Publishing

This is a document that was submitted as an introductory assignment for my English literature class this semester.

"While I'm not sure if the rest of the class would be interested to read this, my self-introduction will illuminate myself and my goals to anyone involved in English 417. My name is Mike Yanus, and like the Professor of this course, I have spent a few years dipping in and out of academic probation. Unlike the professor however, I could not single-handedly lift the short bus that carries me to school every morning and to work every afternoon. About my life's journey, college is definitely a part of it. I am in my 4^th year of college, have a junior's standing in credits, and entered as a freshman with 24 free credits from advanced placement courses. I aced the math portion of the SAT, had a great high school grade average and many honor rolls and national accolades to my name. Even in my early youth I was targeted by magnet programs and advanced curricula in order to give me the best chance to succeed. Since then, I've spent the last 3 years of my life avoiding as much work as I can possibly muster without my parents and college cutting me off.

And this summer, I was cut off.

I took a job as a customer service rep at a (somewhat) local Honda dealership. After a few pay periods of customers cussing and screaming at me for things I had no control over, I decided that my life could be better spent, considering I spend my free time salivating over Wikipedia articles about abandoned NASA projects from the 1950's and 60's. My passion for knowledge and curiosity for the secrets beyond mankind's reach are powerful, but my naivete, work ethic, and time-management follies are equally powerful. I'm back this final semester, requiring 12 credits and a grade average of 3.2 for the University to decide I'm worth keeping. I'm working 40 hours per week to pay for the adventure, and sleeping little more than that. My goals are far-reaching, and nobody expects me to succeed, but that just takes the pressure off of myself and allows me to slam-bang this cocksucker of a college ride once and for all. I'm in my darkest hour, but under the greatest of stresses come some of the greatest successes the world has seen. Or I could just fade away, and have a reasonably productive life doing things I hate with people who don't interest me. I think you'll find out very quickly whether I'm going to impress you.

And for the record, I've probably seen much of this literature in the other classes I've taken, but I never read or went so I can't do much more than name-drop Oliver Goldsmith, and Garrick. I've not heard anything about the Professor in the past either, except for his massive grunts from the gym a few towns away."