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Just thought I’d mention, Q1 is done.
The end was a little intense. Marks don’t come out for another 3 weeks or so.
Tomorrow is Halloween and the plan is to go to the Brunswick House for some class fun.
Q2 just started and I’ll post my thoughts about it pretty soon.
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Aparently, the TTC gives a student discount to UofT students. There are a few catches:
All of this combines to create a situation like this at the end of each month:
I waited in the line for 10 min and saw it move 3 feet.
The TTC should just admit that they’re screwing university students and stop offering the discount rather than dangling this carrot of cheaper transportation in front of us and making it very difficult to obtain.
Damn you TTC.
My friend Ali just published a paper in PLoS. Here’s an easier version to read. GO READ IT! 
Here’s a picture of Ali and me. Doesn’t she look all academic?
(cross posted to my personal blog—I want to promote this :))
This is the second time I’ve gotten a cold since Q1 started. I’m attributing the colds to toll my body has taken due to the life-style change.
Related to the colds: I’ve started to become a total germaphobe. I’m constantly washing my hands (which isn’t a bad idea) but I actually catch my thinking about how much bacteria is on everything I touch—the subway especially. The move from a small town to the big city it turning me into a crazy person.
I’ve been drinking lots of OJ in hopes of kicking this cold—I really don’t need it during exams.
This weekend is hell.
Next week isn’t looking that good either.
The week after might be better… but I doubt it.
Yes, there is a “s” at the end of “election” in the title. There was more than one.
The results of the first election were released on Wednesday; a tie. So we held a second election. This time we each wrote up a 200 word (max.) blurb about each of our “platforms” and e-mailed them out.
The results of the second election were released today; I win! I’m the section 4 social rep.
Of course I may have just won due to random statistical “noise” but I’ll take what I can get.
Situation: We think Dilip (the professor) loves flashy graphics that show a lot of attention to detail.
The competition (a rumor): Another group is getting a professional graphics designer to make the graphics for their Foundations of Integrative Thinking presentation.
Action: We better get a graphics designer too.
This is classic game theory and is happening at Rotman right now. I actually heard the above scenario (or something very similar to it) a short while ago. Doesn’t that seem a little crazy? We are in this program to learn and although appearance is important (and is marked) it shouldn’t take precedence over ideas and the overall point of the presentation. Furthermore, is obtaining the services of a graphics designer really what we need to do to get better marks in this program? Is it in the spirit of the program? What do we (as students) gain by hiring someone else to do the creative work? More importantly, what do we loose?
This post has no point other than to voice my discontent at the way some of my classmates are approaching their projects. (Note: this is still rumored and we all know what rumors are worth)
To be fair though, many of my peers have said the same thing I’m saying and the professors seem to agree.
Time for me to get back to work. I Need to make these graphics for our presentation.
I decided to run for social rep. Basically, I help to plan the out of class fun. I was thinking about running since I first heard about the position but finalized my decision about 10 min before we had to give a short speech.
I have one other candidate to beat out if I want the position so we’ll see how it goes.
I guess I can partially be classified as a politician. My favorite definition from wikipeida is:
Any person manipulating group opinions in his or her favor can be termed a politician.
Endearing eh?
I’ll post the result when I find out on Wednesday.
If you think you need a cheat sheet for the exam, you’re studying too hard.
Just finished a Foundations of Integrative Thinking lecture. I’m going to try not to give away exactly what we did (incase anyone reading this will take the course in the future) but here’s an overview.
We reviewed a case and attempted to come to a decision in small groups. We then publicly stated our opinion. After a few smaller exercises, the case exercise was tied back to a real, very public, and very well known decision that was made. The professor showed us how the problems in the decision making process effected both our and the real-life decsion and possibly led us to a non-optimal answer.
Very engaging, very cool, and really drove the point home.
This probably doesn’t sound as cool to you since I’m avoiding specifics but just trust me.