April 21, 2010

Engineer That Can Fly

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Welcome to Cornell Diaries, where we print the anonymous recorded lives of Cornell students. While The Sun maintains the confidentiality of each writer, all facts have been verified and all diaries record the truth.

Tuesday, April 13th

9:00 a.m.: FML, why?!?!

9:25 a.m.: After snoozing for as long as I deem possible, I get out of bed and immediately trip over three days worth of dirty pants, letting out a curse that makes my roommate roll over in her sleep. Lately, I’ve been getting home so late from the library that I just take off my shoes and jeans before climbing into bed. I throw on some clothes I haven’t worn outside of my dorm before — it’s been a rough couple of weeks and I’ll get around to my laundry soon enough — then slip into my Birks and prepare to get up the slope.

10:00 a.m.: I forego my classes to get to the library before my two prelims tonight. The engineering professors’ idea of lightening our workload is giving us three exams this week. I check every printer in Uris before I have an adequate amount of scrap paper to do some practice problems, then get to work.

3:00 p.m.: I don’t realize how hungry I am until no less than three people in the Cocktail Lounge give me the death glare after my stomach lets out an epic growl. I get a late lunch by myself in the Ivy Room. I wait forever for my grinder (it probably feels longer because I’m reviewing my orgo notes). It’s worth it. Then, I compost my compost and recycle my recycleables — the Ivy Room makes it so easy!

4:00 p.m.: Back to the Cocktail Lounge for some last-minute cramming.

5:30 p.m.: The proctor for my first test informs the room that she doesn’t have the exams. My anxiety peaks as everyone else starts talking about how we all have a test directly following this one. The proctor, visibly overwhelmed, leaves the room to get the professor, who brings the exams with her.

5:50 p.m.: I hate engineering.

7:30 p.m.: This is when my second test should have started, but instead we’re all standing outside the locked classroom with our T.A. The intense kids are squeezing some more study time in, while the rest of us are just complaining about our usual problems — too much work, too little sleep and so forth …

10:00 p.m.: I finally get out of my second test. I listen to everyone else’s comments, and decide that everyone thought it was adequately difficult. Some people are already on the phone with their parents, while those like me are just internally uneasy.

10:30 p.m.: After a few minutes exchanging exam struggles with a friend over a S’mores cookie in Libe, I fill up my economical and environmental water bottle, and we head back to the Cocktail Lounge.

2:00 a.m.: People have slowly trickled out, but at two the Oliners plow in. Two girls sit right below me and I start listening to their loud “whispers,” hoping for the perfect distraction with an embarrassing, awkward story, until I realize it’s too boring to bother and get back to work.

3:00 a.m.: I use my cell phone to guide me through my dark bedroom before taking off my cords and climbing into bed.

Wednesday, April 14th

8:00 a.m.: Woe is me.

2:00 p.m.: After lunch, I take a nap — i.e., I watch the new episode of Glee in bed before I start studying for my Thursday prelim. This may be the happiest I’ve been in a while.

5:00 p.m.: I guess I took a real nap. A long one.

7:30 p.m.: After dinner, I’m back at the library. I had tried to convince someone else to join me, but the PAM, communications and French majors of the world only have so much work.

Thursday, April 15th

9:00 a.m.: Words escape me.

10:10 a.m.: I try to finish the Daily Sun crossword and peruse Daze during my section. This is the most non-engineering reading I’ve done in weeks.

12:05 p.m.: Lunch at the Terrace. My panini becomes the new highlight of my week. This is a sad life I lead.

1:10 p.m.: Uris!

6:00 p.m.: I head to dinner at Oakies and enjoy the easy listening music. (“I Believe I Can Fly” becomes my new mantra.) I hold myself back from warning all the visiting high school Model U.N. kids about their futures if they come to Cornell.

7:25 p.m.: I’ve done all I can. I’ve done all I can. I’ve done all I can. I believe I can fly.

8:30 p.m.: Proctor: “Thirty minutes left.” Me: Fuck!!!!! I have only finished two problems. There are seven.

9:01 p.m.: Everyone seems pretty apprehensive, which makes me feel better. I head back to the library to finish my homework.

Friday, April 16th

11:00 a.m.: I’ve turned in my homework. I don’t have any major tests to study for, and no class for the next couple days. Black-out weekend begins. I love Cornell.

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