This past weekend was probably the most beautiful ones I have ever seen in Chicago. The sun shone, the breeze blew, and the leaves were all shades of red, orange and yellow (which happen to rank very high on my favorite colors list). It also happened to be an extended weekend-- no classes yesterday for fall break. To make it even better, my mom was in town visiting me. We had such a wonderful long weekend! Courtesy of the lovely weather, we spent most of it at the lakefront and in Grant Park. We walked (a lot), people watched (too much?), and even rented bikes one afternoon. While she was here we also visited some Chicago staples- The Shedd Aquarium, Millennium Park, and Giordano's (they make my favorite deep dish pizza). It was great to spend so much time with my Mom and even better to share Chicago with her!
It's always a little difficult to get back into the groove after a weekend as enjoyable as this past one, but I'm working on it. I met my weekend goals academics wise (Mom is also in school and we spent a few hours each morning doing homework), but even focusing in class seems to be challenging right now. I'll have to refocus myself before next week's midterm does it for me.
Grad school apps are due in 8 short weeks! I go back and forth between feeling like 8 weeks is an eternity and feeling like its no time at all. No matter what, those weeks will go by too quickly. I'm hoping to finish up my personal statement and follow up on my letters of recommendation before the end of next week. Then, it will be a matter of keeping my fingers crossed and hoping my first choice likes me as much as I like them!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Senior Year!
Its hard to believe, but its the first day of September, the last day of the second week of school, and the 8th school day of my senior year! I'm still adjusting to telling people (mostly myself) that. Its a very exciting and very scary concept. Not knowing what comes next always seems to feel that way. Next for me will hopefully be graduate school, although I haven't decided where to apply just yet.
Over the summer, I worked in an orthotics and prosthetics lab. It was an excellent experience! I learned a lot of new techniques and became familiar with a lot of new devices. The best (and probably most important) thing I learned was how much I love working with patients. It was amazing to know that the efforts of the team I work with make a difference to people everyday. So, overall, summer was very good.
As for this glorious final year at IIT? Well, in theory, I've worked really hard the last three years to do well and get ahead, so now its time for a mental vacation. Right? Wrong. This semester, I will be taking fewer courses, but the courses seem like they're going to be pretty intensive. For the record, I am in five undergraduate/graduate Biomedical Engineering courses, so intensive shouldn't surprise anyone. I'm getting to take some really cool stuff, like cellular biomechanics. I'm also enrolled in a senior design course. This course will last the entire year, and by the end of it my team will have developed a prototype for a biomedical device. I'm excited about it. My team is still in the process of determining which problem we'd like to address and developing viable ways to do so. Next will come research, client interviews, research, on site observation, research and more research. We probably won't even start testing a device until the very end of this semester or the beginning of the next. But that's ok. My main goal is to produce a product of value by the end of the year and I think my team and I are capable of accomplishing that.
Over the summer, I worked in an orthotics and prosthetics lab. It was an excellent experience! I learned a lot of new techniques and became familiar with a lot of new devices. The best (and probably most important) thing I learned was how much I love working with patients. It was amazing to know that the efforts of the team I work with make a difference to people everyday. So, overall, summer was very good.
As for this glorious final year at IIT? Well, in theory, I've worked really hard the last three years to do well and get ahead, so now its time for a mental vacation. Right? Wrong. This semester, I will be taking fewer courses, but the courses seem like they're going to be pretty intensive. For the record, I am in five undergraduate/graduate Biomedical Engineering courses, so intensive shouldn't surprise anyone. I'm getting to take some really cool stuff, like cellular biomechanics. I'm also enrolled in a senior design course. This course will last the entire year, and by the end of it my team will have developed a prototype for a biomedical device. I'm excited about it. My team is still in the process of determining which problem we'd like to address and developing viable ways to do so. Next will come research, client interviews, research, on site observation, research and more research. We probably won't even start testing a device until the very end of this semester or the beginning of the next. But that's ok. My main goal is to produce a product of value by the end of the year and I think my team and I are capable of accomplishing that.
Monday, March 28, 2011
The welcome back after spring break was short lived. For me, this week and next are the second round of midterms. I survived the first set without being severely traumatized, so let's hope the next few are no worse.
In addition to midterms, this week is marked with lots of appointments. We get to register for courses next semester beginning next week, so everyone will meet with their academic advisor to discuss their progress and potential course schedule before then. It didn't hit me until I was looking at the course offerings that I will be registering for my senior year of college. It's really hard to believe that I only have 10 courses left at IIT! It's definitely exciting to know that I'm only a year away, but its a little scary to think that next semester I will be taking the GRE, applying to graduate programs, and of course, waiting to hear back from graduate programs. I'm working to not get to far ahead of myself with constant reminders that the only thing I can really do about it right now is study and get good grades so that [at least] one of those schools will be excited to accept me. There are only 6 universities in the country that offer the graduate porgram I'd like to apply to (MS in Orthotics and Prosthetics). On the bright side, the list of schools I'm applying to is essentially set for me. On the down side, I don't have a lot of freedom in choosing where to study. Anyways....back to the here and now (I told you I have to work not to get to far ahead of myself)... I also need to meet with a few professors and give updates on the status of projects/papers.
On a less intense note, spring is finally coming to Chicago! It's still on the cold side, but the sun is definitely shining (I broke out my sunglasses this morning). That means I'll be able to resume my walks on Lake Shore Drive soon (I love the walk from the Planetarium to Millenium Park). I know I could have been doing them all along, but I'm a bit of a weenie when it comes to the cold. Warm weather also means the return of reading and studying outdoors, open windows, and flip flops :-). Needless to say, I'm excited.
More updates soon. Until next time.
In addition to midterms, this week is marked with lots of appointments. We get to register for courses next semester beginning next week, so everyone will meet with their academic advisor to discuss their progress and potential course schedule before then. It didn't hit me until I was looking at the course offerings that I will be registering for my senior year of college. It's really hard to believe that I only have 10 courses left at IIT! It's definitely exciting to know that I'm only a year away, but its a little scary to think that next semester I will be taking the GRE, applying to graduate programs, and of course, waiting to hear back from graduate programs. I'm working to not get to far ahead of myself with constant reminders that the only thing I can really do about it right now is study and get good grades so that [at least] one of those schools will be excited to accept me. There are only 6 universities in the country that offer the graduate porgram I'd like to apply to (MS in Orthotics and Prosthetics). On the bright side, the list of schools I'm applying to is essentially set for me. On the down side, I don't have a lot of freedom in choosing where to study. Anyways....back to the here and now (I told you I have to work not to get to far ahead of myself)... I also need to meet with a few professors and give updates on the status of projects/papers.
On a less intense note, spring is finally coming to Chicago! It's still on the cold side, but the sun is definitely shining (I broke out my sunglasses this morning). That means I'll be able to resume my walks on Lake Shore Drive soon (I love the walk from the Planetarium to Millenium Park). I know I could have been doing them all along, but I'm a bit of a weenie when it comes to the cold. Warm weather also means the return of reading and studying outdoors, open windows, and flip flops :-). Needless to say, I'm excited.
More updates soon. Until next time.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
So far, this semester has been a rather eventful one. A massive blizzard gave Chicago Public Schools and IIT its first snow day since 1999. A friend of mine was the 2011 winner of IIT Idol. Another friend succesfully planned a St. Baldrick's fundraiser and by shaving her head raised $2300 for cancer research. Overall, IIT raised over $7000. I had my first job interview last week, and am pleased to announce that I will be working with New England Orthotics and Prosthetics this summer. I'm very excited!
Academics wise, this semester has been (as usual) challanging. But, overall, I'm feeling pretty confident. My favorite classes are definitely Biomaterials, and Bio Fluid Mechanics. The material is new and incredibly interesting to me. Now we're heading into the group projects phase of the semester. At this point, the same 20 people are in 4 of my 6 classes. 3 of those 4 have these projects, so most of us are forming the same (or very similar) groups in all of the classes. I like my group(s) so it's fine, but I wouldn't be surprised if we're sick of eachother by the time the project deadlines roll around.
Speaking of thoses projects, I need to get back to work. Until next time.
Academics wise, this semester has been (as usual) challanging. But, overall, I'm feeling pretty confident. My favorite classes are definitely Biomaterials, and Bio Fluid Mechanics. The material is new and incredibly interesting to me. Now we're heading into the group projects phase of the semester. At this point, the same 20 people are in 4 of my 6 classes. 3 of those 4 have these projects, so most of us are forming the same (or very similar) groups in all of the classes. I like my group(s) so it's fine, but I wouldn't be surprised if we're sick of eachother by the time the project deadlines roll around.
Speaking of thoses projects, I need to get back to work. Until next time.
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