little late, since his birthday was in September, but better late then never. Scooby Doo 2 (pretty funny, but 1 was better, of course) and a Homer Simpson door poster ("You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel"). Also pretty funny. We went out for dinner on Sunday. Lots of talking about my brother's future. It's nice my parents are focusing on him instead of me now. I can actually give him usable advice as well. Makes me feel all fuzzy and big-brother-ish. It's nice to be able to be a proper big brother for a change.

Monday and today ... math, math and more math. I didn't do well on the test, but apparently my score wasn't zero, but seventeen percent. Yay. The best part of it is, should I re-take it, I'd probably score a pretty decent grade, because now I understand the assignments. One week too late. Oh well. Monday was alright, I actually understood the assignments. Tuesday. Not so good.

And ... cue depression and frustration!

Fortunately I had a book (fantasy novel Het Woud van de Maker by Peter Schaap) to read on the train home. That helped me to forget about my frustrations and chased away the negative thoughts. My brother gave my mom that book for her birthday, but since my mom had to finish another book I got to read it first. It's a book about people living in a giant and ancient forest along side wildlife and tree spirits. The trees in the forest grow so tall that life takes place on several layers. I'm pretty sure I've read a book that takes place in a similar environment. Still a good book though. Although, I enjoy reading almost any story, which takes place in a world other than the one I'm living in so I end up liking almost all those kinds of books.

There's more to write, about a little incident during my math class. Nothing big. D (guy from my previous school doing the same master program) made a remark indicating he noticed my interest in a girl that's both in my math and my programming class.

Bah, I'm so transparent.

I need to shop for clothes. Taking a romantic interest in someone always reminds me how crappy I and how crappy my clothes look. Nothing ever fits.

Bleh.

Anyway. Need. Sleep.