Location: Lake Claire Apartments
I woke up this morning when I heard one of my roommates using the bathroom. I thought it was around 8 or 9 in the morning, but when I rolled over to check the time on my cell phone it was 11:30 am. I immediately jumped out of bed. I didn't want to sleep that late, but I guess I couldn't help it since I had a rough time getting to sleep last night.
Today wasn't too eventful. The first half of the day was sunny, for once, and Vicky and I walked to the local grocery store to buy some goods. I ate a good lunch and spent the afternoon working on the Laplace transforms some more. I finished all the work that Dr. Tamasan assigned to me in the text book. I wanted to work more on the Matlab programming, but I kept getting distracted today and ended up watching at least 6 episodes of CSI on Netflix. I have to admit, though: it provided a nice break in between.
I spoke to John's parents and his Aunt Ease today on Skype with video. John went to his parents' house for dinner, and he was online at one point during his visit. I actually felt like I was there while we talked. It was quite pleasant, though somewhere inside I felt a little pain because of what I was missing, but it wasn't enough to make me cry because I knew that I couldn't do anything about it. It was nice just to be able to hear and see familiar people.
Tomorrow I meet the others in the REU. The meeting is at noon. I hope they are feeding us.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
UCF: Day 5
Location: Lake Claire Apartments
Last night was the best sleep I've had in a while. The mattress alone is unbearable, but I managed to figure out a way to make it slightly more comfortable. I folded my fleece blanket and buried it beneath my new fitted sheet. This let me sleep continuously through the night instead of waking up every 2 or 3 hours.
I took a bike ride this morning while the sun was out. I tried switching gears to a more difficult level but ended up at the lowest level. When I tried switching it back, the chain wouldn't move and stayed on the lowest level. Then the chain locked up, and I couldn't even pedal. I freaked. I thought I had just broken Dr. Tamasan's bike. So I stopped: What other choice did I have? I couldn't pedal. The pedals reared backwards. Ok. Then I pedaled forward. No problem. It was a fluke. I rode back to the apartment and manually moved the chain to the medium difficulty setting with a little help from Melissa.
After lying around my room all day, Melissa said she was taking a trek to some outlet malls and asked if I wanted to join. All four of us piled in her car and rode 30 minutes to the outlets downtown. I bought a couple of shirts and some shorts. Nothing else struck my fancy. Later on, we came back and the day ended with carrying out the recycling.
Last night was the best sleep I've had in a while. The mattress alone is unbearable, but I managed to figure out a way to make it slightly more comfortable. I folded my fleece blanket and buried it beneath my new fitted sheet. This let me sleep continuously through the night instead of waking up every 2 or 3 hours.
I took a bike ride this morning while the sun was out. I tried switching gears to a more difficult level but ended up at the lowest level. When I tried switching it back, the chain wouldn't move and stayed on the lowest level. Then the chain locked up, and I couldn't even pedal. I freaked. I thought I had just broken Dr. Tamasan's bike. So I stopped: What other choice did I have? I couldn't pedal. The pedals reared backwards. Ok. Then I pedaled forward. No problem. It was a fluke. I rode back to the apartment and manually moved the chain to the medium difficulty setting with a little help from Melissa.
After lying around my room all day, Melissa said she was taking a trek to some outlet malls and asked if I wanted to join. All four of us piled in her car and rode 30 minutes to the outlets downtown. I bought a couple of shirts and some shorts. Nothing else struck my fancy. Later on, we came back and the day ended with carrying out the recycling.
Friday, May 22, 2009
UCF: Day 4
Location: Lake Claire Apartments
I studied more of the Laplace transform and practiced in Matlab some more today at the Math Cafe. There were some people there, and we had friendly conversations. I did happen to make an idiot of myself today. One of the guys mentioned that there was a "magic" game tonight, and I inquired about Magic the Gathering. His response was that he was referring to the Orlando Magic NBA team. DUR! Immediately following his comment, another guy commented, "Let me pull out my deck, right now," as he motioned his statement and laughed heartily. I laughed it off and remembered that I was in the Math Dept and not the Physics Dept where there are more dorks.
The girls and I met for lunch today... Kristina, Maria, Laura are from UCF, and Maria is from Tampa. Kristina and Maria are Math majors. I'm not sure about the other two. We had lunch at Chipotle, and I ate a good meal... better than I have since I arrived. After lunch, I returned to study and ended my work day with a bike ride back to the apartment in the rain. It hasn't stopped raining for more than an hour since I arrived.
I watched a couple of episodes of CSI: Season 7 to catch up and then had dinner at Chili's with my roommates. It was nice to have everyone together.
I studied more of the Laplace transform and practiced in Matlab some more today at the Math Cafe. There were some people there, and we had friendly conversations. I did happen to make an idiot of myself today. One of the guys mentioned that there was a "magic" game tonight, and I inquired about Magic the Gathering. His response was that he was referring to the Orlando Magic NBA team. DUR! Immediately following his comment, another guy commented, "Let me pull out my deck, right now," as he motioned his statement and laughed heartily. I laughed it off and remembered that I was in the Math Dept and not the Physics Dept where there are more dorks.
The girls and I met for lunch today... Kristina, Maria, Laura are from UCF, and Maria is from Tampa. Kristina and Maria are Math majors. I'm not sure about the other two. We had lunch at Chipotle, and I ate a good meal... better than I have since I arrived. After lunch, I returned to study and ended my work day with a bike ride back to the apartment in the rain. It hasn't stopped raining for more than an hour since I arrived.
I watched a couple of episodes of CSI: Season 7 to catch up and then had dinner at Chili's with my roommates. It was nice to have everyone together.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
UCF: Day 3
Location: Lake Claire Apartments (Would I be anywhere else?)
I studied a little of the Laplace transform today before meeting Dr. Tamasan. When I was getting my gear together, I flipped out when I couldn't find the Matlab programming book that he checked out for me at the college library. Luckily, when I walked into his office, it was waiting for me on his file cabinet. Dr. Tamasan installed a student version of Matlab on my computer so that I can familiarize myself with the programming. He tested me on my knowledge of the Laplace transform while it was downloading.
My professor says we are not meeting tomorrow or Monday because of the Memorial Day holiday, but it's okay because I made some new friends in the Math Cafe. They have invited me to eat lunch with them tomorrow, and one of them has invited me to a party for tomorrow.
I'm still not eating as well as I should. Melissa took me to the store today so I could buy a bike lock for the bike that Dr. Tamasan loaned to me and some Odawalla. She said since I'm having trouble actually masticating that a smoothie would give me what I need. I had a glass of super food and made myself some Thai noodles. I feel tired. I think I will read a little of Oliver Twist to see if I feel better.
I studied a little of the Laplace transform today before meeting Dr. Tamasan. When I was getting my gear together, I flipped out when I couldn't find the Matlab programming book that he checked out for me at the college library. Luckily, when I walked into his office, it was waiting for me on his file cabinet. Dr. Tamasan installed a student version of Matlab on my computer so that I can familiarize myself with the programming. He tested me on my knowledge of the Laplace transform while it was downloading.
My professor says we are not meeting tomorrow or Monday because of the Memorial Day holiday, but it's okay because I made some new friends in the Math Cafe. They have invited me to eat lunch with them tomorrow, and one of them has invited me to a party for tomorrow.
I'm still not eating as well as I should. Melissa took me to the store today so I could buy a bike lock for the bike that Dr. Tamasan loaned to me and some Odawalla. She said since I'm having trouble actually masticating that a smoothie would give me what I need. I had a glass of super food and made myself some Thai noodles. I feel tired. I think I will read a little of Oliver Twist to see if I feel better.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
UCF: Day 2
Location: Lake Claire Apartments
One of my roommates has a car and offered to drive us to the store to get food for the dorm. I also had to buy a new fitted sheet because the twin sheet I bought wasn't long enough. Apparently, dorm mattresses are extra long twin beds - something I never knew about. I was quite frustrated with my sheet because I couldn't figure out why it kept coming off until one of my roommates who lives in a dorm at their home college told me why. Dur-duh dur.
___________________
About my roommates:
Melissa - She's my age and a rising senior like me. She goes to Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. She drove here with her car.
Stephanie - She's maybe 19 or 20 years old and a rising sophomore at a small college in Boston. She is from Brooklyn, NY.
Vikki - She is from University of Maryland. She is original from upstate NJ. I believe she is the youngest of all of us because she is a rising freshman.
___________________
Meeting my adviser today made up for yesterday's fiasco. Dr. Tamasan took me to lunch today and loaned me his bike and some kitchen utensils so I don't have to buy anything. He actually drove me to his home to get what I needed and then dropped me back at my apartment. I have some assignments to work on, and I will be working on that tomorrow.
One of my roommates has a car and offered to drive us to the store to get food for the dorm. I also had to buy a new fitted sheet because the twin sheet I bought wasn't long enough. Apparently, dorm mattresses are extra long twin beds - something I never knew about. I was quite frustrated with my sheet because I couldn't figure out why it kept coming off until one of my roommates who lives in a dorm at their home college told me why. Dur-duh dur.
___________________
About my roommates:
Melissa - She's my age and a rising senior like me. She goes to Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. She drove here with her car.
Stephanie - She's maybe 19 or 20 years old and a rising sophomore at a small college in Boston. She is from Brooklyn, NY.
Vikki - She is from University of Maryland. She is original from upstate NJ. I believe she is the youngest of all of us because she is a rising freshman.
___________________
Meeting my adviser today made up for yesterday's fiasco. Dr. Tamasan took me to lunch today and loaned me his bike and some kitchen utensils so I don't have to buy anything. He actually drove me to his home to get what I needed and then dropped me back at my apartment. I have some assignments to work on, and I will be working on that tomorrow.
UCF: Day 1
Location: Lake Claire Apartments
Huge campus! I thought I was supposed to check-in at the housing office so I had my cab driver drop me there. Boy, was I wrong! Lake Claire Apartments is on the opposite side of the campus. I trudge over halfway across the campus, over 50 lbs of luggage and all, in the rain when I came upon a police station. The admin was a grad student who tried to call a police officer over to drive me where I needed to be because I was really lost. Unfortunately, no police officer would be available for another hour. So she helped me carry my luggage the rest of the way... in the rain.
My arms are tired and the dorm looks barren even though I've unpacked all of my stuff. The wireless internet sucks, and I need to buy a cable. I think I will leave to get something to eat, buy an umbrella, and buy an ethernet cord.
Huge campus! I thought I was supposed to check-in at the housing office so I had my cab driver drop me there. Boy, was I wrong! Lake Claire Apartments is on the opposite side of the campus. I trudge over halfway across the campus, over 50 lbs of luggage and all, in the rain when I came upon a police station. The admin was a grad student who tried to call a police officer over to drive me where I needed to be because I was really lost. Unfortunately, no police officer would be available for another hour. So she helped me carry my luggage the rest of the way... in the rain.
My arms are tired and the dorm looks barren even though I've unpacked all of my stuff. The wireless internet sucks, and I need to buy a cable. I think I will leave to get something to eat, buy an umbrella, and buy an ethernet cord.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Procastination...
The semester is ending. Spring is in the air, and soon I will be leaving for Orlando. I have two weeks to pack in as much fun as possible with John before I'm shipped to do research at UCF.
Tomorrow is our last final. I've had plenty of time to study for it, only I haven't. It's funny how that goes. You get a little break between your finals, and you just cut loose as if the semester is already over. I scratched an itch (Oblivion) and it just keeps itching. I hear it calling my name sometimes, and I twitch when I don't play the game. Depressing, I know... to be so addicted to a video game. BUT I need to get an A on this final so I can keep my A in this class.
Off to studying...
Tomorrow is our last final. I've had plenty of time to study for it, only I haven't. It's funny how that goes. You get a little break between your finals, and you just cut loose as if the semester is already over. I scratched an itch (Oblivion) and it just keeps itching. I hear it calling my name sometimes, and I twitch when I don't play the game. Depressing, I know... to be so addicted to a video game. BUT I need to get an A on this final so I can keep my A in this class.
Off to studying...
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