The Last Post...(Ever?)

Hi,
This post is only here to tell you guys/girls that I am (and have been) blogging at an entirely new blog for some time now. Since some of you still visit this blog occasionally, I figured I might as well tell you the new location...

Argee.org - My new Homepage/Blog

I hope you redirect your blogrolls to the above link, heh.

See you there!

A Post!

Hi,

So since I hadn't posted for a long time, here's a tiny post bout how my b'day went.

The 29th of Sept. was pretty drab and nothing much happened but me and some friends went to Red Robin on the 30th where someone else paid for everyone's food and I got a free sundae because of my b'day being the day before, also got one of those staff-wishes-you-a-happy-birthday things.

Also, got a lot of helium balloons which some people inhaled to sound funny and some people tied to each end of their spectacles so that they looked like antennae, some people tied em to their caps etc. Was fun.

My b'day gift from my parents was a really nice dSLR camera. I am working on making a photo blog with it.

Until next time,
Me.

My First Year Experience (H.W. Journal Entry)

One of the first things that come to my mind when I think of my experiences at RIT as a freshman is orientation. It may seem unsurprising and somewhat obvious, since it does happen to be a long drawn process most of us are forced to attend, with international students like myself getting special priviliges like PALs and a few more days of running around.

However, it is not the inevitable fatigue and not so memorable lectures which makes orientation worth being mentioned in the first sentence of this journal. What struck me as extra-ordinary is the lengths RIT goes to to ensure that the freshmen feel at home, the dedication of the upperclassmen to assist in orientation and their willingness to help individual freshmen. And of course, I did learn quite a few things I did not already know, which was probably the only redeeming quality of those lectures. (Yes, I noticed they were trying to make them entertaining, but a lecture is a lecture!)

Then there is the Computer Science House. Never before have I lived away from my family in a residence hall, but I feel quite comfortable here. Personally, I believe all the credit goes to CSH. I already have some great friends, and the upperclassmen are so helpful that I am afraid to ask them for help (Ironic, but the nice folks will stop whatever work they’re doing to help freshmen, even if it is important homework due the next day). We have two drink dispensing machines on floor, a special internet connection (faster than Resnet!), and a LOT of events. The “lot” is in caps because I have been here for about two weeks and have already attended a barbecue, gone to mark’s twice, played dodgeball, played capture the disc twice, gone to a nice lake for a welcome back event, been in about 7 meetings and generally had a lot of fun. My only problem is that I have to get signatures from everyone (which are not so easy to obtain) in order to become a permanent member…oh, well.

Luckily I don’t seem to have any boring classes/professors this quarter, and also enough spare time to do my laundry on a weekly basis. I do seem to have some trouble getting rid of meal plans and meals at Gracies, I should probably be eating more (I’ve had 9 meals this week and it’s almost Sunday). First Year Enrichment doesn’t quite seem to be necessary, but then that’s what I thought about orientation which turned out to be useful to some degree. One of the few things I dislike about the campus is the size. Walking from one point to another takes a lot of time and is a bit tiring, at the end of a typical day I am too fatigued to move (but I still play capture the disc).

Also, I experimented with the RIT online service MyCourses as I was instructed to, though I did use it before the instruction. The system is quite user-friendly, but apparently some professors do not upload material and/or information. Being able to look at your grades per assignment is a useful feature, as is the ability to look at course content (I had forgotten what I had to write in this journal, actually, so I went and took a look at the course syllabus there). Some of the other sections such as chat, surveys and quizzes don’t seem to have anything to offer as of now. The complete classlist is also available, including students’ RIT e-mail addresses, another feature which has some practical uses. I am glad that I wasn’t asked to experiment with the Student Info. System, I do not know my PIN (I do not remember setting one, so I can’t say I forgot). I’ll have to go to the George Eastman building when I have time to get that sorted out.

Stuff

I am having fun here, playing games and stuff.

RIT is pretty nice in that it practically has everything, including rock climbing routes which is on campus. Also swimming pools, all kinds of courts for all kinds of sports and lots of nice shops and eateries. All on campus.

I played some dodgeball today and went rock climbing, I was awfully bad at the latter because my fingers kept aching a lot and turned blue...

Saw a lot of low clouds and a full moon, I wish I had a camera then.

Ciao for now,
Rohit

I Like It Here

Sorry for the long gap in writing, I was busy with orientation, I still am but found some time for this (this is lunch time I'm putting in here, by the way).

I like Rochester, it's a nice place with low buildings and lots of beautiful clouds. Since there are no buildings in the way you can watch sunrises and sunsets pretty well. I might be posting some photos, if I have the time. Our campus is pretty large and has lots of interesting stuff.

The people are all nice and helpful.

I am learning sign language from random people I ask and I'm learning pretty fast. There is this weekly event called "No Voice Zone" which is free and the students teach other students, I think it would be better than taking an actual class which is put in your course and which you have to pay for. David is the only guy I know who is fluent in sign language AND says the words while he signs them so he is ideal to practice with. Unfortunately he is a floor above me so I have to go up there when I wanna talk.

The computer science house is also nice. I don't really get to play videogames because it is much more interesting/entertaining to roam around the corridor and go into peoples' rooms and talk to them (and take their candy) so I do that a lot. CSH has an open door policy which means peoples' rooms are open when they are in there and not doing anything private/studying/sleeping. David has a basket of candy outside his room when he is in there so you can just take it without telling him or letting him know, he doesn't really mind.

Day before yesterday went to watch a hypnotist's show with my Orientation Assistant and a couple of people, it was pretty funny and entertaining. It was also free and worth it.

Yesterday had a choice between going to the RITZ sports zone or go to some music place so the CSH guys chose 'neither' and went to watch the movie Stardust in TinselTown (theatre) which was a very empty place. I mean we CSH guys were the only guys in the hall when we arrived and it stayed that way. What's more, when we left we saw like - one staff member in the whole place and no customers besides us...

The movie was okay though, typical fantasy plot which meant a lot of stuff didn't make sense, but it was okay to watch with people when you had nothing else to do.

Right now I have to go to some college fair in a short while. I haven't had the time to take photos but I will try.

P.S.: I thought I should at least put up some pics of my room, we rearranged the default layout when my roommate got here, so now we have more space and stuff to put in that space. Take a look.

Before:



After:

Updates from Rochester (Finally)

Ladies and gentlemen, Rochester is fine.

Thank you,
me.

Okay that was a sucky update, it's 1:13 am, let me do a quick brief and then I'll probably be off to sleep. I promise to write a big one later.

Today was fun, blah blah blah, university is pretty cool, extremely huge and the people are friendly (friendly enough to let complete strangers watch movies in their room till 1:00 am and also allow you to steal their candy. (Verbal opposition is no opposition, especially when its a joke of a voice you're speaking in). David (the RA of the floor above me, the guy with the TV) was also kind enough to lend me an ethernet cable which is why I am able to type this as well as experience blazing fast speeds.

I took a lot of pics, lots to write about.

Wait for the next post.

Less Than a Couple of Days Left

With less than a couple of days left, I visited my maternal grandfather and his dog today (grandma is working, was not at home). Wonder of wonders, he comes up with $600 in US currency and hands it to me, with $400 more in hand. He said it's for later unless I want it now, so I let him keep it.

And I also modified a poem:

When the world has gone to bed
I will be whining overhead,
Have to sit long, this I dread,
How I hate the flight.

And I fear the climb is steep,
feel the pressure, earbuds weep,
slowly end up in a heap,
How I hate the flight.

See you folks,
Next: Updates from Rochester!