Sunday 24 May 2009

Run up to Finals (aka getting very stressed over 6 hours of exams)

Well finals are now under a fortnight away 'o'
I've got 6 hours of exams coming up:

1.5hr Graph Theory Paper - Friday 6th Week (5th June) 9.30am
3hr Lie Algebras & Representation Theory Paper - Monday 7th Week (8th June) 9.30am
1.5hr Axiomatic Set Theory Paper - Monday 7th Week (8th June) 2.30pm

It doesn't seem all that much on paper - considering it is half the amount of exams I've had each of the last three years - but I'm getting a bit stressed about it now. I just feel I'm not going to be anywhere near ready for it. I also have no idea what kind of marks I'm going to get for my dissertation. I have a sinking feeling that considering my examiner it might not be as high as I hoped.

But anyway, enough about scary exams - I've been filling in VISA forms this week (slightly terrifying!) and am about to start on my Citibank forms (very complicated!). Also, the preparations for my leaving party are well underway. My dad has managed to get a Bucking Bronco from somewhere and I'm going to order some Rutgers Stash from their website to put up around the place. Can't wait!

It is finally starting to sink in that in 2 and a half months I'll be flying to the U.S. At my uncle Paul's wedding last weekend it was really nice having all my relatives asking me about my impending departure but it was also slightly daunting. It suddenly made me realise the enormity of my move - living for 4+ years in a country 40 times the size of the UK that I've never even visited... At the same time the thought of the challenge of it all really excites me - I really like the fact that I'm not going to know anyone, or the area and it'll be an 'adventure' at least!

Well, it's time I should be back off to finals revision but I'll hopefully post once I'm through the other side...

David

Wednesday 13 May 2009

First Post

Well I've set up this blog as somewhere I can write about my experiences when I head across to America... I'll probably not update it much before I head across but keep checking just in case! In case you didn't know, I'm off to Rutgers University, NJ to study for a PhD in Pure Mathematics (Group Theory) in the Fall (did you notice me trying to use the US lingo :-P ) and I've been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for my first year's study. This means I'm actually going to be heading out to the States on the 14th August when I'll be heading down to Miami for 5 days for an Orientation week (and getting paid to do it ^-^ ) before another Orientation week in Rutgers for International Students. Oh, and I've got an Orientation week with Fulbright in London before I leave the UK!  Hopefully 15 days of Orientation should leave me fairly prepared for the States!

Big exciting news this week - the Fulbright Schoalrs have been invited to dinner at the US Embassy on the 9th July! Should be pretty fun and not something I usually do... :-P

Anyways, more updates later

David