December 9 (3)

Nice weather

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So uh, the weather’s nice here:

I heard there is going to be a big snow storm hitting the East Coast tomorrow or something. That’s going to be a huge change from here.

By Michael | Posted in Home | Comments (3)

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Chemistry Final Aftermath

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It was t3h horror. Supposedly, we were told that we had to get a 700/1000 points to pass the final. The open book section 400pts was fairly easy. But the closed book section was the bad. Imagine like how you felt after taking the AP Physics C test except that it’s the difference between pass/fail and not: 4 and 5. Some people took the test before I did, and they thought it was pretty bad. My roommate stayed up until like 5-6AM taking the test while I decided to sleep for 4 hours after taking my CS Final. The closed book section had like stuff about delta bonds and all sorts of weird d orbital stuff that I haven’t really encountered. At the end of the test, I did a quick damage estimate: I was at 650points average with an error of about +/- 50 points. So after I took the test, I was so disillusioned that I was going to write some stream of consciousness book. But I talked to some other kids who said that they didn’t do so well either and said that the test was most likely being curved. They mentioned that a few years ago, just about the whole class failed the chemistry final so they had to scale the points to pass people.

Well, anyway, I’m free now! Yay! I’m heading home tomorrow! This is like the greatest thing since chinese food!

By Michael | Posted in Home | Comments (0)

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CS Final

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Currently taking CS Final. I’m pretty much already passing the class without taking the final so all’s well except for the fact that I should really be studying for chemistry.

By Michael | Posted in Home, Update | Comments (0)
December 8 (6)

Avery House Microsoft Maps

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Microsoft Local has this amazing new birds eye feature that allows you to zoom in to 25 yd resolution! This is where I live at Caltech! Scroll around to see the campus.

By Michael | Posted in Home, Update | Comments (6)
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Math 1A = Passed!

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Oh snap! I just passed that mofo of a class Math 1A! Everyone else got emails this morning saying that they passed, so I was getting worried that I had somehow screwed up the final big time and failed the course. But when I went to pick up my test, I found that I passed! I lost an entire 30 points on this one stupid problem which comprised the bulk of the points I lost on the test. (Admittedly, I wouldn’t want this as a grade, but damn, at least people can’t laugh at me for failing!)

By Michael | Posted in Home, Update | Comments (0)

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Physics 1A Final Aftermath

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Omg, I think I passed the exam! LOLOL. I thought I had did everything I could after 3 hours, but in that last hour, I figured out about 4 answers that I had left blank. That was the coolest part, and also, during the test, I realized (I knew it before, but had forgotten) that the simple harmonic motion equation for x(t) is just the second order differential equation to -kx=f”(t)! I was trying to (unsuccessfully) find the solution to that differential equation to solve a problem when I realized that it was just x(t) for SHM. That was pretty cool. So, I still have a two tests, and two essays to finish up…

By Michael | Posted in Home, Update | Comments (0)

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Physics 1A Final

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Very soon, I’m going to attempt to take my Ph 1a 4 hours final without really studying for it. Brash you say? Hahaha! I laugh! (And then in-manner-of-speaking cry after I realize I’ve completely fscked up the test)

By Michael | Posted in Home, Update | Comments (0)
December 7

Completed Math 1a Final

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Took a 4 hour long math final yesterday from 11PM to 3AM. I’m pretty sure I was able to pass Math 1a. The test was alright although I could have done better if I didn’t take the test so late (since my brain was in a sluggish state).

By Michael | Posted in Home, Update | Comments (0)

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December 6 (3)

Major Writing Block

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Wow, today was my major writing block day. I started this morning to write an essay on The Dubliners by good old James Joyce. I really like his short stories since the characters are realistic and the writing is understandable. For instance, Araby is in this collection of short stories (and we read that in AP English). After re-reading Araby here, I’m really impressed how Joyce was able to develop the narrator so fully in just a few pages. His language is very nice too.

Well, anyway, it’s tomorrow now, and I’m still writing the essay. My problem is: I know what I want to say, and I can say it in just a few sentences. But that’s not sufficient for a 4 page paper. I think I’ve always had this problem. I find it difficult to explain myself a lot. Sometimes, I just think I “know” something based on really small subtle clues which I can’t really point out. I’m at the conclusion now, and the only way I’ve gotten this far is by forcing myself to throw down my thoughts in paragraphs. The writing right now is horrible and incoherent, but it’ll do for now. My mind has been on my other math/science finals which I will be taking very soon.

Well, I should get back to my essay…

By Michael | Posted in Home | Comments (3)

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December 4

Jimmy Eat World and Jade Shader

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There was a private concert for us Techers today. Jimmy Eat World and The Jade Shader played. It was pretty cool seeing them up close. I was about two meters away from the stage; I also became quite deaf (temporarly) although I’ve experienced that before playing with Fed and his band. I don’t particularly like Jimmy Eat World, but it was better than nothing. At some points, it really seemed like they were just syncing to a pre-recorded tape. It was kind of a nice way to wind down to finals week…

Jimmy Eat World at Caltech

By Michael | Posted in Home | Comments (0)

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