A Grief Observed
Today was pretty packed with work--I'm glad it's behind me now. I am taking two classes this semester, one senior-level algorithms and one graduate course in computer networks and protocols (from the software side). Man, I forgot how much work undergraduate courses can have. This algorithms class is very proof-heavy, and while I'm comfortable with that kind of material, I'm not looking forward to the amount of time that I would have to spend on the class to get an A. In fact, it's a funny thing how grades are of minimal importance in grad school. Maybe I'm just a bit frustrated that I forgot how to do integration by parts (haven't touched hard core The Calculus in several years), and I had a hard time relearning online because none of the tutorials show the cowboy method that Mr. Wright taught at Jesuit.
Anyway, one thing that I am pleased with is that I'm getting better at reading technical papers. It sucks to take 2 hours to absorb 10 pages, but I think I'm starting to ask the right questions and come up with decent comments during the process. But it is problematic when I have less time to read the papers than I really need for them, which happens more often than it should.
I don't know why this has come up last in my post, but I learned a terrible piece of news between yesterday and today. On Sunday night a sophomore and a freshman from Olin were riding a motorcycle and got in an accident. The sophomore died that night, and the freshman was in critical condition for two days. She died earlier today. Although I didn't know these people at all, and although I am now well into graduate school, the tragedy still disheartens me greatly. It reminds me of what happened to Patrick Lynch and how short life can be. I can't even imagine the grief that the school is going through, much less the absolute horror that the parents are living, particularly the parents of the freshman.
Imagine sending your daughter off to one of the most exciting schools in the world, one that promises to grant endless opportunities to your child. You spend the summer helping her prepare for her transition to independence. You are saddened when you are finished helping her move in, but you trust that she is happy and in the right place. You talk with her every few days to make sure that she has everything she needs and that she is adjusting well to the heavy workload and entirely new living situation. Then late one Sunday night you receive a call from the dean of student life. He explains that your daughter was in a motorcycle accident and is in critical condition at the local hospital. You fly across the country to Boston as soon as possible to be with your daughter, hoping every second that her condition improves. Hours after you arrive, you see her in the ICU, her appearance not at all what you remember when you sent her off. She dies the next day; your entire world has turned upside down.
There are no answers.
I cannot imagine what the parents are feeling. I cannot even imagine what the school is going through. All I know is that I am somewhat removed from the school right now, and I grieve. All I can do is pray for everyone involved.
Anyway, one thing that I am pleased with is that I'm getting better at reading technical papers. It sucks to take 2 hours to absorb 10 pages, but I think I'm starting to ask the right questions and come up with decent comments during the process. But it is problematic when I have less time to read the papers than I really need for them, which happens more often than it should.
I don't know why this has come up last in my post, but I learned a terrible piece of news between yesterday and today. On Sunday night a sophomore and a freshman from Olin were riding a motorcycle and got in an accident. The sophomore died that night, and the freshman was in critical condition for two days. She died earlier today. Although I didn't know these people at all, and although I am now well into graduate school, the tragedy still disheartens me greatly. It reminds me of what happened to Patrick Lynch and how short life can be. I can't even imagine the grief that the school is going through, much less the absolute horror that the parents are living, particularly the parents of the freshman.
Imagine sending your daughter off to one of the most exciting schools in the world, one that promises to grant endless opportunities to your child. You spend the summer helping her prepare for her transition to independence. You are saddened when you are finished helping her move in, but you trust that she is happy and in the right place. You talk with her every few days to make sure that she has everything she needs and that she is adjusting well to the heavy workload and entirely new living situation. Then late one Sunday night you receive a call from the dean of student life. He explains that your daughter was in a motorcycle accident and is in critical condition at the local hospital. You fly across the country to Boston as soon as possible to be with your daughter, hoping every second that her condition improves. Hours after you arrive, you see her in the ICU, her appearance not at all what you remember when you sent her off. She dies the next day; your entire world has turned upside down.
There are no answers.
I cannot imagine what the parents are feeling. I cannot even imagine what the school is going through. All I know is that I am somewhat removed from the school right now, and I grieve. All I can do is pray for everyone involved.