godream

Oh yeah! Take THAT, 6.002! Who's laughing now?

... Granted, "now" is after six hours of frustration on a lab that was supposed to take 3, but still. I win!

And better yet, I feel like I actually got something out of wrestling with the goddamn breadboard for ages upon ages -- in addition to the general triumphant joy, it's possible that this has drilled some vague knowledge of ridiculously basic circuits into my brain. Which would be really nice.

People are back -- the lounge was packed last night for our first cocoa. This is awesome.

Classes are going to be awesome. It's possible that my ass will be generally kicked, but they'll be awesome. And even if I end up totally consumed by keeping up with coursework I'll have a much better idea of what I can handle for future reference.

New frosh seem fairly awesome. Haven't talked to any nearly as much as I should have, but they seem cool.

Things are [hopefully] going to be awesome.

Yesterday morning it was proven to me that canned cream of mushroom soup (unlike canned spaghetti) can be eaten at least two months after the printed expiration date. Go figure.

I'm thinking I'm going to bake cookies tonight, and they're going to be everything-that-I-have-kicking-around kind of cookies. Currently debating if I can get away with loads of chocolate and cinnamon in the same cookie -- it sounds like a good idea to me. Anyone with brilliant recipes, feel free to share...

Carbon Leaf was pretty awesome, in spite of arriving too late to hear What About Everything, my favoritest song. (I cried. On the inside. In my bitter, angry heart.) The band's performance was interesting to watch in a couple of ways: for one, I've gotten used to watching lead singers who also play an instrument at the same time, generally guitar, and Carbon Leaf's lead singer whose name I can't be bothered to look up doesn't do that (though he did kick out the harmonica and a wind instrument I wasn't close enough to identify -- maybe electronic?) and by contrast with what I'm accustomed to, the just standing in front of the mike looked a little odd. Which of course says more about my concert habits than the band itself. :P The bassist had an interesting acoustic bass -- oddly proportioned, like an anorexic cello, but I think it was some sort of upright bass. And although the banter left something to be desired (that other city in Massachusetts is pronounced wusstah, not wor-ces-ter, and it got less funny every time, and there was a whole bunch of dead time to fill 'cause the humidity and temperature were all over the place -- if you don't like the weather in MA, wait a minute -- and kept messing with the instruments' tuning) the music was fantastic, which is really what it's all about anyways. I thought one of the guitarists in particular was really incredible, but the whole band was awesome and made me extremely happy.

One more week left at work, then maybe I'll go home for a week or so, then back here probably just as the huge wave of incoming frosh show up. Which I'm actually really looking forwards to -- it'll be weird for us not to be the frosh anymore, but it should be fun. And people will be coming back from their various summer things, and it will be Good, 'cause I miss everyone. I'm looking forwards to the school year starting (although also panicking a bit, 'cause omigod suddenly it's so soon.)

Three exams down, one to go. Fairly sure 18.03 [differential equations] kicked my ass this morning, though hopefully I'm still passing. Got my score from yesterday and I kicked 8.02t's ass [physics]. And I think 7.013 [bio] and I have a sort of violence-free agreement, though I haven't heard yet. Only 6.001 left to go and then relaxation!

Also.

godream is a Giant Mecha-Bee that eats Trees, Fears Nothing, has Bulletproof Skin and a Swirly Hypnotic Gaze, and controls the Weather. Strength: 2 Agility: 6 Intelligence: 9 To see if your Giant Battle Monster can defeat godream, enter your name and choose an attack: fights godream using Strength Agility Intelligence

(as borrowed from majin157, who beats me on all counts)

So it's the second last week of classes & the last week for professors to have assignments due in classes with finals. It's sort of interesting. I know I should be working but at the same time I just can't fathom how I will get everything done so I'm sort of sitting here deer-in-the-headlights style and panicking in a totally unproductive manner. Whee!

Hey, so I was whining earlier about the supreme un-prettiness of the weather around here. So those of you who are also in dark dreary climates, let's share the pain, and you lucky bastards who have actual sun can gloat while you share it. Cheer me up: take a picture out your window (or wherever) please and show me?

( I'll start... )

Still a little shaky as to when everything happens, but I've got what I wanted, yay! (Not a surprise, but still.)

6.001 - Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs - lecture T/Th 10-11; recitation W/F, section 3 10-11
7.013 - Introductory Biology - ESG so I don't know yet
8.02T - Physics II (e&m) - M/W 12-2, F 12-1 - likely to change because the MAS program people want us all in the same lecture
18.03 Differential Equations - also ESG & unknown
MAS.111 - Introduction to Doing Research in Media Arts & Sciences - lecture F 3-5

Here's hoping that the ESG class times don't end up before 6.001, because if I have to go do bio at 9 I think I'll cry. -- Wow, it's amazing how quickly I've gotten spoiled by this whole college thing. Six months ago I was in the car by 7:30 at the latest every weekday and barely whining about it at all...

So I'm sure you all have been waiting with bated breath to hear how I did on exams, really. Passed everything, hurrah! Don't know all the actual grades yet, but for now I'm happy with just the line of Ps.

How come all of us who just got home from our first time away, at college, are all so completely unhappy to be back? Seriously. I'm feeling the same way too -- much more upset and stressed, and my sleeping habits are getting even more screwed up, to the extent where I'm pretty sure I've spent more time asleep than awake over the last several days. Part of it's probably the normal Christmas stress, shopping and crowds and money and plans and obligations and everything, acting on me and everyone around me as well. For me, I think there's three big places this is coming from. One, being reminded again of all the places I've always messed up, everything I spent high school arguing with my parents about (keeping my room clean, getting my license, dealing with my grandparents) -- I feel like I'm almost expected to solve all this crap that's been hanging around for years in the space of two weeks, as well as deal with all the Christmas stuff, and what happened to going home over vacation to relax? And at the same time there's the whole temporary loss of independence: I can't just randomly decide to go places anymore, there's no T at home and there's not a lot worth walking to in fifteen degree weather; I don't decide when and where and what I want to eat; all that stuff I learned to take for granted awfully quickly. And then there's the obvious not seeing all my college friends for a while -- we'll pause here for everyone to go "awwwwwwwww". ... Okay, got that out of your system? Yeah. So, for those of you who forged through this entire paragraph: think that about sums it up, or are there other factors I'm forgetting about?

(A disclaimer, for family members who may be reading this: I love you all to death, I'm glad to spend time with you, please don't kick me out. It's really not your fault, I think it's just one of those pesky growing-up things. You know?)

In other news, ( everyone else was doing it. [meme!] )

Figured out UROP stuff, mostly. Registered for classes in spring and 8.20 over IAP, which should be interesting even if it totally murders me in every way. (Hey, that's what pass/no record is for, right?) Studied 18.02 some and 8.01 more, have a vague superficial understanding of what thermo stuff we need to know. Calculated minimum grade on final needed for me to pass 3.091, which really wasn't motivational at all. Yay for getting stuff done! I should get some sleep now though, probably, seeing as I have a final in seven hours... wish me luck. :)