Too Presidential to Eat?
Another week down! Can you believe we’re already starting the 4th 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.
Somehow we’ve managed to knock that thing out by 4 every week so far. And if that’s not intense enough for you, this week, due to the holiday, our physics set was also due Friday at 4. This meant that Friday Mad Dash was one big mix-up of frosh done with chem but not phys, frosh done with phys but not chem, and a handful of frosh half-done with both. This resulted in an alley full of chairs, papers, people, and shouts of NMR interpretations alongside Lorentz transformations. With all the confusion, I won’t be surprised if I tried to determine the momentum 4-vector of methyl ethyl ether at some point on one of my sets. Oh well, point is, I got ‘em turned in! *(Note: This frosh blogger realizes she is setting a horrible example of procrastination for others.) * Other cool events of the week? Most obvious is the presidential inauguration. Problem is, us folks out here in California kind of got the short end of the stick that day. While those on the east coast spent their late morning/lunch beak watching the ceremonies, our party kicked off at 7:30AM.
Chandler dining hall set up a loaded breakfast buffet and invited the whole Caltech community to come and watch together, so I got to chomp down on fried potatoes, eggs, and yogurt while watching. Not too bad! There were cameras all around, catching the action as the room clapped and cheered throughout the inauguration. To top it all off, as I was walking out, I caught sight of these Obama cookies! I didn’t manage to snag one, but I ask myself if I would really have been comfortable eating the head of the President. Hmmm…depends on how good the frosting is, I guess.
So, it may seem impressive that I got to hold President Obama’s [cookie] head in my hand, but I had an even closer brush with stardom today. Let me first say that I am such a giant Red Hot Chili Peppers fan that, when I was getting ready to fly over here for PFW, my friends gave me a card that said, “You’re going to California! Now you’ll get a chance to see what the Chili Peppers have been singing about this whole time!” Well, imagine how delighted I was when I discovered that RHCP’s Flea would be coming to Caltech to play his jazz trumpet. So delighted that I went to wait outside Beckman Auditorium at 6:20 for an 8:00 show, in hopes of a good seat. I got it too! Front and center, baby! I was freaking just a little as Flea walked out, and of course, he was excellent, but what I wasn’t expecting was how stellar the Caltech Jazz Band is! Now, as a New Orleanian, I love jazz, and listening to the Caltech Jazz band sent me right back home to the city. And it was all a free show! You can’t beat that. Well, yes you can.
You can beat it if you rush the stage afterwards and snap a picture with Flea himself. Which I did. Unfortunately, it came out terribly blurry, so instead enjoy these (clearer) ones my friend took during the show.
Now, it’s my understanding that this is likely my last blog before a new blogger takes over The Frosh Experience, so let me say goodbye. Blogging has been such an excellent experience: Taking time to stop and reflect on my Frosh Experience has made me realize how unique my freshman year has been, how many cool opportunities I’ve had, and all the things I don’t want to miss out on for the rest of my frosh year.
Take care, and as always, you can email me at jtheriot [at] caltech.edu.
