The last week or so has been a rollercoaster personally and academically, but I think everything is going to be okay. And if things don't turn out okay, life will go on anyway.
Math Modelling, in particular, has been a dark cloud above my head recently. Do-learn is rewarding once it finally kicks in, but it's so frustrating to try to model an espresso machine using partial differential equations (haven't taken that class yet) and thermodynamics concepts that we haven't covered yet and, in fact, won't cover in Thermo because they're too advanced. Of course, I didn't know these things when I started the project. I just thought I was stupid because I wasn't making any progress. Thankfully, through the combined help of Burt, Jessica T, and Kathy, huge progress has been made (actually only a few written lines of equations, but a big jump for me conceptually). Now I just have to nondimensionalize (dread dread dread) and write a "journal-worthy" paper (and Latex it) by Friday.
Candidates' Weekend #1 was nice. I avoided getting involved this year (the previous two years I've done Design/Build and interviewed both times). I did end up staffing our programming poster at mini-expo. The program that Kim and I wrote to paint like Jackson Pollack is still my favorite project I've done at Olin. And it was popular among the candidates and parents, too. They would walk by and do a double-take and come back to stare with glazed eyes as our simulated double pendulum dripped paint all over the computer screen. I was able to answer all questions that were asked of me about the program and the theory behind it, which made me feel very competent. And I needed that.
I second what Tommy said about CWE, and I agree with a sentiment that I think I read in someone's blog, but I can't remember whose: the first CWE that I participated in was exciting because we would be getting new people on campus. Now, CWEs are exciting because all weekend long we have to explain to kids and their parents why Olin is such a great place and why we decided to come here. It reminds me of what's good about Olin.
I think there were more things I wanted to write about, but I should go to bed.
Math Modelling, in particular, has been a dark cloud above my head recently. Do-learn is rewarding once it finally kicks in, but it's so frustrating to try to model an espresso machine using partial differential equations (haven't taken that class yet) and thermodynamics concepts that we haven't covered yet and, in fact, won't cover in Thermo because they're too advanced. Of course, I didn't know these things when I started the project. I just thought I was stupid because I wasn't making any progress. Thankfully, through the combined help of Burt, Jessica T, and Kathy, huge progress has been made (actually only a few written lines of equations, but a big jump for me conceptually). Now I just have to nondimensionalize (dread dread dread) and write a "journal-worthy" paper (and Latex it) by Friday.
Candidates' Weekend #1 was nice. I avoided getting involved this year (the previous two years I've done Design/Build and interviewed both times). I did end up staffing our programming poster at mini-expo. The program that Kim and I wrote to paint like Jackson Pollack is still my favorite project I've done at Olin. And it was popular among the candidates and parents, too. They would walk by and do a double-take and come back to stare with glazed eyes as our simulated double pendulum dripped paint all over the computer screen. I was able to answer all questions that were asked of me about the program and the theory behind it, which made me feel very competent. And I needed that.
I second what Tommy said about CWE, and I agree with a sentiment that I think I read in someone's blog, but I can't remember whose: the first CWE that I participated in was exciting because we would be getting new people on campus. Now, CWEs are exciting because all weekend long we have to explain to kids and their parents why Olin is such a great place and why we decided to come here. It reminds me of what's good about Olin.
I think there were more things I wanted to write about, but I should go to bed.
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