Satisfaction

Interesting day today. Last night my physics class was pretty stumped on a quantum mechanics problem set, and I spent most of this afternoon trying to fix the last two problems, which I failed to do, and only got them at our 2nd collaboration session tonight, with help from one of the two upperclassmen in the class. After that, I threw myself at the final question, which was a real pain, and I have a fair bit of doubt in my final answer but it's quite elegant and much more beautiful than it could have been so I'm fairly pleased. The upperclassmen (one bio and one math major) consider it the hardest class they've taken at Williams, and they're a junior and a senior, so that says something about the prospect of physics for the next 3 years... Doesn't it just make you tremble with anticipation? *GRIN!*

I went to discuss majoring in Physics with Prof. Aalberts today, generally looks like the plan I have is the way to go (i.e. settle the courses for the major, a few of the high level ones and do a bunch of related stuff in Computer Science and Math). He suggested I do physics research for Winter Study, if not this year then next. I thought since I'm coming home for summer and not doing research here, I may as well get a sense of what research (my intended career!) would be like for 3 weeks. So, I've written Prof. Tucker-Smith (elementary particle theory guy) to see if he has a project for me, otherwise I'll go back to Prof. Aalberts and try and wrangle something. My other choice for WS is humour writing, under the Math 105 prof. I should probably go talk to him if I want to end up doing it, to be sure I get into the class. We'll see if the physics stuff works out first.

In case it doesn't sound that way, I'm seriously enthusiastic about the physics. It's a huge amount of time, some of it, but I'm really enjoying half-killing myself to do the problems. It's probably a matter of finessing some of the algebra in most of it that needs practice. Apparently a lot of the majors live in the Phys dept common room. Not just apparently, I see them there a lot of the time. Haha. That'll be me! I'm really not living it up and playing music all the time.

Just for comparison, the physics took something like 10 hours. My math homework from yesterday took about 1/2. Music usually takes 3-4? History about similar, which includes reading and writing response papers. Whee!

Ok, I'm going to talk about FOOD! I ate takeout from Spice Root for dinner tonight. Lamb Kurma with nasi Briyani. Not bad, but the Kurma was a little sweet. They don't have really spicy stuff for take-out so I have to go eat there sometime and try the vindaloo. They have a student meal plan thing where you buy 10 meals for $5 each (get a card) so if I find it to be worthwhile I'm going to get one. Probably best to eat dinner there then have snack bar points. Alternatively, eat lunch there, pick up Grab & Go for dinner and have snack bar points. I've learned how to maximize my usage of meal points when I don't eat. Missing dinner = snack bar points. Missing lunch = Grab & Go. Missing breakfast = bottled drinks to keep from Goodrich Coffee Bar. Grab & Go can be eaten for breakfast or dinner, essentially converting lunch into snack bar points or breakfast points. College economics :D It's probably going to lead to weight gain though... But hey, that's what fencing's for!

Wish I'd had time to practise today... should probably have not bothered with futile physics calculations this afternoon and practiced then. This necessitates time management, i.e. waking up at 7, washing up, practicing till 9, getting breakfast and Grab & Go, so I can eat after my lesson tomorrow (it's at 1, right after music conference and nobody wanted to switch times, what a bummer!). Have to practice for BSO too... maybe I should get up at 6.30... Nah, I'll survive. Not worth falling asleep in class for.

Snack bar time!