Oh, right. This is supposed to be about school.

I am once again up before 7 am. What is going on? Actually I know exactly what is going on. I went to bed embarrassingly early last night. That's what I get for trying to read the driest of dry public health theory after dinner. I realize I haven't written about actual school in a while, aside from the ever-fascinating biostats bitching. But there's actually a lot more to school to biostats. Who knew? Not you.

First of all, I have three classes with group projects this term and in each group project I'm working on a different health behavior campaign. Among the three, the one I'm most excited about is a social marketing campaign we're working on to prevent STIs in retirement communities and assisted living homes. It's a huge problem! Especially with Viagra and with so few men for so many women. Condoms, grandpa! I wanted to focus it in Boca Raton, but we're doing the pilot project in Baltimore. I can't wait for the preliminary research where we to talk to old people about safe sex. It probably won't be as funny as it is in my head, but still. I'm excited. The other two projects are on more widespread and well-known problems, drinking and driving and exercise, but each with their own unique twist. Stay tuned.

Yesterday, in one of my theory classes, we discussed media theory, particularly having to do with television. All I kept thinking about was how ridiculous it was that here we were, discussing esoteric theories about television and its impacts, while people actually creating TV (i.e. me three months ago) never even give this stuff any thought and would most likely be rolling their (my) eyes about how in depth and seriously it's taken in academic settings. Alas, I was torn. On the one hand, I was rolling my eyes. While on the other hand, I was thinking that maybe this is important to study. I mean, sure, TV has an impact on society. But, how much of a problem is it really? And will it ever really be changed? I'm here to work with TV, not fight against it. It's important to understand, but at the same time, the idea of studying and understanding TV is almost laughable to me. I guess the part I find funny is that there are highly trained brilliant academics studying the mindless shit that people like me write, in between updating their blogs, playing online Scrabble and stuffing their faces with free food. And I left that world, why, again?