YEAH!!! I survived the first week of class at the University of Minnesota!!! LOL

I’m so proud of myself. The classes are huge!!! Like, in my biology class, I’m pretty sure there’s at least 150 people in there. The Diff Eq and Deform classes are also very big! At least 100 people each! Whew….

But, well, I survived. The learning style is a bit different because there’s lecture and recitation so I have to re-adjust my studying style. but I’m getting better. Although classes are getting very very hard, I’m enjoying them, coz I still have some friends who I used to study with last year in Century.

The only thing I’m still a bit frustrated with is the fact that I don’t know a lot of things at the U yet. Like, back in Century, I know TONS of things. Now I have to re-learn everything. But I’ll get by.

I also made a new blog, as the title said. It contains what I’ve learn in my MATS 3011 Intro to Materials Science class. Don’t worry, they’re not equations and concepts. They’re just what I can apply in the real world. So, please visit my new blog at:

Ws and Hs In MATS

Enjoy!!!! ^^

Where was I when a new history was written earlier today? Where was I when the United States of America elected its first african-american president? Where was I when, so people said, the dreams of Martin Luther King Jr. was achieved and the American Dream was truly defined?

I was in MCB 3-120 lecture hall, waiting for my BIOL 1001 lecture to start. LOL

Luckily, I got there early because the previous math class ended early. So 10 minutes before the biology lab started, the professor put up nytimes.com and played the streaming video of the inauguration event.

Sadly, she then switched back to her power point slides and went to the back room. So I didn’t watch live when Obama was inaugurated. Rather, I LISTENED live. LOL I chuckeled a little when they messed up the oath of presidency.

Oddly, I did not see any strong reaction from other students. There were at least 60 to 70 student in that lecture hall. When Obama finished the oath, I clapped. But only 1 other person clapped.

Weird….

Oh well… First day of class went quite well. No notable problems, school-wise. But I jst got more confused on the process of getting internship. I think I have to delay getting one. Don’t worry. I’ll still try. I won’t hurt to try, right?

I’ve been putting this off because I wanted to wait for more news. But what I’ve been reading has been very surprising. Maybe I did a wrong analysis. But here goes.

1st quote from Kompas:

Vice President Cooperation Communication PT Pertamina Anang Rizkani Noor kepada wartawan, Senin (19/1), mengatakan, tangki bernomor 24 yang berisi bahan bakar premium bervolume 5 juta liter yang terbakar, Minggu (18/1), malam di Depo Pertamina di Plumpang, Jakarta Utara, merupakan yang terbesar dan paling modern di antara 27 tangki yang ada di sana.

Basically, it says that the #24 tank that exploded was the “most modern” one out of the 27 tanks on site.

Now lets see the 2nd quote from Kompas:

[Direktur Pemasaran Bagian Hilir Pertamina, Ahmad Faisal], mengatakan, tangki 24 yang terbakar tersebut dibuat pada tahun 1972.

Umm… made in 1972, means that the tank is… 36 years old…. Can you call that modern?

Last quote, also from Kompas:

Usia tangki, biasanya mencapai 20 tahun penggunaan dan bisa lebih dari 20 tahun jika dengan perawatan yang baik. Faisal berkilah, kebakaran tidak ada kaitannya dengan usia tangki. Apalagi, selama ini tangki yang digunakan Pertamina secara rutin disertifikasi sehingga dianggap laik digunakan.

Uhh…. max 20 years of usage…

This is messed up, isn’t it?

Ok… maybe the title was not too clear, so let me tell you what actually happened.

This morning (Sunday, January 18), I went to St. Jerome Church close to where my grandparents live. I got there early. I thought the Mass was at 10, but actually it was at 10:30. So the choir group was still practicing. They sang really beautifully! It reminds me back to my highschool when I used to sing in the choir too. It was a very nice experience and I feel like I want to do it again.

However, that is not why I think Church is an awesome place. After the Mass ended, I was just doing the closing prayer. Everyone around me has gotten up (I had quite a longer-than-usual prayer). Then I was done, and I got up too, and started putting on my coat.

Then suddenly, this old women walked up to me. She said “I’ve seen you a couple times here [in this church]. Where are you from?”

So I answered “oh, I’m not from around here. I’m actually from Indonesia. I’m here to go to college.”

She said again “yeah, I figure that you’re not from around here. I thought you are from China because, you know… your face.. colored and all…”

“Yeah…”, I was left dumbfounded… Though still smiling.

She asked me where i live and I answered hat I was just visiting my grandparents. And then she went on and told me about another kid from China that goes to school there too (the Church is with St. Jerome school). After that, we just kinda part coz we both had to go.

What made me really amazed was the fact that I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA who she is. And also the fact that I’ve only been to that Church 3-4 times. The last time I think was last Easter (don’t ask me where I go between then and now). And then before that was probably around winter too…

“I’m Minnie by nickname”, that was how she introduced herself in the end. And I tell you, NEVER have I received a warmer welcome in a Church than this time. To have somebody notice you, it is the best thing in the world. It made me realize that in Christ’s Church, you are never a ‘nobody’. You are part of the family.

Yep! The winter break is almost over although, sadly, the winter part is still going on strong. LOL It was -8 (YES, NEGATIVE eight!!!) degrees farenheit this morning. I was waiting for the bus and even my gloves can barely hold off the cold from my fingertips.

Anyways, classes start on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. YES!!! 2009!!! No more 2008. LOL Haven’t made a single mistake on writing year as I usually do after new years. LOL I am so anxious to start classes. I’m taking 17 credits this semester, 5 classes. They are Linear Algebra & Differential Equation, Intro to Material Science Engineering, Deformable Body Mechanics, Introductory Biology I: Evolutionary and Ecological Perspectives, and Fundamentals of Music. LOL

Anyways, I have a great apartment room now, even though I have to share a room. I have a loft bed so when I sleep, the ceiling is less than 2 ft from my face. LOL

Lers see… what else… I’ve broken a new year resolution, the 50-sit-ups-a-day one. LOL Just keeps forgetting. But I do push ups instead, even though not 50 a day. LOL I do play basketball more often, though. My friends from PERMIAS has been calling me up when they go play. And I have to say that I don’t really play that well. Scored 1 or 2 here and there, but mostly I’m just being knocked around under the basket. OUCH! Sprained my right ankle once but it already got better.

I CAN’T WAIT FOR CLASSES TO START!!!!! LOL

Well, here goes! FIRST POST OF 2009!!!! LOL

Kinda late, maybe? Since it’s already, like, almost a week after new year. LOL

Anyways, new year, new live, new commitment. What are my new year resolution?

1. 50 sit-ups (at least) a day. LOL
2. learn how to cook fish. (seriously! LOL)
3. (At least) 3.5 GPA for Spring 2009 semester

Lets see if I can keep these promises. LOL Although, other promises might come up too so the commitments are not limited to the three stated above.

So, good luck for everyone to keep all your new year commitments!! And good luck for me too!!! LOL