Spring Break

Which part of a break that you like best?
Normally people will say the beginning, when they are hopping on a short trip or getaway, etc.

But for me, it's the end!! Well, only for this Spring Break may be.

As mentioned in the previous post, I had to be away from school for one week. So, after coming back from Jakarta, I had barely enough time to balance out. In other words, almost all my time was used up for studying, doing assignments, doing research, attending seminar, meetings, etc. Almost no time for myself, to rest, to relax, to have a normal sleep.

Within the last one month before Spring Break, I felt very pressurized. I've mentioned before about the notorious 16.930 course so I won't repeat telling the same here. Hmm, not that I don't like the course though. The course is amazing, the professors are great. This course is my best education experience that I've ever had so far. But remembering the days I ran my simulations and debugged the code... hmm no thanks.

Not only I had no enough sleep, normally my sleep was disturbed and not deep so I feel tired almost the whole time. Until...

On Friday before the Spring Break (23 March) in a research meeting I realized that I have lost focus and did discourse. I know what the goal to be achieved but somehow I drifted along the way (luckily not much and not very severe). On that Friday afternoon, I felt like being awaken after a long sleep. Suddenly I could open my eyes and see the flaws in my research work. I felt bad to my advisor (though she can understand me), I was at a mess, I was tired but I don't know what to do. My mind was clouded more with PDE (16.930) rather than my own research which supposedly bear more importance.

I stared at the data, my code, the numbers but couldn't find anything. I simply couldn't think at all.

Then, I did what my mom has suggested few times in the last month: go shopping, get a nice meal and go back and study again. So I walked to Newbury Street, Prudential Center and Copley Square. Not a long getaway as I know what to see/buy and I didn't wander elsewhere. Among the things I bought was Melatonin from GNC. I did need help to get a good night sleep, OK... =D

I went back home and still suffered from a brain dysfunction =( I still forced myself to work though. On Saturday, I worked nonstop until 4 am. On Sunday, I went to morning mass at MIT Chapel but couldn't concentrate well either. I continued working until around 6 pm when I got myself ready to go to Harvard Square. My friend has a free concert ticket (chamber music orchestra) at Sanders Theatre, Harvard Memorial Hall. All my friends urged me to go: to refresh, they said. So off I went.

The concert was marvelous. The concert hall are all in wood! Nonetheless, as it was only instrumental, after some time my mind did wander again. After coming back, I did work a bit but still went to sleep =D as I need to go to Davis Square on Monday morning. Monday was the day I slept only for two hours and remained at a zombie state the next day... =D

On Thursday 2 am I sent a writeup to my advisor. Actually I promised her to submit by end of this week or next week but I was too afraid that I did another blunder that I submit as soon as possible. And... my nerve only loosen when on Thursday night, she replied and said that my work and proposed next steps are good. At that moment, I told my roommate: "I can now officially go out this weekend"

At noon on Friday I officially finished my PDE report so I went to Pepper Sky to have the best Shrimp Pad Thai I've ever tried. I don't usually fancy Thai food but my friend (who is trusted in gourmet related stuffs) recommended this place and I like it! On Friday night, I have finished what I wanted to finish in Spring Break.

So I have two more days for Spring Break that will be (relatively) free. But I had with me:
1. body aches
2. shoulder strain (my roommate told me it must be from typing too much -- I have a bad posture in typing because I tend to look at the monitor as closely as possible)
3. pain and tiredness in my eyes... yesterday my right eye felt almost like exploding

And today... is my REAL SPRING BREAK!!!
I had a wonderful day today... I want to tell you know but I guess it's late and I want to SLEEP!! Tomorrow I have to wake up early for morning mass.

My roommate is asleep now, when she switched off the mainlight she reminded me to sleep and asked "Why do you not like sleeping, not like me?"
Haha I guess she wondered because last week I always slept after she did and already left the room before she woke up.

OK. So I'll sleep now, wait 'til tomorrow for the story, OK?