OPI this year is on Saturday, March 7th, at 9:00 pm in the Venerable Courtyard. Mark your calendars.

Hateful Hamster lives again! Not only does it live, but it jumps into the pond, swims across the pond, collecting balls along the way, climbs up out of the pond and then…stops. Ya, so the last part is a bit of a let down, but at least he didn’t sink :) So, before the ingenious success of Hateful, a lot of thought and work had to be done. Wednesday I went into the shop for 3 hours to work on keeping Hateful afloat. Will decided she needed to take a day off from the shop, so I was on my own. The first problem I decided to tackle was the water leakage problem. For this entire term that had been a major problem. Water was inevitably going to leak from the small gap where the rod was coming out of the robot and spinning the paddles, but that amount of water should be relatively insignificant in the overall scheme of things. However, gallons of water (figuratively) were leaking into Hateful. There was a direct correlation between the amount of time he spent in the water and how much of his body was submerged under the water. The thing was…duct tape is awesome (don’t get me wrong) however it is not the best choice for forming water tight seals. The water was leaking in between the duct tape and getting inside Hateful from all sides. I am pretty sure I came up with the solution in a dream. Yes it is weird/cliche, but I woke up Wednesday morning and suddenly came up with the answer. Hot glue as much of the foam shell as possible directly to the board, leaving only a little area where we would have to make a flap to open and close to get to the electronics inside. It was such a simple solution, and now I wonder why we didn’t think of it earlier. First problem solved! Now, for the second problem…Hateful’s foam “belly” was rubbing on the ground when it was driving around on land. In fact, in some areas it was so large that it was preventing the wheels from making enough contact with the surface (and so it could not drive). Hateful needed to lose weight, and I needed to figure out what diet was right for him.

So I have good news and bad news from the deadline yesterday…

The reason why I have not written a post in about a week is because…well, I have a concussion. Tuesday night we got out of basketball pretty late, and the kitchens had already closed, so I was kind of angry. I was not really thinking/paying attention when I swiped my card to get into Avery. As I yanked the door open, I suddenly had this intense pain in my forehead and I had no idea why. In about half a minute I realized that the metal door was against my head, and I deduced that I had in fact slammed the door into my face. I thought it was no big deal, and luckily no one had witnessed this horribly embarrassing moment. Well, later that night, as I was showering, it looked as if the walls were closing in on me, and my vision was starting to blur, so…I went to bed. This was a bad idea, and I know that, but it was around midnight. I had to go to sleep. Anyways, basically I felt horrible the next day, and every day since then, and when I visited both the athletic trainer and the Health Center they told me I had a concussion. They said it could take anywhere from a week to a few weeks before I would get better. So, for the past week I have been dealing with headaches and being intensely confused. I randomly forget what I am talking about in the middle of conversations, and I cannot focus too long on reading or work, or else I get a headache and become very confused. So, seeing as this upcoming week is midterms week, the Dean told all of my professors that I may need extensions on my midterms until I can think again…AHHH! I’d rather not get extensions, but I also would not want to take my midterms if I can’t think…

Something about Caltech makes you very used to being wrong.

Another week down! Can you believe we’re already starting the 4^th week of the term? Up until now, it’s been all about starting fresh and getting acclimated to our new classes, but sometime this week, the new wore off and we all got settled into our schedules. Speaking of schedules, the other frosh on my alley and I have developed this standing appointment that I think I’ll name “Friday Mad Dash”. The frosh schedule this term has worked out so that many of us have all of Friday afternoon off after 1. Consider also that the chemistry set is due every Friday at 4, and this becomes a recipe for some serious procrastination. Now, under normal circumstances, 3 hours is not really sufficient time to complete a set, even with collaboration. But behold the power of rushed, stressed Techers working in large groups at top speed.

Hi, prospective culinary students! If you’ve been looking to burnish your skills as a sous chef, you’ve come to the right place at Caltech! OK, maybe not really. But when you’ve had your fill of math and science a select few of us can don chef hats and pretend we are instead spending four years of our lives learning to be Gordon Ramsay or Bobby Flay in Tom Mannion’s legendary Cooking class. Every term, a lottery is held for the 30 or so spots available, as the class is always oversubscribed. It takes place in Tom Mannion’s house on Hill Avenue, right across the street from President Chameau’s residence. Tom Mannion, in case you have not already heard the wonderful things about him is the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, which you can translate as Dean of Awesome, and is basically in charge of having students’ backs and making sure they have a fun time here. He introduced this class because he felt that Techers would need to entertain in the future when they grow up (Pshaw!) and should be acquainted with proper cooking and dining.

Somehow, someway I’ve just managed to sit at my computer for three hours doing absolutely nothing. I know that around 2, I had every intention of blogging, napping, and then, I dunno, maybe hitting the gym or something. But all of a sudden, it’s 6:30 and I haven’t done any of those things.

This is it. The last day we had to be in the shop before our first deadline next Tuesday. Did we complete everything in time…

This weekend started in the most auspicious way possible— with free food. I got an email Friday morning from our ASCIT president about an alumni reception that night. Seems that they like to have a few members of the current student body on hand to talk about what’s going on at Tech. Well, I’m current, I’m a student, I have a body, and as a frosh blogger, I’m all about what’s going on at Tech. Plus, you know….food.

I know I can’t possibly be the first person in blogging to do this, but I feel like this picture of my workspace is the best representation I have for what I’ve been up to, and hey, isn’t that what blogging is all about? It’s the first week of classes, and there’s no better description of the current frosh experience than this

Shall we analyze?

1. A very pretty, color coded schedule that I have spent more time making than following. 2. Post-It notes. Two with lists of people I need to write to, one with codes to different rooms in the SAC, and one with phone numbers. Hey, is that a stack of fresh Post-Its on the right of the desk there?3. Told you I love whiteboards. This is my to-do list, which is looking nice and short for the time being. Due dates in red, of course.4. So, I kind of thought about starting this chem set. And then didn’t. 5. Drop/Add card. Once my adviser signs, I’ll have added a physics lab for the next two terms.6. Mmmmm….Fuze. Pretty much my favorite thing at the campus c-store.7. Last term’s math book now being used as a cooling deck for my deteriorating Alienware laptop.8. Very important mail that I am sure I will get to…eventually.9. Tunes! 10. Moral support during sets, also known as Megan.

Hi again, everybody. Welcome to the last Frosh Experience of

1. Christmas was excellent— it’s the one time of the year that I get to see all of my extended family. And now New Year’s is tonight! It’s my favorite holiday. As a kid, I just liked that I got to stay up late. Now, New Year’s is a stopping point for me. A time when I get to take a break, reflect on my accomplishments in the past year, and more importantly, reflect on what’s in store for me this year. Last year, I was thinking about graduation, research presentations, and getting into college. This year….hmmmmm…I’m looking forward to my next term at Caltech and thinking about what I want to do differently.

Hi again, everybody. Welcome to the last Frosh Experience of

1. Christmas was excellent— it’s the one time of the year that I get to see all of my extended family. And now New Year’s is tonight! It’s my favorite holiday. As a kid, I just liked that I got to stay up late. Now, New Year’s is a stopping point for me. A time when I get to take a break, reflect on my accomplishments in the past year, and more importantly, reflect on what’s in store for me this year. Last year, I was thinking about graduation, research presentations, and getting into college. This year….hmmmmm…I’m looking forward to my next term at Caltech and thinking about what I want to do differently.

Hey homeslices. I know it’s been a couple of days, but there’s been so much to do at home! I even got to go see the Hornets game versus the Lakers yesterday. As I walked in, I couldn’t help joking that I was having an identity crisis and couldn’t figure out which team to cheer for. As the only representative of California in my group, I bet on the Lakers to win, but of course cheered for the Hornets the whole way. I had a blast, and my adventures around New Orleans this holiday are making me think that I’d like to spend more time second term exploring Los Angeles. Which brings me back to where I left off before— to Prefrosh Weekend. I’m not really interested in going into every single thing I did at my PFW. I’m sure each one is different and I, of course, want you to experience it for yourselves. There were the things you would expect: information sessions, food, and going to classes. And there were also some things I wasn’t expecting, like getting to know the houses through their activities and spending an afternoon hanging around Pasadena. What’s more important is what I got out of Prefrosh Weekend. First off, I finally got to meet Techers. Hundreds of crazy, wonderful, creative, loud, and brilliant Techers. As you might have already guessed from attitudes around the Facebook 2013 group, everyone was extraordinarily welcoming. What struck me, however, is that when they say Caltech is distinctive, they’re not kidding. So often, when a college advertises itself, all you really get to see is some watered-down, homogenized sampling of student culture. Not so at Caltech. Prefrosh Weekend activities were very much in the hands of the students, and Caltech’s personality shined through all throughout the weekend. What exactly is that personality? Now that’s for you to decide.

Hey homeslices. I know it’s been a couple of days, but there’s been so much to do at home! I even got to go see the Hornets game versus the Lakers yesterday. As I walked in, I couldn’t help joking that I was having an identity crisis and couldn’t figure out which team to cheer for. As the only representative of California in my group, I bet on the Lakers to win, but of course cheered for the Hornets the whole way. I had a blast, and my adventures around New Orleans this holiday are making me think that I’d like to spend more time second term exploring Los Angeles. Which brings me back to where I left off before— to Prefrosh Weekend. I’m not really interested in going into every single thing I did at my PFW. I’m sure each one is different and I, of course, want you to experience it for yourselves. There were the things you would expect: information sessions, food, and going to classes. And there were also some things I wasn’t expecting, like getting to know the houses through their activities and spending an afternoon hanging around Pasadena. What’s more important is what I got out of Prefrosh Weekend. First off, I finally got to meet Techers. Hundreds of crazy, wonderful, creative, loud, and brilliant Techers. As you might have already guessed from attitudes around the Facebook 2013 group, everyone was extraordinarily welcoming. What struck me, however, is that when they say Caltech is distinctive, they’re not kidding. So often, when a college advertises itself, all you really get to see is some watered-down, homogenized sampling of student culture. Not so at Caltech. Prefrosh Weekend activities were very much in the hands of the students, and Caltech’s personality shined through all throughout the weekend. What exactly is that personality? Now that’s for you to decide.

Of course, if you don’t have a Facebook or just don’t want to join, you’re not at any real loss here. Like Facebook itself, it’s just another nice tool for connecting with others. Talking about getting ready for Prefrosh Weekend makes me think it might be a nice time for me to share my PFW experiences with you. It is, after all, the next thing to think about once you’ve been admitted. Since there’s a lot to talk about, and a lot of time to write this holiday (I can only be a TV junkie so many hours of the day), I think I’ll split it into a couple of parts. First, I just want to talk about what it was like getting there, and once you hear the story, I think you’ll understand why that merits its own entry.

</span> Of course, if you don’t have a Facebook or just don’t want to join, you’re not at any real loss here. Like Facebook itself, it’s just another nice tool for connecting with others. Talking about getting ready for Prefrosh Weekend makes me think it might be a nice time for me to share my PFW experiences with you. It is, after all, the next thing to think about once you’ve been admitted. Since there’s a lot to talk about, and a lot of time to write this holiday (I can only be a TV junkie so many hours of the day), I think I’ll split it into a couple of parts. First, I just want to talk about what it was like getting there, and once you hear the story, I think you’ll understand why that merits its own entry.

Greetings from an unusually chilly New Orleans.

Greetings from an unusually chilly New Orleans.

Alright, time for Round 2 of The Frosh Experience. If you haven’t read my bio, let me summarize. I’m Jordan, a freshman in Ricketts Hovse. As a prospective, you may have gotten a call from me during one of our phone campaigns or chatted with me last week during TecherChat. I’ve been having so much fun working with admissions that when I was asked if I’d like to blog for the website, I jumped at the offer.

Alright, time for Round 2 of The Frosh Experience. If you haven’t read my bio, let me summarize. I’m Jordan, a freshman in Ricketts Hovse. As a prospective, you may have gotten a call from me during one of our phone campaigns or chatted with me last week during TecherChat. I’ve been having so much fun working with admissions that when I was asked if I’d like to blog for the website, I jumped at the offer.

I spent this Thanksgiving at the home of my graduate student mentor, Dave Henry. In addition to being a great research and awesome mentor, he’s also a pretty good guy to hang out with, so Thanksgiving was a lot of fun. In addition to Dave and his family, fellow graduate student Andrew and his family and Occidental Professor / SCUBA Diver Saul and his family were in attendance. I work on a day-to-day basis with Andrew, and I’ve had the pleasure of diving with Saul before, so we all knew each other and had a great time cooking and eating together.

I spent this Thanksgiving at the home of my graduate student mentor, Dave Henry. In addition to being a great research and awesome mentor, he’s also a pretty good guy to hang out with, so Thanksgiving was a lot of fun. In addition to Dave and his family, fellow graduate student Andrew and his family and Occidental Professor / SCUBA Diver Saul and his family were in attendance. I work on a day-to-day basis with Andrew, and I’ve had the pleasure of diving with Saul before, so we all knew each other and had a great time cooking and eating together.

Now that my stay in here in Copenhagen is coming to an end, I am realizing once again how glad I am that I had the chance to come here. I am not exaggerating when I say that going abroad was the best decision that I made while at Caltech. Coming here was a really fun, interesting, eye-opening experience that I will never forget about. Moreover, I think that this trip to Europe is just the beginning of many other experiences that I am already looking forward to. I had such a great time here that I know I will return here, and explore other places whenever I have the chance.

Now that my stay in here in Copenhagen is coming to an end, I am realizing once again how glad I am that I had the chance to come here. I am not exaggerating when I say that going abroad was the best decision that I made while at Caltech. Coming here was a really fun, interesting, eye-opening experience that I will never forget about. Moreover, I think that this trip to Europe is just the beginning of many other experiences that I am already looking forward to. I had such a great time here that I know I will return here, and explore other places whenever I have the chance.

As I sat down to write this week’s blog entry, I felt like I had just finished writing last week’s. I had the hardest time remembering what happened in this week–I supposed it passed very quickly. I asked some of my friends about what we did during the week; “Sets” they replied. Thanks a lot guys… Anyway, no thanks to them I managed to slowly recall a few interesting things to share with you.

As I sat down to write this week’s blog entry, I felt like I had just finished writing last week’s. I had the hardest time remembering what happened in this week–I supposed it passed very quickly. I asked some of my friends about what we did during the week; "Sets" they replied. Thanks a lot guys… Anyway, no thanks to them I managed to slowly recall a few interesting things to share with you.

Food is definitely a big part of every culture. The authentic foods you can find in different countries usually reflect the habits and lifestyle of that particular culture. I’d like to devote this week’s blog to Danish food. Danish cuisine is not as exotic and different as various kinds of Asian and Middle Eastern foods that I have had before. What people regularly eat here is not very special at first sight. However, there are many typical Danish dishes that I have discovered to be quite specific to this country.

Food is definitely a big part of every culture. The authentic foods you can find in different countries usually reflect the habits and lifestyle of that particular culture. I’d like to devote this week’s blog to Danish food. Danish cuisine is not as exotic and different as various kinds of Asian and Middle Eastern foods that I have had before. What people regularly eat here is not very special at first sight. However, there are many typical Danish dishes that I have discovered to be quite specific to this country.

Hi everyone! Sorry that this week’s entry is a little late; work was rough this week. I had a problem set (we just call them sets for short) due for a class called EE114 on Monday. EE114 is an analog circuit design class (you can find the course description here ). It’s taught by that wonderful man on the right side of the page, Dr. Ali Hajimiri. Professor Hajimiri is easily one of the best professors I have had at Caltech, and as you would expect his class is very well taught. Unfortunately, his class is also very difficult. Last weekend, our class’s problem set was worse than usual. Due to my other responsibilities and time spent avoiding them, I didn’t really get to start on the set until Sunday at about noon. I finished the set on Monday at 4:30pm (30 minutes before the due time). In that 28 hour period, I got less than an hour of sleep and was able to eat about two meals. That sounds really bad, but there is a positive side. For one, I wasn’t alone–we had something like ten to fifteen students working on this set together in Sherman Fairchild Library, and there’s some sort of bonding experience that accompanies a grueling set like this one. I still remember our collective groans as the sun began to peek through the library windows, with the end of our sets nowhere in sight. Another positive was that the set was reasonably interesting and challenging; it wasn’t mindless grunge work. Even knowing this, you might still wonder why I do it.

A few days ago, I had a gross imitation of a protruding bone glued to my forehead, a gash drawn on my arm, and fake blood dripping all over my face and arm. No, I wasn’t celebrating Halloween a couple of weeks late, I was a volunteer victim in the Great Southern California ShakeOut Earthquake Drill at Caltech. At 10 am on November 13, the Fleming Cannon was fired to signal the start of an earthquake of magnitude 7.8, and participants on campus were encouraged to respond as if there was a real earthquake.

When I come to study abroad in Copenhagen, I experienced a huge change in my lifestyle. My normal weekly routines that I was used to did not fit into the Danish way of life, and I had to adapt to a more European lifestyle. One major change was that I was no longer constricted to a single university campus (like in Caltech). The University of Copenhagen is located in the City Centre, and has multiple campuses for each of the departments. Contrary to what I was used to, these campuses consist only of classroom buildings and libraries. Unlike colleges in the US, the Universities here do not own any dorms and are not so enclosed in their own campuses.

This gives sort of a Rip-Van-Winkle look. Anyway, either due to the fact that this is epically funny or the fact that my friends and I have poor taste, we found this hilarious. (You can judge for yourself, that’s a picture of poor sleeping Ali to the right).

Right now, I’m two stories underground and I’m clothed in a white puffy suit that makes me look like some sort of fat space bunny. A really fat space bunny. It’s cold in the room, and the suit’s not helping. I’m sitting in a captain’s chair at the console for a giant machine that reminds me a lot of the Death Star. Don’t worry though: I’m not dreaming, nor have I been abducted by aliens. I’m just in lab. Hi, my name is Tom Gwinn. I’m a junior at Caltech majoring in Electrical Engineering, and I’m going to be writing this blog for at least the next couple of weeks.

Then the older students next door laughed at me.