I submitted my case and arguments after speaking with the professor today. The following letter was submitted to Graduate Advising, with whom I met yesterday. I submitted this letter as a cover letter for a package with a copy of all the e-mails I had with the company and the professor. Writing skills don't fail me now!
Dear -----:
Due to unforeseen circumstances, I am forced and am requesting to drop MAE 5780: Feedback Control Systems. In order to pursue a potential job opportunity, whose schedule was made aware to me only on October 16, I will be unable to make the scheduled time for the first prelim, scheduled for October 28. I was invited to attend a three-day interview and invitational that requires that I be away from campus, from October 27 to October 29. This is a petition to drop MAE 5780 (without a 'W' on my transcript, if possible).
In a long discussion with the course professor via e-mail, he has expressed his intention of following course policy and will not offer me a make-up exam, and I have noted that this is an event that I cannot miss.
The following is an account of the events, from my perspective, that have transpired between Saturday, October 16 and Wednesday, October 20. I have enclosed a copy of e-mail correspondences with both the professor and the company to elaborate on my situation. Please note: I am not trying to get anyone in trouble.
On Monday (Oct 20), I made the necessary phone calls and sent out the needed e-mails to the potential employer to obtain more information on the terms of the invitational next week. What I gathered from two sources from the company (one from HR and one from a recent Cornell alumnae), this is one event that I should not miss.
On Tuesday (Oct. 19), I have spoken with you at the graduate advising office. You ask me about fairness, citing university policy about the drop deadline being Friday, October 15. Of course, in fairness to other students, my request for dropping the class without a 'W' ought not be approved, at the expense of fairness to me; I strongly believe I did nothing wrong as a full-time graduate student who is both involved in academics and in job-searching. While I cannot say what the future implications of a 'W' on my transcript will be, I know that the connotation of a 'W' suggests to whoever that is reading my transcript that the course was dropped do to poor grades or student uncommitment. This is certainly not the case. The professor agrees that I am up-to-date with all my homework assignments, quizzes, and lab reports, doing above the class average. I am requesting that this course be dropped without a 'W' preventive, and to protect myself from this blemish on my transcript, especially since the circumstances (occurring so close the the drop deadline) were not up to me.
On Wednesday (Oct. 20), I met with the professor. After presenting my situation and expressing my intention to drop the class, he reluctantly offered a make-up exam for next Tuesday, October 26. At this point in time, I had to decline his offer and ask for his support in my decision to drop the course for the following reasons...
The events that have transpired over the past few days regarding this single class have severely diverted my attention away from my other classes and commitments (including two prelims this week). Not only am I becoming increasingly unprepared for my other courses because of this situation, I have fallen behind in my coursework for MAE 5780 itself (homework and lab report due this week) because I was waiting on the professor's decision. This series of unfortunate and mal-timed events has caused me a significant amount of emotional and mental stress to the point of affecting my performance in my classes, research project, and job.
As I am determined to attend this three-day invitational next week and current circumstances do not allow me to take this course, I am respectfully requesting, with the support of both my academic advisor and the course professor, to drop MAE 5780 without a 'W'.
Sincerely yours,
Kevin
I met with the graduate advisor today as I submitted my petition. The professor and the advisor had been talking and decided that my situation does warrant a droop without 'W'. She didn't even have to read my letter. This ends the five day long saga. I don't know how I feel about it just yet. I guess I can find solace in the fact that I my argument won out again the professor's... I guess. More like, the professor acquiesced to my request. Unfortunately, it was a little too late.
Thanks everyone for your advice and support. Sorry Stephen for abandoning you.
Showing posts with label cornell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cornell. Show all posts
Looks Like I'll Have to Drop My First Class Ever
Having learned nothing from The Social Network, I'm posting a censored transcript of our correspondence at the risk of sounding melodramatic. The following is a series of e-mails in chronological order.
Professor -----,
I just received an invitational this morning for an off-campus second-round interview from 10/27 - 10/29. The ----- prelim is Thursday, October 28. I am wondering if I can work with you to schedule a make-up exam. I wish I was notified of their decision earlier than this morning; I'm sorry for the inconvenience.
Thank you,
-- Kevin
Kevin:
Sorry - I cannot do a make-up.
The class is mostly made up of seniors and MEngs, all looking for jobs - it would be logistically impossible for me to schedule make-ups for everyone. So, I ask that you all (first day of class, in the syllabus) to schedule around the several quizzes and prelims in the class.
Regards.
-----
Ironically or not, I received this e-mail while doing the homework due for this class next week.
Prof -----,
I understand that the syllabus says that potential conflicts need to be reported by September 28th for Prelim 1 for "exceptional circumstances, such as religious holidays." The problem I'm facing is that I wasn't aware of any conflict until after the specified date.
If I had known sooner whether I was accepted for an on-site invitational and interview, I would have definitely scheduled around the exam. Since my on-campus interview, I had followed up with the company on several occasions for their decision. I was only notified of my acceptance literally 10:20 this morning.
I hope I will not have to make the difficult decision of choosing between pursuing a potential career and dropping -----, a class which I thoroughly enjoy, a day after the Drop Deadline.
Thank you,
-- Kevin
Kevin:
I understand your situation. As I indicated, many students in the course are in a similar situation. My email reply to you did not refer to the timing of your request. I would have said no if you had asked me in September, as I do not feel that job interviews are exceptional circumstances (I said this on the first day of class). For several reasons. First, all employers that I have ever met with work within the students' academic program, especially with regard to exams. Second, I would estimate that I would have 20 request for make-up exams, and each would take me several days to make-up. This is not realistic.
Thus, I clarify (in many ways) the constraints of the course up-front so that students can plan around these. If you are organized in your job search, and communicate with employers about your academic constraints, then there should not be a choice to be made. I know many students in the course have organized their interviews around the prelim - I hope you can do the same.
Thanks.
-----
The second-round invitational and interview I mentioned above is a three day event with accepted students attending from all over the country. There is no question; there is no way I can miss this opportunity.
This will be the first class I dropped at Cornell ever. In four years, I committed to and completed taking every class I signed up for, including 21 credits across 8 classes in my first semester of senior year; 19 credits across 7 classes in my second semester of senior year; and 20 credits across 7 classes this semester. This will be my first, and it's not even up to me.
I completely understand where he's coming from, but my question is: Am I wrong? I will visit the professor on Monday, and we'll see how it goes from there.
EDIT: I sent the professor a final e-mail.
Professor -----,
I hope I may take another moment of your time to clarify my situation further. I understand that every potential exception is arguably "unique" but I feel mine is, especially.
Generally, I would agree with you that job interviews are not extraordinary exceptions. In most cases, it is true that individual, second-round, off-campus interviews can be scheduled with the employer on a case-by-case basis. In my case, however, and in response to your first reason, the event I was invited to is a three-day affair, which involves interviews, meetings, networking dinners, and case study presentations (one of which I will have to give) with second-round interviewees from all around the country; it is not a typical interview process and its schedule is inflexible.
I had my on-campus interview on October 1. I was only notified of their decision and the date of this three-day invitational this Saturday morning. I am not disorganized with my job search; it wasn't that I was unwilling to plan accordingly.
I apologize if this e-mail makes me come off as impolite or ungracious. I am extremely interested in learning the topic about feedback control systems and would prefer if I didn't have to petition to drop -----. I genuinely understand your position and viewpoint, and I hope I presented my argument well that this company's inflexible, second-round interview process is unlike most others in that it invites all second-round interviewees to its campus for a three-day event. If you are saying that extreme situations such as mine are somehow avoidable and do not warrant a consideration for a make-up exam, I will submit to your final decision.
Sincerely,
-- Kevin
Kevin:
Come to see me in person in my office hours if you want to discuss this further.
In all my years of teaching, I have never heard of a company forcing a student to potentially drop a class because of an on-site interview - in fact, it is against Cornell policies really. If you have informed the company that you have a previously scheduled, required exam that cannot be moved during that period (or else you have to drop the course), and their response was that the time period they have given you is the only path to you getting a job there, then I will consider a make-up prelim. Otherwise, I will adhere to the course policy (which all of the other students are also adhering to).
If this is the case, please also come with the contact information for the company. I will work with Career services to make sure that no other students are put in that position (now or in the future).
Finally, note also that I will not have time to make up another exam, so the terms would be a one hour oral exam next Tuesday.
Education, Productivity, and Doing Something with Your Life
Earlier this week, I read something that aptly summarizes a lot of what I've been thinking about lately in terms of education, productivity, and doing something with your life. From the September 28, 2010 Cornell Daily Sun, I'm quoting Steven Zhang's opinion piece titled "There Is No U.S.," in full...
Open up any recent issue of the New York Times and you can be sure to find a headline on one of many Chinese triumphs often accompanied by another story on American woes.
It’s nothing new. While China is taking the lead in green energy technology, we are still entangled in a debate over the legitimacy of global warming. While their economy efficiently surges ahead — recently becoming the second largest in the world by surpassing Japan — ours struggles to return to its former glory. Even Thomas L. Friedman’s lamentations over our beloved country seem to be in overdrive these past few weeks.
Shouldn’t we be worried? After all, it is us against them. West versus East. Democracy against Communism. They are two nations stuck in an inescapable zero-sum game. Therefore, must not we, proud Americans, do everything we can to protect America?
Not necessarily. It’s a pity to see that our politicians have still not faced reality. America’s clout in the world is slowly fading away and we — especially our Cornell seniors who are entering the job market — have to adapt. Just take a look at the biggest names participating at the recent career fair. Hoping to work on Wall Street? You might have better chances of finding a job in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and Shenzhen, a city in China I bet you never knew existed. Asian cities are rapidly rising in the Global Financial Centers Index in the past few years and will eventually overtake their Western counterparts. Not interested in finance? For engineers, General Electric is the second largest multinational corporation in the world and is becoming more and more reliant on foreign workers. The ratio of U.S.-based workers to non-U.S. based workers was 1.15 to 1 in 2001, down from 4 to 1 in 1990. In fact, its largest research and development center is located in India. Similarly, General Motors, though our government owns around 60 percent of the company, sells more cars in China than it does domestically. Hoping to work in the hotel business? The largest hotel chain, the Intercontinental Hotel, is based in the United Kingdom and has established 25 hotel schools in China in hopes of tapping the talents of the country’s youth.
The world is not just flattening; it’s shrinking. Just look at our University today. We have people from every corner of the country, from every inhabited continent. The figure that we should be focused on now isn’t whether we have students from all 50 states but if we have students from all 194 nations. For undergraduates, international students comprise 8.7 percent of the student body. That means almost one in every 10 students you see on campus is from another country. The figure is even more startling for our graduate and professional schools: One in three graduate students is an international. The political borders and geographic barriers are slowly falling.
What does this mean for us and our futures? First, it means we have to unhinge from the belief that the world is centered on us — America. And we have to start to realize the world is larger than what we see on CNN, that there are more happenings in the world outside of Iraq, Lindsay Lohan and political sex scandals. It is imperative that we abandon the comfort of our insularity and reject the illusion that our nation is still at its prime. The fact is that a post-American world is quietly becoming realized and it is a world in which the term “nationality” will become more and more obsolete.
Secondly, it means that the solutions to problems — finance, education, politics, environment — will no longer find their roots solely in American ingenuity, but in the exchange of ideas between cultures. Most likely, it won’t be an American who will solve the looming energy crisis but a medley of scientists from all corners of the globe who have collaborated with eachother.
And finally, we have to realize that this trend is not reversible. The United States is not a monolith that acts in uniformity. It is composed of free thinking individuals, each pursuing opportunities to get ahead. As the world becomes more interconnected and opportunities abroad become easier to access, Americans will become attracted to them, which will only lead to greater accessibility, generating a self-perpetuating cycle. But it isn’t a bad thing. As long as we Cornellians are prepared and flexible, we can certainly excel in the age of globalization and should not be too worried about our employment prospects. There will be demand if we look far enough.
At the recent United Nations summit, China’s Prime Minister Wen Jiabao claimed, “China’s development is an opportunity to the world.” Empty rhetoric or not, China is in a position to surpass our economy around 2020, and once it does, we will be forced to engage the awakening giant, as well as other rising nations to our south and west. For us Americans — whatever that means anymore — it is time to think outside of the red, white and blue box.Article found at http://cornelldailysun.com/section/opinion/content/2010/09/28/there-no-us
Graduation
I feel a bit obligated to write something shortly after what is perhaps the most important day (and past few weeks) of my life so far. Yesterday was the graduation of Cornell's Class of 2010. As is usual in these cases, it was bittersweet.I'm not sure what to think. It is the typical post-graduation nostalgia that hits me hard, but it's different this time. It's not like middle school, where, typically, most friends are still close to home but social interactions are confined, for the most part, in the classroom. It's not like high school, where, although there are friends throughout the city or district, they are still close by; you can graduate from high school knowing that people will return to home base eventually, at least for a few years of being away. College is different. Four years of living together, working together, and laughing together was pretty awesome. Unfortunately, though, people are required to move on from here, at least physically. And this time, some move back home to distant places like Connecticut and Canada, some move on to work in places like Denver and Wisconsin, and some will go on to [even] higher education in the west coast, for example.
Do I expect to seem many of them again? I can't say. But I am hopeful.
Yesterday was fine because amidst the ceremony and brief moments of reminiscing , we were busy packing, loading up the car, and moving away all before realizing the significance of the day, whether as feeling a sense of accomplishment or as a feeling of needing to GTFO.
I don't miss the campus just yet. (I will be returning for a fifth year for my Masters.) I will, however, miss the people I shared it with. Four years of hard work didn't necessarily pay off as people say, but goddammit, it was an amazing ride.
I write this from Duffield Hall, because it is far too hot (and lonely) to stay in the apartment. The Canadians left for the last time this morning.
Stressing Out...
I couldn't help but notice this last night as I was about to go to bed. Crunch time, like none other. (Click to enlarge.)
Still Kicking...
I kind of regret it now. It's senior year second semester. And I am taking 21+ credits.
I am managing pretty decently, but sometimes, it's nice to have some free time to hang out, some free time to do what I want to do.
Still alive though...
P.S. I am getting an iPad.
Figuring It All Out...
I think I have finally figured out my spring semester's courses. (Last Friday was the last day to add a class.)
In the books, I am taking 21 credits in my final undergraduate semester at Cornell. In addition to these, I am auditing 7 more credits, which consists of going to lecture and taking notes out of interest. The cool thing about this semester is that I only require 9 credits for graduation. Now, we get a chance to take things we actually care about. Learning out of interest is the best kind of learning, maybe...
ACTUAL CLASSES
INFO 2300 Intermediate Web Design
NBA 5530 Accounting and Financial Decision Making
SYSEN 5200 System Architecture, Behavior, and Optimization
MAE 4291 Senior Design Project
MAE 4230 Intermediate Fluid Mechanics
MAE 4860 Automotive Engineering
MAE 5010 Future Energy Systems
BEE 5330 Engineering Professionalism (FE Exam Prep Course)
PE 1320 Professional Instructional Golf
AUDIT CLASSES
MAE 4590 Introduction to Controlled Fusion
GOVT 3847 Weapons of Mass Destruction
(Yes, I'm also taking golf... getting pretty good at putting too.)
"Yeah Fat Squirrel!"
Later today I will have submitted my last paper and finished my last final (and the last thing I need to do other than packing) before the break. I will repost this photo in celebration. Maybe it'll brighten your day. Ithaca weather blows.
Fall 2009, In Summary
I just realized I didn't learn anything substaintial this semester. This fall was filled with a lot of "busy work" and a lot of sub-par or terrible professors and TAs that I have little respect for the class. Most of them, anyway.
At the end of this writing-intensive semester, with a total 8 classes, 4 of which are liberal arts, I summarize it as follows:
CLASSES I'M GLAD I TOOK
Technology in Society (STS 2501)
Introduction to Wines (HADM 4430)
CLASSES THAT WERE OKAY
Communication and Technology (INFO 2450)
Energy Seminar (MAE 5459)
Fluids and Heat Transfer Lab (MAE 4272)
CLASSES I LOST RESPECT FOR
Introduction to Linguistics (LING 1101)
Professionalism in Engineering (MAE 4300)
Introduction to Nuclear Engineering (MAE 4580)
What a terrible semester. At the very least, though, at least we suffered through the tough classes and endured through the crappy ones together. Cheers.
At the end of this writing-intensive semester, with a total 8 classes, 4 of which are liberal arts, I summarize it as follows:
CLASSES I'M GLAD I TOOK
Technology in Society (STS 2501)
Introduction to Wines (HADM 4430)
CLASSES THAT WERE OKAY
Communication and Technology (INFO 2450)
Energy Seminar (MAE 5459)
Fluids and Heat Transfer Lab (MAE 4272)
CLASSES I LOST RESPECT FOR
Introduction to Linguistics (LING 1101)
Professionalism in Engineering (MAE 4300)
Introduction to Nuclear Engineering (MAE 4580)
What a terrible semester. At the very least, though, at least we suffered through the tough classes and endured through the crappy ones together. Cheers.
Most Prolific Writing Semester Ever?
This semester with my 21 credits and 8 classes will be the most torturous one during my time at Cornell. Among the 8 classes, four involve weekly one-page summaries or responses. This is on top of the work I'm still doing for Engineerography Blog (which, I'll admit, has taken a hit lately).Although writing is still somewhat of an awkward and unusual activity for me, I'd like to think that I'm starting to get good at it. Maybe.
This photo "Contemplative" comes from my POTD (Photo of the Day) collection of last year. I'm trying to revive the project to a certain degree, but it's going along sluggishly.
Cornell LDAP on iPhone 3.0
My friends, now that iPhone OS 3.0 is out, we now have LDAP support for the iPhone and iPod touch. We can search the Cornell Directory on the go. How exciting.First, go to "Mail, Contacts, Calendars" in your Settings application. Add Account. Other. Under Contacts, select "Add LDAP Account".
The server name is going to be "directory.cornell.edu", and the description can be whatever you want to appear in your Contacts application. No user name or password is required. I didn't have luck with connecting via SSL. Continue the setup without SSL.
You can hit the Save button from here. Just in case though, the Search Settings at the bottom should be automatically filled out to be "o=cornell university,c=us". The Search Scope is "subtree". This is probably fine for most cases.
Taglines for Spring 2009 Finals
The Schedule:
05/07/2009 PHYS 2214 9:00 am
05/08/2009 CS 2110 2:00 pm
05/11/2009 ECE 2100 9:00 am
05/14/2009 ENGRD 2700 7:00 pm
"Tudyings hysicsp"
"Javorcism: ridding my body of Java and code"
"My Friend, Mr. Op-Amp"
"Tea & Pee Tests"
05/07/2009 PHYS 2214 9:00 am
05/08/2009 CS 2110 2:00 pm
05/11/2009 ECE 2100 9:00 am
05/14/2009 ENGRD 2700 7:00 pm
"Tudyings hysicsp"
"Javorcism: ridding my body of Java and code"
"My Friend, Mr. Op-Amp"
"Tea & Pee Tests"
Last Time Before the New Year
Yesternight ended the last time I will be doing homework in the lounge area of Cook. Thank you, Taylor. Thank you, Hans. Thank you, Stephen. For an interesting semester, to say the least.Today is the last day of class for me. I don't feel particularly excited about it, but it isn't particularly sad to think about either. In any case, let the festivities begin with Slope Day 2009 [in the rain and thunderstorm]. Soon, it will be time to take life by the horns again. But for now, there is this raging bull (call it "Finals") and it is best to cleanly get out of its way.
I realize I haven't been posting as frequently as I have been in the recent past, but then I wouldn't like to take blame that work and life got in the way of things. Even Engineerography.com has been reduced in production somewhat. I expect to pick this up soon ... this summer ... while at work.
Physics Prelim 1: Tweet Summary
This is one of the few exams I am taking that will not be curved according to the mean of the class. This is what I thought during the exam... My goal is not to do my best, but to simply beat or attempt to match the grade of the smartest friend I have in the class. Sorry for being selfish in this regard. (You know who you are.)Twitter.com/usumbs, starting with the most recent:
1. Preemptive celebratory dinner before a physics prelim.
2. Kevin = Re{Kevin} + Im{Kevin}.
3. Is it wrong for me wanting to do better than my friends on an uncurved exam?
4. Studying for physics is nearly complete. Just a little bit more reviewing lecture notes and homework tomorrow.
5. The stacks of Olin Library.
Hey, maybe all those shows and concert I went to over the weekend helped my intuition of sound waves for the exam. (Not really.)
Weekend in Concert
This past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I have attended Big Red Relief, Kaleidoscope, and Cornell Chamber and Symphony Orchestra, respectively; one event per night.
I feel slightly more accomplished now. I finally have a taste of what Cornell's performing student groups are all about:
Cayuga's Waiters,
The Classnotes,
The Hangovers,
Yamatai Drumming,
Pandora,
FantAsia,
Illuminations,
Bhangra,
Sabor Latino,
Callbaxx,
Absolute Zero,
Shadows,
Glowsticking Club,
Cornell Chamber Orchestra,
Cornell Symphony Orchestra.
All this comes before the two most difficult prelims, Physics and Java. I managed to squeeze in two physics review sessions so I feel less guilty of doing nothing, but I sure as hell am not ready.
Still, I don't regret taking some time out to enjoy a few charity events and Cornell's two orchestras. Going out and doing something is always nice.
I feel slightly more accomplished now. I finally have a taste of what Cornell's performing student groups are all about:
Cayuga's Waiters,
The Classnotes,
The Hangovers,
Yamatai Drumming,
Pandora,
FantAsia,
Illuminations,
Bhangra,
Sabor Latino,
Callbaxx,
Absolute Zero,
Shadows,
Glowsticking Club,
Cornell Chamber Orchestra,
Cornell Symphony Orchestra.
All this comes before the two most difficult prelims, Physics and Java. I managed to squeeze in two physics review sessions so I feel less guilty of doing nothing, but I sure as hell am not ready.
Still, I don't regret taking some time out to enjoy a few charity events and Cornell's two orchestras. Going out and doing something is always nice.
Museum of the Earth
Yesterday, I went with a few residents of the Cook House to the Museum of the Earth (indirectly affiliated with Cornell University). While it wasn't much compared to the Natural History Museum in New York City, it was quaint and was still very interesting to see. We had our own tour guide as well, which definitely put everything into perspective.This was perhaps the worst weekend for such an event, but where there's a will, there's a way. And I managed to squeeze it in. Lunch was at Glenwood Pines, a small burger place that represents Ithaca pretty well.
Here are a few photos. A Flickr set is due up soon.
On Alarm Clocks
Since I returned to Cornell nearing one month now, I have been able to keep up my intrepid and unusual sleep schedule of waking up at 5:30 am and sleeping at 10:00 pm. I aim to bring it back to 5:00 am and sleep at 9:00 pm.
I no longer have an alarm clock in my room, with only my watch, iPhone, and computer to tell time. It's really nice. Surprisingly, I have felt much less stressful by not knowing the exact time. My trusty iPhone has become my alarm clock, and I still have a habit of snoozing every nine minutes for over an hour. I don't know now I do it. Oh well.
I hope I can keep this up.
I no longer have an alarm clock in my room, with only my watch, iPhone, and computer to tell time. It's really nice. Surprisingly, I have felt much less stressful by not knowing the exact time. My trusty iPhone has become my alarm clock, and I still have a habit of snoozing every nine minutes for over an hour. I don't know now I do it. Oh well.
I hope I can keep this up.
Mid-First-Week Update
This has been the easiest first week of class I ever had in college. No sections, no labs; a lot of free time. And what do I do with that free time? I work, and I eat.
Trying to get an early start on the homework though. It's not too bad yet...
Trying to get an early start on the homework though. It's not too bad yet...
Final Thoughts, Randomized
Classes started today. It's a pretty straight-forward day of introductions, but being back in class still feels a little weird.I had returned to Cornell last Tuesday, and since then, I have taken advantage of a lot of the amenities of living on West Campus. It's not too shabby. And the food is convenient. Maybe a little too convenient. I've even taken some time to play music again for an hour and a half yesterday morning.
Also, Obama becomes president tomorrow. Tune in at noon for the 10 minutes or so of swearing. Of swearing into office, I mean.
Take care.
Go Engineerography!
Back to Cornell for the Spring
Is it wrong to say that I welcome change, but I hate the transition?
There are things I will miss from this past semester living at home and working on Long Island. But then again, there are things I should look forward to. I guess.
I made a list:
1. More productive days doing stuff.
2. Seeing college friends and colleagues.
3. My own room.
4. A warmer place to sleep at.
5. Unlimited Cornell Dining.
6. Campus-wide Wi-Fi.
7. Faster Internet.
8. A "permanent" residence.
9. Waiting for delivery of a netbook, among other things.
11. Independence.
12. No longer required to wake up at 4 am.
Yay.
There are things I will miss from this past semester living at home and working on Long Island. But then again, there are things I should look forward to. I guess.
I made a list:
1. More productive days doing stuff.
2. Seeing college friends and colleagues.
3. My own room.
4. A warmer place to sleep at.
5. Unlimited Cornell Dining.
6. Campus-wide Wi-Fi.
7. Faster Internet.
8. A "permanent" residence.
9. Waiting for delivery of a netbook, among other things.
11. Independence.
12. No longer required to wake up at 4 am.
Yay.