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So I've haven't been on much to complain so I will make up for it tonight while I take a break from organic reactions.
Most of last week wasn't too bad. Unfortuantely, I couldn't think after Tuesday because of Friday/Monday.
Two Fridays ago, I had my organic test. Which was interesting because for some reason I really don't get this last chapter or so of reactions. It's a bunch of really long bizarre mechanism that don't quite fit in my mind.
Then it was the weekend. Oh, I forgot I was beginning to enter the severe sleep deprivation state so Friday's test didn't go so well. On the weekend, I did a bunch of sleeping trying to prepare for Sun./Mon.
Sunday I studying my ass off for Thermo and Social Psych. Then Monday I took those exams, study and took the Ethics final, and finally wrote two essays due at my Neuro test which was Tuesday. Needless to say, I couldn't force myself to study for neuro so I just took the test as is since he drops the lowest grade and barely passed.
Then I recovered and packed. Tried to learn the rest of diff eq which would have been a good idea to finish covering since the one thing I didn't really learn was on the exam.
I spent the weekend at home with David. It was nice. We went to my cousin's wedding with my parents and afterwards we skipped out on the reception (my parents too) and David and I saw spiderman. I didn't have a final Monday so I got a 3 day weekend.
Tuesday was neuroscience. Wednesday was diff eq at 8 am. There were a lot of smelly people in that final.
Tomorrow is organic which I'm kind of worried about, but I think I only need like a 50 because of his grading system/extra credit.
Friday is Thermo at 8 am, where we all will die. Not looking forward to that one at all.
I'm home all next week and then I leave Sat. May 19 for Peoria. I start my internship with Caterpillar Monday the 21.
After that, I'm home for a week (last day Aug. 10) and then back to school.
My life is school and work so it's pretty boring. Anything interesting is best if I tell it in person with lots of cussing, exaggerated gestures and yelling.
Oh, another note: University Missouri-Rolla will become Missouri University of Science and Technology January 2008. Offically abbreviated Missouri S&T.
Unoffically abbrivated:
Missouri S&T : Missouri Shit and Things
MUST
MOST
M-O-U-S-T (to the mickey mouse theme song)
MST : Mountain Standard Time
Really brings the home the point that UMR doesn't reflect that we're one of the top engineering universities in the US but Missouri S&T will. Background Noise: Typing, scanning, and the not so slow leak in the pipes of the newest buildng. |
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So this morning, my roommate starts getting calls at like 6:30 wanting to know if she's okay. My calls didn't start until 8:30 when my parents realized that there was a bomb threat at UMR.
Apparently, some poor grad student lost it and threatened to blow up civil and said he had anthrax. The anthrax was powder sugar, which is yummy and not at all threatening except to diabetics. While everyone else flipped out back home and on national tv, the students like myself enjoyed the day off.
Happy Bombthreat day, even though it is poor taste. I've come to realized that almost every single student of our generation has already experienced at least one bomb threat. Terrorism is very real to us in the since of 911, but individual attacks, especially on schools like this seem to be laughable. We remember Columbine, but at the same time, I don't remember an actual threat made to the school. Threats like these go to show the importance of mental health programs.
One other note, it makes me sick that the media immediately wanted to know the nationality of the student to try and make this into a terror organization incident. |
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The weather is crappy out. I feel like it's eating away my face and hands even though I have gloves on. Then I come back to my room and the dry air makes me itch. I am ready for some nice weather that makes you think, I'm glad it's nice out because I have to walk to the post office and it's a beautiful day. Unfortunately, we had a bunch of misty shit all day yesterday and then tiny, painful snow today. Where is our snow day? Sure, we had a power outage day, and a couple of classes are cancelled due to power issues. But I still had a test during one of those days! (Not the offically cancelled day because he couldn't find enough people to proctor the exam.)
What else? Plenty of things I don't really want to talk about. I taught myself how to knit Saturday. That was interesting. I'm hungry and I can't decide if I want to go outside and face the weather or if I want to stay inside and eat the food in my room.
My thermo class is interesting. On our first test, I got the high score of 80. The average was something like a 45. He was not happy with us, and honestly I don't blame him. The test was: 40 pt - Homework problem, 40 pt - Problem from notes, 20 - old test (we didn't have the answers but you could at least make a reasonable guess and then prove it or look it up in the book) and 20 - reading question. I missed the reading question. If I hadn't been freaking out about the fact that the second problem (the one from the notes) was a system of 2 equations that required a computer to solve it and I wasn't sure about the 3rd (the old test) I could have gotten another 10 for writing delta H=0. But I didn't, so I got an 80. I was fairly accurate about predicting which problems would be on the test, mostly because we only had 2 calculation problems in the homework and only 3 in the notes. But some people still didn't either figure out what they didn't understand in the notes or the homework and missed it. He didn't teach after he gave back the tests because "you don't teach after such a test" where the average is horrible. So we told him what problems, issues we had, and he told us either to deal or he'd make changes. I don't like it when teachers for classes like this teach through powerpoint. They rarely show every step and leave out important reasoning for the problems. He's no longer using powerpoint and now he's starting with the general equation and simplifing with reasoning, and it makes SO much more sense.
Enough boring you with thermo. There's a cat in the RC now. A new staff member is living in the appartment and she has a cat. So she puts it on a leash and walks it around. I don't remember if it's a boy or girl cat, but he/she is very cute.
The End.
(Side note. On my organic test the professor wrote "The End" at the end. I thought it was cute.)My "Mood":  hungry Background Noise: Various noises. |
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Feb. 1st, 2007 @ 12:19 pm
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Jan. 16th, 2007 @ 05:35 pm
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Last night I wrote an amazing humour newspaper. I'm thinking about publishing it on campus. In other news, classes are boring. I think I might die in my social psychology class. The professor is very annoying, says Okay after things, outlines her points exactly with the notes, and generally drives me mad. Her voice is annoying and she paces back and forth "like an animal." Neuroscience isn't bad. A lot of stupid brain terms to memorize. Um, my scary thermo teacher had to make a lot of changes in the class, so I'm hoping I can do well. 40% of the tests get to be of the "what the hell" variety. What else....
Some of you may be aware that I'm doing an internship with Caterpillar this summer in Peoria for 12 weeks. So I won't be home much. It's going to be interesting. But I just saw that there's a research opportunity with Worcester Polytechnic Insitiute that really sparked my interest. I'm kind of considering graduate school now that I ruled out medical school. I just don't think I would be happy spending 3 to 4 years of my life memorizing and learning minute details of things I don't care about to give out pills. I'd rather be a clinical psychologist. If I do get my Ph.D it will probably be in chemical engineering but something more biological. Who knows. I change my mind almost constantly.
The office is amazing. I think I might have to start watching TV because of it.
I should go find who's going to dinner and such.
Let me know if you still read. |
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So Katie wanted me to update because this is what she does when she is bored. I don't have anything interesting to write. So I'm just going to make shit up.
My mom is making tacos for tonight. (Fact or Not?)
David and I broke up last night because he thinks I am fat. So I told him to go play video games in his mom's basement for the rest of his life. Then David lost it and took Iraq with a popsicle war. President Bush died from frostbite when a rabid dog tore out his throat. Every one was freed from the reign of Franco and all was well with the mole people. That's all for new events.
In other news, old events declared war on new events. New events waged nuclear war on old events. Old events countered with the black plaque and then rained frogs and buzzards on new events. New events was totally pissed and started call old events fat and ugly and a total tool. Old events told new events to grow up and act his age. New events told old events that he couldn't act his age because he was new and didn't really have an age yet because that's how new he was. But old events reminded new events that Michael Jackson was really an old event and new events kept trying to take him from it. The war raged on for a century, and in the end new events died because global warming killed everything and there wasn't any more new events to fight old events. Ironically, the previous new events became old events.
Jan. 2nd, 2007 @ 07:04 pm
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| » I CHANGED MY MAJOR! |
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Kind of.
Actually, I just dropped the biochemical emphasis. I did it for several reasons, which I will now list.
Why I dropped my biochemical emphasis:
1. It's a lot of extra work and labs.
2. I probably will not go into biochemical engineering right out of school.
3. It's easier to convince an employer that you can do biochem e stuff than to convince a employer that you can still do regular chem e stuff.
4. I don't have all math and science courses anymore.
5. I have electives now.
6. I'm tired of 21 hours of class and no free time every semester.
So here's the new schedule:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30606898@N00/316554400/
Compare it to the old schedule:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30606898@N00/297577619/
If you looked at both pictures, then you can see why I am so excited. I might be able to do research now. Yay! Anyways, I have a scary organic test tomorrow that I have to study for.
Dec. 7th, 2006 @ 01:37 pm
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| » none |
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Fuck mushrooms.
Nov. 27th, 2006 @ 11:24 pm
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| » Ice Skating |
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Hey Everyone that reads this,
We are going skating on Wednesdays at Steinburg Ice Skating Rink in Forest Park at 7:00 pm. Cost is $6 admission and $2 to rent skates. Call me if you need a ride.
Nov. 20th, 2006 @ 10:21 pm
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| » (No Subject) |
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The power was back on today so classes resumed as normal. I found out that my organic teacher was going to hold the test outside, but he couldn't because it was raining. And then he was going to put into three different places, but he didn't have a third person to proctor the test. One of my other professors overheard it and said that was ridiculous because the university cancelled classes. Oh well, it's tomorrow now and he's really pissed about it. I bet the grades won't be very good. My amazing bio teacher moved our test to Friday because of it. Voluntarily, because he knew that we all had tests the had to be reschedule. He's a department chair and he all bent out of shape because of a missed class day.
I'll give you my schedule as of right now...we don't have any cool link to post it with. http://www.flickr.com/photos/30606898@N00/ Maybe that will work. Maybe not. I've got to go eat before my physics test.
Oh, I forgot. If you look closely you can see on Tuesday I'm scheduled for two labs at the same time. One of those will be moved from Monday from 2 to 5 if they ever add the other section of organic lab. I will still have the Tuesday/Thursday lab from 2 to 5.
Nov. 14th, 2006 @ 04:53 pm
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| » Second Testing Cycle Power Outage |
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As I'm sure none of you know, last night there was a 30sec power outage all over campus. DK was bouncing off the tunnel walls when it happened. Luckily, the power returned to the Havener center as soon as we reached the main doors so dinner was served. According the Media Advisory sent out, "The outage occurred at approximately 7 p.m. Sunday due to a malfunction in the main transformer on campus.
UMR crews must install new fuses in the transformer before power can be restored. Those fuses will be shipped from the Chicago area today and are not expected to arrive before tonight. Therefore, power may not be restored until Tuesday morning."
Effectively, this seeming minor outage caused class to be cancelled for today, including my organic chemistry test. If the power returns, everything will continue as normal. Otherwise, this is going to be an amazing end to a hellish testing week.
Okay, I'm going to stop celebrating because I still have my tests this week. So far...maybe horrible traffic or an acident or faluty new parts could save us all though.
Nov. 13th, 2006 @ 12:57 pm
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| » Ugg. |
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Next week:
Monday: Organic Test
Tuesday: Physics Test & Physics Lab
Wednesday: Cell Biology Test
Thursday: Chem E 120 Test
Thank God Thanksgiving is afterward.
Nov. 6th, 2006 @ 11:33 pm
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| » Apathy has struck yet again. |
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So I don't have any tests this week and I won't be here Thursday/Friday. For those of you who don't remember, I'm going to be in Kansas City for an interview thing. I'm excited as one can be who is waiting to take a nap. I have to do an audit at 1 so I can't nap yet. Basically, the only thing I have to do today is read organic. And while that is torture in itself, I skipped it last week and I'll probably save some of it for some of the down time on my trip. But more or less, I'll read the major topics and skip the rest.
I currently heart biology class. The quizes are ridiculous, but I've found the solution. Don't read the chapters, stay awake during lectures and fill out the study guide. I used to read the chapters back when I had time.
David and I got into it last night. He decided to try and prove to me that I have no free time. And I know that. I keep my calendar in Outlook so I have almost everything scheduled in there. When I'm not in a meeting or class, I'm usually doing homework. So there was no point in the 20 minute calculation that said if I sleep 8 hours every night I have -3 hour during the week. It's really not as bad as he calculated. Some factors weren't properly counted. But I have decided that I need to drop this robotics involvement. I care 0 about the robot. I'm going to finish up the organization stuff I started and the bail before they make me fundraises. I just don't have the time to do something that will have almost no effect on my career. Plus, it conflicts with AIChE meetings that I need to go to.
I don't have any fun stories to tell really. I went home last weekend and got a new suit. That was fun. I played with my dog and read a book. I slept a lot too.
I really want to move out of the dorms. For one, I can drop the jboard crap It's not so bad right now, because I'm completely ignoring what is going on with it. And depending on how fast I get moving, I could actually have almost all my work for next semester finished. I just don't have time for activities if I want to be able to do something I enjoy. What's really sad is that I stopped doing things I enjoy, like reading, because I have no will power to stop and then I don't have time to do homework or go to bed. Usually, I don't go to bed.
So I don't feel like doing much, so I'll probably take a nap and then go to walmart and get a few things for my trip.
Oct. 24th, 2006 @ 12:14 pm
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| » A short story. |
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A famous movie star went to the wise man for his advice. "How do I get the paparazzi to stop following me?" he asked. The wise asked the movie star, "How do they spot you?" And the movie star replied, "They figured out what car I drive, where I live, even what school my children attend!" To this the wise man asked, "What car do you drive, where do you live, and what school do your children attend?" The movie star smirked, "I have the best car, the best house, and my children receive the best education." The wise man thought for a moment. "The solution to your problem is simple. The paparazzi you complain of easily spot your one of a kind lifestyle. If you were to drive an average car, live in an average house, and send your children to average school, all your paparazzi problems would disappear," he told the movie star. "AVERAGE! I AM A MOVIE STAR! I AM NOT AVERAGE!" the movie star shrieked. And he stormed off thinking to himself, "That wise man is too used to problems of the average, he does not understand my problems."
Oct. 15th, 2006 @ 11:12 pm
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| » Opportunties cause stress. |
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Last week I found I had gotten a second interview with a company called Honeywell. It's a large company, but the plant I would be working in makes non-nuclear parts for national defense systems. It's an amazing opportunity just to be give the second interview. They interview 120 on campus, then select 60 for the second interview, and then 30 recieve offers. The second interview takes place onsite and is called Fantastic Friday. It's a day and a half event, with 4 interviews, etc. In order to go, I have to fill out several different applications and forms, including forms for a background check for government securtity clearance.
Well, this week hasn't been the best. I have had a bunch of different things going on, including MAPP testing, homework that I was behind on because David was here, and then an organic test. Next week looms in the future because I have three tests. So I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get to Kansas City for the interview and my parents solution is that my dad drives here Wednesday night, and then they have me fly out of St. Louis. How they came up with this, I have no idea, but it just seems ridiculous to everyone I know considering I have a nice car just sitting the garage. The only mantenance problems it has had have been: burnt out brake lamp, replaced air conditioning knobs, and oh wow, the battery died after the car had not been driven in six weeks. The battery's exact age was unknown but it was definitely had lasted it's life time. I spent most of Thursday night on the phone arguing with my parents on why I couldn't have the car. Actually, I was arguing with my mom because she is the one who doesn't want me to have the car. I think my dad thinks she's nuts some time. Basically, she thinks the car is unreliable because it has over a hundred thousand miles on it and I'm on non-resident insurance for a lower rate. I basically told her I would pay the difference if it meant I didn't have the stress of having to fly there. Then she told me, she though I would drive up during the week to see Katie or David, which makes no sense. I barely can leave school to go to this interview. The only reason I can, is that I don't have my Friday lab that week by some micracle. This just put me over the edge. I have worked my ass off for opportunities like this and now I'm finding out that it's highly likely that I won't be able to go on an internship like this because of my parents. They don't seem to understand that engineering is different from most fields. Internship are REQUIRED to get a good job. Co-ops are becoming necessary. The only reason I can even go to St. Louis now, is that I don't tell them anymore.
I'm trying to balance judicial board responsibilties, now robotics, school, and interviews right now. My down time is literally Friday night and Saturday night if I'm luckly. I'm depressed half the time to the extent I think I might be bipolar. And I'm fucking tired of having to deal with my parents. Amy got away with things because my mom didn't live with her dad. Nick gets away with things because he's Nick. I have to fight to be allowed to take advantage of career opportunities.
Friday, my mom called and said she'd look into the insurance thing. I may have to pay more money, but at least I'd be able to drive. It might be that I can hook up with someone here and carpool. But I will probably not know the person. That's something that I continue to not understand. My parents were protective enough to not let me ride with other high school drivers for forever. And then they send me off to Hickville that doesn't even have a bus and expect me to figure out how to go to Walmart to get my prescriptions. I wish they would be consistent.
Oct. 14th, 2006 @ 07:28 pm
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| » Feeling out of the loop |
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I don't talk to anyone from high school really anymore. Just the occasional, hey, when are you going to be home. I've gone home once since I've been here and aside from the mall and having a car, I really don't miss it. I keep myself busy with my endless list of things I should be doing for clubs, activities and responsibilities I've been given. Oh, I got student of the month here, at least with in the Residential Life system. I never managed to get it in high school when it kind of mattered to me. Even David, who does absolutely nothing aside from things his dad demands of him, got that. People here don't seem to get what drives me to do the things I do. My mother doesn't see the benefits of being the judicial board co-chair. But my resume speaks for itself. I have a list of involvement and a 4.0. The grades and internship got me in the door at the career fair. They got me the interview with Honeywell, Exxon Mobil, Pactiv, and Caterpillar. But the activities that I do, Judicial Board Co-chair, Environmental Management Systems Student Auditor, and even robotics in college, are what allows me to give examples of a time I had to deal with a difficult person who wasn't helping the group or give examples of a project I led and the positive results out of it. And those things are what matters to the recruiters. It's what got me a second onsite interview with Honeywell.
While I feel bad that I've lost contact with a lot of people I care about, I've branched out so much more here. This is home right now and going home every weekend like so many do here wouldn't allow me to have the same level of involvement I have at school. It wouldn't give me a strong resume. Perhaps I'm too career focused, too goal oriented, but I want to go somewhere. I want to have options and I would love to be able to have a summer that was an adventure in another state working a job that is rewarding.
This is my day. I go to all my classes. I complete on all my homework, except book reading which I'm horrible at. And I stay involved on campus. I hang out with my friends here. And I sleep.
I don't know what else to say.
Oct. 11th, 2006 @ 06:24 pm
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| » Summer |
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Today was the career fair and I managed to get one interview with Honeywell. It's a company that makes non-nuclear parts for nuclear war heads, etc. I should also have one with Exxon Mobil. BUT my chem e professor, who is great, is advising students to take thermo over the summer if they want a decent grade and to learn something. The spring professor who teaches it gives at best a low B. He doesn't teach and he's generally a jerk. At first, I wasn't sure if they were going to give him the class again, and apparently they are.
I was really hoping to get an amazing summer internship.
Sep. 28th, 2006 @ 10:11 pm
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| » Home |
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I went home this past weekend. Aside from the tornado damage in St. James (town east of Rolla) right after we left, and all the rain and everything, the trip wasn't too bad.
Once home, I had a nice evening at home with the family. Saturday, I meant to get up at 8:00 and take care of a few things, but when I woke up and about every half an hour after that it was storming and I thought, I'm not getting up early to get wet so I stayed in bed. Went to a family BBQ with my dad. I love my aunt Sandy from Canada. She is a blast. Most of my family was there and it was a lot of fun. Very smokey, and several fires. Lots of good cooked meat. Amizich family BBQ are something of their own. I made my Dad go shopping with me afterwards. Then another evening at home with the folks. Sunday, got up and we went to lunch and then they brought me back.
Overall, I can't complain. It was a funny weekend without any fighting, which is incredibly suprising considering my brother started driving.
Now back at school for a semi stressful week, followed by a very stressful week and David!
Yes, I am excited because David is coming in two weeks.
That's it. Not very exciting.
Sep. 24th, 2006 @ 09:32 pm
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| » Warning: I will be complaing. |
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Okay, so I got up an extra hour before my organic test so I could study with Martin and eat breakfast. Everything was going well until...
We were standing in line to get food an the power went out.
Luckily we could get food because it was already made and generally crappy. I can't decide if the eggs weren't fully cooked or if it was just butter?
Then we go to organic and of course, the power is fully out in the building and the room we're supposed to have the test in is pitch black. Professor Bohner (amazing math teacher) was still teaching calc 2. The power came on before we started the organic test.
About 10 minutes in the the test the majority of the power fails, but this time some of the lights were still (meaning exit sign and some emergency lights maybe) and then the aisle lights were flicking so it was like we were at a Rave without the music. The test continued. After 10-15 minutes without power it came back on for the duration of the test.
Went to Bio and the lights were still on. Kids were inside our classroom taking a P-chem test. Apparently that was really hard too. By the time we get into bio, the lights go off. We have class in the dark for 10 to 15 minutes, power on, test power off. You get the picture.
Now I have lab at 2 and we have to have power for it, plus the power's been off in Havener, which is like the RC's cafeteria because we don't have our own and they haven't been serving food. I just got word that the power is now back on so maybe I'll get some lunch.
Luckily, I had a really shitty breakfast so maybe if I do have lab I can just hold out until 4.
Oh, and at 12:30 they decided it would be an excellent day to test the firealarms.
Clarification: Only the buildngs ON campus lost power, which is kind of ironic considering there's a power plant ON campus, but apparently it only produces enough power to back up the freezers and such. Anything across the street kind of deal still had it.
Sep. 15th, 2006 @ 12:57 pm
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| » Slight boredom |
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So I've been feeling really stressed about how behind I was, and then I just decided to skip reading most of the bio and I felt so much better. Well, right now I'm reading some of it, but only the parts that are listed on the study guide. Also listed on the study guide, Missouri's State Mammal, which I'm sure you'll all love to know is in fact the Majestic Mule. I was talking to my prof about it and he started ranting about how some little 3rd grader wrote to the state congress about how much his class loved the bullfrog and how great it would be if it was the state amphibian. My prof's problem with this is that the bullfrog is not even native to Missouri, but Missouri has a love species of frog that is only found in the Ozarks and battling extinction.
Anyways, I don't have much to say. I'm just killing time until I go to work in the CLC (computer lab) and work on my physics homework. Then organic study session, dinner, more physics, AIChE, more work, and the possibly studying or bed. I have an organic test and bio quiz Friday. I'm a little scared. It shouldn't be to bad, at least the organic. Bio is just scary because of questions like, "What is Missouri's state mammal? Hint, it's four letters."
On a side rant, JBoard is going stressfully. We're a board short of members. We should have numbers around 14 to 22. We have 4. Two are my roommate and my suitemate. Then the returning member is the other co-chairs roommate. And I just got one of the guys across the hall to join. So don't mess with us. It's kind of funny, yet sad.
Oh campus is thinking about taking away our free hour (noon to 1) on Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Tuesday and Thursday have classes during those times. It makes me rather angry to think that I might have to have a class at noon again only MWF. It REALLY sucks. I want to go to Europe, they get nap time. In fact, nap time greatly improves performance. America's workacholic tendencies are a contributator to why we're falling behind. You can't work 60-80 hours a week and still be happy or perform well in any aspect except at sleep deprevation.
I would like to actually talk to some people rather than hoping they post. But I'm usually gone or asleep during the hours anyone else is online. Tis sad.
I finish with a quote.
"In my scientific opinion, it's gremlins." ~Martin
Sep. 13th, 2006 @ 01:32 pm
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