I discovered many incomprehensible errors on my last entry due to the fact that I was extremely tired that night and had been practically falling asleep even while typing. I apologize for that and promise that I will use correct grammar and spelling today, and I will also use words the correct way.

So, tomorrow will be the day of my last final, for French 4. It's so difficult to believe that my first summer spent in Berkeley will so soon be over. This summer has been awesome, and with two French classes, I was able to recover my "skills" after a spring semester without French. I've learned so much within these eight weeks, and I'm infinitely grateful to my instructors for having all the patience to put up with my twenty thousand questions per day as well as many other things. Now, after my experience during Summer Session 2009, I have some advice to give in terms of the classes I took this summer. Perhaps in my next entry, I'll talk about past classes, but I have so much to write just about these few classes that today, I can only focus on these.

Continue reading "Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall" »

Posted by Jade Liu at 10:01 PM | Permalink

I am home right now, after session A of summer sessions have ended. I'm taking three classes during session C though, and I've been even busier than spring semester. But I'm done with Anthro 1. By the way, Anthro 1 (biological anthropology) was a really great class, like the other two anthro classes I've taken thus far at Berkeley (3AC and R5B). I recommend every one of them, and I find all the GSI's and professors in that department to be outstanding. They are all more responsible, knowledgeable, and interested in their subject than I would ever have imagined.

Now to my main subject for today, which is BART. I find BART an excellent mode of transportation for those living around the Bay Area and even for those who don't. The downtown Berkeley station is right next to campus (especially close to CNR headquarters), and the trains come so often that I never need to check any schedule. However, it is times like today that made me want to say that whereas BART can be a convenient way to get around, it may not be the most dependable way.class.

Continue reading "Life and BART Adventures" »

Posted by Jade Liu at 12:26 AM | Permalink

For better or for worse, in college we are faced with the opportunity to plan our days, months, and years however we want. This means that if we so choose, we may not get a summer at all. In fact, I know very few people who have no summer plans other than hanging out with friends and having fun. Most are either working or taking summer classes. I am doing the latter.

This summer, I am taking Anthropology 1, French 4, French 35, Public Health 162A, and PE 1 with a total of 15.5 units, a load equivalent to a fall or spring semester. A part of the reason is that I receive tuition from Stanford University due to my mother's benefits, but another part is that I am genuinely interested in these classes and they are useful at least to some part of my academic plans (the useful part is how I explain things to my mother), which I will reveal later.

Continue reading "Summer and Scheduling" »

Posted by Jade Liu at 11:09 PM | Permalink

Today, about a week after I have received my logon info, I have finally decided to create my first post. First, I would like to introduce myself. I'm Jade, and I am currently about to be a second year student majoring in nutritional sciences. My first year in college was filled with experiences that I shall hold dear, perhaps for the rest of my life. As I post more entries onto Fresh Faces, I will seek to share much of my experiences and intakes. I am sure that they will be very unique.

Now, I would like to give a heads up on my life in Berkeley for the past year. During the fall semester, I was primarily occupied with the marching band, which took up more time than I had anticipated. Through interactions with college students such as those in band as well as my floormates, I came to know what life may be like outside of my childhood as the only child of a widowed Chinese immigrant. I did not like what I found, and I became disillusioned at the importance so many people placed on social life and the differences between their values and my traditional ones, but as the spring semester approached, I began to find my niche. I found it in academics. That's the semester I decided to take on 23 units, plus University Chorus, which I wasn't doing for credit. I found that my place is wherever there is structure, wherever someone definite is in charge, wherever I can talk to others without socializing in its strictest sense. I know this is different for most people, but I do not regret anything.

That's it about my school life for now. I may go into more detail later, but now is not the time. This summer, what I'm doing, besides taking quite a few summer classes, is learning to drive. I've been postponing it long enough. So long, in fact, that the only reason I'm learning at all is because of parental pressure. Sigh...I've always denounced automobiles (it used to be televisions and computers too, but I've grown out of that). Automobiles give off too much stinky fumes. It's almost as bad as cigarette smoke, though not quite.

Well, it's very late now. I try to be conscious about my sleep schedule, but it doesn't always work. This has been quite a lengthy introduction. And now, I bid farewell.

Continue reading "Introduction" »

Posted by Jade Liu at 10:55 PM | Permalink

So today was the ESPM Ice Cream Social. I was planning on making an announcement here sooner, but I totally blanked on it yesterday. Sorry about that. For today, the ESPM department was giving away free cones of Ben & Jerry's ice cream to anyone who stopped by outside of Mulford. Some of the professors were scooping cones for people; it was pretty cool get a cone from Keith Gilless, acting dean of CNR. I wasn't able to stay for too long (I had to go to class), but just getting the chance to enjoy the beautiful weather and talk with some friends was great. The Strawberry Kiwi sorbet was pretty good, too. This event reminds me of why the ESPM department is pretty cool (and CNR as a whole).

Yeah, CNR is a pretty chill place to be.

Posted by Joel Kim at 3:02 PM | Permalink

You ever feel like there just isn't enough time to just sit down and relax, especially when finals are coming up so soon? On top of that, you are apartment hunting for next semester, which isn't easy, trying to still keep in contact with your friends, trying to go to lecture and STAY AWAKE when you've had 4 hours of sleep, and other random unneeded friend drama that always seems to pop up in the most untimely fashion? yes. Well, I figured out my way of de-stressing! obvious, one is writing in this blog, but other ways, little ways that help me, since I have 3 more years to go, are : chewing gum( to keep awake), go to the library( you can concentrate more), eating at least 2 meals a day( so you aren't' preoccupied with hunger when you are supposed to be studying), and dinner appointments with friends from time to time, study groups( help each other and maintain a balanced social life), walking around Berkeley at 7 am( quite peaceful), going to the Big C or botanical gardens. Other than that, i'm doing fine. Feel free to reply back or share your methods of de-stressing in Cal!

Posted by Casey Wang at 4:18 PM | Permalink

Here's what I learned when it comes to scrounging around for apartments in Berkeley- rumors and facts!!!:
1. begin 4 to 6 weeks in advance of your target move date.
2. if you rent a place in may or early june and then sublet it over the summer, be wary of the following:
a) you need your landlord's permission to sublet
b) if you don't find a subtenant, you might be stuck paying rent over the whole summer
3. if you are planning to live in berkeley during the summer, begin housing search in early mid-april wiht targeted moving day in late may or june.
4. try going on Craig's list or cal rentals to look for apartments
5. when looking at apartment, bring: roomates, safety issues, resume, transcripts, camera ( all explained below).
a) bring resume and transcripts since it will be very competitive when trying to get apartment from other people too. You want to look convincing, responsible, persuasive.
b) questions to ask: when to pay security deposit? utilities? sublet possible? How many people allowed? lease? payments? neighborhood? transportation- is there a bus stop nearby, etc?
c) bring a camera so when you get to the apartment, take pics of all furnishings before move in to check condition. This prevents difficulties when moving out of apartment and having potential extra charges......
d) meet the landlord to see what kind of person he/she is- nice, roud, etc.
e) if decide to get apartment, quickly sign lease to avoid missing your target.

hope this helps because I know as a freshman, apartment hunting can be a huge, unecessary headache !!!

Posted by Casey Wang at 12:07 PM | Permalink

Can you believe that this will be the only break we have until the end of the semester!!?? It's ridiculous. Now, we have 5 more weeks until finals.... time sure does fly. Spring break was fun- I went to San Francisco and it was actually WARM! My friends and I went to City Light Bookstore and it was really cool because we got to read books written by the owner of the bookstore! I never knew I would love poetry so much until I went here. Then, I went to Pier 39 and walked around looking at all the shops there. Oh my gosh!!! There was this cute musical box store that had hand made italian made music boxes that were so lavish and intricate and beautiful!! but everything in it was like 800 to 1000 dollars!!!! It was mental anguish i tell you...:(

Continue reading "Spring Break" »

Posted by Casey Wang at 11:47 AM | Permalink

So this semester, I've decided to get more involved on Cal campus and spend less time studying! It's been a great goal. What have I done differently? Well, I've been swimming at least 2 days a week now(yay me, even though it seems pathetic!), joining more clubs, and signed up for a DeCal. This one decal is amazing- Relay for Life Decal! In the two hours on thursdays that I spend time there, we get to listen to a different speaker each time speaking about cancer, typical job professions in the health field. Then, we split up into our committees and plan for the much anticipated upcoming event: Relay for Life. For those of you who don't know what relay for life is about- it's a 24 hour event held( for cal, behind the RSF on May 3rd) where participants, people, volunteers spend one day to fight back cancer- hosting games, teams( where we walk for 24 hours straight), entertainer- make aware of cancer. Not only have I learned much more about different types of cancer, I've taken an active role in preparing for this event and I know it's going to be lots of fun!!! So, all you reading this, come!!

So, after I joined this, I became involved in CAC(colleges against cancer) club and we've been doing many fund raising activities to bring awareness about various cancers and going to volunteer events. The other club I joined was PILLS- it's a club for interested pre-pharmacy students. It's a great club in that it advises you on the classes you should take to get into pre-pharm grad school, the various opportunities that you can get involved in right now that involve this field, and just networking with other like-minded people. I find that making the choice to get more involved has created a great balance so far- academically and socially. Anyway, my next goal is to find an apartment for next semester, although I'm quite reluctant to search for one since I've heard that it's quite difficult?

Posted by Casey Wang at 4:34 PM | Permalink