courtyard photoshoot + quarter goals and life update

Hallie came for the weekend after finals to see my cute one-bedroom apartment for the first time, check out Grocery Outlet (which I gush about all the time) and Winegar's, stroll about campus, and watch Beauty and the Beast. On Thursday, Hallie was nice and helped straighten up my house (studying > cleaning during the last few weeks of school . . . or always), made cottage cheese pancakes, and we walked to one Winegar's and then the other and were disappointed both times by the crowd of people for Free Pastry Day. So while Hallie complained about all the walking (even though her Fitbit cheered her excessively for making 10,000+ steps), we went to the SURC to use the Internet so I could answer a professor's e-mail about a scholarship.

On Friday, we went shopping at Maurice's, checked out Grocery Outlet, and visited Stephen at Ace. For dinner, we went to The Palace and had burgers and sweet potato fries.
On Saturday, we went out to the Barge Hall courtyard, where Hallie took these photos. We also had some taken together with the D7000's self-timer, and one of them was so hilarious that I screeched in laughter and had tears running down my face (see below haha). After the photoshoot, we went to Beauty and the Beast at the Grand Meridian and were pleasantly surprised at the fact that it was almost or on par with Cinderella (2015). (I wasn't impressed by the trailers/sneak peeks/even the soundtrack I'd seen and heard before I saw the movie.)
Then on Sunday we drove home to Goldendale, where I spent the past week trying to do scholarship prep, taking care of my horse (who is nineteen and still as feisty as ever . . . maybe even more so), writing thank-you notes, doing yoga, and discovering Poldark.
I am ready to go back to school, though, I think. I know it's going to be a tough quarter, but the nicer weather should certainly help me maintain a more positive outlook (January in Ellensburg meant a foot and a half and more of snow, snowfall nearly every day, freezing rain, icy sidewalks, subzero temperatures, and eight o' clock classes in the freezing cold). Gaining other tools to help me stay more positive (such as taking time for myself and setting aside specific time to do homework) has and will also help.

goals for spring quarter - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  

  • stop being intimidated by people and needing their affirmation for my happiness

  • keep up with my improving time management skills by maintaining a clean apartment and keeping up with daily activities -- especially prep for the exciting announcement below

  • spend more time at legitimate social activities, like concerts at the music building, movies at the SURC, and other campus stuff (90% of my present social activity is sitting in the library study lounge with my coworkers)

  • hang out with more women (I spend a lot of time with men because of my department)

  • be a better friend
  • be as active as possible; do yoga daily and go for walks in addition to walking for transportation

big news - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

On Friday, March 17th, while I was showing Hallie a dress I had tried on in Maurice's, Dr. Vadim Ponomarenko from San Diego State University called me and offered me a job on San Diego State's summer research experience for undergraduates (REU)! Two days later, I officially accepted the offer, which means I will be spending this summer in San Diego, California! I am so supremely excited. 
On the REU, I will be researching vorticity in hydrodynamics alongside applied mathematician Dr. Curtis and a few other students from all over the nation (there's one from Marquette University in Michigan, one from Baylor University in Texas, a few from University of California [Davis and Santa Barbara campuses], and one from University of Oregon -- and others I haven't even mentioned). The subject matter deals with fluid flows; calculations of fluid flows consist of a lot of vectors, since fluid flow has both magnitude and direction. I legit just learned the math I need for this REU winter quarter, in Multivariable Calculus II. God has impeccable timing. 
This was one of eight REUs I applied for from about February 10-March 3. REUs are a little different from internships in that we're not going to a company and learning about what they do and figuring out how to do it ourselves; we're actually being given the opportunity to research new mathematics, which is a pretty big deal as an undergraduate. After we finish our research, we'll be encouraged to present at various conferences and at our home institution. Another goal of the REU is to be published in a mathematical journal, which is also a big deal. REUs are a fantastic experience to have on your CV/resume when applying for graduate schools, since they mean you have already researched math in a competitive academic setting.
Before I leave for San Diego, I have to get through this quarter, of course; I also have to get a plane ticket, figure out housing, correspond more with my fellow REU peeps, and possibly get someone to sublet my Ellensburg apartment while I'm gone. I also get to go shopping for San Diego summer clothes -- yay! -- like shorts and capris and sundresses. 

That's about all for this blog post, so I'll sign off -- and mentally prepare myself for stepping into my advanced calculus classroom on Tuesday!

Comments

  1. Hannah, so lovely to see a new blog post from you. :)

    It sounds (and looks) like you and Hallie had a wonderful time. I'm so glad! Visits with family/friends are always wonderful.

    YAY for Beauty and the Beast. Even though it's early in the season, it's going to be one of my best of 2017. I can already tell. :)

    Best of luck with this year!

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    1. Thank you! We had a most excellent time and laughed a lot. :-)

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  2. Lovely photos! You sisters are so beautiful. My favorite is the fifth from the bottom. The ones of you and Hallie are so cute and hysterical!

    Congrats on receiving the REU in San Diego, California!! That is so, so exciting. You deserve this, having worked and studied so hard.

    Also, I totally understand the whole difficulty with maintaining a social life on top of work and school. Studying always takes precedent, unfortunately. :P

    Dani xoxo
    a vapor in the wind

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    1. Thank you, Dani! Hallie and I are pretty ridiculous. but we had fun :)

      Thank you! I am very excited and honored... and terrified. haha but it will be such a great experience.

      Indeed, it does. I continually find myself writing activities down in my schedule -- such as concerts and movies in the student center theater -- and then not being able to make them because of homework deadlines. I'm going to do my best not to let that happen this quarter!

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