Caltech

2010 is here!!...and so is my new blog

Happy New Year everybody!!

I had a wonderful holiday break---and am now back at Caltech for winter term. Things already seem much different from fall term---I have so much more free time and I am less stressed about coursework (woohoo for underloading!).

I cannot tell you all how EXCITED i am about 2009 coming to a close and 2010 being here. I have been waiting for this year since uhhh, forever----I am graduating in a few months! Looking back, 2009 was a good year though there were definitely some very difficult trials; but I learned so much last year and was given numerous opportunities and experiences.

I wanted to take this post to list a few things I'm looking forward to in 2010 (and this is just what I can think up until graduating in June)....

• Continuing my work at JPL on my thesis: Now that I am done with first term and taking only 2 other classes, I can really focus and work at JPL during the week and make progress on the Venus Lander
• Caltech Dance Show: If you know me well, you know that I am a very active dancer on campus, and have participated in the dance show since my freshman year. I love training and preparing for the show...and this year will be my last time. I will be givin' it my all!
• Enjoying the last remaining months at Tech: with many interhouse parties, house events, etc..there will never a dull moment!
• DITCH DAY!!: I can't believe I will be on the other side and actually planning my stack for underclassmen--I'm so psyched since I have been fantasizing about my stack for years. Though lately, I've been really stressed about it since Andrew and I have a ton to do, and the clock is ticking...
• Traveling: I plan on traveling a bit after graduation, and taking small trips with my friends during the next two terms. I think we seniors definitely deserve it!
• GRADUATION: need I say more?!?

:D 2010 is going to be awesome!...and of course I will be continuing to blog throughout my final months here! So that being said...out with the old, and in with the new, right? Follow my NEW BLOG: Sweet Life of a Second Term Senior.

See you at my new blog!!

Christmas Card Lane

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

One of the things my family takes for granted here in SD during the holidays is the popular Christmas Card Lane. We live less than a mile away---and have to drive right past it to get out of our neighborhood...so we see it everyday, every holiday season..so to us, it's nothing super extraordinary anymore. But for you all who aren't from here...:)

Christmas Card Lane is a holiday light display that snakes through a bunch of residential neighborhoods in Rancho Penasquitos in SD. People come from all over SD county (and out of town too!) to walk the streets and see the beautifully decorated houses with large (plywood) Christmas cards on every front lawn. It is really a spectacular sight to see...There are many people walking the streets, caroling, and even horse drawn carriages that are brought out at night.

So if you're ever in SD during the holiday season...definitely see it---it's up usually right after Thanksgiving until New Year's!

Here are some pics of some of the houses (good quality ones are from other ppl's Flicker albums--blurry ones are from mine....I was riding in the car!)



 

Celebrating the Holidays at Tech

Hi Everyone!

I am really enjoying my well-deserved break after term ended....San Diego is absolutely GORGEOUS during the wintertime (as always!). There is definitely no snow, but there is a change in the winds and it gets a bit chilly at night. This past week and weekend, I've been just hanging out with the family, doing some shopping, and enjoying all the downtime.

I wanted to take this post to reminisce about the past holiday seasons I've spent with my friends at Tech right before we go off to break. Andrew threw this small celebration our Sophomore year... a Christmas party with a secret Santa gift exchange and lots of holiday treats!! That was so much fun...and really got me in the holiday spirit!

Here are some pictures----(We all look so YOUNG!)

Andrew created such a yummy spread!

Present time!!----my favorite :)

Everyone SQUEEZE IN!

Ladies love Santa....lol

Anyway...I hope you all are enjoying your holiday season with your families and staying warm no matter what part of the country you're in. And Andrew....(all the way in NJ) I miss you best friend! Hope you have a Very Merry Christmas with your family!

There's No Place Like Home

I am back in San Diego for winter break--three weeks of relaxing and celebrating the holidays! But don't worry---I will continue to blog...

I was at JPL for half a day on Tuesday and then hurried to LA to catch the Amtrak to get home for my sister's concert. I ALMOST missed the train home...since there was some unexpected delay I had with the Gold Line (the Metro going from Pasadena to LA) and picking up my ticket at the train station. I was SOO stressed out...since the next train out to San Diego was two hours later and I would have been late to the concert....but it's OK cause I was able to get onto the train at the last minute.

I have been taking the train between LA and SD since my sophomore year. It's so convenient and such an enjoyable ride (esp during the day when you can see the coast for half of the ride). It takes about 2 hours and only costs me about $20 one way. I have also signed up for the rewards program---so every 4-5 trips one way trips or so...I get free!

I conked out on half of the train ride since I was so tired (and have been fighting a cold/sore throat since the weekend)..but woke up just in time to see the surf.

Now that the term is over---I have a TON of sleep to catch up on...starting...NOW

Gotta love California in the "winter" time

Almost home.....

It wasn't me!!

Even though winter break has already begun, I have stayed behind for a few days at Caltech instead of rushing back home to San Diego. I decided to work at JPL Monday and Tuesday to squeeze in an experiment before coming back in January.

Nothing too crazy though----I ran a test on some insulation material in an oven for about 4 hours on Monday...and in between checking it, I read through one of my favorite magazines (I have 4 waiting in my queue to read since I have been too busy with work and finals to read them!)

Setting up my experiment....

The highlight of the day was---THE HUGE POWER OUTAGE that occurred around 2pm that day due to a large transformer blowing up and affecting half of the JPL campus. Many people went home, since the transformer caused all the computers, internet, etc to shut down and there were major repairs to be made. When the lights went out----I hurried down the hill to check to see if my experiment was affected. What a waste if it was!! ---But I was very lucky, and building 158 (and consequently my 4 hour test) was unharmed. I did, however, have to read my Glamour Magazine by natural light through the window (and it has been gloomy this entire past week). 

In my defense----I know I'm the new kid in town here at JPL---and it was my first day...but I had absolutely nothing to do with the power outage (though my thesis advisor teases me about it). I was actually in the women's restroom when it happened---and there were no flood lights. So when it became pitch black in there....I panicked. It took me a few minutes to navigate myself out of there.

Ohhh, good times..

I'm leaving Pasadena now--and headed down to San Diego....just in time for my younger sister's Winter Choir Concert!

Done with first term!

I JUST FINISHED FINALS!!!!!

Turning in the last one....

FREEDOM!!!

Saying bye to our friend, Lisa...who left for break before we could truly celebrate the end...

As SENIORS---we are GETTING CLOSER TO GRADUATION!!!

Sorry such a short post! But I am exhausted...and need to take a quick nap so I can celebrate later tonight!!

Studying at Starbucks & the final push

Last night, Andrew and I decided to wake up early this morning and head over to Starbucks next to campus to study for our last finals. When I got there, I bumped into our good friend Ankita....who was also there to study for a final.

We ended up spending the entire morning studying side by side with yummy Starbucks coffee. Studying is definitely more fun with friends!

Cheers Ankita!!

Andrew needs to eat a heart-y breakfast before cracking down on studying...

GAAAHHH! I'm tired of econometrics!!!

Yesterday, I took two finals- Control Theory and Energy, back to back--(don't ask me why I thought that was a good idea..) but they were both ok. So I definitely needed to switch up my work environment to pull through this last one.

My last final is for my Econometrics class. It's open note and open textbook, and unlimited time----So I was actually working on the exam while we were at Starbucks; Gosh I <3 Caltech's take home exams!! The exam is 95 multiple choice/short answer so I will be working on it until it's due this Friday afternoon.....That's about 24 hours from now!! And then I'm freeeee!!!

EA Admissions Committee & my anniversary!

This is my second year serving on the Freshman Admissions Committee. The committee has 16 student readers who are undergrads (sophomores, juniors and seniors) that serve as readers for the incoming undergraduate applications. The admissions committee is comprised of undergrads, faculty and admissions staff who read every application that comes through the office.

As most of you know, the early action date for fall admissions 2010 was in early November. Since then, I have been fulfilling my duties as a student reader by reading a ton of applications and writing up about each student I read. Any chance I had downtime between homework sets or throughout my day, I would sit and read an application written by a high school student. I gotta say, I am truly impressed----these applications were AWESOME and the amount of talent I see and read about never ceases to astound me.

Today, we had Committee for the early applicant pool all day at the admissions office. We made the final decisions on students we would admit and hold from the pool we received about a month ago. Admissions committee is always a little bit mentally taxing and is definitely tiring---but we pulled together and got it done! Good work team!

From Left: Cameron, Sarah, Me, and Jann--discussing our small morning group session

Lots of caffeine is necessary for this process...and apparently, so is chocolate :D

 
"So what do you think about this appication, Sarah?" Cameron asks.

The afternoon session---more undergrads showed up for this one...

I really enjoy my job reading for the admissions committee; I enjoy reading about what all you wonderful students are doing and it definitely inspires and reminds me of my experience when I applied to Caltech.

And to make this post more day-appropriate (and maybe even coincidental)...

Today, December 9 2009 is the 4 YEAR ANNIVERSARY from when
I received my acceptance letter from Caltech!!!

To the day----4 years ago, I opened up my mailbox in San Diego to find the letter that changed my entire life. I still smile and sometimes tear up when I think of that moment---I cried, and stayed up all night with my parents in shock and just talking about the endless opportunities---I literally felt a shift in my life happen. And now, 4 years later, I am a senior in college that has so many wonderful memories and has been through so much---and most importantly, about to graduate in a few months!

I applied early action to Caltech because it was my first choice school---and I knew from the moment I heard about it, to when I first visited the campus, that this was where I belonged. It was the best decision of my life to apply early ---since it saved so much time and energy by knowing in early December of my senior year.

It has come full circle----4 years ago, the committee read my app and decided to admit me, and here I am reading for the new generation that will be here after I am gone. To those of you who are applying to Caltech this year and in the near future----I wish you the very best of luck during this process and really encourage you to put your best foot forward...(and to spell check)!

Final Presentation Day

Hey Everyone!

I had a long day today----with final presentations for E/ME105, poster session and celebration dinner.

GO HONEY TEAM!

Our Honey Project Team worked really hard this past weekend to put together our final presentation, poster and 40 page final paper. It was really a team effort and the true culmination of these past few months for me.

All of the work I have done since June of this year has finally come to this, and it has been quite a journey. I prepared for the trip and traveled to Guatemala over the summer. Then brought the ideas to Caltech to continue designing and building a prototype this entire term.

The final presentations on all the projects were given earlier this afternoon, and we had a ton of people attend. A lot of people from the Caltech community, Caltech Today, Entrepreneurship Club, Pasadena Art Center, West Coast Angels, etc. It was a full house---people were standing inside the room for lack of seating!

Our group went first, and presented well. I think we were beyond having nerves since we have been working so closely for the past months that we know the project inside and out. The other projects also did really well----I was truly impressed by what the other groups accomplished (especially after seeing the work progress from the time we spent in Guatemala to this point). Other projects included: Portable water filtration system, Ergonomic tips for crutches, Child walkers for rehabilitation, Hand-held electric power generating flashlight, Fuel-efficient kiln for brick-making, Shoe design. After the presentations, we had a poster session, and then a celebration dinner at Hamburger Hamlet!

Here are pictures taken from the poster session.....

Racing the Clock!!

Right now, I am blogging from the SFL library on the first floor...and I probably shouldn't be...

It is 3pm right now, and I have a homework set due at 5pm! YIKES
...my heart is kind of racing, I'm typing like a maniac and chugging coffee....

Don't worry too much though, since I only have one problem left (I worked last night until 4am with my study group)...and now we are cramming to finish up before we need to run it in.

I am not used to working on a set a few hours before it's due---I'm usually the "finish it up the night before" kind of girl...but CDS110 has made me succumb this term.

Other great news?!?----It is the last day of classes for the term----and MY LAST SET FOR THE TERM! WOOHOO!!!

and to make things even better---bc my next (and last!) two terms are super chill, I have a feeling this will be one of the last times I will be scurrying to finish up sets or working really late into the night. :D so there's lots to be happy about...

except for next week....FINALS!!!

OK, gotta go run in my set...talk to y'all later!