Reaching goals: One journal at a time

The final major test of pursuing my MS EnE degree is my thesis. With all its meticulous conceptualization, laborious experiments, brain-racking paper writing and terrifying defense, who would say that they are tremendously excited for it? Definitely not me. Yet, I have no choice but to go through these steps if I want to graduate (well, I do!).

First and foremost, I need to find a topic for my thesis. I find this the most difficult part. It's like writing an essay where the appropriate first words always seem to elude us. However, after we've started writing, the next words just flow from us with less effort.

I plan to have nanotechnology as my research topic. What about it, I'm still not sure. I have yet to read loads of journal articles on related researches to better define mine. Just thinking about it already tires me. But, as they say, "No pain, no gain." And, if I want to achieve great things, I need to put extra effort on it. Gotta start now!

Hell week(s)

It's that time of the semester again when teachers seem to simultaneously think that they want to give an exam. Why do exams have to be scheduled on the same week? I have no idea.

Part of this hell week process is the piling amount of hand-outs and readings (I suddenly remember my professor cruelly emphasizing the difference between the two during my Chem 153. Gahh, bad memories.). Imagine the amount of paper we have to waste for all those photocopies of lectures, sample exams and book chapters which we hardly finish reading. Well, I must admit that I do have my fair share of waste, too.

I find it rather hard not to study from a printed material. For me, there is a difference between studying from a printed lecture and from your computer. I find the latter less effective and more eye straining. I guess we just have to make sure that we only print what we need, and that we maximize the use of everything that we print. Maybe then that'll make the waste all worth it.

Back to school

The long weekend is now over, and it's time to go back to all the requirements and responsibilities which we tried to forget during the weekend.

As for me, it's back-to-school time.

Study mode is officially ON. >_<"