So this semester, I decided to apply for URAP and looking at our NST department, I was in luck. There were many new projects that were available this year and I quickly applied. Along with four other undergrads, we got accepted in the Vulpe lab! I'm so excited to be a part of the research that we're doing. Let me introduce to you what daphnas are. They are nicknamed" water fleas," because these little transparent "bugs" can swim around really fast in the water. We are using these daphnias for toxicity assays in hopes for the long run goal: testing environmental ( mainly water) and ecological effects on toxicants. It's great to solve mysteries in lab, especially when things don't go as planned . For instance, part of my role

Continue reading "Working with Daphnias" »

Posted by Casey Wang at 8:22 PM | Permalink

So, what's the story behind the faculty/student/staff walkout happening on Thursday? It's really a culmination, a build up of seemingly little changes in the university system. At first, there was the increase in tuition, then the class sizes getting bigger( having two sections for the same class becoming squeezed into one big class with max entry), less discussion classes held per week. These increases are affecting students. But, also, professors- the layoffs, furloughs, and, learning more about furloughs- I found out that professor's unpaid time off work is required to be on days off their research days- this, while seems like a "day off" actually hurts them instead of helps. Since, professor's side job is research, cutting into that is not fair.

Now, an interesting thing to take note is that professors are walking out. But, what about the lecturers? Lecturerers, get paid less than professors, but nonetheless, do a great job at teaching. They just don't have research. Like a teacher, a lecture-er may be part of a union and as part of their contract, they are not allowed to protest. As much as some have voiced their solidarity to support the walkout, they may choose to remain teaching on that day for fear of losing their job due to breach of contract. That may be why some teachers are staying to teach on Thursday.

Another interesting fact is that 25% of allocated resources from university is funding, funding for research. The rest is tuition for education. Due to the cuts, less funding has resulted and now, students who aren't on financial aid or scholarships or workstudy, are in a way, paying for those research funding which basically means that what used to be a benefit to be living in California ( certain privileges since Californians pay tax), those students are basically PAYING for their education now....and more. That is why it is crucial to join the walkout on Thursday. If not, at least support in some other way. I found this facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=138689602704

Whatever your position may be, being aware of how changes are affecting you is important in critiquing and questioning what public education has become and what will happen in the future.

Posted by Casey Wang at 11:46 PM | Permalink

Back to school again! Ready for new beginnings and a fresh start? With new goals in mind, new activities to try out, I am definitely ready to get back into shape. Don't forget, Caltopia held in the RSF gym, free! it's a great way to get free stuff, play fun games, learn about different stores/businesses near Berkeley( comcast if you need internet/cable, luna bars if you're into that stuff and are an athlete, travel companies in case you live far away and need discount tickets for that thanksgiving trip back home), food......just a great way to hang out with friends you didn't get to see all summer! Yes, it's held on Sunday and Monday!

Also, Make sure you print out your class schedule and know where your classrooms are! And don't forget to get your class pass sticker near lower Sproul! Make sure to check out any clubs you might want to join( watch for announcements), sign up for RSF membership( it's only 10 dollars for the whole semester!), use those meal points, get your books via cal student store, book exchange, ned's or friends! And good luck this semester!

Posted by Casey Wang at 10:36 PM | Permalink

YAY! I'm finally done with mcb 102! It's a sad-happy farewell. Most people will tell you that summer classes are "easier." However, I truly believe it's all perspective. Good thing i didn't come into the class thinking that because I guarantee you, if you do, you are misled and may end up getting caught off guard on your midterm. While you go faster paced and cover like 2 chapters a day, there is no memorization involved, and some lessons are skipped, for this course at least. Also, even though the midterms were every two weeks, the material was fresh in my head! I know my friend who took lab class and had a 5 hour class i think twice a day... that's intense. As for the material, we cover the same amount, and it depends on whether you like to memorize or want to fully grasp the concepts. I loved summer school just because you have more time in the day to study, most students studied and worked together ( i guess, it's because most are only taking one or two classes and a job, which isn't as stressful), the professors I had were amazing! They had extra office hours, and were very helpful and loved to get to know their students more, GSI's were excellent and loved what they were doing, and with the addition of great summer weather, what' s there not to love? I learned how to grasp the concepts and actively engage in the material( which isn't something learned overnight), and that was the one goal I had intended to achieve in the beginning of the summer! yay me! I enjoyed learning the material and really knowing how to apply these facts to different scenarios instead of memorizing and regurgitating the info: it was enlightening, and felt like I had a deeper understanding of bio, made the material more satisfying= like filling in the gaps to the unfinished story in..... a way..... and you walk away content. All in all, despite summer school being expensive, it was a wonderful experience.

Posted by Casey Wang at 10:11 PM | Permalink

Our tuition is going to increase as you all know, by 9% this fall. Furthermore, if there are no more grants next fall, loans will be taken out which means more money that students need to owe and try to pay off. This brings extra stress on top of trying to pay for rent, groceries, and bills. Furthermore, I heard from a friend that funds for research will decrease and thus, less research opportunities will be provided, and the chance to work with great professors will be diminished. I know in my sister's high school, new teachers were getting "pink slips," which means they are being laid off by seniority-...... "last in first out." I went to go and visit in the spring and some students remarked that the new teachers shouldn't be the one being laid off as they are the most enthusiastic, making learning more interesting. As of now, this is what we have to deal with and cope with. Pessimism is not the right way to see the situations at hand. I always like to look at the positives. There may be many obstacles and hardships along the way, but we just have to do the best we can to cope and find solutions to whatever blocks we meet

Posted by Casey Wang at 11:32 AM | Permalink

So, as Cal So is continuing, summer classes are starting another session, and starting another semester means one step closer to graduation, many must wonder, with the economy this bad, going to grad school or not is a hard choice. For me, I had thought I wanted to go into pharmacy grad school, but I still wasn't sure whether it was right for me. I also wanted to make sure I had back-up plans, and sitting here, I had zero. Panicked, i decided to go to the career center, callisto. Now, for all those wondering, no, the career center is not familiar with course schedules- for instance, I freshman was wondering what courses/major would help her "get into med school." Career counselors are there to help with career goals, interests, med/vet/law/pharm/grad school informations. Course information - specific questions, should be tailored to advisors in your college.

I went onto the career website, and signed up for a 45 minute appointment. there are two options- a 15 mini appointment( usually for resume help/interview mock help), or 45 minute one,which is helpful if you wanted to discuss options of career paths/interests. It's one on one, very personal, very helpful and they are full of resources. I mean,walking into the center, there were binders full of information about international careers, nonprofit careers, grad school careers, internships, fellowships, information.

So, the career counselor advised me to take the skills survey questionarre- this requires a password so you have to sign up with a career counselor first- and at first impression, I assumed it'd be those broad questions that would list a bunch of occupations that fit

Continue reading "career center visit" »

Posted by Casey Wang at 6:27 PM | Permalink

Hello! It's been a long time since I've written on the blogs. Summer once
again, has arrived and every time, I take time to reflect on my past
semester and find improvements or positives that I found. For spring of
09, I took NST 159-human diet, NST 114-pesticide and toxicology, Bio, and
physics. It was a heavy load but altogether, I have no regrets, except for
maybe trying to change my study strategies. So I always start with one
goal that I want to achieve every summer- i call it-the improvement goals-
so last semester, I realized that I was spending hours studying for
physics and bio but all the hard work didn't pay off in terms of the
grades that I got. They were all interesting courses and I learned many
new, interesting facts, but at times it was frustrating to see the dismal
results. So, here's my plan: the old saying, study smart not hard? Yea,
trying to figure out thatmystery still and that's what I plan to do, along
with my pharmacy job and mcb 102( so excited for this class! NOT kidding-
since you get to combine bio and chemistry into real life applications
that seem relevant to what I want to do in the future) this summer( and
housing). So some tips that i wish i knew before coming to berkeley:
effective study strategies, like i wish there was a class for this in high
school. By the way, there is a class in cal- it's one of the Education 98
pass/no pass classes( yes, I was curious). Onto the postiives- I loved all
my classes, but more of the human diet and pesticide classes. Pesticide
class was challenging since the tests were all fill in the blank and was
very science( chemistry ) oriented- i recommend taking that in upper div.
But, it was fun learning about the pesticides, things that are often
overlooked but make a great impact on agriculture, science,and the
environement. Professor Milton for the human diet course was very funny(
adorable really). There's lots of reading but it's fun reading and very
much so a useful class. Both of these were great since it allowed me to
learn new outside information that I never knew before- I definitily feel
those IQ points adding up. Yup, I'm also still debating on which major to
choose between: toxicology or nutrisci, so my next schedule will be combo
of nst 103, 110, physics 8b and maybe a decal/PAL and work. Well, enjoy
the summer! Don't forget to go to the gym( making up for the 5 months that
I neglected- haha... chips and desserts were good though), relax, have fun
with friends, and family!

Posted by Casey Wang at 10:26 AM | Permalink

Interested in helping the environemnt? I read about this project that the 4/5 classroom created. The main idea is to conserve energy and help the environemnt. So, without using paper, I asked myself, well, if you switch to electronics to do your homework, wouldn't you be wasting electricity and battery, which aren't "recyclable?" They answered that clearly:
" you can also save energy by doing a large amount of work on the computer and using a renewable resource for your electricity like wind, water, or solar power. Also, you get the advantages of iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, Internet access, Powerpoint, and much more! It would be good for us and our wonderful Earth.To do a day without paper is a great thing to do especially when our environment needs it most. But, Laptop batteries can not be recycled, and if you are only doing a small amount of work you may be wasting energy, so it may be better to use a renewable resource like paper from trees. Still, save paper."

Take a look! See if you can try this for a day! I will!

Continue reading "A Day Without Paper!" »

Posted by Casey Wang at 8:10 PM | Permalink

So as a new school year has just begun, I realized that I had yet to select another class in order to meet the minimum 13 requirement. If any of you are in the same dilemma, here were some suggestions that I thought of:

http://schedule.berkeley.edu/ and
under the SPRING 2009 there's a category for open and suggested courses that you could take

take a Decal- most start this week!!!

sign up for breadths/ minor requirements

sign up for PE classes - .5 units

take another course that may satisfy a Berkeley requirement at a community college( use assist.org to verify) and then get a petition for concurrent enrollemnt at 260 Mulford- i'd say this would be the last option
Hope this helps!!! AND of course, have fun! It's the spring rush this week which means free food and lots of networking for the freshman!

Posted by Casey Wang at 2:55 PM | Permalink

So this rainy Sunday, my roommate and I went to volunteer for Karma Kitchen. It was a wonderful experience- everyone was kind, patient and appreciative of the love and generosity. It was a great feeling! There was so much delicious naan,yummy apple crisp and refreshing rice pudding and mango lasse. These foods were all served and shared by volunteers( including me), given to the guests. The special outcome is in hopes that everyone will pay it forward and do something kind in return for someone else. For instance, we had a karma patch in the corner where farmers gave out free organic foods and fruit. We in return, spread their kindness by continuing this cycle. It really takes one act of kindness and slowly, everyone feels good- the receiver and the giver. It was definitely a great atmosphere- no expectations, no grudges, no rudeness, just appreciation, love, and generosity. If you would like to experience this or volunteer, go ahead onto their website at karmakitchen.org. They are located at Taste of the Himalayas and every Sunday for lunch, this is where it all starts and continues.

Posted by Casey Wang at 7:38 PM | Permalink

Now that finals are almost over, here's what I plan to do over the break- besides of course, sleeping tons and eating lots of food, I really want to be productive as well. Here's what I set out to accomplish:

1. make teramisou cake
2. make pad Thai ( cus I love thai food!)- including the yummy sauce( which I heard is pretty hard to produce), and the peanut sauce
3. think of new foods I can eat over the school semester( since I lived off pasta, frozen veggies, and toast this whole 4 months here).
4. watch movies
5. volunteer
6. family

These are not numbered in terms of priority just a list of random things I want to do before we have to get back to school again. What are yours? Any traveling? Vacation? There should be tons of snow now, given the horrible, cold, windy, weather we've been having- surprised I am not sick yet( knock on wood....) Well enjoy your break ! I plan to volunteer for karma kitchen organization( taste of the Himalayas place) this Sunday so look for a post on that!!!

Posted by Casey Wang at 12:13 PM | Permalink

Ever since Telebears 2, I have had to reorganize my schedule. So, according to my new plan, I would have to take IB 132L over the summer. However, I might also take either MCB 102 or econ/speech at a community college. I heard that MCB 102 is super hard during the Fall/ Spring but it depends on whom you ask. From what I gather, it's hard in the fall because it's more memorization involved; in the summer, the course seems to be more conceptual and the final is open book! For me, though, I am more of a memorizer so fall year would be technically, "easier."

Anyway, if you plan to take summer classes, enroll early and note that it's 254 dollars per unit!!! and a 92 one time campus fee. Note also the session you are in. Anyway, plan early because summer session tends to fill quickly.

If you are taking classes at a community college, make sure that the units are transferrable to uc berkeley- if you want credit! just got to assist.org and you can see which courses are co-listed with our school. Happy studying!!!

Posted by Casey Wang at 11:57 AM | Permalink

sigh. one thing to note: when the library becomes a permanent home because your apartment always feels like an iceberg, you know you have a problem! Hint for people looking for apartments: get one that DOESN'T say "heater is provided!" in the contract nor the one on the first floor with lots of windows. The problem with that is since the landlord controls the heating system, depending on I guess, the kind of people they are, they may/may not turn on the heater! In my case, the heater is most of the time, never on! So, that is when communication with the manager comes in. So if they are nice, they'll fix the problem, in which they did, since I think one could technically sue them for not providing heat.... i don't know. But the main problem now is that even though the heater is on ( for an hour a day :( boo) , the heating system that comes with the apartment doesn't permeate/dissipate the heat into the room so that it's warm! Okay, reality, just take into consideration how worth it you think the apartment is. For instance, when you meet with you landlord and manager of the building, make sure you get to know them better and also your neighbors( to get the inside scoop, if they are nice ;) ) Furthermore, if you are on the first floor with lots of windows, it might get cold! So consider getting a portable heater from home. Most apartments in Berkeley are old houses and will tend to have the old , 60's looking heater so when apartment hunting, make sure to note how old the house is and what accommodation you are willing to put up with! Anyway, I guess going to the library these few days aren't so bad since it is finals time!

Posted by Casey Wang at 6:33 PM | Permalink

Yes, it's weird. My telebears was unusually late this semester! I mean, don't we upperclassmen have priority? But, fortunately, I got into my classes! Here's what I'm taking:

- Bio 1A/ 1AL
-Physic 8a/ AL
- NST 114
- NST 104

Hmm.. though, I wonder if it's manageable. I heard Bio 1A is super hard and 1 AL is even more crazy- there's this lab midterm which requires you to go around for 30 or 15 seconds looking at each station of specimen under the microscope! Physics 8a, is okay depending on your background. For me, I took general phsyics so it might be challenging. So, yes, I'm going to be brushing up on my physics- haha, maybe i'll even have my sister, who's taking physics right now to teach me! ;) Furthermore, there's two professors teaching physics, one of whom is new, so that'll be interesting to see how this course plays out. But, the lab isn't bad.

Then, the two upper div classes I intend to take are electives so they should be interesting and fun! From experience, if you have two "hard" courses, try to balance it out with electives/decal/ clubs/seminars so you a) meet the minimum requirements for your college, and b) aren't going to be stressing the first day back from winter break! Good luck on finals!

Posted by Casey Wang at 6:06 PM | Permalink

Now that break is over, I keep sitting here in my apartment forlornly wishing I could go back home again =( Thanksgiving break was very refreshing- seeing old friends and family was much needed. In fact, the most wonderful thing besides the huge ochem report (grrrr) was thanksgiving dinner, we didn't have turkey, which is fine, Then, thanksgiving day got me thinking: the origin of thanksgiving dates back to the pilgrims and Native Americans "rejoicing and embracing eachother" (yet of course, that story as we all should know, is very much far awaaaay from the truth.) So, for me, thanksgiving is the mere appreciation of all that has been, still is, and will be. Anyway, back to the story: My family had a homecooked meal with ham and cranberry sauce, yummy potatoes with a cinammon-yam sauce to top it off ( though we put to much cinnamon..oops :) ). and of course, pumpkin pie!!! pumpkin pie thogh is actually better cold for some reason, cus when I at it right when it came out of the oven, it was all moisty and tasteless, but if you drink honey water with the pumpkin pie, it's better. random, i know, i was just experimenting.

besides the splendid food, this was a great break and now two more weeks and telebears phase 2 until home once again! study hard and remember to take frequent breaks in between so you don't burn out!

Posted by Casey Wang at 1:32 PM | Permalink

Have you heard of Taste of Himalayas? It's a restaurant ( Nepalian I think) that serves free meals on sundays, which is the staff's way of showing gratitude to others for sharing their kindness. You just walk in there, they give you a meal, and it costs zero dollars. The catch, or what they are aiming for, is that you in return, do something nice by giving back and continue to help others. This whole thing got me thinking- "pay it forward" is, you might have heard, a concept that people ideally, will spread the "gift of giving". I really find it misleading that it's a called a concept or theory or idea. I mean, shouldn't this act of generosity be natural and instinctive? Of course, there are many people/authors who disagree with my statement. But, if you want get the experience yourself, yea, you should go! It's on north side, next to party sushi. For me, Taste of the Himalays was a great experience and it made me feel really full and satisfied.

Posted by Casey Wang at 1:20 PM | Permalink

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~hmap/HSI/hsi.php
Reflecting on this past semester which is almost coming to an end( finals :( .....) I am very grateful that I chose to do this internship. It is part of the HMAP program and provides an experience that usual undergrad students cannot see in a research or hospital environment. Since HSI's mission centers around public health in different communities, I had the chance of learning about non-profit organizations and their roles in addressing the different issues in a community. For my internship site, I am working with EPIC, which focuses on prevention and education about youth conerning alochol and tobacco issues. Furthermore, I got to shadow another intern during the semester to understand the wide range that public health encompasses.

Continue reading "HSI-Health Service Internship" »

Posted by Casey Wang at 11:23 PM | Permalink

I am thinking of changing my major to MoTox and minoring in N.S. Pretty much, for undergrad, both majors have overlapping courses, so those who are thinking of which major to do, try taking NST 10 and 11 to get a better feel of the different fields. Anyway, If you are thinking of minoring, your advisor has all these great resources about what requirements are needed. So, it seems, to minor in NS, you need to take NST 10, NST 103, NST 106, NST 160 and NST elective of your choice. Mind you, it may seem like a little amount, but don't forget to sign up for courses for your degree and other classes that you need to get into grad school. And, of course, Mo Tox minoring will require a different set of classes, as well as for other minors in CNR. Anyway, seemed like something informative to share. Hope it helped!

Posted by Casey Wang at 6:05 PM | Permalink

In case you were wondering, for motox and nutri -sci majors, MCB 32 is a requirement for a diploma and a prerequisite to some upper division classes. However, for those in motox, MCB 32L is a requirement as well. However, due to the frustrating budget cut, they don't offer MCB 32L this semester and am not sure when they will get a lab portion( it looks likely though, in the next year, as I have heard- rumors though...). Good solution is that you can take an upper div course that's equivalent, either IB 132/132L( that note, has a prerequisite of IB 131/131L but i'm sure you'd be fine without taking that course) or CPMB 112/112L. So, you're wondering, why am I worried about not fulfilling this tiny lab requirement? I would like to get into pharm school and has a prepharm requirement, the physiology section needs to be filled as 32L or IB 132L. As I am taking 32 right now, dropping it to take IB 132/132L next semester( since it's only offered in the spring)would be futile since I'd be short on minimum number of units. But, as always, I find a solution to my troubles- and that is, taking IB 132L in the summer. Hopefully, this works out. So, just a heads up on what's going on.

Posted by Casey Wang at 5:12 PM | Permalink

So, the week before school started, I decided to take a "road trip" down to Santa Barbara, Goleta specifically, to visit a friend. It definitely was a great vacation that I hope to take again! Taking the bus down, I counted about 15 cities that I passed to get to my destination. 5 hours of sitting down finally ended and I took my first step off to sunny southern california. Right off the train, I fell in love with SoCal. The weather was spectacular! I love how warm the climate is all year round! The palm trees are beautiful and night life is so exciting! I mean, at 9 pm, there will be people crowding around clubs already?! Another plus, was that the beach was 2 minutes away! I could hear the waves from my friend's apartment and could not wait to jump in the waters! Boy was it an adventure! In order to get to the other side of the sand, there were these rocks that jutted out, dividing the sand. So, never having gone climbing except on those blow up machine- rock climbing- games, I was scared! I mean, one slip off a rock could leave you plunging into the water. Anyway, it took 30 minutes to get to the other side and finally, I was on the warm sand, safe and unscathed, thankfully. What's interesting to note is that the beaches here are very special. If you lift your feet up, you'll notice a bunch of black stuff stuck to your feet. That, yes, surprise! is tar! It is due to the oil spoil that happened in 1969. Look! I seem to learn something new everyday! Anyway, It ended up taking twenty minutes of hard baby oil rubbing skills to get all that off. It was worth it though! Every minute in SoCal was wonderful. And now, of course, with no regrets for these three months in summer, I am somewhat ready to go back to school......

Posted by Casey Wang at 2:56 PM | Permalink

So, this summer, my second job requires extra energy and patience. As a childcare TA, I look after kids age 4 to 12 at a childcare center. My main job of course is to entertain them and discipline them. I realized that I do most of the discipling but when they do behave and I am playing wallball with them, memories of my childhood come flooding back. I miss it! It's amazing that after 14 years, kids are still playing the games that I used to play- origami, cats cradle, wall ball....but of course, I did see some differences as well- more computer games, gameboys, i mean, where'd the landyard making days go? or when did the exciting treasure hunt games go? Kids seem to be easily bored by these games and are so anxious to do anything- any game that involves computers! Anyway, on the flip side, I also realized that kids are just so cute and innocent...the way they( or we), used to be....., but i guess at that age, they need it and guidance. I mean, when kids fight, I don't try to intervene- that's my philosophy= i really just address the problem and asks the kids how they would like it to be handled and let them talk it out- make sure they know that I won't baby them but let them figure things out themselves. And that's my job and I make sure that's what they learn- how to work together. this summer definitely was not boring! Which reminds me... i need to start thinking about back to school shopping....

Posted by Casey Wang at 10:00 AM | Permalink

What excitement! This summer, I've committed to volunteering at the hospital in the pharmacy department, as I am interested in becoming a pharmacist. Usual duties that I do: package drugs, check for expiration dates. It's simple, relaxing.It is great! So, last tuesday, while I was packaging drugs, a pharmaist, jane, runs towards me and says, "Casey , right?!" and I am like, "yes, did you need something?" It turns out, she needed me to run to the OR room to deliver a drug because the previous one she sent down was the wrong one!!!! ( the medication contained alcohol, which, for a patient in surgery recovery, i guess, it might be bad?) AND, being new, I had no idea where the OR room was, and the badge that was required for special access to the OR room wasn't working!

Continue reading "The GREAT Excitement" »

Posted by Casey Wang at 5:33 PM | Permalink

Thank goodness the Alameda County Fair was held these last two weeks and not these past two day- it's sooo hot! There were so many people at the fair this year, compared to that of last year. I think that it's because of the economy. Nobody wants to go out on vacation or travel. So, where better to go than one's own hometown fair?! Well, that's what I did and earned money! I worked at the Lottery Booth as a cashier and they were exciting times. Someone won 1000 dollars on a scratcher! Then there were little 300 dollar winners here and there! It's amazing! I felt really happy for them when they won big!! Besides those wonderful events, there were other attractions and vendors there! One was a speedpainter! He used spray cans and created beautiful art, to his music in under 3 minutes! The color scheme was amazing and his imagination was incredible! I'm so glad I got a chance to witness that! Of course, there was also horseracing, the main attraction, livestock, shows, concerts( Fastball, comedians, actors, etc.), and rides, and of course the FOOD( funnel cake, garlic fries, hot dog, ) though I must confess, food there is expensive.... anyway, I encourage anyone who has not gone to a fair to go!! It's so much fun especially when you go with friends or family! You don't want to miss out!

Posted by Casey Wang at 9:11 AM | Permalink

Hey guys! Summer's finally here and I am already bored! I watched all the movies that I missed while in school during the first two weeks of summer. Then, I as I was sitting on my lawn chair enjoying the weather, I decided to write up a summer plan to keep productive. As I reccommed you should do as well, we should all make goals/ things that we never got to do during the busy school year. For me it was , EXERCISING- hitting the gym and swimming, learning to cook for next semester( i'm living in an apartment and avoiding dorm food now!!!- miss the garlic late night fries though :(. ), learning to drive the highway- yes, it sounds surprising and pathetic, but that is the sad truth, spending lots of time with the family( i do realize that my parents treat me more like an adult now that I've been in college, which is quite nice), and of course earning big money!!! ( haha...it's only minimum wage, unfortunately) I'm working at the fair right now-Alameda County fair, that is, babysitting other times, and working at New York and Company. For now, that's all I'm doing! Yes, Don't forget to also have fun with your friends! Summer should be relaxing, exciting, interesting, and eventful! Bye!

Posted by Casey Wang at 9:49 AM | 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

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

CNR is a great college to be in. The advisors are very supportive, have great answers and resources to any questions that you have, especially during telebears time! Most of my friends who are in Letters and Science are clueless when it comes to scheduling- what classes, which classes are needed to fullfill their major, and such. I mean, ratemyprofessor.com can only help a little in terms of which professors to choose, but it all comes down to what classes you actually need. For instance, since I am a NS/ intended Motox major, I need to take Bio 1A. Most of peers say that Bio 1B is the easier bio so taking that first would be better. However, after going to talk with my advisor, I realized that I can't do that. For Motox and NS majors, in order to take one of the upper div class for spring 2009, Bio 1A is a prerequisite. So, if I had taken Bio 1B for the fall, I would not have been able to be on track towards my major. I am also taking MCB 32. It usually comes with the lab part, but due to the budget cut, there isn't one. One alternative is to take an upper div lab, or just take an upper div physiology class later. However, CNR may waive that requirement later on if MCB 32L is still not available. MAY! Anyway, when you are scheduling, make sure to balance out science classes and other varieties of subjects- english, ac class, social science class,etc. Otherwise, you will definitly feel very stressed during the semester, especially if you are going to have 5 hours of lab for every science class you take.

Posted by Casey Wang at 1:10 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

So, I went to a undergrad research workshop yesterday. It was very informative. Before I went in, I had no idea why and how important doing research was, besides the fact that it looked good on a resume:). Anyway, as I was handed thick packets of info, I learned from others great ways to find a research topic. First off, though, you need to find a mentor. You can either find one first and then brainstorm topics, or have a research proposal in mind then find a mentor. Good hints I heard were that setting a specified number of hours to how much time your mentor would be devoting to you is a good indicator to how well you and the mentor will be able to make the best out of your research.

Research is a great opportunity to explore your interests and it's exciting- shows how motivated you are and how interested you are in your major. It shows you took initiative and of course, it's more of a hands-on application type of work, rather than reading dryly out of a textbook and going to lectures. Other tactics/alternatives I found out:

1. senior honor thesis- shows up on transcript
2. join OUR very own CNR undergrad research SPUR
3. URAP-i heard a rumor that they like junior transfers a lot!!
4. to find out what research you even want to do, start taking classes you are interested in. Perhaps, then, you can find a potential research topic!

Hope this helps to all the freshman/sophomores interested in undergrad research! I know it helped me!

Posted by Casey Wang at 8:02 PM | Permalink

Well, I just got back into Berkeley today. It felt very different. For one, you don't have to tell your parents that you're going out, when you'll be back, or be forced to eat a plateful of veggies anymore!! But, waking up at 12 pm won't be an option or luxury anymore now that school has begun. Since it is a new year, I recommend that students set new goals for themselves. What had they wish they'd done last semester? Study more, get involved more, or exercise more? I guess I'd have to confess that I should have managed my time better with exercising and going to more clubs, but most importantly, managing my meal points. Definitely! Last semester, I was at 0 meal points 3 weeks before finals!! Not good. Thoough, the 1 dollar grill cheese sandwich at GBC was not bad!! This semester, I also decided to take 17 units, which isn't bad for a freshman since it usually depends on the types of courses, not necessarily the amount of units. This advice I got from the PAL program- mentor blogs in our department! I'm taking Psych2, english, math16a, chem 3a/3l, NST 11. I'm really excited about NST11 and even yes, organic chemistry. Everyone says that it's hard but I want to see for myself!! Let you know the details as soon as school begins!! By the way, books are sooo expensive. Sometimes, new editions keep appearing, I mean, it really isn't necessary to buy new editions.... i think...

Posted by Casey Wang at 12:26 PM | Permalink

Getting gum grafts during the winter break definitely ruined my break for a week. Let me tell the experience I had in the chair first. I had to get gum grafting for three teeth that were semi-wiggling which meant I didn't have enough gum/bone to hold them up. Remember, only on three teeth. This is very important to remember. So, I walked into the "operating" room, and my doctor was nice and amiable. She walked in and was like "What movie would you like to watch?" The movie was to help distract patients so we couldn't see the blood I guess. Well, Catch me if You Can was my all time favorite and an adventurous one- actually, it was either that movie or Material Girls. Anyway, after she put the numbing medicine on, I felt a little better about the this whole ordeal. But, if she thought not being able to see was supposed to comfort me, I felt like she should've given us ear muffs or plugs!! I could hear all kinds of drills and knives and suction. My imagination was taking over and my heart was beating so fast that I swear, my chair was pounding too. Anyway, she took a knife-like object, split open the gum. First, though, since a gum graft requires an addition of extra tissue, she had to get the tissue from somewhere right? Yes. She took it from the palate- the roof of my mouth. So, this is the feeling I got. It felt like she took a spoon and was digging into my tissue, like scooping ice cream. It hurt so much. Mind you, she did this to the whole roof of my mouth, not just a tiny section of it!!! Then, all of a sudden, I feel this string-like material coming out of my mouth and it was long(tissue perhaps?). She then told the dental hygienist to cut it. The next step was excruciating. In order to add the tissue to the lower jaw, she had to tie it. Literally. I thought maybe she'd just stuff the tissue in but no, she tied it into my jaw, like tying a shoelace. With each knot, jolts of pain ran down my mouth and entire body. After an hour, she was like, "how do you feel? That wasn't so bad." Sure..... "By the way,during the operation, I decided to put tissue on the whole lower jaw instead of just on 3 teeth."

Continue reading "For Future Oral Surgeons" »

Posted by Casey Wang at 9:29 AM | Permalink

I seriously feel like I have midterms every two weeks.. it just doesn't stop. Anyway good advice is to not go into the exam room thinking its hard .Cus if you do, you end up analyzing the questions too much and end up getting the wrong answer because you thought too hard. If you just go in with confidence, then it's a lot simpler. Or this could just be a psychological thing. Besides suffocating midterms, going out to join clubs and seeking other resources around campus helps establish connections with new people and definitely makes Berkeley seem a lot smaller and less like a huge maze. Anyyway gooood luuch on midterms, and don't forget to relax afterwards:)

Posted by Casey Wang at 11:38 AM | Permalink

Weelll, moving in wasn't as stressful as I thought it would be. Since I'm on the first floor, I didn't have to move heavy luggage up long flights of stairs. Also, since I'm living in a triple and the only one from California, I was very excited to meet new faces and too busy anticipating their arrival than stressing out about moving in. My roommates finally arrived- one is from Belgium and the other from Wisconsin, so it was different getting to know people from out of state/country, since I barely step out of sunny California. Two days into welcome week, and I'm sooo sore.

Continue reading "Welcome Week" »

Posted by Casey Wang at 8:07 PM | Permalink

Hey again. Relay for Life was on July 27-28 this year in my hometown. I've participated in Relay for Life for two years now and have joined American Cancer Society for three years now. Every year it's exciting. Every year brings wonderful feelings. Especially the luminaria ceremony. When all the participants gathered on the track for the luminaria ceremony, the glow sticks shone brightly and everyone walked the track while music played in the background. Then, we all discurssed how we, the participants are the "HOPE".Hope for cancer patients and cancer prevention. For now, I just want to share more info about recent cancer news. This was taken from http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_How_Much_Do_You_Know_About_What_Causes_Cancer.asp

Continue reading "Relay For Life" »

Posted by Casey Wang at 4:24 PM | Permalink

My family and I flew to Irvine, California for a family reunion/ Grandpa's 90th birthday. It was fun trying to speak Mandarin, actually, butchering and stuttering in all my broken sentences. It's actually only my second reunion and the first consisted of my other grandpa's funeral reunioness. So, anyway, it was fun... we gotta eat like 500 dollars worth of dinner and my cousins and uncles/aunts were very fun to be around. The most memorable experience during those three days though, was when we had to take pics. The place we were at was sooo hot and suffocating.
Apparently, I wasn't the only one. My dad suddenly started breaking out into a sweat and feeling numb everywhere. We all thought it was a stroke. Lost, we called for an ambulance. Now, I know that a stroke only occurs on half side of the body, not the whole. Hint hint.He's fine now, thank goodness. Anyway, I hope that we'll have another reunion soon.

Posted by Casey Wang at 9:08 AM | Permalink

Working at Sears as a cashier would seem like an easy, no- brainer job. Hah. Think again. I actually learned many skills there. For instance, learning how to fold clothes or dealing with difficult customers who want to return items that are pass the 90 day limit. Like this customer. Geez. She and her husband come in. I smile and greet them. When I look down, I see a toy that has been somewhat neatly placed back in its container, but the container was wrapped with clear tape, like attacked with tape more so. So, the lady asks, " I need to make a return, please. " Okay, so as I'm doing the return, the computer replied back as "invalid" I look down at the receipt and the DATE SAYS 01/13/04.!!!!!!!! I mean, c'mon. This is like three years old!!!!!!,. NOT only that, it's a toy!! It's probably cus her kid decided that he doesn't like the toy anymore and the mom wants her money back. I mean, you could put it up for a garage sale or send it to a place where the less fortunate kids can play with it. I kindly tell her about our Sears policy and she says," Well, I can't believe u aren't going to help me. I am never coming back." Whatever. But what I learned there was valuable, i mean, i kept my own opinions to myself and didn't even yell at her own mistake. Bye.

Posted by Casey Wang at 9:22 AM | Permalink

Hey. So, this summer, I signed up for yoga classes. This yoga class definitely beats all the other ones that I have gone to. I see results, I have effective teachers, and I actually enjoy it. It's also very philosophy-like so I get to get more out of it(i like to think). For instance, every day towards the end we recite this saying:
I honor the place in which the entire universe dwells
I honor the light in you, which is of love, of truth, and of faith?( i don't remember)
When you are in that place in you
And I am in that place in me,
We are one.
Namaste.

Yoga derives from different cultures and philosophies. Being able to be open minded allows anyone to experience new ideas and views that enrich one's life. I mean it. You should try it. Take it as a PE class for .5 units!!

Posted by Casey Wang at 5:40 PM | Permalink

Hey! This is Casey. CalSo for me, was about two weeks ago. It was definitely very exciting. The campus is soo huge and hilly. When I first got there, everything was very organized and welcoming. Very surprised, since I've heard all these crazy rumors about how Berkeley students are competitive and won't help anyone. My counselor, Joanna, was very very nice. She was very knowledgeable and friendly. The things that I enjoyed most about CalSo were the chants, the food.yuuuummm, and the bench. The bench, i don't know what it's called, but the one where you can talk into the stone and hear the other person from the other side of the bench!! Very cool. Even the weather was warm and cheerful!!! Sooo weird. One downside was the dorm-Unit 3. The rooms are so small and not enough closet space. Maybe all the dorms are like that?? Oyea.. i forgot my toothpaste so i couldn't even brush my teeth.. ehh. k. Tell me your experience at CalSo too or reply about anything. TTYL.

Posted by Casey Wang at 4:26 PM | Permalink