I have been given a room in this residence: http://www.bu.edu/housing/residences/largedorms/575commave.html.
I am glad that my roommate and I will have our own bathroom (even though we'll have the additional task of cleaning it) - and it has a bathtub too! - but I also lament the fact that my residence doesn't have a TV lounge. Neither does it have a gymnasium. Maybe I'll just visit other residences and sneak into their TV lounges and gymnasiums when I feel like watching local television programmes and doing exercise.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Travel plans
Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will only reach Boston on the evening of the 26th of August, thus missing the first day of orientation. I will return to Singapore on 3 January 2010 instead.
One of my friends says that he'll be joining me in New York after my exams, and his aunt who lives in New York has agreed to let me stay with her after I move out of my dormitory. Hopefully everything will work out as planned - I won't blame him or his aunt if either (or both) of them reneges on his/her (or their) words due to unexpected changes, because sometimes extraordinary things may happen that disrupt the entire plan. If that is the case I'll have to travel alone in the US from 22 December to 3 January, and that sounds pretty thrilling actually, though needless to say I'd still very much prefer to have company. I'll be spending Christmas and the New Year overseas in a city of snow, a wandering sojourner in a foreign land fully soaking up the festive joy. :)
If budget allows I'd like to venture into Canada (I'm very eager to visit Montreal) over the weekends during my semester as well - but it is all contingent on other factors really. Right now I'm just hoping that everything will turn out fine.
By the way, I tried signing up for a CouchSurfing account, so that I can get accommodation from strangers if need be, but the website kept telling me to re-enter the verification code even though I had already taken extra care to make sure that everything was correct. Eventually I became so irritated that I gave up trying to register an account. Is there something wrong with the website or with my Internet settings? Did anyone face the same problem when signing up?
One of my friends says that he'll be joining me in New York after my exams, and his aunt who lives in New York has agreed to let me stay with her after I move out of my dormitory. Hopefully everything will work out as planned - I won't blame him or his aunt if either (or both) of them reneges on his/her (or their) words due to unexpected changes, because sometimes extraordinary things may happen that disrupt the entire plan. If that is the case I'll have to travel alone in the US from 22 December to 3 January, and that sounds pretty thrilling actually, though needless to say I'd still very much prefer to have company. I'll be spending Christmas and the New Year overseas in a city of snow, a wandering sojourner in a foreign land fully soaking up the festive joy. :)
If budget allows I'd like to venture into Canada (I'm very eager to visit Montreal) over the weekends during my semester as well - but it is all contingent on other factors really. Right now I'm just hoping that everything will turn out fine.
By the way, I tried signing up for a CouchSurfing account, so that I can get accommodation from strangers if need be, but the website kept telling me to re-enter the verification code even though I had already taken extra care to make sure that everything was correct. Eventually I became so irritated that I gave up trying to register an account. Is there something wrong with the website or with my Internet settings? Did anyone face the same problem when signing up?
Monday, June 15, 2009
New timetable
I can't believe my incredible luck - someone who was registered for the yoga class dropped it only a while ago, and by sheer coincidence I visited the registration page for the yoga class, and I noticed that there was a vacancy, so I quickly grabbed the last spot! Out of so many sections for the yoga class, that vacancy actually happened to be in the section which fits nicely with all my other classes! :D Now that I am officially enrolled in the yoga course, I am giving up the Step Training lessons.
I have also decided to drop 'Masterpieces of German Literature', and in its place I have signed up for 'Philosophy of Language', because philosophy of language is a field I'd really like to explore before deciding on what to write for my Honours thesis. (Yes, I definitely want to stay an additional year to get an Honours degree.) Since it won't be offered when I return to NUS, I shall study it at BU instead. My study plan now looks like this:
Hopefully I won't have to make any changes to it, because currently I'm pretty satisfied with my schedule - all my classes sound extremely interesting and reasonably exciting. I'm actually earnestly looking forward to attending school, despite the fact that I'll have 5-day school weeks, which is seriously rather annoying. I'd rather have more condensed 4-day school weeks with either Mondays or Fridays free instead. I have hitherto spent four semesters in NUS, and I enjoyed wonderful 3-day school weeks throughout three of them and well-balanced 4-day school weeks throughout the remaining one. This time I genuinely tried my hardest to avoid getting 5-day school weeks, but certain things just can't be helped I guess. :(
I have also decided to drop 'Masterpieces of German Literature', and in its place I have signed up for 'Philosophy of Language', because philosophy of language is a field I'd really like to explore before deciding on what to write for my Honours thesis. (Yes, I definitely want to stay an additional year to get an Honours degree.) Since it won't be offered when I return to NUS, I shall study it at BU instead. My study plan now looks like this:
CAS EN 202 Introduction to Creative WritingAnd this is my timetable:
An introduction to writing in various genres: poetry, fiction, plays. Students' work discussed in class. Designed mainly for those with little or no experience in creative writing. Does not give concentration credit. Enrollment limited.
CAS PH 436 Gender, Race and Science
Examines issues in feminist philosophy, philosophy of race, and philosophy of science. Is "race" a genuine scientific category or a social construct? How have views about gender and race changed? Why are there still so few women and minority scientists?
CAS PH 463 Philosophy of Language
Critical survey of the main issues in the philosophy of language and the foundations of linguistics, including the ideas of logical form and the universality of languages as well as the basic ideas of generative grammar, possible-worlds semantics, Wittgenstein, and speech-act theories.
CAS PH 468 Philosophical Problems of Logic and Mathematics
Selected traditional metaphysical and epistemological problems in the light of modern logic and various studies in the foundations of mathematics, including the nature of the axiomatic method, completeness in logic and mathematics, and the nature of mathematical truth. (Note: This will be taught by the renowned Jaakko Hintikka!)
PDP FT 110 Stability Ball Training
Train the entire body using a resistance ball. Improve muscular strength, endurance, coordination, and flexibility in a class designed for all levels.
PDP MB 101 Hatha Yoga, Beginning
This slow, fluid, graceful exercise helps develop muscle tone, flexibility, coordination, balance, breath control, and deep relaxation.
Hopefully I won't have to make any changes to it, because currently I'm pretty satisfied with my schedule - all my classes sound extremely interesting and reasonably exciting. I'm actually earnestly looking forward to attending school, despite the fact that I'll have 5-day school weeks, which is seriously rather annoying. I'd rather have more condensed 4-day school weeks with either Mondays or Fridays free instead. I have hitherto spent four semesters in NUS, and I enjoyed wonderful 3-day school weeks throughout three of them and well-balanced 4-day school weeks throughout the remaining one. This time I genuinely tried my hardest to avoid getting 5-day school weeks, but certain things just can't be helped I guess. :(
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Brief updates
1. I have collected my Visa!
2(i). I have finally registered for my classes after spending a stupendous amount of time poring over the lengthy list of available courses as well as their respective schedules, agonising over every single decision, weighing pros carefully against cons - and despite my grandest efforts to design 4-day school weeks, I have nevertheless ended up with 5-day school weeks anyway. I tried my very best to avoid courses that have lessons on Fridays so that I can have long weekends to travel around a bit and venture into exciting uncharted territories in an unfamiliar foreign land, but excluding courses that have lessons on Fridays left me with only a scant number of options, and it was really impossible for me to find modules in which I am sufficiently interested and which do not clash with one another. Reluctantly I decided that I have no choice but to make do with a 5-day timetable.
(ii). BU allows exchange students to sign up for 2 physical education courses. Due to health problems caused by birth complications, I have not done any vigourous exercise throughout my life, and I seriously think it is high time that I start working out now. Since I lack a solid foundation in physical training, I opted for PDP FT 104 Step Training and PDP FT 110 Stability Ball Training, which are less demanding classes. I was really keen on signing up for yoga classes, but unfortunately for me there are no more vacancies left. Exchange students only get to register for classes after BU students have done so, and therefore I am condemned miserably to choosing from the leftovers. I am not disparaging BU though - I think it has done the correct thing by protecting its own students' interests.
(iii) Some modules which I have signed up for state that the consent of the course instructors is needed as a pre-requisite, so I don't know if I still have to obtain the instructors' permission in person in addition to registering for their classes online, or whether I can take it that the instructors have given their consent for my enrolment by virtue of the fact that the online system is not configured to ban me from adding their classes to to my own schedule. I have sent an email to the Student Exchange Coordinator to clarify this matter, and hopefully he will reply soon.
(iv) If everything goes smoothly, I will be taking the following courses (including two philosophy Honours classes) during my short stint at BU:
4. I will be departing on 23 August, taking the Qatar Airlines to New York, with transition in Doha. From New York's John F. Kennedy Airport, I will take a domestic flight on the same day to Boston. Since I can only move into my dormitory on 26 August, I will very likely be staying at the YMCA of Greater Boston from 23 August to 25 August. I am scheduled to leave the US on 30 December, and I will reach Singapore on 1 January 2010. I have to move out of my dormitory by 22 December, and I will most probably be in New York alone from 22 December to 30 December, unless I happen to find someone who is willing and able to travel with me. The Roommate's boyfriend will quite likely be flying over to the US to join her, and they are not planning to travel around in New York, so I will have to go separate ways with her after we move out of our room on campus.
5. I have bought my luggage as well as winter wear, except winter boots. My luggage is turquoise in colour, making it distinctly recognisable. I am thinking of decorating it as well, so that I can mark it with my own identity and avoid confusion at the airport in case someone else happens to have a luggage of exactly the same design as mine. Winter clothing costs more than what I expected, and my mother's pockets are burnt pretty badly. I will have to curb my own spending in the US to limit the damage.
6. I have my own BU email address now! It is miao@bu.edu - pretty neat, isn't it?
So far, these are all. Will update again if I've missed out anything.
2(i). I have finally registered for my classes after spending a stupendous amount of time poring over the lengthy list of available courses as well as their respective schedules, agonising over every single decision, weighing pros carefully against cons - and despite my grandest efforts to design 4-day school weeks, I have nevertheless ended up with 5-day school weeks anyway. I tried my very best to avoid courses that have lessons on Fridays so that I can have long weekends to travel around a bit and venture into exciting uncharted territories in an unfamiliar foreign land, but excluding courses that have lessons on Fridays left me with only a scant number of options, and it was really impossible for me to find modules in which I am sufficiently interested and which do not clash with one another. Reluctantly I decided that I have no choice but to make do with a 5-day timetable.
(ii). BU allows exchange students to sign up for 2 physical education courses. Due to health problems caused by birth complications, I have not done any vigourous exercise throughout my life, and I seriously think it is high time that I start working out now. Since I lack a solid foundation in physical training, I opted for PDP FT 104 Step Training and PDP FT 110 Stability Ball Training, which are less demanding classes. I was really keen on signing up for yoga classes, but unfortunately for me there are no more vacancies left. Exchange students only get to register for classes after BU students have done so, and therefore I am condemned miserably to choosing from the leftovers. I am not disparaging BU though - I think it has done the correct thing by protecting its own students' interests.
(iii) Some modules which I have signed up for state that the consent of the course instructors is needed as a pre-requisite, so I don't know if I still have to obtain the instructors' permission in person in addition to registering for their classes online, or whether I can take it that the instructors have given their consent for my enrolment by virtue of the fact that the online system is not configured to ban me from adding their classes to to my own schedule. I have sent an email to the Student Exchange Coordinator to clarify this matter, and hopefully he will reply soon.
(iv) If everything goes smoothly, I will be taking the following courses (including two philosophy Honours classes) during my short stint at BU:
3. I will be sharing a room with a female schoolmate, who's really sweet and rather pretty. In order to preserve a degree of anonymity, I shall simply refer to her as The Roommate. Pardon me for the appallingly unimaginative name.CAS EN 202 Introduction to Creative Writing
An introduction to writing in various genres: poetry, fiction, plays. Students' work discussed in class. Designed mainly for those with little or no experience in creative writing. Does not give concentration credit. Enrollment limited.
CAS LG 250 Masterpieces of German Literature (in English Translation)
Introduction to the major works of German literature, emphasizing methods of close reading and the art of critical writing. Essays, plays, fairy tales, poetry, prose by Luther, Goethe, Grimm brothers, Heine, Nietzsche, Kafka, Thomas Mann, Rilke, Hesse, Christa Wolf.
CAS PH 436 Gender, Race and Science
Examines issues in feminist philosophy, philosophy of race, and philosophy of science. Is "race" a genuine scientific category or a social construct? How have views about gender and race changed? Why are there still so few women and minority scientists?
CAS PH 468 Philosophical Problems of Logic and Mathematics
Selected traditional metaphysical and epistemological problems in the light of modern logic and various studies in the foundations of mathematics, including the nature of the axiomatic method, completeness in logic and mathematics, and the nature of mathematical truth.
PDP FT 104 Step Training
A class that combines cardiovascular conditioning and strength training. Students perform a variety of movements while stepping on and off the platform. For those serious about increasing their fitness level, while having fun. 1 cr, either sem.
PDP FT 110 Stability Ball Training
Train the entire body using a resistance ball. Improve muscular strength, endurance, coordination, and flexibility in a class designed for all levels.
4. I will be departing on 23 August, taking the Qatar Airlines to New York, with transition in Doha. From New York's John F. Kennedy Airport, I will take a domestic flight on the same day to Boston. Since I can only move into my dormitory on 26 August, I will very likely be staying at the YMCA of Greater Boston from 23 August to 25 August. I am scheduled to leave the US on 30 December, and I will reach Singapore on 1 January 2010. I have to move out of my dormitory by 22 December, and I will most probably be in New York alone from 22 December to 30 December, unless I happen to find someone who is willing and able to travel with me. The Roommate's boyfriend will quite likely be flying over to the US to join her, and they are not planning to travel around in New York, so I will have to go separate ways with her after we move out of our room on campus.
5. I have bought my luggage as well as winter wear, except winter boots. My luggage is turquoise in colour, making it distinctly recognisable. I am thinking of decorating it as well, so that I can mark it with my own identity and avoid confusion at the airport in case someone else happens to have a luggage of exactly the same design as mine. Winter clothing costs more than what I expected, and my mother's pockets are burnt pretty badly. I will have to curb my own spending in the US to limit the damage.
6. I have my own BU email address now! It is miao@bu.edu - pretty neat, isn't it?
So far, these are all. Will update again if I've missed out anything.
Monday, May 18, 2009
The acceptance package has arrived
Dear all,
My BU acceptance package has finally arrived at NUS, and I'm going to collect it tomorrow. I can't wait to start settling all the administrative work! I'm sure there are many things to do - e.g., module-mapping, visa applications, etc. - and I hope that everything will proceed smoothly. The thought of handling so many administrative chores really irritates me, but my senior assures me that once this major hurdle is cleared, I'll have a lot of great fun!
I'm completely psyched. :)
My BU acceptance package has finally arrived at NUS, and I'm going to collect it tomorrow. I can't wait to start settling all the administrative work! I'm sure there are many things to do - e.g., module-mapping, visa applications, etc. - and I hope that everything will proceed smoothly. The thought of handling so many administrative chores really irritates me, but my senior assures me that once this major hurdle is cleared, I'll have a lot of great fun!
I'm completely psyched. :)
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