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Can't believe lectures are over....
Ashley Tran
New Hall
Pros:
- I love russet apples! They look like pears, they taste like pears, and yet they are still crisp and delicious with a taste that just resonates YUM! I will miss russet apples when I come back to the states.
- The market, open 7 days a week, is a wonderful place. I like to buy fresh fruits and veges there; breads/cheeses of all kinds, arts, crafts, nick nacks, and best of all-- the Bike Man can fix just about any cycle problem you might have.
- The history and tradition here runs so deep, it's humbling just to stand in the middle of Trinity courtyard (not on the grass!) or walk along the corridors knowing this is the very place Isaac Newton tested the speed of sound hundreds of years ago.
- I like how the college is so much more than a place to sleep. I tried imagining East Campus with ornate gardens, a fountain, and a library, but that image didn't last long.
- Although I am just as busy as I have been at MIT, I am less mentally stressed because there are no regular exams. However, I still learn a lot, especially during practicals (labs) where often I can discuss concepts with TAs while waiting for reactions to incubate, etc.
Cons: - Sometimes I really fear for my life biking along those narrow roads when a double decker bus careens past me. More than once it's brushed my shoulder. Helmit, lights, signaling, and checking your blind spot are all very important.
- Before coming here, I imagined supervisions as a time where I could ask lots of questions, but actually there is so much material to cover in one hour (at least for Bio Nat Sci) that often I have to email questions instead. Also, I have met some resistence to asking lots of questions because there is the attitude that one should be able to answer the questions independently by going through reference material.
- Just like colleges, departments are autonomous. As a student, I am not a member of a department; this means I only have limited weekday access to libraries, and must ask permission to enter the doors just to go to lecture. Over time I have gotten used to this system but at first it made me feel unwelcome.
This was the first time I've been out of the country, so of course the past two months have been a major transition period; I spent a significant amount of time getting lost, adjusting to the culture (esp. "are you alright?" yes, why?), the food (mushy peas? toad in the hole?), and the many university traditions. Overall, however, I am very glad to be here. It's a rare opportunity to be able to remove yourself from the US and just absorb an entirely new way of learning and living.