June 12, 2008
The last I left you, I was still getting into my math research here. Now, I’m concluding my first month and it’s been quite an experience. I really didn’t know what to expect, but I just wanted to see if I liked what I saw in my future as far as math was concerned. Well, I’ve come to the conclusion that math probably won’t be in my future as far as a major. Yes, I am dealing with geometry (my least favorite branch of mathematics) and yes, it has only been a month, but it’s getting much more abstract and my interest hasn’t been piqued like I had hoped. This might be because we’re still learning concepts and haven’t applied it to real life very much. However, I am glad for the experience and am curious as to how the next few weeks will unfold. I will be doing my first solo presentation to the rest of the group tomorrow regarding what our group has covered this week. I am one of the least experienced research participants as far as math knowledge goes, so I’ve been worried about this for a while. I will show everyone a geometric proof that we’ve been working on that minimizes time of travel by a process known as the slicing method. I’ll leave it at that since it gets too complicated if I say much more, both for you and for me.
The front board showing all of our hard work
The back board showing math at its finest
As math researchers, we also had a really cool opportunity today. We left Richmond early and traveled to Washington D.C. to visit the National Security Agency (NSA). We toured the museum and were given two lectures about cryptography. We heard about the German “Enigmas” as well as cryptography throughout the centuries as well as codes used by hobos and what it takes to work for the NSA. I was so excited for this trip because my dream job just a few years ago was to be a cryptographer at the NSA. Getting to hear some of the talks made it look really cool again, but it’s much more technical and mathematical than most people imagine. Almost everyone who works there has majored in math or computer science and has extensive experience through graduate school. Still, I am really intrigued by cryptography and that line of work, but the process of getting there is daunting and I’m not sure if that’s what I am meant for. I’m starting to feel the pressure of being pulled in too many different directions and I’m not sure what I want anymore.
The National Security Agency
Welcome to the National Cryptologic Museum
Artifacts at the NSA Museum
Me at the NSA Museum
Having fun on the way home from Washington D.C. with
puzzles and games from a VA DOT brochure we found at a rest stop
Besides math, I’m still keeping busy. I put in a lot of work communicating with people and meeting with people regarding the disc golf course I am trying to bring to campus. I met with a bunch of local disc golfers and walked the grounds, mapping out a potential course. I then wrote an 8-page proposal with all of our suggestions and submitted that. In response, I have had very positive feedback on it. However, we’ve been told that we will most likely be put on hold while the details are discussed, which is frustrating.
Also, we had a game night as well as a movie night with all of us math researchers. I have taken charge of next week’s social event and have planned an on-campus scavenger hunt that I am really excited about.
Game night with LURE
Finally, I got off-campus with my friends this past weekend when two of my friends and I went to Virginia Beach. I had yet to go there and could have used a road trip to the beach. It was over 100 degrees and had been for the prior few days, making the beach that much more appealing. We watched several matches of the North American Sand Soccer Tournament that was being held there and also enjoyed the ocean. However, the sunscreen that we had on did not protect us as well as we had hoped and all three of us got sunburnt. My sunburn was so bad that I could hardly move the next day. Everything was painful. I tried every remedy in the book and it still has taken forever for it to feel better. Almost a week later, the pain has slowly diminished and now I am only peeling. Well, I’ve learned my lesson the hard way and hope that I never have to experience that again. The trip was fun, but the ensuing week has not been. The burn was so irritating and limiting that I didn’t get to the gym this past week to continue my regiment. I never envisioned that sunburn would be the reason that I stopped going.
Welcome to Virginia Beach
The North American Sand Soccer Tournament
Fun at the beach
My friends relaxing at the beach
That’s been my life. Once again, my life has been rather full. My parents and siblings will be coming to visit me in a few weeks which I am very excited about. It’ll be the first time since Christmas that I’ll have seen them.
Quote of the Week: “A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” - James Dent
Thought to Ponder: When does it stop being partly cloudy and start being partly sunny?
Shout Outs: Anyone who is busy throwing a grad party and dealing with all of those fun details and plans.
YouTube Video of the Week:
This is pretty unfortunate
