I've hit the big 500 views!
Sorry for not posting earlier, but today was a busy day. Thursdays were supposed to be my easy day, but instead, they are turning out to be one of my busier days (not that every day isn't busy). So today, I had class at 9 AM (inconvenient because my roommate doesn't have class until eleven and other wise I could have slept in until noon and it's halfway across campus), and afterwards, went to the library and read the first section of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, (for English class) which is actually really interesting. I also did some other homework while in the library. Got lunch, went to my Engineering class (we're starting the infamous solar oven project), and went back to the dorm and hung with friends. There was a Society of Women Engineers social, followed closely by a Rube Goldberg club meeting and then my volleyball team's game (we lost. Again.). After, the team celebrated by going to the Cellar, a restaurant known because it's open late and had really good milkshakes. And so, here I am, back in front of a computer, feeling the effects of a large, but delicious infamous Cellar Shake. Definitely not an everyday thing.
It's been a good week.
This past weekend was the Freshman Retreat, coincidentally themed AmazinGrace (pun on the hymn and the TV show). That was a ton of fun, and I got what I needed out of it. I also got about twenty new friend requests on my Facebook account by the time I got back. My small group is already planning dinner sometime in the near future.
I experienced my first major career fair this past Tuesday, not just the little one where there were just the on-campus jobs. It was big, and crowded, and loud, but Raytheon and Boeing, despite having said that freshman interns are highly unlikely, both have my resume, thin as it is. I didn't have enough time to try to get to Intel or Exxon, but I'm glad I survived. I also talked to some of the smaller companies, but they either said they weren't hiring engineers and/or that they didn't want freshman interns at all. That was definitely an experience.
In other news, I got an A on my first chemistry midterm (phew), and my English teacher said she liked my first major composition (fingers crossed!). The first step of the Rube Goldberg machine is together for real and actually works!
Next week, I'm looking forward to testing the solar oven prototypes we put together, working on the RG machine, actually starting a job, and the last volleyball game before playoffs.
Be amazing!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Fire Drills
So in total, I think I've experienced three fire "drills" while on campus.
The first was during UA Clicks, the mandatory freshman event where we learn about academic integrity and what kinds of technology and websites are used regularly at the U of A. That made a boring and mostly unnecessary event slightly more exciting but a lot longer. However, it kept me from doing my duties as a HI team member. It was a story to tell, I guess, because the fire trucks came and everything, but nothing really happened.
The second time, we were playing volleyball outside of the Arizona Sonora dorms. The AZSO fire alarms went off, and those things are really loud. It didn't seem like there was that much of a rush to get out of the building; apparently, that happens in that building all the time (I guess it's one of the "party dorms"). It was over pretty quickly.
The third time was today. My friend Carly from across the hall (who hails form Waimea on the big island of Hawaii) and I were swapping stories about stupid tourists and kind of getting our chem homework done when this earsplitting high pitched beep suddenly went off and lights started flashing. I pulled up my laptop and backpack and followed everyone else. We jumped at the chance to use the "forbidden door" in the game room, only allowed to be opened in a fire situation. About half the dorm was gathered outside on the other side of the street. Apparently this was just a drill, but I wouldn't have been surprised if any of the people in my dorm were playing with matches or soldering irons or something like that.
So that was an experience. I'm glad it didn't happen at five in the morning.
The first was during UA Clicks, the mandatory freshman event where we learn about academic integrity and what kinds of technology and websites are used regularly at the U of A. That made a boring and mostly unnecessary event slightly more exciting but a lot longer. However, it kept me from doing my duties as a HI team member. It was a story to tell, I guess, because the fire trucks came and everything, but nothing really happened.
The second time, we were playing volleyball outside of the Arizona Sonora dorms. The AZSO fire alarms went off, and those things are really loud. It didn't seem like there was that much of a rush to get out of the building; apparently, that happens in that building all the time (I guess it's one of the "party dorms"). It was over pretty quickly.
The third time was today. My friend Carly from across the hall (who hails form Waimea on the big island of Hawaii) and I were swapping stories about stupid tourists and kind of getting our chem homework done when this earsplitting high pitched beep suddenly went off and lights started flashing. I pulled up my laptop and backpack and followed everyone else. We jumped at the chance to use the "forbidden door" in the game room, only allowed to be opened in a fire situation. About half the dorm was gathered outside on the other side of the street. Apparently this was just a drill, but I wouldn't have been surprised if any of the people in my dorm were playing with matches or soldering irons or something like that.
So that was an experience. I'm glad it didn't happen at five in the morning.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
A funny thing happened on the way to the Union...
So yesterday I was walking along, minding my own business, ecstatic I had got out of math class a little early, and that I had time for lunch before my next class. As I was walking, I saw that he was carrying a sign that said, "Women belong in the Kitchen" in big block letters. He was yelling really loudly and making a general nuisance of himself. I also noticed his shirt had Bible verses on it and looked like the end-of-the-world-repent-ers I had seen at the beach sometimes. It was kind of weird, and the first time that I personally had witnessed something like that on campus. I heard a rumor that there was a psych grad student who was dong research by gauging people's reactions to protesters and was protesting something different every Wednesday, so I'm not quite sure if the guy was for real or was just trolling. (The really scary thing was, I heard some guys walking behind me agreeing with the guy with the sign).
To counter-balance that, I walked into the bookstore later that day to get some gloves for my chem lab. While I was in there, I heard this low thrumming noise. I walked downstairs, and, lo and behold, it was some visiting Buddhist monks doing some kind of sand-mandala ritual. It was kind of out of the blue - they were doing this ancient ritual right next to the section of the bookstore where they sell computers and apple stuff. It was very beautiful, and surprising to find.
In other news, I survived my first major test and have an A in the precalculus section of Calc 1 (whew). My sand volleyball team plays its first game tonight against our Resident Assistant's team, which should be a blast. I'm going on the Freshman retreat through the Newman Center this weekend. Also last Saturday, I went to my first build day for Rube Goldberg club. The theme of the machine is camping, and the end goal is to zip a zipper. I figured out how to put pictures into this, so, this is me helping to prototype a step with, yes, tinker toys, duct tape, and train tracks.(If you can't tell, it's supposed to be a snake going down a tree:-))
To counter-balance that, I walked into the bookstore later that day to get some gloves for my chem lab. While I was in there, I heard this low thrumming noise. I walked downstairs, and, lo and behold, it was some visiting Buddhist monks doing some kind of sand-mandala ritual. It was kind of out of the blue - they were doing this ancient ritual right next to the section of the bookstore where they sell computers and apple stuff. It was very beautiful, and surprising to find.
In other news, I survived my first major test and have an A in the precalculus section of Calc 1 (whew). My sand volleyball team plays its first game tonight against our Resident Assistant's team, which should be a blast. I'm going on the Freshman retreat through the Newman Center this weekend. Also last Saturday, I went to my first build day for Rube Goldberg club. The theme of the machine is camping, and the end goal is to zip a zipper. I figured out how to put pictures into this, so, this is me helping to prototype a step with, yes, tinker toys, duct tape, and train tracks.(If you can't tell, it's supposed to be a snake going down a tree:-))
Quick note on sororities - probably not. It turns out that a good chunk of them are on probation, and after moving in a lot of the girls who were rushing into Coronado, a lot of them are not really the kind of people I want to spend a lot of time with. (I mean, two full boxes of costumes? and Two hours before the intro to do make-up? I don't think so). I'm sure there are some great people in them, it's just not my thing. I'm meeting plenty of fantastic people elsewhere, and I'll do my philanthropy through Society of Women Engineers or Engineers without Borders or Circle K. Maybe an honors or professional fraternity later, but probably not this year, if ever.
Have a great week! I'll post again soon. And a great quote I learned - "Be yourself, because everyone else is already taken," Oscar Wilde.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Some things I've had to get used to...
- Community bathrooms (It's actually not as bad as I thought it would be - only 7.5 girls/shower)
- Stairs - for a "flat" campus, they're everywhere
- Having homework due on the weekend
- Music playing pretty much all the time
- The occasional breakup in the hallway
- Having my space invaded at football games
- Doing my own laundry (again, not as bad as I thought it would be)
- Lots of sandwiches and pizza for dinner (it's what clubs, etc. get for food)
- Periodic free eegees (again, what clubs, etc. get [if you don't know what an eegee is, they are delicious])
- An English class where we're allowed- no, encouraged - to criticize the authors of the books we read
- Flyering people everywhere
- Saying where a class is by cross streets, building, and number
- Living with a roommate (but that's not too bad either)
- Tours going through the library when I'm trying to study
- Not having access to a car
- PBJ for breakfast (quick, easy, filling, portable :-))(yes, I know, it's not ideal, but I haven't missed class or been late once [yet])
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Getting into the Swing of Things
Time goes on. I have successfully survived my first three weeks of college!
Some new things this week -
Last Saturday all the people in the Engineering Zone dorms went over to the ROTC challenge course to do some team building activities. That was a lot of fun. One of the most memorable was an obstacle they called the "Electric Fence" - basically. a log about 5 feet off the ground with another log passing on the ground underneath. We had to get everyone over the raised log without touching the ground or the log. It's a lot harder than it sounds.
I went to my first college party Saturday night. It was one of my friend's birthday and so another friend put on a party to celebrate. What happened? We played board games, ate chicken, pizza, cake, and ice cream, talked and laughed, and played a really intense game of "Never have I ever." There was no beer, everyone was nice, and the scariest thing about it was that it was in Babcock, the dorm just off campus that used to be a motel and now looks kinda sketchy.
I am now on a coed intramural volleyball team from my dorm. We're the Gila Monsters (cuz we're from Gila dorm) and we got to the point at our first practice on Sunday where we could serve over the net at least 80% of the time. The experience level of the team members ranges from none at all to a serving specialist who played club for 5 years. He promised to teach us all how to serve overhand. Our fist game is next week.
Every Wednesday, in the Cellar restaurant in the bottom of the Student union, one of the improv comedy clubs performs. I went with some friends for the first time this week (and also tried the famous Cellar milkshakes - pretty good, but really expensive). Personally, I thought their improv was much better than their skits.
Moving on this week - I have training for my job at UA Presents this Friday, as well as my first major test (Math 122A Final). U of A football takes on UTSA in football. Look for me in the sea of red, if the game makes it to TV. (Funny thing - there's a football guy in my English class. Apparently, they travel for home games too. They stay at a really nice hotel the day before, and bus in to their own stadium. Hmmm...) Saturday will also be my first build day for the Rube Goldberg club, which should be a lot of fun.
Comments are now live, please use them. I want to hear from you, too. Thanks for all the support; it's great to know that more than German or Russian searchbots are reading my site. Have a great week.
Some new things this week -
Last Saturday all the people in the Engineering Zone dorms went over to the ROTC challenge course to do some team building activities. That was a lot of fun. One of the most memorable was an obstacle they called the "Electric Fence" - basically. a log about 5 feet off the ground with another log passing on the ground underneath. We had to get everyone over the raised log without touching the ground or the log. It's a lot harder than it sounds.
I went to my first college party Saturday night. It was one of my friend's birthday and so another friend put on a party to celebrate. What happened? We played board games, ate chicken, pizza, cake, and ice cream, talked and laughed, and played a really intense game of "Never have I ever." There was no beer, everyone was nice, and the scariest thing about it was that it was in Babcock, the dorm just off campus that used to be a motel and now looks kinda sketchy.
I am now on a coed intramural volleyball team from my dorm. We're the Gila Monsters (cuz we're from Gila dorm) and we got to the point at our first practice on Sunday where we could serve over the net at least 80% of the time. The experience level of the team members ranges from none at all to a serving specialist who played club for 5 years. He promised to teach us all how to serve overhand. Our fist game is next week.
Every Wednesday, in the Cellar restaurant in the bottom of the Student union, one of the improv comedy clubs performs. I went with some friends for the first time this week (and also tried the famous Cellar milkshakes - pretty good, but really expensive). Personally, I thought their improv was much better than their skits.
Moving on this week - I have training for my job at UA Presents this Friday, as well as my first major test (Math 122A Final). U of A football takes on UTSA in football. Look for me in the sea of red, if the game makes it to TV. (Funny thing - there's a football guy in my English class. Apparently, they travel for home games too. They stay at a really nice hotel the day before, and bus in to their own stadium. Hmmm...) Saturday will also be my first build day for the Rube Goldberg club, which should be a lot of fun.
Comments are now live, please use them. I want to hear from you, too. Thanks for all the support; it's great to know that more than German or Russian searchbots are reading my site. Have a great week.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
A Few Random Notes
On the name of the blog...
Dragon scales are considered magical items in many mythologies. They are usually given as a gift or to repay a debt that the dragon has to another creature. Scales are, depending on what you're reading, able to bestow strength and bravery to the holder, or able to let the owner see the future, or they just make a great trophy. In any case, they are generally very beautiful, very strong, and highly reflective. I hope this blog is at least the last one. (That, and any other names I could think of without misspelling anything were already taken.)
On my roommate...
Her name is Justine, and she's from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is a dancer, as evidenced by the crate of various shoes under the bed, and she also sings. She's got every song from Pitch Perfect memorized. She's nice, and we get along fine. We're not actually in the room together too much except for when we're sleeping. She has a boyfriend who is still in NM. She likes purple and blue. She is going for a degree in mechanical engineering as of right now, although she says that may change. We're not best friends or anything like that, but we get along.
On my first college football game last Friday...
I've recently learned that you're doing it wrong at a college football game if you -
-Sit down at any point other than a few minutes at halftime
-wear any color other than red
-can hear the band over the cheers
-don't heckle the other team
-don't heckle the ref
-don't heckle the rival school's team even though they aren't there
-know where the other team's band is situated.
-dress normally
-have some feeling in your hands, arms, feet, and legs afterwards
-still have a voice afterwards
And also, the correct question is not "Is anyone sitting there?" It's "Can we squeeze a few more people in to stand there?" (from facebook)
One other thing...
I've recently enabled my posts to be commented on by anyone. (I think). If it worked, please keep comments civil, clean, relevant, and PLEASE NO SPAM!
Thanks, and have a great week.
Dragon scales are considered magical items in many mythologies. They are usually given as a gift or to repay a debt that the dragon has to another creature. Scales are, depending on what you're reading, able to bestow strength and bravery to the holder, or able to let the owner see the future, or they just make a great trophy. In any case, they are generally very beautiful, very strong, and highly reflective. I hope this blog is at least the last one. (That, and any other names I could think of without misspelling anything were already taken.)
On my roommate...
Her name is Justine, and she's from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is a dancer, as evidenced by the crate of various shoes under the bed, and she also sings. She's got every song from Pitch Perfect memorized. She's nice, and we get along fine. We're not actually in the room together too much except for when we're sleeping. She has a boyfriend who is still in NM. She likes purple and blue. She is going for a degree in mechanical engineering as of right now, although she says that may change. We're not best friends or anything like that, but we get along.
On my first college football game last Friday...
I've recently learned that you're doing it wrong at a college football game if you -
-Sit down at any point other than a few minutes at halftime
-wear any color other than red
-can hear the band over the cheers
-don't heckle the other team
-don't heckle the ref
-don't heckle the rival school's team even though they aren't there
-know where the other team's band is situated.
-dress normally
-have some feeling in your hands, arms, feet, and legs afterwards
-still have a voice afterwards
And also, the correct question is not "Is anyone sitting there?" It's "Can we squeeze a few more people in to stand there?" (from facebook)
One other thing...
I've recently enabled my posts to be commented on by anyone. (I think). If it worked, please keep comments civil, clean, relevant, and PLEASE NO SPAM!
Thanks, and have a great week.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Week two
These past few weeks, I have been welcomed to exhaustion by the college president, the college of engineering, my dorm, the catholic church, the football team, the rec center, the associated student body, the residence hall association, and some random religious groups I probably will never see again unless they have free pizza outside my dorm again.
This past week was all about getting involved before school becomes overwhelming. Last Friday, I got involved with ZonaZoo, the extremely crazy, extremely tiring, but extremely fun student section at the football game. The game was a blowout, but I finally figured out why people were crossing their arms and making threes with their hands (it's an intimidating symbol thing on the other team's third downs and also makes "WC", for wildcats). I am also now a member of the Gila hall council, which should be fun. I have found my inroad to OSIRIS-REx, the NASA funded asteroid exploring mission in SEDS, the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space. That seems like an awesome group of people who are all very passionate about space. My name is also down for the Rube Goldberg Club, the Quidditch team, Society of Women Engineers, the Baja Club, and the Fun Club, although I have not gone to any of their meetings yet.
I also am on the dorm's intramural sand volleyball team, the Gila Monsters, because no other girls play soccer or flag football :(. (not that I could compete with the Brazilians on the second floor when it comes to soccer, anyway). It still should be fun.
Last thing to report: I successfully interviewed for a position as an usher for UAPresents, the fine arts showcase on campus. I'm pretty excited about that. It's not a huge time commitment, but it's a little bit of extra money and I might get to see Lang-Lang or Jungle Jack Hanna or the local symphony orchestra.
I'm doing okay in my classes. Most of the stuff is still pretty easy, and I blew through the Excel training in ENGR 102. I'm keeping up with my homework, but definitely staying busy, so I'm sorry if I haven't been able to answer all your phone calls.
Have a great week. I'll keep posting when I can.
What does a dyslexic Santa say?
Hydroxide, hydroxide, hydroxide!
(OH, OH, OH)
This past week was all about getting involved before school becomes overwhelming. Last Friday, I got involved with ZonaZoo, the extremely crazy, extremely tiring, but extremely fun student section at the football game. The game was a blowout, but I finally figured out why people were crossing their arms and making threes with their hands (it's an intimidating symbol thing on the other team's third downs and also makes "WC", for wildcats). I am also now a member of the Gila hall council, which should be fun. I have found my inroad to OSIRIS-REx, the NASA funded asteroid exploring mission in SEDS, the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space. That seems like an awesome group of people who are all very passionate about space. My name is also down for the Rube Goldberg Club, the Quidditch team, Society of Women Engineers, the Baja Club, and the Fun Club, although I have not gone to any of their meetings yet.
I also am on the dorm's intramural sand volleyball team, the Gila Monsters, because no other girls play soccer or flag football :(. (not that I could compete with the Brazilians on the second floor when it comes to soccer, anyway). It still should be fun.
Last thing to report: I successfully interviewed for a position as an usher for UAPresents, the fine arts showcase on campus. I'm pretty excited about that. It's not a huge time commitment, but it's a little bit of extra money and I might get to see Lang-Lang or Jungle Jack Hanna or the local symphony orchestra.
I'm doing okay in my classes. Most of the stuff is still pretty easy, and I blew through the Excel training in ENGR 102. I'm keeping up with my homework, but definitely staying busy, so I'm sorry if I haven't been able to answer all your phone calls.
Have a great week. I'll keep posting when I can.
What does a dyslexic Santa say?
Hydroxide, hydroxide, hydroxide!
(OH, OH, OH)
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