Oberlinination

I've started a physics blog with some of the other Cornell physics graduate students. Our aim is to post about interesting physics in a manner accessible for the educated lay person. The subjects will vary. RIght now we've done calculations for a realistic rail gun and how much a water droplet heats up as it falls through the air. Check it out and pass it along if you like it!

http://thevirtuosi.blogspot.com/

R.I.P. (Aunt) Ethel Hopkins.

Killed in a car accident, nothing could have been done. You are already missed.


This time, might be worse than last, because this one we weren't expecting. At least for Pam, we knew that was coming, and all the time we had, that was a blessing. This . . . well, small mercies I suppose. At least Craig is okay.

I don't know what else to say. I cried today. I hope I've made peace with this. I'm not sure if the reality has hit, or if I'm still in a kind of daze. It kind of hit me when I told my mom.

Thoughts a bit scattered. I wish I could be in Portland with the family right now, this is the downside of being so far away. I feel alone and helpless to this kind of thing. Time, I suppose, is the great healer.

Maybe I will post sometime soon with happier news. It seems the only thing that motivates me to write is the sad.

Beloved mother, grandmother, sister, friend. We all knew this was coming, yet it never seemed real. Until now. She was an amazing woman, who brought people together. She made people welcome in her own home with a generous heart, and so many feel like she was a mother or a sister to them, and they were always welcome in her home.

She made me welcome. Into her family, into Abigail's family. I immediately became her eldest grandchild, and she cared about me as such. Not even as IF I were her family, but because I WAS her family.

I loved her, and I'm glad I got to tell her that. May she rest in peace, and may the rest of us carry on, as strange as it may seem to not have her with us. She was a light for so many, and she will be missed. Greatly. By me. And all those who know her.

So I haven't done this for a while, but I don't want to totally lose touch with folks, so here goes.

Tomorrow I start the new semester. Last semester was horribly busy for me, but fairly successful (I did very well in all of my classes), and that's behind me. This semester looks to be a bit more sane, but only a bit. I'm taking four classes, Physics 311 - Electricity and Magnetism, Physics 301 - Stars and Planets, Math 220 - Discrete Mathematics, Environmental Science 101 - Environment and Society. But, lest it look like I'm slacking, I'm also doing research with one of my physics professors. He's working on hydrogen storage in carbon nanomaterials. Not to mention that I'm continuing to work my usual 10 hours or so a week, and I might take another 1 credit class just for fun.

So I'll be busy. But hopefully not as busy as last semester, where I took two nights off a week, Friday and Saturday, and that was just about it. I do have three problem sets a week, though, so balancing that will be interesting. However, as usual, I'm looking forward to all of my classes. I continue to greatly enjoy Oberlin, both the people and the place, though right now it's a touch cold here (2 degrees, plus a wind chill of ~20 degrees).

Lets see . . . what else. I'll skip most of last semester, just because it was so busy. I made some friends, kept up with old ones, grew closer to some, lost touch with a few. The usual. I went to a lot of musical events (of most note: Juan Diego Florez, and the opera Elixir of Love), and generally survived.

Over winter break, my dad and his close family went to Fiji, where I was able to join them for a week or so. That was fantastic, though over too quickly. I, of course, didn't tan, because I never do.

That threw me back into Portland for a few days, where I tried desperately to see all my friends and family before I went back to Oberlin for winter term. I somewhat succeeded. And then I was back in Oberlin for our Winter Term (month of January to do an independent project of some type). I developed a holography lab for the physics department, which will be integrated into the curriculum next year.

As I did last year, I spent winter term cooking with a group of 5 other folks. The food was good, as was the company, and I'm sad to see it go, but we don't have time for it during the semester, not to mention that we're back on board now. But overall, winter term was very enjoyable, more so than last year.

Right now, I'm just about finished with some applications for summer research programs. I'm looking to do physics research through the REU (Research Experience for Undergraduate) programs they offer. I'll update you on that once I know which ones I've gotten into (hopefully I'll get into some!).

That's about the score. There's a lot more, no doubt, but I've got to do some prep for my classes tomorrow, so I'll leave it at this.

It's been a while since I've updated this thing. There's probably virtual cobwebs in all the virtual corners, and various dust bunnies establishing full fledged warrens in the basement.

I figured I should try to keep up with this a *little bit*. I've been so busy recently though that it's hard. I mean, I didn't update it all during the summer, and now I'm a month (more) into school.

So, brief recap:
Summer:
Work (random jobs for various friends/family).
Road Trip.
Trip to Michigan.
Memorial for my aunt Susan.
Lots of random chilling with friends.
Going back to school around August 20th.

School:
Getting back when almost no one else was here.
Getting training for my jobs (computer consultant in the dorm, and taking care of the outlying labs). This was fun, because the folks I was training with are for the most part awesome, so I got to hang out with them for a week or two and make a bunch of new friends.
Folks getting back early, and chilling before school started. Making friends with freshman during orientation week. Helping people with their computers.
Classes starting. Feeling overwhelmed by my workload right off the bat.

That's about the summary.

I've got so much work right now, it's kind of rediculous. The problem sets for my quantum physics class regularly take 12 hours, the lab class is taking up a ton of time, it's just a lot of work. During the week, I go pretty much non-stop from when I get up to when I go to bed, except for a few small breaks, and meals. It's not easy. I'm managing, but it's not all that easy. So if you don't hear from me at all, it's because I've forgotten anything outside Oberlin exists.

That's not to say that I'm not enjoying myself. I am. I love being back, I love (most) of what I'm doing for classes, I really enjoy spending time with all my friends (old and new) that are here. It rocks. It's just busy. On weekends I make sure to take friday and saturday night off, and do things with people. So far I've been successful.

I go to the gym on tuesday/thursday/saturday mornings. That's goood.

Not too much other news, really. I'm busy. I miss people at home, but only when I have time to think about it. Otherwise I just keep on doing what I have to, and take a little time to enjoy myself.

No plans for fall break yet. Back in Portland? Doesn't look *too* likely. But I haven't looked into it. Just collapsing at Oberlin and taking care of all the things I need to take care of that I don't have time for right now? Sounds better and better.

I'm scattered. I turned in another one of my 12 hour physics problem sets today, and a take home math test. Now I'm doing laundry and wasting a little time before dinner. After dinner I'm going to the first and second year showcase (first year actors, second year directors). A number of us, partly because we want to see it and partly because a friend of ours is directing one of the plays (one acts).

This has been an update. Marginally informational. Imagine that you're really really busy, and then pretend that you just got busier. I'm sure that most folks know what I'm talking about here. That's me most of the time.

Summer is upon me. No job yet. Hopefully more on that side soon.

The semester went well. I got back my grades.

Chem: A
Physics: A-
Math: B+
Shi'ite Islam: A+

With the way Oberlin weights things that's a 3.83. Better than last semester, and brings my overall gpa up, but, as always, I'd like to do better if possible. We'll see what next semester holds for me.

My friend Jesse from Oberlin was in town this past week. That was a blast. Pictures will be up soon.

My time is spent moving (my dad is moving/has moved) and unpacking, chillin' with friends, and catching up on a lot of reading I've been meaning to do. Good times.

I feel like there should be more news. There probably should. But now that I'm back in Portland I'm seeing most all of the people I'm trying to keep up with on this thing on a somewhat regular basis. I'll keep on updating, but perhaps less comprehensivly and maybe less frequently. We'll see.

Maybe tomorrow I'll talk about Jesse's visit.

I'm going home tomorrow. My flight leaves Cleveland International at 6:30pm, and gets into Portland at 11pm. There's a 1.5 hour layover in Minneapolis in there.

My room is now packed. So I have to manage to waste a few hours tonight, and a number of hours tomorrow. It took me most of today. Along with the emotionally draining saying goodbye to everyone here. I'm just coming to realize how many people I'm going to miss over the summer. But the pain of the parting is tempered by the knowledge that I'm going to see them again come September.

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to be coming home. I'm looking forward to seeing my friends in Portland (as they trickle back in for the summer), to spend time with my family, and to just generally chill. I do need the break. But it's hard to leave here, because being here is so good.

That's all I'm going to say on that. One thing I do know is that I'm going to be exhausted when I get back into Portland. Totally exhausted. After finals, and then having to pack up all of my belongings and empty out my room, along with the trip (with well overstuffed bags), it's going to wipe me out. But that's okay. I'll be back on top of things in no time, I hope.

What else . . . Finals. Went pretty well, I think. I don't have the results, won't for a couple of weeks, but I feel pretty good about them. Nothing that went too poorly, though there's a couple of classes where the final will be the difference between B+/A- area, I think. But I feel fairly good about it. The week was exhausting, but I got through it, and now I've got the whole summer to recover.

We had a get together last night, and the night before. That was nice, seeing folks before they left.

Nathan left on friday. I miss him. I'm glad that we're rooming together next year.

That's about the word. I'll be back tomorrow.

If there's one really good way to get a whole bunch of college students pissed off at you, it's to set off a fire alarm at 6am on a Sunday during reading period.

Grr . . . . .

Anyways, I've got finals this upcoming week. I'll be back in Portland late on the 21st. More news once finals are over.

Tonight was the chemistry banquet.

I was invited, and was awarded the first year student's award for excellence in chemistry. 1 of 4 recipients.

I feel pretty good about that.

Ironically enough, I'm not a chem major. Nor were the other three recipients.

So this is mostly about next year. Because in the past few days, I've both registered for classes and selected housing for next year.

Next year I am taking:
M/W/F:
10am - Math 234 - Differential Equations
11am - Physics 312 - Quantum Mechanics
1:30pm - History 159 - Early and Premodern Japan
2:30pm - Classics 103 - Greek History

T/Th:
1:30-4:30 - Physics 314 - Intermediate Laboratory

The math should be easy. I did my winter term this year studying it, so I've got a huge head start there. I just need the practice the class provides, to just hammer the techniques into my brain. Not to mention that there are a few other concepts in the class that I haven't really covered.

Quantum Mechanics should be hard, and interesting. Hopefully not too much harder than my current physics class, but we'll see. Either way, it's the next step towards the major, so I need to take it. The Intermediate Laboratory is two three hour labs, where we get introduced to some new equipment, and then set loose to do roughly self guided research, but research with a result that we already know. It's point is to familiarize us with designing our own labs, and with more advanced laboratory techniques and equipment.

Then there are my two history classes (though one of them is technically a classics class, it's a history class). Both sound very interesting to me, and with any luck won't be too much work (being 100 level classes). With my math and science classes, I have enough on my plate. But I'm looking forward to both. I'm leaving myself the option to drop one of them (Greek, probably) early on, or take on Pass/Fail if I feel the work load is too much. Right now, I have 16 out of a maximum of 16 credits I can register for, and the physics/math classes at least are going to be time consuming.

But that's what my schedule for next year looks like.

Some other random thoughts about the future. Right now, I'm considering doing a Physics/Math double major, with a Computer Science minor. I'm also thinking of throwing in a history minor, but that's the kind of thing where it'll happen if I get around to it (I'd need 3 more history classes after next semester, 1 of 300 level or higher. So it's very doable, but I'm not going to kill myself trying to make it happen). But the rest should be doable, if a bit of a push in the last couple years. But I've talked with my advisor, and he thinks it's possible, and probably a good thing to do, given the kind of skills I'll need if I want to go on to study physics in graduate school (which I do).


That covers classes. About housing . . . rooming with my current roommate again. We're in the same building, same floor, different wing. It should be a good room, as good as anything in the building. Divided double. It's what we expected/wanted, but it's nice to have that nailed down, and out of the way.


There's not much else. I've been busy, an will continue to be such for a while. Probably until finals are done with. I'm looking foward to getting back to Portland and seeing folks, but I'm going to miss a lot of people here over the summer. Still find time to have a good time with friends, but there's a little less of that then earlier in the semester, I'm afraid.

Oh, and there are actually some new pictures up on flickr. Check it out!