A friend asked me, "What’s for dinner tonight," while we were haphazardly running alongside the Strawberry Creek from Koshland to Brancroft after attending a seminar about plant pathogen given by Alexander M. Jones.

I quickly replied, "Bruschetta."

She stared at me for two quick seconds and innocently asked, "But didn't you have bruschetta for Thursday's and Wednesday's AND Tuesday's dinner?"

I laughed and responded with, "Yup. I'll take it one step further. Bruschetta was on the menu for Thursday's, Wednesday's, Tuesday's, Monday's, Sunday's and Saturday's dinner AND lunch."

"Uhhh... no green smoothie?"

"Is there a need to ask that question?"

"OF COURSE."

"Green smoothies complemented the bruschetta during some lunches. LaraBars were for breakfast."

"Wow... dude Amelia, you are one strange girl."

"Hahaa… Thanks buddy. I'll take that as a genuine compliment."

To make matters more interesting, this 5 minutes conversation took place while fierce rain drops were relentlessly pelting every CAL student in sandals with no umbrellas like us two girls. And I mean PELTING. To illustrate, let's just say I was completely drenched (hopefully not in acid rain) by the time I unlocked my apartment door this afternoon.

So why bruschetta you may ask.

To thoroughly answer this question, I would need to talk about the Terry's Lab Thanksgiving Potluck last Saturday. As my two lab mates and I were harvesting our Puccinellia distan plants the afternoon before our potluck, the topic of what dish we were planning to bring came up. Being the person who is always eager to teach my friends how to make simple and easy foods (e.g. green smoothies); I eagerly explained a bruschetta dish I had in mind. Their interest quickly increased as I basically assured them it only takes three steps to make this easy dish. By the end of the hour, my girlfriends gave up trying to research for cooking recipes and asked if they could bring bruschetta to the potluck too. I enthusiastically said, "Definitely!"

To be fair, I actually did not know such goodness existed before my boyfriend shared his brilliant bruschetta recipe to me. With his permission, here is the abridged version of the email he sent me regarding how to make bruschetta:

You’ll need:

Bread: Olive pugliese [trust me, people at Berkeley Bowl will know what type of bread this is]. Remove ends, slice 1 inch thick and coat with....

hummus - Berkeley Bowl has generic humus. You could even get the garlic one.

For the topping:
4 LARGE RIPE tomatoes.
Couple of basil leaves
Olive oil
Olive tapenade - ask them about this. They know what I’m talking about. This stuff is salty so be careful with it.

Here's a pretty good recipe:
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianappetizers/r/easybruschetta.htm

Pugliese and hummus would be more than enough. Add to that some olive tapenade and you’ll have people smiling.

Next we gotta’ teach you how to make the topping. In short, chop up the tomatoes into think 'cubes'. Put in a bowl and throw in a healthy splash of olive oil and some sliced basil and bam. There you have it. IMPORTANT: DO THIS ONLY A FEW MINUTES BEFORE SERVING.

Healthy additions: Into that simple mix I've also throw in cabbage [believe you a big fan of!] and avocado to make a tomato-slaw kind of thingee.

Since one lab mate was obligated to go to SF the morning of the potluck and my other lab mate lived ten minutes from UC Berkeley by car, I offered to make the bruschetta for all of us. They at first protested but I assured them that cutting up a couple more tomatoes won't be a big deal at all.

So after we finished with our harvest, we stopped by Berkeley Bowl for the ingredients. Before we entered the store, my lab mates basically told me that I need to tell them exactly what to do since they did not have the foggiest idea how to make bruschetta. Thus as their blind friend leading two blind helpers, we started a 2 hour shopping spree at 5:45 pm on a Friday night.

To save you the boredom of reading about our exhausting search for some strange Olive tapenade ingredient and the agonizing trouble we went through to choose perfect tomatoes, let’s just say that we left Berkeley Bowl with:

5 loaves of bread, 15 large (unripe) tomatoes, 3 bundles of basil, a 34 oz of extra virgin olive oil bottle (WHY Berkeley Bowl needs to carry A GAZZZILLION different kinds of EVOO is beyond my comprehension), 3 glass jars of questionable tapenade wannabes, and 3 family sized hummus containers.

I know I know. NOW you’re probably thinking that I’m one loco girl for suggesting that we buy so much food for a potluck of only 12 people. I have to admit, the art of shopping for groceries and clothes is just way too difficult for me to understand. In my defense, I figured that more is always better. I told myself that it would be bad if I risk the chance of letting people down by not having enough bruschetta. Just in case my lab mates end up falling madly in love with my bruschetta and ask for thirds, fourths or quite possibly sixths. Unfortunately, I never stop to think that Professor Terry will make sure sure there is going to be a plethora of food at the party. Or that everyone is planning to bring food...

It quickly became apparent that my ambitious bruschetta ‘cooking’ frenzy was a tad bit on the excessive side. But that was perfectly okay since I spoiled myself silly with delicious hummus and questionable tapenade wannabes for practically a week now! =)

Since Thanksgiving is just around the corner, maybe you too could whip up some bruschetta and share the goodness of this vegan dish with your family and friends!
.

Continue reading "Bruschetta" »

Posted by Amelia Nguyen at 8:44 PM | Permalink

There is a slight difference in my opinion. One that draws attention to an issue and supports a viewpoint that gains sympathy and one forces that a viewpoint on others that results in alienation or backlash of that view.

Just because I don't have the time or feel the need to have teargas thrown in my face doesn't mean I don't support a certain viewpoint that pervades that campus. In fact I'm on your team, but forcefully disrupting my right to an education-we're not quite on the same team.

People do not like being forced to do anything! So why do picketers think people will want to take their side with this method? Because they have this stupid romantic view that people will want to join their violent, noisy, shoving party once they've been subjected to it.

I don't think Stockholm syndrome works in this case you guys.

So what's my conclusion: Picketing makes me wish they can't afford the new tuition and drop out and leave me the alone!!!!

What's my lesson? If you need to get through-LIE AND SAY YOU WANT TO JOIN THEN SNEAK OUT THE OTHER SIDE! HONESTY IS NOT APPRECIATED IN THIS DAY AND AGE!!

Posted by Josephine Wong at 1:23 PM | Permalink

Recently, I was pleasantly surprised by Alex Tellez's spontaneous comment on my blog about my daring attempts at drinking green liquids for lunch. It was quite an honor that he took time out of his busy schedule to read my random- most oftentimes crazy- posts! Since he was the sole person responsible for motivating me to change my sodium enriched canned foods and take outs eating habits, I felt he deserved a long detailed explanation of the many times I stared at my revolting green smoothies- thinking how in the world am I going to force myself to swallow another cold vegetable soup?!?!

As you can imagine- or will after you see the pictures I took of my first few smoothies- I was more than eager to discuss the seemingly endless mistakes that I made during my love/hate experience with my first couple revolting vegetable drinks. Thankfully, I quickly discovered that the secret to blending DELICIOUS green smoothies was to disproportionately add more fruits than vegetables. I thought you might find the green smoothie narrative I wrote to Alex an interesting read. Thus I am going to take the liberty and share an excerpt to you:

Before I start listing off the bizarre combinations of greens I used to make my smoothies, let me just admit that my first couple smoothies required so much determination and focus to finish. I need to thank my compulsive obsession to increase efficiency in all aspects about my life with assembly lines and mass productions for the pain I endured when I first started my green liquid diet. Instead of just an 8 oz [I actually think the cup is 16 oz now] drink of THICK fibrous clumps of purple and green cauliflowers, celery, bok choy, spinach, cabbage, bananas, avocados with milk and water, I had to finish about 40 oz [okay this was a serious understatement on my part!] of this stuff. Here are some pictures of my “masterpieces”:

My roommates’ inability to get pass their first two sips of my concoction was a testament to the biting bitterness I overcame. You probably would understand the immense DELIGHT that I felt when I finally finished this tub full of greens:

For the past couple weeks, I have been really good at drinking a green smoothie at least once a day. I quickly learned how to mask the intense bitterness with a plethora of fruits. Instead of a 1:5 ratio of fruits to vegetables, the ratio increased to 3:1 sometimes even 5:1. My best green combo so far was:

avocado + banana + mint choc chip ice cream + bok choy + milk + water

Additionally, after one of my more intense running session, I decided to use papaya as a base ingredient for a smoothie. Such an awesome decision! Hopefully you would think the combination of papayas + bananas + celery + cauliflowers + avocados to be as delicious as I did!

I usually don’t take photos of my drinks, however the ones I’ve shared above were extraordinary in some way or another. Hope they entertained you!

Just this past weekend, I fell madly in love with raw cacao nibs, raw-eos cookies, almond butter and especially COCONUT CREAM PIE LaraBars! Words cannot describe their delightful taste and texture on my eager taste buds. And as you probably have guessed, these four new loves of mine blend extremely well in green smoothies :) Eating is finally FUN again!

At the moment, I am slowly trying to influence everyone around me to try my new diet. Although, the resistance is quite strong, it makes me happy to know my parents are becoming more aware about different healthy eating choices. I totally won my dad over by pulling the “but I want you to live forever daddy” trick =P. Not to put my parents on the spot, but my mom's enthusiastic picture text message regarding the spanking new blender my dad bought for her anniversary gift seriously made me GIDDY like a silly school girl!

Posted by Amelia Nguyen at 5:22 PM | Permalink

I completely forgot we got Telebears this month and lovely Trey reminds us GPB kids to sign up for an appointment with him in order to obtain an advisor's code. Originally he was just the advisor for our small GPB community, but with budget cuts, he has to help take on the MCB kids too.

I got mine super early, I don't actually sign up for classes until the end of the month but I just came in this morning and grabbed my code and missed the cavalcade of last-minute panic. Poor Trey has to meet 400 souls the week before registration.

Get your code early kids.

Oh and note on the game between USC and Cal...WHO CARES!!!??? We lose a game-BOOHOO-winning or losing game doesn't make me any better or worse at plant development, people are just looking for a distraction and I certainly don't find any in some silly college game. Watch some TV or go bookstore shopping-it's much more satisfying!

On another note-DO NOT EVEN THINK OF HOOKING UP YOUR GMAIL ACCOUNT WITH YOUR CALMAIL ACCOUNT!!! I tried to do so in order to have to avoid checking both accounts and just have the mail from calmail sent to gmail-BIG ****ING MISTAKE!!

My Calmail went and committed seppuku! It sent all the mail from my calmail account before deleting everything. I have no idea why, just all I know is DON'T DO IT!!!

Now if you don't mind, I have performed mediocrely on my last few tests and need to study. Also, beg for a lab position.

Posted by Josephine Wong at 11:00 AM | Permalink

Well so far the beginning of the school year has been super hectic with so much to do. After hanging out with friends who were returning to Berkeley I headed to neds and replica copy to get my physics and bio stuff.
Just sitting in my first bio lecture I could tell that this class would be a challenge. After bio lecture I went to Physics discussion and then went to an assortment of waitlisted/enrolled but might drop classes. I am signed up foe beginning Romanian, but I don’t know if I have the time for it, especially with Ancient Egypt and EALC 105. So today I went to Calapooloza, which is basically every club at Cal displaying what they do and handing out fliers in lower and upper Sproul and oh was it crowded. Tomorrow is Friday meaning the end of welcome week so check out the website and see what other fun things they have planned for tomorrow!

Posted by Fabian Collazo at 9:12 PM | Permalink

These days, when incoming freshmen in the dorms find out that I am a second year student, they begin asking me whether I had any advice for them. Therefore, I decided that with fall semester classes starting in eight hours, now might be a good time to list the advice that I have for incoming freshmen and all students in general, based on my personal experiences this past year at Berkeley. I will skip any social tips since I tend to not socialize much unless it involves one on one deep conversation. Instead, I will focus on academic tips since the one thing that all Berkeley students hold in common is the desire to succeed in the top public university in the United States. So here are some general tips to survive and succeed in classes at Cal:

1. Do not believe anyone who tries to tell you that a certain class is difficult/impossible. Regardless of whether this person is your best friend, a random stranger, or your professor himself, half the battle is lost if you come into a class expecting a low grade due to the difficulty. No class here is impossible to ace. Don't let anyone discourage you from doing your best. I find that most people who don't do as well are those who expect a class to be difficult and therefore not try as hard. Efforts will pay off in the end, believe in yourself. No class is hard by nature, it's what you make of it.

Continue reading "Academic tips for succeeding at Cal" »

Posted by Jade Liu at 11:53 PM | Permalink

If you plan on going to grad school or anywhere else after college than something that would be very helpful to ones application would be research experience. Since Cal loves us dearly they made URAP! Yay URAP! Well URAP basically is a website with a bunch of descriptions for research positions offered by professors and to get the position you have to fill out a URAP application, which includes a statement of purpose that is around 400 words each. In order to minimize shopping they restrict you to applying to 3 internships, which is bad for me because I have to pick 3 out of the 4 I want. Since URAP is open to all UC Berkeley students than the turn out tends to be really good for bio spots with some openings receiving up to hundreds of responses. So check it out!

http://research.berkeley.edu/urap/

Posted by Fabian Collazo at 5:05 PM | Permalink

So summer for me was filled with math and genetics, but I still managed to squeeze in some fun before school starts. After buying some of my books, I have been trying to review my physics from high school to only discover how bad I am in the subject. I’m taking 8A with Deweese so I’m hoping that I can do well if I study enough, but physics is such a strange subject that has always eluded me. The past couple of days my roommates have been bringing stuff from home so now it feels more comfortable with furniture, but I feel lazy since I rarely clean.

Continue reading "The start of school….grrr!" »

Posted by Fabian Collazo at 4:44 PM | Permalink

So as summer is coming to a close I am preparing for fall 2009 and all its difficulties grrr. I’m currently planning to take Bio 1A/L, Physics 8A, Near Eastern Studies 18 and EALC 105. I’m pretty scared for Bio as I have heard plenty of rumors about the labs and professors and as a Bio lover I’m freaking out. Even though I want to take physics I am not enrolled and am like hawk status checking the schedule every minute to see if anybody has dropped. Haha its’ even on my favorites for maximum speed. NES 18 is about ancient Egypt and I have heard is a rather chill class and the material seems rather interesting. EALC 105 is a film class that I am taking with a friend purely for fun and it is suppose to be easy and who doesn’t want to learn about movies?

Continue reading "Plans for Fall" »

Posted by Fabian Collazo at 5:26 PM | Permalink

So after finals I did what almost every Cal student does and left for home. So during my first month of summer I worked part time as a cashier to make some money and pretty much became lazy while at home. However, around mid-June I came back to Berkeley because not only was I bored from home, but I had signed up for summer classes and had chosen to take Math 16A and IB 141 (Human Genetics). Yah I know the two classes are really different.

Continue reading "Class Review!" »

Posted by Fabian Collazo at 1:26 AM | Permalink

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

Looking for a spontaneous adventure around Berkeley that does not consist of grabbing boba and chilling at the Asian Ghetto? Are you limited on funds and time? If so, check out the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden!!! With aromatic flowers in full bloom this summer, our botanical garden is the place to explore with a few buddies or that good looking lab partner. The 30 minute hike up the hill to the garden is a fabulous way to bond and warm up before touring our:

"...worldwide collection [that] features plants of documented wild origin from nearly every continent, with an emphasis on plants from Mediterranean climates (California, Mediterranean Basin, Australia, South Africa, and Chile). The arrangement of the outdoor collections is primarily geographic by continent of origin or by region including Asia, Australasia, California, Eastern North America, Mediterranean, Mexico/Central America, New World Desert, South America, and Southern Africa. The Garden holds one of the largest and most diverse collections in the United States."

Admission : $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and $2 for children ages 3 through 12. The Garden is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM year round, Tropical House closes at 4:00. However, UC Berkeley students, professors, and staffs get in for free :)

For more information, please visit:
http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/mission.shtml

Continue reading "Best place for the first date... and it's FREE!" »

Posted by Amelia Nguyen at 5:29 PM | Permalink

So as I have previously stated I am now declared Molecular Environmental Biology, but I have always thought about getting a minor. After taking NST 11 (Intro to Toxicology) and finding it really interesting, in general, I am thinking of minoring in Motox. The minor requires the following classes.
- NST 110
- NST C112
- NST C114
- NST 120
- NST 121

Continue reading "Class frustrations with minors!" »

Posted by Fabian Collazo at 10:34 PM | Permalink

So I checked bearfacts and all my grades have been posted. Looking at my grades I think my GPA will increase by like .000001 so not by much. No surprise that my lowest grade these past two semesters is a “B” in Chem 3A grrr. I’m actually sad that I will be leaving frechet and going to Vollhardt, but all good things must end. After taking o-chem one thing I learned is that this class is much more problem oriented unlike Chem 1A, which was much more conceptual. For the second midterm I read the book and understood a lot of the concepts, but kind of flaked on the problems…big mistake!! I did pretty badly on the second midterm because I was not familiar with doing a wide variety of problems and circumstances. I made the mistake of not studying correctly.

Continue reading "Grades and O-chem " »

Posted by Fabian Collazo at 12:19 AM | Permalink

So my Phase 1 has passed and Phase II should come up in a couple of months meaning that I have to start preparing for Fall 2009 and so far my plan is:

Chem 3B – So I heard that this is a killer class that challenges those who completed 3A and frankly I am kind of freaked that the guy who wrote the book is teaching the class. I was really considering taking Pederson in the spring, but his class tends to be at 8am and apparently he refuses to post up his notes. Event though I heard Pederson is a better teacher there is no way I can function that early in morning and I can’t really learn if I am sleeping.

Continue reading "Fall 2009" »

Posted by Fabian Collazo at 11:39 PM | Permalink

Take a look at this video. UCLA baby squirrel. It's a big squirrel teaching a baby squirrel how to get over a wall and some nice people help out. I just wonder though... how will the squirrel get back over the wall from the other direction? O.o

More than that though... how in the world did this guy have this much time on his hands??!!! Isn't it supposed to be midterm season down there? Anyways. Go watch. =)

Posted by K. Lee at 10:44 PM | Permalink

I'd just like to give fair warning to those of you who may potentially make the same horrible mistake as me. In case you plan on doing research that involves other human beings, you must apply for Human Subject Protocol. It essentially is an approval of your research in the interest of participant privacy and safety. You can get more info at the following website but you must do this before starting your research. I made the fatal mistake of not figuring this vital step out until after.

http://www.lbl.gov/ehs/health_services/harc/hsc.shtml#Human subjects protocols at LBNL

Posted by Maria at 1:26 PM | Permalink

My neighbor tends to play on his trumpet and sing badly all day long...quite distracting and annoying when you're trying to study. So here are some methods that I use to help me focus:

1) Play classical music
Music is supposed to stimulate the mind, but I find that music with lyrics (no pun intended) can get stuck in my mind, which can get pretty frustrating.

2) Get ear plugs
They work pretty well, but don't wear them for too long. They make you feel kind of funny, like you've been trapped inside your own head...or maybe that's just me.

3) Re-energize with food!
Just something that will give you an energy boost, like a few slices of toast with a glass of milk. Junk food will make you feel lethargic and you'll probably end up watching tv, instead of studying.

Continue reading "Study Tips" »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 6:22 PM | Permalink

Environmental Economics and Policy
Political Science

When I applied for EEP, I was looking more towards the policy part than economics. I enjoyed U.S. history in high school because this country is a whole new place to me and I want to understand its government. I just want to learn about different governments, how it functions and affects a society. There are so many questions and twists that make Political Science interesting. Sometimes I wonder, “What is my primary major?” Am I taking Poli Sci so I would understand politics better and thus create policies that would go through our complex system? Or am I taking EEP to learn about environmental issues and use it as support for political theories? Either ways, I think both majors go hand in hand.

Besides personal interest, I also realized that doing a single major would not be enough to meet the 120-unit requirement to graduate. I put myself in a very good position by already deciding to double major after my freshman year. I was able to minimize the amount of classes I need to take and even have a semester to study abroad. Starting next semester I also only need to take 13 units until I graduate (thanks to summer classes, my classes are more spread out through my 4 years). Here’s the breakdown of my classes and units. I’ve taken a few 1 or 2 unit fun classes that I didn't list down.

Continue reading "Why I'm double majoring" »

Posted by John Cortez at 10:11 PM | Permalink

Some of the things I've learned over the past few years from police or other is:

-Bring only the things you need to school. This means leaving your credit cards, driver's license, debit card at home if you're not using them. (Helps you save money too from not making unnecessary shopping)
-Don't use a laptop case, put it in your backpack. What they can't see, they won't take.
-Put your wallet in the very back of your backpack, not the easy-to-access front pouch. How many times have you been able to put notes or funky things into a friend's front pouch without them noticing?
-If you have a purse, make sure that it zips close on top and has a zipper side pouch inside.
-When you're eating, or studying, or sleeping, never put your backpack next-to, behind, or under you. Always have it on your lap or on the desk or something in front of you.
-Have a list of phone numbers from your credit card companies/etc at home. If anything happens, you can call them right away. It's alright if you don't have your account numbers with you. They can find it for you.

Posted by K. Lee at 7:36 PM | Permalink

I have one more year before graduating, before the culmination of my educational career thus far. And much like many of my high school class of '05, the concern is what to do once that phase of life is over. For most people it's either find a job or grad school. But for me, I don't see either of those as an ideal option. I want to explore...not only the world but primarily myself. And that is where the Peace Corps comes in.

How hard it is to answer the question "Who am I?" Let alone, what I want to do with my life. I may acknowledge my passion for the environment but what to do with that passion is another question. And I don't feel I can take a step forward without answering that. Thus, I have concluded that the best way to find myself is by getting lost.

What exactly does this entail? There a number of routes I can take but it's the Peace Corps that won me over. What better way to get lost than to leave my world of familiarity and predictability for a world completely strange to me. Full of unknowns and nothing for me to depend on, at least immediately. A world where all I have a familiar sense of is myself. Yet as fulfilling as this experience potentially is, I find myself terrified of committing to something so beyond me. Of leaving everything and everyone that I hold dear and comforting. Of not having the sense of security of being able to predict almost everything in my current world before it happens. On having people, situations, outcomes that I can rely on. Leaving it all and bringing only whatever scrap of personality I have developed. Leaving it all for a world that may not accept me. And, most importantly, leaving it all to find myself.

A good friend of mine told me that if it's scary, it must be good. The thought of this terrifies me incredibly, almost to the point of debilitation. I'm going through the motions of committing to the Peace Corps yet I feel that with each step I do it with force upon myself. A big part of me is so scared of it that I don't want to go through with it. Yet, I feel that such a step is necessary for me to progress in my own personal development. And it is by this logic that I continue to push myself towards commitment.

It still scares the shit out of me.

"Strength and Independence"

Posted by Maria at 10:30 PM | Permalink

Almost two years has passed since my decision to go to UC Berkeley. Some of us right now may be choosing between campuses, distance from family, majors, university prestige, or cost of attendance. It was not an easy choice for me and I am sure some of you are also struggling to choose where to spend your college life. But whatever comes across you, do not let anything stop you from going to college.

Here are two of my previous blogs about my decision and the factors involved
http://nature.berkeley.edu/blogs/freshfaces/2008/03/introduction.php#more
http://nature.berkeley.edu/blogs/freshfaces/2008/04/johns_guide_to.php#more

This year's Cal Day is on Saturday April 18, 2009
http://calday.berkeley.edu/

Posted by John Cortez at 1:11 PM | Permalink

So everyone here at Cal is pretty much submerged in piles of study materials for the second round of midterms. While we're stressing about exams and papers, high school seniors are probably stressing about which college to go to. Here are some things to take into consideration:

1. Remember that it is your choice
Wherever you choose to go, you're basically going to be there for 4 years. You're going to be away from your family, most of your friends, and the comforts of home. That said, choose somewhere you want to go. While your parents may have your best interests in mind, you don't want to be totally unhappy attending a college that you were forced to go to.

2. Check out the programs
I'm pretty sure most high school seniors have already checked out the programs each college has to offer. If you want to be a science major, attend to a college that has a strong science department, not one that's known for law.

Continue reading "The Decision" »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 10:19 PM | Permalink

After posting the Money and Behavior story earlier this week, I began thinking about my relationship with Psychology and Economics. I was first "formally" exposed to the subject after reading The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Shwartz. Before picking up this book, I often thought about my behavior in terms of the expectations I took on and how those expectations shaped my subsequent feelings after certain events. The course that really expanded my exposure to and solidified my understanding of what is sometimes called Behavioral Economics was Economics 119 with Professor Botond Koszegi. I definitely recommend this course for anyone who is interested in behavior. A quote from the syllabus:

[Psychology and Economics] is not an easy field to define, but those who sympathize with it tend to share the belief that economists should aspire to making assumptions about humans that are as realistic as possible, and hence that we should develop methods and habits of mind to learn what is psychologically realistic.

Posted by Juan at 12:34 PM | Permalink

A friend of mine--another EEP Major--forwarded me an article he came across on newscientist.com. It touches on insights from Psychology and Economics (or Behavioral Economics) as well as Neuroscience research and explains their implications in regards to our behavior. An interesting finding from one of the studies reveals, by way of brain imaging, that different parts of the brain dominate in individuals who desire instant gratification versus those who are willing to wait--even when the expected payoff (in monetary terms) is higher when waiting. This may seem like an obvious finding, but it provides some evidence to the hypothesis of money being potentially addictive and, more to the point, serves as another explanation as to why some people have unhealthy and obsessive attitudes towards money, which has been found to be associated with low(er) scores on indicators of mental health in individuals who are strongly motivated by these "extrinsic aspirations." Individuals who desired the instant gratification showed increased brain activity in the limbic system, which has been shown to be linked to impulsive behavior and drug addiction. You can read the article here: Why Money Messes With Your Mind.

Posted by Juan at 10:20 PM | Permalink

If you've been thinking about going to grad school, I highly suggest reading this book.

Getting What You Came For by Robert L. Peters for $10.88 on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Getting-What-You-Came-Students/dp/0374524777/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1237436284&sr=8-2

It goes through what grad school is like, what it takes to get there, what you should be doing before you get there, what you should do when you're in to get through on time...and all in amazingly insightful yet comedic detail.

Whether grad school is a just a consideration or a definite plan, read this book. It may scare you at first but it's all stuff you should know before going in. It's a big decision and a serious commitment so make sure you know what you're getting yourself into.

Posted by Maria at 9:08 PM | Permalink

So I don't have to repeat myself, here's a link to my last year's blog about things you can do during summer... though it's a little too early to think about vacation (http://nature.berkeley.edu/blogs/freshfaces/2008/05/summer.php#more). But if you are thinking of doing summer classes, internships, or research you have to decide soon because spots fill out fast.

Anyways, I decided to take classes here at Berkeley this summer even though I don't really need to. I will take PoliSci 164 (Session A, which starts the week after the last final) and PoliSci 139a (Session D). I personally find it very difficult to bounce back to studying after long breaks (still recovering from winter break 08, sadly). Hopefully my summer classes would keep me busy and prepare me for Fall 09. As far as my college planning goes, it looks like Fall 09 is going to be my hardest semester.

Summer Telebears tip:
Don't be discouraged by waiting lists--talk to the department adviser and ask your chances of getting a class. Most of the time schedule.berkeley won't show the maximum seating until later. For example, when I signed up for PoliSci 164 the schedule says that max is 60 students. But when I visited the PoliSci adviser she showed me that there's actually 90 seating, although it was just set to 60 for the mean time.

Posted by John Cortez at 8:09 PM | Permalink

If you haven't filled up your FAFSA yet, it is due on March 4!

For a while I kept postponing it thinking I don't want to deal with a lot of paperwork again.
I did mine last week and I was surprised it took me less than an hour! The website has a feature that will fill up your 2009-2010 application based on last year's application (but if this is your first time filing for FAFSA I suggest doing it ASAP, it can get really complicated). The only things I had to change this year is my address and income. I still have to wait for my parent's foreign tax return though, which I don't think would change much.

If you have any questions you can always visit our awesome Financial Aid Office in Sproul Hall. Website is http://berkeley.edu/apply/aid.shtml.

And some few tips:
1) If your parents work in another country and you have someone else claiming you as a dependent in the U.S., you still have to use your real parents' foreign income.
2) When asked how much savings you have, do not include those from loans and other financial aid (grants, university scholarship, work study)
3) Keep a copy of your parents' tax returns or at least be able to access it in case your school financial aid office asks for documents.
4) If for any reasons you missed the March 2 deadline, apply for FAFSA anyways--you might still get some financial aid. Better than nothing!
5) President Obama's stimulus package includes increase in financial aid (which may or may not increase eligible income range), so if you didn't get anything last year... you might this year! (though it depends what will happen to that package).

Posted by John Cortez at 6:43 PM | Permalink

So I'm taking a practice GRE exam for free tomorrow 10am-2pm in 10 Evans...how did this happen?

Go to: http://www.kaptest.com/practice

You can take various practice tests (GRE, MCAT, LSAT, etc.) for free to get an idea of what you're in for if you plan on taking it for real at some point.

Posted by Maria at 12:03 AM | Permalink

This is how some of my peers double majored in both MolTox and MCB.

Apparently, out of the five tracks, two the the tracks Cell Developmental Biology and Immunology (either Immuno Track 1 or Infectious Diseases Track 2) work well with Molecular Toxicology.

Note: Double Majors don't need NST 11 for some reason. Only two upper division courses may overlap and be used for both majors.

Legend:
Green - classes for both majors
Yellow - classes for MCB
Red - classes for L&S breadth
Blue - classes for MolTox

Click here for Student A's schedule - MolTox & MCB-Immunology

Student A specific Notes: Plans on attending pharmacy school. She took a lot of extra math classes because she was originally MCB w/ Math minor.Could have graduated as MCB in 3 years.

Click here for Student B's schedule - MolTox & MCB-Infectious Diseases

Student B Notes: Doubled in 4.5 years. Waived out of NST 171 by using 6 units of research. Check with department before doing so. Started as an Engineer major, then switched to MCB. Added MolTox later on when he realized the coolness of it. Plans on attending graduate school. VSET is a volunteer summer English teaching program that teaches in various Asian countries. Student B volunteered for and was sent to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Student B was the hydration technician and sports medicine intern for the football team.

I asked David (Student B) some questions.

Q: Why did you double major?
I decided to pursue double major because I found to both MCB and Molecular Toxicology to be very interesting. One of the advantages of having a dual degree is that it allows for a greater understanding of biological mechanisms. Another advantage is that the combination of both degrees helps you stand out from other undergraduates. In addition 2 majors = 2 graduation ceremonies, it helps when you friends/family can't make it to one. Completing two science majors is challenging. One thing you will never have enough of is time.

Q: Would you do it again if you had a second chance?
A: If I had a second chance I would do it again. Even though it was challenging but the sense of accomplishment afterward makes it worthwhile. One thing I would have differently is to make the decision to double major earlier and plan better.

Q: Did you matriculate with MCB in mind?
A: As an incoming freshman I had hoped to transfer into Bioengineering, but multi-variable calculus helped change those plans.

~Special Thanks to Student A and David W. (Student B) for providing me with their schedules~

Posted by K. Lee at 3:52 PM | Permalink

EnvEcon 100 is over (except my final on Tuesday), so I thought I'd give it an evaluation.

This class has been one of the most difficult I've taken so far. It had more math than I anticipated. Also I noticed that my math skill has been getting rusty each semester. I would have preferred essays, but I'm not expecting it from any econ class. 50% of the grade comes from 10 problem sets, a 20% midterm, and a 30% final. Midterms and finals are curved, but not the problem sets.

Problem sets can give good grade boost since we usually had at least a week to work on it. However, commuting has finally took a toll on my academic performance. Most study groups happen at night and I have to leave campus by 8pm most of the time; I tried doing some problems sets on my own, but they were too hard and failed.

Continue reading "EEP 100 + Commuting" »

Posted by John Cortez at 2:35 PM | Permalink

Falling asleep on your textbook? I've done that a few times. I just wanted to rest my eyes for a few minutes, but I ended up taking a short nap and waking up with my face stuck to the textbook page. The short nap did revive me a bit, but what if that short nap had lasted longer? Like, a couple of hours? I know some people who study on couches and end up falling asleep for several hours. That's quite a bit of study time. So, here's my list of things you can do to stay awake while crunching for finals:

1) Drink something caffeinated
-For a while, I drank hot coffee every morning to stay awake and keep warm. After about a week or two of this, the effect of the coffee kind of wears off. Also, coffee tends to make you crash a few hours after you finish drinking it. I drank some green tea with honey today and that seemed to work quite well. I didn't crash at all and the tea made me feel completely refreshed.

Continue reading "Ways to Stay Awake" »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 10:39 PM | Permalink

Happy December! It's pretty incredible that there's only about 10 days left of actual classes before Finals. Most of us have a lot to think about: school, family, friends, and the holidays. I was thinking about this last point today--more directly, about gift ideas. Many of us, though, being students, are short on cash. Given this, I started to think about what gifts have meant the most to me and what gifts I would most like to give this season. Sure, there are books, electronics, and video games that I really enjoy. In addition to these, however, there are gifts that I've enjoyed even more because they were meaningful to me.

Look into adopting an endangered animal, a plot of land, or tree, for example, in the name of someone you care about who cares about these issues. Some organizations include: Defenders of Wildlife (I adopted a Dolphin for my girlfriend here a couple of years ago and had someone adopt a Panther in my name last year!), the World Wildlife Fund (we adopted a Polar Bear for my girlfriend's sister), and Adopt a Tree.

Being socially conscious individuals at Berkeley (for the most part), another great idea is to gift in someone's name to a non-profit that works for a personally--from the perspective of the recipient--salient issue. One local non-profit I found is Seva. They're located in Berkeley and have programs in 10 countries and Tibet that range from sight restoration to women's empowerment. They also focus on healthcare and education--two particularly important areas in development. Check out Seva's Gifts of Service page.

So this holiday season, give a meaningful gift if you can! Your recipients will enjoy them. I know I did! If you have any other gift ideas, post them up. I'm always looking for useful, relevant, and purposeful ones.

Posted by Juan at 1:29 PM | Permalink

While many people (presumably) headed out to shop this weekend, my girlfriend Lindy and I took a trip of our own to where many of these shoppers would be: San Francisco. Not feeling compelled to shop, however, we replaced debit and credit cards for helmets and bicycles. We had been wanting to take this trip for a couple of weeks now and luckily had an opening this weekend. Additionally, much to our delight, we had clear skies today and after a solid week of cloudy/foggy days, the sun was much welcomed. We rode over to the North Berkeley BART station with our gear--Clif Bars, Water, Cameras, and Jackets--in tow and took the 25 minute ride into the city.

The Route: We got off at the Embarcadero station and rode over towards the Ferry Building. We took The Embarcadero all the way up past Fisherman's Wharf (too many tourists!) and the beach in front of Ghirardelli Square. We then rode through the park around Fort Mason and down towards Crissy Field. We finally rode toward the Golden Gate Bridge on Old Mason Road before heading back.

Continue reading "Riding through the City" »

Posted by Juan at 9:08 PM | Permalink

Well after a year, 2 months, 3 weeks, and 5 days, I finally made it to a Cal Football game. No, I'm not ashamed to admit that it's taken me this long and perhaps the wait made it all the sweeter! Last year, I never took advantage of the free first year transfer student season tickets. I guess that, in some respects, it was a bad decision considering how much fun I had at the game, but in others it was good since it took me a little while to acclimate to Berkeley. (A note for incoming Freshmen and Transfers: in case you didn't know, you get free season tickets during your first Fall Semester, but they are in short supply.) Having my first game be The Big Game was sweet! I had seen Memorial Stadium before from afar--from Gayley Rd. and Stadium Rim Way--but this was my first time inside its walls.

Continue reading "My First Game" »

Posted by Juan at 10:55 PM | Permalink

There is so many volunteering opportunities open right now in case you have free time. I know all these midterms and homework can suck up all available time, but volunteering will give you a good sense about yourself, especially if you need quick recovery from a bad midterm grade. I signed up to do Berkeley Project; however I didn’t go and just slept. I know it seems bad but hey I had a heavy week and I was just incapable of waking up at 8 am on a Saturday. I felt so bad that I didn’t go and on top of that I heard that it was a lot of fun. So to compensate for my selfishness I decided to donate at the blood drive in the alumni house and it was great. I wasn’t painful at all and the nurses made me laugh, which was nice of them. Not only did I feel good that I have potentially saved a person’s life, but they let me pig-out on snacks and juice afterwards, which was awesome. I am totally going to donate as much blood as I can from now on and so should everybody else.

Posted by Fabian Collazo at 9:12 PM | Permalink

Some of you may not like coffee (I'd be in this category). Some of you may not even like Starbucks for a multitude of reasons. I assume, however, that you do like free stuff. This being the case, I came across an add and figured you might want to know about it.

Presuming that most of us will be voting tomorrow, if you like coffee (especially not paying money for it) here's your chance for a free fix.

[Update]....

Continue reading "Freebie!" »

Posted by Juan at 12:50 PM | Permalink

I found this article, It's Time, on The Economist website (www.economist.com). I thought many of you might enjoy this. You have probably (hopefully) already made your decisions regarding which way you'll vote next week, but this is a good read nonetheless.

Continue reading "" »

Posted by Juan at 1:36 PM | Permalink

My telebears is coming up in two days and I haven't decided what combination of classes to take. For sure I am taking upper div EEP classes, but not so sure how many.
Right now I'm taking EEP100, History 14, and PoliSci 1. I'm finding it a little hard to switch between EEP and PoliSci/History and after this semester I only have 1 lower div requirement left . I'm thinking whether to have all EEP classes next semester. Should I do pure econ or mix it with some PoliSci upper divs? I usually give advices on Fresh Faces, but I think this time I need some advice =o

I'll update this blog once I made a decision. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

Continue reading "Don't know what classes to take" »

Posted by John Cortez at 9:49 PM | Permalink

This is under the Suggestions and Advice category because I'm advising you to NOT ingest things in unreasonable quantities. Just.. don't.. do.. it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081024/lf_nm_life/us_taiwan_contest;_ylt=AnL2crbI67Fu3YBKoNZhhQmek3QF

According to Reuters, an unwise student decided to unreasonably ingest food during a competition which caused his subsequent death. Anything can kill you given a dose, though mechanism of action may not always be obvious. For example, a piano can kill you by dropping on you. Or, a spider could scare you to death.

So the main point is.... don't over eat fast food, don't over drink water, don't do those 21 shots of alcohol during your 21st birthday, don't drink 48 cups of coffee in 10 min...etc.

Stupidity (e.g. showing off, peer pressure) kills.

If you do want to put something into your body... go get a flu shot for free this tuesday (Oct 28) through the Berkeley public health clinic. It's free! It's not dangerous (but you can pretend it is). and.. its good for you/community.

Posted by K. Lee at 10:37 PM | Permalink

Well for me my Tele-bears appointment is kind of late…November 3-4. The thing about Tele-bears is that it is so frustrating to plan out all your classes and labs and other stuff and if you’re lucky have no conflicts. The one thing I told myself was that there was no way I would have another 8 am class, however that never followed through. Next semester I will have an 8 am class every Tuesday and Thursday and on top of that it is O-Chem. and its 90 minutes. I wish I could take the 2-3:30 pm, but that conflicts with another class I need. Now back to my point Tele-Bears can be made easy and maybe fun...yah right. This is a website that is sooooo helpful in planning my schedule. You input all the classes and times that you want and it generates multiple schedules.

Continue reading "Tele-Bears made easy!!!" »

Posted by Fabian Collazo at 1:30 PM | Permalink

Read a Book.
Read a book not required for an assignment!

I've been working down this optional reading list for Public Health Microbiology.

Books....
The Andromeda Strain
Fever, The Hunt for a New Killer Virus
Microbes and Morals
Rats, Lice and History
Magic Mountain
Earth Abides

I just finished Earth Abides. It's a futuristic novel of a ravaged earth, where author George Stewart makes a social statement about association of disease with the selfishness of mankind, its need for companionship, and its ability to survive. A pandemic infectious disease eradicates the world of mankind. Only a few are left, and even in that few, many die through non-infectious diseases.The knowledge or mis-knowledge of certain diseases caused people to accept and dismiss certain people. Mental diseases are viewed as genetic and sexually transmitted diseases as the end of the line. It was first published in 1949 and thus strongly reflects the opinions of the time. But... more importantly, you can observe the influence of diseases on humans. Try reading it. =)

Yes, I'm recommending that you read a book outside of your class. You'll never regret reading, but you'll never miss what you never experience.

Posted by K. Lee at 9:41 PM | Permalink

As a junior, I've been very concerned with what I'm going to do after Berkeley. As I may have already stated, I'm switching over to the CRS major with a focus on environmental education & ecology. Some careers I'm quite interested in are teaching at the college level, restoration ecologist and possibly law. With this looming over my head, I've decided to ask those who have already been in my situation and discovered their true calling. I began with interviewing my professors. Along the way, I've found numerous other resources of experienced wisdom including GSI's and class presenters who were in a field I was interested in. At each opportunity, I would jump onto asking for a couple minutes, maybe over coffee (although I myself don't drink coffee), to go over their educational and career paths that brought them to where they are today.

Continue reading "Gaining wisdom through others' experience" »

Posted by Maria at 10:58 PM | Permalink

Talk about a long time, but time here at Cal really does fly by pretty quickly. It seems like just yesterday I was moving in and now I’m taking mid-terms (the SECOND mid-term for Chem 1A is in about 2 weeks). If I could do anything different I would probably space out my classes rather than being clumped in a couple of days. My schedule is that on Tuesday and Thursday I only have 1 class and on Monday and Friday, I only have 2-3 classes. But dang when Wednesday hits…It hits really hard. I have classes from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm with about 3, 1-hour brakes that are often spent eating or getting ready for my next class. The thing is that all my homework is due on Wednesday so I spend all of Tuesday and up to the wee cracks of dawn doing lab write ups and other assorted work.

Continue reading "Where does the time go?" »

Posted by Fabian Collazo at 2:22 AM | Permalink

I know everyone's really stressed out about midterms and papers right now, but I just wanted to tell you guys to take a break. You won't fail your midterm just because you didn't study every single possible minute. Trust me, pulling an all-nighter does not work. You end up zoning out a third of the way through the exam.

So, when you're feeling overwhelmed and you feel like you can't shove any more information into your brain, take a break and relax for a bit...not too long, but long enough to destress your system so you can study some more! Here are some things you can do to destress:

Continue reading "Destress" »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 11:13 AM | Permalink

It was my last school-year in the Philippines (senior, high school) when my "Values" teacher showed me this quote in response to my paper about my dissatisfaction in politics--the "leaders" and the people specifically back home. Luckily I was able to find it again online and thought I might as well share it. Changing myself into a better person is already a struggle to me, but at least this quote reminds me where to begin.

"When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world." -Unknown Author

Posted by John Cortez at 10:30 AM | Permalink

What are they? Every professor and GSI at UC Berkeley has blocks of time each week during which students are welcome to go into their office and ask them questions. I know it might seem daunting to approach your professor with a seemingly stupid question, but you'd be surprised how willing some of the professors are to share their knowledge.

This semester I'm taking Bio 1B, which is basically plant biology. I took AP biology in high school, but even then, I never really understood the life cycle of a pine. Megaspore...megosporophyll...megasporocyte...they all sounded the same to me! Back then, I just blankly memorized the steps for the exam and forgot all about it immediately afterwards.

Continue reading "Office Hours" »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 10:53 PM | Permalink

But noooo to money responsibilities >.<

It's one of those day when I get a huge lump of money in one day. It's tempting to use it to buy stuff I don't really need (eg another tennis racket). I have to allocate my money properly each month, if not I'll be broke before semester ends (that'll be so horrible to have no cash for Thanksgiving/Christmas).

Good thing I have an online-only HSBC account. It's quite a hassle to withdraw money from it, so once I put money into my savings account I just don't want to get anything from it. It also has the highest interest rate, 3.5% right now. Now I just have to make sure I don't "oversave". It makes me wonder though how much I should be saving because some people say to "just spend it, what's the point of working for it if you don't use it?"

http://www.us.hsbc.com/1/2/3/personal?home=personal

Posted by John Cortez at 1:42 PM | Permalink

(No offense to actual Teletubbies fans, and I'm not really annoyed by telebears--system works fine, it's just that classes are filled up!)

Arghhhh!!! All four classes I want to take next school year are wait-listed! Hopefully I can work my way through it.

Are you having your own problems getting into classes?
Here are some personal advice.

Continue reading "Telebears?! More like Teletubbies --> annoying!" »

Posted by John Cortez at 9:21 PM | Permalink

I hope everyone's having a great summer! Thank you to those who read my blogs and leave comments. If you have a question about something we've mentioned in our blogs, feel free to post a question.

For those who love reading Fresh Faces blogs and want to become a blogger themselves, it's really easy! The only requirements are:

1) you're in CNR
2) are interested in posting regularly over the semesters

Just email our webmaster, Eva St. Clair, at webmaster@nature.berkeley.edu and she'll be happy to help you!

Posted by Victoria Eng at 10:59 AM | Permalink

I've been asked what year I was several times just after the 07-08 school year. I was not sure what to answer--well I'm not a sophomore yet because 08-09 school year hasn't started and maybe I'm not a freshman either because I just finished my first year! Not so seriously, when do Freshies become Sophomores?!

Whatever. I just checked my Bear Facts, and I'm no longer "Fresh".

Now looking at my first year grades, I see some good (and bad) patterns. Hopefully recalling what happened to my grades would help find my strengths and weaknesses and what I can do in the future (my sophomore year to be specific).

Continue reading "Not So Fresh Anymore" »

Posted by John Cortez at 9:51 AM | Permalink

It's almost 4 am right now...I've been up trying to plan out which classes to take this upcoming semester and the semesters to come. The online schedule of classes is always down from 2 am to 4 am...so I'm waiting to check whether the class I want to take is still available.

Telebears Phase II should be coming up for most people. There was a glitch in the Telebears system a few days ago. I'm not sure if they fixed it or not, but apparently, people's Telebears Phase II appointments have been changed to about 10 days earlier than their original scheduled time. Check to see if your time has changed! I hope everyone gets into the classes he or she

Continue reading "Planning...yet again..." »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 3:46 AM | 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.

Continue reading "Goodbye dorms!" »

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.

Continue reading "Lessons to learn" »

Posted by John Cortez at 5:52 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.

Continue reading "Summer !!" »

Posted by John Cortez at 4:48 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 :)

Continue reading "No more classes..." »

Posted by John Cortez at 4:39 PM | 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

If I were you, I'd get me some Sockbaby. It's a trilogy of short films made by some Modesto community college students. These have everything you've ever wanted in a quality film experience: a 1960's kungfu guy imbued with the power of James Brown, a sock-puppet messiah, some fedora wearing aliens and a cyborg named "Burger." It will change your life... perhaps not meaningfully or for the better, but still.

Posted by Eric Thurston at 2:46 PM | Permalink

Chapter 2: Control, or Get Controlled

As I mentioned in Chapter 1, I was controlled by video games. That was two years ago. Now is time to strike back.

Continue reading "Temptations, temptations... part 2" »

Posted by John Cortez at 9:43 PM | Permalink

Chapter 1 : Video Game Addiction

Midterms were over last week (at least for me), about time I caught up with all my readings (10 minutes ago, finally), and now I'm deciding what to do. It feels great that I have more time again, but I'm sure this won't last long; my final paper in College Writing R4B is due in three weeks and finals are up that same week.

Again, like always, I'm facing against the temptation to slack off and not do my homework in advance.

Continue reading "Temptations, temptations... part 1" »

Posted by John Cortez at 6:34 PM | Permalink

Here's my experience with doing research at Cal as a transfer student. I applied to SPUR to find a faculty project. I got the position but I definitely felt at a disadvantage while being interviewed. The first question: What research projects have you worked on at Cal? I'm thinking, well I've only been here for 4 months and they expect me to have a vast list of skills? Yes they do, fortunate for me I had experience doing a research class at DVC (the jc I went to). The next question: Could we get an email address to ask for a letter of recommendation? I'm thinking, in four months I'm expected to be buddy buddy enough with a professor to be asking him/her to take out of their busy schedule to write me a letter or rec? Yes they do. Fortunately for me again, I spent a lot of time in one of my professor’s office hours. The bottom line: If you're going to do research when you get to Berkeley you better spend that first semester doing all you can to boost your resume. Some things you can do: volunteer in a professor’s research and get to know at least one of your professors so you can ask them for a letter of recommendation.

Continue reading "Being a Transfer Student and Research" »

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 11:16 AM | Permalink

So yesterday I took my first parkour lesson. For those of you who don't know, parkour is a French sport which combines running and gymnastics in urban environments. The underlying idea is that our bodies can do much more than just walk around on a horozontal plane as we do everyday. Instead those who practice parkour, called "traceurs" try to find the most efficent way to interact with their physical environments.

This video shows David Belle - the founder of the sport - performing some really advanced and showy parkour for a BBC commercial:

Continue reading "Berkeley Parkour Club" »

Posted by Eric Thurston at 3:55 PM | Permalink

It's nearing the end of April, which means for me, it's almost time to sign up for classes via telebears -.- It's a pain in the butt for a lot of people, especially those who have no idea what to sign up for when that vital 24 hour period comes around- the one they call "phase 1." I remember people telling me "don't worry about what classes you take your first year. it doesn't really matter as long as you get your prerequisites them done eventually." And to those people, i say BOLOGNA!! Of course there's some breathe room to take some "just for fun" classes, but I recommend by all means to figure out some sort of plan to figure out when to take your prerequisites.
I'm an undeclared student, and for the last 2 telebears appointments I've had (fall 07 and spring 08), I've ripped out a lot of hair when the stressful time comes around to choose what classes to take. After a (almost) a full year here at berkeley, I highly recommend you to check out your college advising center.

Continue reading "some tips for incoming freshies :)" »

Posted by Angela Hsu at 6:39 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

Everyone's starting to look for apartments and it's getting really competitive. My potential roommates and I walked all over Berkeley today to look at apartments. We did that last weekend, too.

Advice Check out Craigslist for Apartment showings! The website lists the number of bedrooms, rent, and other features included with the apartment.

Even if it looks good on the website, you really need to go see the apartment itself. My friends and I saw this one on craigslist and it seemed pretty good...

Continue reading "Apartment Hunting" »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 10:15 PM | Permalink

"Berkeley's reputation as a hard school really intimidates me, so I'm not entirely sure I'm enrolling yet." -Kim, high school senior

Actually during Senior Weekend I was talking to a student and she told me something similar. I faced this problem too when I was admitted to Berkeley. I imagined myself going to class with 4.0GPA, perfect SAT scores, and super bright students that I'm going to get C's and D's. But after my first semester, I realized that was not the case. There's actually more than just being bright to survive Berkeley.

Continue reading "Dealing with Berkeley's Academic Reputation" »

Posted by John Cortez at 7:59 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

I went to talk to the MEB advisor this afternoon since I really need some advice on planning for my upper division curriculum. I guess some students would probably roll their eyes and like: “it is just continuing in a bunch of science classes as the introductory ones we have been taking.” But trust me, the upper division requirements are quite different! In lower division, you would take Chem 1A, Chem 3A/3AL and Chem 3B/3BL to fulfill the chemistry requirement. For the biology requirement, it is Bio 1A/1AL and Bio 1B. For the physics requirement, it is Physics 8A and Physics 8B… You know all those mandatory, huge and competitive courses…

However, you have a variety of courses to choose from for the upper division requirements. For example, I am majoring in Molecular Environmental Biology, and there is the Upper Division Biology Requirement where I am going to take a course from each of the seven categories. In addition, I would have to choose an area of concentration and take another 12 units from a list of approved course.

Continue reading "Schedule Planning" »

Posted by Yang Cao at 9:41 PM | Permalink

So most college admission decisions are out already! Having problems deciding where to go for the next 4 years of your college life? or 5... or 6... but let's not hope for that :) . If you want to learn more of how I dealt with this same problem, the first part my story is found on my first blog "Introduction". Now I am going through some things you may want to consider before deciding for a school.

Continue reading "John's Guide to Choosing a College!" »

Posted by John Cortez at 12:06 AM | Permalink

When considering where I wanted to go one of the things people told me about Cal, was that professors rarely teach, most classes are taught by grad students. This in my experience is not true. I've had a GSI (grad student instructor), give a lecture once sometimes twice a semester but it usually was planned for a professors absence. I know many high school students are deciding about which college to go to. Don't let silly rumors about different colleges shape your decision, I'm glad I didn't. I highly recommend taking a tour of campus and asking the tour guides about them, they'll have a better idea of what classes are really like instead of your high school counselor. Here is the link for information on free tours of Berkeley so you can come check it out for yourself. http://www.berkeley.edu/visitors/free_tours.html

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 3:57 PM | Permalink

No, this entry isn't about paramedics or anything remotely as exciting. Just noting that, since I got into Berkeley, I've walked around a lot more than I ever did in LA. The very nature of the city lends itself to bipedal transport, I suppose. Everything is in convenient walking distance away (or at least is reachable by bus), so there is no immediate necessity for a car. Indeed, sometimes owning a motor vehicle in Berkeley is supremely trying, since there are the draconian parking laws and unintuitive road structures to manage. It seems that the city of Berkeley actually intentionally discourages driving; how else can you justify those large barricades in the middle of the road that divert traffic in only one direction?

Continue reading "Ambulatory Adventures!" »

Posted by Joel Kim at 11:58 PM | Permalink

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!! Wait....except I have a paper due on Monday and two presentations due on Tuesday. That basically sums up what I'll be spending this week on. Well that's not too bad because I've decided to go visit family in Palm Springs because I need a break. Even if I'm doing homework at least I'll be by the pool! This semester has kept me extra busy, I don't recommend 17.5 units and 15-20 hours of work. Yes it's possible to do it, but it's really not that much fun. On a side note...I got my first C+ on something in college. I'm really annoyed because 1/3 of the class got D's and they get to re-write their papers but I don't and my grade is close to being just as bad. I plan on spending every waking hour of break working on my second paper...okay so maybe I'll spend some time in the pool, but I am determined to get an A on my next paper now.

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 8:53 AM | Permalink

Telebears Phase I begins in mid-April!!! The online schedule of classes for the fall semester is already up, so start planning your schedule! Remember, during Phase I, sign up for classes that fill up quickly, like organic chemistry and the other general science classes. The labs for these classes fill up really fast. You should schedule your other classes to fit around these lower division science requirements since their labs take up so much time.

I've already started planning my schedule and so far, I know I'm definitely going to Chemistry 3B/3BL (this is the second part of organic chemistry) and Biology 1B. Most students take Biology 1B before they take Biology 1A

Continue reading "Fall 08 Semester Planning!!!" »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 1:44 PM | Permalink

It's St. Patty's Day!
You know what that means - a massive celebration of Irish heritage!

Green, green, everywhere. Most everyone wears green. In elementary school, you'll pinch your classmates if they're not wearing green. Usually the university crowd isn't going to pinch you if you forget to sport a clover.

So, yeah, you can wear just about any color you want on St. Patrick's Day - just don't wear orange!

Why not?

Protestants (represented by the color orange) have been oppressing Catholic Northern Ireland (represented by the color green) since 1509, when Henry the 8th was King of England, but especially since 1690's Battle of the Boyne when Protestant William of Orange defeated James the Second. source
According to my friend of Irish Catholic heritage, wearing orange is"...like wearing a KKK hood on MLK day." He cringes whenever he sees someone sporting orange on his happy holiday. So, as we in Berkeleyans strive to be sympathetic of all cultures, let's remember to wear something other than orange as we celebrate this snake-chasing, green-wearing Saint.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, Everyone!

Clover image from:
http://www.co.bay.mi.us/bay/home.nsf/public/BE2FEDCC7EDDC47885257346006800F6/$file/four-leaf_clover2.jpg

Posted by Christina at 4:45 PM | Permalink

I used to hate the thought of using the microwave, everything always turns out rubbery or just odd. But last night changed my mind...

I didn't want to wait to heat up the oven, but I really wanted sugar cookies. Found this recipe at www.cooks.com decided to try. It turned out delicious! Cakey, fluffy not-too-sugary cookies.

MICROWAVE SUGAR COOKIES

3/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Soften butter (15 seconds in microwave). Cream butter; gradually add sugar. Cream until fluffy; beat in eggs and vanilla. Toss flour, baking powder, and salt to mix; add to creamed mixture and combine well.
Chill dough 1 hour until firm. Roll out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut in shapes. Arrange 8 cookies in a ring on waxed paper. Cook 2 minutes on HIGH. Yield 3-4 dozen.

This experience has opened my mind to the fact that yes, sometimes microwaves can help you make things that taste good.

Posted by Christina at 9:51 AM | Permalink

HI EVERYONE!

So this is my first blog and before I can start providing advices I will introduce myself first. My name is John Cortez and I'm a freshie studying Environmental Economics and Policy (geez such a long name). I am also planning to double major in Political Science because I am mainly interested in policy making and solving public issues. Actually, I thought I was going to become an engineer, but...

Continue reading "Introduction" »

Posted by John Cortez at 6:46 PM | Permalink

Want to share a file with your classmates, but it's too large to send reasonably via e-mail? When I run into this problem, I always turn to Cal Web Files: https://webfiles.berkeley.edu

What is it?

Online file storage and file sharing! It's hosted on campus, is super secure, and available to students, faculty, and staff.

A few tips:

- It takes a little time to become familiar with the interface.

- Since their servers are based on campus, files upload faster when you're on campus than when you log on from a distance.

- You can choose to store things in a private folder, a shared folder, and a public folder. With the public folder, you can share files with anyone, not just Cal students. Shared is only accessible to people with Cal WebFiles accounts, and the private folder is viewable only to you.

Stuff I've passed along via Cal WebFiles:
- Class notes
- GIS maps
- Digital audio recordings of class lectures
- Photographs from study abroad

Posted by Christina at 1:27 PM | Permalink

For though who don't know, on-campus recruiting happens in Fall for most full-time (for seniors) and Spring for most summer internships (2nd, 3rd years, and junior transfers). Although the majority of the OCR deadlines have passed, there are still some great job fairs. Here's one that I've been waiting for. I'll be at the Carbon Forum America Conference in San Francisco until 4pm, so hopefully BART will get me back in time!!! Hope to see you there!

ECO (Environmental Companies and Organizations) Career Fair
Wednesday, March 12, 2008, 5 - 7 pm
MLK Student Union, West Pauley Ballroom

Employers who will be at the fair listed online at: http://career.berkeley.edu/FairDir/fairDirDisplay.asp?fair_id=21

Continue reading "Job Search" »

Posted by Tay Feder at 11:57 PM | Permalink

One of the hard things about "going off to school" is growing apart from people that you used to be close to. It's something that I've had to adjust to this year. It's sad because it makes you realize people you were close to were only your friend out of convenience. The effort it takes to call someone once every week or two really isn't that hard. I've done my best to keep up with friends that have moved and gone to other schools. But when someone doesn't reciprocate those actions it can be hurtful. However the silver lining in the cloud is that there are so many amazing people at Cal. I met a girl this semester and became friends based on the fact we had a class together last semester even though we never talked before. ESPM classes are great because even though it's my 2nd semester I recognize 5-15 people in each of my classes.

Continue reading "Growing Apart" »

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 11:18 PM | Permalink

Spring semester is about 4 weeks in and midterms are looming in the next few weeks...so how is Marissa Ponder-Bowen doing? Well I'm doing just fine. I feel much more adjusted to Cal in my second semester. It's nice to have a rough idea of what to expect. I've added an extra 7-12 hours a week of work to my schedule and made climbing more regular. Last semester I barely made time to go to Ironworks and have made it a priority in my week now. Instead of thinking if I have time I'll go, I've put into my schedule and worked other things around it. Yes I am busy however setting time aside to do something I really want to do forces me to focus and finish my reading/essays in a timely manner instead of procrastinating.

Continue reading "1 Month Check In" »

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 11:56 AM | Permalink

Monopoly is coming out with a new world edition. You can help vote to put cities on the map..

Go nominate Taipei, Taiwan at http://www.monopolyworldvote.com/en_GB/world !
You'll have to register for an account, but... just do it!

If you look at the countries, they don't even list Taiwan. So go out there and nominate Taipei, Taiwan...then starting on the 29th of Feb, vote for it!

and.. yay! Kosovo has independence!

Posted by K. Lee at 6:30 AM | Permalink

I decided that since I know exactly what I want to do, might as well declare early. In addition, rumor has it that if you declare your major you can have some sort of priority during tele-bears and get other perks over undeclared students. The process would have been a lot easier except I had to declare a simultaneous degree in Microbial Biology in CNR and Arabic in L&S. First I met with my CNR advisor and filled a form with my complete plan for the rest of my semesters at Berkeley. After my advisor signed off on my paper and double checked my schedule I made an appointment with my L&S Arabic advisor so she can sign off on my separate packet that had my plan for the rest of my years at Berkeley. Both advisors had to sign BOTH packets from BOTH colleges. I then made copies of both packets and turned in the CNR packet at Mulford and the L&S packet at Campbell. A week later I got my final approval from CNR and then two weeks later I got my full approval from L&S and now I am officially a declared Microbial Biology and Arabic Major at Berkeley...something feels really satisfying about that.

Posted by Rola Abduljabar Rabah at 8:44 PM | Permalink

Today is such a warm, relaxed day. The sun is shining so bright on the green Berkeley campus. A soft breeze blows. Students are walking around in T-shirts and shorts. Yes, it is a perfect summer day...in February.

One of the many things about Berkeley that shock people who come from outside the Bay Area (or indeed, outside of California) is the weather. It is just so warm and so beautiful here. As my friend from Massachusetts put it "You guys don't have seasons out here! Everything is the same!" She said that caroling during Christmas was frustrating, especially during songs like "Winter Wonderland."

Continue reading "Warm Days..." »

Posted by Joel Kim at 1:36 PM | Permalink

I know it's a bit early to worry about my plans for this summer, but I just can't seem to decide what to do this summer. I've created two options for myself:

(1) Stay at Berkeley and take a summer course (maybe Chem 3B/L, Physics 8A, Bio 1A/L, or Bio 1B/L...any suggestions?), continue working at Moffitt Library, and maybe find a clinical positon...

OR

(2) Go home to SoCal, take Spanish somewhere, and find a clinical or volunteer position

Continue reading "Summer Plans?!" »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 10:00 AM | Permalink

Grab your student ID, hop on the Hill Line at the Hearst Mining Circle, and get your bum up to the Botanical garden. Yeah, I realize it's raining.

Ok, if you don't go, I won't hold it against you.

I might shed a tear or two for you, though, since you'll miss the orchids that are going crazy right now in the Fern and Carniverous Plant House, which is a little, almost invisible greenhouse right by the main gate to the garden.

Posted by Christina at 9:25 PM | Permalink

We all get one for free, as long as we're enrolled in classes at Berkeley. It's the AC Tranist bus pass. It goes on the front of our ID cards, next to our picture. Most of the time, students just use it to ride around campus on the Perimeter, Reverse Perimeter, or Hill Line.

But there's an awesome resource that few students know about. The online trip planner:
http://tripplanner.transit.511.org/mtc/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en&itdLPxx_homepage=secondStep

Just type in where you're starting, and where you want to end up. It'll tell you the best way to get there. If you scroll to the bottom "4. Transportation Options", you can choose Only Buses.

Some enticing places to visit, via AC Transit:

- Tilden Park
- Tilden Park Botanical Garden
- El Cerrito Plaza (Trader Joe's, Barnes & Noble, Lucky's, Ross, PetCo)
- Michael's Crafts in Emeryville
- Home Depot in Emeryville
- Office Depot in Berkeley
- Oakland Animal Shelter (to pet bunnies)

Continue reading "Getting the most out of your bus pass" »

Posted by Christina at 9:20 PM | Permalink

Do you like bunnies? They're soft and fun to pet.
Well, even if you can't have one in your apartment, I know of a great place to go and visit them in the afternoons. The bunnies at the Oakland Animal Shelter will welcome your pets and affection, even if you do have to put them back in their cages and go home without them.

At the Oakland Animal Shelter, they take care of a couple dozen rabbits. With their no-kill policy, excellently trained volunteers, and plentiful healthy hay, they take great care of their rabbits. Unfortunately, they're trapped in little boxes in a back room for most of the day, with tons of hay and good sanitation - but still, not much room to hop or folks to cuddle with.

If you find some free time, you should definitely go to keep them company!

To get there from campus with your free bus pass, take the 1R line (#1lx/1) from Telegraph Ave. in the direction of the Bayfair BART station.

Here's a website that tells you all about the available dogs, cats, and rabbits in Oakland:
http://www.oaklandanimalservices.org/index.php?z=4

If you live anywhere in the United States, here's a great resource to help you find your new companion. With Petfinder, you can search all of the animal rescue centers nationwide, by zip code or city name:
http://www.petfinder.com/

Posted by Christina at 8:56 PM | Permalink

Part of the governor's massive state-wide budget cuts includes a significant reduction in aid for our California state parks, forcing the closure of nearly 20% of our parks.

Here's a map with the affected parks:

Here's the official stance of the state parks on this issue:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/712/files/budget%20fact%20sheet%20w-graphics%20-%2001-14-08.pdf

*Most* of these parks will be closed to public, and placed in a "caretaker status," which requires fewer full-time employees. Many will be closed with no care. The parks they have chosen have the least amount of traffic, generate the least revenue, and are dependent on volunteers. Previous budget cuts have made it impossible to do trail maintenance anyway, so why not shut them down (ACK!!!! If I had known, I would gladly have chipped in extra for admission!)

It is horrible, but it's good to read that the parks tried their best to find the parks that will make the least impact. I'm super sad, though, because Topanga State Park was a favorite for Tom and I to go backpacking. It's on the cutting block, along with several others that I've visited and loved, like San Simeon State Park, Benecia, Railtown, Sutter's Fort, Bolsa Chica, and Tomales Bay. Tomales Bay was one I visited recently with a class. There was some interesting geology there and unbelievably beautiful wetlands.

Here's a website where you can write a letter to the governor about your sentiments on the issue:
http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/action/preservation/state-parks?id4=TAFsent

Continue reading "California is Closing 48 State Parks" »

Posted by Christina at 8:22 PM | Permalink

I think a common feeling here at Cal is always feeling unprepared. No matter how many hours I read, study, or go to class there's always a moment of unpreparedness (my new word). For example there is guaranteed to be one question on your final that has no relevance/random/impossible. I realized today that there will always be those moments in life beyond Berkeley. I always have an umbrella (no this is not a random tangent), in fact I have two, just in case I lose one. Well of all the days to forget an umbrella and wear a thin sweatshirt, today was not the day. As I walked way across campus in the pouring rain, I got soaked through my sweatshirt and shirt, I started laughing. Yes this was my moment...when it all made sense. Even the weather in Berkeley has it out for me. I'm always prepared for rain...except for today when it poured! I know all my scheming professors were responsible and wanted to remind me that I'm always be unprepared at Cal, even when it comes to the weather.

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 11:34 PM | Permalink

Yes I am still alive and I am still blogging on this site. How long has it been? Forever has it? Well as long as they keep letting me sign on I'll still be blogging. I wonder when I'll finally go to the page and find out they changed the password. I can see it now, "Jonathan, give it up. You're not a fresh face anymore. You've been here for two years. What more can you say?! Please stop!"

It keeps my brain young and limber to write like this anyway. I spend so much of my day writing lame stuff like, "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dogs."

I am taking an economic demography class. Now I've used this punchline a million times before but I'm still refining it for maximum hilarity. This could take years. In this class they really like to talk about demographics of our industrialized nations and how our more industrialized nations have aging populations and that eventually that population will slowly decrease in size because of plunging fertility rates. Now I'm a pretty normal guy (or so the voices in my head always like to insist) but every time I leave lecture I can't help but feel this need to go and reproduce. Like if I'm being compelled to have hundreds and hundreds of Asian babies to replace all the ones in Japan not being born. If it turns out that there are no Asians in Asia anymore, then it's my fault for not popping out 2.1 babies to keep replacing the population. Sigh.

If you are reading this then you are bored. No question about it. Why don't you cheer yourself up by heading over to UC Berkeley's Wikipedia page and feel awesome at going to such an stupefyingly awesome school? I do it all the time.

Posted by Jonathan Yu at 9:14 PM | Permalink

Today there's a guest lecture on campus that many will find of interest!

Dr. Edward F. DeLong is visiting from MIT to discuss his work on Genomics in Microbial Oceanography.
His seminar will be from 4-5 today, January 31, 2008 in 100 GPB.

Here is a link to one of his papers, to give you a better idea of his research:
http://pmb.berkeley.edu/~taylor/pmb290cg/pdfs/DeLong_2005.pdf

Posted by Christina at 2:27 PM | Permalink

If you're in GPB or MB, you're going to meet the awesome Undergraduate Advisors Trey and Dana. If you haven't spent time with them yet, you will be required to meet them soon. Be sure to ask them all the questions you have about course requirements - they can tell you all about creative ways to meet your elective requirements, or let you know that you don't really need that insane MCB class you were planning on taking.

Now, something to know - they're new! And dangit - they know their stuff. But occasionally some paperwork gets lost in transitions like this, so don't be shocked if you need to remind them you've completed a requirement.

For any of you transfer students out there - you're going to want to make super good friends with Trey and Dana. That's because they approve all of your course substitutions. If you've attended another four-year school like me, it can get pretty tricky. Like most upper-division transfer students, I took almost all of my lower-division requirements at another school. That means that Trey and Dana have to work some magic to make each one of those count toward graduation. It can be tricky at times, but worth it to not re-take courses.

Posted by Christina at 11:57 AM | Permalink

What you should NEVER, EVER do:

- Never answer your phone and carry on a conversation in the library. It's going to bother at least one person near you.

- NEVER leave your phone on "ring" during class. Turn off your phone, put it on silent, or put it on vibrate

- Do not ever use your phone in a computer lab. Most have it posted on the wall as a no cell zone, but all expect you to know not to use one.

- Never answer a phone during office hours. Just a bad idea. Terribly disrespectful.

- Please do watch where you're walking when you're talking on your cell phone. It's no fun getting trapped behind cell-phone-talking, slow-walking, hand-gesturing oblivious folks on your way to class.

- Please don't have a loud and obnoxious ring tone, in case you accidentally forget to turn off your cell phone in class.

Posted by Christina at 3:21 PM | Permalink

About a week ago, my friend told me about housing co-ops. They're an unique living option for Berkeley students. The cost is pretty inexpensive, averaging a little above $3000 for a semester. The cost includes food, internet, and utilities. Another appealing factor about the co-ops is that the laundry is really cheap! The reason why co-ops are so inexpensive is because each person does his or her fair share of chores each week. By contributing to the overall maintance of the co-op, people get an affordable living option and a unique living experience in return.
I've started looking at housing co-ops online, but I'm going to go visit them in person sometime soon. There's an application you have to fill out. I've heard they're some party co-ops, but in general, I think the atmosphere is close to that of a dorm. Right now, I'm considering

Continue reading "Housing Co-ops" »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 10:08 AM | Permalink

Miami University of Ohio is a small school with a well-established Botany department. I am considering them for my graduate studies. Their graduate Botany department offers a small student - to- faculty ratio, ample funding, and graduate course offerings to drool over.

While I was meeting with faculty, Tom spent his afternoon touring campus and taking photos. A few highlights.

The Botany & Zoology Building

Posted by Christina at 9:14 AM | Permalink

The UC Riverside Biological Sciences Graduate Division has officially lost 2 of my transcripts, GRE scores, supplementary application information, check, fellowship application, and 1 (of 3 total) letter of recommendation.

5 separate envelopes. 2 of which sent from outside the state of California.

They tell me it's all lost in the mail. "If you sent it certified, we might be able to track it."
I didn't.

Let's have this be a lesson for all of us:
Choose to mail everything certified.

Oh, and... Don't plan on getting small-school attention from UC Riverside. No matter how small the program is that you're applying to, the school is massive and you can still fall through the cracks.

Posted by Christina at 3:09 PM | Permalink

If you're planning on staying in the Bay Area through the New Year (and don't just want to stay indoors), here is something you might want to consider.

BART is offering a "Flash Pass" (providing you unlimited rides on BART) that is good from 6 p.m. New Year's Eve (Dec. 31) through 3 a.m. (Jan. 1) for only $6.

Read more at: Ring in the new year with a BART Flash Pass

Happy New Year!

Posted by Juan at 12:56 PM | Permalink

Once again, the week before finals turned out to be pretty eventful. It was a Tuesday; Tuesdays were usually pretty good days, since they were short (lol). I had a class from 10-11 and then 11-12:30. I had a paper due for my first class but didn't start writing it 'till the morning of (lol). It was just a short assignment--a 2 pager. (This was a pass/no pass class btw). Making the decision to procrastinate was quite easy. I had had more important assignments to take care of and pushing this one back was a "no-brainer." I figured that I'd just write "crap" and get a C or something just to get it done since this was a pass/no pass.

So as I was writing the paper, as always, I couldn't just write crap. I'm not sure if that's a good characteristic or not...but I've never been able to be satisfied with that type of effort (especially in my writing), though some might use this blog as an argument against that statement (lol).
Anyway. Class started at 10 and I didn't leave my house 'till around 10 (I live up the 24 and it takes me about 30 minutes to get to class). I ended up being late but I didn't care about that. I finished the paper and was satisfied with it. Since I drove that day I needed to find a parking spot. I usually try to park along Hearst when I can. I found a 24 minute spot, and since I was late (and class would be over in about 25 min) I took it. So class was fine. I turned in the paper and everything (it was the last meeting of the semester). In my hurry (I guess), I forgot about my car, and when this class was over, without thinking, I headed over to my next class. It wasn't until later (around 12:00) that I realized my car was still parking in a 24 minute spot!! I hustled, ran, and breathed heavy...but when I got to my car, the officer was just printing me out a hot copy of:

Click below. Picture opens in new window/tab.

Continue reading "12/04/07 - A paper, lateness, and a ticket" »

Posted by Juan at 11:59 AM | Permalink

The No. 1 thing people would warn you when you are about to enter college is: “Oh, be careful about ‘freshman 15’!” For me, I was really careful last year keeping a healthy lifestyle and consequently, I did not get my ‘freshman 15’.

But this year, it has been difficult. First of all, I moved out of the dorms so I am basically on my own for meals. As a result, I eat out much more frequently than I did last year. Secondly, I have developed bad study habits as I start to stay up late much more frequently than I did last year to finish my papers and cram in for exams. Consequently, I have to eat snacks (unhealthy ones) to fight away the hunger! Thirdly, since my vigilance toward ‘freshman 15’ has diminished, I do not go to do exercise as frequently as I should.

Here are a few tips I am going to give a try:

1). Go for vegetables and fruits whenever you can
2). Try not to develop the habit to drink sodas because once you get used to them, you would have one almost every meal.
3). It is hard to push yourself to go the gym on a regular basis. So you may want to find things to do with friends that are “hidden exercises”
4). Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to “diet” because this may make you feel left out when you are hanging out with friends who not are not dieting. Have some unplanned days when you can eat whatever…
5). Try to maintain regular eating and sleeping times!
6). Never skip a meal, especially breakfast!

That’s what I have so far. Any suggestions?

Posted by Yang Cao at 1:00 AM | Permalink

The opportunities made available to me at UC Berkeley are beyond my wildest dreams (although, to be honest, I never dreamt about them ^_^). This May, I got injured and had to stop competing in the martial arts until I healed. Shortly thereafter, I got in a bit of a car accident while on a new scooter (read: don’t get one). While training 24 hours a week, in order to stay on top of my competition in the ring and class, I had to say no to all of those exciting academic and extra-curricular opportunities that pop up. So, once I had healed, I realized I could say YES, YES, YES!

Somehow, this has resulted in me taking 19 units this semester, auditing two additional classes, taking on three jobs, and being involved in numerous other programs. Beyond that, I’m taking the GRE next weekend, applying to four very special graduate programs and interviewing for two full-time jobs that would start next year. Surprisingly, I’ve been able to fulfill my commitments thus far in the semester. Unfortunately, as the semester’s end nears, the cumulative requirements of my involvement seems to be peaking, ACK!

Here is where my blog title, honor, gets involved. Wikipedia has a nice long article on honor. I was taught, however, a more simple definition: the ability to recognize and fulfill my obligations – both to others and oneself. Additionally, my capability to do this is most important when times are at their toughest – it means the most to come through for people when my life is at its hardest. To everyone stressing out – remember this. If we can follow through at our best now, during the semester’s peak, we will surely be ready to handle life under lower levels of stress. This is our time to shine!

Continue reading "Honor: Why you should not enroll in 19 units and work three jobs." »

Posted by Tay Feder at 11:32 PM | Permalink

Don't worry. It's not another scheduling nightmare. I'm just responding to Chai's comment about the first 'Scheduling Nightmare.' So, here goes:

My spring semester...yes, Telebears scheduling for spring semester is just on the horizon. I think it's around late October. I'm most likely going to take Math 1B, just to continue with the series. I'm not sure if I can get credit for Math 16B if I take it after Math 1A and besides, wouldn't it kinda look bad on your transcipt? I'm probably going to take organic chemistry, 3B/3A...I haven't decided, yet. I also want to get my American Cultures requirement fulfilled

Continue reading "Scheduling Nightmare II" »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 5:20 PM | Permalink

friday!!! wahoo! =] just a few more hours and then I will be over and done with my ancient babylonian seminar, then it's friday, the last schoolday of the week! As I write this, I have a big fat smile on my face because something about the weekend is so therapeutic.
and that's nice!
but..
...what exactly do I do during the weekend? As I am writing this, I am beggining to realize that that I just plain...don't do much. I remember at the beginning of the year, I made the conscious decision to not inundate myself in extracirriculars like sports, clubs, jobs, etc. Sure, I considered it perfectly acceptable to join a club here or there that catch my attention, but I wanted to be sure that my studies were my number one priority. Fast forward a month and a half later and I am starting to get the feeling that it worked out all too well.

Continue reading "it's almost..." »

Posted by Angela Hsu at 12:47 PM | Permalink

Seriously do it...I know some professors seem really scary and overwhelming but, you'll never know that they could be really nice. So I had a professor, who shall remain nameless, who seemed scary and mean so I quietly went over to their office hours and it turns out that they were super nice! The professor gave me books to read to further my knowledge on the subject. Hell they even gave me chocolate, I'm not saying go there for the chocolate but go because...

Continue reading "Go to office hours" »

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 11:05 PM | Permalink

Are you considering declaring an ESPM major? ESPM stands for Environmental Science Policy and Management, and the department offers four majors: Conservation and Resource Studies (CRS), Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR), Molecular Environmental Biology (MEB), and Society and Environment (SE). Before you declare you need to attend a workshop before or after Tele-bears (I recommend before)...

Continue reading "Declaring an ESPM major?" »

Posted by Tay Feder at 12:00 PM | Permalink

When I first came to Berkeley, I hiked (yes, hiked) through campus to go everywhere. As I walked uphill to my friends' dorm in Foothill, I was literally huffing and puffing. Side note: Has anyone ever wondered why Foothill is called Foothill? Because, honestly, it's not at the foot of a hill. It's on top of a hill. How devious of the people who named that dorm. Anyways, I was totally sure that Freshman 15 would be a total myth to me....

Three weeks later....the myth might have a chance of becoming reality.

Continue reading "Freshman 15?!" »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 12:33 PM | Permalink

Until April 30th, Microsoft is selling Office 2007 for $60 to university students. That is really cheap compared to the $150 Home/Student Version. For y'all out there with the illegal/free/downloaded/key-hacked version, this is your chance at becoming a good cit. (And for y'all out there who are saying that "it doesn't hurt anyone" you know that that's just plain BS.) Along with the Deal, there is also a blog contest going on. Thus:
This blog is part of the Microsoft “The Ultimate Steal” Blogging Contest. Go to www.theultimatesteal.com for details.
How would I use Microsoft Office for? As students, we've been living off of Word since birth. The Word 2007 lets me: word process my labs and research papers; manipulate my documents; and create nice looking pamphlets easily. Sure, I could probably make nicer looking pamphlets with Photoshop or something, but it’s just more instinctive with Word for me.
Then there's PowerPoint with which I can create awesome presentations. While people really want to learn about sarin, dioxin, or one of the other toxins in my Toxicology class, people also zone out fast. With interesting animations to maintain interest my professor will be awake enough to give me the decent grade I deserved. Also, with the main points on the PowerPoint, I don't have to deal with people saying "Can you repeat that?"
Ah. And finally Excel. Excel 2007 brings a higher powered calculation masterpiece. I can create my graphs, compare data, input data, calculate calculations, and basically analyze my data in every sort of way with Excel 2007. Even fuzzies (humanities majors) need Excel! E.g. History: calculating the mortality in a war or something.
Office 2007 will enable me to dynamically excel in my academic studies. I can’t imagine life before Office at all. Were those the Notepad days?

Posted by K. Lee at 7:01 PM | Permalink

AOI, for anyone who isn't familiar with all the acronyms Berkeley has to offer is Area of Interest. One of the best parts about being a CRS major is that you get to pick what area you want to study/focus on..or is it? Yes for all you indecisive people like me who keep the waitress at the table with those needless which dish do you like better questions..you'll feel my pain. I've always been indecisive, which was my excuse for keeping my room messy in high school (I'd pull out 5 shirts before I would pick one). Back to the AOI. So the first day of class we were asked to fill in the blank...what do you want to study?? Before I transferred to Cal people would ask me that same question and I replied with...

Continue reading "AOI...yes all CRS majors will have to face this" »

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 12:06 AM | Permalink

I've always heard that scheduling was a nightmare, but my schedule seemed to work out perfectly. All my classes were evenly distributed throughout the week, averaging about 3 lectures/discussions per day. Sweet, no?

Since I'm premed (forgot to mention this in my first post...), I have to take a year of math. So, of course, I opted for the easier calculus course: Math 16. Then...

The Nightmare:

On the second day of school, I freaked out because my friend told me that premeds are supposed to take Math 1, not Math 16. So....I sent an email to the Plant and Microbial Biology advisor Marjorie Ensor, asking if Math 16 fulfilled the math requirement for premeds...but,

Continue reading "Scheduling Nightmare" »

Posted by Victoria Eng at 10:30 PM | Permalink

So here at Cal we have these things called DeCal classes. DeCal is short for democratic education at Cal and the classes are really a lot of fun. This semester I’m thinking of taking two DeCals: archery and swing dancing. I going to get course credit for swing dancing and practicing archery! I went to the swing class last night and more than a hundred people showed up but the class only seats 50. Wish me luck. I think I’ve got a good shot at it because I’m a lead with 9 months of Ballroom experience. Alas, there are about 5 girls to every boy, seems like I've got a moral imperative to dance with these girls. How very hard my life is... ;{p

Decal classes are nice ways to round out a schedule and take your mind off mind bending academic loads and because decals are only 1-2 units pass fail they can help you meet Cal’s semester minimum of 13 units. Three academic classes and one decal makes for a manageable and non-psycho semester. Learn more at http://www.decal.org/

Posted by Eric Thurston at 2:16 PM | Permalink

Wow so the first week was everything I did and didn't expect it to be. What I expected prior to starting class: lots of reading, being sooooo excited, enjoying having class at 2:00, finally getting into details of environmental issues that were broadly mentioned in lower division classes, expensive textbooks, and the joy of sitting around between classes on Cal's lawns.
Didn't expect: how nice everyone was, getting my car keyed (very crappy), how truly comfortable the CNR couches are, 25 page term paper, everyone talks in acronyms ( I even almost abbreviated many phrases in typing this), getting into a class being number 56 on the waitlist, CNR really does a "smaller" feel to it, and how much I miss my dog. Now let's recap what I've learned...

Continue reading "First week is over...15? more to go..." »

Posted by Marissa Ponder at 10:58 PM | Permalink

What is SPUR?

It’s used by horseback riders, or those pretending to be on Halloween.
It’s a technical term in biology for an elongated sepal used to distinguish species within particular genera (ask your botany teacher, not me, I'm an economist paraphrasing wikipedia).
It’s a subsidiary summit of a parent mountain.
It’s a chain of steakhouses in South Africa (who knew?)
It’s an annual literary prize awarded by the Western Writers of America.
It’s a city in Texas.
Best of all it's a TLA (three letter acronym) for...

Continue reading "SPUR YOUR MIND" »

Posted by Tay Feder at 5:30 AM | Permalink

So, after a week at Berkeley, I'm not sore anymore from all the walking now! The following paragraph will be about what I learned from my week on campus. Trying to buy books for my classes were quite hectic though. Found out that Ned's bookstore was slightly cheaper so went there instead of the cal student store. Cus, my total for all my textbooks came to $400!!! Wow... that would have taken me 3 paychecks just to buy textboooks....alone.Then realized that I don't need to bring a whole bunch of quarters when Cal 1 Debit card works quite nicely for laundry. Crossroads, I admit, is better than most dorm food DC's, but I also heard that the one in Clark Kerr was pretty fantastic as well. Still gotta try out the Bear transit though.. maybe I will be able to get to class on time from the South to the North side of campus!! Caltopia was indeed fun and my friends and I got free drinks, stuff(shirts, hats, pens,) and was bombarded with different companies trying to lure us in to contracts, trips, etc. I do enjoy Berkeley and look forward to the first week of classes!!

Posted by Casey Wang at 1:14 PM | Permalink

Don't let this entry stress you out! If you're not a senior, you probably don't need to worry about this yet. If you're a junior, you may want to take a little look at this entry, so you can figure out how to make your life a little easier in your senior year. This entry is helpful to juniors and seniors at any institution, not just UC Berkeley.

Read on, if you dare...

Continue reading "Graduate School Thoughts" »

Posted by Christina at 11:21 AM | Permalink

Tuesday, August 28; 4pm - 5pm in 2063 VLSB
Transfer Lab Research Workshop
If you're a transfer student, (or you can sneak in if you're just a regular junior or senior), here's the event for you. It's a workshop to show you how to get involved with research. The event is for all students in Biology-Related programs throughout the campus. There's SO MANY research opportunities for CNR students! Moreso than the L&S biology majors have available. Here's where you'll learn how to snatch your own coveted spot in a research lab, so you can make those MCB and IB friends drool with envy.

Tuesday, September 4; 9am - 12pm in 260 Mulford
CNR Student Resource Center Welcome Reception!
Ok, here's the perfect opportunity to explore the Student Resource Center (SRC), if you haven't already.

My favorite stuff about the SRC:

- New, soft Couches. It's a great place to take a break on those long days when you're stuck on campus.

- Computer lab. You have to sign in at the beginning of the semester so you have a login account, but after that, you're home free. There aren't too many computers, and usually they're in high demand, but dang they're handy. It's the closest computer lab to all of the CNR classes. Also, these computers have all the stuff you need, from word-processing to excel and internet. You can print stuff out there, too. Oh, and CNR students get to print 15 pages/day for free.

- Tables with a little tilt. While a odd at first, you soon realize that their tilted wooden tables are excellent for long reading assignments.

- Great place to meet people. It's a reliable, quiet place to study, where you see the same folks every day. By the end of the semester, you've made a new friend or two.

- Snacks during finals! At the end of last semester, they stocked up a little table with cookies, chips, fruit, coffee, and tea to entice us to spend hours on end studying in the resource center. It worked.

Posted by Christina at 10:44 AM | Permalink

What's a Resume? Well, it's something that American high school and college students write a lot of! You'll need one to apply to that part-time campus dream job.

What's a Cover Letter? A letter no longer than one page that entices folks to read your resume.

Here's an example of a resume, from this helpful website: http://www.improveyourresume.com

Key elements to a resume:
- Education. What high school did you attend? What university are you now attending? What is your major field of study? What is your GPA?
- Work Experience.
- Volunteer Experience.
- Hobbies. This is where you get to mention gardening, painting, or whatever you love to do. Hobbies don't have to be directly related to the job you're looking for, they can just be a conversation-starter for your interviewer.
- Keep it short. Since they're reviewing sometimes hundreds of resumes, 1 page is all they have time to read.

So, write one up! When you've finished, have people look at it. Lots of people! Before you use your resume, it is very important that you catch all the little glitches. It's also important that you know if it's appropriate for the position you're applying for.

People to proofread your resume:

The folks at the UC Berkeley Career Center! Here's a link: http://career.berkeley.edu
Their Peer Advisors are great.

Also, don't hesitate to ask the kind ladies at the CNR Student Resource Center front desk. While they don't have the intense training in resume-making like the advisors at the Career Center, they can still help you catch basic typos. If you print your resume out in the Resource Center computer lab, you can ask them to give it a look-over right there before heading over to your appointment with a peer advisor at the Career Center.

Posted by Christina at 9:31 AM | Permalink

Check out the Work Study job listings website to find the perfect on-campus job.
http://workstudy.berkeley.edu/JobSearch.aspx

Here are some jobs currently available on campus for students who love plants!

Job Title: Lab Asst III
Employer: LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE & ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING
Hourly Rate: $ 14.01
Positions: 3
Start Date: When filled
Description: Horticultural tasks general garden maintenance.
Qualifications: past experience
My comment: For this job, looks like they need someone who is comfortable pulling weeds, mowing lawn, and all sorts of other tasks. The pay is good, too! $14.01/hour for 16 hours/week.

Job Title: Clerk
Employer: AGRICULTURAL & RESOURCE ECONOMICS
Hourly Rate: $ 12.50
Positions: 1
Start Date: When filled
Description: Working in the Giannini Foundation Library of Agricultural Economics:
1. assist in card catalog revision--pulling cards
2. searching library database and routing current journals to faculty and staff
3. delivering and retrieving materials from departmental offices
4. searching Melvyl for books
5. revising reserve files--pulling printed journal files off the shelf, comparing them to a printed list
6. other library projects as needed
Qualifications:
1. meticulous attention to detail
2. typing/basic computer skills
3. knowledge of the Melvyl database a plus
4. Library experience a plus
My comment: If you like libraries and plants, this is the place for you. The pay is pretty good for this one, too! $12.50/hour for 10-15 hours/week.

Job Title: Science, Nutrition and GardeningTeacher
Employer: Oakland Based Urban Garden (OBUGS)
Hourly Rate: $ 13.40
Positions: 2
Start Date: 9/17/2007 ending possibly before, but no later than 5/22/2008
Description: Teach Kids Gardening, Science, and Cooking! OBUGS is looking for students to teach K-5th grade garden-based classes. What is OBUGS? OBUGS, Oakland Based Urban Gardens, is a West Oakland-based nonprofit organization founded in 1998. Our mission to build healthy communities through programs offered to children, youth and families in a network of neighborhood gardens, green spaces and farmers’ markets. What We Do: OBUGS built and maintains four food-producing gardens in West Oakland. The gardens are used primarily for hands-on educational activities for children. We are looking for teacher assistants for the following programs:
1. In-School: Children in our in-school program learn about science, ecology, and nutrition. They do hands-on activities in the garden to support each day’s lesson.
2. After-School: Participants help plant, harvest, and maintain the gardens. They also practice healthy cooking, do art projects, and play aerobic games. The job: The job is 8 - 16 hrs./week. A one-semester commitment is mandatory.Students will work with a lead teacher to prepare for and teach the in-school and after-school classes. Students will have regular meetings with the supervisor to ensure they benefit from their time with OBUGS.
This job offers student employees: • $13.40/hr • Real teaching experience • Organic agriculture experience • A stand-out resume builder • Help build your community • Free organic veggies • Time spent with some very cool kids
Qualifications: • Experience leading children
• Gardening, science, and nutrition knowledge
• Enthusiastic and fun-loving
• Highly dedicated, punctual, and responsible
• Ability to stay on task, highly organized
My comment: If you like to teach kids, and you like gardening, here's a great opportunity to combine all of your passions and do something worthwhile with your spare time. $13.40/hour 5-10 hours/week.

Posted by Christina at 9:09 AM | Permalink

AC Transit Class Pass: Go get your Class Pass, a sticker for your Cal 1 Card that gives you free, unlimited rides on AC Transit, and on BearTransit campus shuttles.

Bike License: Register your bike if you have one. It’s the law in Berkeley!

Cal 1 Card (Cal Photo ID): If you have not gotten your Cal 1 Card from CalSO, go get it from Cal 1 Card Office located in 110 Cesar Chavez Center, M-F, 9am until 5pm.

Calapalooza: This is a resource fair where you you’ll meet representatives from over 300 student organizations and campus services, as well as view performances by student groups on the Doe Library Steps. Thursday, August 23, 11am-2pm, Memorial Glade.

Caltopia 2007: This is a festival of fun, music and Cal Spirit. Friday-Saturday, August 24-25, 10am-5pm (closes at 4pm on Saturday), Recreational Sports Facility, 2301 Bancroft Way.

Chancellor's Receptions for New Undergraduates: This event is a daytime outdoor party at the home of the Chancellor.

Tuesday, August 21 – Thursday, August 23, 4pm-5:30pm, Chancellor’s Garden, University House, attire is business casual.
• Tuesday, August 21: Clark Kerr and Unit 2 residents
• Wednesday, August 22: Unit 4 (Bowles, Foothill, Stern), Channing/Bowdich apartments, International House, and off-campus residents
• Thursday, August 23: Unit 1 and Unit 3 residents

College and Major Orientations: Wednesday, August 22, Various Times. For more info, please visit http://welcomeweek.berkeley.edu/orient.html

Confirmed Class Schedule: If you need a copy of your class schedule, you can view and print a copy via Bear Facts at http://bearfacts.berkeley.edu.

Financial Aid Checks/CARS Refunds: Refunds are issued via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). With EFT, funds are deposited directly into your checking or savings account. Otherwise, a check will be printed and held for you to pick up at the Billing and Payment Services Office, 140 University Hall. To activate or update your EFT authorization, go to http://eftstudent.berkeley.edu.

Continue reading "Things to do during Welcome Week" »

Posted by Yang Cao at 12:08 AM | Permalink

Good News!!!

I just found out that I am no longer waitlisted for Chem 3A, even though I was still No. 104 on the waitlist yesterday. The department increases the enrollment limit from 480 to 625.

Here is some advice from Christina (another blogger for Fresh Faces) and Irene (GPB Peer Advisor) about signing up for classes. Oh, big thanks to both you for your comments to my previous entry.

Here are the classes that you should not try to wait until Phase II to sign up for:
Chem 3A & Chem 3AL
Chem 3B & Chem 3BL
Bio 1A & Bio 1AL
Bio 1B
R1A & R1B: They are filled up very quickly since the English/R&C requirement is one of the university general requirements. Plus the small class size, you probably won’t have a chance unless you are within the top 5 on the wait list.

If you want to take those lower-division science classes, but absolutely have to devote some of your precious 10.5 units to other classes in Phase I, at least sign up for the lab if it has separate lab components. Lecture is almost always guaranteed when you sign up in Phase II, even though you might be waitlisted.

Oh, Bio 1A & Bio 1AL maybe an exception. From what I read from the note at schedule.berkeley.edu, it says that students must enroll in both 1A and 1AL at the same time. If you enroll in only 1A or 1AL during Tele-BEARS Phase I, you will be dropped at the start of Phase II (unless exempt). Enrollment only in 1A or 1AL does not guarantee enrollment in the other part of the course.

Posted by Yang Cao at 11:06 PM | Permalink

Before entering Berkeley, you'll get an online alcohol knowledge seminar and a mini test. While I'd love tell you to take it seriously, it is hard to take that 3 hr long seminar seriously. I was reading/surfing the internet while the powerpoint was running. Click click click. Use the info for your safety. There is a lot of alcohol available all over campus and off of campus. Drink safely, and wisely. I would rather say, don't drink, but I know that it isn't reasonable for all people. Always go with a buddy, and leave with your buddy. If your buddy doesn't want to leave the party, get someone else to watch over your buddy, then call bearwalk and have them walk you home. Bearwalk is a free service. You call the number, and a person in a bright yellow suit comes to pick you up. There are dark blue suited people too, so if you don't want to walk next to a bumblebee, you can request a non-bumblebee. ;)
As far as sexual harassment... people don't think that you're as funny as you think when you are drunk. They're laughing out of awkwardness. Don't do it.
If you get sexually harassed, report it. Don't just be like, "Oh, it's okay, I don't want to make a fuss." People that sexually harass rarely stop. They just move onto the next victim. Don't let there be anymore victims. Even if the school can't do enough on the first report, they will be able to if a few report it. So, report it! http://ccac.berkeley.edu/ It's nice that UC Berkeley is pretty on top of things and actually cares. So, don't be scared to report it. We're at Berkeley so that we'll make a difference in the world. Blending in and becoming like grass for people to step on isn't really a way to make a stand in the world.

Posted by K. Lee at 9:40 AM | Permalink

Before coming to Japan, I was thinking, "where in the world is Carmen San Diego!" no... haha.. but, "how am I going to bring my money over and manage it?"
I'm a Bank of America loyalist... I've been raised in the good old American bank. Ever since my first ancestor came to the USA, we've always relied on Bank of America. However, banks have changed. They aren't as customer friendly as before. Doing my research, I found one awesome credit card / bank that didn't charge extra for international transactions:
Capital One. It's a small bank in SoCal that has a good internet presence. I have a money market account and credit card with them. It's awesome in that they pay out of their own pocket the 1% Visa international charge and they don't have any other charges. The same with withdrawing from ATMs. They don't charge anything. So where Chase, WaMu, and BoA would have hit you with up to 7% in fees.... I don't pay anything. So I'm living a happy life here while everyone else is having a hard time accessing moolah. Oh yeah. I also have a Citibank account which worked fine, but some people have been getting hit with a 1% fee at non-Citibank ATMs. Since the nearest Citibank is a couple cities away, I've just been using my CapOne. Since I also earn miles/points on my CapOne credit card, I've been using my credit card whenever possible.

Posted by K. Lee at 1:38 AM | Permalink

Yesterday was a national holiday, but we were lucky and had the opportunity to take a midterm. whohoo! There was also a earthquake in a nearby prefecture. We were able to feel it though. shakeshakeshake. Quite similar to the Berkeley shakes. Ah. which reminds me. Non-Californians should learn about earthquake safety before they come to Berkeley. Quite important to know how to duck and where the safest parts of structures are.
Classes are quite intense. Three tests a week. 2 vocab, and one section/midterm test. It's a fast

Continue reading "Week two of ICU ILP study abroad" »

Posted by K. Lee at 10:32 PM | 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

Wow, so talk about a lot of information in one day. I definately enjoyed the day and all of the counselors and major advisors were nice. Some recommendations for those who haven't gone yet:
1. Don't wear red.
2. LOOK at the classes that sound interesting and write them down, you will have time to look them up but you have to share a computer and it can get busy/stressful.
3. If you're from So Cal, get used to being the minority/pun of jokes, it's all in good fun though.
4. Drink some sort of coffee in the morning...it's a L O N G day with tons of information!
5. I don't think the campus tour they gave you in your spare time was that helpful, it was really short, and time could be spent better like getting your school id.

And of course have an amazing time! It definately made me more nervous and excited about starting in the fall. It helped that everyone was so supportive of the transfer students (thats me!).

Posted by general at 9:36 PM | Permalink

It's summer now. I think some of the incoming freshmen have gone to Calso by now. That's the orientation for incoming frosh. You get to learn about options you have at Berkeley, gain friendships, and register for classes.

REGISTER FOR CLASSES
yes. that scary thingymabob.
So I hope that you've registered for the earliest possible date.
Berkeley's a large school. You're trying to get the best possible schedule that enables you to get the most sleep, best grade, or best social life (choose two of the three). Since incomings cannot register for courses until they come to Calso, having the earliest Calso gives you a lift-up.

Good luck with class registrations!

GO BEARS!

Posted by K. Lee at 9:30 PM | Permalink

Just a warning: this post will probably be all over the place and
When Choosing a roommate, do you choose someone you know or go with the random roommate?
When I was a senior high school I had the daunting task of choosing a roommate that would live with me for a whole year at UC Berkeley. I mean it is one thing go to class or even be friends with someone, living with someone is a different story. By some strange twist of fate I asked a girl who went to my high school who just so happened to be valedictorian and a neighbor! We actually did not know each other very well and a mutual friend rationalized that we would help balance each other out, i mean we had the same ideals and she would keep me on track. We ended up taking a trip to Hawaii together the summer after we graduated, it was a little awkward at first. We tried to keep the conversation simple- didn't probe too deeply into each other's lives, past, personalities, etc, I guess we were still feeling each other out, still both regretting/questioning the decision of living with someone who was basically a stranger.
Actually, we admitted to each other later that we were both intimidated of each other and always asked our mutual friends to reassure us that we made the right decision.

Having a roommate you get along with is important. and that is an understatement. They are the person you come home to at night and they are your support system throughout all that Berkeley throws at you.

Hawaii was the first step, we bonded over a lot of things, even our quirky hotel roommate. When it came to the dorms, we definitely grew closer and experienced a lot together. Berkeley's a place you have to get used to - and it is even better when you have someone who goes through all the crazy experiences you go through.We have experienced a lot together. We lived on the 8th floor of Cunningham in Unit 2, survived a year of Co-ed bathrooms/showers, walked through People's park at night clutching on to each other's arms, brushed our teeth together, stayed up chatting about anything and everything, threw up together in adjacent bathroom stalls after eating some bad food, discovered shows like sex and the city and desperate housewives together, going to parties, going through the bunkbed "experience" - bruises and all, studied for finals together, mastered the internet realm everything from calmail to facebook, myspace to ImDb, perfecting our ghettofabulous slang, piercing our ears, flew home together carrying gigantic suitcases weighing more than both of us combined, crazy caffeine/coffee rampage nights of fun, discovering a shared love for hummus, pita bread, and smoothies, and oh so much more.

Continue reading "para sa kasambayan ko, ang asawa ko si Jane. (my CrAzY! roommate) " »

Posted by Nikki Fernandez at 11:23 PM | Permalink

This makes one full year that I’ve been living on my own here in Berkeley and recent circumstances have made me inclined to share my knowledge on the topic of finding apartments here in Berkeley. Timing is everything; the end of the spring semester marks the best time for finding apartments in Berkeley. My roommate Jason and I found our place with about two weeks of craigslist assisted searching in mid-June last year. So if you’re going to be a student in Berkeley late April to early July is when you really ought to be signing leases, unless of course you’d rather be subletting part of a cardboard box on Telegraph from a degenerate hobo/street preacher.

Here are some quick guidelines for a happy apartment in Berkeley:

1. Look early.

2. Avoid Everest Properties – very shady stuff going on behind the scenes here. (Check Yelp) These are the folks you talk to if you’re into the cardboard box duplexes and abhorrent treatment.

3. Don’t get attached to any one place. The competition is fierce and things go off the market quickly.

4. Roommates can help make rent more manageable but be very careful who you sign a lease with; the rent control laws are so beefy that many renters are frightened to get involved with any tenant disputes.

Goodluck!

E

Posted by Eric Thurston at 11:04 AM | Permalink

After staying in one of the dorms for my first year at Cal, I would like to share my impression on all the residence halls.

Unit 1 is commonly considered the best of the units. It seems to be in the middle of social/academic priorities, such that you can study when needed, and the place isn’t like a giant fraternity 24/7. It is close to Crossroads (one of the dining commons) and is also pretty clean.

Unit 2 was renovated recently, and is only a ten minute walk from campus. Since it is a little bit farther away from campus, it is a bit louder and social.

Unit 3 is conveniently located as it is literally two blocks away from the Sather Gate. There’s the Bear Market, Cafe 3, and some other eating places. It is kind of loud and has a pretty diverse spread of class years.

Foothill is expensive, mostly unsocial, and far from the Recreational Sports Facility (gym). But if you’re a chemistry/mathematics/engineering/physics major, then Foothill is about 5 minutes away from most of your classes. If you’re humanity major, then you’re likely to whining about climbing up the hill in front of Pimentel Hall or the stairs behind Hearst Mining.

Clark Kerr Campus has really nice rooms, but it is very far away from campus. Another problem is that its DC only opens from 6-8 PM for dinner, and there is no late night service or restaurants around. So if you accidentally missed dinner, you pretty much have to stay hungry (snack is always another option) till the next day.

Bowles hall, though all male, probably gives you the biggest living area, with large closets, bedrooms, and an adjacent study/common room. It also sports a terrific view of Berkeley, if you get an outward facing room.

Stern Hall…not too sure…

Anyone has other things to add?

Posted by Yang Cao at 12:22 AM | Permalink

If I were a Cal freshman again, I would...

1. Check out a few clubs, join a club and actually get involved with it a little bit.

2. Go out to explore the place. Don’t just stay in the room 24/7. Go out to Shattuck on weekends even though it’s a bit of a walk. Go to SF once in a while.

3. Go to office hours, both professor office hours and GSI office hours. You hear this from me, from the staff at orientation, from other students, and chances are you still won’t go to them. But you really should.

4. Avoid getting behind in class. Once you fall behind, it is almost impossible to catch up. This also means to start papers and projects early. Just do it!!!

5. Make friends in classes just in case you miss something and particularly if you like to work in groups.

6. Set up a pattern of studying and keep it up. Go to the library or the academic centers often if you study well there.

7. Try to get decent-good grades, but don’t ONLY do schoolwork.

8. Take personal inventories. Try to think about what you want out of each day, of each week, of each semester, and of college in general. Try to complete these goals.

…

Basically, any advices that could be passed on to prospective students are welcomed and will be greatly appreciated!!!

Posted by Yang Cao at 11:51 PM | Permalink

Struggling to remember if you can put your 4oz. container of face cream in your carry-on? Didn't realize that your gel shoe insoles will be confiscated at the security desk?

Getting your luggage together for the airport can be tricky when you're flying internationally - or even from state to state these days. Here's a webiste that helps make sense of the regulations regarding tricky and commonplace items. It includes an easy-to-scan chart, and links to other helpful travel tips:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm#1

Posted by Christina at 9:02 AM | Permalink

Q: I'm thinking of going my sophomore year, what do you think?
A: The problem with Japan is that the deadline is early compared to most other countries. I'm glad that you're thinking early.There's a great program in Japan that is only for people in their sophomore year, so you may want to look at that. The deadline is in early November compared to Jan for countries like England. I had wanted to study abroad off in my sophomore year, but I missed the application deadline. Also, I just wasn't too sure I was mature enough to take care of myself. Also, if you're a science major, you'll have a difficult time taking your science classes in Japan. Nothing is going to transfer into my major for me because there just isn't suitable equivalents that I can take with my basic Japanese.

Q: How hard was it for you to apply?
A: Quite easy, slightly tedious. Writing the essay was the hard part. It's not difficult, but get someone to proofread it. Also, you need a recommendation. Since the deadline is early for the Japan program, you may not be able to get a recommendation from a professor to submit. Thus, if you're thinking of it while you're still a H.S. senior, go online, print out the recc. form, and ask your teacher to write one for you. When I actually did apply, I got a recc. from my academic advisor/past prof. I had done well in his class, so that was helpful too.

Continue reading "Study Abroad Q&A I" »

Posted by K. Lee at 1:48 AM | Permalink

Instruction was officially over yesturday. I can't believe I'll be a 2nd year in a few days. I mean no longer will I be able to make mistakes and say "oh, it's only my first year!"...Dang it!

I have a final I am studying for Monday and that's my last one. Organic chemistry..not a peice of cake. Of course I've already started studying for it. I want to be prepared for this test...but at least I'll get to go home Monday and just RELAX. Then I am coming back Friday for a few graduations I have to attend for my senior friends. And I am going to pack out of my dorm room then. We have to be completely out with keys turned in Saturday at 10 am and I have A LOT to pack. I am storing stuff I dont need to take back home in Berkeley like books, printer, comforter..etc. If you are still looking for storage call 1-800-586-3020 and they'll even pick up your stuff!

Good luck with finals!

Posted by Rola Abduljabar Rabah at 9:42 AM | Permalink

http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu/Students/insurance/

At Cal, students are automatically enrolled into SHIP. It's about ~$600 a semester for undergraduates. In order waive out of SHIP, you need to submit the waiver online before mid-August.

The decision of whether to waive or not waive comes down to how you like to gamble.
You're young, relatively healthly, and have other insurance, then you may want to waive it.
If you're active, you may not want to waive.

Personally, I waived out of SHIP. I'm covered under my father's health insurance (not a very good plan...that makes me pay out of pocket for nearly everything) which covers less than what SHIP covers. Yet, I think that I won't use ~$1200/year in benefits. This year, I realized what a pain it is to not have ship. I was diagnosed with microscopic hematuria during my physical for my study abroad program. I had to do tests...after tests...for three months. It added up. Yet, when I finally got cleared to go (it seems like I'm one of those ppl that just have microscopic hematuria) I'd racked up ~$600 in medical bills at the Tang Center. So I'm still in the clear. But not by much if ship was on a semester basis.

However, if I had gotten seriously sick and needed treatment, you can bet that I would have wished that I was covered by SHIP.

The good thing is, you can always opt back into SHIP any time of year. Since the only requirement is that you need to be a student, if you get seriously sick, just waive back in and use the benefits.

About 1/2 of the people I know who are covered by parental insurance are also covered by SHIP. SHIP covers alot and is very convenient to use with the Tang center.

Don't forget, even without SHIP, you can still use the Tang Center.

So its up to you. How well do you think you gamble?

Posted by K. Lee at 9:57 PM | Permalink

One great site to always keep in mind is comegetused.com .
You can sell your books to other students and cut out the middlemen. ^^
If you don't want to deal with that, go to Ned's or the student store to sell back. Remember to do it early. If they have too many of a book, they won't buy yours. If your book won't be used next semester, they won't buy it back (despite the advertisement on Ned's that says "we buy back every book!"

Posted by K. Lee at 7:51 PM | Permalink

Hyun-joo asked what courses I've enjoyed - so here we go! I'm addling a little information on professors as well.

PMB C107 & C 107L: Plant Morphology. This is my favorite course in the major. It teaches you the ins and outs of vascular plants. Be prepared to do a lot of quick drawing in the labs. You're trained to have a critical eye when viewing plant structures. You also learn the general layout of plant lineages. In the lab, we get to look at microscope slides of plant anatomy, living plant samples, and even fossils! Be warned - those upper-division students that came in without a decent understanding of plant descriptive terminology are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of material covered in this course. In the Genetics & Plant Biology major, the majority of students have a good background in plant biochemistry, cell biology, and genetics. Take at least one non-biochemistry or non-molecular biology plant course before this one. Meeting with study groups and bringing your questions to the graduate student instructor during office hours are essential to success, no matter your background.

The professor, Dr. Chelsea Specht:

She is perky, incredibly knowledgeable and ready to share what she knows, so don't miss out on a class from her. Sometimes she speaks very fast in lecture! Never miss a lecture, always read background material before coming to class. Otherwise, you risk getting lost in the fast pace.

It's probably a good idea to take some of these before PMB C107:

IB168: Plant Systematics. This course gives you a general understanding of plant families, and just gets you comfortable looking at plants. For the lab, you'll need to learn the main characters of most plant families. For the quizzes, you'll need to look at a plant and know its family. Bring your camera, sketchbook, and colored pencils to lab. Don't think you know how to draw? If you choose to sketch the plants in this course (rather than just taking photos), you'll get the hang of it by the end of the semester, and you'll be better prepared for PMB C107L. You'll enjoy the small class size, individual attention in lab, and the enthusiastic students. Get to know people and form study groups before exams - it helps to exchange notes.

The professor, Dr. Bruce Baldwin:

He's the Curator of the Jepson Herbarium. You want to get to know this man. Find any excuse you can to take a course by him. He is soft-spoken, and incredibly kind. He likes to bring up silly facts and stories about the plants, to make his students laugh. Don't miss a lecture, it all shows up on his multiple-choice exams.

IB 102 & IB 102L: Introduction to California Plant Life. Who wants to leave California without knowing its flora? Here's an excellent course where you'll run into plant-minded people with interests in forestry, ethnobotany, range science, and so forth. These are folks that you won't run into in your other major courses, but you'll have a lot of fun with them on the field trips and in the labs. You're introduced to the plants of California by their habitat, as well as by family. Watch out! There's a lot of plants to know for this course. It focuses on sight-identification of plants by family, genus, and species. You'll learn a little morphology in this course, since you'll need it to navigate the Jepson Manual, the key to California plants.

The professor, Dr. Dean Kelch:

Dean knows his field well. A great speaker, and definitely a big part of what makes this course fun. Watch out when he writes on the board - he doesn't have the best hand-writing. The key to enjoying his course - ask questions!

PMB C102 & C102L: Diversity of Plants and Fungi. I have not taken it, but several of my friends have enjoyed this elective. Here's the course description: "An integrated treatment of the biology and evolution of the major groups in the plant, algal, and fungal kingdoms." My friends say the instructors have a great sense of humor, and make these plants come alive. It's the only introduction you'll get to marine "plants." I haven't had a semester where I could take the course, but a friend gave me their textbook: Diversity of Plants and Fungi by Rudolf Schmid. It's an excellent resource for getting your mind around an upper-division understanding of plants.

Other Great Major Courses:
(These happen to be required.)

PMB 135 & PMB 135L: Physiology and Biochemistry of Plants. Here's a course that threw me for a loop. Make sure that you take all of Organic Chemistry before embarking on this adventure. I didn't, and boy was it a rush. Other students seemed to have an easier time of it than I did. Here's where you learn C3, C4 and CAM photosynthesis in detail, including the nitty-gritty of how chloroplasts capture energy. Also covers nutrient deficiencies, a bit on soil and water potential, just how turgor pressure works, and, well... all of the math and chemistry that you'll need to understand when it comes to plants. Watch out for the chalk dust - there's a lot of learning, and neither professor uses power point. This course also has frequent quizzes. Don't miss lectures, they're the most important part.

The Professors,

Dr. Anastasios Melis:

When speaking with other students in Genetics & Plant Biology, his name is the most common when you ask about a favorite professor. A Greek accent, incredible smile, and detailed organization are the most notable aspects of this professor. He outlines his lectures well, and brings even the most challenging concepts to a level that we all can understand. He doesn't like textbooks, so take good notes in class - it's all you have to work off of!

Dr. Norman Terry:

You can see a more current image of him if you watch the first 30 seconds of my "day in the life" video from last semester. Dreamy English accent aside, Dr. Terry is older but he's quick. Organized, and thankfully he works with the course website to give us all of the important notes from his lectures. Sit back and take it all in when he teaches. There's some difficult concepts to master, but he makes it all clear- what you need to know and what you don't.

PMB 150 & 150L: Cellular and Developmental Plant Biology. Interested in cell signaling, or genes that control specific functions? Those are two main topics that this course covers. A couple of my friends tell me that this course is much easier if you have already taken PMB 160 and 160L. Be prepared to write a scientific paper, and be sure to come to class for frequent quizzes. Neither professor believes much in textbooks. Be sure to take good notes, and go through their lectures online before attending each course. They won't stop to explain terminology if you've had a chance to look it up.

The Professors,

Dr. Sheng Luan:

His lecture slides are filled with the information he wants you to know, while his gentle voice fills your ears with analogies and stories to help you remember the challenging concepts. His office hours are worthwhile, and his eyes light up when answering questions. You'll find he offers great advice on graduate schools and other pertinent life topics, as well as the course subject material.

Dr. Renee Sung:
Another professor whose lecture slides accurately depict what she expects us to know for quizzes and exams. She's great at gearing the information she presents to the students she has in her class. If you don't have the proper background to understand a concept she presents, be sure to visit her during office hours to ask for clarification. She also responds quickly to e-mails. A straightforward lecturer, though some may have a difficult time with her Taiwanese accent.

Posted by Christina at 8:46 AM | Permalink

So I decided I wanted to take summer school after all. However, I don't want to take it at Berkeley because I want to spend the summer with my family and friends in Sacramento. Plus, a summer wouldn't feel like a summer if I didn't "travel" even if it is just go go home, lol.

I talked to a CNR advisor about summer school and she helped me a lot. Here is what I found out:

1. You can't take summer school at a UC like UC Davis because they run on a quarter system and UC Berkeley is a semester system so the dates won't line up.
2. In general, you can't take summer school at a State school like Sacramento State University because people don't usually transfer from State schools to UCs so the classes are not transferable (for the most part).
3. You CAN take classes at a community college as long as it is a UC Transferable course and the course you are taking must be equivalent to the UC course you want credit for. You can find what community college courses are equivilant through assist.org
4. The grade will not be counted into your Berkeley GPA but if you are applying to let's say medical school, you must send them ALL college transcripts and they will calculate another GPA. So you still have to take the JC class seriously...bohooo right?
5. YOU are responcible for sending Berkeley the official transcript at the end of the term if you want them to count for units.
8. Classes that satisfy a major requirnment will count towards your major so long as they are transferable/equivelant.
9. If you want to repeat a course you took at Berkeley you MUST repeat it AT Berkeley so if you take the same course (even if it is equivalent) it will not replace the course you want it to.
10. Don't stress. Keep up with the paper work and everything should work out fine.

If you have any questions about this you can contact your CNR advisor.

Hope this helps!

Posted by Rola Abduljabar Rabah at 5:19 PM | Permalink

Berkeley has many many many bathrooms. Below, you'll see dots at the locations that I frequent. The ones with a lil 2 on them mean that they're on the second floor. Orange means 1st floor. Blue means basement floor. And the pink without a number is on floor E, female bathroom.

If you continue on, there is an expanded image.,

Continue reading "Campus Bathrooms" »

Posted by K. Lee at 5:00 PM | Permalink

*Yawn*

Hmm? It's Spring already...? We...had a Spring Break? Whoa, looks like my seasonal quiescence got the best of me. Funny how time off flies by, and the next thing ya' know there's only a little over a month of classes left. I find it disturbing realizing that it's already time to rifle through the list of class offerings and try to find something that works for the Fall.

This semester I've offered my note-taking services through Cal's DSP - I'd recommend that if you take notes (I've yet to come across someone at Cal who doesn't...) you throw your name in the hat for semesters to come, as it certainly doesn't hurt to offer the help, and if chosen you do get paid for doing so. I like to think that it also helps with your own note taking, as you become aware that someone else will actually have to understand them!

Continue reading "Zzz..." »

Posted by Rola Abduljabar Rabah at 9:43 AM | Permalink

Last night, Tom, Evan, and I walked down to a very popular little place in town - Cheeseboard Pizza.  Live improvisational jazz music, and folks that care about the food that they make.  It's customary for folks to order their pizza, then picnic on the grass in the median.  It's on a main road, in downtown, so you can imagine it's pretty entertaining to watch the traffic as you're munching on your pizza.  I hadn't ever been to the Cheeseboard, but I've heard so much about it.  It's good pizza, and a slice is only $2.25, but I still like Pie in the Sky better.  Why?  Pie in the Sky offers bigger slices.   Cheeseboard is a cooperative, which means their workers aren't exploited, but they're not having anywhere near as much fun as the workers are down the street at Pie in the Sky.  At Pie in the Sky, they'll toss pizza in front of you, and let you watch the whole creation from start to finish, including fun conversation and even sometimes singing - unless you want it quick, in which case they have their half-baked pizzas sitting out for you to pick, then they'll throw it in their huge, impressive oven.  It'll come out within a minute or two.  Pie in the Sky also has MUCH more selection than Cheeseboard.  Since Cheeseboard only makes one type of crazy pizza every day, it's not too difficult to offer more variety - but the variety that Pie in the Sky offers is exotic, fun, and undeniably delicious. 

Posted by Christina at 1:39 PM | Permalink

Wow, I cannot believe it is already the middle of the second semester. Don't get me wrong, I am excited for summer but I am also a little scared. What happened to my first year at college? Where did all the time go? Has it really been close to two semesters? Well I can't say it hasn't been fun, tough, and interesting but I definatly now know what all the seniors mean when they say "before you know it, you'll be graduating in a month". What's the lesson here? Don't take things for granted, enjoy the DC foods, go to one more review session, and visit your professor in office hours.

Have a good week!

Posted by Rola Abduljabar Rabah at 8:21 PM | Permalink

Parking spaces in Berkeley are like raw diamonds--rare, ugly, and worth something. As students, especially Berkeley students, it is our duty to take public transportation. Thankfully, we have this magic .75 in x .75 in sticker on our ID cards that says, "BUS PASS." This magical sticker costs only ~$65, and the fee is included in our student fees. Wonderfully useful, the sticker will take you anywhere you want (as long as the places you want to go are covered by AC Transit buses. Since it is considered a sunk cost, it will cost you $0 to get across the bay to S.F. City. Or, you can hop on the bus and ride around campus in a clockwise motion on the Perimeter, counterclockwise on the Reverse, through Campus on the Center, or up from campus to the top of the Berkeley hill to the Space Station on the Hill. So if you're tired from lugging your backpack that is easily 2/3 your weight, just mosely along over to a bus stop and ride up the hill. Or, if you are too far from a bus stop, you can stop anywhere along the route and flag down one of the school's buses. The bus drivers are normally really nice and will pick you up.

Continue reading "Transportation" »

Posted by K. Lee at 10:27 PM | Permalink

Finally, I am done with midterms for now. Yay! It was so crazy that I had a physics midterm last Thursday night, a chemistry MT Monday night, and another one for ESPM Tuesday morning. But now, I will be FREE for a month!

So as a reward for myself, I went to ice skating tonight with my floormates in Berkeley Iceland. After I cumbersomely put on the skate shoes, I could barely stand up and walk, Fortunately, with a friend’s help, I managed to go the ice skating ground.

Now the hard part began. Since I was so scared to get on the skating ground, I stayed in my seat for several minutes to play with my shoes. I made them tight for one minute and loose for the next 30 seconds till I felt they were absolutely safe. Then, I entered the icy ground and held the wall tightly with both hands. I was afraid that I was going to fall if I let go of it. The need for a feeling of security…

My floormates skated by, and encouraged me to give it a try. With the promise that they were going to hold my arms, I started to walk on the ice cautiously. At first, I just felt that my body was leaning forward and I was going to fall. After a while, I felt more comfortable and tried to let one hand go, but it didn’t seem to work so well. Maybe it is because I had a sense of security when by holding the wall with one hand; thus, my fears were soothed.

Anyways, I had a good time tonight, and I would suggest to you all to steal a moment of leisure time under the pressure of midterms and papers. It is worth it!

Posted by Yang Cao at 1:02 AM | Permalink

Any Californian knows what to do in the event of an earthquake. Duck and Cover. Every couple weeks, there will be a rolling, quaking, minor shaking. A couple of seconds will go by and you'll hear some idiot screaming. Note: if an earthquake lasts longer than five seconds, MOVE UR ASS and get out of there. I was sitting at the dinner table and conversing with my buddies. We talked about the respective earthquakes we've lived through. 1994 Northridge for Joe, 1989 Loma Prieta for Matty, .... We were 8, 3, & 2 back then. Matty was 8 and organizing his baseball cards for the world series. He remembers when 5:04 pm when Loma Prieta hit. Joe doesn't really remember anything. I recall sitting at the dining table when it hit, then walking back in afterwords.
Anyways, get earthquake insurance for your home. The next one will hit, and it'll be painful.

Posted by K. Lee at 8:44 PM | Permalink

Yesterday my California Plant Life visited the Tilden Park Botanical Garden. While we waited for our group, a couple of my classmates decided to climb an Oak. I started climbing with them for little while, but then they started climbing higher and higher... and I chickened out. They're crazy!

Christopher Hobbs took us on a tour of the garden, pointing out plants that we have covered so far in class, and pertinent uses of many natives.

Here's a great little article that talks about the magic of the garden, from Bay Nature: http://www.baynature.com/v07n01/v07n01_botanic.html

Posted by Christina at 7:45 AM | Permalink

A wise EECS major once told me, "You're the one that chooses how great your Berkeley years will be be. You'll get out only as much as you put in."
When you come to Berkeley, it's quite easy to stay uninvolved. No one forces you to talk to your neighbors. You don't have to leave your room. You can stay isolated (perhaps miserable) if you so desire. People who say Berkeley sucks tend to be those that have no passion. On the other hand, you can be a person who has drive, ambition, and passion. You can jump into things at Berkeley. Join a club. Talk to the people older than you. Learn, live--really live. You might not have drive, ambition, or passion. That's fine too. Many of those people are actually a bit scary. ^^ j/p.... However, explore and find something that you like. Volunteer. Sing. Dance. Act. There's so many opportunities here. It's up to you to get started yourself. You're here, independent, and you get to mold yourself.

Posted by K. Lee at 7:25 PM | Permalink

Being a guinea pig pays well above minimum wage. There's two routes to go, the psychology way or the social sciences way.

Psychology: This is with the RPP or the RSVP labs. Go to http://rsvp.berkeley.edu to check it out. They pay $10/hour and you normally get out within an hour. (Cash payment)

Social Sciences: This is with the X-Lab (sounds nifty eh?). http://xlab.sona-systems.com They normally pay $15 an hour but things run for 2 hours. You only do stuff for the first hour. The second hour is for payment processing. Sometimes you get to also keep the money that you win in the projects. (Check payment)

Posted by K. Lee at 9:58 PM | Permalink

Yep, it's that time of the year again! Yay! Tax time. FAFSA is due this Friday and of course I'm sitting here trying to figure everything out at the last minute. I have a few words of advice for you folks - don't trust anyone to do your paperwork other than yourself. My fiance wanted to deal with the taxes this year, so I collected all of the paperwork in an envelope for him, then placed it on his desk for him to help me with. I told him that it needed to be done by March 1. Then - it's lovely... he let it sit there for the past 4 weeks. When I reminded him this weekend that I need to have everything done by March 1st, he of course says "Why didn't you tell me that?!" Then proceeded to call his dad and ask him how to do my taxes. Mind you, I'm not stupid. And I am 24. I have done my own taxes for a few years. I don't need him to do my taxes... but somehow I convinced myself that it was a good thing to let him worry about them. Well, folks, now I'm hoping that I get my financial aid application in on time. Don't make my mistake - take these silly things into your own hands - as I will be sure to do in the future. What a pain!

Posted by Christina at 9:16 PM | Permalink

Seems like I'm always being asked "Will this do well out here?" Well, there is an ultimate resource out there that will tell you just that. It's the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Growing up, I just assumed that everyone had one of these, and would consult it regularly when planning their garden. Well, now everyone (at least those who read this blog) will wonder no longer. Here's a site that outlines the zones:

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

When you look up information on a plant - when buying it online or just looking in a catalog - they always mention what zone it will do well in.

Posted by Christina at 11:39 AM | Permalink

I bet you've heard about the Student Learning Center. I did too. Yet, I refused to use their services which were publicized almost everywhere I went. "I don't need anyone's help!" I thought vainly. However, after suffering through Chem 1A last semester, I decided to give the SLC study groups a shot for Organic Chemistry and if I didn't like them, I could always drop out. I signed up for the MW 2-4 study group and ever since my first session I have fallen in love with the SLC completely. My study group leader is a genius. The first hour of the session he lectures us and goes over tough material from Professor Freche. The next hour we spend solving a worksheet together that he prepared for us. The beautiful part of the worksheet is that he compiles problems from past O-Chem tests from Freche, Pederson, etc and puts those that apply to the lecture on the worksheet so we can practice AND get used to their exam questions. GENUIS I TELL YOU! The study group has been keeping me on track and it’s a great way to study. Plus, think of it this way, consider the SLC study group a class that you have to attend, and if you do, then you have 4 hours of chem studying guaranteed per week. So for those of you who go home after class and "forget" about o-chem, the 4 hours or outlines studying is a big help. IF you haven't visited the SLC, do so soon before you dig yourself in a hole too deep to dig out of!

Sincerely,

Once a stubborn "independent" Berkeley student!

Posted by Rola Abduljabar Rabah at 12:52 AM | Permalink

As a new member of fresh faces, I will start with a little introduction. My name is Nicole (nikki) Fernandez and I am currently a third year undergraduate who recently switched from Molecular Environmental Biology to the Conservation and Resource Studies Major. So why do I love CNR? As one of the smaller colleges on campus CNR offers a nurturing, intimate environment where class sizes are smaller and more attention is paid to the individuals. I have loved my professors and have gotten to know many of them on a first name basis. One of the things that CNR offers that not many other offer are chances for field work or field trips. Yesterday, I took a little trip to Ano Nuevo State Reserve with my Wildlife Ecology class with Justin Brashares. So what exactly attracts people to the reserve and keeps people piling in from year to year?

That's right, it is the elephant seals. Mating season begins around December and lasts until about March. We saw a few pups that did not look too good. Our guide told us that about 60% of yearlings die, which according to my amazing wildlife ecology skills tells me that they probably have a type 3 survivorship curve. We also learned a few things about their feeding patterns, molting, behavioral patterns, mating and gestation, weaners, birth, and development. It was a lovely and welcome escape from the sometimes dreary classrooms of Berkeley.

Posted by Nikki Fernandez at 10:24 PM | Permalink

Last semester was my last fall semester of my undergraduate career and i took some really interesting classes. My favorite class of last semester was Economics 181: International Trade taught by Professor Ann Harrison (in the fall at least). This class is available to Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors and it is only taught in the fall. This class is a four unit class with prerequisites of Econ 100A-100B or 101A-101B. Here is the class website if anyone would like to check it out: http://emlab.berkeley.edu/users/webfac/harrison/e181_f06/e181.shtml. I am also providing the class description from the course sillabus. All this information is coming the course website listed above.
"This course covers the microeconomics of international trade, and related issues of US trade policy, developing country trade policies, foreign direction investment and multinational corporations. We begin with a brief introduction and then develop a theoretical framework to help us understand (1) why countries trade with each other and what determines trade patterns (2) whether trade is beneficial for a country and (3) how trade affects the distribution of income within a country. We then analyze the effects of commercial policy (ie tariffs) on trade and economic welfare. We conclude with a discussion of recent issues, including the World Trade Organization (WTO), regional trade agreements such as NAFTA, the impact of trade policy on growth, and other current concerns. Since I feel that there is not enough data analysis conducted in most classes, I will supplement the readings and the text with handouts whenever possible. I will expect you to become proficient in reading tables, graphs, and figures. An understanding of basic regression analysis, although helpful, is not required." (Harrison, class website).
I recommend all students who are interested in these issues to take the class. The class is only three hours of lecture and an hour of discussion every week but it doesnt feel like three hours at all. At least for me it didnt. The Professor is really nice and approachable and really knows her stuff. He has had a lot of experience in the field and is always will to talk about in office hours. She also does a really good job of applying the material to what is happenning in the world today.

Posted by Mayra Ceja at 10:17 AM | Permalink

We have had artichokes growing in my backyard since I can remember. My parents never tried to cook them. But in May, I finally bit the bullet and put those delicious artichoke buds in a pressure cooker. The result was a more poignant artichoke than one you can find at the market. All sorts of delicious. I couldn't believe it: all of this untapped potential hanging out in my backyard year after year. Unfortunately the fruit is small enough that it's a lot of effort to peel and eat, for only a little reward of potent, incredibly delicious artichoke-yums.

Continue reading "Artichoke!" »

Posted by Christina at 3:46 AM | Permalink

What is a "jerk"?

Definition 1:
The third derivative of position, the second derivative of velocity, or the first derivative of acceleration.

Definition 2:
Imagine that your friend was driving and you were in his car. Your friend saw the traffic light turned yellow and believed that he could make it. So he stepped on the gas pedal and you experienced a pull forward. Suddenly, the traffic light turned red and your friend had to stepped on the brake. You felt being pushed back and were like "Shoot, what a jerk..."

This is from my math professor when he was trying to explain higher derivatives and how useful they are in kinematics. So I guess the moral of the story is do not be intimidated by the huge lectures and do approach your professor during their office hours. They are very friendly and willing to help.

Posted by Yang Cao at 9:48 PM | Permalink

I am taking away from my precious midterm study time to write this little blog entry. I am too kind. Anyway what I wanted to talk about is the X-lab. It stands for Experimental Social Science Laboratory and it's located in F310 in Haas. What you do is sign up for a couple appointments and then you go in and you do these social experiments and then you get paid at the end (by check, irritatingly). Sounds good right? Wrong! The X-lab is in reality a simulation of the world, a eat or be eaten mentality that pits you against the smartest (and poorest) Berkeley students on campus in a dangerous and high stakes game of chance and probability. Only the luckiest survive!

Seriously though, it's a good way to make a couple bucks. You get at least 5 dollars for your trouble - if you really really suck at probability games and are really unlucky. Unfortunately it seems like you need to have a little knowledge of game theory before you start making the big bucks ($20!). Today's x-lab was a little thing about "Would you rather have someone in your group get 2 dollars and you 9? Or would you rather it be 6 both?" I told this to my roommate and he started spouting some nerd talk about Nash Equilibrium. DIdn't Nash win MVP last year? Or is he talking about Russell Crowe?

Try X-Lab. I'm serious, it's really fun. You get paid for playing a game (it's almost like being a professional game athlete) and you get to help other researchers at Haas. I feel like I'm helping the world over, and that feeling is classic.

Posted by Jonathan Yu at 12:34 PM | Permalink

Nope, it's not Yucca!

Nope, not at all. I just want to make this very clear, because if you try looking for Yucca root when you want Yuca root, you'll be terribly disappointed.

This is the plant you're looking for:

Yuca root is what they make tapioca out of! Have you seen Boba Tapioca pearls? Those are made from Yuca Root, too. Other great uses include anything you could use potatoes for, like Yuca Root gnocchi. Also, its flour can be used to make a wheat-alternative bread.

Continue reading "Yuca Root" »

Posted by Christina at 5:44 PM | Permalink

Alright! Post numero uno for me. I suppose we should start off with some background info, right? Well, I'm a junior transfer student, very excited to be in the Conservation and Resource Studies major. The major itself is awesome - from the ability to take classes that run the gamut of offerings (due to the fact that you write in your own area of interest into the major) to the superb advisors and support staff, my interactions with all aspects of Cal have left me in a state of quasi-euphoria.

Living off campus some might argue that I'll miss some of the "college experience," but I'm extremely satisfied with my situation. In a quaint little apartment in north Berkeley, not only am I a six minute bike ride away from Cal, but much of what Berkeley has to offer is right outside my door. One thing that I'd recommend to any new Cal student -- explore Berkeley! Yes, the school has more than enough to offer, but there's much more outside its doors as well. From the three farmers markets per week that bring in mostly organic farms, to the fabulous restaurants, and a myriad of earth-friendly events that can be found through the ecology center, there is a true wealth of activities to explore.

Continue reading "post one: in which we get some background, and start some classes" »

Posted by Rola Abduljabar Rabah at 11:17 AM | Permalink

Do you love citrus and flowery springtime all at once? Lemon Verbena is what you're looking for. It is common in perfumes, soaps, lotions, and you can even make it into some great desserts!

Here's what the blossoms look like:

You can spot it as anything from a 2-3ft ornamental shrub to a tree that is 2 meters tall. 200 years ago, it was one of the most common European ornamentals. But on this side of the world, it requires more trimming than most people want to do - in order to keep it a manageable size.

Continue reading "Lemon Verbena" »

Posted by Christina at 9:39 AM | Permalink