I've been fortunate enough to take classes that have field trips to some of the UC reserves. They are an amazing opportunity to learn about other professors research projects. The Angelo reserve has the Blake's meadow climate change study, which I have a picture of. This reserve is my favorite of hastings and hopland because it is so secluded and the forest cover is amazing. Plus there is an amazing forest with native bunch grasses growing underneath the forest, which is a rare sight in our Ca "golden hills". I won't ramble on too much about the pictures instead read on to see the pictures yourself. These field trips are another thing I love about CNR!

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Posted by Marissa Ponder at 4:29 PM | Permalink

So here am I in Seoul, Korea. I arrived here last night around 6 after a 12 hour flight. I was so exhausted, because I slept very little on the plane (I'm not good at sleeing on planes). I finally got to see The Golden Compass, 27 Dresses, and I Am Legend. I sat next to this wonderful Indian-American woman from Irvine. She was going to Bombay to see her mother, who is unfortunately very sick. We talked about movies, career paths, and her two sons.

Aren't airplanes just amazing? Here I was, taking a trip in 12 hours that 500 years ago would have taken several months. Even now, traveling to Korea by boat would take a long time, weeks even. It's not just the airplane itself, but the infrastructure surrounding it. The airports, the airlines, the systems put into place to ensure people get from one point to another as quickly, efficiently, and effortlessly as possible. Amazing.

On another note: Korean Air has really gotten a lot better over the years. The service is wonderful, and the food is pretty decent. It must be tough to be a flight attendant, though. You're constantly on your feet, you are always traveling, and you have to be calm and in control at all times, even with screaming children or sick passengers.

Posted by Joel Kim at 8:24 PM | Permalink

So I will be leaving tomorrow (or technically later today) for Korea at 12:30 PM. I'm both pretty excited and pretty nervous. This is my first time making a trip back by myself. My parents and my brother will be joining me in the middle of June.

While I am nervous about getting lost or getting screwed or both, I am excited at the opportunity to explore more of Korea on my own initiative. Luckily, my extended family is there to help take care of me, and I have a couple friends that I plan on visiting. Hopefully I'll have a chance to update this blog, to keep you all up to speed on what's going on.

Posted by Joel Kim at 12:43 AM | Permalink

Summer break!!! I'm not taking summer school or anything, so I'm trying to get some clinical experience down here in SoCal. ...not as easy as it sounds....I sent in volunteer applications in February or March to a number of hospitals, but none of them got back to me. So far, I've dropped by two hospitals to ask them in person about the volunteer opportunities. One of them gave me a phone number that no one answers and the other one gave me an application.

I know it's important to keep building up your resume, but sometimes I just want to let go and be a lazy slacker. For those of you that don't remember, I'm pre-med. Seriously, isn't experience in the service industry just as important as clinical experience? When and if you're a doctor, you're going to have to deal with a lot of people on a daily basis. Yes, clinical experience does give you some people interaction, but not as much as the service industry would. If you worked at Starbucks, you'd meet a lot more different people than you would meet shadowing a nurse. Sometimes I just get so annoyed with that generic pre-med experience: science major, clinical experience, volunteering at a hospital, science research...

Anyways, I hope everyone's having a great summer!

Posted by Victoria Eng at 4:36 PM | Permalink

belongs to David Archuleta, runner up for American Idol season 7. I first heard this guy one or two weeks ago on a link to american idol, and i fell in love with his voice instantly. The first song I heard was "and so it goes" by billy joel: http://youtube.com/watch?v=bVh2_Na3Oz4&feature=related
I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend listening. This season ranked in the highest number of viewers for the finale, so chances are you've at least heard of the fierce competition. The winner ended up being David Cook, a bartender from kansas city. No doubt he he's a talented singer, but to me, david archuleta still more captivating voice. check out angels:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GMSy3jYrW-c

Posted by Angela Hsu at 6:48 PM | Permalink

Last Sunday was the CNR's commencement ceremony!

Laura Lagomarsino celebrating the big day.
Commencement is that special day when you show up in your cap and gown, congratulate all of your fellow graduates, sit with your friends in the hot sun baking under a black robe, and walk across the stage in front of a big, cheering crowd to receive a rolled up piece of paper.

It's a big day. Family and friends drive hundreds or fly thousands of miles to also bake in the sun and watch you walk, hop, and wave your way across a roasting stage.

But it's not the end! No matter how big and exciting that special day was, most of the graduates had the delightful experience of completing the last of their finals several days after commencement. If a crowd member looked carefully, they could find graduates hastily studying review notes and flash cards as they baked in the sun. Many spent that evening, not celebrating with family and friends, but rather attending review sessions, meeting with study groups, filling the study rooms of the library, and pulling all-nighters for their exams the following day.

Graduation only comes after you meet with your adviser, and turn in that last final - when grades are posted and the paperwork goes through.

I walked, but I'm still looking forward to the day my grades are posted and I know I really did make it through.

Posted by Christina at 7:47 AM | Permalink

So my last final is tomorrow morning at 8. To think, that in less than 12 hours, I will be officially done with my third year at Berkeley...Astounding.

This semester's final schedule was less daunting than last semester's. I remember studying in Dwinelle last December, spending the whole day going over my notes for class or working on papers. This semester, studying has been much more chill.

I had dinner with my friend Albert yesterday, even though I have one more final tomorrow. This is one of the few nights that we are both free, and I figured that spending time with him was more important than getting that extra hour or two of studying done. We talked, laughed, shared stories and praises, and dreamed for the future. How the time really has passed...

Posted by Joel Kim at 10:35 PM | Permalink

Living in the dorms is quite an experience! I'll definitely miss my floormates and my roomies! Although dorms are quite pricey, it is worth the experience! For new students coming next year, I suggest living in one for at least a semester.

There are different types of dorms which I would personally split into three categories: suites, mini-suites, and regular dorms (and there's also the fancy Wada apartments sort-of-like dorms right across my window--they have their own kitchen!! good luck getting into Wada though).

These three types vary in social level, from least to most respectively. Of course, it is still up to the student to take the initiative to socialize and it also depends on his/her floormates.

So what's really the different between the three?

Suites are expensive, really expensive! They get their own bathroom and study lounge though, and most of the time the environment is more quite than regular dorms. Rooms are spacious too! I think there are two rooms in a suite and each room can either have 2 or 3 people.

Regular dorms are much cheaper. But unlike suites, bathrooms are shared. So you have to walk down the hallway with your soap and shampoo to take a shower. Not only that, you see people brushing their teeth and whatever. But don't worry, there's nothing to be scared of (though sometimes weird stuff goes on). And because the bathroom is shared, you get to meet your floormates not just by chance! The rooms are smaller though, and there's way more people in each floor. Regular dorms are definitely social.

Something in between are the mini-suites. The price is in between too. So is the social level. I think there's only two mini-suites around Cal (Unit 1, Christian and Unit 2, Towle -> where I am right now, well at least just for another day before I move out). Bathroom are shared, but just with your suitemates and roomies. In some cases though, about 1 out of 15 rooms in each floor, you can have just 1 room--that means 1 bathroom just for you and your roomies! Luckily I did get that "special" mini-suite. Another difference is that mini-suites don't have their own study lounge vs the suites, BUT since these are only a few years old, everything looks quite new and clean! The rooms are really spacious too! (triples are, doubles are okay but still more spacious than regular dorms). I might sound biased because this is my type of dorm, but after visiting the other ones I really think mini-suites are the best deal.

To sum up the three:
Suites - Most expensive , spacious rooms, own bathroom and study lounge, quiet.
Mini-suites - Price is in between, spacious rooms, own bathroom but shared study lounge, not quite social as regular dorms
Regular dorms - Way cheaper, smaller space, shared bathroom and study lounge, VERY social

Again, the "socialness" depends on you. Anyways, I hope I didn't talk about the dorms a little too late. You can always petition to change though like my case. Suites are too expensive for me so I emailed for a dorm change.

Thanks for reading!

Posted by John Cortez at 9:13 PM | Permalink

My first year at Cal was full of both good and bad experiences. For the most part, most of my bad experiences (academics) were avoidable. But for now, I have to recall what I have done wrong this school year and learn from it.

My greatest mistake this school year was being a little too confident for a final. Throughout the whole semester I had a solid A in one of my classes. I thought the final was going to be easy, so I only studied for about 5 good hours. It was too late when I realized I had more topics to cover. The final came and all the topic I was not able to study for came out. With no doubt, I knew I did BAD on the test. I ended up with a B on my easiest class. Some may think B isn't such a bad grade, but the fact that the class was almost like a retake to me is a humiliation to myself. I guess sometimes people has to learn something the hard way.

Another mistake I had this school year was not taking my time to write my papers. Although I managed to finish my papers on time, I did it the last minute. I barely escaped with it. With the amount of classes I will have next school year, doing the same thing would put me in big trouble.

Lastly, I wasted too much time in front of my computer. Next school year, I am going to move to San Leandro. I won't bring my laptop to school because it is a pain in the back. Hopefully this solves the problem.

Good thing I have 3 more years. Hopefully next time I can stick to my plans. Easy to say, but better than nothing.

Posted by John Cortez at 5:52 PM | Permalink

This is one of the busiest times of the year, and not just because of finals, moving, and summer plans. This is the time to say goodbye. All the seniors who have just graduated and are moving on with their lives, all the people going back home or to work or to grad school or to adventure...This is the time to say goodbye. We can't all just stay college students forever, after all.

Yesterday, my friend Nanna flew back to New York, after finishing up her optometry externship this semester. Tomorrow, Virginia is going to fly to Kenya for her mission trip. This weekend, Crystal will be flying back to Hong Kong, and then to USC next year. Irene will be going off to Ohio...

It just feels weird to see all these people leave, without knowing if I will ever see them again. Before, it would make me sad that they were leaving Berkeley. I really wished that they could stay and be with me, but this is unrealistic (not to mention possessive). I can only wish them the best, try my darndest to stay in touch, and hope to see them again in the future.

To everyone leaving Berkeley, possibly for the last time, I say goodbye, and thanks for everything.

Posted by Joel Kim at 5:37 PM | Permalink

After studying for 8 months, now time has come to take a break! Or do something else studying, but in case you insist on studying then yes, you can do summer school. But for those who has no clue what to do this summer, here's a list of some things you can do.

1) Hang out with friends and family

One of the first things I am going to do this summer. It's been a while since I had time to visit my friends and family. Spending time with family, especially for people not from the Bay Area,
can be hard to do during the school year. Though my family is close to Berkeley (except my parents; they're across the Pacific), I've heard my friends complain how costly and hard it is to travel. And even if they get to visit their family, a few days is not enough to really do anything.
Make sure to visit friends and family at least once while summer lasts.

2) Travel

A good way to spend your time with your friends and family is to travel (if you want to spend your time alone that works too). It can be anywhere; abroad, other states, or just your local area. Especially if you've been sick seeing the same school buildings for 8+ months, it's good to visit places and see something new.

3) Chill

Sometimes traveling can get expensive--especially with high oil prices lately. But you don't have to travel far far away to have fun during the summer! You can just chill at home and have your friends come over play games, chat, stroll around the mall, etc.

4) Work, internship, or volunteer

But for some people, they to keep themselves busy. Working is good in ways that you earn money, gain job experience, and it can make time go faster (that's if you get a fun job). You can either work full-time or half-time. But make sure to apply early (like now) before other universities start finishing their school year--you dont want to compete for those precious summer job/internship. Cal goes out of school really early compared to others, so take this advantage.

5) Summer school

Some people like Berkeley so much they want to stay longer in school during summer. Or in my case, I am taking classes so I can take less during the regular school year. Taking summer classes does not have to be at Berkeley. Community colleges offer classes with transferable units, just make sure to visit their website and check www.assist.org. You don't want to take classes and find out that it does not transfer, unless you are taking it just for fun (culinary class, arts, etc)

6) Everything else

Lastly, don't forget that you can mix up traveling, working, studying, chillaxing, and so on. You don't have to pick one way or another. In my case, I'm going to study and work part-time, hopefully I can keep up with both and have time to chill and visit my friends and family.

What ever you decide to do,

HAVE FUN AND ENJOY!

Posted by John Cortez at 4:48 PM | Permalink

went by so fast.

It seems yesterday I was just moving in. All of sudden, now I'm packing up.

I just can't believe my first year is over.

I remember my first class 8am in the morning. It was a small class with 16 students. I remember my professor introducing herself, Ph.D. of some sort in writing. I was just amazed my teacher is a doctor of writing !!! Then I went to my next class. HUGE lecture hall with over 500 students! Again I was amazed and wondered how the professor is going to teach the class. I guess that's what make Cal so great.

It's not just the professors who make Cal one of the best universities, but the students as well. I also remember meeting a lot of people the first day, but sadly I do not remember their names. But of course their faces are something I won't forget. People are really friendly and approachable, and there's a lot of them! I think that's what I like the most about studying at such a large university; walking around campus saying hi to friends here and there. They prevent me from becoming insane from all the school work! Which makes me sad though because the school year is over. I'll miss going to my floormates to play video games, eat at Crossroads, and all sort of things. But no need to be sad now that summer is here, I have time to do things I can't normally do during the school year!

Posted by John Cortez at 11:19 AM | Permalink

I went to the CNR graduation last Sunday at the Hearst Greek Theater. It was pretty amazing to see all those graduates, lined up in their black robes and mortarboards. Some had leis around their necks, gifts of family or friends; others proudly showed off their stoles and cords, indications of high honors or fraternity membership. Some wore no such adornment, but simply walked on stage, the knowledge of a degree from UC Berkeley honor enough. I knew nearly all the forestry majors who graduated (there were only 15 of them), and cheered loudly for my friend Big Dave (Molecular Toxicology).

Graduations are always such joyous occasions. When the professors were rambling off on the Ph.D.'s dissertations, with long and esoteric titles, I was amazed by the variety and complexity of what people here study. Incredible.

To think, that I will be on that stage (hopefully with a canopy next time) next year...Exhilarating. College really does go by quickly...

But back to finals studying!

Posted by Joel Kim at 10:16 PM | Permalink

So last week I pulled the first all-nighter in my career here at Berkeley. It's amazing to think that in my three years at this prestigious university, I've only had to stay up all night for schoolwork once. It's certainly not an experience I want to repeat again. I was working on my Natural Resource Management paper that was due on Friday at noon.

I had only started research the Monday before. Luckily, I was using a paper for my silviculture class from last semester as a base, and I didn't actually need to do too much research (thank goodness for Refworks!) I stayed up all of Thursday night to write the paper. I had told everyone that it would not be a big deal, that I should be okay. Around evening, I started to write. Time started to warp, and I spent half the time reading/writing, and half the time surfing the internet.

Around 2 in the morning I realized that it would be a long night, and I decided to see if I could stay up. I heard the dawn chorus, the birds chirping at 5 AM, calling out their territories to each other after a night of sleep. By daylight, I had finished it, and I spent the rest of the morning adding finishing touches.

After I turned it in, I felt surprisingly energized and refreshed. I went swimming with a friend, had dinner, then went running. I stayed up until 2 playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl, until I got to the point where I nearly passed out. I had stayed up from 7:30 AM Thursday morning until 2 AM Saturday morning. In total, I had been awake for almost 42 hours.

I've heard so many people talk about all-nighters (engineers especially), and I must say that they are no fun. Try to avoid them if you can. All the same, I feel a sense of bond with some of my fellow Cal students. When I hear people talk about writing papers at 3 in the morning, when all your inspiration is gone and most of your time is spent trying not to watch Youtube, I will be able to nod and say "Yes."

Posted by Joel Kim at 9:19 PM | Permalink

Well I’ve done it. I’ve made it halfway through my Cal experience. It’s been a long year filled with studying, laughing, lots of coffee, Ici ice cream, research, friends and more studying. Up until this past year I’ve never worked and studied so hard, yet as stressful as it can be at times, it is so rewarding. There’s something about that week during finals that only Cal students understand. Yes it probably has to do with lots of caffeine and not a lot of sleep but I like to think it’s something more, whatever that thing is that got us here. I’ve grown a lot in the year I’ve been here, and I am proud of myself for toughing it out during the hard times. I lost a close friend this past fall and keeping up with school seemed unbearable without the help of other students. Overall this year has really been fulfilling and I am glad I chose Cal for undergrad. I’m so grateful to all of the amazing people I’ve met here so far and look forward to another amazing year! year has really been worthwhile and I am glad I chose Cal for undergrad. Good luck to the graduating class of 2008!

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 3:25 PM | Permalink

I just discovered a great class taught by the cutest professor, a French man who loves to talk about sex, public health issues, and the top reasons why EVERYONE should use a condom (while wearing his happy condom tie). After taking this 2 unit course you will be eligible to apply to the Health and Medical Apprentenship Program (HMAP) where after going through an extensive application and interview process, can shadow a doctor of your choice for an entire semester while attending a discussion session to assist every student in the program. What's great is that HMAP is student run and every person involved in the program becomes more than classmates but more like a small family. I just enrolled in PH 116 and I am looking forward to applying to the HMAP program soon after!

If you're interested, check out the website.

Posted by Rola Abduljabar Rabah at 3:01 AM | Permalink

We're almost there! Well, for some people, finals are already over. I still have one more final on Tuesday morning.

Advice: Know the location of your final before you get there. Always head out to the location of your final about half an hour before it begins.

My first final was on Thursday at 12:30. Instead of going to Haas Pavilion for the final, I actually went to the classroom. Luckily I headed out early around noon...about 12:15 I walked into Dwinelle and realized that that wasn't the location of the final! I ended up semi-sprinting to Haas. It was really stuffy in there! Hot day + sweating people + people without tissues + final = complete annoyance. Let's just say I tried to get out of there as soon as possible.

My second final was yesterday at 12:30. I headed out early, again. Guess who went to the wrong place, again? Yep. I was supposed to go to Hearst Gym, but I just remembered the 'H' and went to Haas Pavilion. I got there early, but ended up sprinting to Hearst Gym. I thought Haas Pavilion was stuffy...wow...Hearst Gym is just completely horrible. There were about two fans in the room and everyone was sweating. A lot of people alternated between fanning themselves with their finals and writing on their finals.

I had the Chem 3A (Organic Chemistry) Final last night. Don't worry. I was actually in VLSB about one and a half hours early, just in case. I ended up buying peanut M&Ms and a gigantic chocolate chip walnut cookie from FSM. Don't take a final on an empty stomach! Make sure you don't eat anything "interesting" right before your final, though. How horrible would it be to get a severe stomachache during an o chem final? Horror upon horror...The Chem 3A final was much better than the Chem 1A final I took last semester, though. That final was 17 pages long. By the time I got to the 10th page, I was ready to put my head down and go to sleep.

Anyways, still one more to go and then I'm free!!! Good luck on your finals!!!

Posted by Victoria Eng at 2:31 PM | Permalink

Finals weeks are hectic. For once, when you wake up at 8 am and head to the library, you'll see a whole crowd of students at Doe and Moffit. This semester, I decided to find another place to study besides my dorm room. Here are a few places I find that help me study and concentrate better( and from other students' opinions too):

1. East Asian Library( i heard it's really quiet)
2. study rooms in moffit- you get to study with a bunch of people
3. FSM- great area to eat and drink and study
4. Music Library
5. 3rd floor of Moffit- nobody really goes there- it's well lit and quiet
6. Memorial Glade- get a tan and relaxing

That's it so far. If I find any more, or you have any to add, feel free to! Good luck on finals!

Posted by Casey Wang at 11:35 AM | Permalink

thursday may 15th: max temp 99 degrees
friday may 16th: max temp 92 degrees

i don't know bout yall, but i've been burning up! i don't think it's been this warm in berkeley this year so far! Unfortunately, it also happens to be finals week...which makes the heat even more bothersome. Thursday morning, i walk out of my dorm to my bio final (which i bombed, by the way), and i felt like someone turned on the humidity switch in the atmosphere. my testing room was in lewis, and it was even hotter in there!! to make matters worse, i think the temperature change triggered my body to go into allergy-overdrive, because i was sniffling, sneezing, and itchy eyed throughout my final =[

a few hours later i had my linguistics final in dwinelle, and it was even hotter than in lewis. it was so hot i had to take of my shoes and socks during the test (which may sound absolutely disgusting, but you have to understand they were absolutely burning up).

Luckily, our lovely campus has some nice pools open for rec swimming, and luckily i was able to cool off in one after my finals. If you haven't dipped in one, you're missing out!! it's the perfect way to cool off and destress after taking those yucky finals. some good places to go to are the hearst pool by college on bancroft (by the heart gym) and the RSF spieker (or speiker?) pool.

good luck with finals! and dont forget to stay cool. the weather today is supposed to be high 70's which is a lot more bearable than these past few days. take care =]

Posted by Angela Hsu at 9:22 AM | Permalink

Yep...I managed to completely forgot that I worked today...How you ask?? Well the answer is simple: Finals. I have been so wrapped up in studying and typing that all I can think about is finals. It was yesterday when I was talking to my boyfriend about studying together this morning when he said, Don't you have work? I work the same hour every week for the past semester yet political ecology and environmental science has managed to consume my every thought the past few days. On another note regarding finals...make sure you talk and see people. When Rachel called and suggested we take a break and go get ice cream at Ici, I realized that I've spent 20 hours the past two days typing. It definately recharged my brain and gave me the much needed break...which brings me to my point (finals study trick): Take a break and eat ice cream!! Good luck on finals everyone

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 11:55 AM | Permalink

Looking back over this past semester, I realize that I've blogged here an average of once a month. That's not very good frequency, especially for a blog. I don't know why it's been so hard for me to write stuff here. I mean, I certainly have a lot I would like to say, but every time I come to blog something, I blank out.

I guess the thing is that a blog is supposed to be focused on my life, my thoughts, my words, and I can't see why anyone would be interested in what I have to say. Not that I have nothing of worth to say, but with so many other pressures and burdens and obligations, I'm not sure why anyone would want to spend time reading this. In other words, I am afraid that if I write something up here, no one will pay attention.

I've come to realize though that this is not the best way to approach the situation. This space has been given for me to write what I think, to journal my thoughts in a way that invites scrutiny, discussion, and even critique. Instead of shying away from this opportunity, I should embrace it.

I can't promise too many more updates before the end of the semester, but I will do my best. I hope that reading this and all the other blogs on this page has been helpful and illuminating.

Posted by Joel Kim at 8:00 PM | Permalink

Permanently for seniors not going to grad school. Three months for people not doing summer school. And two weeks for me.

Also, Congratulations to the Class of 2008!

Now the school year is almost over (well for some people it is already over, lucky for those with no finals), It is time to plan out for summer! Actually let’s talk about that later. Let’s ace our finals first :)

Studying tips!
1) Try not to study the last minute, because you’re never sure when problems you can’t personally solve arise.
2) Because you actually followed the first tip, you get more time to study with other people or ask your Profs/GSIs for answers! Of course not the answers for the exams, but for the questions you may not have been able solve on your own while studying.
3) Be careful with “study groups”, make sure it is an actual study group and not a “socialize” group—you might end up talking about how much you’ve been procrastinating more than preparing for finals.
4) For some people, teaching is also considered as studying! Teaching others is a good gauge of your knowledge; if you find yourself struggling to explain something, chances are you might also struggle if the same question occurs on the exams. Also, just saying out things can make it stick to your brain longer. It varies from person to person, but try and see if teaching works for you.
5) Take some breaks in between—whether it be to feed your hungry stomach or stretch your muscles or just to let your brain rest and absorb what you’ve been studying for.
6) STAY AWAY FROM AIM, FACEBOOK, TV, WORLD OF WARCRAFT, BRAWL, and those sorts of things. You may be thinking, “well aim/facebook is my break from studying…”, but you don’t need a break every 3 mins! So log out, turn off your wireless internet /hook off the internet cable, and stay away from Wii’s… erhmm I mean any video games. Unless you need the internet for research, I wish you all luck.

Before the final!
1) Make sure you GET ENOUGH REST. Or if your final is not during the morning, take a nap before final at least (and please don’t over sleep, I don’t want someone telling me they failed because they tried following my tips). To me personally, I would rather take an exam with eyes wide open and a functioning brain rather than cramp up studying all night.
2) Come early so you can get good spots (whether you prefer sitting in front or at the back). I like sitting two or three rows from the front because I don’t like the image of seeing 200+ people with their pens, just makes me more nervous. Also make sure your table/chair isn’t moving—it can get really annoying.
3) DON’T FORGET YOUR TEST MATERIALS! Pen, paper, scantron of the right version, blue books (some Prof’s are picky, so make sure you get the same size, or in some cases the same brand)…
4) Again this is personal, I avoid listening to too much music or watching before finals. It is annoying when some random music plays in my head while taking a test.

During the final.
1) RELAX. Do not worry too much about your grade. Doing so will just stress and make you nervous—which makes dumb mistakes to happen more likely.

After the final.
1) Cheers.

With that said, GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN!

Posted by John Cortez at 4:39 PM | Permalink

It's amazing how much English I have lost. I haven't written a critical thinking essay since I left Berkeley. Writing one recently wasn't easy. Trying to recall words and spelling was like... whoooohhhhh. You know.. that word...that you want to use...but you can't recall. It's so frustrating. >< Hopefully with more practice, I'll be able to remember soon. :")

Aside from that, I was able to do a homestay with a family in Takahagi, Ibaraki-ken, Japan. Seeing how they lived, even though it was only one night, was quite interesting. Maybe more on this later.

Posted by K. Lee at 6:10 AM | Permalink

You've probably heard about the budget cuts over in the East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC) Department -- maybe you read Angela's post. I heard from a few people, but I didn't know Berkeley has a site that lets me sign in with my CalNet ID to vote on the matter. Check it out: http://petition.berkeley.edu/

The last day to petition is tomorrow, Wed May 14th.

I don't know ANYTHING about the UC Budget, and I'm sure the way the dominoes fell has some logic to it. Nonetheless, it's really embarrassing! What's the point in building a new East Asian Library if we won't teach the kids how to read the books inside?

I just took a quick peek at the UC Budget. In 2006-2007, the East Asian languages within L&S spent $2.89million on salaries and wages for instruction [1] and read that "EALC's TAS budget is being cut by 25%" [2]. 2.888m*0.25=$722,000. How hard is it to raise $722k so the world's top public university can offer east Asian languages classes as electives? I'm not sure, but their departmental cut is on the same order of magnitude that my department spent, in total, on instruction ($930k). I hope there aren't any cuts there, go ARE!!!

[1] http://petition.berkeley.edu/brokensystem.html
[2] http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/finreports/index.php?file=/06-07/pdf/finsch/bk07schc.pdf

Posted by Tay Feder at 10:25 PM | Permalink

Everyone's probably studying for finals, but summer's just around the corner!!! Even though I'm supposed to be concentrating on studying for finals, I keep daydreaming about what I'm going to do this summer. I know I should try to be productive and volunteer or work somewhere doing something that's related to the medical field, but...staying at home and getting a fun summer job sounds so much more appealing.
A few months ago, I applied for volunteer positions at some hospitals near home, but I haven't heard from any of them, yet. Even though you probably think you have to do something productive every summer of your college career, some experts say you should just take it easy summer of freshman year. You still have a few more summers to show those graduate schools how productive you can be. Why not take a well-deserved vacation? Or get a fun summer job?
If I don't hear back from any of the places I submitted applications to, I'll probably just get a fun summer job and hang out with my friends and family all summer long.

But before you guys can go home for summer, you probably have to move all your stuff back home or to a new apartment. That's my case. I really have to try to minimize the amount of stuff to pack up. There are so many little things I have to take care of before I can go home: call the electric company to turn off the electricity, clean my studio, maybe sell a book or two, eat all my food....
Anyways, I hope everyone else has more definite summer plans than I do! See you all back at Cal in Fall! Another semester of organic chemistry...

Posted by Victoria Eng at 1:28 PM | Permalink

By far one of the most hectic/crazy/exhausting/boring/overwhelming/ridiculous/competitive processes of my entire life....FINDING A SUMMER SUBLET. As if it wasn't bad enough trying to find a good/safe apartment for next year (because I am living out of my sorority), finding a sublet is even harder. The reason why I have to find a sublet is because every nice apartment we looked at has a lease that starts in June but my roommates and I won't be there for the summer so we are forced to find subleases which means we also have to furnitue our house with new furniture and have someone else use them before us for the first two months. So how am I doing it? Well, I have been doing the following to track down some decent tenenats:

1. Write a note on facebook and tag EVERYONE I KNOW (even those in Spain, because they must know someone right?)
2. Post an ad on craigslist
3. change my facebook status
4. tell every single person I know on sproul

Result? I found a sublease...yay. Good luck finding yours if you must!

Posted by Rola Abduljabar Rabah at 11:15 AM | Permalink

Yes, as I should be studying for finals now, I am thinking about summer. I find that taking intermittent breaks like now help me concentrate better. Anyway, as I ask many what they are doing in the summer, as I still don't have an actual plan, most of course, are going back home. Others are taking classes, and others, are getting summer jobs and volunteering activities to fill up their summer. Wow, for most, we're actually going to be back in our parents' homes for 3 whole months!! It's going to take a while to adapt back to my old life.haha. Well, for my summer, I plan to learn how to cook since I am going to live in an apartment next semester! yay! Other than that, I plan to relax, have fun, get a tan, exercise, and spend time with my family! Nothing like a homecooked meal and my OWN ROOM!!!! What are your plans? Get ahead and think about making your summer productive and worthwhile!

Posted by Casey Wang at 1:02 AM | Permalink

I decided to take a break from studying, and post a little entry. a while back i wrote a post about ligers, and my friend john showed me this link about the tsavo maneaters. I don't know if you have heard about them, but to sum it up in a nutshell:
"The Tsavo maneaters were a pair of maneless lions responsible for the deaths of a number of construction workers on the Kenya-Uganda Railway, from March through December 1898."

sounds like something from a horror movie, doesn't it?!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsavo_maneaters

According to a site i looked up, lions rarely eat people however during this time period there had been a disease outbreak that killed the zebras and gazelles, so to stay alive the pair of lions had to eat people.
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/exhibits/exhibit_sites/tsavo/maneaters2.html
In March 1898, during the building of the Kenya-Uganda Railway, Engr. Lt. Col. John Henry Patterson led the construction of a railway bridge over the Tsavo River in Kenya. During the construction period, many Indian railway workers were killed by two maneless male lions, which dragged men from their tents at night and devoured them. The workers built bomas (thorn fences) around their camp to keep the maneaters out; but the maneaters were able to crawl through. Patterson set traps and tried several times to ambush the lions at night from a tree. After repeated unsuccessful endeavors, he finally shot the first lion on 9 December, 1898. Three weeks later, the second beast was found and killed. By that point, the maneaters had supposedly killed 135 workers. According to Patterson's calculations, though, railway records only recorded 28 deaths, however Patterson later said in a speech of his account that 28 Indians were killed, as well as a large number of native Africans, so the total number is closer to 135.[1] A number of these deaths were unrecorded locals.[2]

After two-and-a-half decades as Patterson's floor rugs, the lions' skins were sold to the Chicago Field Museum in 1924 for a sum of $5,000 US. The lions were then reconstructed and are now on permanent display along with the original skulls, although the lion recreations are smaller than their original size because the skins had been cut and used as rugs for twenty-six years in Patterson’s home, leaving them in relatively poor condition and not conducive to full-size reconstruction.

Patterson's accounts were published in his 1907 book The Man-Eaters of Tsavo.

Posted by Angela Hsu at 10:24 PM | Permalink

Behold...it's finals week, better yet...it's hell week. So what's in store for me do you ask? LOTS OF FUN! I have my two biggest finals on the very first day of finals back to back. Why would one of the hardest finals on campus (bio 1 freaking a) be the very first final (8 am) on the very first day (thursday)???? Yeah...well berkeley doesn't vare so what does that mean? I will be camped out at the stacks every night sneaking in my sugar free red bulls from under the table just so I can stay up....

honestly...all nighters should be for comedy clubs and late night parties...not finals!!!

Posted by Rola Abduljabar Rabah at 9:11 AM | Permalink

of what happened this past weekend on south side. there has already been a memorial on sproul plaza, and i'm sure a lot of news stations have picked up on it already. but in case you haven't heard, here's some scary news for you:
BERKELEY, Calif. -- A 20-year-old college student is due in court Tuesday after being arrested in connection with a fatal stabbing at a party at UC Berkeley over the weekend.

May 2008: Berkeley Man Accused Of Fatal Stabbing Of Student

Andrew Thomas Hoeft-Edenfield was arrested in connection with charges he fatally stabbed Christopher Wootton, a 21-year-old engineering student due to graduate this month, in the midst of an argument that started as a verbal exchange and escalated to a physical fight, according to Berkeley police Sgt. Mary Kusmiss.

Hoeft-Edenfield, a graduate of Berkeley High School, is being held without bail. He was attending Berkeley City College.

At about 2:45 a.m., the Police Department received a report of someone brandishing a knife, and officers responded to the rear of 2421 Piedmont Ave., a Chi Omega sorority house, Kusmiss said.

Officers were then directed to 2434 Warring St., about a block east of the Piedmont address, where they met up with a crowd of about 20 college-age males who were circled around Wootton, according to Kusmiss.

Wootton had been stabbed on the left side of his upper chest. He was transported to a local trauma center, where he was pronounced dead, Kusmiss said.

Detectives interviewed several witnesses and believe Hoeft-Edenfield stabbed Wootton, then fled westbound on Channing Way and tossed a bloody knife that was later found by police, according to Kusmiss.

Hoeft-Edenfield was booked into City of Berkeley Jail for one count of murder, Kusmiss said.

Wootton planned to study nuclear engineering in graduate school at UC Berkeley following his graduation this month, Birgeneau said.

"This futile and senseless killing is a loss felt by us all, including his teachers, friends and especially his fraternity brothers," Birgeneau said in a prepared statement.

The last killing of a Berkeley student was in 1998. Kenneth Ishida, 20, a Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity member, was carjacked and kidnapped from the garage of his apartment building, Kusmiss said. The killer shot and killed Ishida and dumped his body and his car.

Classes at UC Berkeley will continue Monday as scheduled, according to Marie Felde, a campus spokeswoman. University Health Services at the Tang Center will provide counseling for students, faculty and staff.

(taken from NBC)

SF gate says:
Wootton, who had a 3.8 grade point average at Cal, was scheduled to graduate with honors May 24. He was planning to stay at Berkeley and work on a master's degree in nuclear engineering...
Wootton's girlfriend, 20-year-old Brandy DeOrnellas, went to the Sigma Pi house Sunday to mourn with friends.

"I know Chris is always a mediator during altercations," she said. "Chris is always in the front trying to fix it. I believe in my heart that's what happened. I wish he would have stepped back and not tried to fix it. But he wanted to help his friends."

She said her boyfriend turned down scholarships to MIT and UC Santa Barbara and decided, instead, to do his graduate work at UC Berkeley, close to his girlfriend and his friends."
---
who knows what they were thinking, except that the both of them must have been extremely charged about whatever they were arguing about. One guy died, the other guy might as well have died considering the sentence he's bound to get. I'm not defending the suspect's actions; by all means it was a horrible thing to do. but i guess part of me does feel bad for him. Sure he killed someone. that's unforgivable. but i'm sure if he were thinking logically, and if he had cooled off a bit instead of adding fuel to the fire...he wouldn't have made such a stupid stupid move. And maybe then both of them might still have been alive today.
it's ironic; my friend told me that a few weeks ago he almost got into a fight with someone at the dining commons. it was a purely verbal/push and shove fight until they both backed down and sat at their tables. then, my friend said he saw the other guy pull out a knife or something from across the hall. luckily my friend was able to call his friends to walk out with him, so he was safe.

but man, it's really scary how people can act when their egos are high.

Posted by Angela Hsu at 9:18 PM | Permalink

Letter from EALC Chair
To All Students Wanting to Enroll in Fall:
Due to the budget situation, EALC is having to cut Chinese, Japanese, and Korean courses by over 50%. This means that not everyone currently enrolled will be able to enroll in the Fall semester. We will not be able to accommodate students from other Colleges and Schools (outside of Letters and Sciences) in our courses. We recognize that many of you need our courses to complete minor or major requirements, and we sincerely apologize to those of you who will need to change your plans.

We will continue to accept students from all colleges in our summer courses on a first-come, first-served basis. This coming summer we are offering Chinese 1, Chinese 10, Japanese 1, Japanese 10, Japanese 100, Korean 1, and Korean 10. We are also offering 4 literature courses: Chinese 7A and Japanese 7A in Session A; and Chinese 7A and Japanese 7B in Session D.

That sad message above was taken verbatim from the East Asian Languages and Cultures department website :http://ealc.berkeley.edu/message.htm

Pretty sad, isn't it?

http://savekoreanstudies.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html
http://www.angryasianman.com/2008/05/save-east-asian-languages-and-korean.html

"Thousands of UC students are protesting the drastic cuts made to East Asian language education at UC Berkeley. According to the projected budget figures for the next academic year, 66% of Korean language classes, 54% of Chinese language classes, and 40% of Japanese language classes will be eliminated. As a result of the cuts, more than 1500 students currently taking East Asian language classes will no longer be able to continue their studies."
"➢ Percentage of classes to be cut from each language in EALC
o Japanese 40%
o Chinese 54%
o Korean 66%
➢ Numbers of students to be cut from next year's classes
o Chinese: 550
o Japanese: 496
o Korean: 484"

I know California is going through a giant budget crisis, and some people will always get the short end of the stick. But i definitely feel like Ca schools have been living off the short end for quite some time now. I heard recently from my high school friends that college acceptance rates have been lower than ever this year. And, of course, tuition continues to increase. My professor last week told us that he receives around 50,000 a year even after getting a Ph.D. And now the east asian languages are feelin it too.
Here are some websites that you might want to look into for more information
http://www.petitiononline.com/ucbealc/petition.html
http://www.dailycal.org/article/101592

Posted by Angela Hsu at 8:43 AM | Permalink

http://makerfaire.com/

Pyrotechnics, robots, explosions, lasers, tesla coils, solar powered Arnold Schwarzenegger chariot.

I spent this past Saturday at the Maker Faire in San Mateo. The Maker Faire is a huge overwhelming spectacle of the most creative people in the bay area. I spent 10 hours there and still did not see everything it had to offer. I will try to recap some of the highlights:

This nightmarish thing:

An armada of cupcake people:

Some hotdogs cooked using lightning coming off a 25' tall tesla coil. Sorry, no video for this one just imagine lightning striking a hotdog and jumping from hotdog to hotdog down a 20' pole. As it got more intense the lightning began vaporizing the hotdog - this vaporization pulled hotdog bits into the arc and the color changed from brilliant purple to a vivid orange!

Posted by Eric Thurston at 3:00 PM | Permalink