Gmail Flooded

Opened my gmail account to see this:


Ok, will blog about the auroras we saw on the last day, and post the pictures of the trip soon!

Day 4 and 5 - Kiruna.

Blogging from the ice hotel now. Got free internet at the reception area. Just ate packed ham and lettuce sandwich for lunch. Had bacon sandwiches for dinner last night.

So many things happened the last two days. Will just write it as it comes to mind.

Auroras!!!
Saw the auroras last night. It just appeared as a green glowing shreak across the sky. Rather dim. but it filled about a fifth of the sky, and it's quite static. So one can mistake it as city lights reflected off a cloud.

Dog sleighing, raindeer pasta, snow sledging, and driving a snow mobile!!!

Did that yesterday for 700 krons per person. Took a ride out to a house 10 km into the wilderness on a sleigh pulled by 4 dogs. Was literally dashing through the snow on a four dog open sleigh! Only short of the jingling bells! And it was an awesome experience emerging from behind some bushed on a standing on a fast moving sleigh, to a vast plain of white snow and the backdrop of mountains and rivers!
It is really difficult to handle dogs though, they get bored when we are waiting to set off, and start fighting... And they get really distracted. Our sleigh stopped a few times because one of our dogs found a cap dropped by a person from the sleigh in front of us, and it stopped to devour the cap. The dogs would also stop suddenly to do their business halfway through the ride. But they are really strong, and move very fast!

Then had raindeer pasta and gingerbread for lunch. Tasted very nice. Think its not the raindeer meat, but the way they made the sauce. Need to learn to make nice pasta sauce for myself.
Had water fresh from the stream flowing outside the house! Talk about mineral water from the mountains! And sledged down a slope outside the house for a while after lunch.

Then drove the snow mobile on the way back. Not as exciting as it looks. Its just like driving any other vehicle. But it was the first vehicle Serene is controling... Something for her to say to her friends!

Came back, and did some shopping. Bought all the things we needed to get comfortable in the accom, made sandwich with bacon and eggs for dinner, and koped some leftover fried rice left unattended in the kitchen. Oh yes, also watched the show `Itallian Job´ On our first night in Kiruna. Then went back to the room to relax. Saw people pointing at the sky from the room, and went out to see the auroras.


Today
Got up at 930, one and a half hour later than scheduled, made breakfast and packed lunch. Went to visit a heritage building, had a short education on the history of Kiruna. Hung out at hte library for a while, then took a bus here to the ice hotel. The ice hotel looks more like an art exhibition than anything else, its the whole experience. Reminded me of the modern art gallery we visited in Frankfurt....

Ok, thats about all for now.

Should be getting more supplies when we get back, for dinner tonight, and will be packing up to leave tomorrow morning at 5, to catcht the 630 plane ride. Oh yes, when we last calculated, we have been spending less than $20 Sing a day on food and transport. Its a really budget tour, but very enjoyable nevertheless...

Day 2 & 3 - In Stockholm

Went around exploring Stockholm these two days. Probably covered more than 10 km per day. Made very ambitious plans each time, but found ourselves wandering around the place in the end.

Day 2:
Had free cuppachino from the dispenser with Sainsbury Basics biscuits for breakfast. Set out to get groceries for dinner. Bought beef and orang juice and capsicum. Cost around 65 Krons.

Stumbled upon a job fair at the city council building. Loitered around the area, and helped ourselves to the chocolates and sweets the various companies were offering. Kinda reminded me of the Cambridge freshers fair.

Visited the obsevatory at the University of Stockholm. Got quite a nice view of the city from the top of the hill where the obsevatory was situated. There was a fenced up meteorological area behind the obsevatory with a rain gauge, and lots of snow all around. The whole setup was just calling out to the mischievous passer-by's like me to throw snowballs into it... Couldn't help but respond to the invitation. Think I effectively added 100 mm of rainfall to the measurement that day...

Then passed by a pizza shop for dinner. Shared a kebab pizza meal for 60 krons. They had free flow of bread, pineapples, butter, olives, and other pizza ingredients, and a can of coke. Ate my fill from the bread, and butter and pineapples. And really enjoyed the coke and the huge kebab pizza. All for less than $7.00 Sing per person! The food here is really much more value for money than the restaurants in Cambridge!

Hiked north to explore what appeared to be a green patch on the map. Visited a prehistoric museum along the way. And walked all the way down to an island with a viking ship, but did not enter because it was closing. Walked through the tourist district, all the way back to our youth hostel. Made spghetti and salmon for dinner. Slacked in the TV room til 12, and retired for the night.

Day 3
Started off pretty much the same as yesterday, to cuppachino and biscuits. But headed south to the palace. Caught the change of guards parade, visited the museums in the Palace, spent the afternoon there. While in the museum, reflected on what power meant, as we saw symbols of power like crowns, orbs, and scepters; and 'orders' decorated by the king. Had lunch at around 5 pm, and headed further south to the other bank of the river. Nothing much there, so headed back to the hostel. Had pasta and salmon for dinner, and relaxed at the TV room.

Pasta with Salmon and Brocolli

So we arrived on the first day to see the pretty side of Stockholm - the tourist district. Explored, on the second day, the not so pristine side of Stockholm - the edge of the city. And visited the old, royal side of Stockholm today.

Visiting the museums and viewing articles of power and politics evoked quite a good reflection of what power meant. And having Serene around allowed me someone to discuss these reflections with. Think will blog about this issue on a seperate post.

Will be setting off for Kiruna tomorrow, land of raindeers, ice and snow, and auroras. Will miss this hostel though. It's really cosy! City Backpackers in case anyone is interested.

Sweden! Day 1.

Blogging from the youth hostel in Sweden at the moment.

And the stupid keyboard Im using cant type collons, aprostophes and brackets. So please pardon me if this post appears void of punctuation.

Anyway, its the first time Im travelling between countries all by myself, no family, no army, no friends, ALONE. But went very very well, did not make a single wrong turn throughout the entire journey here! My journey started with me arriving at the bus station on the dot, with the bus waiting on the bay, ready to go off in 10 minutes. Met a guy called Christoper on the bus, a Singaporean doing his PhD in Engineering at Christ College, and the founder of the Temasek Society. He was travelling to Italy. Had a good chat with him on the way to the airport. And guided me around Stanstead airport when we arrived. Our gates and timings were very close, about 10 minutes apart, so I didnt have to wait alone at the airport for too long.

Me and Christopher

The plane ride was pleasent. Free seating, and I got up the plane quite early. So managed to get a seat by the emergency exit, with more leg room, and managed to sleep most of the journey.


Got off the plane, and just walked right through the counters and doors, collected my bag, and as I was walking out, saw a queue for a machine selling tickets. Joined the queue, bought the ticket with the credit card, paid 130.00 Krons for it. Realised later that I forgot to flash my student card, so didnt claim the roughly 60 kroners worth of discount. Then walked out of the airport, and straight into the bus! Not a single wrong turn!

Bus ride was nice too. The long mindless bus journey was quite theraputic on a stressed mind. Just absorbed the passing scenery and allowed my mind to wander, and revisit the events that happened throughout term.

Then arrived at the bus station. Walked through the bus and train station, to arrive at the macdonalds at the other side of the station. Sat down there to wait for Serene. Didnt have to wait long. Before I could settle down, recieved the sms from her that she was at the Forex booth, so made my way back to the entrance, and met her.

Visited infomation to get a map of the city, and Serene took out the directions for the hostel. We walked out of the entrance onto a road with the name corresponding to the first word given in the direction. Found our bearings immediately, hiked up the street as directed, found the restaurant that was mentioned in the direction, looked around pondering which building was the youth hostel, and after a couple of glances, spotted the youth hostel sign. Not a single wrong turn!!!

So we arrived at the youth hostel, paid for the accomodation using the card. Cost 1126.00 Krons for the 3 nights we will be staying. Put our bags down, had coffee with the biscuits I brought, was really shiok! They have a coffee machine which served cuppachino, perfect for dunking biscuits! They also have free internet access, and free pasta! Planned our itenary for the day over tea.

Then went out to explore the city. The buildings here are so beige and pink, and clean, and slightly taller than those in Cambridge. Also saw lots of ducks in the river, and snow! Met a few nice people while watching the ducks. One of them had two big bags of bread, and he offered us some to feed the birds.

The water level of the river was quite low, so we didnt have too close a contact with the avians.

Also spent a fair amount of time playing in the snow. Tried making a large snow ball to create a snowman, but the snow here doesnt stick properly. Did some shopping along the way also, went around looking for leather gloves, and groceries. Bought salmon and brocolli and milk, which we cooked for dinner when we returned to the hostel. Tasted quite nice! But cost us another 100 krons. Around 20 sing dollars! Sweden is really expensive.

Now planing for tomorrows itenary. Sould be visiting some museums, the city hall, going to catch the change of guards at the palace, and a Bach recital at a church we stumbled upon today. Also would make our way to an observatory at the Univerity of Stockholm at sunset, then make our way back to the hostel, dropping by a grocery store along the way. Its really nice and relaxing to just stroll around and explore the city casually. Realised that the expenditure in touring the place is quite evenly divided between transport, accomodation, and transport.

Ah, just randomly, or somewhat chronologically, jotting down whatever is coming to mind.

Spending and Spending

Went around Cambridge shopping these two days...

- bought National Express Tickets to Stanstead for 9.90 pounds, used Credit Card.
- bought a pair of gloves for 13.33, also used Credit Card.

Also thinking of upgrading my laptop RAM, will cost 29.90 pounds, but should speed my computer up quite significantly...

Also did a bit of relaxing these two days. Went for dinner and a play with Li Sheng and a few other CF people last night, and had breakfast with them this morning! Have been longing to have a good breakfast for a while, and today we did!!! Had french toast, half boiled eggs, sausages, mushrooms, orange juice... Was quite a spread!

- dinner at Pizza Express costed 7.50 pounds, and
- the play, South Pacific, costed 6.00 pounds.

Oh yeah, when Ken, Lionel and Serene come in June, we could see what plays are on too! It's a much better bargain from the theater shows in London, and they are hardly less enjoyable, though it might be produced on a smaller scale by ametures.

Then withdrew 70 pounds today to change to Kroners and Euros. Changed around 20 pounds worth of each currency.

And went for a hair cut at Parker's Barber. Costed another 9.00 pounds. It's the first time I'm cutting my hair in a foreign country...

Now gotta go prepare for the Sweden trip... So many things to do!
Will have to:

1. Make a time table of the schedules,
2. The important documents for each event, like tickets, passport, handphone, addresses,
3. Pack the things to bring.

Will be sorting these out on the blog in a while...

Consolidation

Term's finally over, and I'm now trying to recover from the the trauma of a hactic term, pick up the bits and pieces which I've managed to get during the term, fill up the gaps, and put them all together. If only reality was as simple as talk.

A lot of things on my mind now, but I've got some time to recover and settle them.

Sweden Trip
Top on my priority now would be the Sweden trip. Gotta get a number of things done:

1. Book my bus ticket there,
2. Pack up. Gotta bring lotsa thermals.
3. Buy proper gloves. Just dropped a glove today while cycling, it had a growing hole in it anyway, so didn't really feel so bad losing it. Think I'll go to ASDA and try looking for the 10 pound glove I saw last time.
4. Consolidate all my travel documents, like plane ticket confirmation number, and bus tickets.
5. Find out from Carphone Warehouse if I can use my uk handphone in Sweden, if not gotta find out the Swedish country code and transfer serene's number to my Singapore simcard
   

Think that's the main thing for the Sweden trip.

Will worry about word alife after the Sweden trip.

End of Term
Have been trying to relax since friday, and catch up on all the entertainment I've been missing during the term. So,

1. Got the game Enemy Territory,the freeware equavilent of CS that is very popular in Cambridge, and
   
2. A facebook account, friendster for UK and US uni students.
3. Took part as a demonstrator at a science fair on Saturday,
4. Hung out into the night with people from CCCF, they usually hang out as cell groups, and I've been crashing various cell in the past two days.
   
5. Tried to get dc++ to work, but with no avail.
   

Switching to Physics
Spoken with the Peterhouse DOS on Friday who took me for the supervision to go through the mock test I had at the beginning of term. Quite relieved to talk with someone who knows my academic status, and who might possibly be able to help me.

He told me that academically I'm actually doing fine, at least for the topic he is supervising me in. And that he hasn't recieved any bad reports about me, so he's assuming that the other topics should not be too bad either.

But I told him how unfulfilled and unsatisfied I've felt with my work, and about being stuck at my work with no one to turn to for help. And he agreed that Hughes Hall should not take in Maths undergrads, and that they should advice maths undergrads to apply to undergrad colleges who have more mathmos.

He also gave me a few advice. About how I can actually decide to switch only after I recieve my tripos marks, and about the options I should take if I wasn't sure whether I would be continuing with my course - Matric and Topological Spaces, because it is a very important topic and I'll definitely need it if I do maths next year; and Special Relativity, because it is the course which the first year physicist have covered.

And he also adviced me to get in touch with the natsci DOS soon, as well as inform my DOS about the situation by email, cos I haven't been able to meet him in his office or by email.

Also met a few physicists at the science fair. They all seem so friendly, and I think my interests correspond much more with that of a physicists than a mathmo, judging from the people I met at this event - I met many physicist, but not a single mathmo from any year!

And found out that Cambridge has links with the Caltech physics department, which allows Cambridge physicists to participate in 10 weeks long research projects at Caltech during the summer holidays! So I won't have to forego any time in Cambridge, and I'd still be able to experience a US university. This just adds to the list of exciting things I can look forward to if I do physics!

The physicists I spoke with also assured me that I wouldn't have a problem keeping up with the physics course next year. And they talked about getting irritated from experiments and stuff, and how tough the competition for physics PhD places are because of the increase in PhD applicants due to the completion of LHC in Geneva. Looks like I can identify with these conversation topics better than I can engage in discussions about maths theorums - another reason why I should do physics.

So it looks like I'm all set to make the switch! Just need to email the two DOS'es now, and hopefully I'd get to speak with the NatSci DOS soon, to make arrangements and see what are the neccessary practical steps I'd need to take.

Financial Matters
One of the few administrative things I've procrastinated through term time, and which I should accomplish during this hols - Submiting the tax examption form, so that they don't deduct any money from the interest I'm earning.

Also just recieved the bank statement today. I spent around 370 pounds this term, the figure includes the 22 pounds I earned from the brainscan. Was working out the relative cost I spend studying overseas, scaled all the spending to reflect the cost per week in a 24 week year.

Relative Expense in a Week

Miscellaneous (Mainly Food, and other neccessities):	45 pounds
Accomodation:	90 pounds
University and College Fees:	460 pounds
Air Ticket (If I go back every holiday):	80 pounds
Recieving from Bursary:	300 pounds

So just realised that the bulk of my expenditure studying here actually goes into paying the school fees! And my accomodation actually makes up two thirds of my living expenses. So saving a little more in a week probably won't make much difference to the amount of money I'm spending coming over.

Johari Window

Found a few friends with this Johari Window URL on their MSN personal message, and tonight my boredom and curiosity got the better of me, so went to check it out...

The Johari Window as described on the website:

The Johari Window was invented by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham in the 1950s as a model for mapping personality awareness. By describing yourself from a fixed list of adjectives, then asking your friends and colleagues to describe you from the same list, a grid of overlap and difference can be built up.

Yup, so got a Johari Window of my own... Dont usually do this kinda faddish things, but thought it'll be good to know what people think of me.

So if you'd like to contribute, and participate in my bid to do a survey of what people think of me, please

CLICK HERE!!!

Looking Better...

Things have been getting better these few days...

Have been thinking if I should switch to physics, and talking with people about it.

Got to know a few people in the process...

Victor, a Malaysian, doing Part III Maths, who did Physics at Imperial, has been very very helpful! Met him another few more times since I first got to know him last Saturday during frisbee... Once at the Archim's maths competition on Sunday, and today at the CMS. He's introduced me to a few books, and talked through some topics with me. Feels really refreshing chatting with him... And he's applying to do a PhD at the Cavendish next year, so if I do physics, I'll get to meet him more often!

Switching to Physics
Just came back from a 'Tea and Cakes' session at my college common room tonight. Met another PhD student at the Cavendish. Told him my situation - that I found the physics lectures I attend very stimulating, have been feeling utterly lost in my own maths lectures. And that I have a problem making sense of all the different definitions and symbols I meet each time I face a new maths question, and that I require something which I can visualise, and imagine, to work properly.

He kinda assured me that I'd be happy doing physics, if what I said were true; and told me of what I'd need to catch up on: Fourier Series, Wave Mechanics, Special Relativity, etc. And that theoretical physics will not be entirely out of the option, as there was a very close link between the Part II Theoretical Physics and Part III Applied Maths Course.

Then while we were talking, there was this first year comsci seating next to us, called Dan... I had seen him around, but never really spoke with him before. When he overheard our conversation, he told us that he was considering doing physics next year too! And that there were a few other people in the college who might be doing physics, among them is Jack. So if I do change to physics, there'll be a whole community of people over here in the same course!!! Which would result in a big improvement from my current situation! Dan mentioned that he would organise a get together for the potential physicist at the end of term party this Friday... Something to look forward to :P

Current Maths Matters
Also met up with the study group for a second time on Tuesday... Went ok, did 2 dynamics questions in 2 hours, which is quite an achievement considering it was dynamics... I'd scarcely be able to achieve that on my own...

And had decided that the best way to know mathmos would be to work with them. So I volunteered for a position in the Archims' math society... I'm now the Archims' Registrar! Basically I'd be handling membership matters, organising the Fresher's Fair, puting together the Fresher's Guide, and helping out with the website :P

Serene, Kendice, Lionel...
...are planing to come in June!!! So exciting!!! As well as my uncle and cousins, among them would be the grace who's been spamming the tagboard ;)

Tentatively, we'll be meeting on 20th June, leaving on the 23rd for Italy, returning to London sometime the following week, and flying home on the 3rd or 4th of July.

While you guys are here, I've thought of 10 things you could do:

1. Crash Balls - there'll be fireworks and all.
2. Punt, and feed a variety of avian species inhabiting the river, if the bird flu doesn't hit Cambridge, that is...
3. Visit the Museum & Observatory.
4. Come help me pack up,
5. and see my room at the same time,
6. I'll demonstrate the culinary skills I've acquired in the year I spent here...
7. Have a taste of the (junk) food I've been subsisting upon throughout term,
• i.e. Sainsburry Basics x, where x =
• "Chocolate digestive biscuits",
  
• "Milk Chocolate",
  
• "Chocolate Chip Cookies",
  
• "Custard Cream Biscuits",
  
• "Jaffa Cakes",
  
• "Hot Chocolate",
  
• "Vanila Ice Cream".


8. Come watch me collect my results from Senate House - It'll be a great incentive for me to do well!
9. Tour round the colleges.
10. I'll bring you to see the statue of Isaac Newton, and show you Stephen Hawking's pigeon hole and office, and maybe if he's in, we can knock on his door and say 'hi' :P

* In the unlikely event that we run out of things to do in the afternoon, we could take a walk down a scenic part of the river, to a place called Grandchester.

Also, regarding accomodation in Cambridge, there's a youth hostel near the rail station. It'll be very convinient if you guys were coming by rail, and it's not too far from my college!

Here's the website: Youth Hostel in Cambridge

It costs 224.00 pounds for 3 people for 4 nights. This works out to less than 20 pounds per person per night. I'll also check if my college has rooms to rent out during this period...


Academic Ennui

en·nui

n. Listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest; boredom

On a different note, just wanted to record the condition which could be used to diagnose the problem I was facing...

Since I begun relating this problem with others, I've discovered that it isn't uncommon to experience this condition:

• My tutor, Dr Franklin felt it;
  
• an engineering PhD student was facing the same problem;
  
• so did a few other people in my college doing a master's degree in various fields;
  
• and a friend who reads this blog also related his problem with me. And he was the one who introduced me to this term...

I guess this is a problem I might face if I did research in a field hardly anyone cares about...

So perhaps God is showing me what I'll be in for should I chose the academic path...

I'm also thinking, if I were to switch to physics, I might as well go into teaching, or something more vocational, like engineering. Might consider trying for a PSC scholarship if I decide on teaching. Having said that, I'm not rushing to get a scholarship! (can hear my mother violently objecting to it now).

While relief teaching in SAS, I've also seen how teachers can grow tired from dealing with children that are so difficult to control... I guess every profession has it's cons... I'll just need to find an area that I enjoy, and can handle the cons the best... Perhaps switching careers every few years would be a nice way to live. I've actually met people from my college who have lived like that!

I guess university is the best time to explore what one likes, and allow one to gain the neccessary experience, to aid in making the major decisions later on in life...

Meeting with Dr Franklin

Just came back from consulting my tutor about my difficulties, described the situation I was in - that I had been feeling very isolated, and that many times I'm stuck in my room at so many problems, without any channel for recourse.

And thankfully he was sympathetic to my position: he related how he had felt the same back while he was doing a Masters in History, as the only person living in the house doing history, and how he was able to find other people feeling the same to work with. So had felt somewhat at comforted to carry on describing my problem, and my options...

But when I first described to him that I realised that I was able to cope with the course given more time, or that being with people accelerated the rate at which I absorbed things, relating the two anecdotes: one about how I was able to do my first set of example sheets satisfectorily as I had a lot of time to work on it, and the other about how I could accomplish a lot if only I had someone to relate the question with.

He looked at me, and asked, what I wanted him to do by saying all these... Probably on his part, he was thinking all along about what he could do to solve the problems: and there's nothing he can do about the course, and nothing he could do about looking for mathmo's to work with. I've tried certain measures myself, but with limited success. One small part of me was hoping that he would be able to put me in a college with more mathmos, which would have been the best solution to the problem, looks like that was out of the question, so I didn't raise it...

So when I asked about changing my course as a way to solve the problem, he looked much more happy to help, as it was within his ability to do that. He looked up the requirements for switching to physics, and adviced that I should initiate the process soon, if I wished to change, and related the process of switching: how the NatSci DOS would be concerned about whether I would be able to cope with the course, and the Senior tutor would be concerned that it would incur more cost on the college.

So he suggested that I gave that a thought and told him of my decision when at the routine end of term meeting due in about a weeks time... At this stage, it's almost certain that I will choose to switch, unless something compelling made me change my mind, because it would be very difficult to switch if I were to raise the process at a later date, as the NatSci DOS might wish to interview me and stuff...

Ah well, looks like God's opening up this path... I wonder where it'll lead to... Should I chose to switch, Theoretical Physics would become an even more remote possibility than it is now. And perhaps I'll end up doing a post grad in engineering or something.

The week gone by

A week into revising my activities, and I've decided that I need more maths activities to get in touch with the math community.

Decided to launch the study group website, and publicised it during the lectures. Got a few responses, around 15, we had our first meeting on thursday. And we did an incredible amount of work in 2 hours! Hope we'll continue to be able to meet up...

Have also been considering my other options should I find maths too unfulfiling... Thought of switching to physics, and I've talked to a few people about it... Charles, Samuel, and this guy called Victor, a Part III Mathmo who did Physics at Imperial College. He's really enthusiastic about what he does, and really likes talking about maths and physics phenomena and theories, think we can become good friends :P

Sorta thought through the course of action I should take with Charles:

1. I'll first see how this study group goes, and if we are able to meet up on a regular basis,
2. and see how I do next term, and in the exams,
   

Before deciding whether to change to physics...

Samuel also raised the suggestion that I consider engineering, because there is no point changing to physics if I want to do theoritical physics, the mathematical route would be a better choice. Perhaps I'll consider that...

I figured I need to try and get myself in tuned with the latest developments in maths, thus I should take part in more math activities and socials... Did so today, with a competition organised by the Archemedeans, and yesterday, attending a special talk, and had dinner with the speakers later.

During dinner, sat beside Prof Imre Leader, our N&S lecturer last term. Chatted with him, and when I told him I was from Hughes Hall, he asked if I was the 'famous mathmo who turned up for the Peterhouse mock exam because the DOS accidentally sent the email to you'. Hm... Looks like there's talk of 'a mathmo who is so nice that he turned up for a mock exam he was informed of only a day before', circulating round the lecturers and supervisors.

Looks like there's a interesting mathmo community out there I should try becoming a part of...

And think I'll feel more at ease when I hang out with mathmos, than hanging out with the Christians or Singaporeans, while I have undone example sheets looming at the back of my mind.

Brainscan!!!

Just returned from a brainscan. Went there this afternoon after lectures, and it was quite an experience!

Was placed in the middle of this noisy gigantic machine, which carried out the scan while I performed various tasks like trying to match faces, and rooms. Had ear plugs on, and I was communicating with the person conducting the experiment through a headphone, and had a frame to immobilise my head, the frame had a mirror so that I could see the computer screen behind me, and was surrounded by this white chamber. The entire experience felt really out of this world.

Thought I had a taste of what astronauts living in the ISS experienced.

And at the end, I was given a picture of my brain, and paid 20 pounds! So it's very worthwhile!

In case any of you guys in Cambridge are interested in taking part, you can contact the guys at the brainscan at this address:

brainscan(at)mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk

Problems I'm Facing in the Maths Course

Just sorting out and listing down exactly what I am finding tough about this course, and figuring out loud what I can do to improve the situation...

I think the main problem I'm facing is that there is a lack of an intermediate between the lectures, where we are first introduced to very new concepts, and which is held in groups of 100 to 200 people; and the supervisions, where we are expected to be familiar with all the concepts we have been introduced to, and is held in groups of 1 or 2, which makes it very taxing on the resources as well.

And because of that, I feel like I am recieving very little guidiance in this course.

Many times, I find myself seating in front of my example sheets, staring blankly at the questions. Most times, I find that there are many questions that seem to appear quite frequently in the topic, and it seems like it's quite a standard problem in the topic, but I simply do not know the way to handle these questions, because I just haven't seen it done enough times before. During these times, I just wished for someone to give me a hint and point me in the right direction, so that I wont have to waste so much time and effort trying to reinvent the mechanism to solve the problem.

Spending time figuring out how to solve a problem from scratch is good, and I've managed to do that with all the problems during the first part of this term. But in such a demanding course, where so many concepts are introduced to us in such short time, an average person cannot really afford to do that for every concept.

I think it would be good for there to be a classroom like lesson, or discussion which follows closely with what we are doing in the lectures, where we can be further exposed to the concepts first introduced to us during lectures, so that our understanding can be broadened and reinforced in such an atmosphere. And perhaps during these sessions, we could look at the existing methods of dealing with standard questions in the topics, so that we will not need to be blindly trying to find our way around...


I am wondering how many people in the course will agree with what I've just written. Think I'll first try to set up a support group, and publically seek out people in the same situation, like in forums, and maybe at the beginning of lectures. And we'll just try to work with each other first... And if there's sufficient people feeling the same way (something like twenty or so people), we could try to set up a society to provide such classroom like sessions on a regular basis to complement the lectures.

Just jotting these ideas down, so that if it works out, it could lay the foundations to the aims of the society.

Cambridge is full of geniuses who probably wouldn't need these sort of supplimentary programs. But for the rest of us who are less than geniuses, the aims of this society would be to provide a program that would complement the existing lecture-supervision system, and provide us commoners an effective means to handle the Cambridge Maths Syllabus.

Acapella!

Just came back from Acapella. Decided to join the newly formed acapella group, made up of Cumsa people, and we had the first session today!

Everyone here's really talented, and I'm really privileged to be among so many people who can organise and put together an acapalla group in one evening, and the song turned out really nice!

So many people knew how to interperate the scores, and play the piano, and put together every part of an acapella, that they could guide the few who had no clue what to do, i.e. me, so well that we managed to end very well!

Warmed up with "Away in a Manger" and practiced with "Lonesome Road". We'll be doing a very funny song next week, called "Short People"... There's a really mean line in it which goes "Short people have no reason to live" =P

And I carry one more tag on myself: I'm a tenor. Basically the middle range...

Was really enjoyable to be able to play a part in something that would sound so nice. Think it's the most fun thing I've done this term...

Also had second bible study on Genesis with Nick this evening... Just wondering how Adam and Eve knew God... Did they interact with God the way we do now, or did God appear to them in a more tengible form? And if He did, how much more tengible can He get if He's not physical?

Also wondered how Adam felt when he first came to being, recieving conciousness, and being given all these responsibilities by God.

Also had Vector Calculus supervision today... My work wasn't really satisfectory, had missed a few questions... Will be having Probability sup next Monday, gotta go figure out things like Independent-Identically Distributed Random Variables, and Moment Generating Functions :S

Yup, that was my day... one the more fun days I've had over here :)

Impure Thoughts

I'm entertaining thoughts of switching to NatSci(Phy) next year...

There are a few reasons...
1) I find myself struggling to manipulate symbols I scarcely have any feel for. i.e. Maths is too abstract for me...
2) Jack, from my college is doing physics too! and he intends to do the most physics possible, which is what I'll like to do if I switch to physics. That means I'll have a buddy to go do stuff together with. And if we get accomodation near or next to each other, he'll make a very convinient companion to discuss work with...
3) I feel like I have something to look forward to if I do change my course... Cos I don't feel any excitement when I look at the topics we're doing for maths next year...

The only consideration now is how much I've missed from the first year work... I've attended a few physics lectures, so I have an idea what they are doing, but I haven't done any lab work yet. Think I'll need to pick up those skills quickily next year.

But I think it shouldn't be too bad, cos first year natsci's do lots of other peripheral subjects like geology and material science, which I'm not too worst off not studying...

Sigh, think I'm falling behind :S

This feels like the part of the 2.4 where I give up and start walking.

Ah, the first 3 weeks went ok, did a whole set of example sheets, and think it was reasonably well done... but looks like it was unsustainable... kinda got really tired by weekend of 4th week, and now I see the impending deadlines looming, and feel like I'm crawling so slowly I'll never be able to keep pace, or make even a quarter of my next set of example sheets...

Think I'll need to reassess what I'm doing... Look for something extra-curricular to do, staying in my room all day isn't helping :S


Went to pizza hut with Shagnik, Ja and Alex today for lunch. Was a buffet. supposed to be 4 pounds, but cos I mistakenly took the salad which wasn't in the buffet, I ended up paying an extra 2 pounds for it. Didn't really eat much, 9 slices of pizza, and very little salad, really feel heart ache thinking I paid an extra 6 dollars for that little bit of salad I took... But the pizza's were quite nice...

Oh yeah, and just got an appointment for a brain scan! Will be two weeks time, 1 March...

Sigh, think I'll try to go about de-stressing myself first, before I come back to re-examine what I am covering in lectures...

Completed First Round of Supervisions.

Just had my probability supervision today. Marks the end of the first series of supervisions. Looks like I've got quite good supervisors for this term. For the first time since JC, feeling like I'm under the care of a teacher... Hope I'd be able to make the most of it...

Arh, dunno why I suddenly experienced a bout of intense stress on Sunday... Went to church in the morning, then by lunch time, I had the urge to rush straight back to my room to sleep, and sleep i did - for two hours. Woke up after at around 4, completed as much of my example sheet, and handed it up, returned back to room, and did not have anything urgent left to do, but still felt a great tension... Couldn't really do much after experiencing that tension, chatted with some people who were online then, thanks for putting up with me those of you whom I bugged... The tension I felt was somewhat comparable with the kind of stress I faced outfield in army, don't really know why... Think that's why God put me through that phase in army, so that I'll be able to deal with this kinda pressure...

But feeling better now... It seems like I'm only feeling stressed over the weekend when I don't have lectures to wake up to. Ah, why does it seem like my mood is so fickle over here in Cambridge?

Crazy Sleeping Patterns and Kopitiam Delights

Sigh, my body clock's going nuts again! Have been sleeping at 2 am the past week, even though I didn't sleep in the afternoon. And I'd still force myself to wake up for lectures, but I'll feel quite tired and stressed throughout the day. So today I decided to allow myself to sleep when I felt like it, the result: I fell asleep at 8 pm and woke up at 12 mid night.

I woke up to a cold room and an empty stomach, and suddenly felt like eating something sweet and filling. Have been eating excessive amounts of Sainsbury Basics Chocolate Digestive biscuits the past week while slogging over example sheet problems, so didn't really fancy eating more of those. Wanted something warm and sweet and filling, so I decided to make kaya toasts!

Managed to find proper bread this term, thus I had all the ingredients neccessary to recreat this authentic taste. And now I'm enjoying Kaya toasts with Hot Chocolate! Mmmm...

The kaya has gone a little hard though, but still tastes alright, just quite difficult to spread it... Which reminds me: I could use more Kaya from Singapore....

While I'm eating, I'm also thinking of Half Boiled Eggs and French Toast. Think I'll need to get some eggs soon... Haven't used eggs on my own since I started my cooking career. Looks like it's quite a good breakfast material :P

An Extraordinary Encounter.

Whoa, just met Stephen Hawking's while studying at the CMS today! He was having lunch with two other professors, and his nurse, who was feeding him.

Didn't that realise he was there when I first went in. Only discovered his presence after hearing someone breathing the words 'Stephen Hawkings', and moment's later vaguely hearing his synthesised voice.

It was like meeting a movie star! First heard of him back in primary 5, and it's been my dream to do the things he did, and now I'm seeing him in real life! Probably indicates that I'm one step closer to this dream =)

Speaking of which, about a week ago, I actually dream of seeing him. Hm... Precognition?

But the most remarkable thing was the way people around him were reacting. They were just going about therir business, acting as if nothing's happening. I mean, how often do you get to sit with a famous person and pretend like it's no big deal? I guess it happens pretty often here in the CMS, that's the awesome thing about this place, a place where making history is all in a days work...

I'm getting good at cooking...

Finished lectures at 12:00 today,

Cycled back,
Cooked spghetti,
Ate spghetti,
Cleaned up,
Blogged,

And time check: 12:45!

Spghetti was cheap, tasty and healthy.

What more could I ask for?

0 raised to the power of 0

Came across that today during supervision. Makes a good smilie too:

0^0 = ?

0_o