Reviving the Abandoned
I haven't consistently blogged in years! I feel like with the beginning of graduate school and the start of a new life in a new city, I want to jot down notes and thoughts along the way. And so, this livejournal, which was started back in high school, will begin receiving more attention from me once again. And hopefully on a consistent basis.
My first semester of grad school was not too bad. I had one lecture class (BISC502A), which I ended up doing pretty darn well in! It was surprising how much of the content of the course was new to me. I came in expecting the majority of it to be a review, but it was kind of neat how they taught us material from their current research. I also completed my first rotation in Matt Dean's lab. It was an evolutionary genetics lab studying reproductive success in mice, a subject completely new to me. It was interesting to see how logical concepts (based on natural selection) translated to the genomic level. But it was a lot of thinking and a lot of math. After my rotation, I went to Laguna Beach with my department for our annual retreat. It was a long weekend of a ton of science talks. And a long weekend of alcohol. An interesting event to say the least. My second (and current) rotation is in Steve Finkel's lab, where they study the survival and evolution of E. coli. I'm enjoying this lab a lot. I love that working with bugs means that I get data nearly everyday. Some of it might be useless, but I'm getting data! The people in this lab are also absolutely wonderful. :)
In terms of LA and USC, it's not that bad of a place. I think it's starting grow on me. I'm loving the daily cardigan and sundress weather. Not having to plan an outfit around my rainboots and umbrella is a blessing. On the flip side, it *is* kind of weird to be in the high 70s in January. The campus itself is pretty. I rather like how it's a smaller campus, although the neighborhood surrounding is just as run-down as the one in Berkeley. I like the few museums that are south of USC, but it's a pain-in-the-butt to have to drive to anywhere else. I got an annual pass for Disneyland, and I love the monthly trips we take when Mu comes to visit. I'm currently living with three other girls in a 2-bed/2-bath, but I'm moving into my own apartment next year (either through University Housing or in a neighboring area) and bringing my car down.
And so the second half of my first year has just begun. I'm still in the Finkel lab, finishing up mid-February. I'm taking the second part of my lecture class (BISC502B) and also taking a journal club class to help me prepare for my written qualification exams in June (ick!).
I'm really looking forward to February (aside from my midterm)! Mu will be coming twice: once during President's Day weekend and once during my birthday weekend. Lots of events planned: strolling down 3rd Street Promenade, hiking at Griffith Observatory, the Food Truck Festival in Santa Clarita, seeing pandas at the San Diego Zoo, and of course -- Disneyland!
With the start of February around the corner, I have some goals I'd like to keep in mind throughout the month:
1. Drink more water. I already guzzle water, but I want to be mindful about achieving something closer to 8 glasses per day.
2. Incorporate more strength training. Since moving to this apartment with a gym downstairs, I've taken advantage of the convenience of working out in the morning and showering before I head to school. I started slow and easy in October, but now have improved significantly in endurance/speed on the treadmill. I want to start adding strength training into my routine by spending more time on weekends.
3. Take the stairs at school. I've gotten really lazy and dependent on the elevator, so I want to make more of an effort to take the stairs, especially coming down!
4. Be a more patient girlfriend. I've noticed that my temper and mood has been all over the place lately, especially since our relationship became long-distance. I never want to take what I have for granted, so I will try to be more mindful of my attitude and communication.
My first semester of grad school was not too bad. I had one lecture class (BISC502A), which I ended up doing pretty darn well in! It was surprising how much of the content of the course was new to me. I came in expecting the majority of it to be a review, but it was kind of neat how they taught us material from their current research. I also completed my first rotation in Matt Dean's lab. It was an evolutionary genetics lab studying reproductive success in mice, a subject completely new to me. It was interesting to see how logical concepts (based on natural selection) translated to the genomic level. But it was a lot of thinking and a lot of math. After my rotation, I went to Laguna Beach with my department for our annual retreat. It was a long weekend of a ton of science talks. And a long weekend of alcohol. An interesting event to say the least. My second (and current) rotation is in Steve Finkel's lab, where they study the survival and evolution of E. coli. I'm enjoying this lab a lot. I love that working with bugs means that I get data nearly everyday. Some of it might be useless, but I'm getting data! The people in this lab are also absolutely wonderful. :)
In terms of LA and USC, it's not that bad of a place. I think it's starting grow on me. I'm loving the daily cardigan and sundress weather. Not having to plan an outfit around my rainboots and umbrella is a blessing. On the flip side, it *is* kind of weird to be in the high 70s in January. The campus itself is pretty. I rather like how it's a smaller campus, although the neighborhood surrounding is just as run-down as the one in Berkeley. I like the few museums that are south of USC, but it's a pain-in-the-butt to have to drive to anywhere else. I got an annual pass for Disneyland, and I love the monthly trips we take when Mu comes to visit. I'm currently living with three other girls in a 2-bed/2-bath, but I'm moving into my own apartment next year (either through University Housing or in a neighboring area) and bringing my car down.
And so the second half of my first year has just begun. I'm still in the Finkel lab, finishing up mid-February. I'm taking the second part of my lecture class (BISC502B) and also taking a journal club class to help me prepare for my written qualification exams in June (ick!).
I'm really looking forward to February (aside from my midterm)! Mu will be coming twice: once during President's Day weekend and once during my birthday weekend. Lots of events planned: strolling down 3rd Street Promenade, hiking at Griffith Observatory, the Food Truck Festival in Santa Clarita, seeing pandas at the San Diego Zoo, and of course -- Disneyland!
With the start of February around the corner, I have some goals I'd like to keep in mind throughout the month:
1. Drink more water. I already guzzle water, but I want to be mindful about achieving something closer to 8 glasses per day.
2. Incorporate more strength training. Since moving to this apartment with a gym downstairs, I've taken advantage of the convenience of working out in the morning and showering before I head to school. I started slow and easy in October, but now have improved significantly in endurance/speed on the treadmill. I want to start adding strength training into my routine by spending more time on weekends.
3. Take the stairs at school. I've gotten really lazy and dependent on the elevator, so I want to make more of an effort to take the stairs, especially coming down!
4. Be a more patient girlfriend. I've noticed that my temper and mood has been all over the place lately, especially since our relationship became long-distance. I never want to take what I have for granted, so I will try to be more mindful of my attitude and communication.