Wednesday, July 16, 2008

A Special Thanks

In light of some of the recent posts, I find it necessary to recognize some of the amazing efforts of the faculty and staff to provide a wonderful COSMOS experience so far. Mike and Malou, along with all of the other RA's have provided some very exciting and enjoyable rec. time activities. We all appreciate their hard work and know that our experience here at COSMOS would not be nearly as great without them. Our teacher fellow Shirley has done a terrific job with the "Scientific Communications" course, helping us hone our skills in science-based writing and presentations. In addition, she is a big help during lectures and especially in the lab when we run into problems. Some of the work we are doing is very complex and confusing and she is often able to help us understand the parts that we don't pick up from the other lecturers. Our TA's of course, Bridget and Arash are absolutely amazing. They are always so kind and willing to help, and always know how to help out. With 21 students in the cluster, I am amazed at how much one-on-one time they are able to spend with each student, helping them to conquer the concepts that give them trouble. Dr. Choon has made labs very enjoyable, giving us directions every step of the way and making the instructions as simple as possible. Professor Rajesh Gupta has given us some very essential background information on embedded computer systems that has made the transition to the lab portion of our day much easier. The staff at Cafe Ventanas is included, as their hospitality has been stellar. I would like to thank everyone involved in putting on the COSMOS program for their hard work, because so far I have had a pleasurable experience in adapting to the college lifestyle.


On another note, I would have to agree with some of the other bloggers about mandatory blogging and rec. activities. Although I have enjoyed many of the activities that have been offered so far, I can understand that some of the other students would like either alternative choices, or just the opportunity for some extra time to do research for their Discovery and final group projects. I myself feel that in the upcoming weeks, I will seek the opportunity for this extra time, as I want to make sure that I produce the absolute best projects possible.


I would also like to comment on the food recently. I am not able to post updates on the food each day, as that is both time consuming and somewhat overkill, but I think it is necessary to comment on it every few days. The enchiladas that were served a few days ago provided a much needed change, as I was getting tired of seeing the same food over and over again. They were actually pretty tasty enchiladas too! However, since that meal, it has been downhill. From somewhat hard pasta, to uber-liquidy mustard dispensers, and the ongoing lack of variety, I am really looking forward to family visitation weekend, as well as the opportunity to go to the Price Center for lunch ( hopefully starting next week =D ).


Well, that's all for now!

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