Regina Cheung's Blog

where did she go?

I try to occasionally update my original blog, rcantilles dot blogspot dot com, so for further updates (and past stuff) head over there.

Ciao!

hey mom I made the paper

This afternoon, our lab administrator, the lovely Howard, came over to tell me that as he browsed the internet, he stumbled upon this blog. (Hi Howard, if you're reading this!) Then I realized that this article had come out. I had not known that the blogs would make the Stanford Report when I signed up for this... eep!

The most interesting part of the article was this summary of where this year's students are coming from. 4 from Caltech? Strange to think of it, but I probably have no idea who the other 3 techers are, as it's likely I graduated before they started. 2 from New Jersey? Where my homie at? Average age of 24? Yeah, I guess I already knew I am a bit on the older side.

I guess I should get on with describing my first week of classes.

ze goggles zey do noz-ing

This weekend, I went on the Biomass camping trip. I think there must be something about school sponsored camping trips; every single one I have attended leave me broken the next day. This particular time, I twisted my ankle 2 miles into a 11 mile hike. (I was trying to take a photo while walking along the trail.) Between that and general soreness, I'm a bit of a mess.

Just in time for classes to start!

supposedly oriented

The past 3 days, I've felt a bit like I am back in my freshman year of college all over again. Just as I was one of about 20 freshman who were inducted into Blacker House (Tech's equivalent to a 100 person frat), I am now one of 13 first years into the ~ 60 person immunology ph.d. program.

first afternoon on campus

I've stopped by campus a few times in the past couple weeks, but today I spent a full afternoon there. Now I really feel like a student, and a lot of the butterflies in my stomach have calmed down.

my last free weekend

School doesn't start till next week. But orientation and other things start up in earnest this week, so I wanted to take advantage of my last free weekend before I dig in.

In summary, I hung out with some of my fellow first years, played a lot of World of Warcraft, and took a day trip out to Half Moon Bay.

registration

I've been spending a few days as a couch potato. Robin is waiting to hear from a potential employer, and I'm just trying to relax before the 5-6 year grind starts. It's been very nice, but I'm starting to itch for something to do more than watch tv and play World of Warcraft.

Tomorrow I'm going to purchase a bike, go out to lunch with an old college friend (who coincidentally will be starting her master's in biosciences this fall, and will be taking an immuno class with me), and maybe do some clothes shopping.

More importantly, I finally got up off my ass (well, alt tabbed out of World of Warcraft), did some research on classes, and registered.

a few thoughts:

my first complaint

For the first time since Robin and I arrived almost a month ago, I am seriously irritated about a quality inherent in CA living.

Driving. Sucks.

and now for something completely different

I'm grateful that I have been given this amazing opportunity to study here. I'm grateful that I have the support of my friends and family. But most of all, I'm grateful to this man.

remembering how to be a student

Our boxes are almost all unpacked, and we've hung up most of our framed photos. Now I really feel moved in.

This leaves me with more time to think about the upcoming school year. Well, maybe it would be more accurate to say that I worry.

I've been out of school for about 3 years now. The last class I took was over 3.5 years ago, while doing my master's at MIT. The last semester I took more than 3 classes was about 5 years ago, during the first trimester of my senior year at Caltech.