Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - Quite Eventful

What a day!

Started off the morning as usual. Left Hamerschlag around 8:15am and ate my regular bagel in the Cafe as usual, toasted exactly to my liking today, as they were self serve. Too bad I mutilated my bagel, only to find out that there was a bagel slicer on the other side when I got to the toaster.

Conceptual Math was in the computer cluster in Baker Hall for the lab. Of course, there was an issue with everyone's login information and passwords, as the numbers printed on the sheets were ALL incorrect. We tried every combination. Finally giving up, he sent us all over to the Tech Help Desk in Cyert Hall, where there was another batch of students looking to get their passwords corrected. They knew the issue right a way and could change it within a matter of seconds. Getting back to Baker in like 5 or so minutes, there was only 15 minutes of class left, so he quickly gave us the Cognative Tutor CDs and walked through the first problem and how the program works.

We ended up being just on time to the Master Student class, which was in Margret Morrison. We started off with a non-verbal communication activity, which involved sorting everyone by birthday month and date without speaking. Amazing how flawless some were, and others - clueless. After analyzing and reviewing, there we were split into 6 permanent groups. From there, it was like kindergarten again, we got to draw our names and pictures on a name plate to introduce ourselves. Actually, we were introduced by someone else after they asked a set of designated questions. Then reviewing what everyone had in common, she went into what the course would be about blah blah blah...it's an okay class, no sweat, nothing much to think/worry about. It should get interesting.

Lunch was pretty good today. Well, everything except for the Nachos. They looked a little better today, but the cheese was just so weird. It's indescribable. I had fries and a salad otherwise, which there was no problem with. Well, except for the fact that they ran out of ketchup as soon as I got up there. Tragic. I just went back about 5 minutes later and got some when it was refilled. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, there is an hour and a half lunch, so I had a ton of time to enjoy the Internet and catch up again.

Physics was cool again today as Frankie warmed up to the class, and we warmed up to him. It didn't move quite as fast as yesterday, but fast enough not to get bored, yet still keep you on your toes. Chris came in and mentioned that he would have the rulers and such for the activities from 6-8, and that today would be a good day to go, so most of us agreed to go.

Electronics was pretty much the same as usual, but I kind of did something more understandable today, measuring the frequency and amplitude of a circuit with a resistor and capacitor. Still a little lost, like everyone else.

Dinner was also pretty good today too. I had a hot dog and fries, along with a cookie that I should have gotten more than one of. After dinner I went to my room, interneted a little while, and then went in search of Schaife Hall for the review session.

I found it rather quickly, although it takes FOREVER to get there, and it really does look like a potato chip. It took me more time than it should have to find the elevator/stairs, but I eventually did, thinking that it was a restroom at first. Schaife Hall is actually the MechE building, but it just seemed so small. There were about 7 people already in the classroom when I arrived around 6:30, and they had already measured the distance across the room for one of the activities. I reviewed some of the material quickly to see if there was anything that I had a question about, but it was pretty clear. I recorded the measurements and times for someone else, and they did the same for me. After gathering all of my info, I listened to the TA finish reviewing some more formulas, wrote them down, and left, as I could probably work faster at my desk, not in a cold classroom with a 12"x8"desk.

Jessika walked back with me, but we ended up getting somewhat lost going back. We thought that we could cut across somewhere, yet there was construction, so a lot of the pass-throughs were closed. We found the back on Wean Hall, got on an elevator, but it turns out that there really aren't any exits accessible from that elevator. So, hiking back up the windy incline, we see the back of Hamerschlag Hall. Entering the building, there is no apparent way out. I decide to turn back around and walk all the way through Porter and Baker, as I know those ways will at least lead my back the right way, and I didn't feel like getting lost again. Jessika goes the other way. She ended up beating me by like 2 minutes, but I still wouldn't have wanted to take the risk of getting lost.

When I get back I go back to more computing, still catching up on what I've missed in the world, with no TV or Internet for 3 days. At 8:30 there was a staff talent show, The 43rd Annual Staff (NO) Talent Show. The Spice Girls reunited first on our stage, with Shorty Spice replacing Sporty Spice. Then there was Bangra (sp?) dancing, a very odd monologue, The Pre-College Counselor band, composed of a guy with a guitar and a guy with drums made with garbage cans, a collapsible shopping cart, a footstool covered in foil, and a few other odds and ends, which was actually didn't sound too bad, except for the song that seemed like it was made up on the spot. Two of the SAMS RAs sang "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" to Jessica, very dramatically, but entertaining. Then came the Backstreet Boys, also singing to two of the other Pre-College RAs, performing their hits "Larger Than Life" and "I Want It That Way". The host made a ton of jokes about the mentalist guy from the first night. Probably the funniest part.

After the (UN)Talent Show, the after party was held in he lounge of Hamerschlag for both SAMS and Pre-College. It was pretty cool, I stayed for the whole thing. I don't feel like as much out of the loop anymore, as I knew most of the songs and dances to go along (although I couldn't do them). Gemma is a great DJ. I REALLY need to learn how to dance...like now. A few guys were like "Noelle, you better be at the next one...on the floor! Or else I'll drag you out there!" Yeah right. Maybe? No. Eh...we'll see. I'm not pop locking and dropping it, that's for sure! I'm content with people watching and listening to the music, but dancing might be fun?

I paid for my Kennywood ticket at some point during the night while signing in. Then back to people watching. The Pre-College kids left to go back to Morewood to make their curfew, but the party still went on! It ended with some Reggaeton, and then finally a few old school songs (candy girl and some 80's rap) before it was all over around 12ish.

Kennywood tomorrow!