My second post here in the down under will be about my time at the uni (aka The University of Sydney). At the end of the day, I came to Australia to study, but it was a bitter sweet transition into this semester. After, partying and climbing bridges in Sydney and then to partying and jumping off things in Cairns, I was not ready to live an academic life again. However, I was ready to settle down, unpack my belongings, and begin meeting Aussies in my classes.
First note: my school looks like Hogwarts…
First note: my school looks like Hogwarts…
Now I am in the 3rd week of school and am loving most things about it! My schedule is as follows:
- Internship 1 (School of Civil Engineering)
- Learning in Outdoor Education T (only 6 weeks long)
- 20th Century Australian Architecture W
- Chemistry 1A MWR
Total semester hours: 24 (aka 16 at Rollins College)
I don't have class on Fridays, except I am completing 2.5 hours of my internship on Friday mornings until my Outdoor class is done in 6 weeks (already half way there!!) It has been an interesting time here. For the most part lecturers are pretty chill and rarely know what is going on. Also, they really like having students do presentations, students make a powerpoint and then read off a sheet of paper what they want to say. That is not how it is done in America /: I had my first presentation today in my architecture class and I looked like a fool not reading off a piece of paper. However, I also tripped on my way to the podium to the front of the lecture of about 60 people. When I finally made my way up there I said "great way to start a presentation" and everyone laughed. I've been told before, always start a presentation with a joke, so hopefully that improved my mark.
First year chemistry has been very familiar so far…brings back memories of my terrible time in Modern Physics, but I now kind of understand it. I also enjoy helping first years when they ask me for help, then somehow the subject changes to how I am a physics major and what I am doing in that class. That is also a common theme of my time here so far. In tutorial, I have met Andre (Advance Sciences) and Di (Biological Sciences) who are natives to Australia. They don't like physics. I am also a notetaker for the chem class too, which is great because I get paid at the end of the semester! Who knew I would continue my note taking job while abroad.
*Second note: this kid in my chem class looks like he is casting a spell…
Learning in Outdoor Education is a fun class. Full of international students, so I have met people from all over the world. With this class, we are going to the Royal National Park for a day (this Saturday) and the Blue Mountains for a weekend (end of August). Look out for blog posts about these places because I have to blog about my adventure for the class (; For the most part, we have been learning how the outdoors is good for everything and students have been giving presentations on various camping and environmental information, all useful for our future trips. Also, all the Rollins kids, except for Meghan, are in this class. Just like Rollins, but not at all. *I forgot to mention that through my architecture class, we get to go to 3 museums!
Finally, my internship. It has taken some time for me to warm up to it. The internship I wanted when I first arrived was a medical research position at the Garvan Institute, however the director of the program pretty much told me I had no chance ): But she already had an interview lined up for me at the University of Sydney's School of Civil Engineering (ps this meeting was on the second day of orientation). Apparently she said "he was keen to meet me." Thinking about it now, I don't think that makes much sense. Two days later, I went to the interview and apparently I already had the job. This was great for me, but overwhelming since the internship I got was my last choice and my supervisors had no idea what was going on. I started two weeks later by just walking in on a Monday and saying I was going to start. They sat me down in the lab and said familiarise yourself with LabView. I sat there for 2 hours, alone, trying to teach myself how to use a program with nothing to apply it to. Then another student came in and asked if they gave me my office yet? That was weird and then he tried to show me how to move the linear stage and failed. Luckily, I figured it out on my own, the units were microns…there were no units anywhere in the program. WHY DON'T ENGINEERS COMMENT? Then I left frustrated and looking forward to meeting the Brazilian intern.
I went back 2 days later and met Joao, who had no idea what he was doing either and we think we are working on the same project…great. But somehow, I seemed to understand everything more then he does and look like I have done everything before! And he is an aeronautical engineer…physics wins again. With little help from him, I designed a piece for the experiment, got trained on the 3D printer, and printed it out this past Monday. I don't have a pic of the final product, but I have a pic of the Google sketch up design:
*Third note: might as well be magic!
So, I am going back to the lab tomorrow and we will see if this piece I designed will work. I have a feeling it won't, but that is research and the result of getting no advice from my supervisors, just criticisms. At the end of the day, I will gain new skills for my resume and skills that will assist in future classes of mine. Otherwise I am working in a research lab, which is what I do at Rollins except I get credit for my work. I am pretty sure my name will be no where on their published paper. Also, I feel like a scientist, not an engineer…awkward.
That is probably enough on my school life right now. Not very exciting, but that is how it should be. Even though, I have gotten free BBQ and bought a cat ring and cat socks at some jewellery and clothing tents on campus today. Now I have a cat shirt, cat scarf, cat socks, and a cat ring with me in Australia…all I need are cat pants and cat shoes.
First year chemistry has been very familiar so far…brings back memories of my terrible time in Modern Physics, but I now kind of understand it. I also enjoy helping first years when they ask me for help, then somehow the subject changes to how I am a physics major and what I am doing in that class. That is also a common theme of my time here so far. In tutorial, I have met Andre (Advance Sciences) and Di (Biological Sciences) who are natives to Australia. They don't like physics. I am also a notetaker for the chem class too, which is great because I get paid at the end of the semester! Who knew I would continue my note taking job while abroad.
*Second note: this kid in my chem class looks like he is casting a spell…
Learning in Outdoor Education is a fun class. Full of international students, so I have met people from all over the world. With this class, we are going to the Royal National Park for a day (this Saturday) and the Blue Mountains for a weekend (end of August). Look out for blog posts about these places because I have to blog about my adventure for the class (; For the most part, we have been learning how the outdoors is good for everything and students have been giving presentations on various camping and environmental information, all useful for our future trips. Also, all the Rollins kids, except for Meghan, are in this class. Just like Rollins, but not at all. *I forgot to mention that through my architecture class, we get to go to 3 museums!
Finally, my internship. It has taken some time for me to warm up to it. The internship I wanted when I first arrived was a medical research position at the Garvan Institute, however the director of the program pretty much told me I had no chance ): But she already had an interview lined up for me at the University of Sydney's School of Civil Engineering (ps this meeting was on the second day of orientation). Apparently she said "he was keen to meet me." Thinking about it now, I don't think that makes much sense. Two days later, I went to the interview and apparently I already had the job. This was great for me, but overwhelming since the internship I got was my last choice and my supervisors had no idea what was going on. I started two weeks later by just walking in on a Monday and saying I was going to start. They sat me down in the lab and said familiarise yourself with LabView. I sat there for 2 hours, alone, trying to teach myself how to use a program with nothing to apply it to. Then another student came in and asked if they gave me my office yet? That was weird and then he tried to show me how to move the linear stage and failed. Luckily, I figured it out on my own, the units were microns…there were no units anywhere in the program. WHY DON'T ENGINEERS COMMENT? Then I left frustrated and looking forward to meeting the Brazilian intern.
I went back 2 days later and met Joao, who had no idea what he was doing either and we think we are working on the same project…great. But somehow, I seemed to understand everything more then he does and look like I have done everything before! And he is an aeronautical engineer…physics wins again. With little help from him, I designed a piece for the experiment, got trained on the 3D printer, and printed it out this past Monday. I don't have a pic of the final product, but I have a pic of the Google sketch up design:
*Third note: might as well be magic!
So, I am going back to the lab tomorrow and we will see if this piece I designed will work. I have a feeling it won't, but that is research and the result of getting no advice from my supervisors, just criticisms. At the end of the day, I will gain new skills for my resume and skills that will assist in future classes of mine. Otherwise I am working in a research lab, which is what I do at Rollins except I get credit for my work. I am pretty sure my name will be no where on their published paper. Also, I feel like a scientist, not an engineer…awkward.
That is probably enough on my school life right now. Not very exciting, but that is how it should be. Even though, I have gotten free BBQ and bought a cat ring and cat socks at some jewellery and clothing tents on campus today. Now I have a cat shirt, cat scarf, cat socks, and a cat ring with me in Australia…all I need are cat pants and cat shoes.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
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