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November 16, 2005

Quickie

I'm going to try and make this short, I've got to leave for class in ~4 min....

So I got my orgo exam back (not the one I took last night, but the orgo lecture exam) and I got a 46%....Now before you freak out, the mean was a 58 with a SD of 18.....so it's not the end of the world i guess....There's still the final, which counts as much as 2 prelims, so I can bring it up.

Other than that, the orgo lab exam I took last night went ok i think....it was long, but not epic (sorry, for non-adventure type people, epic = taking a trip where a lot of bad/unexpected things happened, for example, if you got lost in the woods and ran from a bear, that'd be epic). So anyway, we'll see about that one. The only bad thing is that it counts for 30% of your grade in a 2 credit course, which is almost a full credit :O but i don't think i did too horribly.

OK, this is getting too long and i need to walk in the rain to my next class (behavior, were we're actually getting back our exams!). Hope everyone has an awesome day

Posted by agutwin at 12:01 PM | Comments (1)

November 15, 2005

Almost...

So I've got my computer back - 60 gig HD and all. It's been a little annoying chaning all my settings and stuff back, but I guess it's a small price to pay. The only problem is that my laptop dosen't go to sleep when you shut the lid....kind of an important feature... The guy who put the HD in forgot to put back this magnet thingie that puts the computer to sleep when it's closed. I guess it's a common problem with replaced HDs. I'm pretty sure they'll fix it for free, but that just means sending it in again...oh well.

So I have one more prelim tonight, chemistry again. This time it's Orgo Lab, a separate course from orgo lecture. I'm kinda worried, but it's only a 2 credit class so i'm not going to stress out too too much. I also have a paper that I just finished. If you care to read it I guess I can attach it here (download file). I don't really like it when classes make you write these "scientific papers" because I've worked on a "real" one that actually went to a journal for review, and it's very different than these class projects, much more challenging and fun. I guess it's just not practical to have students write journal quality papers....

Oh, and I've looke around a little on Cornell's Study Abroad page. I'm thinking about James Cook, in Australia. "North Queensland is well known for embracing a relaxed tropical lifestyle." and they advertise, "year-long sun and perfect days"....hmmmm....sounds more like a vacation than school... :)

OK, i'm off to study some more....in overcast Ithaca....

Posted by agutwin at 01:43 PM | Comments (0)

November 11, 2005

Orgo is done, computer is ready

So Julie and I are pretty much back to normal, which is a plus. I've definitly had my fair share of roomate-anger-issues and she's such a great friend to have around.

Also, my computer is all set, no logic board damage *phew!*, with a nice and big 40 gig HD (almost double what it was before). I may be able to pick it up today (if Cris gets out of his lab before 6) which would be awesome, but I've lived this long without it that i can survive another weekend. The drive cost $120+tax, the labor is at least $70, so we'll see how much it comes too....hopefully not too too much.

And the orgo exam is done - I don't think it went well at all though, so that's really disappointing to put so much effort and time into studying without much reward....oh well, there's always the final...After the exam was over I got to watch Cris play in a piano concert, which was nice. At least I had something to look forward to.

I'm going to grab some lunch now (nachos!!) and hopefully some sleep after my lab practical today.

OH! and it started snowing a little yesterday :) it's very nice, I can't wait for winter

Posted by agutwin at 11:37 AM | Comments (0)

November 09, 2005

Random issues

I've got a ton of stuff going on - work, homework, exams, my computer, housing...everything is demanding my full attention. I don't think I get stressed out often, I have a lot going on normally, but I can handle it most of the time, I just grin and bear it. However, there are a few times, probably twice a year where I have a breakdown. Unfortunately last night was one of those times and poor Julie took the majority of my rath.

I'd been hanging on the edge for a while, with so many prelims, a group project that wasn't coming together, living without full access to a computer, and on and on. So I had called Julie and left her a note saying that I'd be back to the room late (I was going to be in the library) and that it would be great if she could leave her notes for chem out on the desk so I could copy them when I get back (when she's sleeping so she won't be missing them at all). I was really looking forward to having them and maybe actually being able to understand this chemistry. However, I get back to the room and they're not there...I had left so many notes and voice-mails that I was sure she got the message, but just didn't help me out. So I went to bed in a very bad mood because there's really no good time that I can copy her notes now and she's the only one I know in orgo that actually goes to class. OK, so in the morning she's really upset that I'm mad at her and gives the excuse that she was confused as to why I would want her notes, saying that she got back to the room at 1 when she got my voice mail and note. Also, she said that I should have gotten them earlier if I had wanted them so badly. Her final argument was that I could simply go to this random office, "sign in" and get the notes. In my defense: I went to bed a lot later than 1 (currently running on <8 hrs for the past 2 days) and if she had any questions, she could have called me because I was obviously not sleeping...and even if she did have questions, all I wanted was her to leave her chem notebook out on her desk. I admit that I should have gotten them earlier, that's totally my falt. However, I thought my request was simple and it wouldn't require her to give up any time with them. Lastly, I had class all day today, until this office closed, and it would be really nice to be able to actually study from them rather than look them over the day of the exam (it's tomorrow at 7:30 pm). So long story short - I still think I have a right to be ticked off, especially since I've done her plenty of favors and this one wasn't that big. But I appologized (in a letter, she had to leave for class) for being so angry when in reality, I will most likely live past thr. even if I get another D. I'm going to live here in the library until about 1-2 again, so I probably won't see her until after the prelim.

(Side note: I missed 2.5 lectures for various reasons, that's why I needed the notes)

I'm fine now - breakdown is over - and I'm excited that I've reached the point where I don't think about sleep anymore. This means I've got plenty of time to be very confused (i.e. study). Oh, and the stress of exams and such dosen't end on thr. I've got one on this friday, next tuesday (and a major paper due on tue), and again on friday. *Sigh* I know I need sleep, but I really need to pack in a lot of study hours.

Finally some semi-good news: my computer's HD did in fact fail, and they're going to replace it with a 60 gig (the only one in stock) for $120 plus tax (plus $70 for confirming it failed). They'll hopefully do that by tonight and I can call tomorrow morning to see if anything else needs to be fixed (they mentioned something about how the logic board may have gotten something spilled on it - i'm crossing my fingers). So I really hope I'll have that back up and running soon, which will take a lot of stress off my shoulders.

Sorry if I spelled anything wrong, or wrote horibble sentances or anything like that. I'm going off to study orgo some more...eat dinner...study...coffee..study...study...sleep :) Poor Jam is having all his stuffing squeezed out of him from all my stress...sometimes he's the only thing that keeps me sane :-P

Posted by agutwin at 05:23 PM | Comments (2)